Graphics Image Conversion Utilities

http://www.clipshop.ca/Aztec/index.htm#imagetools

AppleTools for MS-DOS to Apple II Image Conversion

http://www.clipshop.ca/Aztec/appletools.zip

ClipShop Deluxe - MS-DOS, Apple II, and C64 Image Conversion

http://www.clipshop.ca/index.htm

Aside from the tools that I provide in my Aztec C Apple II Windows XP
cross-development environment I also have a graphics application
called ClipShop that may prove interesting. Some of the features to do
with Apple II Graphics are noted below:

The CGAShop Menu

CGA Image to Apple ][ Image

Select Area For 4 Color CGA Clip to AppleII Screen Conversion
Save CGA Clip to AppleII BIN File using BLUE ORANGE
Save CGA Clip to AppleII BIN File using VIOLET GREEN

Converting from a 320 x 200 CGA Image to a 280 x 192 Apple ][ Image
requires cropping (clipping) the CGA Image size to the Apple ][ Image
size. Therefore you must select the area required for conversion as
the first step in the conversion process, and when you are satisfied
with the area chosen, the second step is to save the converted image
to the target Apple ][ .BIN file.

This .BIN file can then be put onto an Apple ][ .DSK (DiskImage) or
onto an actual Apple ][ Disk, using one of the transport strategies
available (Apple ][ Oasis is one of the programs out there that will
build an Apple ][ .DSK for you, which later be run in an Apple ]
[ emulator.

The Apple ][ image that I create is a compromise in quality from an
image that can be created on the Apple itself, just as my display of
Apple ][ images is a compromise since you need a real Apple ][ to
"fine tune" the image visually for best display quality, and you need
a real Apple ][ for best display quality (period).

The Apple ][ itself uses all 6 colors (BLACK, WHITE, BLUE, ORANGE,
VIOLET, and GREEN) but since a CGA Image only uses 4, and for
programming reasons, I have always simplified my conversion from CGA
to Apple ][ by using the color combinations that I have noted above.

When creating a CGA Image for conversion, it is best to use blocks of
pixels 2 wide x 1 deep on even horizontal pixel boundaries, to avoid
"anti-aliasing" color anomalies (as they are usually called). This is
the "bleed-over" that you sometimes see on the Apple ][ image.

If you can avoid using CYAN (BLUE or GREEN) and MAGENTA (ORANGE or
RED) in the same area, that is best, and better yet if you keep it
simple. Stay away from WHITE backgrounds, and avoid putting your
drawing elements too close together for best results.

The AppleShop Menu

Basic Functionality

The ClipShop Apple Shop menu has 3 main functions:

- Edit and View converted Apple ][ Full Screen Images in Color or
Monochrome
- Extract and Convert Apple ][ Full Screen Images to IBM Formats.
- Extract and Convert Apple ][ PrintShop Graphics to IBM Formats.

Save, ClipBoard, and Print Options

The core options in the Apple Shop Menu are similar to the CGA Shop
Menu options, although the CGA Shop Menu supports additional options
that did not make sense for Apple Shop. Apple Shop Core Options are as
follows:

- Copy to ClipBoard
- Save Full Screen Image to 16 Color Windows BMP
- Save Full Screen Image to 16 Color PCPaint Pictor PIC
- Re-Palettize Full Screen Screen Image prior to Copy, Print or Save
- Print Current Screen (Full Page or Proportional)

Note: The CGA Shop Menu offers an IBM to Apple ][ Full Screen
conversion option to create Apple ][ Color Screens from an IBM 4 Color
CGA Mode Screen.

The Apple ][ HIRES Full Screen graphics file extractor

The Apple ][ PrintShop graphics file extractor requires the that you
have Apple ][ Disk Images (.DSK Files) in Apple DOS 3.X format
containing Apple ][ HIRES Graphics files on your computer. These are
freely available on the Internet from a variety of sources that are
mentioned below.

In order to use the HIRES graphics on an Apple ][ Disk Image (.DSK
File) with ClipShop, they must first be extracted and saved to
individual IBM disk files which can then be individually loaded into
ClipShop for viewing, etc.

