- GRaphics Animation System for Professionals
Infobox Software
name = GRASP
caption = GRaphic Animation System for Professionals
developer = John Bridges
latest release version =
latest release date =
operating system =DOS
genre =Graphics software
license =
website =GRASP - GRaphical System for Presentation
GRASP was the first multimedia animation program for the
IBM PC "Family ofComputers". It was also at one time the most widely used animation format [ [http://www.fileformat.info/format/grasp/egff.htm GRASP: Summary from the Encyclopedia of Graphics File Formats ] ] .Originally conceived under the name FlashGun, the first public version of GRASP was the GRAphical System for Presentation. It later became the GRaphic Animation System forProfessionals.
GRASP - GRaphic Animation System for Professionals
GRASP 1.0
John Bridges was the primary developer of GRASP for
Microtex Industries with Doug Wolfgram. Subsequent versions followed. Version 1.10c wasreleased in September 1986 [http://mediasrv.ns.ac.yu/extra/fileformat/animation/gl/grasp.txt] .Starting with John's source code for
PCPaint , the painting aspects were chopped out andinstead a simple font editor for Doug's slideshow programFlashGun was created. The graphics library was used to make a simple script playback that had a command for each graphics library function. It also originally used theassembly language fades from FlashGun fora "FADE" command, but those image fade routines were mode specific (CGA) and difficult to enhance. The routines were rewritten along with the script parts. It stored all the files in a ZIB archive, renaming John Bridges' program ZIBto GLIB and the archives it produced were GL files (GRASP GL library format ).GRASP 2.0
In 1987, GRASP 2.0, was released and no longer distributed as ShareWare. Itbecame a commercial product published in the USA by Paul Mace Software, withJohn Bridges taking over the product.
GRASP 3.0 and 3.5
In 1988, GRASP 3.0 was released, followed in October 1988 by GRASP 3.5,bundled with
Pictor Paint , an improvedPCPaint minus publishing features. GRASP 3.5 " [supported] a wide range of video formats, including CGA, EGA, Hercules, VGA and all popular enhanced VGA modes up to 800 x 600 pixels and 1,024 x 768 pixels resolution. The software [displayed] and [edited] images in several standard formats, including PC Paintbrush (PCX) and GIF." [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NEW/is_1990_Oct_31/ai_9601535]Award-winning animator
Tom Guthery claims that by using GRASP in 1990 his early animated computer programs " [gave] smooth movement and detailed animation to a degree that many programmers had thought impossible at the time". [ [http://www.edu-soft.org/featured/tom.php Educational Software Cooperative (ESC) - Featured Members ] ]GRASP 4.0
In February 1991 GRASP 4.0 was released, with the ability to create"self-executing" demos (bind to make EXE added), AutoDesk FLI/FLC support,PC Speaker Digitized Sound, and a robust programming environment. It also included
ARTOOLS , a collection of image manipulation tools which included anearly morphing utility which tracked all points in source anddestination images, creating all the in-between frames. Later that year HRFE (High Res Flic Enhancement) was offered as an add-on for GRASP, " [enabling] GRASP to recognize, import, manipulate and compile animations created in Autodesk's Animator Pro environment." [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NEW/is_1991_Nov_13/ai_11479624]In a published paper critiquing GRASP 4.0, the authors Stuart White and John Lenarcic said that "The GRASP language offers creative freedom in the development of interactive multimedia presentations, especially to seasoned programmers with an artistic inclination." [ [http://www.ascilite.org.au/aset-archives/confs/iims/1994/qz/white.html IIMS 1994: White and Lenarcic - EONQUEST: An interactive multimedia learning environment for elementary mathematical problem solving ] ]
A stripped-down version of GRASP 4.0 was also included with copies of Philip Shaddock's "Multimedia Creations: Hands-On Workshop for Exploring Animation and Sound" [Shaddock, Philip. "Multimedia Creations: Hands-On Workshop for Exploring Animation and Sound." Waite Group Press, Corte Madera California, 1992. ISBN 1878739263. Google Book Search: [http://books.google.com/books?id=316LAAAACAAJ&dq=Multimedia+Creations] ] .
Multi-Media GRASP 1.0
In June 1993, Multi-Media GRASP 1.0 was released with TrueColor support.
Authorship and Ownership
Early in 1990 Doug Wolfgram sold his remaining rights to GRASP (and PCPaint)to John Bridges.
In 1994, GRASP development stopped when John Bridges terminated his publishing contract with Paul Mace Software. In 1995, John created
GLPro forJason Gibbs atIMS Communications Ltd , the newest incarnation of John's ideasbehind GRASP updated for Windows. In 2002, John Bridges createdAfterGRASP , a successor to GRASP and GLPro.Although some web pages list Paul Mace Software as "buying"GRASP or "owning" GRASP, that is not correct.
ee also
*
GLPro *
Mouse Systems External links
* [http://mediasrv.ns.ac.yu/extra/fileformat/animation/gl/grasp.txt GRASP - GRaphical System for Presentation v1.10 Manual, released May 1986]
* [http://www.ascilite.org.au/aset-archives/confs/iims/1994/qz/white.html EONQUEST: An interactive multimedia learning environment for elementary mathematical problem solving by Stuart White and John Lenarcic]
* [http://wwwiz.com/issue01/wiz_c01.html "Doug and Melody Wolfgram", by Cynthia Gregory Wilson]
* [http://www.mail-archive.com/search?l=aftergrasp@googlegroups.com&q=pmace Pmace]
References
External links
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20010625001824/http://www.gmedia.com/glpro/press/history.html GLPro History]
* [http://www.concept-usa.us/glpro/glprolist/glprolist.asp?as_q=History+of+GLPRO GLPro Mailing List Archive]
* [http://www.fileformat.info/format/grasp/ GRASP File Format Summary]
* [http://www.fileformat.info/resource/book/1565921615/index.htm Encyclopedia of Graphics File Formats, 2nd Edition by Murray, James D. , Van Ryper, William ISBN: 1-56592-161-5]
* [http://www.programmersheaven.com/download/2157/Zipfilelist.aspx The formats of GRASP animation files By George Phillips]
* [http://www.martinreddy.net/gfx/2d/GL.txt The Graphics File Formats Page GL - Another animation format Dr. Martin Reddy Technical Lead, R & D, Pixar Animation Studios]
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