Mad Studio

[Gury]

I will re-check the Save method issue.

 

Invert all bits feature is doable, of course. Something new for next release.

 

I am glad you are using the editor, thanks!

 

[xxl]

Thanks for this soft.

there is a problem with Antic mode 4/5 editor:

 

1. The preview one char is incorrectly displayed
2. Improperly displays characters in inverse on the screen after loading - if we put a character from the set, it's ok.
3. no preview of characters in inverse in character set pane (how to put a character in inverse?)
4. grid would be useful
5. It would be useful to display the offsets in the Y position of the screen, the coordinates in the X position of the screen

6. defining a board with a size other than 24

 

is there any newer version from 1.0?

Edited November 25, 2020 by xxl

[Gury]

Hello!

 

I am aware of this shortcoming, currently there is no way to handle inverse character flag. But, surely it will be added in the future.

Hmm, actually there is version 1.1 on the way, but before it is published, some house-keeping will be done first. Let it be a surprise

One of the features will be proper customizing of Antic mode 4 and 5 size and new graphics format for displaying such screens.

Of course, I will consider your requests.

 

[flashjazzcat]

How is the 'copy character' feature deactivated once activated? After selecting this mode, I had to completely close down the entire suite in order to stop clicks on other characters pasting the copied bitmap into the cell.

 

A couple of other suggestions:

• Flood fill with selected colour
• Being able to load custom fonts into the screen editors (unless this is already possible; I couldn't figure out how)

[Gury]

Hi,

 

The copy functionality is deactivated by pressing "Esc" key. This message is shown in the bottom of the screen while in copy mode. What the program needs is a documentation, which is a must for me, for everybody, for any features not to be missed out.

 

Loading custom fonts will be added in all text modes in new release.

 

For which editor do you want a flood fill to exist?

 

[flashjazzcat]

52 minutes ago, Gury said:

The copy functionality is deactivated by pressing "Esc" key. This message is shown in the bottom of the screen while in copy mode.

Ah - thanks! I thought perhaps the function was a toggle and didn't notice the message in the status line, probably because I'm running a 32" 4K monitor with no scaling.

52 minutes ago, Gury said:

For which editor do you want a flood fill to exist?

I'm using the standard editor at the moment; there were just a few instances where it would have been handy to flood-fill multiple cells.

 

EDIT: Actually the previously suggested 'invert' function would do the same job (i.e. clear cell, then invert bits).

Edited November 26, 2020 by flashjazzcat

[Gury]

It's fine to see different kinds of TVs used for such applications. I am always ready to listen for different suggestions for better integration of usable functions and UI.

 

The new version will bring invert function, as you suggested.

 

[Gury]

New release: 1.1

It can be downloaded from GitHub.

 

 

New version brings:

- New module The Viewer (also accessible from some editors/modules)

- Support for KickC language (read below)

- Graphics editor new features (shifting/moving whole screen by customized offset, entering text directly to graphics screen, filled circle, limited support for Undo and redo...)

- Antic mode's 2, 4 and 5 dimensions can be customized (max. 40 x 24), new file formats are provided to optimize space

- Documentation included in bundle (you can check it here, also there is a description for new file formats)

- User interface button and panel layout changes

- Other features...

 

 

KickC language is supported, but very basic support is provided. You can compile and run any program from Source code editor, but currently only programs put in examples directory will work correctly.

Source code generators include support for KickC, but currently only source code listings with data values are provided.

 

The documentation is finally out, but many things are missing, so I apologize about that. It will be updated regularly with next releases.

 

All release changes follow:

 

NEW!!!
The Viewer - A viewer for most of supported files in application. It is also included in some of the editors to load files for further processing.

 

Misc

• Support for KickC language
• Documentation finally included in package archive
• Changed look of up/down input fields in all modules
• True black color in editors
• Improved loading process
• Returning to main window from any module by pressing F12 function key
• Code refactoring
• Removed unnecessary code

Source code generators

• Settings:
  • Support for KickC language
  • Layout changes:
    • changed look of buttons (flat buttons)
    • changed look of language selection and source code listing selection (paper look)
    • language selection, data value type selection and Atari BASIC line customization on the left side
    • additional settings on the right side

