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G8MNY > TECH 08.12.24 08:07z 145 Lines 6240 Bytes #167 (0) @ WW
BID : 21381_GB7CIP
Read: GUEST
Subj: Y Extended ASCII graphics
Path: SR1BSZ<EA2RCF<LU9DCE<K1AJD<KA1VSC<VE3CGR<PA8F<PI8LAP<IW2OHX<GB7CIP
Sent: 241207/1042Z @:GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO #:21381 [Caterham Surrey GBR]
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EURO
To : TECH@WW
Hi Readers, (Updated Jan 14)
(8 Bit ASCII graphics use code page 437 or 850, Terminal Font)
Most of the TECH bulletins use the old but very efficient 8 bit graphics. If
you suspect your SYSOP is using 7 bit links have a word.
The 8 bit extended ASCII graphics character set is 256 characters, on PCs was
called "THE CODE PAGE" and was selected in a PC in the CONFIG.SYS file, so that
all apps running on that PC would use that coding. CODE PAGE 437 was English
and 850 for USA, but that has no Ohms sign & some of the double line graphics
are different! These original graphic character sets give the most compatible
standard to non MS PC systems, e.g. Linux / Mac OS / Dumb Terminals etc.
Later Windows just misused the term "FONT", and TEMINAL FONT = code page 437
e.g. USE WINDOWS NOTEPAD with "TERMINAL FONT"
VIEWING EXTENDED 8 BIT GRAPHICS
Ú¿
[] = ÀÙ, | = ³, - = Ä, Ts = Â ´Ã Á, Ohm = ê, Degree = ø, +/- = ñ
ALT 218 191 179 196 194 180 195 193 234 248 241
KEY 192 217 (not all C/Pages)
(Unfortunately for radio work Lambda is not available, Best Try ",\")
GENERAL GUIDE
From Bryan G0SYR...
"It is still difficult to exchange drawings efficiently so that everyone can
view them. Which ever format is chosen it immediately restricts the number of
people that can view them & John chooses to send them as he does so that the
maximum number of stations can view them on a variety of systems & yet keeps
the file size to a minimum for transmission over radio."
"Even viewing/printing John's extended graphics drawings can be tricky for some
to find a suitable font on modern machines."
"For anyone using Win98 (& probably earlier versions) & having problems
'seeing' drawings from G8MNY's TECH series try loading them into NOTEPAD &
using TERMINAL font." If your using Word6 try Terminal Font @ 10-11 cpi.
Recently I found that the 'MSDraw' font also gave reasonable results on
slightly more modern machine that didn't have Terminal available.
From Mel G4WYW ...
"I am using Winpack here & have experimented with different fonts. The ones
that work for me are as follows: WINPACK 17, TERMINAL 18, COURIER,
COURIER NEW, FIXEDSYS, LUCIDA CONSOLE, WST-GERMAN
There may be others. What I suggest you do is what I did. Find a bulletin to
Tech, display it in your browser, (played with mine in WinPack) & then
highlight all text, find your fonts, change to each one, & see how you like it.
Make sure to try each font size as well because that can make some difference."
From Michael DK3HG ...
"Under Linux Debian Sarge you must install xfonts-terminus-dos, then run:
xterm -font vga to display ASCII > 128
Now you can display with Linux & X11 the ascii posting from g8mny & others."
From Paul G4APL
The excellent 16 bit Paket6.2 packet program can run OK under WinXP,
Win7pro 64 bit, Win8.1, Ubuntu Linux a MAC OSX and Vista.
See Internet http://www.theskywaves.net/ts2000e_notes.htm
PRINTING
The same goes for printing, if you can see the graphics on your screen OK, but
cannot print it correctly, then your printer software setup is WRONG!
Another approach is to screen dump a diagram to a much larger Bitmap file .BMP
& import that into a paint box to print.
Alvin G6DTW came up with this solution...
print from packet or ttylink......
photo the screen
zoom in, in ''easy print''
thats it !
FORMATS OTHER THAN ASCII for DIAGRAMS
CAD options
I use Orcad myself for proper drawings, but unless you have the same make of
software, version No, & identical large library files, the small diagram data
files are useless. This goes for all Cad programmes.
Most cad programmes are not pan platform... LINUX / APPLE MAC / MS DOS 3/4/5/6
/WINDOWS 3/95/98/2000/WINXP/VESTA. Most need Binary file send (7+ for packet
BBSs) except "FidoCad". But if you use specialist (PRIVATE) coded programmes to
make data files, this may be considered illegal by some Radio Regulators!
BBS SYSOPs are required to vet all the bulletin content on their systems, so
any messages that are too difficult to vet on the host machine (e.g. LINUX),
may just get deleted rather than vetted!
GRAPHIC files
JPEG, PCX, BMP, GIF etc.
Although these are available on most platforms they need binary send, & most
files are very large & have to be split into many 7+ files. These soon jam up
the small bandwidth available on Packet. e.g. a 3k text & ASCII diagram bul,
was 3x 10k data buls without the associated text, but the diagram did look a
bit better.
Also if any 7+ part goes missing or corrupts over the BBS multi hops the whole
thing is useless & becomes a waste of space, as any single part missing the
whole is NOT decodable. (I know you can generate error reports etc. but it is
slow for many readers to do this to the originator, not all SPs get through).
Again these formats could carry "dirty" pictures etc. SYSOPs also must vet
these on their systems, so these can often just get deleted off the BBS!
CONCLUSION
From the above, I decided the best packet friendly format for text bulletins
with drawings, for the widest international readership, is ONLY the 8 bit
Extended ASCII graphics set.
In a graphics 7+ format my 400+ TECH files averaging about 7k each, would be
turned into 2000 10k files! So using these 7+ data formats may be considered
greedy, inefficient & inconsiderate to other BBS users.
"K.I.S.S." is the best option for most, immediately viewable for most readers
with only a small % needing to view in another programme.
By using ASCII the result should be a VERY compact file ideal for Packet & easy
for your SYSOP to check & vet before releasing. And it will be quick & easy to
read on many platforms & in any language....
Date/Time : 12-Oct 22:36 2004
Title : hello
From: LW5DIX@LW6EVE.#1661.BA.ARG.SA
To : G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU
name javier qra lw5dix
qth argentina
tex is spinif
amigo muy buena los informes de tecnica
me gustaria si tiene web ok
saludos
73 y dx
(it's just the text that's not international!)
See also "Making ASCII Diagrams" & "ASCII table for diagrams".
Why don't U send an interesting bul?
73 de John G8MNY @ GB7CIP
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