
                ķ
                             SHOW_PIC.TXT               
                                                        
                        Tue  02-15-1994  16:15:02       
                                                        
                ͼ

     The genius behind SHOW_PIC.COM (as usual) is not me. It is the
     FreeWare program PICEM.EXE. PICEM.EXE will display an astonishing
     array of graphic programs to your screen. All you have to do is
     type:
     

     PICEM {Enter}

     
     to see the compatible ones listed. Highlight one and it displays...
     but very briefly.

     Then you have to read the PICEM.DOC file to figure out how to make
     a batch file that will display one graphic file for....Oh... five
     seconds or so. Then figure out how to suppress the author's display
     screen, and lastly how to display graphic files in other
     directories.

     PICEM.EXE supports *.GIF, *.PCX, and *.PIC files. Since *.PCX are
     the most common, this program will display -all- the *.PCX files it
     finds in the directory if you type:
     

     SHOW_PIC {Enter}

     
     If you want to see the help screen then type:
     

     SHOW_PIC/? {Enter}

     
     If you want to display one file named "YOUR.PCX" for ten (10) seconds
     then type:
     

     SHOW_PIC/t:10/f:YOUR.PCX

     

     There are only three (3) "switches" to use with SHOW_PIC.COM:

     1.   /?             <---- Displays the HELP Screen
     2.   /t:            <---- Sets in SECONDS the picture time display
     3.   /f:            <---- Sets the DRIVE, DIRECTORY, & FILENAME(s)


     If you want to display another acceptable graphic file like a *.GIF
     file then enter that name. If you want to see all the *.PCX graphic
     files in another drive and directory then type:
     

     SHOW_PIC/f:E:\GRAPHICS\*.PCX

     

     Ŀ
     SOME POSSIBLY BORING BACKGROUND
     
     There is a file on Microsoft Knowledge Base that explains in
     convoluted and painful detail how to use PICEM.EXE to make a series
     of QuickBASIC files (of total size -larger- than the original *.PCX
     file) that can be loaded as a graphic file by QuickBASIC.

     If you find that sentence confusing.... you are not alone and but
     it reflects the logic of that Knowledge Base Article.

     Being the "Master of the Simple" I looked at PICEM.EXE and figured
     out how to something similar.... verrrry simply with a true-blue
     QuickBASIC 4.5 program.

     If you are a fellow nerd, I have included all the QuickBASIC 4.5
     files that you will need to run SHOW_PIC.BAS in the QuickBASIC
     Environment. You -MUST- load SHOW_PIC.BAS as a =PROGRAM= not a
     =File= as most of the SUBS and FUNCTIONS are in another file called
     (what else?) JOHN_SUB.BAS.

     Keep in touch....

     John De Palma on CompuServe 76076,571
