"IFF" - Interchange File Format

The files contained on this disk are the text and sample code for producing
and using the Interface File Format developed jointly by Electronic Arts and
Commodore-Amiga, Inc.  

We at Commodore-Amiga have adopted this standard for internal use and we
encourage our developers to do so as well.    The standard allows programs
developed independently to easily share data with one another.  

Electronic Arts has placed all of this sample code into the public domain
to encourage others to adopt the standard and to use it.


NOTE:  In the document "ea.iff.85", it outlines the format of the data
       chunks.  If there is a chunk with a name that is private to a particular
       application, it may be ignored by another application trying to
       read and use the file.  Thus only recognized chunks can be loaded
       and utilized.

       In order to minimize confusion regarding the naming of private chunks,
       Commodore-Amiga will act as a clearing house for private chunk names.
       If you wish, you can either register the chunk name alone, or provide
       us with a description of the contents of the chunk along with the
       name.    By this means, we may be able to extend the standard in a
       logical fashion, making it possible for future programs to maintain
       compatibility.   

       For the next release of this disk, a separate file will be used to 
       list the private hunk names, listing characteristics if provided by
       the originator.  To register your chunk name, send a letter with
       whatever details you wish to release, to Commodore developer support.
       Developer support will collect this information and make it available
       for a future release.

Here is a list of the files on this disk:

     README - this file

     object.files (dir)

   The various source.files compiled using native Amiga C.

     lnk.files (dir)

   The "with" files used for linking the Electronic Arts demos.

     modified.lnk.files (dir)

   How I modified their original lnk files to compile native on Amiga.

     bat.files (dir)

   Batch files (not utilized for native compilation)

     iff.text (dir)

   This is the text for the five Electronic Arts IFF documents:
   
      EA.IFF.85 - the IFF standard
      SMUS     - the simple music format
      ILBM     - interleaved bit map
      FTXT     - text
      8SVX      - voice

  Illustrations for 8svx, ftxt, and smus are contained in the Graphicraft ILBM
  files: voice, text, and music respectively.  Use seeilbm to view them after
  you have read the appropriate text material.  These did not adapt very
  well to typed-text format, so we integrated them onto the disk this way.
  Now no hardcopy need be distributed,  only electronic media.


     doc.files (dir)

   Some background information about IFF.

     executable.files (dir)

   The linked object files according to the instructions in the
   modified.lnk.files.  Note that no attempt was made to create
   the files that utilize the "gio" code.

     source.files (dir)

   The sample source files as received from EA, used as is for
   native mode compilation.

     other.files (dir)

   some miscellaneous information, including startup.txt that you
   could put as "s/startup-sequence" for a workbench-disk, giving
   instructions for running the executables shown here.  The bird3to8
   raw file for raw2ilbm was not available for this distribution and
   as full as this disk is already, it wouldn't have fit anyway.

  .info 

   a Workbench file that controls the position of the window
   that opens to show the files below:

  bird0to2      a displayable ilbm file
  bird0to2.info      its icon
  dragon      a displayable ilbm file
  dragon.info      its icon
  showilbm      the showilbm program
  showilbm.info      its icon
  seeilbm       the seeilbm program ... same as showilbm but waits for
                  return key to be pressed before exiting.
  seeilbm.info       its icon

To see what showilbm does, from CLI, type:

   showilbm dragon bird0to2

or from workbench, click on showilbm, then hold down the shift key and click
on dragon.  Continue to hold down shift key and double-click on bird0to2.

Showilbm will show each iblm picture for a few seconds, then it will exit.


SeeILBM does the same thing but handles only one file at a time, waiting
for you to click in the upper lefthand corner of the display before it
exits.  If you click in the lower region of the display, the screen title
bar appears and you can manipulate the screen if you wish.