				!AKiss manual
				=============

       (If you are reading this in !Edit, use the Expand Tabs option!)

              v1.03 (Wimp), v1.97 (Kiss) By R.McLean & J.Beech

Contents
--------

	* Introduction
	* Loading Kiss files
	* Choices within AKiss
	* Cel<>Sprite translations
	* Using Kiss
	* Kiss collections
	* Contacting us


Introduction
------------
	KISS is a Kisekae (changing clothes) program originally from K.O.S 
	(Kawaii Onnanoko System = Pretty Girls System).

	The original author was MIO.H of a program which ran on Japanese	
	PC9801 computers, other versions of KISS run on DOS/V, Apple Macs, 
	MS-Windows, and X windows (UNIX/X11).
	This is the Acorn Archimedes release, written by James Beech and 
	Rory McLean for Acorn computers with RISC OS, and at least 1Mb of 
	RAM.

	Kiss is a program for 'doll dressing' and changing the clothes on 
	pictures, generally Japanese animation (Anim) characters. It's
	origins lie with Paperdoll, a similar system more orientated for
	designing the appearance of roleplaying characters (Dungeons &
	Dragons, etc).
	
	This application is merely the necessary program for displaying and
	manipulating the data files that are available. There is a list in
	the section 'Kiss collections' detailing where the data files can be
	found.

	This application is probably of most interest to those who enjoy 
	Anim and/or Roleplaying.


Loading Kiss Files
------------------

	After 2xClicking the application !AKiss, it will appear on the
	iconbar, and is now, more or less, ready to load in Kiss files.

	There are several ways of loading Kiss data, but as the data is
	primarily designed on IBM compatibles, there is problems with the
	filenames with RISC OS: DOS filenames can have a full stop inside,
	where Acorn use it as a directory separator. In reverse, DOS does not
	allow '/' inside filenames but RISC OS does.

	Those of you who transfer files regularly to other platforms that
	RISC OS performs a translation on DOS files, changing all '.'s to
	'/'s and vice versa. This is fine in itself, but ADFS (the most
	common RISC OS filing system) does not allow filenames to be longer
	than 10 characters, but these transferred files can be up to 8+1+3=12
	letters long. (eg: 'KISSDATA.CEL')
	
	As most, if not all Kiss data comes in this format, the program
	includes several ways around this problem, as documented below:

Using LZH/LHA/ZIP/ARJ archives
	SparkFS, written by David Pilling is an archiver that also reads
	PC-compatible archives such as Zip and Arj.
	
	If you own SparkFS, then the use of AKiss is much simplified in
	that you only have to drag the archive to the AKiss icon after
	SparkFS has been loaded for the data to be recognised, and loaded.
	
	SparkFS costs about 25 and is available from David Pilling
	software.

Long filenames
	LongFileNames is a small module written by Jason Tribbeck, released
	as freeware that allows users to have files with a name longer than
	10 characters, making it ideal for use in this sort of situation.
	
	If you have LongFileNames, then you will also need a de-archiver of
	sorts, able to cope with PC archives. There are several around in the
	public domain, or there may be other choices such as SparkPlug or
	Spark (Spark is not freeware) , if you own a copy.
	
	Dearchive the files into an empty directory, keeping the filenames
	at their full length (do not allow the computer to truncate them).
	
	Now drag the directory to the AKiss icon, and it will be loaded.
	
	LongFileNames is available for ftp from the Hensa archive on the
	internet at the address: micros.hensa.ac.uk

The method that doesn't rely on gadgets!
	The only other piece of software needed to get this method working
	is a program to dearchive the files.
	
	Create an empty directory. Create three directories inside this
	called 'cnf/', 'kcf/' and 'cel/'. Move each file in turn from the PC
	archive, renaming it and placing it inside the relevant directory,
	for example:

	Original file		Directory	New name
	kiss/cnf		cnf/		kiss
	kiss/kcf		kcf/		kiss
	boots/cel		cel/		boots
	body/cel		cel/		body

	You should end up with at least one file in each directory, with
	(usually) fairly few inside the 'cnf/' and 'kcf/' folders.
	
