davef@brspyr1.BRS.Com (Dave Fiske) (06/20/89)
Sorry for the lengthy posting, but several people have been looking
for this information, so I thought it would be worthwhile for the group.
I downloaded the free "BBS" version of Optiks, and the files that follow are
from the ones included in the .ARC file.
The free version gives you a good idea as to what Optiks can do. You can load
and manipulate images, but you generally can't save them unless you have the
full-fledged version (which you have to pay for--see below). In addition to
translating between graphics formats, there are some interesting image
manipulation functions.
I haven't gotten the full-fledge version, so I can't vouch for it, but the free
version seems to work pretty well.
=====================================================================
GR-EXT.DOC:
The following is a partial list of the many graphics formats
that are available. I started the list, H. F. Van Brink added
to it and I added a few more. Keith P. Graham
File types are: R=Raster, V=Vector, L=Language, B=LiBrary
File Optiks File Description/
Extension Support Type Software Source
========= ======= ==== ==================
.ART Yes R PFS First Publisher Clip Art
.ART No ? Ashton-Tate Byline Clipart
.BAS Yes R Basic Bload/Bsave (also basic programs)
.BSG Yes R FONTASY (same as .RAW)
.CA Read RB NewsRoom Pro
.CGM No V Computer Graphics Metafile
.CUT Yes R Dr. Halo, Cut files
.DAT Read RB PrintShop
.DCX Read RB Panasonic Fax PCX libraries.
.DD No R CBM Doodle
.DHP No ? Dr. Halo
.DRW No V Freelance
.DRW No V MicroGrafx
.DRW No V NBI Legend
.DXF No V AutoCad
.EPS Some VRL Encapsulated Post Script
.EV No ? NCN Execuvision
.FG No ? Slidewrite Plus
.GAL No ? HP Gallery on Exhibit, Graphics Gallery
.GEM No V GEM Draw
.GMF No V Computer Graphics Metafile - Various Venders
.GIF Some R Compuserve Graphics Interchange format
.GX1 No R PC PaintBrush
.HPC(L) Some RV Hewlett Packard's LaserJet Graphics
.HPG(L) No V Hewlett Packard Graphics Language
.IFF Yes R Amiga Interchange Format File (graphics)
.IMG Yes R DataCopy Wips
.IMG Yes R GEM Paint
.IMG Yes R IBM Image support Facility
.IMG No ? Boeing Graph
.MAC Yes R Apple Macintosh Macpaint
.MAK Yes R Apple Macintosh Macpaint, No Header
.MSP Yes R Microsoft Windows Paint
.P No ? Ashton Tate Draw Applause
.PCR Yes R OPTIKS/PCRGB
.PCX .PCC Yes R Zsoft PC Paintbrush
.PDA Yes R Palantir Scanner Graphics Files
.PGA No R IBM Professional Graphics Adaptor image file
.PI1 .PI2 Yes R Atari Degas uncompressed images
.PIC Some V Lotus
.PIC v1.5 R Mouse systems PC Paint
.PIG Yes R Ricoh Pixel Image Generator file
.PRN Some VLR Post Script, Any print image file
.RAS Yes R Show file Ras format
.RAW Yes R Basic Array format (OPTIKS reference only)
.RLE Yes R Compuserve, Teletext Run Length Encoded
.SLD Some V AutoCad Slide
.SFL Yes R Soft Font Single Letter
.SFP Yes R HP Soft Font
.SHP Read RB Printmaster, Newsmaster
.TIF Yes R Aldus/Microsoft Tag Image Format Files (TIFF)
.WPG No RV Word Perfect Graphics 5.0
OPTIKS can either read or write the files Listed as YES, Optiks
makes a good attempt at reading the files marked as SOME. Some
files marked YES can only be written or read. Library type files
and Vector graphics files are not supported by OPTIKS and will
probably never be supported. The exceptions are Lotus PIC, AutoCad
SLD and a very few EPS files. Combination of Raster and Vector
May be supported but for write only and then only Raster.
FILE MENU TREE
The following is a summary of the OPTIKS menu tree as it pertains
to files. This will help you to determine what files OPTIKS can
read and write.
ROOT menu:
FILE ENVIRN PRINT IMAGE DRAW TYPE SCAN QUIT
FILE: Load, save, merge, and list files
ENVIRN: OPTIKS Environment and optional features
PRINT: Print a Picture to a Disk file or a Printer
IMAGE: Alter Picture shape, size and other attributes
DRAW: Draw lines and boxes.
TYPE: Type to screen using OPTIKS fonts.
SCAN: Read/write image data from scanners.
QUIT: Leave Optiks.
