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ViewGIF2

Virtual GIF display module with graphical features


Syntax

VIEWGIF2 [/noblank] <cFILENAME.GIF> <cBoxChar> 
   <nFontPoints> <nFColor> <nBColor> <nTopRow> <nTopCol> 
   <nNumCols> <nNumRows> <nSWidth> <nSHeight> <nNumColors> 
   <nTFColor> <nTBColor> <nUseMouse> <cTitle>


Arguments

/noblank
Do not switch video modes before display; use current one.

<cFILENAME.GIF>
Name of GIF image file, and optional drive and path.

<cBoxChar>
"p" = 2 color buttons, "3" = 3-D buttons.

<nFontPoints>
8, 14, 16 points only. Do not use points outside these values.

<nFColor>
Foreground color index. Range 0 - 15 same as "default" EGA color palette.

<nBColor>
Background color index. Range 0 - 15 same as "default" EGA color palette.

<nTopRow>
Top origin of area of interest. Multiply row * font points to get "y" 
coordinate.

<nTopCol>
Left origin of area of interest. Multiply col * 8 points to get "x" 
coordinate.

<nNumCols>
Number of columns wide. 79 legal maximum for 80 columns (illegal value 
will wrap around).

<nNumRows>
Number of rows high. 29 legal maximum for 30 rows (illegal value will wrap).

<nSWidth>
Screen width - horizontal resolution of video mode. The screen width of the 
video mode.

<nSHeight>
Screen height - vertical resolution of video mode. The screen height of the 
video mode.

<nNumColors>
Number of colors in palette. 2, 16, 256 color palette PCX file.

<nTFColor>
Title foreground color - Range 0 - 15 same as "default" EGA color palette.

<nTBColor>
Title background color - Range 0 - 15 same as "default" EGA color palette.

<nUseMouse>
Mouse flag, 0 or 1. If 0 then do not use mouse. If 1 then use mouse.

<cTitle>
Alpha-numeric title string.


Remarks

ViewGIF2 virtually displays all or a portion of an image larger than screen 
size within a window with configurable, graphical Scroll/Pan Bars, 3-D 
Buttons, active mouse, rubberband ZOOM selection.

This is an extremely complex utility. Start with ViewGIF (part of Sunshow, 
standard edition) to become familiar with virtual imaging before attempting 
to use ViewGIF2. You must understand virtual imaging and have a PC with 
maximum performance and memory. 8 MB memory is recommended for SVGA. More 
may be required for the display of 300DPI images. Mouse driver should be 
loaded beforehand. Horizontal and vertical navigation "arrow bars" are used 
with mouse to scroll and pan when image has been zoomed to other than 
full-screen (default). "+" and "-" zoom-in and zoom-out, "r" returns to 
full-screen (default) state. Mouse will select a starting coordinate, 
dragging with button depressed will form a rubber band box. Second mouse 
click will zoom to region of interest if desired.

Note: DOS allows 128 characters maximum on command line.

ViewGIF2 is a virtual display module that can display all or a portion of an 
image larger that the screen width and screen height of the highest 
available video mode of the current video card. It requires expanded or 
extended memory (LIM 4.0 EMS or XMS 2.0 or newer) or can work from disk 
files. LIM 4.0 EMS expanded memory is absolutely to be prefered over other 
options. When displaying large images, use the grey PLUS and MINUS keys at 
the right side of an AT compatible keyboard to zoom in and out, the ARROW 
cursor navigation keys on the numeric keypad to scroll and pan. It works 
best when image is about twice the size of the highest video mode (to see 
about a quarter of the image at one time). Will display 300DPI files, but 
requires long loading times, decompression times, and screen refreshes 
(between scrolls and pans). To calculate amount of expanded memory, multiply 
the screen width (in pixels) times the screen height (in pixels) to get the 
bytes of memory required.

Press ESC, or left click outside of the virtual window to exit function.


Example

To display a virtual image with scrollbars, graphical SVGA mouse, image 
title, and other features:

VIEWGIF2 PAVILION.GIF 3 16 1 15 0 0 79 29 640 480 256 1 15 1 PAVILION

Pavilion will display as a 640 x 480 x256 GIF file in a full screen "window", with blue and white borders and 16 point characters 
with a title of "PAVILION" and the mouse will be active. The mouse will 
select a rubber band box "region of interest" that will be zoomed upon with 
a second click.