GRASP GL library format

The GL library format is a self-contained animation library used by the GRASP GRaphical System for Presentation to store scripts, pictures, and all the commands needed for a GRASP animation.

GRASP was the first multimedia animation program for the IBM PC "Family ofComputers". John Bridges is the principal author and copyright holder of GRASP, which wasreleased in 1985 and originally distributed as ShareWare directly by Microtex Industries.

History of the GRASP GL library format

PCPaint was the first PaintBrush program (as we know it) written for the IBM PC.

The principal author of PCPAINT is John Bridges, who later wrote two other improved versions of PCPAINT (Pictor Paint and GLPaint) and who also wrote and still writes "high end" presentation software starting with GRASP and GLPro and today AfterGRASP.

GRASP uses the GL Library Format to store its presentations.

John Bridges began developing the .GL file format when he worked for an educational software company called CCM in 1982.

When he was writing the library and support tools for CCM's educational software, he created a library format called ".PL" and a library maintenancetool called "PIB". PIB was only for picture file libraries (PLs).

Later, to handle data files, he created library format called ".DL" and a second library tool called "DIB".

CCM's Educational software back then usually shipped as an EXE with a PL and a DL.

By late 1982, in the days before compressed files "caught on" as a means ofpackaging a group of files, John had created a more general solution which would store any kind of file in a library called a ".ZL" file and a thirdlibrary tool called "ZIB" to manage these,

John and friends used ZIB for file storage in those pre-internet days tooffer groups of files stored in ZLs for download from a modem dial-upBulletin Board System (BBS) until the early archivers like ARC (and later ZIP, ARJ, LZH, PAK, etc.) caught on with built-in file compression, andstoring of file date/time.

When writing GRASP, John renamed ZIB to "GLIB", and the ".ZL" file format was renamed to ".GL", with no code changes.

That original format for ZL (GL) files remained unchanged until after 1994,when John changed publishers, and in 1995 began the development of GLPRO, acomplete re-write built on the ashes of GRASP, and 100% upwardly compatible with GRASP.

Shortly thereafter he revised the format to handle long filenames, and then to allow additions to a GL file without rewriting the entire file.

Note: the .OVR files that come with PCPAINT, PICTOR, and GLPAINT are actually GL files named OVR.

References

*Encyclopedia of Graphics File Formats, 2nd Editionby Murray, James D. , Van Ryper, WilliamISBN 1-56592-161-5http://www.fileformat.info/resource/book/1565921615/index.htm

*Pictor PC Paint File Format Summaryhttp://www.fileformat.info/format/pictor/

*GRASP File Format Summaryhttp://www.fileformat.info/format/grasp/

*GLPROhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLPro

PCPAINT/Pictor Page Format DescriptionFormat by John Bridges.Document by Microtex Industries, Inc.Revision Date: 2/9/88http://netghost.narod.ru/gff/vendspec/pictor/pictor.txt

The Graphics File Formats Page GL - Another animation formatDr. Martin ReddyTechnical Lead, R & D, Pixar Animation Studioshttp://www.martinreddy.net/gfx/2d/GL.txt

The formats of GRASP animation filesBy George Phillips http://www.programmersheaven.com/download/2157/Zipfilelist.aspx

The History of GLPROby Jason Gibbs (G-media/IMS)GLPro Mailing List Archive http://www.concept-usa.us/glpro/glprolist/glprolist.asp?as_q=History+of+GLPRO&R2=V2&R1=V2&num=20&btnSub=Submit+Query

originally at http://www.gmedia.com/glpro/press/history.html

Pmace is still aroundhttp://www.mail-archive.com/search?l=[e-mail]&q=pmace