QUANTUM PAINT Version 1.02 Copyright (C) 1988 David T. Jones The only files which MUST be on the disk for the program to run are the PROGRAM FILES, which all begin with "QPAINT". These 7 files are all necessary for the program to run. If any are missing, Quantum Paint will probably not function correctly. If they are, go back to your ORIGINAL disk (you ARE working from a backup, aren't you?) and copy them again.However, if this is the first time you've ever used Quantum Paint, and this is the original disk, please phone us IMMEDIATELY! (The number's at the end of this file.) BACKING UP YOUR DISK -------------------- To fit a useful number of fonts and demo pictures on the disk, Quantum Paint is distributed using a 10 sector-per-track format. The disks are 100% compatible with ALL disk drives, but the Quantum Paint disk contains too much data to fit on a normally formatted single sided disk. Instead of performing a disk-copy on the Quantum Paint disk, we suggest you copy the disk by dragging the files and folders themselves onto a blank backup disk. If you only have single-sided drives then copy the PICTURES folder onto one single-sided disk, and the other files and folders onto another disk. If you have a double-sided (1Mb) drive then you should use a double-sided floppy disk to make your backup - there will then be plenty of room for all the files. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are several amendments to the current manual required for this version of Quantum Paint. They basically fall into two categories: 1. Cosmetic Changes 2. Implementation Changes The changes will now be dealt with in order. It would help if you have a good read of the manual before we start, and to have had a quick go using the program so you can more easily see the changes. 1. Cosmetic Changes The first major difference between the current version of Quantum Paint and the one discussed in the manual is that the current version no longer uses GEM to display the user interface - i.e. the way you select which options and controls to use. Instead, a customised interface is used. The basic principle is the same - controls and options are selected from a main control screen and then switching to a work screen to do the actual drawing, etc. However, the program no longer uses the GEM drop-down menus to access some of its commands. Therefore, a second control screen has been implemented to hold these commands. This is accessed using the screen button marked "MENU". This will switch to the second menu screen ("Screen 2" for clarity) and you can get back to the main screen ("Screen 1") by pressing the right mouse button or the button on screen marked "Cancel". The other major cosmetic change is that the command buttons on screen no longer show the function as words - instead most of them are represented by picture icons. Below is a list of the buttons as they are in the manual, and a description of the icons as they are now. There should also be a picture of the new screen included in the package. By looking at this (or indeed the actual program if you have printed this out) you should be able to see which icons are which. Most of the icons are quite obvious. Function in manual Page Icon on screen Freehand 10 Top-left hand icon. Looks like a ? on its side. Erase 11 Next to Freehand - looks the same apart for a small square at the top Rubber Line 11 Below Freehand. A straight line going from bottom left to top right. Poly Line 11 Fourth icon down on the left side Looks like a crushed box Polygon 12 Underneath Poly Line - looks the same except it is filled in Rays 12 Above Poly Line, below Rubber Line Looks like a wonky cross ("X") Frame 12 Next to Erase - top-right hand. An empty box Box 12 Below Frame - Filled box Circle 13 Below Erase - An empty circle Disc 13 Below Circle - A filled circle R-Frame 13 Next to Disc, below Box An empty box with rounded corners R-Box 13 Below R-Frame A filled box with rounded corners Flood Fill 13 Bottom-left corner. A half-filled cloud shape. Area Fill 14 Not implemented Airbrush 14 Next to Flood Fill. Looks like an aerosol can with spray to the right. Text 14 Next to Poly Line. A "T". Copy Area 15 Below R-Box. A box on the left of the icon with an arrow pointing right into another box. Move Area 16 Next to Copy Area (left). A box on the left of the icon with an arrow pointing right into an empty space. Zoom Area 16 Bottom-right. Looks like a magnifying glass. Solid, Pattern, Paint, Stipple 18 Now between icons and font/fill boxes Going down the page as follows: PAINT STIPL (Stipple) PATRN (Pattern) SOLID Mode 128 Above PAINT. Now just says "MODE" 2. IMPLEMENTATION CHANGES Page 3 Monochrome version. This is not available in this version of Quantum Paint. Lets be honest - a monochrome version would be a bit of a let down in a program with 4096 colours! Page 6 The Map function is no longer implemented. Page 14 Area Fill is now not available Page 20 The options in the palette change box in medium res has 2 small dialogue boxes load and save which are not able to be activated in the present version. Page 31 The Mem option talked about in the manual is not implemented. Page 36 The INS FX routines are not implemented in this version. Page 40 As mentioned earlier, the options on the GEM menu bar are now on the second menu screen - Screen 2. This is viewed by pressing "Menu" on Screen 1. Page 41 GEM Desk Accessories are no longer available from within Quantum Paint. Page 45 Anti-Alias not implemented. Draw Modes not implemented (except brush-cycle). Page 46 SP special Drawing Modes not implemented. Page 49 Compression not implemented. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROBLEMS WHICH AREN'T! ODD COLOUR EFFECTS IN ZOOM IN SUPER-PALETTE MODE You may find that while working in Zoom mode that it won't let you add or change colours from time to time. This is not actually an error in the program. In SP modes there is actually a limit to the number of colours per scan line. This limit is often hard to calculate as interlace colours (in 4096 mode) use more colours then normal ST colours. (Interlacing is a technique whereby two or more colours are swapped very quickly to give a different colour - the Amiga uses this technique too!) OUT OF MEMORY? When you change from 128 colour mode to one of the Super Palette modes, Quantum may come back with a dialogue box telling you that there is not enough memory to use that mode. This is more than likely due to some buffers which were set up in 128 colour mode (especially if you have been using the Animator). To release the memory, select the 'ERASE SEQ' option on Screen 2. Don't worry about this as the screens and animation sequences are erased anyway. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN CLOSING... We do hope that even with these minor irritants to the present program that you find the program a step into the world of graphics and games design that at present is not available on any other product on the Atari ST. Thank you for bearing with us. Most of the functions mentioned above which are not implemented should be available in the next version of Quantum Paint. Version 2 should be available in the first quarter of 1988. A clear upgrade path will be made available to REGISTERED USERS. If you have any improvements which you think would be of use for further development of Quantum Paint we would be pleased to hear from you. PLEASE NOTE: There is also the Quantum Paint Toolkit which will be available shortly !!! The Price ? it will be very cost effective. Remember Eidersoft are always interested in good graphic artists, and if you have created some high quality pictures we would be very interested in talkiing to you about some commercial work !!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!! Quantum Paint "Wideband Colour" display routines and pictures created using Quantum Paint may not be used in commercial programs. For more info about using Quantum Paint routines and pictures in commercial programs, please contact us at the address at the end of this file. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS IS THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT 04/01/88 Please note our new address: Eidersoft Software Ltd Unit 4 Stannets Laindon North Trade Centre Basildon Essex SS15 6DJ Eidersoft Orderline (orders only pHہBOاأاادہCئOہAؤدہOˆ„ˆNNppًpًpددددددًpددددددددددددددددددددددددپƒہƒہƒہƒژبOژ بدˆ€€Npp