Mail Archives: djgpp/2001/03/20/17:31:53
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>They make it more convenient at load time since all the files you need
are in one location, and in the case of encrypted >formats, they can
help keep losers from stealing your sound and graphics.
This is exactly why I want to have encrypted file formats. Also it
appears more professional.
Thanks a lot for your help, but it seems that your annoyed by my
question and by the use of my "real world." And I assure you I am
relaxed.
Thanks for your help,
Paul M.
George Kinney wrote:
>
>
> >At the moment, the way I import graphics in a program is by opening a
>
> >.bmp, or and .pcx file. However, in the real world, programs do not
> >import graphics via these formats, but with data files eg.
> graphics.dat
>
> In the "real world" programmers choose many different formats for
> graphics, based on such concerns as, file sizes, color depth,
> lossiness, security, etc. In other words, whatever fits their needs
> for the goal they are after.
>
> "dat", "art", "wad", "pak" and other files you might have seen are
> just collections of files (often in the usual formats, pcx, jpg, etc),
> sometimes compressed and/or encrypted, sometimes not. They make it
> more convenient at load time since all the files you need are in one
> location, and in the case of encrypted formats, they can help keep
> losers from stealing your sound and graphics.
>
> >How is it that graphics can be pulled from these dat files? Is there
> a
> >program that converts graphic file formats to dat files? or .cfg? etc
>
> There is typically a "grabber" utility, usually specific to the
> archive format being used.
>
> Allegro comes with a utility (actually called grabber) and a set of
> routines for creating, manipulating, and using such archive files. Its
> well documented and free to use. (and was likely responsible for the
> files you saw)
>
> >Similarily with audio files, I use either .wav or mid but again in
> the
> >real world they are obtained with .voc or .dat files.
>
> Again, in the "real world" programmers use what fits their needs. voc
> is just another file format, there are many utilities available to
> convert to whatever format you want. Likely you can root around in any
> commercial game release and find out that all those .zx3 files you saw
> are regular, run of the mill bmp's or some other common as dirt
> format.
>
> I don't know how you got the idea that the file formats you use
> determine the worth of your software, but relax, no one actually cares
> what formats you use,
>
> they will care about the quality of the the game or whatever it is you
> are working on. (With the sole exception that some formats are easier
> to pass around due to
>
> pre-existing libraries and such)
>
> Good luck, and relax, it'll all be good.
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>They make it more convenient at load time since all the files you need
are in one location, and in the case of encrypted >formats, they can help
keep losers from stealing your sound and graphics.
<p>This is exactly why I want to have encrypted file formats. Also it appears
more professional.
<p>Thanks a lot for your help, but it seems that your annoyed by my question
and by the use of my "real world." And I assure you I am relaxed.
<p>Thanks for your help,
<br>Paul M.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<p>George Kinney wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>
<p><font size=-1>>At the moment, the way I import graphics in a program
is by opening a</font>
<br><font size=-1>>.bmp, or and .pcx file. However, in the real world,
programs do not</font>
<br><font size=-1>>import graphics via these formats, but with data files
eg. graphics.dat</font>
<p><font size=-1>In the "real world" programmers choose many different
formats for graphics, based on such concerns as, file sizes, color depth,
lossiness, security, etc. In other words, whatever fits their needs for
the goal they are after.</font>
<p><font size=-1>"dat", "art", "wad", "pak" and other files you might have
seen are just collections of files (often in the usual formats, pcx, jpg,
etc), sometimes compressed and/or encrypted, sometimes not. They make it
more convenient at load time since all the files you need are in one location,
and in the case of encrypted formats, they can help keep losers from stealing
your sound and graphics.</font>
<p><font size=-1>>How is it that graphics can be pulled from these dat
files? Is there a</font>
<br><font size=-1>>program that converts graphic file formats to dat files?
or .cfg? etc</font>
<p><font size=-1>There is typically a "grabber" utility, usually specific
to the archive format being used.</font>
<p><font size=-1>Allegro comes with a utility (actually called grabber)
and a set of routines for creating, manipulating, and using such archive
files. Its well documented and free to use. (and was likely responsible
for the files you saw)</font>
<p><font size=-1>>Similarily with audio files, I use either .wav or mid
but again in the</font>
<br><font size=-1>>real world they are obtained with .voc or .dat files.</font>
<p><font size=-1>Again, in the "real world" programmers use what fits their
needs. voc is just another file format, there are many utilities available
to convert to whatever format you want. Likely you can root around in any
commercial game release and find out that all those .zx3 files you saw
are regular, run of the mill bmp's or some other common as dirt format.</font>
<p><font size=-1>I don't know how you got the idea that the file formats
you use determine the worth of your software, but relax, no one actually
cares what formats you use,</font>
<p><font size=-1>they will care about the quality of the the game or whatever
it is you are working on. (With the sole exception that some formats are
easier to pass around due to</font>
<p><font size=-1>pre-existing libraries and such)</font>
<p><font size=-1>Good luck, and relax, it'll all be good.</font></blockquote>
</html>
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