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*                                                                           *
*                   LMV: A movie machine for your Amiga                     *
*                   ---  ------------------------------                     *
*                                                                           *
*                     Copyright (C) 1987                                    *
*                     by Jim Webster,                                       *
*                     Widdershins Productions                               *
*                                                                           *
*        This is a SHAREWARE program.  C source code and an update can be   *
*        obtained by sending $10.00 ($15.00 if outside U.S.) to:            *
*                                                                           *
*                        Jim Webster                                        *
*                        335 Lowell Ave                                     *
*                        Palo Alto, CA 94301                                *
*                        tele. 415/328-7477 or 368-3632                     *
*                                                                           *
*         Feel free to copy and pass this program around, but please do     *
*         not sell it.  Thank you.                                          *
*                                                                           *
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*                                                                           *
*                        ABOUT THIS PROGRAM                                 *
*                        ----- ---- -------                                 *
*                                                                           *
*    LMV stands for Long Movie.  AmigaDos 1.2 is required and expansion ram *
*  is recommended to run this program, which I designed for the purpose of  *
*  recording computer animations on my Sony SF-HL1000 Betamax VCR.          *
*                                                                           *
*    LMV reads up to 100 images off 1 or 2 disks (IFF format only) and      *
*  allows you to display them rapidly in succession, producing an effect    *
*  similar to animation.  The pictures MUST be in 320x200, lo-res format; a *
*  future version will allow for different resolutions and (hopefully) HAM  *
*  pictures as well.  The pictures CAN have different color palettes and    *
*  different palette sizes (2,4,8,16 or 32 colors).  The pictures can also  *
*  be played backwards or forwards, in any subrange of frames.  Please note:*
*  THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF IMAGES YOU CAN DISPLAY IN ONE MOVIE DEPENDS ON BOTH *
*  THE AMOUNT OF MEMORY YOUR SYSTEM HAS, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF COLORS    *
*  (BITPLANES) IN THE IMAGES.                                               *
*                                                                           *
*    LMV requires AmigaDos 1.2, and expansion memory is a must.  With my 2  *
*  meg expansion board, I can load about 50 32-color images.  If you don't  *
*  have expansion memory, I am putting together another program, called MV, *
*  that will be able to animate about 7 32-color images.  Since these images*
*  will all be stored in CHIP ram, MV will be able to flash them much faster*
*  than this program. You may want to use MV even if you have expansion ram,*
*  if it is important that you be able animate at 30 frames per second.  MV *   *
*  will be included free with the next version of this program.             *
*                                                                           *
*    In the current version, LMV will only run from CLI, and makes no use   *
*  of windows, menus, etc.  A future version will be "clickable" from the   *
*  the workbench.  One of the reasons I haven't used intuition is to        *
*  conserve memory, to allow the maximum number of images to be loaded.     *
*                                                                           *
*    To run LMV, type "LMV," followed by the names of the files you wish to *
*  use (don't forget to use pathnames!).  For example, if you have files    *
*  named pic1, pic2 and pic3 on the disk in your external drive, type       *
*  "LMV df1:pic1 df1:pic2 df1:pic3" and hit return.  The program will load, *
*  and ask if you want to use 1 or 2 disks.  If you choose to use 2 disks,  *
*  the file names on the second disk must be identical to those on the      *
*  first disk, although of course the actual images on each disk can be     *
*  different.  My method of using this program is as follows:  Each disk of *
*  images that I save has all its files named 00,01,02.. etc. to 29.  I     *
*  created a batch file named "xf00-29" using ED that goes:                 *
*                                                                           *
*     LMV df1:00 df1:01 df1:02 df1:03 df1:04 df1:05 df1:06 df1:07 df1:08    *
*  df1:09 df1:10 df1:11 df1:12 df1:13 df1:14 df1:15 df1:16 df1:17 df1:18    *
*  df1:19 df1:20 df1:21 df1:22 df1:23 df1:24 df1:25 df1:26 df1:27 df1:28    *
*  df1:29                                                                   *
