New Antic mode 4 characterset/screen/tileset designtool for Windows and Mac..

[Thelen]

7 hours ago, Cafeman said:

 

1. Do I need to individually save the screen as a file, and the Charset as its own file, every time I change something? 

2. Are there any copy/paste features on the screen view, or on the charset view?  

 

1. Yes, the characterset files and the screenfiles are two separate files (In Antic4 both the screen/charset were 1 file, I read in the Antic4 docs that the later version from 2010 you could use an * to load them seperate) I thought it would be me more flexibable that with 1 charset you can create lot's of different screens and save them separate. Or use a screenfile with a different charset. But to answer your question, Yes, you'll have to save them individually ?

 

2. There is no copy/paste on the screenview tab. On the characterset tab you can copy/paste a single character. On the tileset tab you can create a tileset for instance for window(s), or bricks - with a maximum of 20x20 characters. These tilesets can be pasted in the screenwindow-tab, so you don't have to make multiple times the windows for the building, but just paste the window-tileset.

But, let me know if a copy/paste on the screenview tab is wanted, I can add it for the next version.

 

 

[+Cafeman]

6 hours ago, Thelen said:

. There is no copy/paste on the screenview tab. On the characterset tab you can copy/paste a single character. On the tileset tab you can create a tileset for instance for window(s), or bricks - with a maximum of 20x20 characters. These tilesets can be pasted in the screenwindow-tab, so you don't have to make multiple times the windows for the building, but just paste the window-tileset.

But, let me know if a copy/paste on the screenview tab is wanted, I can add it for the next version

I wasn't sure what the tileset tab was for, but that seems to be a good function. 

 

With Antic4, you could select the upper left corner of an area on screen, and select the lower right corner, then copy and paste. It was handy to shift, for example, an entire building over by one column, up shift it up 1 row. Is there any functionality like this?  

 

Another request if possible is to be able to save the current screen image into a .png file. Currently I've been manually pasting a screenprint image into paint and manually editing it.  

 

Thanks again!

[dely]

On 2/19/2022 at 5:37 PM, Thelen said:

Ah, didn't knew about the .scr files ? I will add that ?

Much appreciated!

[invisible kid]

Anyone have any info on the antic4.exe software mentioned in this thread that runs on dosbox? I'd like to check it out if possible, google is only bringing up 2 atariage threads, can't find it on the ftp sites.

[+Cafeman]

Its late and I'm about to get to bed , but search the 5200 forum or posts from AA user Calamari.  He created it. There was an early 2000's OG version, and a 2010 version which he added DLI support and ability to save bitmaps.   

[invisible kid]

Thanks!

 

[Thelen]

I've done some updates on the tool, v1.3;

- *.scr loading/saving file support from the screen load&save tab

- on the mode4 editor screen you can make a selection to copy->paste, fill or delete

- save a screenshot from the mode4 screen

 

 

 

Mode4 v1.3 Win.zip Mode4 v1.3 Mac.zip

[dely]

I can confirm, that loading fnt and scr works flawlessly! Thank you!

 

One more think will be great - if it is possible - create tiles from selection. Press selection, select area and press button "Tileset from selection".

 

Great work!

[fox]

On 2/8/2022 at 8:25 PM, Thelen said:

It was a nice challenge to find out how the .ant files stored the data (screen data was easy).

Could you please share your findings?

And document CHS/DLI/TID/M4C too?

I'd like to add them to RECOIL.

[Thelen]

On 3/9/2022 at 9:39 PM, dely said:

 

One more think will be great - if it is possible - create tiles from selection. Press selection, select area and press button "Tileset from selection".

 

Great work!

Thanks! I added your requested function, now you can make a selection, copy and press 'paste to new tileset'...this brings v1.4 which is attached to this message.

 

On 4/2/2022 at 9:49 PM, fox said:

Could you please share your findings?

And document CHS/DLI/TID/M4C too?

