/////////////// TV TITLE.PRG \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ This software is intended for owners of Atari 16 bit computers who use NTSC converters to send images to VCRs or regular TVs. In the past 2 1/2 years I've owned a 520 FM, a mega 2 with a video key and finally a mega 4 with a JRI Genlock which I now use to produce "Cheap Videos" commercially. The Atari compatible software that I use to produce my images are CAD 3D, Cyber Paint, Cyber Control, Degas and now, STOS basic. After using the regular line of software I eventually reached the conclusion that none of these commercially available programs could produce titling effects such as those seen regularly on TV. The only one that comes close is Cyber Paint, but it eats up so much memory, and takes so much time to compute vertical scrolling effects that it's practically useless in this respect. I came to the conclusion that, although there was beautiful software to generate animations, there was no titling utility as such. (Antic has a disk called "video titling" but it isn't what it's title sounds like). I then decided to write my own titling utility, and, although it started out as a modest project, you'll find that it includes most of what is required to produce great titles on your videos. I personally use it regularly for my clients. My TV_TITLE.PRG program does not produce the titling images themselves but is used to concatenate a series of .P?1 images in a various number of ways... Although this may seem a drawback, there are so many ways to produce very appealing Degas images that I decided to concentrate on maneuvering these on the screen. The best images for titling can be obtained through a desktop publisher or by using GDOS fonts. To create the P?1 images, start with whatever program you want to use to create the titles and produce a P?1 image from it. Programs like Degas and Cyber Paint can create their own P?1 images but what about the others? Practically, all programs that can produce text can be made to produce P?1 images indirectly. If for example you want to use a desktop publisher, you can loat an "Alternate Help" utility that will capture your screen, any screen, in PI? format. Such Alternate Help utilities are available as shareware. Once you have the PI? image it can be converted to a PI1 image using the shareware "PICSWITCH". Once a PI1 image is produced, it can be loaded in Degas or Cyber Paint to add a black outlines to the characters. The "draw line" feature can then be used in block mode if a 3D effect is desired. Note that Cyber Paint is great because it can use the beautiful GDOS fonts without having GDOS loaded! It's "edge in" feature is also at least 10 times faster than Degas to produce a black outline to the text. Unfortunately, Cyber Paint cannot draw lines in block mode like Degas can... You win some, you loose some. LOADING THE PROGRAM Before you start using the TV_TITLES program, be aware that STOS BASIC programs cannot always return to the desktop if accessories are loaded. In any case, you'll need a lot of memory to use the program and especially so if you own a 520 FM. You will not be able to use all 12 titling screens with a 520FM... The unusable screens will be greyed out. The program starts with the opening screen and then presents a mouse driven menu to control all the effects. Two .P?1 files are provided with this functionnal demo version of the program. The file "ALLCOLRS" will already be in memory as screen 1 and the other file, should be on the unarc'ed disk under the name of DEMO.PC1. This demo version is a fully compiled version of the program with a couple of repeating messages inviting you to contribute to this shareware. The registered version comes without the messages and includes : - a SAVE SETTINGS option - Documented keyboard control - a LOAD SETTINGS option - Venetian effect - no shareware messages - Wipe effect THE CONTROLS 1- To quit the program & return to the desktop type "CONTROL C" 2- LOADING PROGRAMS To produce titling effects, you will need to load the .P?1 files you want to display on your TV. There are 12 slots available for these files and slot 1 is already occupied by a file called "ALLCOLRS". Lets load the file "DEMO.PC1" from the disk. a) Click on an empty screen name any from 2 to 12 and the field will be highlited. b) Click on "LOAD" and you will be presented with a file selector box. There are two main differences between this file selector and a GEM file selector: You should click on "PREVIOUS" to exit a folder and you should click on "UP" or "DOWN" to view files that are not displayed in the window. Click on the file "DEMO.PC1" and click on "RETURN" or double click on "TITLE.PC1" to load the file. The file will be loaded and you will be returned to the control screen where the file name will be displayed and the corresponding "On/Off" control will be set to "On". Note that all empty screen names are "Black" screens (if colour register 0= $000). 