	Now drag the main directory (containing the other three) to the
	AKiss icon, and Kiss will load.

	A set of Kiss data has been provided in each of the three formats,
	showing how the files and directories are to be arranged. The data
	can be found in the archive 'Examples'.

Selecting a config file
	After dragging an archive or directory to the AKiss icon, you may
	be presented with a menu, containing a list of files. The items on
	the menu are the possible Kiss files that you can choose, each making
	use of a different combination of the graphics in the archive.
	
	In the case of the example files, there is no difference between
	the two, but some Kiss data has completely different characters for
	each config file.

Problem: I don't get a menu of config files
	Most Kiss archives only contains one config file ('.cnf' file) and
	with such data, there is no point to displaying a menu, so the
	program automatically loads the only one it could find.

Error: There are no config files in that directory
	This is a possible error message when you try to load a Kiss
	archive. It means that there is no file inside that it can get data
	from as to which palette and graphics to use. It is possible that the
	directory isn't a Kiss archive.

Loading a new config file
	After using one config file, you may want to choose a different one
	from the same Kiss data. To redisplay the menu, click adjust (the
	right mouse button) on the AKiss icon, and the menu will be
	redisplayed. It is also available from the main menu.


Choices within AKiss
--------------------

	The above window can be opened by clicking select (the left mouse
	button) on the AKiss icon. It is used to control some of the ways in
	which the program behaves.

Help
	The help icon when clicked will load in a copy of !Help from inside
	the application. It will be loaded into your standard text editor
	(ie. Edit, DeskEdit, Zap, etc).

Banner
	Incase you missed it during loading, Banner will redisplay the
	loading banner if clicked. To make it go away again, just click the
	mouse anywhere inside the window. If you want to change the current
	user part, then it can be located inside '!AKiss.!Banner.Owner'


Default, Load, Save & OK
	These icons will change the settings of the inner window.
	Default restores them to the original values, incase you get lost
	inside the multitude of possible paths (it is possible- Rory's done
	it!) and puts them to vaguely sensible settings.
	
	Load will reload the settings you currently have stored on disc,
	should you make a mistake while altering them, and want to start
	again.
	
	Save stores your settings for next time, and
	OK closes the window and runs with these settings.

Advanced
	When enabled, this will allow the use of extra commands when
	manipulating Kiss files, such as on and off screen redraw, and the
	fix level. See the 'Using Kiss' section for more information.

Silent
	When this option is not set, a progress report will be made during
	the loading of Kiss data, listing the used cels (graphics) and
	defined sets.

Save directory
	Dragging a directory to the down arrow, or typing in a path name
	will specify where you want any files you save when using Kiss.

Modes
	You can specify the modes to use when Kiss is displaying the text
	messages and the actual file. The text mode should be a 2 colour
	(black and white) mode, while the graphics mode is a 16 colour mode
	with a resolution of about 640 by 512 pixels (modes 20 and 27 are
	recommended).

Memory
	There are several methods of defining how much memory Kiss should
	use when it loads a data file.
	
	The first is to simply enter an amount of Kbytes into the box, and
	this amount will be used. The example files use up about 490K, but
	these are very small in comparison to some files.
	Other methods are:

	1) Use auto-sizing code
	When selected, Kiss will make an estimate as to the size of the
	data, and automatically claim that much memory. As this is usually an
	inaccurate process, there are three options for use with this,
	progressively safer (the program is less likely to claim too little
	memory)  but needing more memory.
	The options are labelled 'Estimate Low/Medium/High'

	2) Use maximum memory
	This is the easiest option to use, and is set by default. When Kiss
	wants to load a file, it finds out how much free memory there is in
	the system and uses it all, except for a bit it leaves for screen
	memory and decompression (if required).

Auto-start Kiss when only one /cnf file
	When an archive or directory is dragged to the AKiss icon, if there
	is more than one config file, then a menu is displayed. If there is
	only one such file and if this option is set, Kiss will choose that
	file and start automatically. Otherwise, the menu will be displayed.

