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MACPS
A MacPaint to PostScript
Conversion Utility
Michael P. Kaczmarczik
June 26th, 1986
The University of Texas at Austin
Computation Center
Austin, Texas
Introduction Page 1
1. Introduction
1.1 Overview
MacPs is a utility to convert Macintosh MacPaint files into a format suitable
for printing on the Apple LaserWriter, and other printers which use the
PostScript language. It is written in Rutgers Pascal and is the product of
inspiration from many sources.
An important feature of MacPs is its ability to produce files which may be
included in a Scribe document with the @Picture command. The image bitmap may
be centered and sized to fit exactly in the specified space on the page, giving
a fine degree of control over the final picture.
1.2 Credits
MacPs is based on EXTRACT_TOP.C, by J.W. Peterson of the University of Utah,
and MACQMS.PAS by E. Lavitsky at Rutgers. EXTRACT_TOP, written in C, would not
work on our system (the C I/O package we have uses 7-bit bytes, and 8 are
necessary), so I recoded the extraction code from EXTRACT_TOP and added TOPS-20
argument parsing in the same style as MACQMS. This documentation also owes a
large debt to E. Lavitsky's excellent documentation for MACQMS.
1.3 System Requirements
You will need the following to use MacPs:
- Macintosh Computer
- Macintosh diskette with MacKermit and System Folder
- Macintosh diskette with MacPaint documents
- Connection (modem, Micom line) to the DEC-20
- User account and access to the KERMIT-20 program on the DEC-20
- Access to an Apple LaserWriter printer
1.4 Disclaimer
MacPS is supplied as unsupported software, so you take your own risks when you
use it. However, please feel free to send comments, suggestions, and so forth
to Mic Kaczmarczik ([email protected]). Especially useful would
be suggestions for improving the dialogue and defaults that are currently used.
Getting files to the DEC-20 Page 2
2. Getting files to the DEC-20
2.1 On the Macintosh
NOTE:This section describes file transfer using MacKermit V0.8 or later.
When you prepare MacPaint images for transmission to the DEC-20, be aware that
if you want to extract an image smaller than the entire MacPaint page the image
must be in the top left corner of the MacPaint document. If the image is not
there already, select "Show Page" from the "Goodies" menu, drag the image to
the top left corner, then save the document.
When printed on the LaserWriter, areas of black will tend to be faded in the
center. If this is undesireable, use patterns with less black in them.
If you have a two-drive system, a convenient way to perform the file transfer
is to have Kermit on the system diskette (in the internal drive) and the
diskette with MacPaint files on the external drive.) That way, you do not have
to switch diskettes while transferring files.
Start Kermit and choose "File Defaults" from the File menu. Select "Binary"
transfer mode and "Data" as the default file fork, and click "OK". Selecting
the data fork assures that the MacKermit will offer MacPaint files when you try
to send them. (This is a bug in this version of MacKermit.)
Select "Communications" from the File menu and make the following settings:
- Set the baud rate to the appropriate value for your connection to the
DEC-20 (the faster the better). XON/XOFF flow control 1 stop bit NO
parity
You should now be able to connect to the DEC-20. Dial up, select class codes,
hit carriage returns, and do whatever is necessary to get the attention of the
DEC-20.
2.2 Transferring the files
Log in to the DEC-20. Once you are at the "@" prompt, start up DEC-20 Kermit by
typing
KERMIT:KERMIT
The 20 will respond with the KERMIT-20> prompt.
The Macintosh, along with many other computer systems, stores information in
8-bit bytes. The DEC-20, however, usually stores them in 7-bit bytes. Since
all the bits of information from the MacPaint document are necessary, type in
KERMIT-20>SET FILE BYTESIZE 8
to tell the DEC-20 to use 8-bit bytes for the file transfer.
Now you are ready to send files. Type in
Transferring the files Page 3
KERMIT-20>RECEIVE
or
KERMIT-20>RECIEVE filename
to tell KERMIT-20 to wait for a file from the Macintosh. On the Macintosh,
select "Send" from the File menu, select the MacPaint file you wish to send
from the dialogue box, then click on "Send" to start the transfer. MacKermit
will inform you of the progress of the file transfer until it is complete.
When complete, click the mouse button once to remove the dialogue box. You may
then send another MacPaint file, or type
KERMIT-20>EXIT
to return to the TOPS-20 prompt.
MacPs Parameters Page 4
3. MacPs Parameters
Now that the MacPaint file has been transferred to the DEC-20, you may convert
it into one ready for insertion into a Scribe document.
