@DATABASE Picasso96
@NODE "MAIN" "Picasso96 Documentation"
@{b}

                          Picasso96

         A software system for Amiga graphics cards
 @{ub}

                 @{"       Introduction     " link "INTRODUCTION"}
                 @{"  Hardware requirements " link "REQUIREMENTS"}
                 @{"      Compatibility     " link "COMPAT"      }

                 @{"      Installation      " link "INST"        }
                 @{"          Usage         " link "USAGE"       }
                 @{"      Configuration     " link "CONFIG"      }

                 @{" Developer documentation" link "DEVELOP"     }

                 @{"         Authors        " link "AUTHORS"     }
                 @{"      Distribution      " link "DISTRIB"     }

         Copyright ©1994-97 Alexander Kneer & Tobias Abt
                    All Rights Reserved.
@ENDNODE

@NODE "INTRODUCTION" "Introduction"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}Introduction to Picasso96 @{ub}

Picasso96 is  a  modular  and system friendly software environment for
many  different  Amiga  graphics  cards.  Its  main  intentions are to
provide  a  solution  which  is  as  system and software compatible as
possible,  transparent  and  reliable. To be that compatible, only the
really  necessary  functions  were  patched. This results in very high
level  of compatibility.

Another feature of the Picasso96 system is the ability  to use several
graphics cards at the same time, even cards of the same type.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "REQUIREMENTS" "Hardware requirements"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}
Hard- and software requirements
@{ub}
Mandatory for the use of Picasso96:

* Kickstart 3.0 (V39),
* Motorola MC68020 processor or better,
* at least one of the following @{"cards" link "CARDS"}:
  CyberVision 64, Domino, Merlin, oMniBus, Picasso II, Picasso II+,
  Picasso IV, Piccolo, Piccolo SD64 or Spectrum.

Why are these requirements mandatory?
  
* Kickstart 3.0 is needed because Picasso96 is installed as system
  friendly as possible using features only Kickstart 3.0 provides.
* A 68000 processor is not supported because it does not offer
  enough computing power to use a graphics card (larger displays
  need more computation - it would get unbearable slow). Therefore,
  parts of the code have been especially written for the MC68020.
* The above mentioned cards are those which are supported by
  January 1997. Drivers are being developed for Retina BLT Z3. Others
  can be adapted on request soon.

optional, advised:
* a hard disk,
* some extra RAM,
* a (state-of-the-art) VGA monitor.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "CARDS" "Supported Cards"
@{b}
Supported Cards
@{ub}

@{b}CyberVision: @{ub}
The  CyberVision is a quite attractive modern card featuring a S3 Trio
64  chip  and ZorroIII bus interface. The driver has been developed by
Michael Teske, who also did the CyberVision support for NetBSD.

@{b}Domino: @{ub}
The  Domino  is  a  quite old system, too, which consists of a ZorroII
card  and  a ISA VGA card on its back. It uses a HiColor15-DAC.

@{b}Merlin: @{ub}
The  Merlin is a ZorroII/III graphics card using a Tseng ET4000W32 and
a  TrueColor DAC. It offers some features the Amiga has, too: it has a
hardware  sprite with three independent colors and a fast blitter with
three sources.

@{b}oMniBus: @{ub}
The  oMniBus  VGA system consists of a ZorroII to ISA-Bus bridge and a
ISA-VGA card. Currently supported VGA cards are those based on a Tseng
ET4000AX  or  Tseng  ET4000W32  VGA  controller  and  a  Sierra S11483
HiColor15-DAC,  a  Sierra  S15025  TrueColor-DAC  or  a Music MU9C4910
TrueColor-DAC.  Other  DACs  probably  work in CLUT (palette oriented)
mode,  but  will probably fail to display Hi- and TrueColor modes. The
oMniBus  is quite old and not state-of-the-art, but offers rather good
picture quality.

@{b}Picasso II/II+: @{ub}
The  Picasso II  is  a ZorroII graphics card using a Cirrus GD5426  or
GD5428.  It  is  quite  common.  The  PicassoII+  is a redesign of the 
Picasso II.