Interpret data files ending in '/cel', etc
	You may have noticed that PC files, from both archives and DOS
	discs, just show as 'data' files, be they text, graphics or whatever.
	RISC OS 3 and MultiFS get round this using a * command called DOSMap,
	which will attach a RISC OS filetype to the DOS extension ('.cel',
	'.txt', etc.)
	
	SparkFS does not do this (at least, not that I'm aware of- I don't
	own a copy). If you normally clicked on a data file, then RISC OS
	would not know what to do with it, but if this option is set, then
	AKiss will look at the file name, and if it ends in '/cel', '/kcf' or
	'/cnf' then it will ask if it is a Kiss file, then load it.

Without confirmation
	For advanced users, this option will remove the confirmation from
	the above process. Any data file ending in the correct extension will
	be accepted by AKiss.

  The RISC OS file types used by AKiss are:

		Filetype	DOS	RISC OS
		&40		.cel	KissCel
		&41		.kcf	KissPal
		&42		.cnf	KissConfig

Cel to Sprite Translation options
	AKiss also includes the ability to create your own Kiss data.
	
	Converting Cels to Sprites and back again is covered  in the section
	'cel<>sprite translations'.

Auto-load Cel>Spr transfers into !Paint
	When converting Cels to Sprites, this option will not open a
	standard save dialogue box when set. Instead, it will load the file
	(as if 2x clicked) into !Paint, or whatever other art package you
	use.
	
	It gives the feel of making the graphics file seem 'transparent',
	and is very useful if you are going to edit it immediately.

Search for Palette file if none loaded
	The need for Palette files is documented in the section entitled
	'cel<>sprite translations'
	
	When set, if there is no palette loaded and a cel>sprite
	translation is tried, then AKiss will try to find a relevant palette
	(.kcf) file that relates to it. This is only possible if the cel has
	not been moved away from the rest of the Kiss data, as only the local
	directory structure is searched, not the entire disc.

Without error message
	The previous option first notifies you that there is no palette
	loaded before searching for one. When set, this option stops that
	notification.

Choose first one found, no confirmation
	This also relates to the option to search for a palette file.
	
	Without this set, AKiss will ask you which palette file you wish to
	use from the ones it has found. When set, this will stop the messages
	from appearing and use the first palette file that is found.


Cel<>Sprite translations
------------------------

	An extra part of AKiss is the ability to translate Cel files into
	Sprites and back again. This can be used both to edit existing data
	on the Acorn platform, and to create your own Kiss data.
	
	(If you do create your own Kiss files, we would be interested in
	seeing the results)

Cel>Sprite
	The files ending in '.cel' are all 16 colour graphics files that
	contain no palette information (the colour that the number in the
	file should be displayed as) so a palette file (.kcf) must be
	selected before hand.
	
	To do this, either 2xClick the palette file, or drag it to the
	AKiss icon. The picture should change to show that it currently holds
	a palette. Now either 2xClick a cel file, or drag one to the iconbar,
	and it will either be loaded into !Paint, or a save dialogue box will
	appear.

Clearing the current palette
	To change palettes, merely 2xClick the new one, or click on the
	Clear icon by following the 'Palette' entry on the main menu.
	The sprite will change back again to normal to indicate that no
	palette is loaded.

Find a palette automatically
	Detailed in the options section, this allows the conversion of cels
	without specifying a palette file, and AKiss guessing as to it's
	whereabouts. This is documented more fully in the section entitled
	'Choices within AKiss'. Sprite>Cel translations
	This is a little more complicated, as sprites may carry their own
	palette information.
	
	AKiss can only translate sprites that have the palette option set.
	When a sprite is dragged to the iconbar, a save dialogue box is
	displayed, allowing you to choose where the file is saved. This is
	slightly misleading as TWO files are actually saved. One is the cel
	file, with the name you specified, and the second is the palette
	file, which is separated from the sprite, and saved in the same
	directory as you put the cel in, under the filename 'Palette'.


Using Kiss
----------

	This is a section telling you how to use the 'back end' of the
	program: the bit when a Kiss file has been loaded.

