BMPTOICO - version 3.00 March 1998 - MyCat Software Very versatile utility to convert BMPs into ICOs (with transparency) and vice-versa. Multi-icon resource icons, 256 color and 24-bit images fully supported. PLUS: picture Viewer, Touch Up Icon Editor with Add Text function, Crop icon-size pictures from big BMPs or Screen Capture, and more! 16-bit application, but uses Long Filenames on 32-bit systems. Needs VBRUN300.DLL to run. To Install: ---------- Run the INSTALL.EXE program included in the Zip; it will copy all the files to a directory of your choice, and create an Icon in the Program Manager (Win 3.1) or a Shortcut in your Start Menu (Win 95). You can also do the copying manually. In addition, BMPTOICO creates two new files when you first run it: BMPTOICO.INI in your Windows directory $$$PAL.DIB in BMPTOICO's directory; created if you run the application while your system is set to 256-color Video Mode (it saves the icons' palette to disk and retrieves it) Two files can be moved to your Windows\System directory later if you think they can be used by other programs (for example, MyCat Software's ICOEDIT, ver 2.0, will use them both): CALL32.DLL: needed to get access to Long Filenames (you don't need it if your are running Win 3.x) BMPLIST2.VBX: needed to run BMPTOICO (it adds nice little graphics to the Directory list; Win 3.x systems don't see them, but BMPTOICO will not run without this VBX file) If you don't have VBRUN300.DLL yet, it is available on the majority of BBSs and commercial online services, as well as on the Internet (start at www.microsoft.com). On CompuServe, look for VBRUN3.ZIP in Library 1 of the WinShare Forum, or go PCFF and search for file VBRUN3.ZIP. It should go in your Windows\System directory. To Uninstall: ------------ Delete all the files in your BMPTOICO directory. Delete BMPTOICO.INI in your Windows directory. What's new in version 3.0: ------------------------- . Long filenames supported for Win 95 or Win NT users . 256-color and 24-bit Icons and Bitmaps . Multi-icon .ICO resource files . Conversion Wizards . Sizes: Icons can be anything between 8 x 8 and 72 x 72; Bitmaps can be any size . Edit both Icons and Bitmaps, any colors (you need to be in High or True Colors to edit images with 256 or more colors) . Grab the Screen now also works on High and True Colors systems . but... EXE/DLL/NIL/ICL files cannot be used anymore (see the FAQ) Registration: ------------ BMPTOICO will run for 30 days. After that, you need to Register. Registration is only $20 US (or $20 Cdn if you live in Canada and pay by snail-mail). On CompuServe, GO SWREG, and follow the menus; the registration number is #16971. By snail-mail: American or Canadian users can send a cheque (made to the order of "Lucie Dorais", not MyCat Software, please). If you live outside Canada or the US, and if the charges for a bank draft or money order are out of this world, you can send the equivalent in your country's money (bank notes only); although it might not be safe, I have had no problem so far. Please send all mail to: Lucie Dorais 603 - 222 Guigues Ottawa, Ont. K1N 5J2 Canada CompuServe: 76440,623 e-mail: l.dorais@genie.com 76440.623@compuserve.com What you will get: a nice thank you letter, a free conscience, free upgrades, my eternal gratitude. And that nagging screen will disappear forever! License: ------- BMPTOICO is a Shareware program and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. You may evaluate it for 30 days; after that trial period, BMPTOICO will stop running (but will still allow you to enter the registration number if you got one). Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. And please don't give them your registration number! The essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and wish to continue to use it after the 30-day trial period, you should look deep into your pocketbook and make an effort to register it (see above). This will entitle you to the right of running one copy of the program on one computer at a time. Other MyCat Software products: ----------------------------- All programs are available on CompuServe, some on GEnie, and other Shareware sources. All require VBRUN300.DLL and have a low cost if they are marked as "freeware" below. Also available on the Web: http://www.cyberus.ca/~ldorais/mycat.htm ICOS256: A trimmed-down version of BMPTOICO ver. 3.0, which only opens Icons (no conversion, editor, etc). Freeware. Search ICOS256.ZIP ICOEDIT: The full version of BMPTOICO's Icon Touch Up Editor. Full Icon Editor, but it also edits any Bitmap which measures between 16x16 and 32x32, even rectangular ones. Make Buttons automatically (Bitmaps only). Search ICOEDIT.ZIP Coming Summer 1998: version 2.0, with all improvements added to version 3.0 of BMPTOICO, and more. CHAINLINK: A brand new card Solitaire game for the PC, was a smash hit with TI-99/4A Home Computer users for many years. Move all cards to the Top by building Chains of cards of the same Suit. Use the mouse or the keyboard. Big card design option, Collection of winnable games! Win 3.1, Win 95 compliant. Minimum requirements (386, VGA) Search CHAINLNK.ZIP HTML COLORS: Designed to help Web authors quickly select background, text and link colors, or edit the HR line. Includes 600 predifined colors to chose from, and you can add more! Background patterns can also be loaded. Test your choices immediately in a Web look-alike page, then copy the tags to the Clipboard (or keep them in a tag list for future use). Search HTMCOLOR.ZIP PALEDIT: A PaintBrush palette editor, with many additional features. Load and Save palettes. Use Hue, Saturation Luminosity as well as RBG. See the detail of a dithered color. View the colors in 16 or 256 color mode. Mix two colors to create a new one. Insert a Clip from a drawing program picture to try to match a color. Edit Color or Black and White palettes. Build palettes from PAL files other than PaintBrush. Search PALEDIT.ZIP XMAS GIFTS: Very colourful, non-violent Christmas game for children. Find gifts hidden in a Christmas tree. Two levels: easy (like naval battle) for preschoolers, harder (like Minesweeper) for older children. Let the computer hide the gifts, or ask your best friend. Requires SVGA. Search XMASGIFT.ZIP