Define Drawing Information Block - DEPRECATED


Purpose

The Define Drawing Information Block opcode doesn’t perform any operation. It acts as a container for other drawing information opcodes. If used, this should be the first opcode in the file, following the WHIP! data header. Syntax
 
Opcode format Opcode Operand Format Comments
Extended ASCII (DrawingInfo <ws><TInfo>) Container for a list of other Drawing Information opcodes.
Info   Possible nested list of Drawing Information opcodes Details There are a set of drawing information opcodes that a WHIP! data reading application may want to inspect before actually rendering the WHIP! data. For example, a user might want to WHIP! data those data streams created by a specific author. Because almost all opcodes are optional in WHIP! data, the reader can’t assume that the Define Drawing Author opcode will be found and, consequently, the reader is forced to read and parse WHIP! data in its entirety.

The Define Drawing Information Block opcode solves this problem by allowing all drawing information opcodes to be contained at the very beginning of the data. If, after reading the information block, the desired opcode is not found (the "drawing author" in this example), the WHIP! data reader can safely assume that no occurrences can be found anywhere else in the data.

Notes If the Drawing Information Block opcode is used, by convention it should be the first opcode in the file (following the WHIP! data header), and all other "Define Drawing xxx" opcodes should be contained therein.