Graphics editor

• Graphics viewer (The Viewer module) in toolbar
• Adding text to graphics
• Shifting/moving the screen by specified offset (using arrow key in toolbar, allowed editing of custom offset)
• Automatic color palette refresh when any color in color window or editor is changed
• Undo, Redo (very basic functionality - added to toolbar and Edit menu)
• Filled circle/diamond
• Toolbar icons hint message changes
• Export data for Action!/Effectus with added *.eff to the existing *.act extension
• Menus:
  • menu Tools:
    • added Load custom color palette
    • added Load default color palette
    • resorted items
  • added new menu View with items Color palette and Graphics viewer
  • menu Edit (removed move operations)
• Graphics mode resolution combo box list put on top toolbar
• Removed beep sound when new image is loaded
• Source code editor:
  • Proper detection if text window is selected (Text window checkbox)

Player/missile graphics editor

• Added Invert bits of player in toolbar (also added to Edit menu and pop up menu)
• Added Player viewer (The Viewer module) in toolbar button (also added to View menu)
• Changed look and minor layout changes of arrow buttons
• Flip player/s layout buttons changed
• Byte editor added in Tools menu
• Better detection of popup menu

Character set editor

• The Viewer in toolbar added
• Changed look and layout of arrow buttons
• Added Invert bits of character (also added to Edit menu)
• Proper save and save as functionality
• Clear edit character after loading new character set
• Menus:
  • added new View menu with Character set viewer
  • menu Tools (added Byte editor)

Text mode 0 editor

• Antic mode 2 viewer (The Viewer module) added in toolbar
• Screen file formats:
  • new screen format presented (extension an2):
    variable sized x, y dimension values + screen data values
  • regular format (gr0 extension):
    regular 960 bytes of screen data (40x24)
• Resize screen panel (added checkbox for initializing maximum screen size)
• Menus:
  • added new View menu (Antic mode 2 viewer added)
  • Tools menu (added Use default character set)
  • File menu (added Load custom character set)
• Source code editor:
  • Resize screen panel (customization of screen dimensions)
  • Proper created code with prepared screen data for customized screen dimension

Text mode 1 and 2 editor

• The Viewer module added to toolbar
• Automatic color palette refresh when any color in color window or editor is changed
• Modified screen file format (added color values for color registers 4, 0, 1, 2 and 3):
  • *.gr1, *.an6 (480 bytes of screen data (20x24) + 5 color values = 485 bytes)
  • *.gr2, *.an7 (240 bytes of screen data (20x12) + 5 color values = 245 bytes)
• Menus:
  • added new View menu with Screen viewer
  • removed Color palette from Tools menu as this feature is included in View menu
  • Tools menu: added Use default character set
  • File menu: added Load custom character set
• Source code editor:
  • Color registers panel with selected colors and flag for including these color in
    generated source code listing

Antic mode 3 editor

• Changed look and layout of arrow buttons
• [Fixed]Automatic refresh of new or default character set and screen data when changed
• Reorganized status bar texts
• Menus:
  • removed shift operations from Edit menu
• Source code editor:
  • Entering custom starting line and step for all listing examples

Antic mode 4 and 5 editor

• The Viewer module added in toolbar (also added to View menu)
• (Added in toolbar) Invert bits of character (also added to Edit menu)
• (Added in toolbar) Color palette boxes for selecting and changing colors from palette
• Automatic color palette refresh when any color in color window or editor is changed
• Load default color palette added to Tools menu
• Changed look and layout of arrow buttons
• Resize screen panel (added checkbox for initializing maximum screen size)
• Loading text mode 0 screens in File menu
• Screen formats:
  • Modified data format with added color values for color registers 4, 0, 1 and 2:
    • an4 (x,y dimension values, 5 color values, data values, 40x24)
    • an5 (x,y dimension values, 5 color values, data values, 40x12)
• Source code editor:
  • Resize screen panel (customization of screen dimensions)
  • Proper generated code with fixed layout of customized screen dimension
  • Added example (Screen data values with loader)
  • Removed example (Load Antic mode 4/5 screen with custom character set)

Player Animator/editor

• added Invert bits of frames (selected or all frames) in toolbar and Edit menu
• Automatic color palette refresh when any color in color window or editor is changed
• Changed look and layout of arrow buttons
• Flip frames layout changes
• Color palette moved from Tools menu to View menu

Source code editor

• Added missing Paste code for Antic mode 3
• Toolbar Open source code file button hint message changed to "Open file"

Main

• Read/write json settings for KickC language
• Changed layout:
  • added button to access new module The Viewer
  • new button color and text look
• Removed maximize icon from the border
• Default monitor is primary

About

• KickC information and link reference
• Credits update
• Changed look of Close button
• About window:
  • layout changes
  • analog clock

 

[zbyti]

Good job!

