This directory contains the source code used to make animated GIFs from phase
space points. There are also two command files for changing postscript files to
gif formats.  One command file is for UNIX, the other for windows95/NT.  If you
are on an NT or Win95 machine, I recommend downloading the shareware program
'GIF CONSTRUCTION SET', (GIFCON) described at the end of this file.

FILES in this directory:
	moviemaker.c    - a source code for converting phase space points
			to Postscript files.
	UNIXpstogif.com - a command file for changing ps files to gifs.
			It requies ghostscript and ppmtogif from the NETPBM 
			conversion set.
	pstopcx.bat	- a command file for NT/95 machines to generate pcx 
			bitmaps from ps files.  This requires ghostscript.

To make animated gifs, I either (a. move the gif files from a UNIXX box to a
windows box, and use GIFCON to generate the linked images.) or (b. If I am
already on a 95/NT box, use GIFCON to generate linked gifs from the pcx files)

The steps to making a movie are:

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

1. Generate phase space points of particles at specific times.  This
information should be contained in one file in the form:

	Energy_per_Nucleon
	#particles_in_first_frame     time_of_first_frame
	x_1  y_  z_1  ident_particle_1
	.    .     .    .
	.
	.
	x_n  y_n  z_n ident_particle_n
	#particles_in_second_frame    time_of_second_frame
	x_1  y_  z_1  ident_particle_1
	.    .     .    .
	.
	.
	x_n  y_n  z_n ident_particle_n
		.
		.
		.
	#particles_in_last_frame      time_of_last_frame
	x_1  y_  z_1  ident_particle_1
	.    .     .    .
	.
	.
	x_n  y_n  z_n ident_particle_n


The energy_per_nucleon,x,y,z,and time are real, and the #particles, and
ident_particle entries should be in integer format.  The ident_particle entries
should be '1' for red, '2' for green and '3' for blue.  One can edit the code
to add colors.  These should be written in unformatted style into a file
'xyz.dat'.

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

2.  Compile and run 'moviemaker.c'.  This is written in plain C.  By reading
the first few lines, you can see how to adjust the text and size of the
figures.  To run the code, type

	moviemaker #_of_frames;

You do not need to process all the frames described in xyz.dat.  For each
frame, a postscript file will be generated.  They will be labeled xyz.001.ps,
xyz.002.ps,.....

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

3a.) If you are on a UNIX system you can convert the PS files to GIF files
using the command file 'unixpstogif.com'.  This requires ghostscript and
ppmtogif executables.  The ppmtogif is available under the NETPBM directory in
www.gatekeeper.com.  This code should generate files labeled xyz.001.gif,
xyz.002.gif...

One can then view the movie with the xv previewer with the "-wait" option, or
to make an animated GIF, move the files to a windows machine and use the
shareware program GIFCON32.  The animation wizard will let you select all the
'xyz.###.gif' files and link them into a new file, which you can save under any
name you want, e.g. 'movie.gif'.  You can then take this file 'movie.gif' and
put it in your web page.

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

3b.) If you are on a Windows95 or NT machine, and you have ghostscript and
GIFCON32.exe, you run the command file 'gstopcx.bat' to generate pcx files
labeled xyz.001.pcx, xyz.002.pcx ...  Be sure the Ghostscript environmental
variables are set correctly, e.g.
	
	GS_LIB=c:\gstools\gs4.01;c:\gstools\gs4.01\fonts
	GS_LIB_DEFAULT=c:\gstools\gs4.01;c:\gstools\gs4.01\fonts
	GS_FONTPATH=c:\gstools\gs4.01\fonts

One can now use the GIFCON32 program, by pulling up the animation wizard,
selecting the files you wish to link together, following the prompts, then
saving the linked files as any name you wish, e.g. 'movie.gif'.  This file can
then be treated as a regular gif file, and put in a web page.

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

The shareware program GIFCON can be obtained from ALCHEMY MINDWORKS for $25.  I
have had good luck with it.  The address is http://www.mindworkshop.com

Animated GIFs can be viewed with Netscape 2.0 or higher, or with MS Explorer
3.0.

Good luck, Scott Pratt
           pratt@nscl.msu.edu