RIC elements

How is the internal structure of a RIC file? The normal graphic files contain a header which includes information about the size of the internal bitmap and some information about the used colours. At the end there is a binary field which contain the pixels of the image. RIC files are a little bit different! Of course there is also an area where you can store the bitmap of a monochrome image – but there are also some other elements inside which can be used for displaying something on the NXT screen:

Element

 Symbol

Function
Information This element contains information about the size of the image inside the RIC file for the NXT-G system
Point Draw a single point on the NXT screen
Line Draw a line on the NXT screen
Rectangle Draw a rectangular frame on the NXT screen
Circle Draw a circle on the NXT screen
NumBox Display a given number on the NXT screen
Sprite Define a monochrome bitmap which includes an image
CopyBits Copy a rectangular part from a sprite bitmap to the NXT screen
VarMap Define a function for transfer a given value by using linear interpolation

 

Every RIC file contains by one or more of those RIC elements and will be interpreted sequential when you call the RIC file on your NXT. The RIC files which comes with the NXT system - or were created with the old version of nxtRICedit - contains only these three elements:

 

Element

 Symbol

Function
Information

The total size of stored bitmap (X * Y points) is defined in the RIC element Information. NXT-G needs this information for its internal preview of the development tool NXT-G
Sprite

The sprite contains only one picture of the size of X * Y points
CopyBit

The setting for the CopyBits element is aligned to the size of the defined sprite and will be placed on the relative position [0/0]

 

You don't need additional parameters for displaying normal RIC files. With the following usage with NXC you can display the RIC file on the NXT screen:

 

 

task main()
{
   GraphicOut( 0,0, "TEST.RIC" );


   while( 1 )

      ;
}

  

 

But this simple call of a RIC file is able to display more than only one picture on the NXT when you design your RIC files with other RIC elements! 

The big advantage of RIC files will be visible when you use the extended function GraphicOutEx( ). Therefore you can add an array which contains values for dynamic displaying of the RIC file:

 

task main()
{

   int parameter[ 3 ];

 

   parameter[ 0 ]= 10;

   parameter[ 1 ]= 2;

   parameter[ 2 ]= 40;


   GraphicOutEx( 0,0, "TEST.RIC" ,parameter );


   while( 1 )

      ;
}

  

This method will open the new world of RIC functions which were hidden until now!

The default firmware which is part of the NXT system supports up to 16 parameters (array index 0 to 15). The corrected and advanced version of the firmware by John Hansen enables up to 256 parameters (array index 0 to 255) which can be used for calling GraphicOutEx( ).

Someone of you will ask why we need so many parameters? You need more knowledge about the RIC elements for answering this question! Normally you can define most of the attributes of the RIC elements on three different methods:

  Parameter type Display Function
 

Constant

The value of the constant will be defined during the design phase of the RIC element and can’t be changed afterwards on usage of the RIC file. The value range is from 0 to 4195 ( 0x0000 0x0FFF)
 

Parameter

Here you can define to an index to the parameter array which will be used for later usage in the program. So you can forward an dynamic parameter to the RIC file during runtime.

The value for the index is dependent of the version of the firmware which will be used inside the NXT:

Firmware

Dezimal

Hex

Standard

0 - 15

0x0000 - 0x000F

Extended

by John Hansen

0 - 255

0x0000 - 0x00FF

You can change the total count of parameters by using the menu entries File » Settings » Parameters or by pressing the buttons and in the Parameter area.
 

VarMap

By using VarMaps you can translate the value of a defined parameter to a new value which will be used during the runtime. The left value define the VarMap, which must be defined earlier in the RIC element list, and the right parameter is the index of the parameter which includes the value which should be transferred to a new value.

Example:

The setting for the attribute of the RIC element used the VarMap with the ID 1 and the 4th parameter. For every call of the RIC file the NXT take the value of the 4th parameter (parameter[3]) and transferred it by using the VarMap with ID 1. The new value will be used for attribute “Pos X” and define the horizontal position of the RIC element.

 

You have the same limitation for the VarMap like it was the case for the Parameter: You only can use parameters which will be supported by the firmware inside the NXT.

 

Creation of a new RIC file

You can use any of the nine RIC elements for creating a RIC file. All those RIC elements will be arranged in a row like pearls on a string – but the string is only vertically and begins on the top and new elements will be added at the bottom end (see red marked area):

 

It's quit simply to add a new RIC element - you only have to press one of the following buttons at the left bottom side of the window.

 

 

Add the RIC element Information at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element Point at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element Line at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element Rectangle at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element Circle at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element NumBox at the end of the list
  Add the RIC element Sprite at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element CopyBits at the end of the list

 

Add the RIC element VarMap at the end of the list

 

Naturally you can change the order of the RIC elements inside the RIC file afterwards:

 

·         Rearrange the RIC element by moving with the mouse

·         Delete the selected RIC element by pressing the DEL key

·         Use one of the following buttons for manipulation of the list of RIC elements

 

 

Delete the selected RIC element from the list

 

Create a copy of the selected RIC element and place it on next position

 

Change the position of the selected RIC element with the predecessor

 

Change the position of the selected RIC element with the successor