V-I-C-S-H-O-W v2.2 for PC (c) 1997-2000 Piotr Tracz
                                        kmeg / albion crew & s.h.a.p.e.
                                        -------------------------------
Tool which made THE GALLERY possible!
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INTRODUCTION
------------
Vicshow is a tool which allow you browse original Commodore64 graphics
files  using  PC  compatible  computer working under ms-dos compatible
system.  Actually  Vicshow seems to be the best available tool of that
kind  as  it gives best quality, compatibility with all major graphics
formats  and  as  the  only  one  viewer  is  able  to  mix  colors in
interlacing C64's modes!

VicShow  is  a command-line 32bit PM-mode dos utility and doesn't have
any  graphic  outfit  (but  that  makes  it  very easy to use with any
file-managers tools under dos/w9x/NT). There is also a unix version of
Vicshow done by Tomasz Mielnik aka Carrion / Elysium.

Currently Vicshow's routines are being integrated into ACDsee graphics
browser  (all  windows  systems) - this is coop project between me and
Olav Mrkrid

USAGE
-----
VicShow is very easy in using, just use the following scheme:

vicshow.exe c64file [-m]

parameter  -m  is  optional  and  its  using  disables color mixing in
interlacing modes (only 16 colors will be used)

You may also use the following keys:
'F12' - makes screen dump as uncompressed BMP file
'+' and '-' - changes background color if that is possible
'm' - disables/enables mixed colors

RECOGNIZED C64 GRAPHIC FILE FORMATS
-----------------------------------
VicShow recognizes the following graphics file formats:

* Funpaint II (both with and without RLE compression) [320x200]
* Gunpaint [320x200]
* DrazLace v1.0 (both with and without RLE compression) [320x200]
* FLI Designer [160x200]
* Unknown FLI [160x200]
* Dolphin's FLI Editor [160x200]
* FLI Graph (both with and without RLE compression) [160x200]
* Advanced OCP Art Studio [160x200]
* Faces Painter [160x200]
* Koala Painter [160x200]
* Amica Paint [160x200]
* HiRes Bitmap [320x200]
* Art Studio [320x200]
* Topaz HiRes Editor [320x200]
* Topaz AFLI Editor [320x200]
* Zoomatic (both with and without RLE compression) [160x200]
* Paint Magic [160x200]
* Doodle [320x200]

All  formats  are  recognized  in 99.9 % correctly by its file sizes, start
addresses and headers.

VicShow  also  tries  to  use background color (if it's available), however
there are differences during viewing FunPaintII, GunPaint and Dolphin's FLI
files  as  these  editors  let  using  different background colors in every
horizontal  line  -  VicShow  doesn't  support  that  as I didn't found any
picture that uses that option.

FINISHING WORDS
---------------
VicShow  is a tool which I'm using during creating THE GALLERY which may be
found under http://thegallery.c64scene.org

If  you  have  any  questions,  improvements  ideas,  bugs  reports or
anything  else feel free to contact me under my e-mails piotr@shape.tm
or ptracz@ajax.umcs.lublin.pl.

I'd like to send big thanks to the following people for their help:

* Daniel Kottmair /deekay of crest/ for great colour palette.
* Olav  Mrkrid /Olav of Panoramic Design/ for testing and Zoomatic help
* Witold Bryndza /cresh of elysium/ for testing previous versions.
* Kovcs Balzs /joe forster of sta/ for software support (emulators)

Piotr Tracz
aka kmeG / albion crew & s.h.a.p.e




                        REAL DEMO SCENES NEWER DIE
                          REAL LEGENDS NEWER DIE

                      COMMODORE64 - THE LIVING LEGEND
                      -------------------------------