3- THE COLOUR CONTROL Since the program works with a number of screens, that could use different colour palettes, you can choose which palette will be used to produce your titling effects. Under the heading "Colour" there is a box containing a palette number. This number DOES NOT correspond to the screen name numbers. These palettes can be initialized by any of the following methods: a) Note that palette "0" always adopts the colours of the screen loaded last. It is therefore unwise to use this palette. b) The colour palette from any loaded screen can be transferred to any palette. c) The colour registers of any palette can be set manually. d) If you own a registered version of the program, saved settings can be loaded in any palette. The "ALLCOLRS" screen comes with a lot of colours to experiment with. To load the ALLCOLRS palette in one of the program's palettes proceed as follows: a) Choose a palette number, say 2, by clicking on the + __ - in the palette box. b) Click on the word "Reg." in the colour setting box. You will be invited to choose a screen name so make shure that "ALLCOLRS" is highlited. Click on "OK" and on "OK" again following the warning prompt. You will then be asked if you want to keep the "Flash" info... click on "OK". At this point the ALLCOLRS palette should be loaded in palette 2 and you can examine the colours by clicking on the + __ - to select the various colour registers. Notice that each colour is displayed in turn by the colour of the colour settings box. All colour registers are programmable. You can choose to Flash a sequence of colours for each of the 16 colour registers. This is controlled by the "Flash" section of the colour menu. The Flash number corresponds to a subregister of the selected colour register. For example, Register 2 can have up to 16 Flash settings, Register 3 up to 16 Flash settings, etc. Select Reg 1 which should be at setting "700" (Red). The Flash number should be "0". Click on the Time setting to select "0 sec and 5/60". Then augment the Flash setting to "1". you will find that subcolour 1 of Reg. 1 is now "000" (Black). Set the time setting to "0 sec and 10/60" and click on the word "Flash". The word Flash will highlight and you will see the result of the programmed colour combination. Notice that the "Black" setting lasts 10/60 sec. while the "Red" setting lasts 5/60 sec. Although we've only set two subregisters, you can experiment with up to 16 per Register!!! All colour of the selected palette can be set in this fashion and you can have up to 10 different palettes! Flash can be turned on or off by clicking on the word "Flash". A setting of "0 sec 0/60" will disable that subcolour. 4- VIEWING A SCREEN To examine the results of your palette, select a screen name and click on "VIEW". The screen will be displayed with the selected colour palette. Left clicking when in "VIEW" mode will alternate between the screen's original palette and the active colour palette. Use a right click to exit VIEW mode. 5- THE EFFECTS Various display effects are available for your loaded screens. To select an effect and its Speed, click on the word describing the effect and it will change to a new effect. The demo version includes, "Scroll", "Disolve", "Spiral" and "Fade". You can select the speed of the effect by choosing a number between 1 (very slow) and 20 (very fast). Each screen can have its own different effect and speed. 6- RUNNING THE DISPLAY Once you have selected your colour palette, and the desired effect for each screen, you must then turn the various screens on or off by clicking on the corresponding "On/Off" setting. Screens that are "Off" will not be displayed in the sequence but remain in memory and can be reactivated at any time. Clicking on "RUN" will display the "On" screens in the 1 to 12 order with the selected effect and using the active colour palette. Once the run is completed, the screen will freeze until you right click to go back to the control screen. 7- CHANGING THE ORDER OF THE SCREENS Since you may want to re-order the screens for your presentation, the SWAP button is available. Clicking on the "SWAP" button enables you to rapidly swap any two screens. I hope you will find the program useful to title your videos and if you end up using the program, please contribute to get your registered version. In any case, feel free to write me with constructive comments. J.P. D‚ziel RR #1, Box 6 Chelsea, P.Q. J0X 1N0 Canada Tel (819) 827-0551