ST-PC Graphics

                     by James Judge

There are, I should imagine, quite a few people who have
progressed from the ST to the PC but have got quite a few picture
files that they have accumulated over the years but they are only
in .NEO or PI? format.

What to do? You don't normally have the ST connected up to a TV
and there is a piece of clipart that would put the finishing touch
to a leaflet you are producing for your local club. You lack a
scanner and you don't fancy your chances of being able to line up
what the PC has printed to that of the ST.

Well, the answer is here, and boy, is it easy. All you have to do
is get hold of a program that will allow you to save pictures in
.GIF format. Both the ST and PC accept this format of picture and
so there should be no problem.

Format a 720K disk on the PC and then load up the art package on
the ST. Load up the pictures you want and then save them to the PC
disk as .GIF format.

Take the disk with the picture(s) to the PC and copy them to your
HDD into your picture directory and there you go - you can now use
the picture wherever you want. If you need the picture in a
certain format all you need to do is get a program such as
Graphics Workshop which will allow you to convert pictures from
one format to another and there is a wide enough selection to suit
most people.

As for the Amiga people out there, well, I should imagine the
process would be the same, but I don't know whether the Amiga can
read PC disks or not. If they can, then you have got no problems
what so ever. If you can't maybe you can get a PC emulator for the
Amiga or visa versa.

That's all here is to it. Go and get converting!

Oh, one warning. As the ST uses a lower resolution than that of
the PC all of the pictures will be about a 50% reduction (ie they
will be quarter size). This may be a problem for really detailed
art that you need full-screen, but for line art or pieces that you
need for small work then you won't have a problem - often the
pieces look better because of the finer DPI.

Warning over. NOW you can go and get converting.











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