Dragon User


Diskpix

Categories: Review: Software
Author: Brian Cadge
Publisher: Pamcomms
Machine: Dragon 32

 
Published in Dragon User #038

Editor

Diskpix is a quite powerful graphics editor supplied on cassette, but readily transferrable lo disc. Side One of the tape contains the program, plus some demonstration programs. After loading the program checks if Dragondos is present (by looking at where the graphics pages start in RAM) and adjusts itself to operate with tape only, or disc and tape as applicable.

The software is supplied with the usual well-written manual from Pamcomms.

The basic idea behind Diskpix is that graphics pages can be created and edited down to piscet accuracy and then saved for use in other programs, or as character sets. The whole thing is completely menu-driven in the usual Pamcomms way.

The editing is done on a magnified vecsion of the block, using the cursor keys to point to the required pixel, and then pressing the required colour number to fill in the pixel. It is also possible to clear the whole block to one colour for fast filling in.

Other editing functions include use of GET/PUT and copying and moving graphics pages around. Anyone who has a copy of Dragon Data's Pixel Editor (Remember that?) will be interested to know that Diskpix files are compatible with those output by it. Supplied with the program are character sets for use in PMODE3, 20 columns, and PMODE4, 42 and 51 columns. The demonstration programs include a nice version of the 'sliding puzzle' puzzle game, which unfortunately runs rather slowly in parts (a little machine code could go a long way here!).

All of the programs are totally unprotected and would be of interest to anyone new to programming in Basic graphics. However, the best thing about this software is its price, just £3 for a genuinely useful program, which once again shows just what skilful Basic programming can achieve.

Brian Cadge

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