Tileset Cannibal, v0.2.0
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This is a VERY bare-bones application for ripping and assembling bitmaps for use as a Runesword tileset.  The assembler allows you to browse your hard drive(s) for files that match Runesword tile size specifications, preview a tile, and add it to a working tileset.  When you have added all the tiles you like, you save the tileset image and your ready to go. Basically, this automates the process of copy-and-pasting individual tiles onto a "template" by hand.  I trust the computer to be more accurate than me.  There are also a few basic effects that can be applied to a tile before adding it to the set - Mirror image, Flip and Negative.  Also, I have included a basic "tile ripper" program.  This can be accessed from the assembler, and will allow you to locate existing tileset in order to separate them into individual tiles.  There is now (as of v0.2.0) also a handly little tileset viewer to allow a quick view of existing sets.  This might help you be sure you're not assembling a duplicate of something you've already got, or to track down a tile image without having to slog through all umpteen-bigillion you've just ripped.

Please send all bugs and suggestions to wilbur_whatley@hotmail.com.  There will be a lot of them. Please be nice.

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Note: Some of the the info in the walkthroughs below may be a bit misleading due to the new tabbed interface.  I've tried to update things here as time allows, but I'm doing this in my spare time at work, so I can only do so much.  Any help in writing some real documentation for the Cannibal would be really appreciated.
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SETUP: Run the setup.exe program in the downloaded .zip file.  This will install the tileset Cannibal on your computer.  After that, you can access it from the Start\Programs menu.  This readme file is also available from the Help\Notes menu item within the Tileset Cannibal program directly, so install, startup and enjoy tinkering with it - you can always read the instructions later!

****On some systems you will have to run the setup program twice in order to first update your 
system files and then install.

The Tileset Cannibal
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	Welcome to the Tileset Cannibal, a small Runesword utility with a big attitude!  The Tileset Cannibal now sports a nifty tabbed interface to make your life easier.  Click on the Tileset Assembler, Tileset Ripper, or Tileset Viewer tabs to switch between the different functions.  (Yes, I too just realized how redundant those names are.)  Although each function exists separately from the others, they all peacefully co-exist within the one window.  That means that you can add a few tiles to a  tileset-in-progress in the Assembler, switch to the Viewer to be sure that you're not duplicating your work, switch back to the Ripper to create a few more tiles to use in your new masterpiece, then go back and finish your new tileset.  Pretty friendly for a Cannibal!  Also, users (or is it victims?) of previous versions of this program will notice that there is a new button above the directory tree.  The Reset Directory Tree button will close all branches of the tree back to just the root drives available.  This comes in handy when, every so often, the Cannibal decides that it doesn't want to show you what's in that directory you were just working in before you switched functions.  I still haven't figured out why it does this - just tempramental I guess.  The Reset Button will allow you to browse back to where you were without harming any of the work you'd done so far.

TILESET ASSEMBLER WALKTHROUGH:
	The first thing you need to assemble a tileset is individual, regulation Runesword (96x72 pixel) size 256-color bitmap "tiles".   If you do not have already separated tiles, you can switch to Tileset Ripper to use the Cannibal's internal tile ripper.  If you use another method, just be sure that your tiles are saved in the correct format (see above and note below).  Do this with each tileset that contains tiles you'd like to use.
	Now we're ready to mix and match tiles from different sets.  When you open the Tileset Cannibal, you will see a splash screen and then the main tile assembler window - everything is pretty bleak looking. I told you this was a bare-bones app!  The box in the upper left is a Windows Explorer-like drive/directory browser to help you find your individual tile files.  Click on the + next to a folder to open that drive/directory.  When you have browsed to a directory that contains bitmap files of the right dimensions to be a Runesword tile, click on that folder's icon and the tiles' file names are listed in the box directly below (bottom left).  The program filters for Runesword tile specifications, so you can be sure to work with only usable individual tiles.  Click on a filename to see it in the tile preview window.  At this point you can use the Tile Effects menu options to Flip, create a Mirror Image of, or create a Negative of the previewed tile.  These effects are applied only to the "preview" tile and have no effect on the original tile you clicked on.  If you want to add the tile to your tileset - as previewed - just click the Add to Tileset button.  The tile is added in the next available "slot" in the tileset.  When you add the first tile, the program changes the background of the working tileset image to that of the upper right pixel of the tile.  This is to establish a "transparent" background color for Runesword to use.  Use the scrollbars to look around your set - you can see a 3-tile x 3-tile section.  I've intentionally left the tiles displayed at their original size so that you can get a better idea how well they fit in the set.  When you have added all you want to your working tileset, click the Save Tileset button (or click the File\Save Tileset menu item) to save it.  A dialog appears, asking you to browse to and set a path/filename for the tileset.  The program will appear to hang/freeze for a moment.  Don't worry; it's just working its little guts out.  When done, a message will appear to let you know it's saved.  Now you can open it in the Runesword Creator like one you assembled by hand (but in a fraction of the time!).  Have fun.

