Short:        ZSoft PCX datatype V45.5
Author:       oliver@futaura.co.uk (Oliver Roberts)
Uploader:     oliver futaura co uk (Oliver Roberts)
Type:         util/dtype
Version:      45.5
Requires:     OS 3.0+,picture.datatype v43+
Architecture: m68k-amigaos; ppc-amigaos; ppc-morphos; ppc-warpup


Changes since previous Aminet release:

 - Ignore palette information for 1-bit images, since some
   applications put bogus values there (including Photoshop) and
   always render as black/white monochrome instead.
 - Updated with the latest WarpDT engine build.
 - Added workaround for a bug in OS4 which can cause a crash when a
   requester is opened (bug fixed in intuition.library 53.32).
 - Fixed (VBCC fix) potential system lockup when calling the GM_RENDER
   method in the WarpOS version (e.g. when using Multiview with the
   AfA OS picture.datatype).
 - Added workaround for a bug in OS4's datatypes.library DTST_MEMORY
   handling.
 - Enabled virtual memory usage in OS4 version.
 - Asynchronous i/o now uses dos/SendPkt instead of exec/PutMsg.
 - MorphOS and WarpOS versions recompiled with VBCC 0.9a.
 - OS4 version recompiled with latest SDK.
 - Added AmiUpdate support.
 - Updated Spanish installer strings.


FEATURES

 - Read standard ZSoft PC Paintbrush PCX files, including less common
   non-standard modes which Cloanto Personal Paint can save

 - Supports pixel bit depth of 1 or 8 and 1-8 planes of data, covering
   mono 1-bit images upto 24-bit RGB, both RLE compressed and uncompressed

 - Highly optimized datatype dispatch engine and PCX decoder,
   resulting in a very efficient, compact and quick PCX datatype

 - Asynchronous double buffering techniques (WarpOS only) and file i/o,
   which speeds up image decoding
 
 - Optimized versions for 68020, 030, 040 and 060

 - PowerPC support with native OS4, WarpOS and MorphOS versions

 - Alter the pen allocation precision when images are remapped to an
   8-bit display

 - Specific support for the AmigaOS picture.datatype v44+, when available

 - The dithering feature of the AmigaOS picture.datatype v44+ can be
   configured to your liking (e.g. disabled for 15/16-bit displays)


REQUIREMENTS

This datatype needs the following in order to work:

 - Kickstart 3.0 or higher
 - picture.datatype v43 or higher
   (i.e. either of the ones supplied with AmigaOS 3.5+, P96 or CGraphX)

 68k version

 - 68020 processor or higher (optimized versions included)

 WarpOS version

 - PPC accelerator card + 68040/060
 - WarpUp Release 5.0 or higher

 OS4 version

 - PPC accelerator card / AmigaOne / SAM
 - AmigaOS 4.0 or higher

 MorphOS version

 - PPC accelerator card / Pegasos / Efika
 - MorphOS 1.4 or higher

Note that a graphics card is not necessary.