This software is a handy tool for interactively creating color maps or
spreads (most useful for raytracers).
It features a GUI interface and requires:
- a Standard VGA Graphics Card that supports 320x200x256 (the program uses the
SVGA256.BGI Driver).
- a Microsoft-compatible mouse.
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Usage:
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Simply call the program from the DOS command line:
C:\>cmapper
You will then see the graphics screen that you work on.
Quitting
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To quit the program either press ESC or the right mouse button.
Display
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You will see the colormap display as a thick band at the top of the
screen, together with another this band above it, representing the
alpha channel.
Below that are 'nodes' (4 at startup) that define the colormap.
Below that is the color editing field.
Below that is a small menu area.
Theory of Operation
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Pointing to the colormap are arrows that originate at squares further
down ('Nodes', see above). These arrows can be pushed around to change
the position of where the color that is in the node affects the colormap.
Simply click and drag the left mouse button while near an arrow tip.
Below the nodes is the color editing field. Here you edit a the color
of a single node by moving sliders about. You can change the RGB values
directly or use the Hue, Luminosity and Saturation slider to change
the colors. You can also change the alpha value of the node by moving
the alpha slider (obviously!).
If you want to change one of the 7 values (R,G,B,H,L,S,A) of ALL the nodes
then press SHIFT while you move the corresponding slider. All nodes will
be set to this new value.
This, for example, allows you to set all nodes the same luminance (actual
color).
The square next to the slider is just for display and shows the color
currently in the editor.
Menu
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t Nodes++
You can increase the number of nodes up to a maximum of 12 (this is
arbitrary, if anyone needs more than 12 they should contact me). I
think 12 is enough (actually I've never used more than 7 [for marble]).
t Nodes--
You can decrease the number of nodes down to a minimum of 3.
t CopyTo
You can copy the settings of one node to another node. The cursor \
changes to a 'TO' cursor and you must click on a node to which you
wish to copy the settings.
t CopyFrom
Similar to Copy To.
t Save F2
This saves the current setup on disk, so that you can read it in
later. The format is somewhat less complicated than the PoV source,
but still a text file. (If you want to convert existing PoV color maps
examine the format and convert the file, it's really simple! Basically
all you need to do is leave out the keywords!).
t Load F3
This loads a previously saved setup on disk, so that you can resume
editing your last map. This only read files that are formatted as by
Save (I was too lazy to incorporate a parser!).
t Print F8
This prints the current color map to PoV format.
t Quit F10
100 points if you can figure this one out!
Thats it! Any further suggestions, enhancements or comments are welcome.
This software is hereby released to the public domain and is, in this
version, free of charge.
Disclaimer:
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I will not be held responsible for anything this program does or causes
to anything or anybody, under any circumstances (so there!).
However, if you find a bug I'd be grateful if you could let me know.
Credits:
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Thanks to Jordan Hargrave [72510,1143] for writing the BGI SVGA Driver
and thus making it really simple to use the SVGA cards in the 256-color
modes.
The RGB to HLS and vice versa conversion code is from
"Fundamentals of three-dimensional computer graphics" by Alan Watt.
The layout of this program as well as the functionality was inspired
by a small section of a professional RayTracer for Silicon Graphics
hardware by the name of SoftImage, which I saw at an exhibition a few
weeks ago (now if I had that horsepower and that software ..... sigh!)
Support:
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I can be reached in the following ways :
CIS : 100023,2006 (preferred.)
BIX : lkretzschmar
Fax : +49 89 8204270
Tel : +49 89 8204250
Mail : SoftTronics
Fritz-Reuter-Str. 20B
D-8000 Munich 60
Germany
Technical Stuff:
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CMAPPER was written in Turbo Pascal V6.0 and uses the object-oriented
extension a little. All source code is self-written.
