TGA2GEOS 1.0
                             ------------

     TGA2GEOS is a public domain program that was designed to work in
conjunction with PICLAB (and possibly GRAPHIC WORKSHOP) to provide a
quick and simple way to convert images from Targa to Commodore geoPaint
format.

     If you have a 640x720 grayscale Targa-24 image that has its origin
in the top left corner, it is a simple matter to convert the image to
geoPaint format.  Typing "TGA2GEOS <filename>" (where <filename> is the
name of the image to be converted) will output a file ending in ".SEQ".
This file is the geoPaint file, stored in standard Commodore SEQ format.
(If you do not specify an extension for <filename>, TGA2GEOS will assume
that the filename ends in ".TGA"). Once the file has been transferred to
a Commodore machine, the Commodore user must use Berkeley Softworks'
CONVERT program to convert this file into a usable geoPaint file.  (This
is standard practice for all geoPaint files, since it is impossible to
transfer a true geoPaint file due to its non-standard storage format).

     Please note that when the geoPaint file is CONVERTed, it will have
the *exact* same name as the name you typed following TGA2GEOS (not
including the extension).  For example, let's say you converted a file
by typing "TGA2GEOS PiCtUrE.TGA".  Furthermore, let's say you renamed
the resultant file, "PICTURE.SEQ", to something else (maybe
"NAMELESS.SEQ").  Ultimately, when the file is transferred to a
Commodore machine, and the user runs CONVERT on "NAMELESS.SEQ", it will
end up being named "PiCtUrE".  You must be very careful of this.

     TGA2GEOS is extremely fussy when it comes to the format of the
source Targa file.  In converting images to geoPaint format, using
TGA2GEOS is the easy part.  The hard part is to create a Targa file that
TGA2GEOS can work with.  I use PICLAB to create Targa files.  PICLAB is
an excellent freeware graphics utility that is available on CompuServe
in the PICS forum.  If you don't have it I strongly suggest that you get
it.

     Once I have created a 640x720 grayscale image with piclab, I use a
shareware program called GRAPHIC WORKSHOP (also available in the PICS
forum on CompuServe) to dither the image.  While you can do this with
PICLAB, GRAPHIC WORKSHOP does a much better job.  Finally, I use PICLAB
to save the image in the correct Targa format.  To do this, load the
image and issue the "GRAY" command followed by "TSAVE <filename>".

     Creating a Targa file for use with TGA2GEOS can be a tricky
process.  If you are having problems, don't hesitate to ask me for help.
I can be reached on QuantumLink under the name GodEmperor, or on
CompuServe at the address 72060,152.

               Paul Galbraith
               Oakville, Ontario


P.S. One final note.  If you find yourself using GRAPHIC WORKSHOP,
please register it!!!  GRAPHIC WORKSHOP is an execellent program that is
well worth the low shareware price.  It represents hundreds (if not
thousands) of hours of hard and dedicated work.  If you don't support
this program, who will?  Don't just assume that the next guy will
register his copy.  You are the next guy.