Joystick Magazine 1995 May/CdJoystickN°2.iso/neopaint/neopaint.hlp

Text File | 1994-11-02 | 109KB | 3,335 lines

{H000 (Table of Contents)

^RTable of Contents^r


^LColor Palette=H550^l

^LCurrent Color and Pattern Selections=H530^l

^LDrawing Board=H570^l

^LHollow/Solid Buttons=H540^l

^LMain Menu=H139^l

^LMouse=H131^l

^LPatterns=H560^l

^LUsing with NeoBook=H129^l

^LLoading from QuikMenu=H130^l

^LSize Selector=H520^l

^LTool Bar=H510^l

^LVideo Mode=H125^l
}
{H129 (NeoBook)

^RUsing with NeoBook^r


If you are using the NeoBook electronic publishing program, you may
jump to NeoPaint directly from your NeoBook editing screen to edit
an illustration, background, etc. This lets you perform image edits
without losing your place while creating your publication, plus you
don't have to waste time exiting the programs and reloading files.


To enable use of NeoPaint from within NeoBook, you must first tell
NeoBook where you have installed NeoPaint. Under NeoBook's OPTIONS
button, use the Set Preferences command and select Directories. You
will see a field titled "Image Editor." Use the button at the right
of the field to browse through your disk, until you find the
NEOPAINT.EXE file listed. Click on NEOPAINT.EXE, then click on
the OK button. Once you have done this, you can create an image or
edit the currently selected image by choosing "Create/Edit Image"
from NeoBook's Edit menu button.
}
{H130 (QuikMenu)

^RLoading from QuikMenu^r


Users of QuikMenu (a graphical Desktop Menu program from NeoSoft) may
start NeoPaint by depressing the NeoPaint icon or button. If you
purchased NeoPaint after installing QuikMenu the first time, you must
first set up a NeoPaint program icon using the Modify/Add/Software Icon
feature in QuikMenu. The Location line should read C:\NEOPAINT and
the Command line should read NEOPAINT


^BNOTE:^b If you installed NeoPaint to a different directory during
installation, substitute the name of the directory you've created on the
Location line. Refer to your QuikMenu documentation or QuickMenu's
context sensitive Help function (F1) if you need more information on
setting up a software icon/button for NeoPaint.
}
{H131 (Mouse)

^RMouse Actions^r


NeoPaint will work with a Microsoft, Logitech or fully compatible
mouse. Other pointing devices, such as trackballs, which are compatible
with the above mice should work as well. Your mouse driver (usually
MOUSE.COM) must be loaded before running NeoPaint. Please refer to
your mouse's user manual for more information.


The position of the mouse on your screen is shown by a moving cursor,
and by the ^LXY=H172^l Coordinates box in the upper right portion of the screen.


Generally, mouse buttons are used as described below:


^T2 ^LLeft button=H133^l^T15 ^LRight button=H132^l

^T2 ^LDragging=H134^l^T15 ^LDouble Clicking=H135^l

^T2 ^LLeft Handed=H645^l^T15 ^LMouse Cursor Position=H172^l
}
{H132 (Mouse - Left Button)

^RLeft Mouse Button^r


This button is used for selecting items from menus and palettes,
pressing command and menu buttons, positioning items such as text,
drawing, erasing, selecting areas, and moving nodes on polygons.


See also: ^T6 ^LMOUSE=H131^l
}
{H133 (Mouse - Right Button)

^RRight Mouse Button^r


Used to choose line colors from the palette, to exit from dialogs, or
to use a second color when painting, and when using ^LZoom=H200^l or ^LFill=H240^l.


See also: ^T6 ^LMOUSE=H131^l
}
{H134 (Mouse - Dragging)

^RDragging the Mouse^r


You usually click once to select or position. Some actions and tools
require that you drag the mouse cursor. To drag, you position the cursor
over the object or starting point and press the left mouse button.
Holding down the left mouse button, move the cursor to the ending
position before releasing the button.


See also: ^T6 ^LTOOL BAR=H510^l

^T6 ^LMOUSE=H131^l
}
{H135 (Mouse - Double Click)

^RDouble Click^r


Some features in NeoPaint are accessed by clicking twice on an icon,
color, etc. You needn't worry about clicking twice quickly as in some
programs. In NeoPaint, the first click selects an item, the second click
on an already selected item will allow you to edit or make a further
selection.


See also: ^T6 ^LMOUSE=H131^l
}
{H139 (Menu - Main)

^RMain Menu Bar^r


This is a list of option buttons at the top of the screen ^LFile=H140^l, ^LEdit=H150^l, ^LPicture=H160^l,
^LOptions=H170^l, ^LHelp=H180^l). Note that a letter is underlined in the title of each button.


You may pull down a menu from each button by either clicking on the
button with your mouse, or by holding down the ALT key and pressing the
underlined letter corresponding to the button you wish to select. This
principle works for other NeoPaint menu functions as well, and can be a
real time saver.


^BFor example:^b to activate Help, either click the Help button, or press
ALT and the H key (ALT/H).
}
{H125 (Video Mode Menu)

^RChanging the Video Mode^r


This menu box is located at the top, center portion of the NeoPaint
screen. It can be used to change the monitor resolution to expand or
limit your working surface and color choices. NeoPaint automatically
includes as selections, only the screen resolutions and colors supported
by your monitor and graphics card hardware. The menu will drop down when
you click on the arrow at the right side of the box showing the
currently selected resolution. Note: when changing resolutions, any
drawing currently loaded must be closed. NeoPaint will prompt you to do
this. Once the screen display has been switched to the new resolution,
you may then reload any drawings and convert them to the new mode.


See also: ^T6 ^LColor Palette=H550^l
}
{H500 (XY Mouse Coordinates)

^RThe Mouse Coordinate Display^r


At the upper right corner of the screen are two boxes which display
the position of the ^Lmouse=H131^l cursor/pointer. The position is measured in
the number of pixels relative to the upper left corner (i.e., 0, 0) of
the drawing on which you are working. The Y position is the number of
pixels down from the top, and the X position represents the number of
pixels from the left. This is very useful for precise sizing and
placement.


See also: ^T6 ^LSHOW MOUSE POSITION=H172^l
}
{H510 (Tool Icons)

^RThe Tool Bar^r


Immediately below the Menu Bar, a selection of tool icon buttons is
displayed. The tool displayed on a button can be selected by clicking
on that button with the mouse. Note that some of these icons contain a
small arrow at the lower right corner. This indicates that you may
modify how that tool functions by clicking a second time on that icon.


See also: ^T6 ^LScissors Selector=H370^l^T20 ^LEraser=H380^l

^T6 ^LText Tools=H390^l^T20 ^LSyringe/Color Selector=H210^l

^T6 ^LSpecialty Tools=H221^l^T20 ^LZoom=H200^l

^T6 ^LBrush=H230^l^T20 ^LFill=H240^l

^T6 ^LAirbrush=H122^l^T20 ^LRubber Stamp=H260^l

^T6 ^LLine=H270^l^T20 ^LRectangle=H280^l

^T6 ^LRounded Rectangle=H290^l^T20 ^LCircle=H300^l

^T6 ^LPolygon=H310^l^T20 ^L3-D Objects=H320^l
}
{H520 (Size of Tool)

^RSize Selector^r


This box is located on the left side of the NeoPaint screen. Clicking
on the arrow will drop down a menu containing a range of sizes for the
tool selected. The tools affected by this box include the erasers, the
highlighter and other specialty brushes, the brushes, airbrushes, and
the thickness of the lines used to form straight lines, squares,
circles, polygons and 3D objects.


See also:^T6 ^LCUSTOM SIZE=H704^l for selecting other sizes.

^T6 ^LTOOLS=H510^l.
}
{H704 (CUSTOM SIZE)

^RCustom Tool Sizes^r


Tools may be configured in sizes from 1 to 40 pixels using the
CUSTOM SIZE selection at the bottom of the ^LSize=H520^l Selector menu.
A preview window allows you to preview the actual size of your
selection.
}
{H530 (Color & Pattern Box)

^RThe Color/Pattern Status Box^r


The currently selected line color, fill color, gradient and pattern
are displayed in the box immediately below the Size Selector. The
outside border of the box represents the color and pattern of any lines
being drawn, while the interior shows the color currently selected to
fill the interior of ^Lobjects=H510^l being drawn or filled. If a pattern has been
selected, this will be also be shown, in the currently selected color.


See also:^T6 ^LColors=H550^l and ^LPatterns=H560^l.
}
{H540 (Hollow & Solid Buttons)

^RThe Hollow/Solid Selector^r


You may choose whether the fill of an object being drawn will obscure
figures directly underneath it. Click on the Hollow button to draw
hollow shapes. Click on the Solid button to fill the object drawn with
the selected color. Also, clicking with the right mouse button will
choose whether the line will be Hollow or Solid.


^BNote:^b To allow the background to show through a pattern, use the
^LTransparent=H401^l Patterns option, and not the Hollow/Solid Selector. If
you select a ^Lpattern=H560^l when the Transparent Patterns mode is selected
from the OPTIONS Menu, the texture will overprint the background,
revealing areas not covered by dots in the pattern.
}
{H560 (Patterns)

^RThe Pattern Window^r


Directly below the Hollow/Solid selector, a small window is displayed
which contains a selection of patterns and textures. A thumbnail bar
appears on the right side of the window which allows you to scroll
through the selection of patterns currently loaded. You move through the
selections by clicking on the thumbnail button and moving the button up
or down while depressing the mouse button. Alternatively, you may click
on the arrows at the top and bottom of the thumbnail scroll bar to
advance through the selections one frame at at time, or click on the
fly-out button just above the scroll bar to display all of the patterns
at once. Use the left mouse button to select a pattern to be used for
Fills and Brushes; use the right mouse button to select a pattern for
lines and outlines.


You may edit individual patterns by clicking a second time on the
currently selected pattern (either in the Pattern Window, or in the
Color/Pattern Status Box).


See also:^T6 ^LEditing Patterns=H127^l.
}
{H127 (Pattern Editor)

^RPattern Editor^r


In the center of the editing window, is the pattern editing work-
space. To the right is a preview of the effect your edits have over
a large area.


You draw your pattern/texture by clicking on individual squares in
the central editing screen. A click on a white pixel will change it
to a black pixel. Clicking on black will change it to white. Four
command buttons are at the top of the window. The File button allows
you to Load another, previously saved, group of patterns and to
permanently ^LSave=H106^l the edits you make. The Edit button contains an
UNDO button, and commands which allow you to rearrange the order
in which the pattern selections appear. The Pattern button contains
functions to clear the pattern being edited, to invert the pixels in
the current pattern (change black pixels to white and white pixels to
black), and to Reset the pattern(s) to their original
status. Finally, the Shift button allows you to adjust the position
of the pixels within the pattern being edited.