@{b}Piccolo: @{ub}
The Piccolo is a ZorroII/III graphics card using a Cirrus GD5426, too.
The developers of this card (and the Spectrum) decided to exchange the
signal  lines for the red and green components of the RGB signal. This
leads  to  the  fact,  that the Piccolo (and the Spectrum) offer a RGB
true  color  mode  whereas  the Cirrus chip normally only offers a BGR
mode.  I  guess,  this was done because the EGS system, which is often
used with these cards, needs RGB.

@{b}Piccolo SD64: @{ub}
The Piccolo SD64 is a ZorroII/III graphics card using a Cirrus GD5434.
This  is  a  64 bit controller offering high graphics performance. The
card is quite similar to the  Piccolo and the Spectrum. The driver has
been developed by Niels Knoop.

@{b}Spectrum: @{ub}
The Spectrum is very similar to the Piccolo (read notes above). 

@{b}
Currently not supported Cards
@{ub}

@{b}RetinaBLT Z3: @{ub}
The  RetinaBTL  Z3  uses  a  very  powerful  graphics processor with a
versatile  blit  engine.  Unfortunately  it comes without an automatic
monitor switch which makes using it a bit inconvenient.
A driver for this card is currently being developed.

@{b}
Not supported Cards
@{ub}

@{b}Retina Z2: @{ub}
This  is  a  quite  old  card which does only support segmented memory
accesses  which  is  not  supported by Picasso96 for speed reasons. So,
this card will probably never be supported.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "COMPAT" "Compatibility"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}What kind of software will work with Picasso96? @{ub}

All  programs  that  handle their graphics using standard system calls
and do not modify the graphics memory directly bypassing the operating
system.

Direct software support for applications is available namely for:
* 'Art Department Professional' (by ASDG),
* Photogenics (by Almathera),
* ShapeShifter (Apple Macintosh emulator by Christian Bauer),
* XiPaint (24bit paint program by Thomas Dorn and Herbert Beilschmidt).

Further modules are being developed.

Programs  using  the CyberGraphics API or the vilintuisup.library work
with Picasso96, too, e.g. CyberWindow or ShowGIF.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "INST" "Installation"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}Installation of Picasso96 @{ub}

To  install  Picasso96  you  simply  have  to use the supplied install
script. The software will then be installed automatically.

@{b}Attention! @{ub}

Before  installing  Picasso96  you will have to disable or remove your
previously  used  graphics card software, if any. We regret that there
is  no  way to use different graphic card software systems at the same
time.

Please  consult  the documentation of your software about disabling or
uninstalling.

If you use the old Picasso software, then you will have to do this:

* Remove the file named Picasso from the Devs:Monitors or WBStartup
  directory.
* Remove the file village.library from the Expansion or Libs
  directory.

If you use CyberGraphX, do this:
* Remove all CyberGraphX card drivers from Devs:Monitors or WBStartup.

@{b}Picasso96 drivers for application programs @{ub}

The Picasso96 application drivers and their individual install scripts
can  be  found in the Drivers directory of the distribution or in your
Picasso96  home  directory if you choose to install them there. Please
install them individually.

@{"The Picasso96 files" link "PICASSO96FILES"}

@ENDNODE

@NODE "PICASSO96FILES" "The Picasso96 files"
@{b}The Picasso96 software system @{ub}

To be able to use Picasso96, some files will have to be installed and
configured for your system.

NOTE:
The subdirectory @{b}Picasso96 @{ub}is mandatory!

These files will be installed by the installation script:
@{b}
   Libs:Picasso96API.library
   Libs:Picasso96/emulation.library
   Libs:Picasso96/rtg.library
   Devs:Picasso96Settings

   SYS:Classes/datatypes/picture.datatype

   Prefs/Picasso96Mode
   Prefs/Picasso96Mode.info
@{ub}
Depending on what kind of graphics card(s) you use one or more of
these files:
@{b}
   Devs:Monitors/PicassoIV          or the name(s) of your card(s)
   Devs:Monitors/PicassoIV.info

   Libs:Picasso96/CyberVision.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/Domino.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/Merlin.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/oMniBus.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/PicassoII.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/PicassoIV.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/Piccolo.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/PiccoloSD64.card
   LIBS:Picasso96/Spectrum.card
@{ub}
Depending on which kinds of VGA graphics chips are used:

