Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!esosun!ucsdhub!dcdwest!steve
From: steve@dcdwest.UUCP (Steve Meloche)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga-->Mac graphics conv.
Summary: Amiga graphics can be transfered to the Mac
Message-ID: <462@dcdwest.UUCP>
Date: 9 Sep 88 16:43:14 GMT
References: <45600049@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu>
Sender: root@dcdwest.UUCP
Organization: ITT Defense Communications, San Diego
Lines: 52

Yes, it can be done, but there are some holes left in the process.  There is
nothing as yet (that I have seen) that deals with HAM (or halfbright) IFF
pictures.  With all other Amiga graphics modes, however, the PD GIF converters
that are available from BBSes work fine.  I got one called iffgif that I use
to convert to GIF format.  One of the MAC IIs at work here has a GIF viewer
that I have successfully used to view pictures.  Someone else that works here
grabbed a GIF to postscript converter that I have used to be able to print my
pics on the Apple Laserwriters here at work.  As of yet, the most horrendous
path I have had to put my data through is the following:

1. Upon finishing a document in Pagesetter, save it.
2. Use supplied program to convert Pagesetter document to IFF picture.  The
   resulting picture is now in super overscan (7 x 8 1/2" page -> 820 pixels
   wide) which cannot be viewed by any program I own without crashing the
   machine.  Isn't there a PD IFF viewer that uses a scrolling superbitmap?
3. Use NEWZAP to change the colors (for some reason the Pagesetter IFF conver-
   sion program doesn't save in black and white).
4. Use IFFGIF to convert to GIF format (which shrinks the file, too!)
5. uuencode the file and upload it to the vax at work with VT100.
6. uudecode it on the vax and convert it to postscript with the conversion
   program from the net, which I had to specially modify to keep the correct
   aspect ratio.
7. Print the resulting picture (now over 1 MEGABYTE - AACK!) on the laser
   writer with a locally written program, and TA-DA! a spiffy looking
   document with crisp, beautiful blocky Amiga letters.

If I could get CLAZ to work (on anything!) I could possibly reduce these steps,
but I can't.  Besides, a 25K GIF file takes less time to upload than a 1 Meg
postscript file!!


The main problem I have with Macview (besides not handling HAM) is that it just 
throws away about an inch at the right of the picture.  Surely with the 
dithering the program does it could just resample to the mac's lower horizontal 
resolution (or offer it as an option).  Otherwise, it's a real nice program!

Actually, there is one other problem.  All picture conversion utilities suffer
from one oversight - they don't handle 320x400 IFF pics correctly.  You must
convert to another resolution to use Macview (and IFFGIF) if you want a picture
that isn't stretched.

So, in conclusion I would state that there is a way of converting almost
anything, but there is definitely room for massive improvement.  Maybe someone
out there could write the ULTIMATE conversion utility?  P-p-p-pleeeeeeeze?
I really would like a (fast) HAM -> 256 color GIF converter!!  (Not to mention
that hi-res version of Startle that I mentioned a few months ago!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    _____ _____ _____      Steven Meloche
      |   ` | ' ` | '      ITT Defense Communications Division
      |     |     |        San Diego, CA
    __|__   |     |        steve!dcdwest!ucsdhub!...