ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 1989
 
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ TIPS V1.2 
     ^^^^^ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC DOMAIN GRAPHICS  
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^review by Charles Good 
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Lima Ohio User Group 
      
     There are lots of programs out there in TI land
designed to manipulate graphics (TI-Artist, Page Pro, CSGD,
Graphic Labeler, etc) and they are almost all commercial or
fairware.  They cost money.  Not TIPS.  TIPS is not
freeware, it is FREE, author Ron Walcott's public domain
gift to the TI community.  Ron has converted over 2000
public domain clip-art style graphic pictures from IBM
land into a form usable by the TI, and he has written a PD
program to manipulate these graphics.  That program is
TIPS, which is currently in version 1.2.  Don't use v1.1
because it is buggy. 
      
     TIPS is written in extended basic with some assembly
language routines.  There are no fancy screen graphics, and
TIPS is slow.  In fact, TIPS has the "look and feel" of an
all text TI-Basic program with text scrolling up slowly from
the bottom of the screen.  Its capabilities are, however,
significant.  You can't draw with TIPS, but you can use TIPS
to print the newly available IBM land graphics in a variety
of ways. 
      
     For starters TIPS allows you to create full page
posters that incorporate TIPS pictures and text in any of
three character sizes.  The Lima UG meeting announcement
that accompanies this article is a sample of such a poster.
The top line of this poster using 1/2 inch high lettering
called a HEADER by TIPS.  You input up to 15 characters for
a HEADER and TIPS prints the text automatically centered.
The next size text, 1/4 inch tall, is called MSG (message)
by TIPS. Each MSG line can have up to 30 characters and is
automatically centered.  The smallest text in the poster is
called LINE by TIPS and represents the enlarged character
set of the printer.  You get about 40 characters per line,
and this LINE text is not automatically centered. 
      
     TIPS prints each line of text or each graphic one at a
time from top to bottom and then stops and asks you what to
print next.  This allows you, if you want, to insert colored
ribbons in your printer and print a multi colored poster, a
different color for each line of text and each graphic.  You
don't need a Rainbow printer to do this.  Ribbons in a
variety of colors are available for most printers from 
     PRINTER RIBBON SUPPLY (Norcross GA) 800-438-7745, and 
     RAMCO COMPUTER (Manteno IL) 800-522-5444 
      
     The very same software that prints posters also makes
greeting cards.  A sample accompanies this article.  The
larger MSG size 1/4 inch text is automatically centered.
You can include on the inside of the card a 14 line 35
char/line VERSE.  This VERSEcan be entered from within TIPS
and optionally saved to a DV80 file for later use, or can be
imported from an already created DV80 file.  TIPS prints
upside down as necessary so you can fold the single sheet of
paper into a nice greeting card with one graphic on the
outside and a separate graphic on the inside. 
      
     Yes, there is more.  The same software also prints
mirror image text and graphics that you can use for iron on
transfers to T-shirts or sweat shirts.  A sample is shown
here.  Hold it up to a mirror to read its text.  TexComp
(818-366-6631) sells special printer ribbons for this
purpose.  Using the special ribbon you print onto ordianry
fan fold computer paper and then transfer the image from
paper to fabric with a hot iron.  Prices range from $20-$25
per ribbon depending upon type of printer. 
      
     And more and more, all from the same program.  You can
incorporate TIPS graphics into really neat mailing labels.
A sample is shown.  The entire library of over 2000 pictures
can be converted within TIPS to instance (_I) files of two
different sizes for use by other TI graphics software.  You
can print text as a banner.  Pictures can be printed with
normal orientation, as shown in the samples that accompany
this article, or sideways for incorporation into a banner.
TIPS graphics come packaged in large files, most containing
over 100 separate graphics.  You can from within TIPS print
the names of all the pictures in a graphic file to a printer
and can preview each individual graphic on the monitor
screen. 
      
     Utility programs that improve the usefulness of TIPS
are appearing, some by Ron Wolcott and some by others.
TIPSSHOW, by Ron, allows your printer to print small samples
of each TIPS graphic, 40 graphics on each 8.5 x 11 inch
page.  With this utility you can create a reference notebook
showing all the TIPS graphics.   Another utility allows you
to display an entire file of TIPS graphics on the monitor in
slide show format.  My young children find this one very
entertaining.  An improved (faster) instance conversion
program is available, as is a program to convert TIPS
graphics to PagePro format.  Everything is public domain
except the PagePro conversion utility. 
      
     Just think of the possibilities!^^Multicolored posters
banners greeting cards and mailing labels, as well as heat
transfers and thousands of new graphics to play with are all
FREE.  TIPS and associated utility programs and graphic
files can be down loaded from TI sections of all the
national information services.  Paid members of the Lima UG
can obtain the complete package on 24 SSSD disks by sending
disks and a paid return mailer to the user group address. 
     .PL 1