At the lower-right, the OK button saves your changes and returns you
to the drawing screen. The Cancel button returns you to your drawing
without saving your changes to the pattern. Note: White areas in your
pattern will remain white unless ^LTransparent=H401^l Patterns is selected
from the ^LOptions=H170^l Menu. The Black areas in your pattern will be shown
in the currently selected ^LFill=H530^l Color when used in your picture. Your
pattern, used in the transparent mode may be used to produce interesting
effects with many of the tools.
}
{H550 (Color Palette)

^RThe Color Palette^r


The bottom, left section of the screen is occupied by the Palette
window. In 16-million color modes, this space is occupied by a rainbow
from which you may select colors. In 2, 16 and 256 color modes, a
thumbnail scroll bar on the right side of the window allows you to
scroll through the colors available from the currently loaded palette
file. At the top/right corner of the Palette window, is a button which
allows you to display and select from a larger group of colors.


You may select a background color by moving the cursor over the
desired color and clicking the left mouse button. The line color (or
second paint color) may be selected by clicking the right mouse button.
The number of pure colors with which you may work is determined by your
system's monitor/video card configuration and the resolution selected
in the ^LVideo=H125^l Mode box. When limited to 2, 16, or 256 pure colors,
NeoPaint approximates other shades by mixing the available colors.
Colors may be ^LEdited=H126^l individually by clicking a second time on
any color in either the palette, the ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Status Box, or by
selecting Edit Palette from the File Menu.


Note that (except for 2-color and 16-million color modes) a small "L"
will appear on the Palette to indicate the currently selected Line (or
second paint) color, and a small "F" will designate the active Fill
color.


See also:^T6 ^LSave=H104^l Palette and ^LLoad=H103^l Palette
}
{H126 (Palette Editor)

^RPalette Editor^r


Clicking a second time on any color (except in black & white and 640x
350x16 EGA modes, which do not allow editing) will allow you to adjust
that color. The Palette Editor dialog box will be displayed. Four
sliding bars representing the ^LValue=H551^l of each of three colors and the
brightness level are displayed at the top of the editing screen. You
may use your mouse to scroll each bar to a new value. Finer increments
can be made by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard. Use
the TAB key to switch between scroll bars when using the keyboard. A
preview of the effect of your changes is shown in a small window on the
left side of this dialog window.


Three command buttons also are arranged at the top of this window. The
File command allows you to Load colors from an existing image or from
a Palette which has been previously Saved, while the ^LSave=H104^l command may
be used to save your edits in a named file. The Edit button allows you
to Undo an operation and to rearrange the order of colors on the palette.
Under the Color button are Reset commands to return the color(s) and
brightness values to the state which existed when you began editing. The
Color button also contains a ^LTest=H577^l Colors function which permits
you to detect colors in the palette which are not being used.

At the bottom of the window is a sample of the color currently being
edited, and its number within the palette. The OK button saves your
changes to the palette (for this drawing only) and returns you to the
drawing. Pressing the Cancel button ignores any changes you have made to
the color and returns you to the drawing. Note: Any changes to the palette
affect the current drawing only. If you wish to also create or alter a
palette file for future use, select the File/Save command in this window.


Changes to the ^Lpalette=H550^l are only saved within the image when you
save the drawing file. Except for 24-bit images (16-million color mode),
each drawing contains an internal palette.
}
{H577 (Test Colors)

^RTest Colors^r


When working within the limitations of 16 or 256 color palettes, you
may often find yourself needing to insert a new shade. The Test Colors
function allows you to identify unused or seldom used colors (which can
be replaced in the picture with a similar shade). Once you have
identified unused/seldom colors, you can use Edit Palette to insert
new colors in these locations.


When converting an image from 16-million colors to 16 or 256 color mode,
very similar colors can be converted to shades having the same RGB values.
Since these identical colors can appear in more than one location on the
palette, the Test Colors function allows you to identify duplicate colors
(designated with an *) which appear in the palette. You may then use the
Color ^LEraser=H380^l or Color ^LReplacement=H242^l Fill to eliminate duplicate
shades, thus freeing up positions on the palette for inserting new colors.
}
{H551 (Color Value)

^RColor Value Settings^r


NeoPaint uses the RGB color model to control color balance and
brightness. This is the same model used on color monitors and expresses
each color as combination of Red, Green and Blue values. The following
table shows how to set the three color values to produce common pure
colors. An enormous range of additional tints may be obtained through
adjustments made to the color balance using this function.


^T5 Red=Red to right, other bars to left

^T5 Green=Green to right, other bars to left

^T5 Blue=Blue to right, other bars to left

^T5 Yellow=Red and Green to right, Blue to left

^T5 Magenta=Blue and Red to right, Green to left

^T5 Cyan=Green and Blue to right, Red to left

^T5 White=All colors to right

^T5 Black=All colors to left


See also:^T6 Color ^LPalette=H550^l

^T6 ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection

^T6 Color ^LSimilarity=H703^l
}
{H570 (Drawing Surface)

^RThe Drawing Board^r


The drawing workspace occupies most of NeoPaint's screen. This is the
area where you will do most of the drawing and editing of your images.
You may open several drawing board windows at one time, each containing
a different image. The image window in which editing is taking place
will be shown with active scroll bars and command buttons. The other,
inactive image windows will not show these features, and may be
overlapped by the active window, or switched completely to the
background.


Window Components:


^T5 ^LTop Title Bar=H571^l^T20 ^LCorner Buttons=H572^l

^T5 ^LOuter Borders=H573^l^T20 ^LScroll Bars=H574^l

^T5 ^LMenu=H139^l^T20 ^LTools=H510^l
}
{H571 (Window Title Bar)

^RWindow Title Bar^r


At the top of the active window are two buttons and a bar containing
the name of the currently loaded image. The X button on the left side of
the window's title bar will close the window. The title bar of a small
image window can be dragged with the mouse to move the window to a new
location.


The square button to the left of the X button may also be accessed from
the keyboard by holding down the ALT key and pressing the Space key.
This will present you with a menu containing five choices. Using the
keyboard, you may select any command by highlighting it using the arrow
keys (or by typing the first letter in a command's title) and pressing
the Enter key to accept or the ESC key to cancel. The choices are: Switch,
Move, Size, Zoom, Iconized and Close. Note: when working on a new drawing,
the title bar for the image will be labeled "untitled" until you Save the
image.


^BSwitch^b lets you jump between image files, when multiple files
are open, without resizing the window on top to get at an image which
lies underneath the active image. When you select Switch, a list of all
opened image files appears. Select the image to which you wish to go, by
clicking on its file name.


^BMove^b allows you to move the entire window containing your image to
another position on your screen. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to
reposition the window. This is handy when displaying more than one image
file at one time. Note: the window must be smaller than the workspace
area in order to move it.


^BSize^b allows you to shrink or expand the window. Use the keyboard
arrows to resize the window to the desired size.


^BZoom^b switches your current drawing from a small sized window to a
large window occupying the entire workspace (and back), by selecting
this option.


^BIconize^b reduces the current image to a small icon which you may drag
out of the way.


^BClose^b will exit the current window. If the image in the window has
changed since last being saved, you will be given the option of saving
your changes. If you do not save your changes, they will be lost and the
image will remain as it was when last saved.


See also:^T6 ^LDrawing Board=H570^l
}
{H572 (Window Corner Buttons)

^RWindow Corner Buttons^r


The Zoom button in the upper right corner (square dotted box) can be
used to maximize or minimize the size of the current window. To the left
of the Zoom button, is the Iconize button, which will reduce the window to
a small icon. The resize button at the lower right corner can be used to
simultaneously size any window both horizontally and vertically.


See also:^T6 ^LDrawing Board=H570^l
}
{H573 (Window Outer Borders)

^ROutside Window Borders^r


The narrow frames surrounding small windows can be used to resize a
window on one side at a time. Click the mouse on one side of the frame,
then drag the border to the desired size.


See also:^T6 ^LDrawing Board=H570^l
}
{H574 (Scroll Bars)

^RScroll Bars^r


Along the right and bottom of this window are two sets of scroll
bars. You will note that the thumbnail buttons on each bar will change
size to show what percentage of the entire drawing is displayed within
the window. As with scroll bars on other windows, you may hold down the
thumbnail button while moving the mouse to scroll around your drawing.
The image in the window will move along with the button to reflect your
current position on the page. Alternatively, you may click on the arrows
at the ends of the bars to scroll through the image.


See also:^T6 ^LDrawing Board=H570^l
}
{H700 (Image Conversion)

^R Converting Image Resolution^r


NeoPaint looks at each image file it is asked to load to determine
the number of colors it uses. To change the number of colors
available, use the ^LVideo=H125^l Mode selector at the top of the NeoPaint
screen to select a mode containing a different number of colors. Next,
after the screen has changed to the new resolution, use the ^LOpen=H101^l
command to load the picture. If the image contains a different number of
colors, you will be asked if you wish to Convert the picture to the new
mode. If you choose to convert the image, and this will result in fewer
colors being used, you will be asked if you wish to use one of several
dithering methods to approximate colors and shades not available in
the reduced-color image version.


You may need to experiment by reloading the image several times to
see which method (or palette) produces the best results with a particular
picture. The image is not permanently altered until you ^LSave=H102^l it in
the new format, so you may load it several times and only Save the version
which works out best. Each dithering method has its own merits and
which one you use depends on what you want to do with the final product.


Note that image file format conversions are accomplished using the
NeoPaint ^LSAVE=H601^l ^LAS=H601^l command. Also note, that when converting from
24-bit images to 16 or 256 colors, some shades may be repeated more
than once within the palette. These may be detected using the ^LTest=H577^l Colors
option in the ^LFile/Edit=H103^l ^LPalette=H103^l dialog.
}
{H140 (File Menu)

^RThe FILE Menu^r


The File menu contains functions related to importing, exporting,
printing and saving files.


The File commands are:


^T2 ^LNEW=H100^l^T17 ^LOPEN=H101^l

^T2 ^LSAVE=H102^l^T17 ^LSAVE AS=H601^l

^T2 ^LCLOSE=H602^l^T17 ^LCLOSE ALL=H603^l

^T2 ^LEDIT PALETTE=H103^l^T17 ^LDELETE IMAGE=H578^l

^T2 ^LEDIT PATTERNS=H105^l^T17 ^LDOS SHELL=H187^l

^T2 ^LPRINT=H107^l^T17 ^LEXIT=H108^l
}
{H100 (NEW Command)

^RNew^r


Selecting this command will load a blank, untitled drawing into a
window. NeoPaint will suggest default dimensions for your new image,
which you may override by typing in a preferred size.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H101 (OPEN Command)

^ROpen^r


If you wish to edit a pre-existing drawing, you should select this
command from the menu. You will be presented with the Open dialog which
lists available image files in a window to the right. If there are more
image files on the list than will fit in the space allowed, you may
scroll through the list using the scroll bar provided. In most cases,
you will simply click on the image's title in the list to open an image.


