Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1995-07.adf » !Life_MacroLife » !MacroLife/Docs/FileFormat
!MacroLife/Docs/FileFormat
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Acorn User » AU 1995-07.adf » !Life_MacroLife |
| Filename: | !MacroLife/Docs/FileFormat |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0D59 bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
MacroLife uses two file formats, one for saving Life planes and one for
saving areas of the plane as "Lifeforms".
It can also export Life patterns as text files, which can be imported
into Life programs for other machines, such as 'xlife', which runs on
Un*x workstations, and Life and WinLife for PCs.
LifeForm (Filetype &B7C)
-------------------------
Size Description
---- -----------
8 "LifeForm"
2 Version number * 100
1 Reserved (currently always 0)
1 Compression method (0 = no compression, 1 = Squash compression)
If compression is used, the following data will be compressed
using the specified method. It will be preceded by a single word
containing the original uncompressed size of the data.
* 1/4 Title string size - currently 0 or 32 (decimal)
0/? title string, null terminated and padded with zeros
4 Width of saved area (number of cells)
4 Height of saved area (number of cells)
? a series of 32-bit words, each bit representing a cell, beginning
at the bottom left and working along each row.
Size in bytes is thus (width * height)/8, rounded up to a whole
number of words.
Life (Filetype &B7B)
--------------------
Size Description
---- -----------
8 "Life "
2 Version number * 100
1 Reserved (currently always 0)
1 Compression method (0 = no compression, 1 = Squash compression)
If compression is used, the following data will be compressed
using the specified method. It will be preceded by a single word
containing the original uncompressed size of the data.
* 1/4 Settings size - currently 0 or 96 (decimal)
0/? Current settings data
* 1/4 Plane data flag - 0 or 1
0/4 Current plane generation (if flag = 1)
0/? Current plane data (multiple of 36 bytes)
* 1/4 Start position data flag - 0 or 1
0/? Start position data (multiple of 36 bytes)
Fields marked with a * are 4 bytes when stored compressed, else 1 byte.
Plane and Start data is stored as a four-layer tree structure, with a
branching factor at each level of 256. Tree traversal is depth-first.
i.e. given that the four layers are Global, Regional, Local and Cells
a typical organisation might be GRLCCLCRLCCC, encoding the tree:
G
|
R---------R
| |
L-----L L
| | |
C---C C C--C--C
Each node consists of a 36 byte structure. The first four bytes contain
a count of occupied branches, followed by a branch map organised as
16 rows of 16 bits, beginning with the bottom row. The count word of the
first node - the Global node, contains the population, not the number
of occupied branches.
Text (Filetype &FFF)
--------------------
Life textfiles are stored as a series of "pattern blocks", each of which
has a pair of co-ordinates which define where the top left of the pattern
will appear on the Life plane. For example, a glider centred on 0,0 would
appear as:
#P -1 -1
.*
..*
***
MacroLife can read in these textfiles if they are dragged to the icon bar.