The FILE menu items are:
READ SAVE MERGE LIST INFO CHECK
READ: Load a file from disk into the workspace
MERGE: Combine a file from disk with the current picture
SAVE: Write picture information to disk
LIST: List the files on the current directory
INFO: Lists Width and height and maybe other information
CHECK: Check For Recognizeable file header
OPTIKS can RETREIVE or MERGE the following types of files:
PCR: PC Rockland ultra-squished data format
TEXT: ASCII text files with OPTIKS escape sequences
LANG: these are interpreted vector files which are:
LOTUS: Lotus PIC files (Without text, color or fill)
POST: Post Script files (Scanner Graphics)
SLD: Autocad Slide files. (Fill not supported)
BLOAD: Bload/Bsave files from basic supporting the following
CGA: CGA B800 16K interlaced screens
EGA: EGA A000 32K 640*350 single plane screens
AT&T: AT&T B800 640*400 interlace 4 screens
HERC: Hercules B000 720*348 interlace 4 screens
640x400: VGA and similar modes 32k at A000
480: Enahanced EGA 640*480 modes - A000
720: 720 wide modes at A up to 48k
FONTS: Load PCR Fonts
APPLE: Apple MacIntosh MacPaint format (READMACS)
Reads MacPaint with or without Macbinary Headers.
PCB: PC Paintbrush (PCC or PCX files from Zsoft)
IMG: EFS Image files raw data format.(These are not GEM)
WIPS: Datacopy Corp. uncompressed WIPS Files
RLE: RLE Run Length Encoded Files from Compuserve
CUT: Dr. Halo II & III CUT files
FONTASY: FONTASY load block or BASIC PUT/GET files
SFP: Type to screen with HP Soft font
LJET: Printer output files for HP LaserJet
MSP: Microsoft Paint
PIG: Ricoh IS30 Pixel Image Generation files
RAS: Show file RAS format
TIFF: Aldus - Microsoft TIFF files. Reads Uncompressed,
Packbits compress, and CCITT group III 1-d. 2 color
only, does not handle gray scale - yet.
GEM: GEM Paint files (.IMG files, not GEM draw).
ISF: IBM Image Support Facility 2 v1.00
DEGAS: DEGAS Atari ST files
ART: PFS First Publisher .ART files
FAX: CCITT type 'C' files. Coming soon.
1.0PIC: PC PAINT version 1.0
PDA: PALANTIR PDA Uncompressed
IFF: ATARI IFF Graphics files
GIF: Compuserve Graphics Interchange Format 2,4 and 16 color.
TRY: Best Guess: MicroSoft Paint, GEM, Zsoft PCX, GIF, TIF or MacPaint
DCX: Panasonic FAX PCX libraries.
SHOP: PrintShop libraries.
NEWS: Newsmaster Libraries
CA: Newsroom Pro
OPTIKS can SAVE in the following formats:
PCR APPLE BRUSH MSP EPSF LOAD IMG
PCR: PC Rockland ultra-squished data format
APPLE: Apple MacIntosh MacPaint format (READMACS)
Saves with or without Macbinary Header.
PCB: PC Paintbrush (PCC or PCX files from Zsoft)
EPSF Post Script files (Scanner Graphics)
MSP: Microsoft Paint
BLOAD: Bload/Bsave files from basic supporting the following
CGA: CGA B800 16K interlaced screens
EGA: EGA A000 32K 640*350 single plane screens
AT&T: AT&T B800 640*400 interlace 4 screens
HERC: Hercules B000 720*348 interlace 4 screens
640x400: VGA and similar modes 32k at A000
480: Enahanced EGA 640*480 modes - A000
720: 720 wide modes at A up to 48k
IMG: EFS Image files (raw data format)
WIPS: Datacopy Corp. uncompressed WIPS Files
CUT: Dr. Halo II CUT files
TIFF: Aldus - Microsoft TIFF files, Saves uncompressed or
Packbits.
GEM: GEM Paint file
RAS: Show file RAS format
FONTASY: FONTASY load block or BASIC PUT/GET files
PIG: Ricoh IS30 Pixel Image Generation files
GEM: GEM Paint file
TIFF: Aldus - Microsoft TIFF files
ISF: IBM Image Support Facility 2 v1.00
ART: PFS First Publisher .ART files
HP-SOFT: Write HP soft font letter. Use OKHL to create a font
1.0PIC: PC PAINT version 1.0
PDA: PALANTIR PDA Uncompressed
IFF: ATARI IFF Graphics files
====================================================================
OKORDER.DOC:
The OPTIKS Conference is now open!
PC Rockland is the only offical distributor of OPTIKS in north
america. All messages to the author and upgrades to the program
will be available only thru PC Rockland BBS.