Here's what you need to do:

First select the .DSK file from the AppleShop Menu and if the .DSK
file is in a supported DOS 3.X format, ClipShop will make an educated
guess (based on file size and file type) as to whether the Disk Image
contains HIRES graphics.

If so, the graphics will be extracted to the same directory as
the .DSK file. After extraction, you will need to load each individual
file into ClipShop, where you can review, remove, rename, edit and
clip your converted Apple graphics to your heart's content.

The Apple ][ PrintShop graphics converter

The Apple ][ PrintShop graphics converter requires the that you have
Apple ][ Disk Images (.DSK Files) in Apple DOS 3.X format containing
Apple ][ PrintShop Graphics in the Apple ][ Minipix Format on your
computer. These are freely available on the Internet from a variety of
sources that are mentioned below.

In order to use the PrintShop graphics on an Apple ][ Disk Image (.DSK
File) with ClipShop, they must first be converted and saved to the
1985 IBM version of The Print Shop=AE format ("Old PrintShop" .DAT
and .NAM files), which ClipShop automatically does for you "behind the
scenes".

Here's what you need to do:

First select the .DSK file from the AppleShop Menu and if the Disk
Image is in a supported DOS 3.X format, ClipShop will make an educated
guess (based on file size and file type) whether the Disk Image
actually contains Prinstshop Graphics in a supported format.

If so, the graphics will be converted to "Old PrintShop" .DAT and .NAM
files of the same base filename as the .DSK file and loaded into
ClipShop, where you can review, remove, rename, and clip your
converted Apple graphics to your heart's content.

ClipShop will convert any and all 88 x 52 Apple ][ PrintShop Graphics
in both "Old PrintShop" and "New PrintShop" Apple ][
Minipix Format if
they exist on the Apple ][ Disk Image.

But ClipShop may sometimes add extra "bogus" files during conversion
since there is no way to guess correctly all the time if these files
are in the correct format, and you will need to delete the bogus
pictures from your converted graphics after you get them into
ClipShop. You will know which ones they are because the bogus picture
(if any) will just be a splotchy mess.

Apple ][ Disk Images and PrintShop Graphics

Apple ][ Disk Images are used in emulator programs that actually run
like an Apple ][. Not all Apple ][ Disk Images (.DSK Files) contain
PrintShop Graphics, but some do.

The Broderbund Print Shop=AE was widely used on the Apple ][, and many
Apple ][ Enthusiasts will remember both how popular it was, and the
great number of graphics that were freely available for The Print
Shop=AE.

Fortunately for all the Apple ][ PrintShop enthusiasts, the
proliferation of these great little graphics has been preserved by the
Apple ][ emulator enthusiasts for harvesting by hordes of ClipShop
users who might wish to paste them into Windows for whatever reason.

Converted Apple ][ PrintShop File Naming

The DAT and NAM files that are used with the 1985 IBM version of the
"Old" Print Shop=AE program must be prefaced with the two letters GR.
This is why the names of the clipart libraries in this format
typically began with with a "GR" prefix.

I am no longer following this naming convention, and I am supporting
long filenames, so if your Apple .DSK file has a long descriptive
name, so will your .DAT and .NAM files.

The Apple ][ Minipix Format

When The Print Shop=AE first appeared on The Apple ][, the only type of
graphics it used were small 4 sector DOS3.3 files, called minipix.
Because the range of them built into The Print Shop=AE was limited,
people drew their own, using the print Shop Graphic Editor, and soon
these little 88x52 pictures were everywhere. There were disks and
disks, just packed with them. The storage format was quite simple,
basically just a bit mapped image, with every 11 bytes of the file
mapping to one line of 88 dots on the screen. An extra 4 filler bytes
were tacked on the end of each mini-graphic file. Each file held only
1 mini-graphic. 52 lines x 8 bytes + 4 =3D 576 bytes. Now when "The New
Print Shop" came along, you could convert these little graphics to the
new format. It turns out that all that was done to each graphic to
convert it, was a small header was placed at the start, and the 4
filler bytes were dropped from the end, and so 576 byte graphics
became 605 byte "NPS" compatible graphics.
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