RALCGM interpreter ( PC version )

                      Installation guide

-----------------------------------------------------------------


Hardware Requirements
---------------------

  - IBM PC or Compatible with hardisk
  - VGA or EGA monitor


Software Requirements
---------------------

  - MS-DOS version 3.3 or higher



INSTALLATION
------------

  The RALCGM interpreter software comes on five  3.5"  diskettes.


  The INSTALL program is on RALCGM diskette 1.
  this   program   will   create  a  directory  RALCGM   in  your
  hardisk,  and  then  another 2 or  4  sub-directories  will  be
  created within directory RALCGM;

  they are : 1) BIN : contained RALCGM.EXE - RALCGM interpreter;
                                GENHER.EXE - Hershey fonts
                                             generater;
                                GENBEZ.EXE - Bezier  fonts
                                             generater
             2) DATA: contained Fonts information;
             3) SOURCE: RALCGM interpreter source codes;
             4) INCLUDE: RALCGM interpreter header file.





















Using the INSTALL program
-------------------------

  1) Put RALCGM disk 1 into a selected drive [A:].

  2) Make sure the select drive is active by typing A: [Enter].

  3) To start INSTALL, type:
       A>INSTALL
     and press [Enter].

  4) INSTALL  prompts you to enter the destination drive  -   the
     drive where  you want INSTALL to copy the RALCGM programs.
     [ Default destination is  C:\RALCGM ]
     INSTALL asks if you require the RALCGM source code.

  5) If  you require  the  source code ,  press  [Y],  otherwise
     press [N].
     ( Source codes will occupy approx. 1.5 Mbytes of disk
       space. )


  You  can stop INSTALL at any time  you  want  by  holding  down
  [Ctrl]  and pressing [Break]



  To complete the installation of RALCGM, you are required to add
  a line to your AUTOEXEC.bat file:

     SET CGMDATA=C:\RALCGM\DATA\

  Finally, in order to create the Hershey & Bezier fonts:

    - Type C:>C:\RALCGM\BIN\genher and press [Enter]

      or C:>CHDIR C:\RALCGM\BIN [Enter]
         C:>genher [Enter]

    - then
      type C:>C:\RALCGM\BIN\genbez and press [Enter]

      or C:>CHDIR C:\RALCGM\BIN [Enter]
         C:>genbez

















USING RALCGM interpreter
------------------------

  Before execute RALCGM.EXE make sure you are in C:\RALCGM\BIN by
  typing CHDIR C:\RALCGM\BIN [Enter]

  then type RALCGM -{option}...  filename [Enter]

  Example  :   RALCGM  -dvga  test.cgm
               [ -dvga ] display picture on VGA monitor

           :   RALCGM  -b     test.cgm test.bin
               [ -b ] convert test.cgm to Binary  format  with
               name test.bin

           :   RALCGM  -t     test.cgm test.txt
               [ -t ] convert test.cgm to Clear text format with
               name  test.txt

           :   RALCGM  -p     test.cgm test.ps
               [ -p ] convert test.cgm to PostScript with name
               test.ps








































                        RALCGM ( PC version )

                           Documentation
---------------------------------------------------------------



RALCGM.EXE ( PC version )
------------------------

  Occupies  about 350K bytes on disk.  Some of the   modules  are
  overlayed so  it  takes  about 200K bytes of run time memory  (
  depend  on  which option. eg. if option -p is selected it  will
  take  approx. 280K bytes of run  time  memory).  By   deducting
  the system overhead and font information, the effective  memory
  is  approx. 200K bytes.

  The  interpreter works quite well on IBM PS/2 model  70  (intel
  80386   micro-processor)  under  MS DOS  version  3.3 operating
  system. But not on the machine with Intel 8088 micro-processor,
  problem still under investigation. Hopefully RALCGM interpreter
  can run on any type of IBM PC  or compatible in the future.

  A make file is available but it only works with  MicroSoft Make
  Version 5.1.



CGMOVGA.C
---------

  option [ -dvga ]

  entry point CGMOvga( Long *, Float *, char *);

  CGMOVGA.C is one of the screen drivers for RALCGM interpreter,
  which can display cgmfile on IBM PC with VGA screen.

  CGMOVGA.C   is    written  in   'C'   and   co-operated    with
  MicroSoft  C  version   6.1  compiler,  MicroSoft  version  5.1
  linker and  MicroSoft  C  graphics library.

  Display mode
  ------------

   HI resolution mode: 760x480 pixels with 16 colors
   LO resolution mode: 480x360 pixels with 256 colors














  Limitation
  ----------

   -   Clipping  facilities not  available, the VGA  driver  will
       ignore all the clipping element.

   -   Color fill pattern not supported, the VGA driver will only
       recognize mono  chrome fill pattern. If color fill pattern
       is detected  it  will treat it as solid fill.

   -   user defined   pattern not  supported,  the  driver   will
       ignore  user defined pattern element.

   -   POLYGON SET not supported, the driver  will  not  display
       POLYGON  SET element.

   -   No random access facility.

Future implementation
---------------------

   -  Multiple  window, can display  several  frame  on   screen
      with adjustable window size.

   -  Produces   log  file   so that error messages   will   not
      appear on screen during interpreting.

   -  Pop-Up menu & Mouse: providing interface with user so that
      user can select appropriate option during run time.

   -  Make  use of extented memory so that the  interpreter  can
      handle large cgmfile ( hopefully MicroSoft C version 6  or
      newer version of MS DOS can  cope with this ).

   -  Compatible with MicroSoft WINDOW operating system.

   -  provide  interface  to  line-printer so that  picture   can
      have  a hard copy from line-printer.