PicPc GUI 1.2 FINAL RELEASE

Introduction
-------------------
Working with PICPAC can be very annoying for the unexperienced DOS-User - and for the experienced too.
So i decided to write this program.
It is just a User Interface (a remote control), not a standalone program.
You still need PICPAC.EXE placed in the same folder like this GUI.
This program is also dedicated to all the skinners for doing their hard work.
I've downloaded a lot of skins and so i want to help them with this tool.


Installation
--------------------
1) Extract the files in this ZIP to your PICPAC-Folder, the location of PICPAC.EXE.
2) Doubleclick on PICPACW.EXE to start program.



Requirements
---------------------
PICPAC by Microprose Software, Inc.

Runs on Win 3.x (i expect), Win 9x (tested with) and maybe Win ME


General Notes
---------------------
PICPAC displays input files as PCX, GIF, BBM, LBM and COL
The only filetype PICPAC works with seems to be PCX.
I tried with GIF but it didn't work, maybe it depends on the GIF-type (GIF89a usw.)
Anyway i included the other filetypes also to make a complete work.

Also i don't think about writing a program to convert PICPACed files back to PCX for 2 reasons:
1) I don't have any knowledge about the PICPACed file's structure
2) It is or could be a kind of "Reverse engineering" which is prohibited by most laws.

So don't mail me about that.


Notes on "Exec delay"
------------------------------
"Exec delay" is the delay time between the start of multiple tasks of PICPAC.
This means: If you compress a list of files, this proggie launches PICPAC to start with the 1st file.
After that it starts with the 2nd and so on. The problem is that the 2nd file can be started
before the 1st task has finished. So, the more files in the list the more PICPAC's will be started.
You see that in the taskbar, it grows bigger and bigger with PICPAC-Buttons. If there are
too much of them, some tasks of PICPAC may hang and you have to remove them from the taskbar "THE HARD WAY" (Pressing CTRL+Alt+DEL and then selecting "END TASK").
This behaviour depends on your system (speed of CPU, Harddrive, running tasks, number of files in the list and filesize).
To avoid this problem i added the "Exec delay" option. (because i don't have a "SHELLWAIT" routine for VB 3.0, versions for VB 5 and up don't work, if you have one please mail it to me so i can fix the problem)
If a PICPAC task remains in the taskbar after exiting "PicPc GUI", you should increase the delay by 1 and try again.
I have a Pentium 200 MMX and a delay of 1 second works perfect on my machine.
If you don't have more than 10 files per list you could try with 0, BUT I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT, because it is not much faster !
You have to try it out and find the best number for your system.
As soon as i got a "ShellWait" routine for VB3 i will correct this.

WARNING: Before playing with seconds close all running applications and save your work !!!!


--------------------- IMPORTANT ------------------------------------------------
---- Do not change the content of this ZIP or any files ! ----------------------
---- Always distribute the complete ZIP, not only a single file of it ! --------
---- Do not distribute this ZIP together with PICPAC as a package ! ------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

USE THIS PROGRAM AT YOUR OWN RISK, NO RESPONSIBILITY OR GUARANTEE !


Thanks to Christian "Mosi" Mosimann for his suggestions and comments.
You find him and the newest version at: http://mosi.thrustmaster.com


Version History
--------------------
Version 1.2a
* Fixed a bug with output extension while list compressing

Version 1.2
* Define a specific output extension for each project
* Change size and position of controls when resizing windows
* some bugfixes

Version 1.1
* Create a project and collect all needed files in a list
* Compress a complete list per click
* Change between different output extensions per click


Legal Stuff
-------------------
PICPAC is a program by Microprose Software, Inc.
All trademarks by their respective owners.

_________________________________________________

This application is FREEWARE.
Distribution on homepages or CD's allowed, if you don't do it for profit !

Written by Walter "Waldo" Kndgen, Germany  2001 
E-Mail: w.knoedgen@12move.de
