Conference 7.286::atarist

    Hello Howard,
    
    As I dont know GFA Draft, I can give you some help if you're writing
    your picture in screen-format (hardcopy to file), bring it to a
    VMS/VAX and run STCVT which converts this format into sixel (printable
    to screen(VT330) or LN03).
    You can find the STCVT.* stuff at HAN01::Userdisk1:[Kuntze.Easynet.ST]
    
    Matthias

re. 577.1
>                       -< If in screen-format then YES >-
>
>    Hello Howard,
>    
>    As I dont know GFA Draft, I can give you some help if you're writing
>    your picture in screen-format (hardcopy to file), bring it to a
>    VMS/VAX and run STCVT which converts this format into sixel (printable
>    to screen(VT330) or LN03).
>    You can find the STCVT.* stuff at HAN01::Userdisk1:[Kuntze.Easynet.ST]
>    
>    Matthias

	I would like to draw a picture at home, and then add it to my 
	VAX Document file, but I need it in sixel format.  It sounds like
	this is just what I need, but what is screen dump format?  I
	tried a plain old Degas Elite .PI3 and the program could not
	handle the 32,034 byte record.  I also tried the .PI3 with the
	pallette and res info removed and it couldn't handle the 32,000
	byte record.  I even tried both of those files after breaking
	them into 128 byte records.  This time I got:
Fehlerhafter Header
	and all it did was create a 0 block work file.  Anybody got any
	clues?  I tried sending mail to the author of the note about
	this program, but still haven't gotten a reply yet.  Does
	anyone out there happen to have a Degas Elite printer driver
	that will create a sixel file ouput?
				Any help would be appreciated,
						Jim Patterson

      Paging Jeff Lomicka,

         Help!  I have found a note in the OLD_ATARIST conference
       listing a PSLA50.ACC written by you to convert a section of the
       screen to sixel format.  Do you still have this?  It looks like
       several of us would love to have a program like that.  If
       possible, could I have the sources also, I would like to try and
       make a Degas Elite printer driver to do that.  If Jeff doesn't
       have this anymore, does anyone else still have it.

						advTHANKSance,
							Jim Patterson

PRNSYS::USER2:[LOMICKAJ.HOBBY.ST]PSLA50.C.

It's easy to modify to make it do the 1:1 pixel aspect ratio of the
LN03.   The best thing would be to merge the sixel print routine in
PSLA50 with the stuff in TOSHIBA.ARC.  This would let ALT-HELP work for
the LN03 (LA50, LA38) also.  If you get serious about this, get me (or
Roy) to upload the source kit for TOSHIBA (aka PRINTS), which currently
supports Toshiba P321 and Roy's Tokyo electric printer.

(Better yet, drop off an LN03 at my house, and see how long it takes me
to get this done myself. :-)

I'm also interested in being able to convert GFAdraft images to a format
suitable for a LN03 or better still any POSTSCRIPT printer.

However, I have no idea what format GFAdraft uses for storing files, since
GFAdraft is an object oriented graphics package it is clearly not a form of
bit map! One possible route to consider is to re-direct the output from the
serial (or parallel) port into a file. Since I use an LVP 16 I select
HPGL output on the serial port. If this could be diverted to a file then
there is a public domain program for VAXen which converts HPGL to POSTSCRIPT.
I could try just capturing the file on the VAX via the Modem and then doing
a conversion......assuming I can make the Atari think it is still connected
to the LVP16!

If anyone knows the format of the image files stored by GFAdraft I'd be
interested in having details.

    You must have an earlier version of GFA Draft. I upgraded mine and
    there is a facility to save the HPGL file to disk. It's then a simple
    matter to bring the disk to work, convert to PS and print on the
    LPS or LN03R. However what you suggest is a good idea as I would
    like to save some other HPGL files to disk that at the moment I
    can only print to a HPGL plotter. Now there's a project for you!!!
    ...Howard

 
    I use the following text file and associate basic program. 
    It works with bitmapped files (like DEGAS PI3) that I
    transfer using NFT (Network file transfer, PCSA) and an
    IBM compatible (VAXMATE) using PCSA.
    
    Only the LN03+ is able to print the image correctly.
   
    
SIXEL.COM
    
$ !	this file converts picture bitmap into sixel data for LN03+
$ !	
$ !	Command : six filename.ext [size]
$ ! 
$ !	six = symbol defined as @sixel   
$ !     filename.ext --> if 'ALL' , will use all PI3 in current directory
$ !
$ !     ext --> if PI3, will strip degas format 34 first bytes.
$ !     size in percent from full A4 size
$ !     
$ !     file to be printed = filename.ln3
$ !
$ !
$ !set ver                       
$ file=''p1'
$ sze = p2
$ if p2 .eqs. "" then sze = 100
$ if p1 .eqs. "ALL" then goto convall
$ len = f$locate(".",file)      
$ filename = f$extract(0,len,file)
$ ext = f$extract(len+1,3,file)
$ write sys$output ''file'
$ copy/replace 'file screen.map
$ run sixel
$ copy sixel.lis 'filename.ln3
$ delete screen.map;*
$ delete sixel.lis;*
$ exit
$ 
$ convall:
$ dir/col=1/output=pi3.list *.pi3
$ open/read fil pi3.list 
$ read/end_of_file=close fil rec
$ convloop:
$ read/end_of_file=close fil rec
$ if f$length(rec) .eq. 0 then goto convloop
$ if f$locate(rec,"PI3") .eq. f$length(rec) then goto convloop
$ @sixel 'rec
$ goto convloop
$ close:
$ close fil
$ del pi3.list;*
    
    
SIXEL.BAS
    
10  !print ""+""