It will also recognise the 'co-ordinate' format produced by early
versions of xlife. The glider shown above would appear as follows:
-1 1
0 1
1 1
1 0
0 -1
00000000 0a 4d 61 63 72 6f 4c 69 66 65 20 75 73 65 73 20 |.MacroLife uses | 00000010 74 77 6f 20 66 69 6c 65 20 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 73 |two file formats| 00000020 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20 66 6f 72 20 73 61 76 69 6e 67 |, one for saving| 00000030 20 4c 69 66 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 73 20 61 6e 64 | Life planes and| 00000040 20 6f 6e 65 20 66 6f 72 0a 73 61 76 69 6e 67 20 | one for.saving | 00000050 61 72 65 61 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 |areas of the pla| 00000060 6e 65 20 61 73 20 22 4c 69 66 65 66 6f 72 6d 73 |ne as "Lifeforms| 00000070 22 2e 0a 0a 49 74 20 63 61 6e 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 |"...It can also | 00000080 65 78 70 6f 72 74 20 4c 69 66 65 20 70 61 74 74 |export Life patt| 00000090 65 72 6e 73 20 61 73 20 74 65 78 74 20 66 69 6c |erns as text fil| 000000a0 65 73 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 |es, which can be| 000000b0 20 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 65 64 0a 69 6e 74 6f 20 4c | imported.into L| 000000c0 69 66 65 20 70 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 73 20 66 6f 72 |ife programs for| 000000d0 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6d 61 63 68 69 6e 65 73 2c | other machines,| 000000e0 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 27 78 6c 69 66 65 27 | such as 'xlife'| 000000f0 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 72 75 6e 73 20 6f 6e 0a |, which runs on.| 00000100 55 6e 2a 78 20 77 6f 72 6b 73 74 61 74 69 6f 6e |Un*x workstation| 00000110 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 4c 69 66 65 20 61 6e 64 20 |s, and Life and | 00000120 57 69 6e 4c 69 66 65 20 66 6f 72 20 50 43 73 2e |WinLife for PCs.| 00000130 0a 0a 0a 4c 69 66 65 46 6f 72 6d 20 20 28 46 69 |...LifeForm (Fi| 00000140 6c 65 74 79 70 65 20 26 42 37 43 29 0a 2d 2d 2d |letype &B7C).---| 00000150 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d |----------------| 00000160 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 20 20 20 53 69 7a 65 20 20 |------. Size | 00000170 44 65 73 63 72 69 70 74 69 6f 6e 0a 20 20 20 2d |Description. -| 00000180 2d 2d 2d 20 20 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d |--- -----------| 00000190 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 38 20 20 22 4c 69 66 65 46 |. 8 "LifeF| 000001a0 6f 72 6d 22 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 32 20 20 56 65 |orm". 2 Ve| 000001b0 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 2a 20 31 |rsion number * 1| 000001c0 30 30 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20 20 52 65 73 65 |00. 1 Rese| 000001d0 72 76 65 64 20 28 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 6c 79 20 |rved (currently | 000001e0 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 30 29 20 20 20 0a 20 20 20 |always 0) . | 000001f0 20 20 20 31 20 20 43 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f | 1 Compressio| 00000200 6e 20 6d 65 74 68 6f 64 20 28 30 20 3d 20 6e 6f |n method (0 = no| 00000210 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 2c 20 31 20 | compression, 1 | 00000220 3d 20 53 71 75 61 73 68 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 |= Squash compres| 00000230 73 69 6f 6e 29 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 49 |sion). I| 00000240 66 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 |f compression is| 00000250 20 75 73 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f | used, the follo| 00000260 77 69 6e 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 |wing data will b| 00000270 