 Picasso II(+), Piccolo and Spectrum need: @{b}
   LIBS:Picasso96/CirrusGD542X.chip
@{ub}
 Piccolo SD64 needs: @{b}
   LIBS:Picasso96/CirrusGD5434.chip
@{ub}
 Picasso IV: @{b}
   LIBS:Picasso96/CirrusGD5446.chip
@{ub}
 CyberVision 64 needs: @{b}
   LIBS:Picasso96/S3Trio.chip
@{ub}
 Domino and oMniBus: @{b}
   LIBS:Picasso96/TsengET4000.chip
@{ub}
 Merlin and oMniBus: @{b}
   LIBS:Picasso96/TsengET4000W32.chip
@{ub}

A test program: @{b}
   Picasso96/Debug/CheckBoards
   Picasso96/Debug/CheckBoards.info
@{ub}
These guide files: @{b}
   Picasso96/Picasso96_deutsch.guide
   Picasso96/Picasso96_deutsch.guide.info
   Picasso96/Picasso96_english.guide
   Picasso96/Picasso96_english.guide.info
@{ub}

Application drivers:

The @{"ADPro" link "ADPRO"} driver: @{b}
   ADPro/Savers2/Picasso96
@{ub}
@{"Photogenics" link "PHOTOGENICS"} driver: @{b}
   Drivers/Photogenics/data/GIO/Picasso96.gio
@{ub}
The @{"ShapeShifter" LINK "SHAPESHIFTER"} video driver: @{b}
   Drivers/ShapeShifter/Video Drivers/Picasso96
@{ub}
@{"XiPaint" link "XIPAINT"} driver: @{b}
   Drivers/XiPaint/libs/xout_g.library
@{ub}

@ENDNODE

@NODE "USAGE" "Picasso96 usage"
@{b}Usage of the Picasso96 system @{ub}

After installing Picasso96 and rebooting, simply select one of the new
screenmodes for your WorkBench and other programs which can use them.

If you experience problems with Picasso96, use the CheckBoards utility
to see whether your board has been identified and configured properly.
If  this  is  the  case and you do not get any DisplayID's at all, you
should  try  using Picasso96Mode to attach an existing setting to your
board.  Please start Picasso96Mode, select a setting in the upper left
listview  gadget  and select the menu "Attach Setting to" to configure
this  setting  to use your graphics card. Quit Picasso96Mode using the
"Save" button and reboot your Amiga.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "CONFIG" "Configuration"
@{b}Configuration of Picasso96 @{ub}

There are two ways to configure Picasso96:

    @{" The tool types of the monitor files" link "TOOLTYPES"}
    @{"           Picasso96Mode            " link "PICASSO96MODE"}

@ENDNODE

@NODE "TOOLTYPES" "Tool types"
@{b}The tool types of the monitor files@{ub}

The monitor files, which will be installed in Devs:Monitors and get the
name of their graphics card for easier identification have tool type
values for their individual configuration:

BoardType:     mandatory, selects the type of the board (e.g. PicassoIV)

IgnoreMask:    optional, speeds up  certain  blitter  functions on the
               boards using Cirrus VGA chips. But be warned: this mode
               is not entirely compatible to the native Amiga graphics
               system and may produce incorrect results.
               @{b}If you want Picasso96 to scroll equally fast with the
               PicassoII as the old software did, you will have to set
               this tool value to 'Yes'! @{ub}
               Defaults to 'No'.

BorderBlank:   optional, switches screen border (default: like system).

BigSprite:     optional, when set to 'Yes', the sprite will be rendered
               twice as big as normal.

SettingsFile:  optional, defaults to 'DEVS:Picasso96Settings'.

SoftSprite:    optional, if set to 'Yes' then use software sprite in all
               modes.

DisplayChain:  optional, if set to 'No', the original Amiga signal will
               not be switched through when active.  Useful for systems
               with more than one monitor and graphics boards. Defaults
               to 'Yes'.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "PICASSO96MODE" "Picasso96Mode"
@{b}Picasso96Mode: the Picasso96 configuration program @{ub}

Picasso96Mode is used for adjusting and creating display modes. It is 
completely GUI driven. 

In  the  upper  right  corner  you can see four drag-and/or-drop boxes
which allow you to:
* create a new object (can be setting, resolution or mode depending on
  which listview you drop it into),
* copy an object to the internal clipboard for later use,
* duplicate an object and
* delete an object.

