MipDip15.txt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MipDip15 - MipMap Texture Tool, version 1.5

by Mads Bondo Dydensborg, 96.08.31
   madsdyd@diku.dk

DISCLAIMER : I TAKE NO RESPONSIBLITY FOR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THIS PROGRAM. IT 
             MIGHT NOT PROVE USABLE FOR ANY PURPOSE. BE CAREFULL. BACK UP NOW.
             Quake and DOOM are trademarks of id Software Inc. This program
             should not be associated with id in any way. id software will not
             answer any questions related to this program.
             The software is supplied free of charge. The software is experimental
             and not guaranteed to work at all.

1. Description
2. Requirements
3. Installation
4. Terminology 
5. Features
6. Use
7. Note from the author
8. Legal issues
9. History

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Description

MipDip is a Windows(TM) 95 program, that lets you

- Create and modify WAD2 files for use with Quake related tools.
- Create and modify MipMap textures and Flat graphics.

MipDip is designed to work with the Quake Full release from ID software.
MipDip uses a MDI that supports most standard clipboard and drag/drop handlings.

MipDip version 1.5 is a totally rewrite compared to version 1.0. MipDip 1.5
does not support BSP files, but do support WAD files. 

MipDip version 1.5 does no contain all the features that I would have liked to
include. But it is getting still harder to 'test' the features myself, and I've
seen more and more posts looking for software that does what MipDip does.
Since I also have to start 'school' again in 2 days, I've decided to release this
version. Should you experience any troubles while using MipDip, then please let 
me know! I would like to hear about anything, from bugs to interface design flaws.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Requirements

MipDip runs under Windows(TM) 95, and likes GDI resources and RAM.

It has been successfully run on a Pentium p133, 32MB, 16M Color, and a 485dx50, 
16MB, 65k color. So any machine capable of running Quake and/or QBSP, should be
able to run MipDip. 
MipDip will not work properly with 256, or less, color displays.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Installation

The following files are supplied with this version of MipDip :

MipDip15.exe  -  The executable
MipDip15.txt  -  This file
Palette.lmp   -  A palette file in raw format. (Used by MipDip).
Palette.pal   -  A palette file in ascii format. (For your use).

('Editor.doc' and 'General info' are two files included in word format.
They contain some notes that I wrote for my own use.).

Unpack the zip file to a directory of your choice, and run MipDip15.exe 
MipDip will warn you about some entries that it will add to your registry. The 
entries can be found under 
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\MipDip - MipMap Texture Tool

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Terminology
 
I use the following terms :
a MIPMAP       is a picture file containing in all 4 pictures, that are the
               almost the same visually, but have different sizes.
a SUBMIP       is one of the smaller pictures.
a FLAT         is the graphics used for Quake's statusbar.
a CONSOLE PIC. is the graphics used for Quake's console bakcgrounds.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.  Features

With MipDip you will be able to create and modify wad2 files for use with 
various Quake tools. MipDip will *not* currently work with .pak or .bsp files.
Other tools exists that will let you extract the textures from various bsp files
and collect them in wad files. MipDip is aimed primarily on creating original 
MipMap textures and working with 'collections' of graphics in wad files.

MipDip does include features for working with Flats and Console pictures, but 
they are not as fully tested as the operations for MipMap. 

Future versions of MipDip will most likely include 
- support for BSP files. (Mostly to avoid QBSP'ing all the time).
- extended palette support. (Automatically recognizing palette items in
  wad files. Creating and maintaining custom palettes).
- High quality imports with Image Alchemy. (Working, but no UI).
However, it will depend a lot on the response I get from *you*... 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.  Use

I've tried to make MipDips interface as easy as possible. Some points definitely 
needs explanation though. I'll make it very quick: 

Look in the .doc files for some notes. Use wordpad or QuickView, if you don't have
MS Word.

I suggest you do this. I have written help files before, but it really takes more time
then I have at hand right now.

A quick note on palettes; Quake reserves the last 32 or something for it self.
These you will most likely want to avoid when converting BMP to MipMaps.
MipDip will read the palette.asc file format. You can edit this format to 
include e.g. 15 15 15 for the last 32 values. MipDip uses palette.lmp for reading
normally, but will read palette.asc if you rename it or make the relevant key 
in the registry point to paltte.asc.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Note from the author

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING
- ID SOFTWARE : 
  For making Quake open, and releasing the QBSP tools.

- The creators of 'The Most Unofficial Quake Technical Specification' :
  For creating some extremely informative stuff, 
  Thanks to : Olivier Montanuy, Brian Martin and Raphaël Quinet.

- BORLAND(R)
  For creating DELPHI(TM), and DELPHI2(TM), which is the most useful program-
  ming environment and compiler I've ever used! And maybe the software product
  where you get most value for your money. The best money I've ever spent on 
  software.


ABOUT BUGS 
A program without a bug, seems to be utopia. MipDip seems to work okay.
With all that can go wrong, I simply can not take the time to test it all.
So please mail me your weird experiences with MipDip.
Also note, that MipDip reads the whole Wad file, when it opens it. Some 
utils exists that create wad files that are not totally allright. This will
not be a problem with id tools, but MipDip will reject some items and even
some wad files in this situation.

FEEDBACK
If you have any comments, bug reports, suggestions, or anything else you would
like to let me know, I can be reached via email : madsdyd@diku.dk 
I would REALLY appreciate any comment from you. I want to make MipDip a better 
program, but it is hard to know in which direction to go. You tell me!

DELPHI/QUAKE resources
I have collected some resources for working with Quake and Delphi, which
are available from 
http://www.diku.students/madsdyd/quake/quakehome.htm

An update is under way, that will include the base classes used for MipDip.
(Currently version 0.9 is available. MipDip version 1.5 uses a slightly different
but approx 10 times faster bitmap creation routine).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Legal issues

You can distribute MipDip freely as long as you don't charge anybody any money 
for it and include this file unmodified. You can distribute MipDip electronically.
You can distribute MipDip as part of tools collection or similar, but I would 
like to know if you do though.
Should you develop original graphic with MipDip and would like me to distribute
it (as examples/tutorials) in future versions then please let me know.
Should you develop an editor for use with Quake, I would like to get a copy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. History

   31. August 1996. Release 1.5 - Completely rewritten. Only WAD support.
   21. March 1996.  First release. Version 1.0
   26. March 1996.  Release 1.01. Fixes GDI leak. Very small change otherwise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

End of document. Mads Bondo Dydensborg, 96.08.31