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 0a 20 20 20 |e compressed. | 00000280 20 20 20 20 20 20 75 73 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 | using the | 00000290 73 70 65 63 69 66 69 65 64 20 6d 65 74 68 6f 64 |specified method| 000002a0 2e 20 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 70 72 65 |. It will be pre| 000002b0 63 65 64 65 64 20 62 79 20 61 20 73 69 6e 67 6c |ceded by a singl| 000002c0 65 20 77 6f 72 64 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |e word. | 000002d0 63 6f 6e 74 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 6f |containing the o| 000002e0 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 75 6e 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 |riginal uncompre| 000002f0 73 73 65 64 20 73 69 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |ssed size of the| 00000300 20 64 61 74 61 2e 0a 20 20 2a 20 31 2f 34 20 20 | data.. * 1/4 | 00000310 54 69 74 6c 65 20 73 74 72 69 6e 67 20 73 69 7a |Title string siz| 00000320 65 20 2d 20 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 6c 79 20 30 20 |e - currently 0 | 00000330 6f 72 20 33 32 20 28 64 65 63 69 6d 61 6c 29 0a |or 32 (decimal).| 00000340 20 20 20 20 30 2f 3f 20 20 74 69 74 6c 65 20 73 | 0/? title s| 00000350 74 72 69 6e 67 2c 20 6e 75 6c 6c 20 74 65 72 6d |tring, null term| 00000360 69 6e 61 74 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 70 61 64 64 65 |inated and padde| 00000370 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 7a 65 72 6f 73 0a 20 20 20 |d with zeros. | 00000380 20 20 20 34 20 20 57 69 64 74 68 20 6f 66 20 73 | 4 Width of s| 00000390 61 76 65 64 20 61 72 65 61 20 28 6e 75 6d 62 65 |aved area (numbe| 000003a0 72 20 6f 66 20 63 65 6c 6c 73 29 0a 20 20 20 20 |r of cells). | 000003b0 20 20 34 20 20 48 65 69 67 68 74 20 6f 66 20 73 | 4 Height of s| 000003c0 61 76 65 64 20 61 72 65 61 20 28 6e 75 6d 62 65 |aved area (numbe| 000003d0 72 20 6f 66 20 63 65 6c 6c 73 29 0a 20 20 20 20 |r of cells). | 000003e0 20 20 3f 20 20 61 20 73 65 72 69 65 73 20 6f 66 | ? a series of| 000003f0 20 33 32 2d 62 69 74 20 77 6f 72 64 73 2c 20 65 | 32-bit words, e| 00000400 61 63 68 20 62 69 74 20 72 65 70 72 65 73 65 6e |ach bit represen| 00000410 74 69 6e 67 20 61 20 63 65 6c 6c 2c 20 62 65 67 |ting a cell, beg| 00000420 69 6e 6e 69 6e 67 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |inning. | 00000430 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 74 74 6f 6d 20 6c 65 |at the bottom le| 00000440 66 74 20 61 6e 64 20 77 6f 72 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 |ft and working a| 00000450 6c 6f 6e 67 20 65 61 63 68 20 72 6f 77 2e 20 0a |long each row. .| 00000460 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 53 69 7a 65 20 69 6e | Size in| 00000470 20 62 79 74 65 73 20 69 73 20 74 68 75 73 20 28 | bytes is thus (| 00000480 77 69 64 74 68 20 2a 20 68 65 69 67 68 74 29 2f |width * height)/| 00000490 38 2c 20 72 6f 75 6e 64 65 64 20 75 70 20 74 6f |8, rounded up to| 000004a0 20 61 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | a whole. | 000004b0 20 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 6f 66 20 77 6f 72 64 | number of word| 000004c0 73 2e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 0a 4c 69 66 |s.. .Lif| 000004d0 65 20 28 46 69 6c 65 74 79 70 65 20 26 42 37 42 |e (Filetype &B7B| 000004e0 29 20 20 20 20 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d |) .----------| 000004f0 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 20 20 20 53 69 |----------. Si| 00000500 7a 65 20 20 44 65 73 63 72 69 70 74 69 6f 6e 0a |ze Description.| 00000510 20 20 20 2d 2d 2d 2d 20 20 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d | ---- -------| 00000520 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 38 20 20 22 4c |----. 