CompuServe Thread

Amiga Arts Forum · General Help

#.gif/.iff files

6 messages in this thread

#17977From: Nyls RothfuszApr 4, 1992 2:41 PM

sysop, I just downloaded a couple of files that have the .gif tag at the end of them. I tried to view them in DpaintIII, but as you probably know, it didn't work. I am a real novice at this. What do I need to view a .gif? What is the difference between a .gif and an .iff? Are there any files in the Libraries that would explain this stuff to me? If not, where can I go to learn about this stuff? HEEEEEELLLLLPPPPP! <ahem> Sincerely, Nyls Rothfusz

#17978From: Steve Bennett/SYSOPApr 4, 1992 3:40 PM

GIF images are formatted in the Compuserve GIF format, and are machine independant. In order to view them, you need a GIF decoder program. There are a couple of these programs here in LIB 14, as well as programs to convert GIFs to and from IFF images. A reasonably simple, basic display program for GIFs is HAMGIF, here in LIB 14. You can BROwse on the keyword GIF for the other GIF support programs in that library. If you have any other questions, give us a yell. –>Steve Bennett

#18139From: <David L. Gold>Apr 9, 1992 1:47 PM

This whole .GIF/.IFF thing brings up a good point. WHY the heck are there even .GIF files in the Amiga libs? Wouldn't it be more prudent to have them in something akin to the .iff formats instead? Seems like a major waste to just pop a .GIF there instead of converting it first. <Dave>

#18148From: SyndesisApr 9, 1992 7:36 PM

They are a strange format for the Amiga – they typically hold 256 colors, which is more than a normal Amiga display, less than HAM, and certainly less than even most PCs today. I hope they're upgrading GIF to handle at least 15 bit color if not 24 bit color.

#18151From: <David L. Gold>Apr 9, 1992 7:58 PM

>> …256 colors, which is more than a normal Amiga display… << I thought that 4096 colors was normal for the Amiga.

#18168From: SyndesisApr 9, 1992 11:09 PM

HAM isn't normal. 16 colors or 32 colors is. Do you see what I mean? A HAM viewer of 256 color images built from a large palette will introduce errors in the image. Display the same image on a PC VGA card and an Amiga, and it always (well, almost always, theoretically, it might be the same in rare cases) looks better on the PC, not to mention that most PC video cards have choices of higher resolutions than the Amiga display.