*                                                                           *
*    Then I use the EXECUTE command: "execute xf00-29" to run the program.  *
*                                                                           *
*    After asking for 1 or 2 disks, the program reads each file and         *
*  displays the filename, number of bitplanes, and the memory available     *
*  after file has been processed.  If a file is unreadable or in the wrong  *
*  format, you will be given the option of quitting, skipping that file, or *
*  starting animation immediately.                                          *
*                                                                           *
*    Next, you are asked to enter the number of the first frame and the     *
*  number of the last frame.  For instance, if you loaded five files and    *
*  you wish to use all of them, enter 0 (not 1!) for first frame and 4 (not *
*  5!) for last frame.  To do animation in reverse, you'd enter 4 for first *
*  frame and 0 for last frame.                                              *
*                                                                           *
*    You are then asked to enter the DELAY between the images.  LMV is      *
*  capable of displaying up to about 19 frames per second (zero delay).  If *
*  you want 15 frames per second for 32-color images, enter a delay value of*
*  1010 (this is a close approximation); for 7 1/2 frames per second, enter *
*  6750.  The fewer the number of bitplanes in an image, the less time it   *
*  takes to display it, so use shorter values for other sized palettes. You *
*  may want to experiment, especially if you are recording on videotape.    *    *
*                                                                           *
*    After asking for the number of times you want to loop through the      *
*  animation sequence, LMV will ask you how you want to begin and end the   *
*  animation.  You may wish to start the animation immediately, and return  *
*  to your CLI screen immediately.  Or, you may choose to first display     *
*  either the first image in the sequence or a black screen, and begin      *
*  animation by entering a number (any number) from the keyboard.  With     *
*  this method, you have to enter another (any)number to RETURN to the CLI  *
*  screen as well.  This is useful if you are taping your animation, since  *
*  it guarantees that you will be able to eliminate any signs of the CLI    *
*  screen appearing on your tape.  NOTE: if you use this method, either the *
*  last frame in the sequence, or a black screen, will be displayed on the  *
*  screen after the animation is complete.  You will NOT be prompted to     *
*  enter a number, of course, since to do so would ruin the image!  A       *
*  future version will use mouse clicks to perform this function.           *
*                                                                           *
*    One more note:  this version does not hide the workbench pointer.  For *  
*  now, I recommend using Preferences to create your own pointer image that *
*  is very small, then hide it by moving it to a corner of the screen before*
*  starting animation.  You will not need to do this with a future version. *
*                                                                           *
*    Guess that's about it.  Any questions can be directed to me at the     *
*  above address or phone number.  Happy animating!                         *
*                                                                           *
*    P.S. I just added a new feature that allows you to alternate the       *
*  animation sequence if you're doing more than one loop.  If you choose    *
*  this feature, every "odd" loop will run forwards and every "even" loop   *
*  run backwards.  I've included on my distribution disk a sample sequence  *
*  of 15 images (one seconds worth) digitized from a videotape of Jimmy     *
*  Stewart. The image files are named 00,01,02...14.                        *
*                                                                           *
*    P.P.S. I've included on this disk a SECOND version of LMV called LMV2. *
*  LMV2 has a few more fancy tricks for you to try.  It runs the same as    *
*  LMV, but it has more options.  You can try color cycling, fade to black, *
*  fade to white, or fade to a defined colormap.  Color cycling can either  *
*  be done as one cycle per every frame (this slows down the show           *
*  considerably) or as one cycle over a range of frames.  With each of these*
*  color options, you must specify the range of frames over which it        *
*  applies, as well as the range of colors affected.  Note: I haven't taken *
*  the time to do bullet-proof data entry, so make sure the values you enter*
*  are within the correct range.  Or would you prefer to meet Mr. Guru      *
*  again?  On the other hand, experiment.  It's fun!                        *
*                                                                           *
*   One more reminder, this IS a SHAREWARE program.  I've got more tricks   *
* up my sleeve, so keep that money rollin' in, folks...                     *
*                                                                           *  
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