8 "L| 00000530 69 66 65 20 20 20 20 22 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 32 |ife ". 2| 00000540 20 20 56 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 | Version number| 00000550 20 2a 20 31 30 30 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20 20 | * 100. 1 | 00000560 52 65 73 65 72 76 65 64 20 28 63 75 72 72 65 6e |Reserved (curren| 00000570 74 6c 79 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 30 29 20 20 20 |tly always 0) | 00000580 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20 20 43 6f 6d 70 72 65 |. 1 Compre| 00000590 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 6d 65 74 68 6f 64 20 28 30 20 |ssion method (0 | 000005a0 3d 20 6e 6f 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f 6e |= no compression| 000005b0 2c 20 31 20 3d 20 53 71 75 61 73 68 20 63 6f 6d |, 1 = Squash com| 000005c0 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f 6e 29 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |pression). | 000005d0 20 20 20 49 66 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 69 6f | If compressio| 000005e0 6e 20 69 73 20 75 73 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 20 66 |n is used, the f| 000005f0 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 64 61 74 61 20 77 69 |ollowing data wi| 00000600 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 |ll be compressed| 00000610 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 75 73 69 6e 67 20 |. using | 00000620 74 68 65 20 73 70 65 63 69 66 69 65 64 20 6d 65 |the specified me| 00000630 74 68 6f 64 2e 20 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 |thod. It will be| 00000640 20 70 72 65 63 65 64 65 64 20 62 79 20 61 20 73 | preceded by a s| 00000650 69 6e 67 6c 65 20 77 6f 72 64 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |ingle word. | 00000660 20 20 20 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 69 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 | containing t| 00000670 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 75 6e 63 6f |he original unco| 00000680 6d 70 72 65 73 73 65 64 20 73 69 7a 65 20 6f 66 |mpressed size of| 00000690 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 74 61 2e 0a 20 20 2a 20 31 | the data.. * 1| 000006a0 2f 34 20 20 53 65 74 74 69 6e 67 73 20 73 69 7a |/4 Settings siz| 000006b0 65 20 2d 20 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 6c 79 20 30 20 |e - currently 0 | 000006c0 6f 72 20 39 36 20 28 64 65 63 69 6d 61 6c 29 0a |or 96 (decimal).| 000006d0 20 20 20 20 30 2f 3f 20 20 43 75 72 72 65 6e 74 | 0/? Current| 000006e0 20 73 65 74 74 69 6e 67 73 20 64 61 74 61 0a 20 | settings data. | 000006f0 20 2a 20 31 2f 34 20 20 50 6c 61 6e 65 20 64 61 | * 1/4 Plane da| 00000700 74 61 20 66 6c 61 67 20 2d 20 30 20 6f 72 20 31 |ta flag - 0 or 1| 00000710 0a 20 20 20 20 30 2f 34 20 20 43 75 72 72 65 6e |. 0/4 Curren| 00000720 74 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 74 69 |t plane generati| 00000730 6f 6e 20 28 69 66 20 66 6c 61 67 20 3d 20 31 29 |on (if flag = 1)| 00000740 0a 20 20 20 20 30 2f 3f 20 20 43 75 72 72 65 6e |. 0/? Curren| 00000750 74 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 20 64 61 74 61 20 28 6d 75 |t plane data (mu| 00000760 6c 74 69 70 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 33 36 20 62 79 74 |ltiple of 36 byt| 00000770 65 73 29 0a 20 20 2a 20 31 2f 34 20 20 53 74 61 |es). * 1/4 Sta| 00000780 72 74 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 64 61 74 61 |rt position data| 00000790 20 66 6c 61 67 20 2d 20 30 20 6f 72 20 31 20 0a | flag - 0 or 1 .