ZX Maps Creator 1.51

Author of the Program:
Pavel Plíva, Pavero Software, Czech Republic

Date of Creation:
August 2002 – August 2007

Form of Licence:
Freeware

Operating System:
Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP

Contact:
pavero@post.cz

http://zx-spectrum.wz.cz
(games for ZX-Spectrum, Czech only)

http://pavero.wz.cz
(freeware for PC)

Italian translation:
Alessandro Grussu

Swedish translation:
Christian Hedberg

Russian translation:
Stanislav Yudin


This program presents suitable tool for creation maps for games on ZX-Spectrum and it will be made for this purpose. In fact there is a simple bitmap editor, so you can use it on other things. In comparison with other bitmap editors, ZX Maps Creator contains some features, which can make easy creation of maps composed of the actual screenshots. So that you could create a map, at first you must get screenshot from game. In such a case I recommend to use my utility ZX Screen Snapper, which can be used for capture screenshots from ZX emulators.


Menu File

New (Ctrl + N) - creation of new picture.

Open Picture (Ctrl + O) - opening of existing picture.

Save Picture (Ctrl + S) - saving of changes to existing file.

Save As - saving of picture to new file.

Export to GIF (Ctrl + G) - saving of picture to GIF format.

Export to PNG (Ctrl + P) - saving of picture to PNG format.

Exit (Alt + F4) - ending of application.

 

Menu Edit

Back (Ctrl + Z) - return the latest operation.

Cut (Ctrl + X) - copying of picture segment to clipboard and removing from picture.

Copy (Ctrl + C) - copying of picture segment to clipboard.

Paste (Ctrl + V) - insertion picture from clipboard.

Clear Selection (Del) - removing of selected picture segment from picture.

Select All (Ctrl + A) - selection of whole picture.


Menu Picture

Transparent (Ctrl + T) - transparent display of picture segment, it depends on setting of transparent color.

Clear Picture - erasure of whole picture.

Horizontal Mirroring - horizontal overturn of picture segment.

Vertical Mirroring - vertical overturn of picture segment.

Black and White - picture will contain only these two colors.

Show Colors (F12) - it will show a small panel for quick setting of colors (use double click for change of colors).

Lock Panel with Colors (Ctrl + F12) - the panel will always display on the left top corner.

Insert Text (F11) - through this form it is possible to add any text into the picture. You can choose font type, size, style and color (use double click). If you want to change background color, then click on the text array twice.  

Options (F8) - setting of picture resolution; stepping (movement) of picture segment via cursor keys; background color, transparent color, fill color and color depth of picture; setting of the offset X/Y - number of pixels, which are added (removed) to (from) the left side/top of the picture.

 

Menu Language

Change current language of application.

 

Menu Help

Description of application (F1) - display this help.

About ZX Maps Creator (Alt + F1) - short information about application.


Shortcuts and other features

Cursor Keys

Movement of picture segment about given number of pixels. Number of pixels is given by values StepX and StepY (Picture/Options).

Cursor Keys + SHIFT

Movement of picture segment about one pixel.

Cursor Keys + CTRL

Adhesion of picture segment to existing image. It's one of the most important features, when you create maps. This feature can be used till 80 pixels distance!

CTRL + Left Mouse Button

Setting of background color. It will be used color, on which cursor shows.

CTRL + Right Mouse Button

Setting of transparent color. It will be used color, on which cursor shows.

ALT + Left Mouse Button

Filling of delimited area. It will be used fill color.

ALT + Right Mouse Button

Setting of fill color. It will be used color, on which cursor shows.

Key "1"

It displays current coordinates of cursor.

 


How to add a new language?

All texts of application you will find in Language.ini file. When you want to add a new language, copy English section in the end of this file and change her name (e.g. Deutch). Then translate right part of particular lines (behind equals). Finally you must add the name of new language (e.g. Deutch) to Languages section and assign number of language to variable Current in Language section. The result should be following:

[Language]
Current=3

[Languages]
1=English
2=Česky
3=Deutch

....

[Deutch]
Variable1=Text to translate
....
VariableX=Text to translate


The date of updating of this file: 19. 5. 2007