[Gury]

Thank you very much!

 

[Gury]

On 11/25/2020 at 11:46 PM, xxl said:

Thanks for this soft.

there is a problem with Antic mode 4/5 editor:

 

1. The preview one char is incorrectly displayed
2. Improperly displays characters in inverse on the screen after loading - if we put a character from the set, it's ok.
3. no preview of characters in inverse in character set pane (how to put a character in inverse?)
4. grid would be useful
5. It would be useful to display the offsets in the Y position of the screen, the coordinates in the X position of the screen

6. defining a board with a size other than 24

 

is there any newer version from 1.0?

On 4/15/2020 at 11:43 PM, mariusz-buk said:

Hi @Gury

 

When I prepare characters for Antic mode 4/5 I would like to just set a colour inside the character. Don't you mind if I suggest following changes?

- add 4 colour definitions + 1 additional for characters in negative

- resize the width of the editor to 4 columns (each pixel can use one of four colours)

- allow to build blocks from characters and save the screen as .byte array (each row separated)

 

This will make creating a board made from different characters much easier. 

 

What do you think?

New release: 1.2

It can be downloaded from GitHub.

 

This release features multi-color character editing in Antic 4 and 5 editor.

 

 

There are also other features, like copying character to other character set cells, restoring default character data back and pop-up menu with general options (also included in Character set editor).

 

Release notes can be checked here.

 

[xxl]

2 hours ago, Gury said:

4. grid would be useful
5. It would be useful to display the offsets in the Y position of the screen, the coordinates in the X position of the screen

6. defining a board with a size other than 24

5 - it's almost there - let it display the coordinates in real time, not after PUT

6 - the maximum height is 30 .... at least 26!

 

 Thanks

[Gury]

Ok

 

Yes, I am aware the editor is currently limited to default 24 rows. This limitation will be fixed by expanding whole application window area and layout reorganization. I will think about it.

 

[Gury]

New version 1.2.1 includes grid view and displaying coordinates in real time. It is not a release, but a version from repository.

You set a grid by selecting View menu's Show grid or Hide grid. This option is also accessible in pop-up menu or by pressing number between 0 to 9 to change grid color, with 0 as a hide grid function.

Please confirm if this is somehow what you suggested.

 

The maximum height is still 24 rows, because the editor supports only default display. Updating a way of handling editor rows beyond default settings will also bring layout and other internal changes. So, this is put on hold for now.

 

 

[xxl]

that was it. thanks.

why is the 40x24 screen file 7 bytes too long?

[Gury]

Antic mode 4 and 5 editor uses special format (extension *.an4, *.an5) to display such screens. The first two bytes present dimension of the screen (x, y), the next 5 values are color values and remaining are screen data values.

The information about formats used in Mad Studio can be found here.

 

[zbyti]

Any plan for release 1.2.1?

 

[Gury]

Hi zbyti,

This version is actually complete and workable version, but I didn't put it as a release, because there are not many features included.

The release will certainly have a higher number.

 

[zbyti]

@Gury thx for the info, I'll wait for next release :]

[+Philsan]

@Gury I have a problem.

I am importing sprites from Atari Player Studio (at the moment it doesn't work because Flash in no longer supported) but they are 51 pixels high.

Mad Studio supports 40 pixels.

[Gury]

First of all... Happy and healthy new year to all Atarians!

 

@Philsan Do you probably know the maximum supported height in Atari Player Studio? I suppose this is the same application as Atari Player Editor and according to documentation there is maximum height of 48 scanlines.

I can extend editor height, but first I must be sure what is the maximum height.

 

[+Philsan]

Yes, I meant Atari Player Editor.

Maximun height is 48.

But developer made for me a 51 pixel high version for my game The Lady.

At the moment I need to convert sprites 48 and 51 pixel high.

 

I think one of A8 strenghts is sprites heigh.

[Gury]

No problem, I will extend it to some more.

Later in development stage it will be possible to set any number for the height, but this will happen sometime in the future.

 

[Gury]

I am thinking of including new format for heights higher than those of usual Atari Player Editor (*.apl) files. Everything extending 48 height limit will be saved in new format (*.apm), so program will automatically determine the format on save process. Loading function will have both variations, the normal *.apl format and the new one.

I hope it's ok for you.

 

[+Philsan]

OK for me but how would I convert some animations (2 overlapping players) that are 51 pixels high?

Thanks!