| 000007a0 20 20 20 20 30 2f 3f 20 20 53 74 61 72 74 20 70 | 0/? Start p| 000007b0 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 64 61 74 61 20 28 6d 75 |osition data (mu| 000007c0 6c 74 69 70 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 33 36 20 62 79 74 |ltiple of 36 byt| 000007d0 65 73 29 0a 20 20 20 20 0a 46 69 65 6c 64 73 20 |es). .Fields | 000007e0 6d 61 72 6b 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 2a 20 |marked with a * | 000007f0 61 72 65 20 34 20 62 79 74 65 73 20 77 68 65 6e |are 4 bytes when| 00000800 20 73 74 6f 72 65 64 20 63 6f 6d 70 72 65 73 73 | stored compress| 00000810 65 64 2c 20 65 6c 73 65 20 31 20 62 79 74 65 2e |ed, else 1 byte.| 00000820 0a 20 20 20 20 0a 50 6c 61 6e 65 20 61 6e 64 20 |. .Plane and | 00000830 53 74 61 72 74 20 64 61 74 61 20 69 73 20 73 74 |Start data is st| 00000840 6f 72 65 64 20 61 73 20 61 20 66 6f 75 72 2d 6c |ored as a four-l| 00000850 61 79 65 72 20 74 72 65 65 20 73 74 72 75 63 74 |ayer tree struct| 00000860 75 72 65 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 0a 62 72 61 6e |ure, with a.bran| 00000870 63 68 69 6e 67 20 66 61 63 74 6f 72 20 61 74 20 |ching factor at | 00000880 65 61 63 68 20 6c 65 76 65 6c 20 6f 66 20 32 35 |each level of 25| 00000890 36 2e 20 54 72 65 65 20 74 72 61 76 65 72 73 61 |6. Tree traversa| 000008a0 6c 20 69 73 20 64 65 70 74 68 2d 66 69 72 73 74 |l is depth-first| 000008b0 2e 0a 69 2e 65 2e 20 67 69 76 65 6e 20 74 68 61 |..i.e. given tha| 000008c0 74 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 75 72 20 6c 61 79 65 72 |t the four layer| 000008d0 73 20 61 72 65 20 47 6c 6f 62 61 6c 2c 20 52 65 |s are Global, Re| 000008e0 67 69 6f 6e 61 6c 2c 20 4c 6f 63 61 6c 20 61 6e |gional, Local an| 000008f0 64 20 43 65 6c 6c 73 0a 20 61 20 74 79 70 69 63 |d Cells. a typic| 00000900 61 6c 20 6f 72 67 61 6e 69 73 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 |al organisation | 00000910 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 47 52 4c 43 43 4c 43 |might be GRLCCLC| 00000920 52 4c 43 43 43 2c 20 65 6e 63 6f 64 69 6e 67 20 |RLCCC, encoding | 00000930 74 68 65 20 74 72 65 65 3a 0a 20 0a 20 20 20 20 |the tree:. . | 00000940 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | 00000950 20 20 20 47 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | G. | 00000960 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 7c 0a 20 20 | |. | 00000970 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | 00000980 52 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 52 0a 20 20 20 20 |R---------R. | 00000990 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 7c 20 | | | 000009a0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 7c 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |. | 000009b0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 4c 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 4c | L-----L| 000009c0 20 20 20 20 20 20 4c 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | L. | 000009d0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 7c 20 20 20 20 20 7c 20 20 | | | | 000009e0 20 20 20 20 7c 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |. | 000009f0 20 20 20 43 2d 2d 2d 43 20 20 20 43 20 20 20 43 | C---C C C| 00000a00 2d 2d 43 2d 2d 43 0a 20 20 0a 45 61 63 68 20 6e |--C--C. .Each n| 00000a10 6f 64 65 20 63 6f 6e 73 69 73 74 73 20 6f 66 20 |ode consists of | 00000a20 61 20 33 36 20 62 79 74 65 20 73 74 72 75 63 74 |a 36 byte struct| 00000a30 75 72 65 2e 20 54 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 66 |ure. The first f| 00000a40 6f 75 72 20 62 79 74 65 73 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 69 |our bytes contai| 00000a50 6e 0a 61 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 6f 63 63 |n.a count of occ| 00000a60 75 70 69 65 64 20 62 72 61 6e 63 68 65 73 2c 20 |upied branches, | 00000a70 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 65 64 20 62 79 20 61 20 62 72 |followed by a br| 00000a80 61 6e 63 68 20 6d 61 70 20 6f 72 67 61 6e 69 73 |anch map organis| 00000a90 65 64 20 61 73 0a 31 36 20 72 6f 77 73 20 6f 66 |ed as.16 rows of| 00000aa0 20 31 36 20 