The OPTIKS conference on PC-Rockland is now open, up and
running. It is available to all existing paid users of the private
version of OPTIKS. The OPTIKS conference has the most recent
official private version of OPTIKS available for downloading as well
as thousands of files of BBS graphics and Clip Art. It has
scanned clip art which will be available nowhere else. It has
an occasional minor revision version of OPTIKS (eg. OKP211B.ARC) for
when I add a new feature and need immediate testing.
Now that the Conference is open there are two ways to get
OPTIKS. The easiest is to log on to PC-Rockland using your modem and
fill out the script questionnaire for OPTIKS registration. Have you
Visa or Master Card ready. The cost for a 1 year on line registration
is $79.95 and New York residents must pay local tax. The PC-Rockland
Sysop will validate the registration within 24 hours and register you
with the conference. The next time you log on to PC-Rockland use the
J(oin) command to join conference 4. You will then have access to the
conference message base and all 4 conference file directories. You
will be given an hour a day access to the BBS for one year. Renewal
after the first year will be at $39.95 to receive the latest upgrade
to OPTIKS for the next 12 months.
If you can't use the BBS and still need OPTIKS private
version for graphics file conversion, you can send $79.95 plus $10 to
cover the cost of mailing and diskettes to:
PC ROCKLAND
32 Smith ave
South Nyack, NY 10960
All purchase's thru PC Rockland should include a first name,last
name,password to be used on the PC Rockland system. So we can
register you on the system as a valid OPTIKS user.
This will be for a one time delivery. There will be no new OPTIKS
upgrade disks. If you get the one time delivery and then want to use
the BBS service you can log on and leave a message and I will get you
registered.
If you are already a paid OPTIKS subscriber just log on to
PC-Rockland and leave a message and I will register you in the
conference, but conference users will not receive the automatic
mailings of the new versions of OPTIKS.
If you already are a Paid PC Rockland user, the registration
fee will allow you to download OPTIKS and you will have a total
BBS time of 1 hour per day for 1 year, with the current OPTIKS
version on line for you to download.
You can call voice for order information (not technical support)
or information about PC Rockland at (914) 358-8145. This is a real
voice line during normal east coast working hours and an answering
machine on evenings, weekends and holidays.
How to logon to PC-Rockland:
PC-Rockland currently has 9 nodes up and running. Once or
twice a month the system will be down on Sunday afternoons for
backups and other housekeeping chores. The private line number is
(914) 353-2157. There is a free line which is always busy. Call
the private line first to get information and register.
The system has a three 386 servers and 9 AT nodes and
is running under a 3COM Ethernet system. The system has an additional
386 up on the network for systems maintenance. New nodes and more
telephone lines will be added soon. 9600 is available on four nodes,
there are Hayes V series on two of the nodes. And HST 9600 on two
other lines to service the users. There are well over 20,000 files
on line filling up most of over a gigabyte of disk space.
If you have never used PC-Rockland, set you communications
program for 1200,n,8,1 or 2400,n,8,1 and dial into (914) 353-2157.
When you logon, the PC-Board program will ask you for information
about yourself and you can browse around. You will have 15 minutes,
but you will not be able to download files. Use the S command to fill
out a script questionnaire and choose script 2 for OPTIKS. The script
will ask you a little information about yourself which is, of course,
kept in complete confidence. (BBS's are very private places which
enrages meddling bureaucrats.) The PC-Rockland Sysop will validate
the charge card information and enroll you in the conference. You may
send a check if you don't want to use you charge, but this will take
a little longer.
If you are already a free user, and would like to join
OPTIKS there will be a conflict because you cannot be both a free
board user and an OPTIKS user. You will have to keep your current
name as a free board user and use an alias or nickname to use the
private line and get into the OPTIKS conference.
The OPTIKS conference will, hopefully, attract a lot of the
heavy users in the field of graphics and desktop publishing. It will
be a forum for the exchange of ideas and a source of help for the new
user. I will try and log on at least twice a day to answer mail and
check the files. I will also be available for node to node chat if
you catch me on line. PC-Rockland is growing and will offer other
service besides OPTIKS and we are sure that it will be a focal point
for the exciting areas of graphics and desktop publishing.
OPTIKS is fairly stable now, but I keep adding new features.
I am working on a VGA 256 color version as well as a On-Line
graphics viewing. I am also fooling with Hypertext. Keep tuned
in.
Keith P. Graham
--
"MY SPACE ALIEN HUBBY DUMPED ME Dave Fiske (davef@brspyr1.BRS.COM)
FOR A YOUNGER WOMAN, SOBS WIFE"
Home: David_A_Fiske@cup.portal.com
Headline from Weekly World News CIS: 75415,163 GEnie: davef