Short: Make iff anim out of iff pictures, OS2.x+ Architecture: m68k-amigaos MKANIM 1.1 05.01.93 ABOUT MKANIM is a program that packs ILBM picture files into an IFF ANIM file, based on a list given in a control file. This is a KS2.0 program. MKANIM is Copyright © 1993 by John Bickers. REQUIREMENTS KS2.0 and Christian Weber's iff.library are essential. The latter is available from amiga.physik.unizh.ch and its mirrors, or from Fish disk #674. USAGE The usage template is: USING/A,TO/A,HAM/S,HALFBRITE/S,HIRES/S,LACE/S,CAMG/K,JIFFIES/K/N, ANNO/K The USING option specifies the control file to build the animation from. It is a normal text file, with one line per frame. The first word on the line must be the jiffy value for the frame, while the rest of the line must contain the filename for the picture that represents the frame. For example, a control file could contain: 3 j01.iff 3 j02.iff 3 j03.iff 3 j04.iff If you want the animation to loop seamlessly, you can do so by repeating the first two lines at the end of the file. For example: 3 j01.iff 3 j02.iff 3 j03.iff 3 j04.iff # repeated to make the animation loop smoothly 3 j01.iff 3 j02.iff The use of the jiffy value is a little tricky. Some players treat it as the delay before displaying the associated frame, while other's treat it as the delay after displaying the frame. I personally think the former action is the correct one. In the latter case, it is impossible to insert a pause between frame 1 and frame 2, because the jiffy value for frame 1 is always ignored. The TO option gives the name that you want the animation created with. The HAM, HALFBRITE, HIRES and LACE options specify which if any of these modes you want to use in the animation. The corresponding bits will be saved in the CAMG chunk of the anim. If you use none of these modes, and you also do not use the CAMG option, then the animation will use the same mode as the first picture in the control file. The CAMG option gives more direct control of the modes used by the animation. The word CAMG must be followed by a hexidecimal number representing the modes you want to use. For example, "CAMG 800" is equivalent to "HAM". CAMG can also be used to force no modes at all, with "CAMG 0". The JIFFIES option can be used to override the jiffy values in the control file. Finally, the ANNO option lets you define what comment to place in the animation file. If you do not use this option, then MKANIM will write its own version string into the file. To prevent any ANNO chunk being written, use an empty string, as in 'ANNO ""'. CREDITS MKANIM is written by John Bickers using SAS C 6.1. Jim Kent's public domain code module "skip.c" from Fish disk #185 is used to do the compression of DLTA chunks. Christian A. Weber's iff.library is used for loading ILBM files. Dr. Gerald Hull's code module "apack.asm" from the NewIFF archive is used for compressing rows of data. DISTRIBUTION MKANIM is Copyright © 1993 by John Bickers. Distribution is via normal channels. That is, distribute it for free, or for Fred Fish like costs, but not more. And remember to include the documentation. This program is not shareware in the sense that you should pay for it if you use it a lot, but suggestions or demands will be received in a spirit of pronounced no-enthusiasm unless accompanied by a donation of some sort. If you have one lying around, why not send me an R18 animation? CONTACT INFO If you're having problems, I can be reached at: John Bickers 214 Rata St Naenae 6301 New Zealand Or: jbickers@templar.actrix.gen.nz DISCLAIMER It works on my machine.