62 69 74 73 2c 20 62 65 67 69 6e 6e | 16 bits, beginn| 00000ab0 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 74 |ing with the bot| 00000ac0 74 6f 6d 20 72 6f 77 2e 20 54 68 65 20 63 6f 75 |tom row. The cou| 00000ad0 6e 74 20 77 6f 72 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 66 |nt word of the.f| 00000ae0 69 72 73 74 20 6e 6f 64 65 20 2d 20 74 68 65 20 |irst node - the | 00000af0 47 6c 6f 62 61 6c 20 6e 6f 64 65 2c 20 63 6f 6e |Global node, con| 00000b00 74 61 69 6e 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 |tains the popula| 00000b10 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 68 65 20 6e 75 |tion, not the nu| 00000b20 6d 62 65 72 0a 6f 66 20 6f 63 63 75 70 69 65 64 |mber.of occupied| 00000b30 20 62 72 61 6e 63 68 65 73 2e 0a 0a 54 65 78 74 | branches...Text| 00000b40 20 28 46 69 6c 65 74 79 70 65 20 26 46 46 46 29 | (Filetype &FFF)| 00000b50 20 20 20 20 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d | .-----------| 00000b60 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 0a 4c 69 66 65 20 74 |---------.Life t| 00000b70 65 78 74 66 69 6c 65 73 20 61 72 65 20 73 74 6f |extfiles are sto| 00000b80 72 65 64 20 61 73 20 61 20 73 65 72 69 65 73 20 |red as a series | 00000b90 6f 66 20 22 70 61 74 74 65 72 6e 20 62 6c 6f 63 |of "pattern bloc| 00000ba0 6b 73 22 2c 20 65 61 63 68 20 6f 66 20 77 68 69 |ks", each of whi| 00000bb0 63 68 0a 68 61 73 20 61 20 70 61 69 72 20 6f 66 |ch.has a pair of| 00000bc0 20 63 6f 2d 6f 72 64 69 6e 61 74 65 73 20 77 68 | co-ordinates wh| 00000bd0 69 63 68 20 64 65 66 69 6e 65 20 77 68 65 72 65 |ich define where| 00000be0 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 70 20 6c 65 66 74 20 6f 66 | the top left of| 00000bf0 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 74 74 65 72 6e 0a 77 69 6c | the pattern.wil| 00000c00 6c 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 |l appear on the | 00000c10 4c 69 66 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 2e 20 46 6f 72 20 |Life plane. For | 00000c20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 2c 20 61 20 67 6c 69 64 65 |example, a glide| 00000c30 72 20 63 65 6e 74 72 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 30 2c 30 |r centred on 0,0| 00000c40 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 0a 61 70 70 65 61 72 20 61 73 | would.appear as| 00000c50 3a 0a 0a 23 50 20 2d 31 20 2d 31 0a 2e 2a 0a 2e |:..#P -1 -1..*..| 00000c60 2e 2a 0a 2a 2a 2a 0a 0a 4d 61 63 72 6f 4c 69 66 |.*.***..MacroLif| 00000c70 65 20 63 61 6e 20 72 65 61 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68 |e can read in th| 00000c80 65 73 65 20 74 65 78 74 66 69 6c 65 73 20 69 66 |ese textfiles if| 00000c90 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 72 65 20 64 72 61 67 67 65 | they are dragge| 00000ca0 64 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 62 61 |d to the icon ba| 00000cb0 72 2e 0a 49 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 |r..It will also | 00000cc0 72 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 27 63 |recognise the 'c| 00000cd0 6f 2d 6f 72 64 69 6e 61 74 65 27 20 66 6f 72 6d |o-ordinate' form| 00000ce0 61 74 20 70 72 6f 64 75 63 65 64 20 62 79 20 65 |at produced by e| 00000cf0 61 72 6c 79 0a 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 73 20 6f 66 |arly.versions of| 00000d00 20 78 6c 69 66 65 2e 20 54 68 65 20 67 6c 69 64 | xlife. The glid| 00000d10 65 72 20 73 68 6f 77 6e 20 61 62 6f 76 65 20 77 |er shown above w| 00000d20 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 70 70 65 61 72 20 61 73 20 66 |ould appear as f| 00000d30 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 73 3a 0a 0a 2d 31 20 20 31 0a 20 |ollows:..-1 1. | 00000d40 30 20 20 31 0a 20 31 20 20 31 0a 20 31 20 20 30 |0 1. 1 1. 1 0| 00000d50 0a 20 30 20 2d 31 0a 0a 0a |. 0 -1...| 00000d59
.