The files which are listed have been sorted from your DOS directory
using the three letter DOS extension. They are sorted alphabetically
and limited to files that match the file mask. The current mask being
used by NeoPaint is displayed on Open's title bar. You may display
files using other three letter file extensions or, list all files, by
pressing the Search button and selecting another file type from the drop
down menu (click on the arrow to display choices). You may search for
image files having one of the standard file masks from the list, or you
may type in a filename directly.


File Search Shortcut: The drop-down File Type listing at the bottom of
the window keeps track of where on the disk you last Opened images in
each of the file formats supported by NeoPaint. If you check one of these,
NeoPaint will automatically jump to the DOS subdirectory in which that
type file was last Opened, and list files found at that location. To open
a file from another drive accessible by your computer, you may select
the corresponding drive letter from the list of drives recognized by
NeoPaint. Click on the arrow under Drives: to drop down the list of
available choices.


You may also click through subdirectories to search for an image
file. Subdirectories branching off from the current directory are listed
by name in the Directories box. You may click on one of these to log on
to that subdirectory. If you wish to go back one step in the DOS
Directory tree, click on the folder next to the two dots (..). If you
wish to return all the way to the drive's root Directory, click on the
folder next to the (\) backslash. Any image files matching the file mask
(specified in Search) will have their names displayed as you go from
subdirectory to subdirectory.


Note: Typically, PCX format files end in .PCX, TIFF format files end in
.TIF, Windows and OS/2 bitmaps end in .BMP, CompuServe GIF format files
end in .GIF, etc.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l^T12 ^LIMAGE CONVERSION=H700^l
}
{H102 (SAVE Command)

^RSave^r


Selecting Save will write your image to the disk. Any changes you
have made to the image will overwrite the original copy stored in the
file. If you wish to save both the original file as well as your latest
modified copy, you should save using the ^LSAVE=H601^l ^LAS=H601^l function.
}
{H601 (SAVE AS Command)

^RSave As^r


Save As allows you to assign a name to a new, untitled image you have
just created; to save your edited version under a different name, thus
preserving the original file; and to make a copy of the image in a
different file format. To SAVE an edited image into a file other than
the original, you must supply a filename at the line prompt. NeoPaint
supplies you with the current subdirectory path and all you need type is
a one to eight character name for the file to be created. If you wish to
store the new file in a different subdirectory, you may use either your
mouse or the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the cursor to the left
and edit the PATH to direct the file to the proper directory.


A drop down menu at the bottom of the Save As dialog allows you to
save your work in a different image format. The Options button allows
you to specify from sub-formats available for the selected File Type.


You are limited to eight characters when naming your image file. You
need not type in the three letter DOS extension as NeoPaint will assign
these for you. NeoPaint will not allow you to use the following
characters in the name you type as DOS reserves these characters for
other purposes. Acceptable characters:


a-z, A-Z, 0-9, _, ^^, $, ~, !, #, %, &, -, (), @, ', `.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H602 (CLOSE Command)

^RClose^r


Choosing Close will unload the current image from NeoPaint. If you
have made any edits to the image, NeoPaint will ask if you wish to save
these changes or if you would rather leave the image in its original
state.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H603 (CLOSE ALL Command)

^RClose All^r


If you have several image windows loaded into NeoPaint, you may close
them all at once by using Close All. Again, you will be prompted to save
any edits you have made, before NeoPaint clears the workspace.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H578 (DELETE IMAGE Command)

^RDelete Image^r


Use this function to erase the currently loaded image from your disk
drive. You can use this to get rid of unwanted files or to free up
space on your drive. Be sure that you no longer need the image, or
have previously backed up the file, before using this function.

See also:^T6 ^LMenu=H139^l
}
{H103 (EDIT PALETTE Command)

^REdit Palette^r


A palette consists of the selection of colors available within an image.
These colors may edited for use in the current image, saved in an external
palette file, loaded from a previously saved NeoPaint palette file, or
loaded from another image file. See ^LPalette=H550^l for further information
on this option.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H104 (SAVE PALETTE Command)

^RSave Palette^r


If you have altered the colors on NeoPaint's ^LPalette=H550^l, you may
use this option to save them for use in other pictures. You may give the
new palette a file name consisting of up to eight characters. NeoPaint
will assign the DOS extension .PAL to the name you supply.


Checking the Make Default box will cause this palette to be used when
starting a NEW image or converting an image to a resolution with this
number of colors.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H105 (EDIT PATTERNS Command)

^REdit Patterns^r


You may edit, save in a file, and import previously saved patterns into
the current image using this function. Doing this will replace the patterns
available in the Pattern Window with the new selection. Pattern file
names on your drive will end with the DOS extension .PAT and should have
been generated by NeoPaint. NeoPaint cannot use pattern files generated by
other programs. For more information on editing patterns, see the
^LPattern=H127^l ^LEditing=H127^l topic.


See also:^T12 ^LMENU=H139^l
^T12 ^LPattern Window=H560^l
}
{H106 (SAVE PATTERNS Command)

^RSave Patterns^r


If you have customized the ^LPattern=H560^l in NeoPaint, you may wish to
save your changes for use in creating future images. Selecting this
option will allow you to assign a name of up to eight characters to your
pattern file. NeoPaint will automatically add the DOS extension .PAT
to the file's name.


Checking the Make Default box will cause these patterns to be loaded
each time you start NeoPaint.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H107 (PRINT Command)

^RPrint^r


Selecting Print will cause a dialog box to appear. Five drop down
menus are used to select the type of printer connected to your computer,
size, quality, DOS output port information, and paper orientation. You
may use graphics printers compatible with devices listed in the menu.
Note that not every printer is capable of printing graphic images. In
addition, dot matrix graphics printers do not support halftones. Half-
tone printing improves image quality by converting colors into grey dot
patterns. Consult the printer's documentation for compatibility
considerations.


The Printer menu allows you to select from the printers which you
installed using the Installation program. If you need to add a new
printer to the list, you must run the INSTALL program from your
NeoPaint INSTALLATION diskette.


The Port menu lists the DOS printer ports. You may also write the
image to a print file by selecting the File option from the list. The
direction at which your picture is to be printed on the paper is
controlled using the Orientation menu just below the Port menu.


The Scale Factor controls the size of the printed image. Generally,
a size of 300% will fit a 640x480 image onto a page printed in landscape
mode. 400% is very close to the size at which the picture appears on
your screen. You may adjust this percentage to obtain better resolution
and to better match your printer's capabilities.


Use the Print Quality menu to select a Dark or Light mode.
Usually, the Dark setting will produce a higher quality image, though
it may take longer to print.


Finally, the Copies field lets you specify the number of copies to
be printed. Note that once the first copy is sent to the printer,
succeeding copies do not need to be re-transmitted and should print
much more quickly than the original.

Once you have finished configuring the settings for your printer, you
may start printing by clicking on the Print button. If you wish to exit
the Print dialog without printing, click on the CANCEL button. To view
your image on the screen, use ^LShow=H166^l Preview command.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H108 (EXIT Command)

^RExit^r


Exit will return you to the operating system. If any files are still
open in which edits have taken place, NeoPaint will give you an
opportunity to Save the changes before these files are closed.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H187 (DOS SHELL Command)

^RDOS Shell^r

You can jump to the DOS operating system prompt using this option,
then jump back to where you left off in NeoPaint. This can save
time in unloading and reloading files. When you use the DOS Shell
command, you must type "EXIT" at the DOS prompt in order to return
to NeoPaint. Note that if you have not saved the work you are doing
in NeoPaint and turn off your system before returning and saving
your work, your edits will be lost.

If you have a program (such as a scanner utility, file converter,
ASCII text editor, etc.) which you frequently use along with NeoPaint,
you can create a small batch file which will switch between that
application and NeoPaint. Simply use an ASCII editor (such as EDIT.COM
which is included with DOS) to create a file named NPDOS.BAT. The
file should contain a line with the path location and command used to
start the program (e.g., to start EDIT.COM, you might have this line
read "C:\DOS\EDIT.COM"). That's all you need. Once you've created
NPDOS.BAT, whenever you select "DOS Shell," you will jump to that
program, and once you exit the program, you'll automatically be
returned to NeoPaint.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H150 (EDIT Menu)

^RThe EDIT Menu^r


Edit includes several functions usually used along with the ^LScissors=H370^l
selection tool.


The EDIT commands are:


^T2 ^LUNDO=H151^l^T17 ^LCUT=H152^l

^T2 ^LCOPY=H153^l^T17 ^LCOPY TO=H109^l

^T2 ^LPASTE=H154^l^T17 ^LPASTE FROM=H110^l

^T2 ^LDELETE=H155^l^T17 ^LSHOW CLIPBOARD=H156^l

^T2 ^LCROP=H157^l ^T17 and ^LMOUNT=H580^l
}
{H151 (UNDO Command)

^RUndo^r


This will remove your last edit to the image. Use this immediately
when you make a mistake such as using the wrong tool, erasing more than
you meant, etc. This may be ^LDisabled=H644^l to conserve memory. The
Undo command is available by using the UNDO button at the top of the
screen, by selecting Undo from the Edit menu, or by typing ALT/U.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H152 (CUT Command)

^RCut^r


Once you have selected an area with the ^LScissors=H370^l tool, you may
use this option to Cut the area from your drawing. The area is placed,
temporarily, onto the NeoPaint ^LClipboard=H156^l. If desired, you may use
the ^LPaste=H154^l command to re-insert this area into another image or onto
the same image. Use the ^LCopy=H153^l command if you wish to leave the original
area intact.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H153 (COPY Command)

^RCopy^r


Selecting this command will make a Copy onto the ^LClipboard=H156^l of the
area selected by using the ^LScissors=H370^l tool. This area is then available
for use by the ^LPaste=H154^l command.


See also:^T6 ^LCOPY TO=H109^l
}
{H109 (COPY TO Command)

^RCopy To^r


After selecting an area using the ^LScissors=H370^l tool, you may copy
this area into its own image file. You will be asked to supply a name,
consisting of up to eight characters, for this file . This file will not
be overwritten by subsequent ^LCut=H152^l or ^LCopy=H153^l commands.


