Graphics and the Commodore

By John Blackmer for MCUC Magazine

Of the many things that our machines can do,  the graphic capabilities seem toattract more than its share of interest.    One of the main attractions of a Commodore BBS is an art gallery.    I don't think any of our callers have missed viewing it at least once.    Although the 64 & 128 are capable of HI-RES and LOW RES pictures,  I will limit this article to low res because that is what is used on all bbs's.   This was prior to RLE Hi-Res Graphics.

Low-res (low resolution) generally refers to the use of the symbols on the
front of the keys on your keyboard.    Those symbols,  used in conjunction with the colors and rvs on and rvs off keys provide the tools to create some very interesting and colorful artwork.    To attempt to use them in programming code (BASIC) can be rather cumbersome,  if not downright painful.    Naturally,  we have graphic utilities for just that reason.    Under Sysop'   s Scuttlebutt,  you' ll find a review of a new program,  CG Animator 3.   0a,  in my opinion,  the best graphics utility available for the 64.    Of course,  there are others that will argue with that.    Our industrious leader and prez has a tendency towards Screen Gem.    Mario Bruhwiler,  an expert in graphics on the 64 leans towards Picture Perfect.   
Compute Magazine put out a great program called Screen Genie which writes its own BASIC code to use as subroutines in your own programs.   

When using SEQUENZER 2.0,  care needs to be taken to avoid mistakes and backspaces because this program records ALL keystrokes,  whether intentional or not.    The advantage of that is you can create sequential file movies and a very large variety of "special effectsÓ. As with most programs,  practice makes perfect, Sequenzer created files are sequential and can be used with most sequential file readers.    Speaking of perfect,  PICTURE PERFECT isn't.    It has a tendency to save unwanted and redundant keystrokes without your knowledge.    So if you use your Picture Perfect file with some other reader (Ex.  a bbs program) it will display a screen different than what it showed while you were creating that screen.    In addition,  PP can be confusing with it'   s plethora of commands.    Help screens are built in but they too are rather cryptic.    PP also saves its files only as sequential files.   

Screen Gem is as the title implies,  a GEM of a program.    You may use the joystick OR the keyboard to design your screen.    Cursor movements are not saved so you may move around the screen to change and edit your screen at will.    As you enter the editing area you set the number of lines you want your screen to be. You can get to a help screen at anytime with a couple of keystrokes and when you finish your screen you will be presented with the option to save your screen however you want,  as a sequential file or program file.    Yes,  Screen Gem will write the code for you to use as a stand alone program or subroutines.    No doubt Screen Gem is a diamond in the world of graphic editors.    My ONLY complaint is that it will only allow 24 screen lines and one screen at a time.   

Genie,  The only copyrighted program in this review is also a "program generatorÓ.  Once you have designed your screen it,  too,  will produce the needed BASIC code to use in your own programs.    Compute Gazette published this some time ago and it is an excellent utility.    As with a lot of user friendly programs,  it has an excellent built in menu to guide you through the process of creating your masterpiece. With Genie,  you may create 2 different screens at the same time.    Its drawback, it only produces BASIC code so you cannot save your screens as a sequential file for use with other programs such as a bbs.   

The first 3 of these programs are available through the MCUC BBS.    If they are not on the drives,  leave me feedback and I' ll see to it that they get there for you.

Till next time
        HAPPY DRAWING!