*****NOTE: There is a known issue with assembling tilesets with tiles which were created independantly of each other.  Some tiles will not look the same in your completed set as they do in the tileset-in-progress you see on the screen.  The difference is that graphics of 8-bit depth (which is required for Runesword) each store their own limited set of colors. This color set (or "palette") is created when you first saved the graphic.  While I am working on a fix for this problem, the best workaround for now is to be sure to copy your individual tiles after creating them and paste them into a tile that came with your original Runesword download.  This will force the graphics program you're using to change the new tile's palette to match the old tile's, and they'll work and play well together in the future.  Just keep this extra little bit of tile-making detail in mind when you make that really cool wall tile and everyone will be able to use and share it with ease.  It's all in the name of the Runesword creator community afterall.

TILE RIPPER WALKTHROUGH:
	The tile ripper is a program that will separate individual tiles from within an existing Runesword tileset.  This program behaves very much like the tileset assembler so that it will hopefully be easier to use.
	To begin, open the Tileset Cannibal and marvel at the magnificent splash screen.  The tileset assembler window is the default, so go to the menu and click on File\Switch to Tileset Ripper to open the tileset ripper window.  You'll be greeted with a familiar layout: the drive\directory tree navigator area and the file list area, a sample image area, and 2 big buttons.  Use the drive/directory navigator to find the directory containing the tileset you want to rip.  Clicking on the folder for that directory will populate the file list with all files comprised of Runesword tiles, i.e. all tilesets.  (Note that this also includes individual tiles as the program is looking for files built of ANY multiple of tiles wide/high.)    Clicking on a file's name will bring up a preview sample in the main area of the screen.  This is only a sample, mind you, showing no more that the preview area's size.  This is just so you see what you are about to rip to shreds.  When you've found the tileset that you want to rip, click the "Rip that Sucker to Pieces!" button (or click the "Rip that Sucker!" menu item).  A message will appear telling you to select where to save the tiles and enter a base name for them.  A standard Windows "save as." dialog then appears and you enter the name you want in the directory you want.  The name you enter here is used as a "base" that is incremented by the program as it saves successive tiles.  For example, entering "myTile.bmp" will yield tiles with the names "myTile1.bmp", "myTile2.bmp", "myTile3.bmp" and so on.  This may make it easier for you to keep track of where tiles came from.  As the tiles are ripped and saved, you can see them flash by in the upper left corner of the preview area.  Also, a progress bar will appear to let you know that things are moving long.  The program will tell you when it's done.  Note that it suggests you look for empty tiles to delete.  As of this version, the Cannibal doesn't inspect the contents of the tiles it rips in order to save time.  This can be fixed, though, if popular opinion goes that way.  Click the Done button to return to the tileset assembler screen, or choose File\Switch to Assembler.  Choose File\Exit to end the program.


Technical notes:
Programmed using MS Visual Basic 6.0, Learning edition on Win2k and Win98.


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Updates:
v0.2.0
-MAJOR improvement on the user interface.
-Hopefully it's a bit more user friendly.
-A bit more error handling, especially in dealing with files.
-Gave the public access to the "Reset the Directory Tree" button.  I've had it and for some reason I just didn't want to share.  I'll be nice.

v0.1.10
-Corrected tileset assembly algorithm
-added status screen while saving tileset

V0.1.9
-Added integrated tile ripper
-Completely re-done internal graphics handling code means that we are guaranteed to save with the 
correct dimensions at the correct color depth.
-Easter Egg added.?
-Effects added to apply to previewed tile.
Known issues:
-Tiles to which the Negative tile effect as been applied will not appear in the saved tileset as they do 
in the set you assemble on the screen.  The colors of "tile negatives" are changed from what you 
saw on-screen, though in my opinion the effect is even cooler!
-Lack of error-handling code at this point means that the program will crash if you do anything 
unexpected - like trying to access removable-disk drives.  Hey, it's freeware.  Gimme a break!
-The scroll bars on the tile assembler screen behave a little funny, IMO.  They work, just more 
literally than you may be expecting as they scroll tile by tile even though the view may not move 
when scrolling at the beginning or end of a column\row.  Annoying, but minor.  
-When canceling saving a tileset from the "save as." dialog, you get a poorly worded message.  
Okay, you get the same message as if you had saved it.  It doesn't though.  I need to add better 
handling of that.  Remember, this was free!

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More will come as time allows.  But I gotta work on my Tome too...

03/19/01
Count02
Wilbur_whatley@hotmail.com

Cthulhu F'taghn!
