Archive Magazine 1995/ARCHIVE95.iso/text/hints/volume_07/issue_11

Text File | 1995-02-16 | 9KB | 181 lines

Hints and Tips
7.11
Å  Dongled software on the PC cardáÖáWhen running dongle-protected PC
software on the Aleph One PC card, some problems may be experienced
where the dongle isnæt seen. This can be cured by a simple hardware
upgrade to the parallel port. Contact Aleph One for details.á W H
Bradbury.
7.11
Å  ImpChars on the Risc PCáÖáImpChars, included on Archive program disc
7.6, doesnæt work with the Risc PC. The error öToo many nested
structuresò appears. This can be solved by changing the value of the
WimpSlot in the !Run file eg. from 24 to 45.á Anon.
7.11
Å  Maximising memory using KeystokeáÖáI have used Keystroke for a year
or so and I am now using v2.33. The most commonly used sequence I have
is on booting up. My !Boot file includes the line
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/ADFS::IDEDisc.$.!Keystroke
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My default Keystrokes file sets up <Alt-Q> to quit those applications
which have been loaded during the boot sequence and which are no longer
needed (e.g. the Printer Manager). They are quit either by using the
quit option from their icons menu on the iconbar or, if that is not
available, from the quit task option in the Task window by opening the
window, positioning the pointer over the item and quitting via the menu.
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My !Boot file also contains the lines
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Set $Do0 Alt+Q@Quit Printer Manager
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Set $Do1 Alt+Q@Quit ...
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Set $Do2 Alt+Q@Quit ...
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Set $Do3 Alt+Q@Quit ...
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Set $Do4 Alt+Q@Open Tasks Window
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Set $Do5 Alt+Q@Position Tasks Window
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Set $Do6 Alt+Q@Position Pointer
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Set $Do7 Alt+Q@Quit   (application name)
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Set $Do8 Alt+Q@Close Tasks Window
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which successfully remove those applications and leaves me in the
desktop with the machine set up with all the applications and modules
that I like to have loaded, but also with the maximum amount of free
memory available.á M P Churchill, High Wycombe.ááAá
DTP Hints & Tips
7.11
James Parry
7.11
James Parry, proprietor of Smart DTP, öSpecialists in DTP ware for 32-
bit Acorn machinesò, has sent us a whole set of DTP hints and tips. He
admits he has an ulterior motive of drawing attention to his companyæs
products but the hints are helpful, so here they are.
7.11
Å  Getting organised(1) Fonts Ö There are now several applications on
the market for managing outline fonts, the leading applications being
Easyfont II (Fabis) and Font Directory (LOOKsystems). Iæve just received
Easyfont II, and itæs a lot faster and has many new features. (Iæm not
going start a font management war as I havenæt seen a copy of Font
Directory yet.)
7.11
If you can spare the cash, you would be well advised to invest in a font
management system. The application will help you to cope with the
growing number of fonts being introduced so that you can keep track of
them and, more importantly, use your collection more effectively. If you
can fit all your fonts on one font directory on your hard drive then you
probably donæt need a font management system yet. Before I used
Easyfont, I organised all my fonts into separate !Font directories such
as !Fancy, !General, !Script, !Titles, etc. For those who use a floppy
drive system, you will have to make up different font discs using this
sort of system.
7.11
Å  Getting organised(2) Clipart/Resources Ö Many people have lots of PD
and commercial clipart but is your clipart well-organised? Can you find
that piece of clipart just when you need it? A while ago, I decided I
would have to get my collection into some sort of order. It took quite a
while trying different ways of organising my resources before I decided
on my current system which is quick and easy to use.
7.11
If, as I do, you tend to hoard software and simply canæt bear to delete
anything, make a backup of your entire collection of clipart. Once this
is done, you can sift through your collection, pruning as you go, with
no fear of losing images from your collection altogether.
7.11
If you donæt have a hard drive, your best bet is to sort out your
clipart by topic onto disc. Each disc should concentrate on a single
topic. For example, you may have discs dedicated to sport and leisure,
business, cartoons, etc. If possible, use a compression application to
maximise space.