	The program is designed to be mostly run by the numeric keypad, 0-9
	selecting the set to be displayed, and operators selecting some of
	the more common commands. Otherwise "?" provides help, "\" gives
	access to the command line, and "Q" exits the program. At the moment
	the cursor control and function keys are not used.

	The help screen, accessed by pressing "?", will, after clicking the
	mouse over a movable object, look something like this:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

			    Help Screen V1.96

Commands:
#:        Save set as file Set<n>, e.g. Set0, Set1, Set9
\:        Command line input, until blank line
* S s:    Save config as file <Fname>.CNF, default KISS, e.g. KISS.CNF
C c:      Save Current Mark (if any) as file <Fname>.SPR, default CEL
L l:      List cels: A(ll) S(et) C(urrent) O(bject) F(ix)
? H h:    Display this help screen
Q E X:    Quit, Exit, eXit KISS program; all the same effect (also qex)

Advanced Commands:
+:        Off-screen re-paint of sets ON
-:        Off-screen re-paint of sets OFF
.:        Cel step re-paint ON (also Off-screen re-paint OFF)
,:        Cel step re-paint OFF
/ F f:    Fix level set to <n>, 0-32767, default is 0
W w:      White background ON, until click or new set

Status:
Config=   moe.cnf
Palette=  MOECOL.kcf
Set=      0
Fix Level=0
Cel:      XY=509,254 Fix=0 REI.CEL
Cels=     106
Max Mark= 55
Fix Levels 0 500 80 120

			Press any key to continue

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The "#" command does a screen dump of the current view on the
	screen.

	The "*" command saves the current set positions as a new config
	file, possibly over-writing the old one. If this is to be saved on
	ADFS then a directory "CNF/" must exist in the current or specified
	directory to save the config in.

	The "C" command saves the currently selected object as one or more
	sprites in a sprite file. If this is to be saved on ADFS then a
	directory "SPR/" must exist in the current or specified directory to
	save the object in.

	The "L" command lists the details of cels, modified by various
	suffixes: "LA" list all cels, "LS" and "LC" lists the current set's
	cels, and "LF" (only available in advanced mode) lists cels with the
	current fix level. The current set, mark, and (in advanced mode) fix
	level is also listed, and "LF" also lists the fix levels. The default
	for the "L" command is "LA", so for example "L " will list all cels.

	The "W" command temporarily sets the background colour to white,
	this makes converting screen dumps into grey-scale artwork with a
	white background suitable for use in magazines far easier (use
	!Translatr with "Process/Colour/Black & White" and
	"Process/Colour/Expand range" for good results).

	The "." command single-steps the drawing of the set, so as to see
	how it is constructed. To go on to the next step press " ", if "," or
	"-" is pressed single-stepping stops, if "#" is pressed then a screen
	dump is done.

	Note this program does not support the alternative background
	colours of normal KISS, and the mouse interacts with cels in some
	interesting ways, allowing click-drag to "fish" for movable objects,
	and allowing the selection of movable objects hidden behind immovable
	ones. Also as long as some part of an object is movable then it may
	be used as a "handle" to move an otherwise immovable object. The
	other major difference from standard KISS is that repeatedly clicking
	objects does not make them more movable, the only way to do this is
	to alter the program-wide fix level (using the "/" command), only
	possible in advanced mode.


Kiss collections
----------------

A guide to finding Kiss archives
	Apart from creating your own, there are very few ways of getting
	new Kiss data. Some of the available data has been ported from the
	Paper Doll application, but I don't know the whereabouts of
	translation programs, and where to find the data to transform.

Places that you can search for data are:

Internet:	ftp ftp.netcom.com\pub\mu\mughi\Kiss\data
		ftp ftp.tcp.com\pub\anime-manga\??
Modem:		Anim BBSs, some in the UK, lots in Japan.


Contacting us
-------------

We can be reached at the following email addresses:

James Beech
		saint@nutters.dircon.co.uk
		nutters@digibank.demon.co.uk

	or write to:
		J.A.Beech
		47 Brockswood Lane
		Welwyn Garden City
		Herts
		AL8 7BE

Rory McLean
	hurom@hpb.lut.ac.uk
