This is a detailed description of GIF2XTS (previously known as gifxts)
5.0. It is available so that you can get a feeling f or the programs'
capabilities before downloading the program. If it sounds interesting,
go for it.

If you have questions about the capabilities that you want answered
before you download, drop me an E-mail, or post a message in either the
CRAFTS forum on CompuServe or CUSTOM FORUM 135 on Delphi. I'll get
back to you.  My CompuServe id is 70431,1427. (Internet address is
70431.1427@COMPUSERVE.COM), and on DELPHI I'm CHRISOD (Internet
chrisod@delphi.com).

The purpose of this program is to take a GIF, and generate a counted
cross stitch chart. It requires an IBM or compatible running DOS (4.0 or
higher), 360K of  free conventional memory (in the lower 640K) and 300K
of either XMS, EMS or virtual (disk). A mouse is optional.  A monitor
with EGA or better graphics resolution.  Printer support includes 9-pin,
24-pin, HP-desk jet, laser jet and paint jet. Basically any printer that
emulates HP or Epson.

The default setup of gif2xts is a maximum image size of 640x480.  The
default scr een resolution is dependent on the monitor: EGA will be
640x350, 16 colors; non-sVGA will be 640x480, 16 colors; sVGA will be
640x480 256 colors. The graphics resolution can be changed to run as
high as 1024x768 with 256 colors, provided your monitor can support the
different resolutions. The maximum image size can also be changed.  The
largest possible image size is dependent  on the amount of free XMS, EMS
or virutal memory.

When GIF2XTS loads a GIF image each of the pixel colors will be trans
lated into a symbol. Regardless of the maximum number of colors the
monitor can support, GIF2XTS can handle 256 different colo rs/symbols.

The program can be controlled by either the mouse, or the keyboard. The
mouse can also be turned off, if desired.

There are 2 different display modes: a grid of symbols and a gif viewer
mode.  Each individual grid square represents 1 stitch/pixel. The
borders of the image are represented by a thick black line. Every 10th
line, both vertical and horizon tal are dashed.  Across the top of the
display is a list of drop-down menus, and options. These options can be
selected via th e mouse, or the keyboard.

The gif viewer mode display the image, as a GIF viewer, without the grid
lines. The image can  be scrolled up/down and left/right, as required.

Using the mouse/keyboard, individual symbols can be added or deleted to
the grid. Using the EDIT menu, ALL occurances of a symbol can be delete,
replaced with another symbol, and ALL blank squares  can be filled.
There is also a cut & paste option that, using the gif viewer mode and a
box, allows areas of the image to the  deleted, copied and/or moved.

The size of the image can be changed. Rows and/or columns can be added
to the edge of the image, inserted into the the image, or deleted from
the image.  The image can also by "clipped" by moving the borders of the
image, and deleting all symbols past the new borders.

The image can also manipulated to fit a different size. The program will
automatically adjust the image to fit. A preview of the new image will
be given, and the new size can be saved to a file , or printed, without
changing the currently loaded image.

It is possible to SCALE the image. The scaling is controlled  by
specifing the ratio(s) to increase (1:many) or decrease (many:1) the
height and/or width of the image. The height can be scaled independently
of the width.  You cannot SCALE image greater than the maximum image
size. In addition to, and in conjuncti on with, scaling, it is possible
to specify the desired height and/or width. Thus an image originally
100x100 can be changed t o 250x200 by specifing the new dimensions.

PRINTING can be accomplished by either creating a GIF image of the
chart, to be printed later by a GIF print utility, or by printing
directly to a printer. In order to print to the printer, you MUST run
SETPRINT to create a print configuration file.

You can "print" either the entire original image, the entire re-sized or
scaled image or select a section of the original image to print.  When
selecting a section to print, a GIF view of the image  is presented. A
box is displayed on the image. The box can be moved and/or re-shaped or
re-sized to select the area to be prin ted.

There is also a LIBRARY utility. You can set up a library and load it
with "elements" to be incorporated into the i mage.  You can create as
many libraries as you want and load them with as many elements as you
want. NOTE: REGISTERED USERS WILL RECIEVE A LIBRARY OF ABC's and 123's.

This version has the ability to assign DMC names and numbers to the
different  symbols. I have taken a unique approach to DMC. Since the
program reads GIF images, there are over 16 million possible colors 
that could be used. Rather than select 360 of these colors, I wrote a
program (available to registered users) that allows YOU t o associated
palette colors with DMC colors. The non-registered version has  64 RGB
combinations mapped to 64 DCM colors, regi stered users will get all 360
RGB combinations mapped to DMC plus the program to allow them to re-map
colors, add more colors  and create their own DMC files. Within the
program, the DMC assignment can be changed.

In addition, gif2xts has symbol reduction capabilities. There are 3
dithering algorithms and 3 dithering matrixes. The total number of
symbols can be set to 12 8, 64, 32, 16 or 8.

This program is distributed as shareware. The price is $40.00 Registered
users recieve a copy of the program WITHOUT an obnixous reminder to
register, minor upgrades automatically mailed, MAJOR upgrades available
via mail (for  $5.00) and in printed copy of the manual. In addition,
registered users will recieve, with the program, a library of ABC's and
123's, all 360 DMC colors mapped to RGB values, a conversion program to
convert from BMP, PCX, IFF, LBM or TIF to GIF, and a program to create
their own RGB-to-DMC mapping.