 You can drag any item in each of the list views by clicking on it and
leaving  the  list  view  to  the left or right while holding the left
mouse button pressed.

 Before  you  can  display any mode you have to use the menu to attach
the current setting to a specific card.

 In  order  to  activate a resolution or mode you have to double click
using  the  mouse  into the listview at the position of the object. If
you  double  click once again, the resolution or mode is made inactive
again.  Only  active resolutions and modes are visible for the rest of
the system.

 To  edit  a  mode,  you have to click on the "Edit" gadget which will
bring up a test display using the current mode. You now can change the
display using the cursor keys:
* change the view position (using only the cursor keys),
* make the border smaller or wider (when also pressing a SHIFT key) or
* change the size of the display area (when also pressing an ALT key);
  this will be necessary quite often.

 The   gadget  "Test"  shows  a  geometrical  test  display  with  the
difference  that you cannot change the mode. This is primarily used to
adjust your monitor.

 Finally, you should save the changed configuration and reboot, to use
the changed settings.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "PDT" "Picture DataType"
@{b}Picture DataType @{ub}

The  original  V40  picture  datatype  does  only  support  planar and
therefore  is  not usable with chunky screens. The picture.datatype in
the distribution solves this problem and supports the v43 extensions.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "ADPRO" "Art Department Professional"
@{b}Picasso96 ADPro driver @{ub}

"The  Art  Department Professional" is supported via a saver which can
be   controlled   via   command   line  arguments.  The  template  is:
"TRUE/S,HI/S,R=RENDERED/S,B=BOARD/N,AUTO/S".

TRUE:     allow only 24 bit TrueColor modes,
HI:       allow only 15 and 16 bit HiColor modes,
RENDERED: allow only 256 color CLUT modes,
BOARD:    use only specific board. Parameter is board number,
AUTO:     automatic mode selection, i.e. no user interaction.

Installation: copy Picasso96 to the "Savers2" directory of your
              ADPro home directory.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "FLIP96" "FliP96"
@{b}FliGRF FLI and FLC anim player @{ub}

FliP96 is a FLI and FLC anim player that (only) supports the Picasso96
software.

FliP96 supports these command line arguments:
FILE/M,DISK/S,RAM/S,ONCE/S

FILE: file name(s) of the anim(s) to play,
DISK: play from disk (slower),
RAM:  play from RAM (faster, default),
ONCE: play anim only once (default: loop mode).

Installation: copy FliP96 anywhere you like (preferably a directory
              in your shell command path).

@ENDNODE

@NODE "XIPAINT" "XiPaint"
@{b}XiPaint driver @{ub}

The  TrueColor  paint  program  XiPaint  is  supported  by  means of a
so-called   output   library.  Due  to  changes  in  internal  XiPaint
structures this version only works with XiPaint 3.2 or better.

XiPaint is available from:
 Thomas Dorn
 Kerpengasse 69
 1210 Wien
 Austria
EMail: tdorn@xipaint.co.at
Fido:  2:310/98.0

Installation: copy the library to the libs directory of your XiPaint
              home directory.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "SHAPESHIFTER" "ShapeShifter"
@{b}
ShapeShifter
@{ub}

The  Apple  Macintosh  emulator  ShapeShifter  is supported by a video
driver.  ShapeShifter  V3.1 or better is required. The 256 color modes
work  with  all  kinds  of graphics cards, but the modes 'Thousands of
colors' and 'Millions of colors' are only possible with the Picasso IV
or  the  CyberVision 64. The TrueColor mode support for the Picasso IV
is currently still in development.

ShapeShifter  is  avaliable  on  AmiNet  in  the misc/emu directory or
directly from:
 Christian Bauer
 Max-Planck-Str.60
 55124 Mainz
 Germany
EMail: cbauer@iphcip1.physik.uni-mainz.de

Installation:

Copy  the  file ShapeShifter/Picass96 to the "Video Drivers" directory
within  your ShapeShifter home directory. Choose Picasso96 as external
video driver.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "PHOTOGENICS" "PhotoGenics"
@{b}PhotoGenics driver @{ub}

For  PhotoGenics  (from  Almathera) exists a saver module. It has been
checked  with  PhotoGenics  1.2  only,  but  should  work  with  other
versions, too.