7.11
Hard disc users have a better option although they can use the method
above to keep backups. I store my clipart in an application on the $
directory called !Clipart. It simply opens a directory, revealing the
clipart. Itæs not exciting and it doesnæt do anything fancy but if you
want a copy, send for our catalogue disc (see below) and ask for a copy.
7.11
My clipart directory is made up of many archives, each archive covering
a set topic. Archives or ArcFS archives are the best way of storing
clipart on your machine. To give you some idea of the sort of categories
that you might want to use, here is my list.
7.11
Animals, Arrows, Borders, Buildings, Comms/Media, Computers, Corners,
Drawing, Drop Capitals, Flashes, Food, Fun (animals, cartoons, toys,
party), History, Leisure/Sport, Logos, Misc, Music, Nature (flowers,
insects, pondlife, trees), Objects, Occasions (easter, weddings, xmas),
People (famous & anatomy) Speech, Symbols, Think, Transport (aircraft,
boats, others), War and World (maps & flags). (Topics in brackets are
sub directories.)
7.11
Keep the clipart that you use most regularly on your hard drive.
Depending on the free space available, you may decide to store some of
your collection on floppy disc. Incidentally, Huge Eagle has produced an
excellent application called !PicAPic (available from all good PD
libraries). It is an absolute must for DTP users, allowing you to view a
whole directory of clipart at a time and it includes numerous other
useful features.
7.11
Å  Go easy on the fonts and clipart Ö One of the biggest mistakes for a
DTP user is to use too many different fonts and images in one document.
Try to decide on a set of fonts which you are going to use throughout a
document. By using a good balance of fonts, your work will look well-
structured and attractive yet easy to read. Then, by introducing the
right images, the document can be enhanced still further by making it
more eye-catching.
7.11
Å  Ideas Ö The more DTP work that you create, the more experienced
youæll get. One of the best ways of developing your ability to produce
different styles of work is to look critically at the literature you see
in everyday life. Just by observing how other people produce leaflets,
brochures, reports etc, you can get ideas for our own work.
7.11
Å  The right font for the right image Ö Typefaces can act as a powerful
communication tool, drawing the readersæ attention by suggesting what
the text is about. For example, an advertisement describing a new
product aimed at primary education might well use a primary school font
as this would give the reader the image of education and learning.
7.11
Because the typefaces that you use can make such a difference to the
first impression, it is important that you choose the correct font for
each job. As an example, it would be inappropriate to use a decorative
font for the titles of an exam paper or a primary school font for the
body text of a business report. Decorative and title typefaces are often
used excessively.
7.11
(As an exercise, can I suggest you look through the adverts in the June
issue of Archive? Ask yourself which ones communicate most clearly and
then try to analyse why that is so. Itæs not a case of which advert gets
the largest amount of information into an A5 advert but which one
öcommunicatesò in the broadest sense of the word. Ed.)
7.11
Å  Printing and papers Ö Unless you use professional imagesetting and
printing all the time, the majority of your work will be printed using a
desktop printer. Itæs worth remembering that standard A4 white copier
paper isnæt always the best medium. Some excellent effects can be
achieved by using different sorts of paper to add some variety to your
work. You can choose from papers with varying weights, colours, sizes,
and types. Shop around for the best deal Ö youæll probably find that
your local paper merchant gives the best choice and price. Viking Direct
(0800-424444), offer a nationwide delivery service and have a range of
colour, graduated colour and designer papers. The designer papers are
pre-printed in full colour A4 pages and are ideal for work that really
needs to stand out.
7.11
Å  Are you Smart? (This is the advertising bit! Ed.) Ö Last but
certainly not least, buy your clipart, resources, fonts & DTP
applications from SmartDTP! We produce our own range of publishing
resources which is complemented by the products in our DTPDirect
catalogue. We supply publishing resources from iSV(Exclusive), Micro
Studio, Tekoa Graphics, Fabis Computing, Design Concept, Southern
Printers, ABC Of Art & Dabs Press. We offer fast delivery which is
backed up by a full telephone support service. To obtain our latest
catalogue disc send your details with a ú1 coin stuck to a piece of card
(so it doesnæt get lost in the post) to the following address:- Smart
DTP, Catalogue disc, 36 Park Road, Duffield, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56
4GR.  (0332-842803)ááAá