AutoCAD Slides to Animator Films

         Four software systems are used :-


         1 ) AutoCAD     to make the slides.

        
         2 ) EDIT        to write the order in which the slides 
                              will be displayed.


         3 ) FILM MAKER  The Autodesk utility that converts a 
                         group of slides into a flim.




         4 ) AAWIN       The Autodesk program that displays the film 
                         files.
       

AutoCAD can export many types of graphic image

1. AutoCAD Slide file.
2. HPGL Plot file.
3. DXF files.
4. GIF files via the plot command.
5. GIF files via the RENDER command.
6. Windoze clipboard.

All but the SLIDE format may be read by PAINT SHOP PRO and can then be converted to other bit mapped formats.

Slides must be converted to a FLI or film format this can then be viewed by the AAWIN package. AAWIN can also view .BMP files.

METHOD

1) Make a series of 'SLIDES' using the MSLIDE command inside AutoCAD save all slides to drive A: or if large to the hard disk C:\AAA\ .

Important !! make a written list of the slides as you make them.

2) Use the DOS editor to make an instruction file. A simple one will look like this :-

              
         A:ONE.SLD
         A:TWO.SLD
         A:THREE.SLD


         Name this file A:SHOW.TXT

3) Run the FLIMAKER program with the above instruction file as the first parameter and A:SHOW as the second parameter.

FLIMAKER A:SHOW.TXT A:SHOW

This will make a film file named A:SHOW.FLI from the slides mentioned in the instruction file named A:SHOW.TXT.

4) To see the film, run the AAWIN program and pick your film from the A: list of FLIms. Then, using the mouse pick the solid arrow symbol.

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Items 2 to 4 have been set up in a batch file named FM.BAT, short for Film Maker. To run it use the FILM MAKER shortcut in the Graphics section of WIN 95 start menu.

FM.BAT

        dir /b /o:d  a:*.sld > a:time-pos.txt
        dir /b /o:-d a:*.sld > a:time-rev.txt
        dir /b /o:n  a:*.sld > a:alph-pos.txt
        dir /b /o:-n a:*.sld > a:alph-rev.txt
        if  exist a:\show.txt  goto ok
        prefix a:time-pos.txt  a:show.txt  A:
        :ok
        edit a:show.txt
        flimaker -v a:show.txt  c:\aaa\show  55
        aawin.exe  c:\aaa\show.fli

1. a:time-pos.txt is a file in positive time order
2. a:time-rev.txt is a file in negative time order
3. a:alph-pos.txt is a file in positive alphabetical order
4. a:alph-rev.txt is a file in negative alphabetical order

The batch file will call the Edit program which in turn loads the file A:SHOW.TXT. You may edit the file of your choice (from the 4 above), but you must use SaveAs A:SHOW.TXT before you exit.

A:TIME-POS.TXT will have the A: added to each line by the program PREFIX.EXE and is then saved as A:SHOW.TXT the first time you run this batch file. A:SHOW.TXT will not be over written unless you choose to do so from EDIT.

Delete A:SHOW.TXT if you wish the batch file to work as if first time.

The last two lines of the batch file make a film from your file A:SHOW.TXT and places it onto the the hard disk, in the C:\AAA sub directory. The system then calls AAWIN and runs your movie.

To make a second FLI please rename the first one otherwise it will be overwritten.

Back to the Index or Download the system (Fm.zip 48 k)