MBMView Version 1.21
Copyright: Lieuwe de Vries 1997

(Freeware. Distribute freely. Mail me if you like it)

New in version 1.21:
1. Removed all the (stupid) bugs from version 1.20

New in version 1.20:
1. Changed menu structure.
2. Create mosaic from all bitmaps in current file.
3. Extra error checking.


What is MBMView
---------------
MBMView is a bitmap viewer which views all bitmap types of the Series 5:
1. 'Normal' and 'multi' MBM files.
2. ROM MBM files(Only from ROM).
3. Sketch files.
4. AIF files (which contain the icons)
5. Create mosaic of all bitmpas in one file

Once loaded and on screen you can save them as a normal MBM file. You
can create/add to multi MBM files. You can even convert ROM multi MBM files
to normal MBM files.

You can scroll the image using the keyboard, pen (just drag it around) or
on screen buttons.

It shows bitmaps in 4 or 16 color mode.

MBM files are saved in such a way that they can be converted on the PC using
BMCONV.EXE.


Using MBMView:
--------------
The bottom button bar:
The left 2 buttons (with small info window) are only for multi MBM files.
The 4 buttons on the right are for scrolling the bitmap. You can also
move the bitmap with the pen.


Menu options:
  File
    Open
      Open bitmap file
    Next
    	Load next supported file (MBM, AIF, Sketch) in current directory
    Save
      Current bitmap
        Save bitmap to file. If file does not exist, one will be created.
        If file exists, the bitmap will be added to the file.
      All bitmaps
        All bitmaps in the current file will be saved to file. If file does
        not exist, the file will be created. If it does exist, the bitmaps
        will be added to the file
    Patch
      Patch current file so it can be used with BMCONV.EXE
    Create from file list
      Takes a plain text file as input and makes a MBM files. The first line of the text file
      should contain the file to be created. On each of the following lines contains a
      bitmap file (of all supported types). Only the first bitmap of each file named in
      the text file is copied.
    Close
    	Close the current bitmap and free the memory
    Exit
      Leave the program
  Bitmap
     Replace
        Replaces current bitmap.
     Delete
        Deletes current bitmap from file. (You cannot delete the last one)
     Insert
        Inserts a bitmap at the current location in the file.
    Change color mode
      Changes the color mode of the current bitmap. Save it to keep the changes.
      Especially handy in decreasing color depth of bitmaps.
    Info
      Show info on current bitmap.
    Position
      Center
        Center current bitmap on the screen
      Top left
        Place bitmap in top left corner of the screen
  View
    Show toolbar
      If checked a toolbar will be shown at the right hand side of the screen
    Show bottom toolbar
      If checked a toolbar will be shown at the bottom of the screen
    Default directory
      Goto default directory (home) and load first supported file.
    Mosaic
      Create mosaic of all bitmaps in current file. Can be saved.
    Bitmap #
      Next
        Show next bitmap in file if it is a multi MBM file
      Previous
        Show previous bitmap in file if it's a multi MBM file
      Jump to
        Show dialog to jump to any bitmap in file if it's a multi MBM file
  Tools
    View preferences
      Set program preferences
    Set default directory
      Set current directory as the default directory.
      (A bitmap should be loaded to do this)
    Help
      Switch to help file
    About
      Program information


Installing MBMView:
-------------------
Create a directory \System\Apps\MBMView\ and copy all the files in this
directory.
To do this you need access to the system directory. You can set this in
the system preferences.


Some interesting information about MBM files on the Series 5:
-------------------------------------------------------------
While analyzing MBM files on the Series 5 I stumbled across some interesting
things:

There are 3 quite different types of bitmap files on the series5. Each with
its own (quite) distinct format:

1. ROM Image files: These are MBM files on the 'Z' drive containing one
   or more bitmaps. They are used by the built in applications. They can be
	loaded using 'gLoadBit' in OPL as long as they are on the 'Z' drive.
	If you copy them to the internal drive (Drive C) they cannot be accessed
	in this way...
   You can however use MBMView to save such a file as a normal MBM file.
2. Normal MBM files: Files containing 1 or more bitmaps. Such files are
   supplied with most (shareware/freeware) programs, containing icons etc.
   You can create single MBM files in OPL using 'gSaveBit'. If you copy
   this file to the PC, it cannot be converted using BMCONV.EXE!
   MBMView patches these files when saving, so they CAN be converted.
3. Sketch files: Files created using the built in Sketch application. These
   file always contain just 1 bitmap and are always in 4 colors.
   MBMView reads these files. They can then be saved as normal MBM files.
4. AIF files : There seem to be a lot of different AIF files. The ones I've seen
   can be read. It might be there is a type MBMView currently does not support.
   Only the icons are read.

Viewing the bitmaps on screen:
Painting bitmaps on screen can be slow if the screen mode differs from
the bitmap mode. So showing a 16 color bitmap while the screen is in 4 color
mode will be slow because of color conversions. MBMView has an option (set in
the preferences) to automatically change the screen mode so that is matches
the bitmap mode.
Scrolling is faster in 4 color mode (More memory has to be moved when in 16
color mode)

If anyone is interested in the format of the different MBM files,
please let me know.


Contacting the author
---------------------
If you find bugs or have suggestions, mail me at:
100121.3102@compuserve.com
New versions will be available on my homepage:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/platodva/psion.htm
