One utility that is missing from both the AMX and Slogger Stop Press packages is a means of removing the unwanted border from a saved screen so it can be used in other applications. e.g. this magazine.
The program is split into three parts:
- the !BOOT file,
- the program body "STRIPER" and
- a screen "OVERol" and will work in both DFS and ADFS.
They are all stored in the U(tilities) Directory.
Place these three files on a new formatted disk along with the screen files that are to stripped. The new files created will also be stored on this disk. Set the disk to auto boot by typing *OPT 4 3 (RETURN) to run the program, just press SHIFT-BREAK. Using this method ensures the FS map is read in for ADFS users without having to add extra commands to the program.
You are presented with a screen asking you to type in the filename of your Screen, then the filename for which the stripped screen is to saved under. The program will then load the Screen, strip it and save it then return you to the opening screen so you can strip another screen.
How it works
The program body is only 28 lines long. Print out the listing and look at it while I explain what each line does.
| Line | Description |
| 10 | States I wrote the program |
| 20 | Changes screen to MODE 0 |
| 30 | Makes the Background (Paper) colour to Red |
| 40 | Loads the file 'OVERLAY' into the MODE 0 Screen memory. This is the Stop Press border. |
| 50 | Prints title message at the top of the screen |
| 60 | Prints a note regarding saving files in Stop Press |
| 70 | Question? Takes the name of the Screen file that is typed in and holds it in the variable name$ |
| 80 | Question? Takes the new file name and holds it in variable name1$ |
| 90 | Changes the Background back to black |
| 100 | Sets the variable X to 3000 |
| 110 | Sets the variable Y to 8000, X & Y are used to define the Mode 0 screen area |
| 120 | Loads the screen File who's name is stored in the variable name$ at address stored in variable X |
| 130 | Calls the procedures 'topbot' and 'sides' to strip the icons |
| 140 | Saves the striped screen between the values in variable X & Y using the name stored in variable name1$ |
| 150 | Returns you to the beginning of the program |
| 160 | END |
| 170 | The start of procedure 'topbot' |
| 180 | Prints a line of spaces on the top line (0) of the screen |
| 190 | Prints a line of spaces on the second top line (1) of the screen |
| 200 | Prints a line of spaces on the third line (2) of the screen |
| 210 | Prints a line of spaces on the bottom line of the screen |
| 220 | END the procedure and returns to line 130 |
| 230 | The start of procedure 'sides' |
| 240 | Sets the Variable N to zero spaces at the end of the line defined by the variable N |
| 260 | Increments N |
| 270 | Checks to find out if it has reached the bottom of the screen. If it has it ends the procedure & if not it loops round to (line 250) print the next line of spaces |
The Stripper program can easily be modified to strip the icons from AMX Art screens by altering the Mode in line 20, removing line 40 the overlay, modifying the value of X at line 100 to suit the screen mode of the drawing (eg 5600 for Mode 4) and the amount of spaces printed around the border in procedures 'topbot' and 'sides'.
Happy stripping!
Derek Walker, EUG #13