Table of Contents
This is a rudimentary tool to create sprites for the DCGR library. It is run with:
+dcgrspred [spritefile]
with spritefile being the optional startup sprite file. Otherwise a blank, i.e. fully transparent, sprite is displayed on the Lo-Res graphics screen. The maximum size of the sprite that can be editied is 40x48 pixels, which just so happens to be the dimensions of the Lo-Res screen. A flashing pixel, the cursor, is displayed at the current position to edit. The cursor flashed with the current color to draw a point with. For now, drawing single pixels at a time is the only operation implemented.
The DCGR library uses the first grey value, GREY 1 = $05 as the transparency value. On most emulators and the //gs, it will display as the darker grey, even though both greys look the same on a composite color monitor.
If you move the cursor over a pixel that is the same color as the current color, the cursor may seem to disappear. Simply cycle the current color up or down to discover where the cursor is.
Interactive Keys
- Up arrow = move cursor up
- Down arrow = move cursor down
- Right arrow = move cursor right
- Left arrow = move cursor left
- Spacebar = plot pixel in current color
- + = cycle current color up
- - = cycle current color down
- H = flip horizontally
- V = flip vertically
- T = test sprite on DCGR screen (press any key to return to editor)
- B = bounce sprite on DCGR screen (press any key to return to editor)
- ESC = Escape to command line file operations
Command Line
The command line is for writing and reading sprite files. The prompt includes a modified indicator (an asterisk) and the current filename. If none was used at startup, it defaults to 'Untitled'. To read a sprite file:
R [spritefile]
If no spritefile is given, the current file will be re-read. To write a sprite file:
W [spritefile]
Again, if no spritefile is given the current name will be used. To return to the editing screen, just press RETURN.
Q
Will quite the editor and return to the PLASMA command line interface.
When reading in a sprite, the editor will attempt to center the sprite on the screen. If you happen to need more space on the edge of your sprite but are running out of room, try writing the sprite out and reading it back in.