@The Backbuffer
$The Backbuffer

In KevEdit, the backbuffer is a valuable
tool for storing tiles, as well as
customized gradients.

!quick;Quick Keys
!resize;Resizing the Backbuffer
!lock;Backbuffer Locking
!acquire;Acquire Mode
!draw;Draw Mode
!gradient;Gradient Draw Mode

:quick;Quick Keys

To quickly access a position in the
pattern selector, the numbers 0-9 can be
used. Pressing 0 will select the Empty
pattern, which you will probably need
frequently. Pressing one of 1-9 will
select a slot in the backbuffer.

:resize;Resizing the Backbuffer

The backbuffer may  be  resized  using
the '<' and '>' keys. Some gradients may
not fit in the default ten-tile
backbuffer, so this will prove useful.
Only ten tiles will be visible at once,
but the backbuffer will scroll
automatically.

The Gradient Tool, Gradient Draw Mode, and
Random Fill all use the ENTIRE backbuffer,
so feel free to resize the backbuffer as
necessary using '<' and '>'.

:lock;Backbuffer Locking

By default, using ENTER to modify a tile,
plotting an uncommon tile from the F1 - F3
menus, or pressing INSERT will copy a tile
into the backbuffer. Backbuffer locking
prevents the backbuffer from being
modified, except that when INSERT is
pressed, the tile under the cursor will be
inserted into the currently selected
backbuffer slot, if the pattern selector
is over the backbuffer. This mimics ZZTAE
behavior.

To toggle backbuffer locking, press '/'.

:acquire;Acquire Mode

Acquire mode lifts tiles into the
backbuffer as the cursor is moved. By
using acquire mode, one can load a large
gradient or line of objects into the
backbuffer with relatively few keystrokes.
Press 'a' to toggle acquire mode. The 'a'
next to the backbuffer will indicate
whether acquire mode is on or off.

By default, the backbuffer will be resized
so that no non-empty tiles are lost. To
force the backbuffer to stay the same
size, use SHIFT+'A'.

Holding down ALT while moving the cursor
will acquire several tiles at once.

:draw;Draw Mode

This drawing tool should be familiar from
the original ZZT editor. Simply press TAB
and the currently selected pattern will be
plotted everywhere the cursor goes. Press
TAB again to exit Draw Mode.

:gradient;Gradient Draw Mode

Gradient Draw Mode works much in the same
way as Draw Mode, except that KevEdit
cycles through the backbuffer with each
cursor movement. This can be used to
easily plot gradients or other patterns.

Use SHIFT-TAB to activate gradient mode
and TAB to turn it off. When gradient mode
is on, KevEdit will cycle through the
backbuffer backward so that tiles are laid
down in the same order they enter the
buffer. To cycle forward, press SHIFT-TAB
a second time.

Holding down ALT while moving will
continuously paint the gradient for ten
spaces at a time horizontally and five
tiles at a time vertically.

If the one of the standard patterns is
selected, a fade from foreground color to
background color will be used instead of
the backbuffer.