See also:^T6 ^LPASTE FROM=H110^l.
}
{H154 (PASTE Command)

^RPaste^r


The Paste command inserts the image stored on the ^LClipboard=H156^l into
the current image window. Once the area appears on the screen, it will be
shown surrounded by a dotted line. You may reposition it by immediately
positioning the mouse cursor in the center of the pasted area. The mouse
cursor will change to a small hand when the cursor is over the area to
be moved. At this point, you may press down on the left mouse button and
drag the Pasted area to a new location. Note: if you intend to move an
item pasted into the current image, you must do so immediately. Using or
selecting a tool or menu item (other than from the Picture menu) will
cause NeoPaint to assume that you have decided to leave the pasted area
in its current location.


At any time between pasting the area and going on to another tool,
the pasted area may be ^LFlipped=H163^l, ^LInverted=H162^l, ^LRotated=H112^l, or manipulated
with other ^LSpecial Effects=H115^l. You may repeatedly Paste the same item from
the clipboard. To paste from another image  file, see ^LPaste=H110^l ^LFrom=H110^l.


See also:^T6 ^LTransparent Cutouts=H178^l

^T6 ^LCut=H152^l

^T6 ^LCopy=H153^l

^T6 ^LPaste From=H110^l
}
{H110 (PASTE FROM Command)

^RPaste From^r


If you have used the ^LCopy To=H109^l function, to copy an area, you may
use this command to Paste the image file you created into the active
image window. You will be asked to supply the name of the file you
created using the Copy To command. You may also Paste From using an
entire normal image file, though these may be so large that they blot
out much or all of the current image.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l

^T6 ^LCut=H152^l

^T6 ^LCopy=H153^l

^T6 ^LPaste=H154^l
}
{H155 (DELETE Command)

^RDelete^r


Choosing this command will cause the area within a rectangular
portion selected by the ^LScissors=H370^l tool to be wiped clean.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H157 (CROP Command)

^RCrop^r


This command allows you to extract a rectangular area from a larger
picture, trimming away the unwanted portions. Use the ^LScissors=H370^l tool
to surround the area you wish to retain, then select the Crop function
and the image outside the selected area will be discarded.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H580 (MOUNT Command)

^RMount^r

If you wish to add extra room to an image, use this command to "mount"
your picture onto a larger, blank workspace. You will be asked for the
dimensions (in pixels) of the larger space. You may wish to use the
^LPicture=H116^l ^LInfo=H116^l to determine the current size of the image, prior
to using the Mount command. Once you have specified a new size, your
picture will be mounted in the center of a blank workspace having the
new dimensions.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H156 (SHOW CLIPBOARD Command)

^RShow Clipboard^r


You may display the NeoPaint Clipboard as a reminder of its current
contents. The clipboard only holds the last item placed there using
either the ^LCut=H152^l or ^LCopy=H153^l command.
}
{H160 (Picture Menu)

^RThe PICTURE Menu^r


The commands:


^T2 ^LADJUST CONTRAST=H113^l^T15 ^LADJUST PALETTE=H114^l

^T2 ^LSHOW SCREEN=H165^l^T15 ^LSHOW PREVIEW=H166^l

^T2 ^LPICTURE INFO=H116^l^T15 and ^LEDIT SCREEN=H168^l


are related strictly to the overall image in the current window.


Other items under the PICTURE button:


^T2 ^LCLEAR=H161^l^T15 ^LINVERT=H162^l

^T2 ^LFLIP HORIZ=H163^l^T15 ^LFLIP VERT=H164^l

^T2 ^LROTATE=H111^l^T15 ^LSCALE=H112^l

^T2 ^LEFFECTS=H115^l^T15 and ^LDISTORT/SKEW=H167^l


allow you to manipulate sections selected with the ^LScissors=H370^l tool,
^LPaste=H154^l command; as well as the entire image. One use for the various
flip, rotation and scale functions is for producing a great number of
variations of a single item in the ^LClipboard=H156^l.
}
{H161 (CLEAR Command)

^RClear^r


Choosing this option will erase the entire image, leaving you with a
blank drawing board window. You also have the option of clearing the image
with the current fill color or white.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H162 (INVERT Command)

^RInvert^r


You may produce an opposite for your entire image, a freshly ^LPasted=H154^l
item, or just that part selected with the Scissors tool. Depending on
the colors available, each color will be changed to its ^LRGB=H551^l opposite
(i.e., black will become white, red will become blue-green, etc.), or an
approximation. The ^LPalette=H550^l will remain the same. This can produce
very interesting effects.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H163 (FLIP HORIZONTAL Command)

^RFlip Horizontal^r


The entire image, a freshly ^LPasted=H154^l item, or area selected by the
^LScissors=H370^l tool, can be flipped, left to right.


See also:^T6 ^LFLIP VERTICAL=H164^l

^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H164 (FLIP VERTICAL Command)

^RFlip Vertical^r


Using this command, you can flip either your entire image, or just a
^Lselected=H370^l area, upside down.


See also:^T6 ^LFLIP HORIZONTAL=H163^l

^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H111 (ROTATE Command)

^RRotate^r


This command turns the ^Lselected=H370^l area (or whole image, if no area
is selected). You may use one of the preset rotations, or specify another
angle in single degree increments. A dialog box will let you rotate the
selected area by pressing the arrow buttons (use the arrow keys on the
keyboard for finer increments).


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H705 (PICTURE ROTATE Command)

^RRotate^r


This command turns the ^Lselected=H370^l area (or whole image, if no area
is selected). You may use one of the preset rotations, or specify another
angle in single degree increments. A dialog box will let you rotate the
selected area by pressing the arrow buttons (use the arrow keys on the
keyboard for finer increments).


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H112 (SCALE Command)

^RScale^r


You may stretch or shrink the size of your image, or a ^Lselected=H370^l
area, by using the Scale command. You have several pre-set sizes from
which to choose. Simply click on the check box next to the desired new
size. If you choose Custom Size, you should type in the size, in pixels.
The first number represents the new width and the second, the new height
of the image. See the ^LCROP=H157^l command for trimming an image, and
^LMOUNT=H580^l for adding more blank space to the picture.


The Maintain Aspect Ratio check box stops the image from being
distorted. When this box is checked, NeoPaint will come as close as
possible to the size specified, without stretching the picture out of
shape.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H113 (ADJUST CONTRAST Command)

^RAdjust Contrast^r


This command adjusts the overall contrast of the picture currently
being edited. Click to the right side of the scroll bar to increase the
contrast. Click to the left side to decrease the image contrast. You may
use the mouse to hold down and slide the thumbnail button. Your image in
the background will be updated as you decrease or increase the values.
If you wish to make finer adjustments, use the left and right ARROW keys
on the keyboard to move in single unit increments. Pressing the Preview
button will show in the window (at the left side of the dialog) the
effect your changes will have. Note that you can use your mouse to drag
the preview image to show a different part of your picture.


See also:^T6 ^LADJUST PALETTE=H114^l command for brightness controls

^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H114 (ADJUST PALETTE Command)

^RAdjust Palette^r


The color balance and brightness across the entire palette may be
adjusted using the four thumbnail scroll bars in this dialog. Just as
for your color monitor, NeoPaint uses a ^LRGB=H551^l color model, which means
that colors are expressed as values of Red, Green and Blue. You may
change these by using either the mouse to move each thumbnail button, or
by using the Arrow keys on your keyboard to move in finer increments.
When using the keyboard, you can switch between scroll bars by using the
TAB key.


The effect of each change made to the current palette is reflected in
the preview window on the left side of the dialog. Simply click on the
Preview button to show the changes. Note that you can use your mouse
to drag the image in the preview window to show a different portion of
your picture.


Note: As changes you make in Adjust Palette will affect all of the
colors in both your image and palette, you will usually want to make
only very fine adjustments to the overall color balance. You may adjust
individual colors on the palette using the Palette ^LEditor=H126^l feature.


Use the Reset command button at the bottom of the dialog to clear
your changes and start again.


Click on the OK button to save your changes to the palette, and return to
editing your image.


Choose the Cancel button to return to your picture without saving the
color changes you have made.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H115 (EFFECTS Command)

^RSpecial Effects^r


A variety of effects allow you to alter a selected area of your
picture or, if no area has been selected with the ^LScissors=H370^l tool (in
^Lrectangle=H371^l mode), to apply the effect to the entire image.


A descriptive name of each special effect may be selected from the
drop down menu (click on the Arrow button to display). Once the desired
effect has been highlighted, press the Apply button.


Depending on the effect, the number of colors on your display, the
size of the area being transformed, the operating speed of your
computer, etc., the time involved in processing your image may vary
greatly. A graph showing the percentage completed will be displayed
while the calculations for the effect are processed.


If you are new to NeoPaint, you may wish to experiment with each
effect on a small area of an image. Although most effects will vary,
depending on the characteristics of the selected area, you will be
generally familiar with what results to expect. You may ^LUndo=H151^l any
special effect by immediately selecting the UNDO command from the ^LEdit=H150^l
Menu, or by clicking on the UNDO button or pressing ALT/U.
}
{H165 (SHOW SCREEN Command)

^RShow Screen^r


Choosing this command will use your entire screen to display the
active image. If the image will not fit into the area available on your
monitor, a small Hand cursor will appear. You may use this cursor to
drag the image, revealing portions lying outside the limits of your
screen. Exit from this mode by pressing the right mouse button, or
hitting a key on the keyboard. The command to view the entire image at
one time, is ^LShow=H166^l Preview.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H166 (SHOW PREVIEW Command)

^RShow Preview^r


Use this feature to view the entire image. The current image will be
loaded into a window and completely displayed. Use this to view your
entire picture at once, no matter what the size.

