
   ͻ
                     SHOWPCX Image File Display Utility                   
                   ShareWare Version Program Documentation                
                  Copyright (c) 1995 Robert Manning, Author.              
   Ķ
                                                                          
     SHOWPCX is a very easy to use image display utility which will open  
     and display any 256 color .PCX file format image, in any size up to  
     1024x768! Information on running the utility is detailed below.      
                                                                          
     If you enjoy this utility, check out Savers 10 Version 4, available  
     on America Online, CompuServe, Delphi, and numerous bulletin board   
     systems. This screen show incorporates a slide show routine, which   
     will display (registered version) up to 150 images, as well as many  
     other screen show routines.                                          
                                                                          
     This program is ShareWare - if you use and enjoy the program beyond  
     30 days, you are respectfully requested to purchase (register) the   
     program, for the modest fee of $5.00 U.S.                            
                                                                          
     Email contact addresses:                                             
     RobertM782 on AOL       76022,1630 on CIS       RJMANNING on Delphi  
                                                                          
         If using Internet Email, please address RobertM782@AOL.COM       
   ͼ
    
   


   ͻ
                            What is ShareWare?                            
                                                                          
     ShareWare is a method of distribution, not a type of program. The    
     programs are created and distributed by this means to save on the    
     high cost of marketing, packaging, and physically distributing the   
     software. Most ShareWare programs are of the same high quality that  
     you can expect to find on your local computer stores' shelves (and   
     in many cases are superior).                                         
                                                                          
     ShareWare is commercial software that you can try before you buy.    
     It is not free software. After a reasonable period of time, which    
     allows you to 'test drive' the program, you are expected to buy the  
     program from the author (commonly called Registering the program).   
     Should you decide the program is not for you, just delete it from    
     your system.                                                         
                                                                          
     Purchasing ShareWare programs entitles the user to support, and a    
     number of other features not found in the unregistered version, in   
     most cases. This is true for this utility. Your purchase of this     
     program will grant you a number of substantial benefits. Please see  
     the Registration/Purchase section to follow for all details on the   
     benefits of registration.                                            
                                                                          
     Robert J. Manning, Author             South Bay Computer Assistance  
   ͼ
    



   SHOWPCX.EXE V.1.0
   Program Documentation
   

   SHOWPCX.EXE is a very easy to use command line utility which can display
   256 color PCX image files, of up to 1024x768 resolution, provided your
   system is VESA compliant, and has 1MB of video RAM. 

   The utility will automatically select a video mode for you, depending on
   the size of the image. Images of 320x200 or less will use the standard
   320x200 VGA screen mode. An image with dimensions of 400x200 will use
   640x400 mode, and so forth. This will allow the image to be displayed
   in as large as possible display size.
   
   Images of 800x600 size or less will 'fade in', as with a normal photo-
   graphic slide show. There is usually some delay while the image loads.
   Larger images will be displayed as they are read from disk.


   WHAT ARE THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
   
   SHOWPCX requires DOS 3 or higher, VESA VGA compatibility, a 386 or high-
   er CPU, and enough video RAM for the image to be displayed (chart for
   determining this shown below).


   WHAT IS THIS PROGRAM USEFUL FOR:
   
   SHOWPCX is an easy to use viewer for 256 color PCX image files. Of 
   course, there are many other programs which will do this, for both DOS
   and Windows. There are a few things which this utility is very useful 
   for:

      - You can create image presentations very easily, with a DOS batch
        file (example to follow), where you can view any number of image
        files, in any order, or repeatedly, for any length of time, from
        1 second to almost 9 hours.

      - There is no need to start Windows, or a full-fledged paint program
        to see an image file - just enter SHOWPCX filename.pcx, and you'll
        see it quickly.

      - The utility is very small in size, making it very portable and
        space-saving.


   WHAT DOES THE REGISTERED VERSION DO:
   
   Your registration includes an enhanced version of this utility which
   will adds the following features:

      - A text message can be displayed onscreen, along with the image.

      - Various fade-in and fade-out effects, including palette effects.

      - Remove nag screen and delay after the image is erased.

