CompuServe Thread

#ANIPLAY GFX MODES

6 messages in this thread
#62584From: Mike JamesOct 20, 1993 6:00 PM
Hi Jonas – I'm new on this forum. I am assuming that you are an ADESK support person. I am trying to incorporate flc files that I have built into my DOS C (640x480x256) program. Right now I am spawning ANIPLAY.EXE (sitting in a ram drive) and specifing a script to run my flic. I would rather find a library routine to call, but I cannot find anything. Do you know of any callable routines? My most immediate problem is that ANIPLAY will not let me keep my last graphic on the screen. The screen goes to black. I hoped the that the Exitscript command would work. But apparently not. Are there any undocumented ANIPLAY commands to make this work? – to leave my last frame up?
#62701From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Oct 21, 1993 10:26 AM
The ANIPLAY.dll in its current form can be positioned and sized but it creates its own window. Some developers have been successful in converting flic files to the AVI format and then using MCI to get more control of the graphics.
#62722From: Mike JamesOct 21, 1993 12:24 PM
Thanks Jonas – My application is being programmed in "vanilla" DOS and not Windows. Here are two ANIPLAY questions: TEST.SCR: picture1.gif -p 4 -t fadein 1 animate.flc – p 4 picture2.gif -p3 1. Why does the screen go to black between animate.flc and picture2.gif? 2. My calling application is in 640x480x256 Vesa mode. How can I leave picture2.gif up on the screen at the end of the script. ANIPLAY erases to black.
#62715From: Nik Grant [adesk]Oct 21, 1993 11:43 AM
Hi Mike, Jonas mentioned the Windows player, since it's the only thing for which we have some development. If you're stuck with DOS (ANIPLAY.EXE) then you should check out the script options on page 20 of the AAPro Player Users Guide. For instance, I type: ANIPLAY nik.scr -a <enter> /*The "-a" suppresses the startup*/ where nik.scr is a list of files like: Unionsta.flc Time.flc -p 9999 /*pause in seconds*/ The last frame of the animation remains displayed. Will this do?
#62756From: Mike JamesOct 21, 1993 5:34 PM
>> The last frame of the animation remains displayed. Will this do? Our last frame does not stay up. As soon as the ANIPLAY.EXE exits to our program, the screen goes black. Does ANIPLAY check any config file that needs to be set to our graphics mode?
#62826From: Nik Grant [adesk]Oct 22, 1993 8:12 AM
"Our last frame does not stay up. As soon as the ANIPLAY.EXE exits to our program, the screen goes black." The plot thickens! I guess I don't understand your setup. Let me see if this is it. You have written a program (.EXE or .BAT?) which calls ANIPLAY. Aniplay plays the animation following the script, then returns control to your program. Unfortunately, when executing the -p command on the second line of the script ANIPLAY blanks the screen for the duration specified, then picks up on line 3. If this is the case, I can't explain it. Certainly, we should try running ANIPLAY from a DOS prompt to see if it works. If there is something in the environment that is different from that provided by your program, you might have an idea what it would be. So far, I don't know. It may be worth your while looking at the files FLILIB.ZIP, FLCSPC.ZIP, RFLIC2.ZIP and going over to GO DDJ and keyword searching for "animation" to get Jim Kent's FLC article he wrote for Dr. Dobb's Journal back in Mar 93. You should then have enough information to imbed code in your .EXE (?) to play flics without ANIPLAY. Nik