*********************************************************************
************************** SHADOWMAKER 1.0 **************************
********************** http://cust.nol.at/ppee **********************
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Hello!

Want some Information about SHADOWMAKER? Ok, so first thanks for having
a look at it. I hope you find it useful and like it. ShadowMaker is 
freeware, you can copy it so often you want, load it up somewhere or 
delete it if you don't like it. 

But remember: The author, thats me, isn't reliable for any damage
ShadowMaker may cause. But this case should never happen. 

And you may not change any content of this package! Don't even try it!

 @-----------------------------------------------------------------@
 |      Code by Nikolaus Brennig, 18, using Watcom C++ 10.6.       |
 |  Copyright  1998 by Punk Productions Electronic Entertainment  |
 @-----------------------------------------------------------------@

Why use ShadowMaker:
====================
Think of a ShadowAffect in your game or graphicsapp. The best way to
do this would be Alpha Blending. But its slow. Mostly too slow, unless
you wrote a very fast and difficult bltrouting for doing this. Another
nice and very fast solution for this is using the same Image you want to
apply shadow, but only show it as a "Black-Pixel" Image. For example
in WarCraft II you can find this effect. In higher resolutions, if you're
aren't to close to the Monitor you don't even can see the difference. I 
mean that your Shadoweffect is a simple trick! But how to convert an Image
into such a second Trickimage? You can do this by hand, replacing every
pixel you want to be viewed in black or simply use ShadowMaker, which
converts your Image automatically.


How to use ShadowMaker:
=======================
First important note: The whole program is controlled with the CONTROL
PANEL (The dialog that is loaded at startup, that thing with the Buttons)
There are several buttons you can press, but what are they doing???

LOAD: 
Use this button to load your Bitmapfile.

MAKE SHADOW:
With this you can convert your Bitmap into a "ShadowImage".

SAVE: 
Saves the actual loaded Bitmap in 16, 24 or 32 Bpp.

QUIT: 
Hey, what do you think? ;-)

HELP: 
A minimal Helpdialog, for those of you who are to lazy to read this one ;-)

RESET: 
Do this if you have created a pic and want to create it again to change 
the size, or somethin' like this. Its simply the same as when you start 
the program again.

SHOW PICTURE:
Say you've loaded a picture and then you switch between your other appz
you've already open. If you then want to switch back and view your Image
this won't be possible due to that the ImageWindow has no SystemMenu
and doesn't appears in the TaskMenu.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHADOW TYPE & SHADOW COLOR:
This information has to be edited by you so Seq2Pic98 can work properly!

SHADOW every Pixel or every 2nd Pixel: 
If you use every Pixel, the forms are drawn completely black, if every 2nd
Pixel is used, its the real "Shadow-effect" cause then the background
is viewable 50%

SHADOW Color: 
Normally Shadow is black (RGB(0,0,0)), but who know, perhaps someone wants
this effect for some others use and needs to choose another Color. Then type
it in in RGB Format, Say for White use RGB(255,255,255).

============================================================================

Ok, thats all. Hope it helps. If you have any comments or critics or whatever,
simply mail me at Nikolaus.Brennig@nol.at or visit our Homepage at:
http://cust.nol.at/ppee and look for newer Versions!

ok, bye and have fun!

HISTORY:
========
8th December, 1998 - Version 1.0:
* First Release...