20  declare string frmt$		!identify file format
     external long function lib$get_symbol(string,string)
      stat = lib$get_symbol("ext", frmt$)
    declare string sze                   !identify desired size
     external long function lib$get_symbol(string,string)
      stat = lib$get_symbol("sze" , sze$)
    !   print sze$
        sz = int(val(sze$)*11/100)
	 sz$ = str$(sz)
    !      print sz

30  map (recmap) string rec=128
    open "screen.map" for input as file#3, organization sequential fixed &
                   ,recordtype none, map recmap
    pic$=""
    reco=1
    !print "reading picture..."
    !print ""
    Print "R";

35  when error use eof
     get #3
      pic$=pic$+rec
       reco=reco+1
!	print "";
!        print reco-1,"records read",,
!        print len(pic$),"bytes read"
        goto 35    
    end when
    handler eof
    end handler

38  close #3
!      print 
!      print
!      print "extracting bitmap..."
!      print    
!        print len(pic$);
!        print " bytes read"
    select frmt$
	case "PI3" 
	     	pic$=left$(pic$,32034)
!		print len(pic$)
!        	print "extracting degas garbage"
         	pic$=right$(pic$,35)
!	         print len(pic$);
!		   print " bytes now..."
     end select 
    select len(pic$)
	case 32000
		goto 39
	case 32128
	     	pic$=left$(pic$,32000)
!                 print len(pic$);
!		  print " bytes left"
	        goto 39	
	case else
		print "unknown format"
		 goto 200
     end select	


39 f$=string$(160,0)			!add two blank lines
    pic$=pic$+f$
!     print len(pic$);
!	print " bytes will be outputted "
!          print
!	    print
	
40 open "sixel.lis" for output as file #1,recordsize 640

50 print #1,CHR$(27)+"[!p";    		!reset printer
   print #1,CHR$(27)+"[7 J";            !PFS_set up wide A4 extended format
   print #1,CHR$(27)+"[7I";             !SSU_select pixel as spacing unit
   print #1,CHR$(27)+"[11h";            !PUM_select spacing unit
              

100 !print "converting to sixel data..."
    !print
    !print "line #"
    sixel$=""
    CRLF$="$-"
      for l%=0% to 66%
        print "*";
!        print "";
!        print l%
          line$=mid$(pic$,l%*480%+1%,480%)
	  six$=""          
	  for bloc%=1% to 80%              !translation of a 6*8 pixel bloc
              for a%=0% to 5%
	        bte%(a%)=asc(mid$(line$,a%*80%+bloc%,1%))
              next a%         
              for b%=1% to 8%
	        sixel%=0%
                r%=2%^(8%-b%)
	          for a%=0% to 5%
                    bt%=int(bte%(a%)/r%)
	            sixel%=sixel%+bt%*2%^a%
		    bte%(a%)=bte%(a%)-bt%*r%	
                  next a%
	        six$=six$+string$(1%,sixel%+63%) 
              next b%        
	    next bloc%   
         sixel$=sixel$+six$+CRLF$
      next l%                              !next line 
      print
 !     print len(sixel$)
        print #1,CHR$(27)+"P0;0;";        !start sixel graphic sequence
          print #1,sz$+"q"+chr$(34);      !
            print #1,"100;100";           !
          print #1,sixel$                 !send sixel data
        print #1,chr$(27)+"\"             !end sixel graphic sequence

120 print #1,CHR$(27)+"[!p"               !reset printer for the next lone
					  !soul
    close #1         

200 end                                   !**** THE END ****

    re. 577.2:
    
    Sorry to answer so late, Jim. I've been out of office a long time so
    that I couldn't read notes as often as I which.
    
    Your Problem with the 32000 Bytes file sounds strange. I put my 32000
    Byte Files (Screen-Dump) in an .ARC file and send it via KERMIt (set
    file type binary) to the VAX. There the file has a 510 byte variable
    length record record format after dearcing (with VMSsweep). The same 
    format has an .IMG file I copy from the ST to VAX. Everything works ok 
    with this way.
    
    If You have problems with your file, please send it to me. STCVT
    handles IBM-MS-Paint and TIF files in the same way (uncompressed). If
    You have a file in sixel Format, You can convert it to 32000 Byte
    format, transfer it to the ST, modify it and bring it back to VAX to
    include it into VAX-Document.
    
    Matthias
    
    Matthias

Re:.6

What version of GFA Draft do you have? I'll check mine thi evening.....did
GFA implement an up-grade policy for GFA Draft?? I haven't heard of  one
and I think that the latest version is no longer named GFA Draft but
Becker CAD or something.

Thanks,
	Nigel

    Hi Nigel,
    
    Slight correction.
    
    GFA in Germany produced GFA draft, some time ago they produced an
    enhanced version, and sold it as GFA DRAFT PLUS. This month GFA Data
    media in Wokingham, are releasing a new version of Draft Plus, 150
    pounds or 50 pounds if you return old version.
    
    Becker CAd, is a US program released by ABACUS publications. 
    
    Cheers
    
    Pat Keane.

Hi Pat,

	Could you perhaps indicate the address of Abacus in the U.K.....I
may be able to persuade them to mail and upgrade to France or find out whether
the French distributer is planning a similar upgrade program (with the
normal hike in price!).

	Nigel

    Hi Nigel,
    It's GFA that do Draft. ABACUS does PCB Board Designer amongst other
    things. GFA is at :
       GFA Data Media (UK) Ltd,
       Box 121,
       Wokingham,
       Berks,  RG11  9LP
    Tel: (-734) 794941
    
    I don't think ABACUS has a distributor in UK although you can buy
    some of their stuff from Cambridge Business Software. I bought their
    PCB Designer and had to send the warrenty to the States for
    registration and a back-up disk.  (Good service by the way.)
    ...Howard