Installation:

Simply copy Picasso96.gio to PHOTOGENICS:data/GIO.

@ENDNODE

@NODE "EMULATION" "emulations.library"
@{b}Support for other graphic card software systems @{ub}

The  enclosed emulation.library is a special library providing support
for  foreign  standards  like  the  CyberGraphX or vilintuisup.library
applications  programming interface (API) which is used to create true
color   displays   with   Intuition   (e.g.  ImageFX,  Photogenics  or
CyberWindow).

Many  programs relying on the documented library functions only should
work without any problems. Those assuming a certain internal structure
and representation of data within the library are likely to fail (e.g.
picture.datatype V43 from Ralph Schmidt).

Installation: simply copy the emulation.library to LIBS:Picasso96

@ENDNODE

@NODE "DEVELOP" "Developer support"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}You want to support Picasso96 with your own software? @{ub}

The developer archive can be found on the Picasso96 home page
http://wwwcip.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/~etk10317/etc/Picasso96.html

If you have no Internet access, @{"I" link "AUTHORS"} could send you the
current archive.

Please send me a mail if you develop any driver which uses Picasso96
directly so that I know about it. If possible, send me a complete and
working set of your application for testing purposes. Thank you!

@ENDNODE

@NODE "AUTHORS" "Authors"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}Who created Picasso96? @{ub}

 @{b}Tobias Abt @{ub}
 Bessererstrasse 9
 89073 Ulm
 Germany
 EMail:   tabt@studbox.uni-stuttgart.de (prefered)
 WWW:     http://wwwcip.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/~etk10317/
 IRC:     tabt@#AmigaGer

and
 
 @{b}Alexander Kneer @{ub}
 Masurenweg 6a
 89233 Neu-Ulm Pfuhl
 Germany
 EMail:   available on request, please contact Tobias Abt first!


@{b}Drivers: @{ub}
CyberVision64 and S3Trio64: Michael Teske
PiccoloSD64 and CirrusGD5434: Niels Knoop

@{b}Translations: @{ub}
italian: Mario Dell'Oca

@ENDNODE

@NODE "DISTRIB" "Distribution"
@TOC "MAIN"
@{b}Where can you get Picasso96? @{ub}

There are two ways to get Picasso96:

* the AnyWare version, which is free to use and without individual user
  support, but @{"we" link "AUTHORS"} certainly welcome any gifts,
* the "Picasso96 Gold" edition which features a printed manual and
  hotline and email support by Village Tronic.


The @{b}Picasso96 AnyWare @{ub}version can be found on the @{b}Picasso96 WWW
home page @{ub}:
  http://wwwcip.rus.uni-stuttgart.de/~etk10317/etc/Picasso96.html

or in the @{b}AmiNet @{ub}e.g.:
  ftp.uni-stuttgart.de:/pub/systems/amiga/aminet/gfx/board/Picasso96.lha

Please send @{b}bug reports @{ub}for the AnyWare version to:
  tabt@studbox.uni-stuttgart.de (due to the fact that I am the only one
  to read and answer those emails, I can not guarantee that I will find
  the time to reply to every mail sent to me...)

If you have any @{b}trouble @{ub}with Picasso96:
  send email to the Picasso mailing list, I hope you will find a helpful
  soul... Please, do not write directly to me, I am reading the mailing
  list, too, and am very busy...
  If you are interested in joining the Picasso mailing list, send an
  email with "Help" in the body to majordomo@ninemoons.com.


The @{b}Picasso96 Gold @{ub}version is distributed by:

Village Tronic Computer
Wellweg 95
D-31157 Sarstedt
Germany

Telephone ++49/5066/7013-0
Telefax   ++49/5066/7013-49

Orders    ++49/5066/7013-18
Hotline   ++49/5066/7013-10

Email:

Picasso96@village.de    for questions, bug reports, suggestions etc.

support@village.de      generic technical support for Village Tronic
                        products.

orders@village.de       you can place your orders here.

@{b}NOTE: Village Tronic support is only available to registered owners of
Picasso96-Gold or PicassoIV! @{ub}
@ENDNODE