3.1 Scribe Image Parameters
MacPs has a number of settable parameters which control the height, color,
horizontal centering, and vertical positioning of the image:
3.1.1 Image Height
The height parameter is the height you want the image to be. This value should
exactly match the "Size" attribute you plan to use in the Scribe @Picture
command.
3.1.2 Column Width
The Scribe column width should match the column width of your Scribe document.
This will assure that the rectangular area extracted from the MacPaint document
is centered on the output page.
3.1.3 Upward Translation
The upward translation parameter allows you to move the image vertically. Its
main usefulness is for centering images vertically as well as horizontally.
For example, if you desire a 3 inch tall image and also want at least .5
binches of space around it, specify a picture size of 4 (= 3 + 1) inches in the
@Picture command, then specify an upward translation of .5 inches. This will
center the image in the 4 inch tall area.
3.1.4 Inverted Image
Inverting the image means making white dots black and black dots white. This
is useful for special effects. Remember that inverting an image with a lot of
blank area may case the center of the area to wash out somewhat.
3.2 Document Parameters
The nature of the encoding of the MacPaint image requires MacPs to always
extract a rectangular area from a MacPaint document. By default, the entire
MacPaint page, starting from the top left corner, is extracted, but the number
of scan lines and the width of the scan lines may changed:
3.2.1 Vertical Scan Lines
The number of vertical scan lines determines the relative height of the
picture. The maximum number is 720 (the height of the MacPaint page) and the
minimum is 1 (the top scan line of the image). The MacPaint window has a
height of 240 scan lines.
Horizontal Line Width Page 5
3.2.2 Horizontal Line Width
The horizontal line width determines the relative width of the picture. The
maximum is 72 bytes (576 bits), while the MacPaint window has a width of 52
bytes (420 bits).
The image is always taken from the top left corner of the MacPaint document.
Thus if you wish to extract an image smaller than the entire MacPaint page, you
must select Show Page from the Goodies menu of MacPaint and move the desired
image to an appropriate spot at the top left of the page before transferring it
to the DEC-20.
Running MacPs Page 6
4. Running MacPs
Here is an example run of MacPs, using the file PIC.MPT as the input file.
@UNS:MACPS
MacPs -- MacPaint to Postscript converter
Mac filename: PIC.MPT
Output filename: PIC.PS
Change Scribe page parameters? YES
Image height: 5
Scribe column width: 6.5
Upward translation: 0
Change MacPaint image parameters? Yes
Vertical scan lines: 240
Horizontal Line Width: 52
Inverted image? NO
Processing file PIC.PS [OK]
@
In this example, a rectangular bitmap with the dimensions of a MacPaint window
(240 bits high by 52*8 bits wide), located at the top left corner of the
MacPaint page, was extracted. The rectangular area this represents will be
centered in a column 6.5 inches wide, and is to be 5 inches tall. The width of
the image will be adjusted so that it has the proper proportions.)
Running Scribe Page 7
5. Running Scribe
After processing by MacPs, your MacPaint image is finally ready for insertion
in a Scribe document.
At the beginning of your document, use the @Device(PostScript) command to
inform Scribe that you wish to generate output for the Apple LaserWriter.
At the point you want the image to appear in the Scribe document, enter the
@Figure, @FullPageFigure, or @Equation environment and use the @Picture command
to insert the MacPaint image:
@Comment[Must use device type "PostScript"]
@Device(PostScript)
...... Scribe commands and text ......
@Begin(Figure)
@Picture(Size = 5 inches, ScaleAbleLaser = "PIC.PS")
@Caption(<Whatever may be appropriate>)
@End(Figure)
...... more Scribe commands and text ......
The @Picture command may only be used inside the @Figure, @FullPageFigure, and
@Equation environments. However, these environnments are available in any
Scribe document type that has a Table Of Contents (e.g. Report, Article,
Thesis, etc.).
Now run Scribe and print the output file (for example, PICTURE.MSS would
generate PICTURE.PS as the output file) on the Apple LaserWriter. Consult your
local guru on how to print the resulting file on the LaserWriter.
Table of Contents Page i
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 1
1.1 Overview 1
1.2 Credits 1
1.3 System Requirements 1
1.4 Disclaimer 1
2. Getting files to the DEC-20 2
2.1 On the Macintosh 2
2.2 Transferring the files 2
3. MacPs Parameters 4
3.1 Scribe Image Parameters 4
3.1.1 Image Height 4
3.1.2 Column Width 4
3.1.3 Upward Translation 4
3.1.4 Inverted Image 4
3.2 Document Parameters 4
3.2.1 Vertical Scan Lines 4
3.2.2 Horizontal Line Width 5
4. Running MacPs 6
5. Running Scribe 7