See also:^T6 ^LShow Screen=H165^l

^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H167 (DISTORT/SKEW Command)

^RDistort/Skew^r


This command is used to stretch and add perspective to rectangular
areas ^Lselected=H370^l using the Scissors tool. After clicking on this
command, node handles will appear along the edge of the selected area.
Use your mouse to drag each node in the direction which you wish to
stretch that part of the image. If you need to have a handle in another
spot, click on the dotted area outline to add a new node. Once you have
adjusted the area to your satisfaction, click on the OK button in the
dialog box at the top of the screen.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H168 (EDIT SCREEN Command)

^REdit Screen^r


If you need to use the entire screen as a workspace, select this
command from the menu, or press the F3 key. You will be using the last
tool selected when editing in full screen. The F and ALT keys are still
functional for calling up commands in full screen mode. Use the F3 key
to return to normal editing mode - with the menu, tool bar and palette
shown.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H116 (PICTURE INFO Command)

^RPicture Info...^r


Selecting this command will present you with the filename, file size,
picture dimensions, memory used when file opened, and number of colors
in the image's palette.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H170 (OPTIONS Menu)

^RThe OPTIONS Menu^r


The selections found under this menu allow you to set constraints on
how various NeoPaint features will work. The commands are:


^T2 ^LSNAP TO GRID=H171^l^T21 ^LSHOW MOUSE POSITION=H172^l

^T2 ^LTRANSPARENT PATTERN=H401^l^T21 ^LSET GRID=H117^l

^T2 ^LTRANSPARENT CUTOUTS=H178^l^T21 ^LDRAW FROM CENTER=H179^l

^T2 ^LSET TILE FILL=H118^l^T21 ^LGRADIENT OPTIONS=H701^l

^T2 ^LCLONE OPTIONS=H702^l^T21 ^LCOLOR SIMILARITY=H703^l

^T2 ^LSET PREFERENCES=H119^l^T21 ^LSET COLOR CONVERT=H579^l
}
{H171 (SNAP TO GRID Command)

^RSnap to Grid^r


If Snap to Grid is enabled, a check mark will appear next to the menu
selection. This will cause the cursor to snap to the nearest point on a
grid as specified in the ^LSet=H117^l Grid command. Click on the menu command
to enable or disable this function.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H172 (SHOW MOUSE POSITION Command)

^RShow Mouse Position^r


This selection turns the: Mouse ^LCoordinate=H500^l ^LDisplay=H500^l on and off.
When this feature is enabled, two boxes will appear at the upper left of
the screen. The box labeled X shows the cursor position as a number of
pixels from the left The box labeled Y shows the position as a number of
pixels from the top. You may switch the Mouse Coordinate Display on or
off, by clicking on the menu command.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H178 (TRANSPARENT CUTOUTS Command)

^RTransparent Cutouts^r


Enabling this mode allows the image underneath to show through when
you cut and ^Lpaste=H154^l a section of an image onto another portion. Any areas
which contain the mask color (white) will become transparent, and the
image underneath will show through.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H179 (DRAW FROM CENTER Command)

^RDraw from Center^r


^LCircles=H300^l, ^Lrectangles=H280^l and ^L3-D objects=H320^l will normally be drawn from a
corner and dragged to the opposite corner to produce a shape of the
correct size. If you would rather start in the center and drag to an
outside edge for these objects, enable this mode. A check mark will
appear to show that this mode has been activated.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H401 (TRANSPARENT PATTERN Command)

^RTransparent Pattern^r


The white background of any Pattern Fills will become transparent
when this function is enabled. The background will show through and the
pattern the black portion when shown in the ^LPattern=H560^l window will be
added in the currently selected color.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H117 (SET GRID Command)

^RSet Grid^r


You may specify the width of a grid for use with the ^LSnap=H171^l to Grid
selection. You will be prompted to designate the size of the grid in
terms of horizontal and vertical measurements. When you are satisfied
with the size of the new grid, click on the OK button. When you click on
OK in Set Grid, the Snap to Grid feature will be turned on auto-
matically. You will only see the effect of your settings when drawing
with Snap to Grid enabled.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H118 (SET TILE FILL Command)

^RSet Tile Fill^r


Use this command to specify a file to use with the ^LTile=H240^l Fill
tool. You may use any of the image file types supported by NeoPaint.
Two check boxes allow you to choose whether the fill image will use the
cursor position, or the upper, left hand corner of your picture as a
reference point in positioning the fill.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H579 (SET COLOR CONVERT Command)

^RSet Color Convert^r


Use this Option to specify whether the Color ^LReplacement=H242^l Fill
tool will replace just the color within the editing window, or whether
the color will be replaced wherever it occurs throughout the image.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H119 (SET PREFERENCES Command)

^RSet Preferences^r


This command brings up a sub-menu of configuration choices.
Typically, you will seldom need to reset these items:


^T2 ^LPICTURE=H641^l

^T2 ^LDIRECTORIES=H642^l

^T2 ^LMISCELLANEOUS=H643^l
}
{H701 (GRADIENT OPTIONS Command)

^RGradient Options^r


This command is used to specify the type of gradient used with the
Gradient ^LFill=H243^l, Gradient ^LRectangle=H284^l and Gradient ^LCircle=H303^l tools.


Use the scroll bar in the Style option to set the orientation of the
fill. The Direction option tells NeoPaint where to place the colors in
the fill. You also have the option of using one of four Dithering
Methods to smooth or coarsen transitions between the selected colors.


An approximation of the effect of your selections will be shown in
the window in the Style box. If you wish to change the Line and Fill
colors being used, simply select new colors from the palette.


Note that the smoothness of the transition between the two colors will
depend upon the palette currently being used, as well as your selections
using this command.


Once your choices have been made, click the OK button. The selections
you've made will remain in effect until you use this command to make
changes to them.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H702 (CLONE OPTIONS Command)

^RClone Tool Options^r


The ^LCloning=H227^l tool may be used in two modes. Use this command to
select the mode you prefer. The first mode always snaps the source back
to the point of origin once the mouse button is released. The second mode
allows the point being cloned to trail the mouse cursor, pantograph
fashion, at a fixed distance.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H703 (COLOR SIMILARITY Command)

^RColor Similarity Settings^r


This command allows you to ^LErase=H380^l and ^LFill=H240^l a range of
closely related colors. Click on the arrow buttons to choose a value for
the degree of difference which will be allowed. The value may range from
zero (only the selected color or shade of grey will be affected) to 63
(all colors and grey shades will be affected).


The formula used to determine Color Similarity is based on the values
selected using in producing ^LRGB=H551^l colors and greys.


One common use for this function is to aid in deleting or changing
monochromatic backdrops in scanned images. This allows another image
to be easily substituted for a background using the ^LTile=H241^l Fill tool.
Another use is for removing off colors or producing interesting effects
with the Eraser tool.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H641 (PREFERENCES/PICTURE Command)

^RPicture^r allows you to set the Default ^LVideo=H125^l Mode the program
will use when you load NeoPaint. You may also specify the dimensions and
file format for new images opened using the ^LNew=H100^l command under the
^LFile=H140^l button.
}
{H642 (PREFERENCES/DIRECTORIES Command)

^RDirectories^r


NeoPaint may need to use your hard disk to temporarily store image
information. You can specify a certain directory, or indicate that
NeoPaint should use an existing Temporary subdirectory for this purpose.
If the directory you specify does not exist, NeoPaint will not create
this directory or move files for you.


Click on the OK button to accept your changes, or Cancel to exit the
dialog without making changes to your configuration.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H643 (PREFERENCES/MISCELLANEOUS Command)

^RMiscellaneous^r contains switches for the following options:


^T2 ^LUndo=H644^l on/off.

^T2 ^LSwap=H645^l left/right mouse buttons.

^T2 ^LBackup=H646^l previous version of image file.

^T2 ^LBeep=H647^l warning on/off.

^T2 ^LZoom Gridlines=H648^l on/off.

^T2 ^LMemory=H649^l usage controls.
}
{H644 (PREFERENCES/MISC/UNDO)

^RUndo On/Off^r

NeoPaint's ^LUndo=H151^l feature allows you to restore your image to its
state prior to your last edit. This is a convenient feature for recover-
ing from mistakes, however it does take up memory and may slow your
system slightly. If you have either a slow system, or a system with
limited memory, you might wish to turn this feature off to improve
performance.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H645 (PREFERENCES/MISC/SWAP)

^RLeft Handed Operation^r


The Swap check box allows you to use the Left mouse ^Lbutton=H131^l in place
of the Right, and the Right mouse button in place of the Left. Left-
handed and ambidextrous persons may find operating with the button
functions switched to be more intuitive. The Swap feature is on when
this box is checked.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H646 (PREFERENCES/MISC/BACKUP)

^RAutomatic Image File Backup^r


Backup files enable you to recover an image file when the last saved
version has been corrupted or contains unwanted edits. If this feature
is enabled, NeoPaint will write a copy of the file to the disk in its
original state, prior to saving the latest edited version (using the
^LSave=H102^l command under the ^LFile=H140^l menu button). Note, however, that
image files tend to be very large, and unless you regularly erase old
backup files (files ending in the DOS extension .BAK), even large hard
drives can quickly become filled. If you decide to leave Create Backup
(BAK) Files ^Boff^b, you can still keep backup copies of any file you
wish by using the ^LSave=H601^l ^LAs=H601^l function instead of Save, and giving
your edited file a name different from that of the original image. If
this box is checked, NeoPaint will write a backup copy of each edited
file you Save.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H647 (PREFERENCES/MISC/BEEP)

^RBeep Warning^r


NeoPaint will beep when you try to perform an invalid action. You may
switch this off. If the Beep When Error Occurs box is checked, NeoPaint
will beep.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H648 (PREFERENCES/MISC/SHOW ZOOM GRID)

^RShow Zoom Mode Gridline Aid^r


You may turn off the Show Gridlines In Zoom Mode feature. The
gridlines allow for more accurate editing when using the ^LZoom=H200^l tool,
but lends a slightly washed-out look to some colors.


NeoPaint is installed with this feature disabled. If you need the
grid lines, click on the checkbox to turn this feature on.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H649 (PREFERENCES/MISC/MEMORY)

^RMemory Usage Controls^r


NeoPaint will attempt to use all the free Memory which is available
in your system. If for some reason you need to keep NeoPaint from
accessing one of the types of memory available on your system, you may
do so by deselecting the corresponding box. Note: It is strongly
recommended that you NOT limit NeoPaint's access to memory. Doing
this may slow down your system while working in NeoPaint. In any case,
NeoPaint needs some memory, you cannot uncheck all the memory boxes.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H180 (HELP Menu)

^RThe HELP Menu^r


Clicking on the Help Menu Button will present you with NeoPaint's
program information functions.


The selections are:


^T2 ^LHELP=H002^l - using the HELP system.

^T2 ^LVIEW README.DOC FILE=H181^l function.

^T2 ^LSYSTEM INFO=H120^l viewer.

^T2 ^LABOUT NEOPAINT=H121^l screen.
}
{H002 (USING HELP Command)

^RUsing the Help System^r


If you need information regarding the proper use of a particular
NeoPaint function, it is often more convenient to first use the Help
command to search for answers before resorting to NeoPaint's printed
manual. On entering the Help system, you will be presented with a Table
Of Contents containing categories of subjects covered. You may click on
any category to display relevant subjects contained under that heading.
You may also click on Index to show an alphabetized listing of all
subjects in the Help system. Clicking on any item will bring up
information regarding that subject. If there are related topics within
the informational text, these will appear as ^Lunderlined=H900^l words or
phrases. You may click on any related topic displayed to switch to a
display of the information relating to that topic.


