KEYBOARD COMMANDS
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The Num Lock or Number Lock key must be turned off to move the cursor.
Cursor controls
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7 = Diagonally Up+Left
8 = Up
9 = Diagonally Up+Right
4 = Left
5 = Hide Cursor - moving the cursor will unhide it
6 = Right
1 = Diagonally Down+Left
2 = Down
3 = Diagonally Down+Right
+ = Increase the space between cursor movements. 9 is the maximum amount of space
that can be used.
- = Decrease the space between cursor movements.
Drawing Functions
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F1 = Point_A --- Used to create a single pixel/point by pressing Enter
F2 = Point_E --- Used to erase a single pixel/point by pressing Enter
F3 = Trace ----- Places pixels/points that follow cursor movements
F4 = Erase ----- Removes pixels/points by following the cursor movements
F5 = Line ------ Pressing Enter will be the starting location of the Line, and
pressing Enter again after the Line is drawn will end the Line
F6 = Rectangle - Pressing Enter will begin the Rectangle, and Pressing Enter after
the Rectangle is drawn will complete the Rectangle
F7 = Circle ---- Pressing Enter will start at the circles centre and the circle will
be drawn outward in all directions
F8 = Fill ------ Pressing Enter will paint in an area of the screen from the cursor
point with the current colour
F9 = Block ----- Similar to the Rectangle command, it will copy anything within the
rectangular area by pressing Enter (once for starting point, once for finishing point). The selected copied area can
then be moved around using the cursor keys, and be placed in a new
location by pressing Enter
Block Commands: These commands are used in conjunction with Block mode. All of
the "Block files" are kept in the BLK directory and have the File Extension BLK.
The Block files are used in the animation making process.
F1 = Pastes the block selection, this will overwrite anything that the block
selection is over top of. It will make an exact copy
F2 = Pastes the block selection with a colour shift
F3 = Pastes the block selection with a colour shift ex.(White->Black,
Cyan->Magenta, etc.)
F4 = Pastes the block selection, but works properly on a White Background
F5 = Pastes the block selection. The Background colour is not pasted. Use
this to paste on a Black Background only
F7 = Saves the currently selected Block
F8 = Before making a selection this key can be used to read an already
existing Block file.
F9 & F6 = Seem to be the Quit command
F10 = Text ----- Pressing Enter will enable the Text cursor. The cursor can be moved
around the screen with the cursor keys, and text can be typed.
To get out of Text mode hit F1. Note: The Backspace key cannot be
used to go back over the text, only the cursor keys will move the
Text Cursor. Also the Spacebar, Enter, Caps Lock, and Shift keys
function normally in this mode.
ALT+F9 = Color - Changes pixel/point and Text colour
First choice is Foreground colour: 0 to 3
Second choice is Background colour: 0 to 3
0 = Black
1 = Cyan
2 = Magenta
3 = White
Alt+F10 = New -- Starts a new page and completely blanks the old one. There's
a "Clear Y/N?" confirmation just in case
Text Functions
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ALT+F1 = Font1 Type
ALT+F2 = Font2 Type
ALT+F3 = Font3 Type
ALT+F4 = Font4 Type - This Font only displays properly in Capital letters with the
exception of the letter "a", the "$", the "&", and all the numbers.
Caps Lock or Shift must be used while using this Font type.
ALT+F5 = Font5 Type
ALT+F6 = Font6 Type
ALT+F7 = Enables Small Font size
ALT+F8 = Enables Large Font size
SHOW FILE COMMANDS
Delay Commands
DLY_BLK = Delay Block - Enables the Block File movement to slowdown. It does
this by Delaying the next display of the Block File picture.
Note: In order to return the Delay to normal, putting a DLY_BLK 00 before the next Animation or DSN Picture must be done.
Usage: DLY_BLK AmountOfTime
Example: DLY_BLK 20
DLY_DSN = Delay DSN - changes the speed of the DSN operations like AP (below) 50 appears to be about 1 second.
Usage: DLY_DSN AmountOfTime
DLY_EFF Delay Effect?
DLY_AFF Delay Appear Effect?
DLY_REV Delay Reverse?
DSN = Design - The Picture file to display
USAGE:DSN Filename
AP= Appear - Command that tells the DSN picture file how to appear. If used
by itself it will cause the picture to simply appear on the screen
Usage: AP Transition
Example: AP FR_CTB
EP = Erase Picture - Erases the screen. Often used with the RANDOM suffix
Usage: EP Transition
Example: EP RANDOM
RP = Reverse Polarity
USAGE:RP Transition Count
Example:RP FR_BOT 2
Note: an even number will result in the final screen being the same polarity, and an odd number will leave it reversed.
Transitions:
(Use with AP, EP and RP)
FLASH = Flash Transition - Tells the DSN to flash as it appears or dissappears
RANDOM = Random Transition- Tells the DSN to randomly appear or dissappear
DFR_ Prefix = Draw From - Makes the DSN picture slide onto the screen from a direction
DFR_TOP = Top - Slide in from the Top of the screen
DFR_BOT = Bottom - Slide in from the bottom of the screen
DFR_LF = Left - Slide in from the Left of the screen
DFR_RT = Right - Slide in from the Right of the screen
FR_ Prefix = From - Draws From a direction (like a reveal)
FR_TOP = Top - Draw from the Top of the screen
FR_BOT = Bottom - Draw from the bottom of the screen
FR_LF = Left - Draw from the Left side of the screen
FR_RT = Right - Draw from the Right side of the screen
FR_CTB = Centre Top to Bottom - Draw from the middle and extend it towards the top and bottom of the screen
FR_RL = Right Left? - Draw from the Right and Left sides to the middle
FR_CRL = Center To Right Left? - Draw from the Center and extend to the Right and Left sides
STOP = Stop - tells the Screen to pause for a given amount of time appears to be 4 per second
Usage: STOP AmountOfTime
Example: STOP 20
MESSAGES
MSG - Display a message file.