I'd like to add them to RECOIL.

Cool you want to add them, thanks! I will need to refresh memory about the v2 ANT files, didn't document how it worked (stupid of me, I didn't expect I needed to explain it some later time ? ) and have to look at my code. I will get back to you for this.
 

Mode4 v1.4 Win.zip Mode4 v1.4 Mac.zip

Edited April 4, 2022 by Thelen
Forgot to upload files

[dely]

Thanks! I will test as soon as possible!

[+Cafeman]

BUMP.  

 

Busy year, I only now loaded up Mode4 V1.4 and fooled around with it. I like the screenshot ability and copy/paste functions quite a bit.  I created a simple golf charset over the past 2 hours and mocked up an unattractive 5200 golf course!    Thanks again for this great tool! 

[Thelen]

Super! 🙂

[shanti77]

@Thelen What are you writing this program in? I am asking because it works a bit slowly, and by the way I am writing the editor myself. I use Delphi (CodeTyphon) and it works a little better,  but it could run a little faster.

Edited October 4, 2022 by shanti77

[Thelen]

22 hours ago, shanti77 said:

@Thelen What are you writing this program in? I am asking because it works a bit slowly, and by the way I am writing the editor myself. I use Delphi (CodeTyphon) and it works a little better,  but it could run a little faster.

@shanti77 I've written it in python 3, with tkinter gui/widgets. Your interface really looks good! Way better than mine with Tkinter 🙂

[shanti77]

@Thelen This is the second version of this editor, I used Delphi from Embarcadero before. It's a bit faster, but some weird bugs were showing up there.
It's nice that you are developing a new tool for Atari, maybe it will create more games for this computer.

[drunkeneye]

is there any update to this tool?

i like it very much and i think its just what i need.

but the tool is somewhat very slow, i am not sure what causes it,

most clicks take seconds to process. this was the same for mac (m1)

and also for windows. i used the last version from here, v1.4.

 

if not, can anyone recommend another tool that preferably

work on macos, and allows me to create tiles and screens

and allows me to set the color of each charset row independently?

e.g. i need green colors at the top three rows, but then blue colors

at the bottom of the screen.

 

thanks!

 

 

[Thelen]

On 12/23/2023 at 6:38 PM, drunkeneye said:

is there any update to this tool?

i like it very much and i think its just what i need.

but the tool is somewhat very slow, i am not sure what causes it,

most clicks take seconds to process. this was the same for mac (m1)

and also for windows. i used the last version from here, v1.4.

 

Very strange, I use my tool also on a m1 Mac, it doesn't work slow on my machine. Also tried it on windows, but it did work properly.

 

I would be happy to do an update to remove the slowness, but I can't simulate it.... Is it in in the whole app, also on the Save/load/prefs tab?

 

It works as seen on my tutorial for me https://youtu.be/fFu4Zt4NtUo



 

[drunkeneye]

On 12/28/2023 at 9:42 AM, Thelen said:

Very strange, I use my tool also on a m1 Mac, it doesn't work slow on my machine. Also tried it on windows, but it did work properly.

 

I would be happy to do an update to remove the slowness, but I can't simulate it.... Is it in in the whole app, also on the Save/load/prefs tab?

 

It works as seen on my tutorial for me https://youtu.be/fFu4Zt4NtUo



 

the delay is from the very start and is all over the place. 

after starting, i can click e.g. con color&dli tab, that nearly works directly,

but then if i just continue to click on screen it takes seconds. 

some tab switches go 'faster' say 1-2 seconds, but most time

switching a tab takes much more.

its not really that the app needs a lot of cpu, for example, i just

was in tilesets and wanted to switch to charactersets, that took

10 seconds at least, but the cpu seemingly wasnt using more

than say 4-5%. i saw up to 23% though just by switching tabs.

 

you dont plan to release the source code so i could try to debug/

pinpoint whats going on?