You may also search for a specific topic by clicking on the Find
button. You will be asked to indicate the subject for which you are
searching, and NeoPaint will then try to match your request.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H181 (VIEW README.DOC FILE Command)

^RView README.DOC File^r


Late breaking information and features becoming available after the
production NeoPaint's documentation, will be included on the disk as an
ASCII file named README.DOC. You may view this text from within NeoPaint
by selecting this command.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H120 (SYSTEM INFO Command)

^RSystem Information^r


This command will detail some of the hardware which NeoPaint has
found present on your computer system.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H121 (ABOUT NEOPAINT Command)

^RAbout NeoPaint^r


Selecting this command causes a screen to be displayed which shows
copyright and version information about NeoPaint.


See also:^T6 ^LMENU=H139^l
}
{H370 (SCISSORS TOOL)

^RThe SCISSORS Selection Tools^r


The Scissors Icon is used to ^BSelect^b specific areas of your picture
for further modification, as well as to cut and paste. Using this tool,
select an area by ^Ldragging=H134^l the mouse cursor from one side of an area
to its opposite side. A dotted outline (or marquee) will surround the
selected part of the image. To ^BDeselect^b an area, simply move the
mouse cursor off to the side and click once.


Once the desired area has been selected, you may ^BMove^b this piece from
your picture by positioning your mouse cursor in the center of the
selected area. The cursor will change to a small hand. Hold down the
left mouse button and drag the cut piece to a new location and release.
If you drop the piece in the wrong spot, use the ^LUndo=H151^l command to
restore the picture. You may ^Bshrink^b, ^Benlarge^b or ^Bdistort^b the selected
area by using the mouse to ^Ldrag=H134^l the nodes (or handles), which appear
as small boxes at the angles of the dotted line. When your mouse is
properly positioned over one of these nodes, the cursor will change to a
pointing hand. Press down on the left mouse button and drag the node to
a new position. As you move these, the marquee will stretch or shrink.


If you wish to Copy the area (i.e., move a copy of the area yet
leaving the original surface intact) hold down the CTRL key while
dragging the selected area to the desired location. Holding down the
Shift key while moving the mouse will leave a trail of paint, allowing
you to use the selected area as a paint brush.


Note: When selecting a ^Lrectangular=H371^l area, part of which lies ^Boutside^b
the image area displayed in the screen's workspace, simply continue
holding down the mouse button and drag to the edge of the window nearest
to the destination. The image will scroll underneath the cursor until
you move the mouse off the window's edge, or until you reach the edge
of the picture.


A selected area may be ^LCut=H152^l or ^LCopied=153^l to the NeoPaint
^LClipboard=H156^l, Copied to a ^LFile=H109^l, or ^LDeleted=H155^l. Once a portion of your
picture has been selected, these options are available under the ^LEdit=H150^l
menu button. Areas selected with these tools may also be modified using
the commands listed under the ^LPicture=H160^l menu button.


Clicking a second time on the Scissors icon will drop down a menu
containing three tool types:


^T2 ^LSTRAIGHT LINE=H371^l

^T2 ^LZIGZAG LINE=H372^l

^T2 ^LUNDULATING LINE=H374^l

^T2 ^LELLIPSE=H376^l
}
{H371 (RECTANGULAR SELECTION TOOL)

^RSelecting Rectangular Areas^r


The topmost icon (^LScissors=H370^l next to a straight line) selects or
cuts rectangular areas.


Note: You must select a rectangular area using the straight line
Scissors tool in order to use the ^LPicture/Effects=H115^l command. If you
need to apply a particular Effect to an irregular area, try dividing the
area into sections and use several small rectangles to modify in more
than one operation.
}
{H372 (POLYGONAL SELECTION TOOL)

^RSelecting Polygonal Areas^r


The middle icon (^LScissors=H370^l next to a zigzag) selects or cuts
polygonal areas. Click to draw line segments around the area you wish to
select. You may complete the boundary by clicking a final time close to
your starting point, or by clicking the right mouse button. At this
point, a dialog window will allow you to make changes (see ^LEdits=H375^l).
}
{H374 (FREEFORM SELECTION TOOL)

^RSelecting Areas Freehand^r


The lower icon (^LScissors=H370^l next to an undulating line) selects or
cuts free form areas. Simply ^Ldrag=H134^l the mouse around the area to be
selected. You will be given an opportunity to change your outline (see
^LEdits=H375^l topic).
}
{H375 (EDITS - SELECTED AREAS)

^REditing a Selected Area^r


Area boundaries delineated with the ^LPolygonal=H372^l, ^LFreeform=H374^l and ^LEllipse=H376^l
Scissors may be edited once the area has been selected. If you wish to
make minor adjustments to include or exclude areas, you are given an
opportunity to use the mouse to reposition the nodes (or handles) which
appear as small boxes at the angles of the border line. When your mouse
is properly positioned over one of these nodes, press down on the left
mouse button and drag the node to a new position. As you move these, the
border will stretch or shrink. You may add or delete nodes by clicking
with the left mouse button to add, or delete by holding down the CTRL key
while clicking with the left button. The entire selected area may also be
rotated by clicking on the Rotation buttons in the dialog box at the top
of the screen.


Once the boundaries of the area are in place, click on the OK button
in the dialog window. A marquee will appear around the entire area,
which may then be Moved, Stretched, Distorted, Copied, etc. as for any
selected area (see ^LScissors=H370^l tool).
}
{H376 (Ellipse Scissors)

^RElliptical Scissors^r


You can use this tool to select an ellipse or other rounded shape.
Simply drag out a circle or oval. You will be given an opportunity
to stretch, move and reshape the selected area. Reshape the area using
the handles and nodes. Move the shape to cover a different area by
dragging the centerpoint. Once you have surrounded the desired area,
press the OK button, and you may Move, Distort, etc. as for any
selected area (see ^LScissors=H370^l tool).
}
{H380 (ERASER Tool)

^RERASER Tools^r


The Eraser consists of two tools. You may choose between the tools by
clicking a second time on the Eraser icon. The size of the cursor is
controlled by the ^LSize=H520^l Selector box. The Eraser will be three to
four times the selected line width.


The topmost tool will erase everything under the cursor when the
mouse is clicked or dragged.

The second tool will erase only the current color selected in the
^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box (or shades which are similar to
this, as specified using the Color ^LSimilarity=H703^l command) wherever the
left mouse button is clicked or dragged. In this mode, clicking or
dragging with the right mouse button will only erase the current line
color as shown in the border around the Color/Pattern Selection Box. If
you hold down the Shift key while dragging the color eraser with the left
mouse button, all occurances of the fill color will be replaced with the
currently selected line color.
}
{H390 (TEXT Tool)

^RThe TEXT Toolbox^r


Text in a variety of styles and fonts may be placed within your
picture. When you click on the Text icon, a text cursor appears. Move
the cursor to the location at which you wish your text line to begin,
and click to begin typing. You may change the ^LFont=H124^l, color, size and
style, either prior to typing your text or at anytime before selecting
another tool or starting a new line of text.


By clicking a second time on the Text icon, you will be presented
with a choice of text styles (e.g., Bold, Italic, etc). You may select
to apply one or a combination of these styles to your text. Your text
will be drawn in the current fill color selected in the ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l
Selection Box. The current line color will be used for drop shadowing,
when choosing the Shadow command.


When entering text, you may use the Backspace key to erase and Enter
to start a new line. The ESC key cancels the entry.

You can also import text from an ASCII file by dragging the Text cursor
to frame the area in which you wish the text to appear. You will be asked
to select the file to import, and will be given an opportunity to resize
the frame, change the font, color, or scroll through the text to find a
particular portion.


See also:^T6 ^LFONTS=H124^l
}
{H124 (FONT Selector)

^RSelecting Fonts^r


The font and size are changed by clicking on the FONTS... function
at the bottom of the menu. The Font dialog window will be displayed with
the current font selected. The selections may be viewed by clicking on
the individual font names. The font will be previewed in the Example
window at the lower, left corner. Font and size choices may be scrolled
using the scroll bars. Not every font comes in every size (though you
may stretch or shrink any size using the ^LScissors=H370^l tool).
}
{H200 (ZOOM Tool)

^RZOOM^r


When it comes time to touch up the details in your picture, you will
probably want to get a closer look at the part of the image being
modified. You can exercise precise, pixel level control by switching
into the Zoom editing mode. To do this, first click on the Zoom icon.
Move your cursor near to a corner (or to the center if you have
activated the Draw from ^LCenter=H179^l mode) of the area which to be magnified.
Hold down the left mouse button and ^Ldrag=H134^l the mouse to
surround the area. A marquee will appear showing the boundary of the
area selected. When you have enclosed the desired area, release the
mouse button.


See also:^T6 ^LThe ZOOM Editing Window=H201^l

^T6 ^LGridline Editing Aid=H648^l

^T6 ^LTools Available in ZOOM=H206^l


To exit from the Zoom edit window, click on either the small preview
window on the left side, click on the image in the background, or click
on the X button at the upper left corner of the window.
}
{H201 (ZOOM Window)

^RThe ZOOM Editing Window^r


The Zoom window consists of a pair of thumbnail ^Lscroll=H574^l bars along
the right and bottom allowing movement to other points within your
picture without exiting the ^LZoom=H200^l mode. On the left side is a scroll
bar which permits you to increase or decrease the magnification factor.
The magnification factor is displayed above the scroll bar and just
above this is an actual size (1:1) view of the section of the image on
which you are working. This small window will show the effect of your
edits as you make them.


The main part of the Zoom edit window is occupied by a magnified,
editable view of a part of your picture. If there is any pattern in the
section being edited, you will be able to distinguish the individual
pixels which make up the image. You edit the image by clicking on
individual pixels. Clicking the left mouse button will place the
currently selected fill color, while clicking on the right button will
place the currently selected line color. You may change colors at any
time.
}
{H206 (ZOOM Tools In)

^RTools Available Within ZOOM^r


^LERASER=H380^l^T15 ^LBRUSH=H230^l

^LFILLS=H240^l^T15 ^LHIGHLIGHTER=H220^l

^LSTRAIGHT LINE=H270^l^T15 ^LRECTANGLE=H280^l

^LGRID=H171^l^T15 ^LGRADIENT RECTANGLE=H284^l

^LROUND RECTANGLE=H290^l^T15 ^LCIRCLE=H300^l

^LGRADIENT CIRCLE=H303^l and^T15^LCOLOR SAMPLER=H210^l


The above tools can be used in ^LZoom=H200^l mode. The Eraser and
Brush may be used to click on individual pixels, or may be dragged
across an area.


