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| ref:xbin [2018/02/05 16:53] – [Character Height] A little EGA/VGA clarity digital man | ref:xbin [2018/02/07 16:37] – More XBin/SyncTERM 1.1 demos - wow! digital man |
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| ====== XBin ====== | ====== XBin ====== |
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| XBin (''.xb'') is an ANSI/block art file format created by Tasmaniac of [[http://www.acid.org|ACiD]]. The main "image data" portion of the file is identical in format to that of a BIN (''.bin'') file: an IBM CGA text mode memory dump consisting of pairs of 8-bit character (e.g. alphanumeric or symbolic/graphic) data accompanied by 8-bit attribute (e.g. color) data. | XBin (''.xb'') is an ANSI/block art file format created by Tasmaniac of [[http://www.acid.org|ACiD]]. The main "image data" portion of the file is identical in format to that of a "Binary Text" (''.bin'') file: an IBM CGA text mode memory dump consisting of pairs of 8-bit character (e.g. alphanumeric or symbolic/graphic) data accompanied by 8-bit attribute (e.g. color) data. |
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| In addition to the "image data", the file may optionally contain: | In addition to the "image data", the file may optionally contain: |
| - One or two font (character set) definitions | - One or two font (character set) definitions |
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| ===== Example ===== | ===== Examples ===== |
| ==== CT-XBIN.XB ==== | ==== CT-XBIN.XB ==== |
| {{:ref:xbin.png?400|An ACiD XBin demonstration file (CT-XBIN.XB) displayed in SyncTERM v1.1b}} | {{:ref:xbin.png?400|An ACiD XBin demonstration file (CT-XBIN.XB) displayed in SyncTERM v1.1b}} |
| ==== The same file displayed without embedded font or palette data ==== | ==== The same file displayed without embedded font or palette data ==== |
| {{:ref:xbin_without_font_or_palette.png?400|Does your terminal display XBin's like this?}} | {{:ref:xbin_without_font_or_palette.png?400|Does your terminal display XBin's like this?}} |
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| | ==== cx-unnamed.xb ==== |
| | {{:ref:unnamed.png?400|A spectacular XBin demonstration displayed in SyncTERM v1.1b (in development)}} |
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| | ==== tcf - 22 - amidala.XB ==== |
| | {{:ref:amidala.png?400|Another outrageous example of the art possible through the XBin format}} |
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| ===== Fonts ===== | ===== Fonts ===== |
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| SyncTERM supports up to **4 active fonts** simultaneously (selected by the 4 possible combinations of bits 3 and 7 of each displayed character's attribute byte). And depending on the size and complexity of the original image and the target character height, 1-4 custom fonts might be needed to replicate the original bitmap image (and in some cases, 4 fonts isn't even enough). | SyncTERM supports up to **4 active fonts** simultaneously (selected by the 4 possible combinations of bits 3 and 7 of each displayed character's attribute byte). And depending on the size and complexity of the original image and the target character height, 1-4 custom fonts might be needed to replicate the original bitmap image (and in some cases, 4 fonts isn't even enough). |
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| In any case, initial experiments using an ad hoc file format were encouraging. I was using SAUCE fields for most of the additional data needed (character height, number of fonts, etc.) and the basic BIN file format with additional data defining the font characters/glyphs. At the same time I was discussing the possibility of custom palette definitions with [[person:Deuce]] (the BBS could dynamically control the SyncTERM display palette), so I was considering adding that as well. | In any case, initial experiments using an ad hoc file format were encouraging. I was using SAUCE fields for most of the additional data needed (character height, number of fonts, etc.) and the basic BIN file format with additional data defining the font characters/glyphs. At the same time I was discussing the possibility of custom palette definitions with [[person:Deuce]] (the BBS could dynamically control the SyncTERM display palette), so I was considering adding an alternate/custom palette to the file format as well. |
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| I don't like reinventing the wheel, so I looked through the existing BIN file format variants (Artworx/ADF, IceDraw/IDF, etc.) and the only format which supported multiple custom font definitions was: XBin. XBin also supports a custom palette definition, so that was a plus as well. | I don't like reinventing wheels, so I looked through the existing "Binary Text" file format variants (Artworx/ADF, IceDraw/IDF, etc.) and the only format which supported multiple custom font definitions was: XBin. XBin also supports a custom palette definition, so that was a plus as well. |
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| However, XBin only supports a maximum of 2 fonts (the so-called "512 char" mode detailed earlier). Some of my experimental XBin images required more than 2 custom font definitions (especially in 8-pixel character height video modes), even 4 custom fonts could be required at times. | However, XBin only supports a maximum of 2 fonts (the so-called "512 char" mode detailed earlier). Some of my experimental XBin images required more than 2 custom font definitions (especially in 8-pixel character height video modes), even 4 custom fonts could be required at times. |
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| So rather than create another file format that many useful software tools may never fully support, I decided to move forward using the XBin format, but add the functionality that I needed for my XBin Image ("XBimage") [[ftp://vert.synchro.net/main/bbs/xbimgs01.zip|demonstration project]]: | So rather than create yet another file format that many useful software tools may never fully support, I decided to move forward using the XBin format, but add the functionality that I needed for my XBin Image ("XBimage") [[ftp://vert.synchro.net/main/bbs/xbimgs01.zip|demonstration project]]: |
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| {{:xbin_sync_disks.png?400|}} | {{:ref:xbin_sync_disks_bright.png?400|}} |
| {{:xbin_einstein.png?400|}} | {{:xbin_einstein.png?400|}} |
| {{:xbin_marilyn.png?400|}} | {{:ref:xbin_marilyn_bright.png?400|}} |
| {{:xbin_starman.png?400|}} | {{:xbin_starman.png?400|}} |
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