Boot Images

I have made the boot image, and have got it down to 4 colors. What I don't understand is how it is possible to use KoS "convert.exe" (which requires a 2166 byte file) from the image I get out of photoshop. If I make the image 4 colors exactly and convert to BMP it comes out to be 2120 bytes. then as I add a single additional color to the image and then save as a 4bpp BMP file, it is physically impossible to come up with 2166. I have found that 15 colors yields 2164 and 16 colors yields 2168 bytes. I am really starting to get frustrated with this.

Is there another converter. The FAQ makes references to 3 converters, and I can only find KoS's. Any help would be great. I really want to try this, but it is a real pain... I made this image in about 1 hour, and have been working for the last 3 to get it the right file size.

Jason

p.s. I have included the file at 4 colors exactly...if anyone could convert it for me. I thought that i'd ask ;)

Hi !

I use PS to create that "2168" byte files that you mention ...
Photoshop tries to reach 4 Byte alignement, so it adds 2 zeo bytes at the end -> 2166 + 2 = 2168

So i use "hexworks" to load the file and delete the last two fill bytes, and ... VOILA ... i end up with a usable 2166 Byte file .
If i would need this every day i would wait for a good tool or write my own, but as i only change my bootup logo maybe once in a year or so ?!?!? I did it, and it worked ...

Nils

P.S. the other trick is to use PSP, it seems to produce the right 2166 byte image as a default, i never tried it, but people say so ...

Hexworks worked! Thanks a million. though, the image isn't bright. The white shows up dim. and about 3 pixels inthe whole image are bright. Plus all the edges of the images are notchy.

I will have to keep playing with it I guess. though, I followed the pixels to come up with the fact that the bright ones are the exact same color as the dim ones in the image. any other words of wisdom?

-J

Interesting. It sounds like KoS needs his converter to handle different variations in the BMP file format, and he's using Paint Shop Pro as his only baseline test. First step would be to allow a file that's two bytes too big...

As far as the discrepancies in color for the pixels, it's probably just that your paint program's palette isn't in the order that KoS's converter is expecting them in. Try PSP and see if that takes care of your problems.

I'd suggest to KoS that he allow .GIF input because it's better-standardized, but there's a lot more code involved in GIF decoding, and I don't think he's ready to put that kind of time into it.

This is all still very preliminary, the converter programs will develop and get better over time, and allow more types of input. When they settle down a bit, I'll update the FAQ. For now, KoS has the only Win32-exe that'll do the conversion. Bobo has a Java one, but he needs to have it linked from his main page... it's not linked at the moment (do a BBS search on Bobo's posts to find where he announced it), and Andy's isn't available yet.

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Tony Fabris