File: OVERLAY.TXT
Date: 12-Dec-91
Subj: Documentation on the OVERLAY utility.

This file documents the OVERLAY utility from Lexicor.  This utility
allows you to combine two .FLM files by overlaying one on top of the
other.  The two .FLM files it combines must be of the same
resolution, but may have entirely different palettes.  These
.FLM files must have been created by Chronos.  If you are attempting
to overlay .FLM files that were not created by Chronos then you
should read the section at the end of this document titled WARNINGS.

This utility comes as a desk accessory and as a program, however
these are two different files.  In other words you CANNOT simply
rename the .PRG file to have an .ACC extension.

Also be warned that, when used as an accessory, this utility WILL NOT
work with programs that allocate all available memory upon running,
such as CAD-3D 2.0, Cyber Sculpt, or Prism Paint.

INSTALLING OVERLAY:

To run as a program you must copy the files OVERLAY.PRG and
OVERLAY.RSC to the same folder.  Double click on the OVERLAY.PRG
file to run the utility.

To run as a desk accessory you must copy the files OVERLAY.ACC and
OVERLAY.RSC to your boot drive, usually drive A or drive C.  Then
you must reboot your computer.  Choose the Overlay... item from
the Desk menu to run the utility.

USING OVERLAY:

After you run the utility the OVERLAY dialog box will appear.

Click the OVERLAY button to overlay two .FLM files.

The Item Selector will appear, prompting you for a file to UNDERLAY.
This .FLM file will be placed in the BACKGROUND.  Specify a file name
and click the OK button to continue.

The Item Selector will appear, prompting you for a file to OVERLAY.
This .FLM file will be placed in the FOREGROUND.  Specify a file name
and click the OK button to continue.

The Item Selector will appear, prompting you for a file to RECORD to.
This is the .FLM file that will be created by the utility.  Specify
a file name and click the OK button to continue.

First the utility will make a first pass through the UNDERLAY file.
You will see each frame of the UNDERLAY file as it does this.
Next the utility will make a second pass, overlaying one .FLM file
onto the other, frame by frame.

Press the ESC key, the Q key, the S key, or the UNDO key to abort
the overlay operation, and return to the OVERLAY dialog box.

OPTIONS:

Select the NO PALETTE MAPPING checkbox if you know that the two
.FLM files you want to overlay have the SAME palette.  This will
cause the OVERLAY utility to create a .FLM file with the same
palette as the .FLM file you choose as the UNDERLAY file.

Click the ABOUT button to see version and copyright information.
The About dialog box will appear.  Click the OK button to continue.

Click the PLAY button to play any .FLM file.  You can use this
feature to view an .FLM file you have just created.

Click the QUIT button to quit the OVERLAY utility.


WARNINGS:

This utility was made to overlay .FLM files created by Chronos.
If you are attempting the overlay .FLM files created by hand with
Prism Paint then you should keep the following things in mind.

You can always overlay two .FLM files if they have the exact
same palette.  Simply click the NO PALETTE MAPPING checkbox
before overlaying.
   
If the two .FLM files DO NOT have the same palette, then you 
must make sure to obey the following rules when creating the
palettes:
   
1. The first color in the palette must be the background color.
   This color is usually BLACK, but may be any color.
   This color is treated as "invisible" when overlaying.

2. The last color in the palette must be the foreground color. 
   This color is usually WHITE, but may be any color.

3. Any colors used must appear consecutively after the first color.
   Any unused colors should follow this, and should all be set
   to black.  This tells the OVERLAY utitlity that they are unused.

4. If you are creating many colors of the same hue, but of different
   intensities, then these colors should all appear next to each
   other in order of increasing intensity.  This is similar to the
   SHADING RAMPS created by Chronos.  


KNOWN PROBLEMS:

As of this writing there are no known bugs in the OVERLAY utiltity.



Thank you very much for supporting Lexicor Software.

- end of file OVERLAY.TXT 