   For a demonstration of some of these effects, check out Savers 10 V.4
   by the same author, available on America Online, CompuServe, and Delphi.
   Register both programs at a discount - see REGISTER.TXT for an order
   form.


   SIZE LIMITS OF DISPLAY:
   
   Your installed video ram can limit the size of the image file which
   SHOWPCX can display. If you have a 1MB video card, then you'll be able
   to view any 256 color PCX image up to 1024x768 resolution. If you have
   less than 1MB, the maximum image size is listed here:

      Mode:       Description:     VRAM needed:    Installed VRAM size:
      
      320x200     Standard VGA     64kB            64kB
      640x400     SVGA             256kB           256kB
      640x480     SVGA             300kB           500kB
      800x600     SVGA             480kB           500kB
      1024x768    SVGA             768kB           1MB

   For example, to display up to 640x400 images, you'll need to have at
   least 256kB of video ram installed. For up to 800x600 images, you'll
   need at least 500kB, and you'll need 1MB of video ram for images that
   are 1024x768 in size.

   Images which require more video ram than you have available will not
   display correctly. Simply press a key, and you'll be returned to the
   DOS prompt. If you know you have enough memory, yet the display does
   not show properly, you may need to install a VESA Bios TSR first. A
   utility disk which came with your video card should have this TSR on it.

   
   RUNNING THE UTILITY:
   
   To use the utility, you need to enter the name of the PCX image file
   and the time to display it in seconds:

      SHOWPCX filename.pcx 30

   The above command will show the image called 'filename.pcx' onscreen for
   thirty seconds, then exit. You must enter the full filename of the image
   to be displayed, including the .pcx extension. The file to be displayed
   must reside in the same directory with SHOWPCX.EXE (ShareWare version).

   If you don't enter a time display value, the image will be shown for 
   about 10 seconds. You may halt the display at any time by pressing any
   key.

   
   DISPLAYING MORE THAN ONE IMAGE FILE:
   
   A DOS batch file may be constructed to use this utility to display any
   number of PCX images. If you're unfamiliar with DOS batch file const-
   ruction, please consult your DOS manual. An example of such a batch file
   is shown below:

      SHOWPCX pic1.pcx 5
      SHOWPCX pic2.pcx 10
      SHOWPCX pic3.pcx 3
      SHOWPCX pic4.pcx 20

   To make this show, start the DOS text editor (or Windows NotePad) and
   enter multiple command lines as shown above. Save the text file with 
   the extension .BAT, ie SHOW.BAT. Exit the editor, and type in SHOW.BAT
   in the directory the file is in. The files will be displayed in the 
   order shown. Only files in the current directory will display properly.

   By this means, you can create your own slide show / image file present-
   ation. For example, make a list of all the PCX files in a directory,
   and place them in a text file. The easy way to do this in DOS is with
   the command:

      DIR *.PCX > LIST.TXT

   This command uses DOS to create a text file named LIST.TXT, which is
   just a directory list. There will be some extra information which is
   not needed in the file, namely, the directory name and other info.
   Edit out this unneeded info, so just the PCX file names are in the file.
   Now Copy/Paste the line SHOWPCX in front of each filename as shown
   above. Save the file with the .BAT extension, instead of the .TXT
   extension. Exit to DOS and enter LIST, and you'll have an instant
   slideshow!


   REGISTRATION:
   
   Register your copy of SHOWPCX, and you'll receive, via Email, an
   enhanced version of the utility.
   
   Include a check or money order made to Robert Manning for $5.00 U.S. 
   to register SHOWPCX.EXE. Please see the file REGISTER.TXT for an 
   order form.

   SPECIAL:
   
   Order registration for Savers 10 V.4, and your registration for SHOWPCX
   is free! Please see the file REGISTER.TXT for an order form.


   ͻ
                     SHOWPCX Image File Display Utility                   
                   ShareWare Version Program Documentation                
                  Copyright (c) 1995 Robert Manning, Author.              
                                                                          
     Email contact addresses:                                             
     RobertM782 on AOL       76022,1630 on CIS       RJMANNING on Delphi  
                                                                          
         If using Internet Email, please address RobertM782@AOL.COM       
   ͼ
    


   (End of file)
