*********** SCREEN-MAKER ************* (c) 1986 Merwin Updyke SCREEN-MAKER is a full color/graphic screen processor. It allows you to design a color/graphic screen to be used in BBS systems or to be read into other programs. It will make a SEQ file of a "screen" up to 10 screens in length, including color change and reverse codes. **** FEATURES: The "work screen" is the one you see and can change. Changing the work screen does not change the ten buffers. You can work on ten separate screens or combinations of screens up to ten screens in length. The following descriptions of the features helps you understand how Screen-Maker works. (NOTE: Buffers are numbered 0-9 ) Keys: f1....Displays the menu of functions. Hitting f7 will take you back to your work screen. f3....This takes you to the screen shown at start-up. When you show this screen, nothing is changed in the work screen or buffers. f6....This does a power-on reset of the c64, same as turning it off and back on. f7....Pressing this key lets you out of a mode without changing anything. If pressing f7 doesn't work try pressing <return> and then f7. <LEFT ARROW> This is used to end a line. Forgetting to put it at the end of each line may produce unpredictable results in your program. After finding a complete line of spaces without the <left arrow>, SAVE and PRINT quit, returning to work screen. You can put in the <left arrow> using the left arrow key or <return>. <GREATER THAN> The ">" is used in some programs at the extreem left of the screen as an end-of-screen indicator. Screen-Maker will also recognize the ">" at extreem left as a cue to stop SAVE and PRINT. This will allow each buffer to be used for different screens. Modes: RIGHT - This is the normal typing mode, from left to right. DOWN - This mode allows typing from top to bottom. This is very useful for making boxes and putting left arrows in screens made by word processors. SHOW - This takes a screen from a buffer of your choice and puts it on the work screen for you to make changes. Whatever was on the work screen will be lost, but the buffers are not changed. STORE - This takes the work screen and puts it in the buffer of your choice, replacing whatever was in the buffer. This must be done before a SAVE or PRINT for changes made on the work screen to be included. INSERT - This inserts blank lines on the work screen. Lines scrolled off the bottom will be lost from the work screen (though they are still in the buffer). DELETE - This deletes the designated number of lines on the work screen, bringing the rest of the lines up, leaving blank lines at the bottom. PRINT - This mode starts at the beginning of screen zero and out-puts to a 1525 compatable printer until it reaches a ">" at the far left, of 41 spaces without a left arrow. It can print a "screen" up to ten screens long. The name it asks for is printed as the title of the screen. DIR - This displays the disk directory on the work screen. Hitting a key will pause the display, hitting <RUN/STOP> will stop the display. You can then STORE store it to a buffer if you like for further reference. DISK - This mode allows the sending of standard disk commands, like S:NAME to scratch a file, R:NEW,OLD to rename a file, and V to validate a disk, etc. (See your drive manual.) Do not use quotes. LOAD - This will read a SEQ file into the buffers, putting in color and reverse, starting with buffer zero, putting the first 25 lines on the work screen. SAVE - This will save a SEQ file of your "screen" in the buffers, including color change codes and reverse codes to your disk. It starts with screen zero and continues through all buffers until a line of spaces without a left arrow or a ">" at the far left of a line. CLEAR - This fills all ten buffers with spaces so you can start fresh. **** USING SCREEN-MAKER FILES IN COLOR BBS - This program has been used very sucessfully with RIBIT color BBS. It requires the ">" at the far left as a end-of-file indicator. Long files can be written using a word processor that will generate a SEQ file, then load into Screen-Maker to add color and graphics. Other BBS systems that read SEQ files and display color may also work. Try loading some files for a test. IN OTHER PROGRAMS - The files made with Screen-Maker can simply be read by other programs. Just write a routine that gets one character at a time and prints it to the screen, stopping when ST indicates end-of-file or when you encounter a character that designates the end of your file. (NOTE: the left arrow is translated by Screen-Maker into a <RETURN>, CHR$ 13 ) With Screen-Maker you can make elaborate HELP screens for any program. **** FREEWARE There is no charge for this copy-righted program. If you use the program you are encouraged to send a small donation to the author. This will encourage further development and the writing of more programs. Pass it on. Put it in club libraries. The following donations are suggested: $5 to show acceptance or $10 to recieve a disk with any updates and the complete source. Also feel free to send any questions, comments or suggestions to me at: Merwin Updyke 609 Bell Avenue Altoona, PA 16602 or on CompuServe EasyPlex 72267,2454 **** NOTE: Screen-Maker is written in FORTH using the excellent public domain implementation called "Blazin' FORTH" by Scott Ballantyne. I highly recommend it as THE next language or even first language for you programmers. It can be found on CompuServe in the database of the Programming SIG ( go PCS-116), in then "Beyond Basic" section.
Amiga7878