Usage: MSG Filename
Example: MSG BLANK
Message files are not kept in a subdirectory. They are kept at the top level- and they contain simple ascii text.
moreover all the AP commands (etc) appear to work on them.
The most useful aspect of a MSG file appears to keep one called BLANK, and use that for screen clearing purposes.
BLOCKS
MOVE = Move - tells a Block File picture to move across or around the screen
Usage: MOVE BlockFileName StartY StartX EndY EndX Speed 00
Example: MOVE CAR 38 128 38 -30 1 00
Note that the coordinates can be larger or smaller than the screen - these represent points that are off the screen - useful if you want the block to move onto or off of the screen as part of it's animation.
ZOOMS
ZOOM - Display a zoom file which expands or shrinks into place on the screen.
Usage: ZOOM ZoomFileName Start_Y_Position Start_X_Position Start_Y_Size Start_X_Size Finish_Y_Size Finish_X_Size Speed
Example: ZOOM ONE 1 1 1 1 48 128 3
Start_Y_Position Values: -anything to anything.
Represents the absolute value of Y of the TOP edge of the image when at full size.
Note: Values either too large or too small will "clip" the image.
Reference Finish_Y_Size to determine where the image will appear from (The formula is Start_Y_Position + 1/2 Finish_Y_Size)
Start_X_Position Values: -anything to anything.
Represents the absolute value of X of the left edge of the image when at full size.
In other words an image with a Finish_X_Size of 128 and a start_x_position of 0
will appear to zoom from the center of the screen. An image with a finish size of 10 and a Start_X_Position of 0 will appear to zoom from 5 led's into the sign.
Note: Positions either too large or too small will "clip" the image.
(Negative positions larger than the Finish_X_Size imply that the image will be clipped off the screen entirely.)
Start_Y_Size Values: Between -anything and 48. But it MUST NOT BE 0
If greater than 48, or equal to 0, it will not display the graphic.
Negative numbers start at that size and draw the image inverted to begin with. Useful for spins.
Note: If you use TOO LARGE a negative number, it will look stupid.
Start_X_Size Values: Between -anything and Finish_X_Size. But it MUST NOT BE 0
If greater than Finish_X_Size, or equal to 0, it will not display the graphic.
Negative numbers start at that size and draw the image inverted to begin with. Useful for spins.
Note: If you use TOO LARGE a negative number, it will look stupid. This tends to happen at -256 - the nominal image width.
Finish_Y_Size Values: -anything to 48 - any bigger and nothing shows. MUST NOT BE 0
represents the final Y dimension of the image after zoom operation.
Note: Negative values represent an image that is inverted top to bottom.
Finish_X_Size Values: is limited to 128 - any bigger and nothing shows. MUST be larger than Start_X_Size.
Represents the final X dimension of the image after expansion.
Speed is typically 0, 1, 2, 3 - only three speeds for the sign. (this MIGHT be wrong.)
Random use notes... start sizes larger than finish sizes cause a "reverse zoom" effect.
If the absolute Y value of any size is larger than the pixels in the graphic it will insert blank lines - and it looks bad.
In other words - it pays to know how large your zoom file WANTS to be.
LOOPS
FOR = For - This is a loop command. It tells the Show commands inside of the loop structure to execute that many times.
Usage: FOR NumberOfTimesToLoop
Example: FOR 8
Note: Loops may be nested as long as the FOR's match the END's.
END = End - Completes a Loop started with the FOR command
Usage: END
Loop Example:
FOR 3
MOVE CAR 38 128 38 -30 1 00
END
Animation Examples
SAMPLE ANIMATION using DSN Files:
FOR 8 <-------- Begin Looping, sets it to Loop 8 Times
DSN CANDLE <-- Loads the 1st DSN Candle picture
AP <------------ Tells the picture to appear
STOP 03 <----- Picture stays on the screen briefly
DSN CANDLE2 <- Loads the 2nd different Candle picture
AP <------------ this picture appears overwritting the 1st
STOP 02 <----- Picture stays on screen more briefly
DSN CANDLE3 <- Loads the 3rd picture and last Candle
AP <------------ 3rd Picture overwrites the 2nd Candle
STOP 03 <----- Picture stays on screen briefly
END <---------- Tells the Loop to go back up to the FOR command to start the Loop again
SAMPLE ANIMATION using the Block Files:
DSN HOUSE <--- Loads the picture of a house
AP DF_TOP <---- House Draws from the Top of the screen
STOP 10 <-------- A brief pause
DLY_BLK 20 <-- The Delay time between Block movements
MOVE TRUCK 32 -30 32 55 1 00 <- Moving Truck coordinates
STOP 20 <-------- A longer pause
DLY_BLK 00 <-- Sets the Delay Block time back to Normal
EP <---------------- Erases the Picture on the screen
Commands we know exist but can't find documentation on:
FLAG - might be tied to "modes" ModeFast, ModeFont, ModeFrench (made in Canada remember?), ModeNoFlash, ModeNoReverse, ModeVox, ModeMouse, ModeVideo
PD
AUTOM
AUTOD
NORMAL
BLACK
GREY