The Fill tool will either fill an enclosed area (of one color) with
another color or tile pattern, or may be used to replace one color (as
selected in the ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box) with another throughout
the Zoom edit window.


The Highlighter works by changing the color value of any pixel to
which it is applied.


The Color Sampler is extremely useful in Zoom mode, particularly when
working with 24-bit, greyscale or 256 color images. Instead of scrolling
through the ^LPalette=H550^l, you can simply select the color you need
directly from the ^LZoom=H201^l screen.


Line, Rectangle, Grid, Rounded Rectangle, and Circle tools are
dragged to produce these forms. You may also paint using ^LPatterns=H530^l, as
well as colors from the palette, while in Zoom. This allows you to
precisely apply a pattern/texture to a specific area
}
{H210 (COLOR SAMPLER Tool)

^RThe Syringe COLOR SAMPLER^r


The color sampler may be used to select a color directly from the
surface of the picture, rather than from the ^LPalette=H550^l. This feature
is particularly handy when working with 24-bit, 256 color or gray scale
images, where it is either difficult to distinguish between individual
shades, or when it saves time over making a search through the many
selections available on the Palette.


To use the color sampler, move the cursor directly over the desired
color. You should be able to spot the color at the center of the
crosshairs. The color clicked on is placed into the Current ^LColor/=H530^l
^LPattern=H530^l Selection Box. Press the left mouse button to change the
current fill color, or press the right mouse button to select a new
current line color.
}
{H221 (SPECIALTY Tools)

^RSpecialty Tools^r


Clicking a second time on the icon in this button (located between
the Syringe and Brush icons on the tool bar) will bring up a selection
of special purpose tools. The tools available are:


^T2 ^Lthe Highlighter Marker=H220^l

^T2 ^LCharcoal pencil=H222^l

^T2 ^LCrayon=H223^l

^T2 ^LWatercolor brush=H224^l

^T2 ^LOil paint brush=H228^l

^T2 ^LQuill pen=H229^l

^T2 ^LSmudge tool=H225^l

^T2 ^LPixel Blender=H226^l

^T2 ^LCloning tool=H227^l
}
{H220 (HIGHLIGHTER Tool)

^RThe HIGHLIGHTER Marker^r


The Highlighter works in much the same manner as the felt-tipped
markers used for highlighting text. It adds its color value to the value
of any color in the image with which it comes into contact. The size of
the Highlighter tip is controlled from the ^LSize=H520^l Selector box. You
may also highlight using a ^Lpattern=H560^l.


Note: The resulting value will depend on the two colors, and
availability of suitable colors in the current ^Lpalette=H103^l. Highlighting
results tend to be most predictable when using 24-bit, greyscale and
monochromatic palettes.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H222 (CHARCOAL PENCIL Tool)

^RCharcoal Pencil^r


The second tool from the top of this menu is the Charcoal pencil.
^LDragging=H134^l this tool produces a "scratchy" line. Change the shape of
the tool by first selecting one of the types under the ^LBrush=H230^l icon.


Try using the ^LSmudge=H225^l tool to further soften lines made with this
tool and produce other effects.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H223 (CRAYON Tool)

^RCrayon^r


^LDragging=H134^l the crayon tool produces a solid line with a "clumpy" edge
Try using the ^LSmudge=H225^l tool to further soften the lines produced
by this tool.


Change the shape of the tool by first selecting one of the types
under the ^LBrush=H230^l icon.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H224 (WATERCOLOR Tool)

^RWatercolor brush^r


This tool allows the loaded color to "bleed" into surrounding areas,
producing a soft effect. Other interesting effects may be obtained by
using this tool along with a ^Lpatterned=H560^l fill. You can also
select the ^LHollow=H540^l button when using this tool to give a watercolored
effect to an existing image.


Change the shape of the tool by first selecting one of the types
under the ^LBrush=H230^l icon.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H225 (SMUDGE Tool)

^RSmudge tool^r


This tool is used to blend areas of colors into one another, much
like smearing together oil pastels. The number of intermediate colors
which are able to be produced depends in great part on the colors
available in the ^Lpalette=H550^l you are using in a particular image.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H226 (BLENDER Tool)

^RPixel Blender^r


This tool is used to produce a homogenous mix of the colors in a
particular area. You may also use this along with the ^LSmudge=H225^l tool
to retouch coarse areas or to produce finer gradations between areas.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H227 (CLONE Tool)

^RCloning Tool^r


The Clone brush allows you to "paint" an exact duplicate of one area
onto another. Popular uses for this include taking one area of skin in
a photo and using it to remove wrinkles or blemishes, or cloning an area
of landscape to paint out an offending feature.


Click once on the area you wish to duplicate, then move the mouse
to the spot at which you wish to start copying. ^LDrag=H134^l the mouse to
copy as much of the original area as needed.


If you wish to move the origin point for the area being copied,
either move the mouse cursor over the point and drag to a new location,
or click again on the Cloning Tool icon and designate a new origin.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H228 (OIL Tool)

^ROil Paint^r


This tool gives rich, textured strokes which resemble oil painting.
The paint is slightly changed by adjoining colors, producing a slightly
soft edge. You can also select the ^LHollow=H540^l button when using this
tool to add stroked effects to an existing image.


Change the shape of the tool by first selecting one of the types
under the ^LBrush=H230^l icon.



See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H229 (QUILL Tool)

^RQuill Pen^r


This tool produces varying width lines, much like an ink pen. It is
sensitive to drawing speed, with quicker movement producing thinner
lines, and slow movement producing thick lines or blotching.


Change the shape of the tool by first eslecting one of the types
under the ^LBrush=H230^l icon.


See also:^T6 ^LSPECIALTY TOOLS=H221^l
}
{H230 (BRUSH Tool)

^RBRUSH Tools^r


These tools are used for most freehand painting operations. Clicking
on the icon will reveal a menu of the different Brush types from which
you may select. The Brush size is controlled by choosing a width from
the ^LSize=H520^l Selector box.


Brushes may be used by either clicking at specific points, or by
^Ldragging=H134^l the mouse to produce a stroke. Color depends on the
Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box contents. A ^LPattern=H560^l may be used
with the color to obtain a textured effect. The left mouse button will
paint with the current fill color and pattern. Using the right mouse
button will paint with the currently selected line color.


Note: the ^LHighlighter=H220^l and ^LWatercolor=H224^l brush may be used for
painting with semi-transparent washes. The ^LStamp=H266^l tool may be used
for painting with pictures and to create custom, multi-color brushes.


Also note that some brush tools (such as Watercolor or Stamps) must
be moved slowly on some older systems in order to prevent the brush from
"skipping" too much - although this may be used to advantage when such
an effect is desired (such as when purposely moving the mouse very
quickly in order to make lots of image duplicates using a Stamp).
}
{H240 (FILL Tool)

^RFILL Tools^r


Use this tool when you need to Fill large areas with a color,
pattern, etc. The tool at the top of the menu is the basic Fill tool. It
will flood any enclosed area containing a single color (or a range of
colors as specified using the Color ^LSimilarity=H703^l command under the
Options menu button) with the selected color. The color produced will
depend on the contents of the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box.
A ^LPattern=H530^l may be used with the color to obtain a textured effect. The
left mouse button will flood with the current fill color and pattern.
Using the right mouse button will Fill with the currently selected line
color. Pressing any key on the keyboard will halt the execution of the
flood.


Note: The basic Fill tool will flood an area containing an existing
color with a second color. There must be a border of another color which
completely surrounds the area which you wish to Fill. A gap in this
border, of even a single pixel, will allow the color to leak and you may
end up inadvertently flooding a larger area than intended. Should this
occur, the ^LUndo=H151^l command (ALT/U) will remove the color. Then examine
the border for gaps (using Zoom if needed) and patch the gap before using
Fill once again. The extent of the area affected by Fill is also limited
to the portion of the picture actually displayed within the current
image editing window. If you desire to use Fill over areas lying outside
the portion displayed, you will need to scroll to these areas and
reapply the tool. The Fill tool may be used in ^LZoom=H200^l mode for more
precise control.


The other FILL tools available are:

^LTile=H241^l Fill, ^LGradient=H243^l Fill and Color ^LReplacement=H242^l Fill
}
{H241 (TILE FILL)

^RFilling with Tiled Images^r


The Tile Fill tool is the middle tool on the ^LFill=H240^l menu. This will
allow you to fill an area with a ^LSTAMP=H260^l (tile fashion), or even another,
entire picture. Before applying this tool, be sure to select an image
for the fill, using the ^LSet=H118^l Tile Fill command.


An infinite variety of textures can be had by using this tool to
import images containing complex textures and using these to fill a
background masking color. To do this, you will first need to designate
those areas in which the image will show through, by painting them with
a color used nowhere else in that area (the mask). Next, select the
texture image file and Tile Fill that color.
}
{H243 (GRADIENT FILL Tool)

^RGradient Fill^r


Use this tool to fill an area with two colors (the currently selected
line and fill colors) which gradually blend into one another. 24-bit
(16-million colors) modes, greyscale images, monochromatic pictures, and
images with ^Lpalettes=H550^l optimized to contain a good range of intermediate
shades between colors will result in the smoothest gradients.


The style, direction and method for the gradient is controlled using
the Gradient ^LOptions=H701^l command under the OPTIONS menu button. These
options may be employed to further smooth gradient transitions for 2, 16
or 256 color modes.
}
{H242 (COLOR REPLACEMENT FILL)

^RReplacing A Color^r


The last tool in the ^LFill=H240^l menu is the Color Replacement Fill.
Applying this tool will replace every occurrence of the color on which
you click with the color contained in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l
Selection Box.


You may use the ^LSet=H579^l Color Convert option to control whether just
the color in the editing window are replaced, or whether to replace a
color throughout the entire image.
}
{H122 (AIRBRUSH Tool)

^RThe AIRBRUSH (Spray Can)^r


The Airbrush tool is useful for subtle shading, blending and
producing lines with indistinct edges.


If you click a second time on the icon, a dialog window allows you to
set the spray pattern produced by the nozzle and the rate at which the
color droplets are sprayed onto your picture. Note: A slower Flow Rate
will give you more control, while a faster rate will be better for bold
strokes.


The Fade checkbox changes the color being sprayed from the Fill
color to the currently selected Line color. You can use this to produce
some stunning stroked effects. The number of shades produced between
the two colors will be determined by the colors available on the palette.
The speed of the color change is also partially determined by the
palette, and by the Flow Rate being used.


Just as for the ^LBrush=H230^l tools, the size of the area covered is
controlled through the ^LSize=H520^l Selector box. The color obtained using
the left button is a current fill color in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l
Selection Box. Using the right button will spray the current line color.


The Airbrush can be used by clicking once in a particular area, or by
^Ldragging=H134^l the mouse using either button. Just like a real airbrush or
aerosol can, the longer you hold the tool over a particular area, the
denser the paint build up.
}
{H260 (STAMP Tool)

^RSTAMPS^r


The Stamp icon represents one of NeoPaint's most powerful, yet easy
to use tools.


You can click once to Stamp the current stamp picture onto your
image, just like a rubber stamp. You may also drag the Stamp cursor like
a brush to paint with a Stamp image.


See also:^T6 ^LPainting with Stamps=H266^l

^T6 ^LImporting Images as Stamps=H265^l


You may choose, create and edit Stamp images by clicking a second
time on the Stamp icon. This will bring up the Stamp ^LPad=H123^l window.
}
{H123 (STAMP PAD)

^RThe STAMP PAD^r


In the Stamp Pad window, a scroll bar allows you to preview the ^LStamp=H260^l
images stored on your system. You can load stamps from a different disk
directory using the Directory function at the top of the dialog. Clicking
once on a stamp image in the selection window will select that
image and highlight the image's title. Clicking a second time on an
image (or clicking on the OK button) will load that image onto the Stamp
and return you to your picture. Along the bottom of the window are a
series of option buttons:

See also:^T6 ^LADD=H261^l^T15 ^LEDIT=H262^l

^T6 ^LDELETE=H263^l^T15 ^LRENAME=H264^l

^T6 ^LPREVIEW=H267^l
}
{H261 (STAMP/ADD)

^RAdding a New Stamp^r


To create a ^LStamp=H260^l image, select the Add button from the ^LStamp=H123^l
^LPad=H123^l. You will be presented with an editing screen measuring 64x64
pixels. You may paint an image using any of the normal tools. Since the
area is small, you may prefer to use the ^LZoom=H200^l (when working from a
small window, be sure and click on the ^LMaximize/Minimize=H572^l button at the
upper right corner to give you more working space). When done, click on
the X box at the upper left corner of the window. A dialog box will ask
you if you wish to save the Stamp, and if so, under what name. Your
Stamps are saved as image files, and thus, you are limited to eight
valid DOS ^Lfilename=H601^l characters.


Note: Any white areas in the Stamps will be transparent when applied.
If you do not wish the background to show through the white areas of
your pattern, you should paint out areas which will lie under the Stamp
prior to using the Stamp tool.
}
{H262 (STAMP EDIT)

^REditing Existing Stamps^r


The Edit button allows you to make changes to existing ^LSTAMP=H260^l
images. Select the image you desire to change by clicking once on the
image or its title in the preview window. Next click on the Edit button.
You may make changes to the existing image just as you did when creating
a Stamp using the ^LAdd=H261^l button.
}
{H263 (STAMP DELETE)

^RRemoving Stamps from the System^r


To delete a ^LStamp=H260^l image file, click on the unwanted image to
highlight the title, then click on the Delete button.
}
{H264 (STAMP RENAME)

^RRenaming Stamps^r


You can Rename a highlighted ^LStamp=H260^l image file by clicking on the
Rename button. You will be asked to supply a new DOS ^Lfilename=H601^l composed
of from one to eight characters. Stamps will appear in alphabetical order
in the Stamp ^LPad=H123^l window.
}
{H267 (STAMP PREVIEW)

^RStamp Preview On/Off^r


The Preview option check box may be used to display or hide ^LStamp=H260^l
pictures. Unchecking this box will speed the display on slower computer
systems.
}
{H266 (STAMP - PAINTING WITH)

^RPainting with Stamps^r


Any ^LStamp=H260^l may be used as a brush merely by ^Ldragging=H134^l the stamp
across the screen. Stamps may also be customized to suit particular jobs.


Multicolor brushes, textures, and spatters are some of the
sophisticated, custom tools which you may create with the Stamp ^LPad=H123^l.
Examples of these are included on your disk. A multicolor brush is a
circular area containing a combination of colors. When dragged, this can
produce a rich, often impressionistic effect. Textures are large
patterns containing a great deal of transparent white. When repeatedly
stamped over wide area of other colors, this gives a textured effect.
Splatters are dots of color separated by intervening transparent white
space. When this Stamp is clicked repeatedly, the effect is somewhat
like that obtained by ^LAirbrush=H122^l tools, except a combination of colors
may be used. Dragging spatters will create streaks.
}
{H265 (STAMP IMPORT)

^RStamps from Outside the STAMP PAD^r


Aside from the Stamp Pad ^LAdd=H261^l command, you may create Stamps using
a ^LScissors=H370^l tool along with the ^LCopy=H109^l ^LTo=H109^l command to import an area
from an existing picture. After selecting an area using one of the
Scissors tools, select Copy To from under the ^LEdit=H150^l menu button. Use
the File Type drop down menu to select ST for the file type, then type in
a 1-8 character name for the stamp. If you wish, an entire image file may
also be saved as a ^LStamp=H260^l, using the ^LSave=H601^l ^LAs=H601^l command.


Using the Scissors tool to copy an image (or portion of an image)
into Stamp format can be used for creating a larger sized Stamp. Images
beyond the Stamp Pad's 64x64 pixel format may, however, display very
slowly in the Stamp Pad preview window, so you may want to limit storage
of larger stamps, or turn off the preview mode altogether. You can
shrink a larger area to a more manageable size, using the ^LScale=H112^l
command to resize the image.


Note: Try and keep stamps you create small in size. Large Stamp
images may take up a great deal of disk space, and it is difficult to
paint with large Stamp images - they tend to drag very slowly.
}
{H270 (LINE Tool)

^RLINE Tools^r


Use the tools under the Line icon to easily draw various line types.
Clicking twice on the icon will drop down the tool selections. The width
of lines is controlled using the ^LSize=H520^l Selector.


The line color, as selected in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection
box, will be used for lines drawn with these tools.

The three LINE tools are:


^T2 ^LSTRAIGHT LINES=H271^l

^T2 ^LRADIANT LINES=H272^l

^T2 ^LBEZIER CURVES=H273^l
}
{H271 (LINE - STRAIGHT)

^RStraight Lines^r


At the top of the ^LLine=H270^l menu is the Straight Line tool. When this
tool is selected, you may draw a line by clicking and holding at one of
the ends of your line, then ^Ldragging=H134^l the mouse cursor to the point
where the line should end before releasing. The line will be drawn
connecting the two points. Repeat this procedure as often as you wish.


Note: Holding down the the Shift key while drawing lines will cause
the line to snap to an angle in 45 degree increments.
}
{H272 (LINE - RADIANT)

^RRadiant Lines^r


The middle icon in the ^LLine=H270^l menu represents the Radiant Line
tool. This tool is used to paint with lines to form star bursts and
elaborate line designs. To use the tool, move the cursor to the point
where you wish to start the design (the lines will radiate from this
point). Next click and hold the mouse button and ^Ldrag=H134^l to form the
first line of the design. When the line reaches the right length and
position, release the button and move the cursor around the axis to
form your design. To complete the design, click once more.
}
{H273 (LINE - CURVE)

^RBezier Curves^r


The tool at the bottom of the ^LLine=H270^l menu is the Bezier Curve tool.
Use this tool to draw smooth, accurate curves. To draw a curve, move the
cursor over one of the endpoints. Click and ^Ldrag=H134^l to the point at
which the curve will end before releasing the button. Two nodes will
appear at each end of the line. You may move these nodes with the mouse
to reorient the line, or move the centerpoint to move the whole line.
Move the handles attached to each node to pull out a curve of the desired
shape and size. Click once more and the final curve will be drawn.
}
{H280 (RECTANGLE Tool)

^RRectangles^r


Precisely drawn rectangles and squares may be quickly formed using
the Rectangle tool. The thickness of the line may be selected using the
^LSize=H520^l Selector box. The color and/or pattern for the lines and interior
of the shape will be as in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box.
Note: Holding down the SHIFT key while drawing will restrict the shape
formed to a perfect square.


Clicking a second time on the icon will drop down options:


^T2 ^LRegular RECTANGLE=H281^l

^T2 ^LGRID=H283^l

^T2 ^LGradient RECTANGLE=H284^l

^T2 ^LEditable RECTANGLE=H282^l
}
{H281 (Regular RECTANGLE)

^RNormal Rectangle^r

To use the topmost ^LRectangle=H280^l tool, position the cursor at the
point at which one of the corners will be located. Press down and hold
the mouse button and drag the cursor to the opposite corner. When the
rectangle reaches the correct size, release the mouse button. If you
would rather draw the shape starting from a center point, use the
Draw from ^LCenter=H179^l mode under the Options menu button.
}
{H282 (Editable RECTANGLE)

^REditable Rectangle^r

You may produce irregular rectangles and polygons using the tool
containing a ^LRectangle=H280^l with an arrow inside. Either ^Ldrag=H134^l the
rectangle from one of its corners, or from a center point (if you are
using the Draw from ^LCenter=H179^l mode under the Options menu button).


Once the shape has been drawn, nodes will appear along the sides of
the figure. You may drag the nodes to modify the shape, add handles by
clicking along the outline, and/or rotate the figure using the rotation
buttons in the accompanying dialog box. You may reposition the shape by
dragging the centerpoint. When you are satisfied with the figure, click
on the OK button in the dialog, and the figure will be drawn and filled.
}
{H284 (Gradient RECTANGLE)

^RGradient Filled Rectangle^r

Use this tool to draw a ^Lrectangle=H280^l filled with two colors which
gradually blend into one another.


The style, direction and method for the gradient is controlled using
the Gradient ^LOptions=H701^l command under the Options menu button.
}
{H283 (RECTANGLE GRID)

^RGridded Rectangle^r

The Grid tool icon is found at the bottom of the ^LRectangle=H280^l menu.
This tool draws a rectangular Grid. The size of the grid will depend on
the spacing last selected using the ^LSet=H117^l Grid command. Draw the grid
just as you would a normal rectangle. If you wish only whole units in the
grid to appear, make sure ^LSnap=H171^l to Grid is enabled.
}
{H290 (ROUNDED RECTANGLE Tool)

^RRectangles with Rounded Corners^r


Use this tool to draw squares or rectangles having rounded corners.
The thickness of the line may be selected using the ^LSize=H520^l Selector box.
The color and/or pattern for the lines and interior of the shape will be
as shown in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box. Note: enabling
the Draw From ^LCenter=H179^l mode under the Options menu button will allow
you to draw the rectangle from the center instead of from the corner.


Use the ^LSnap=H171^l To Grid mode if you need to proportion the object
in exact increments.


Note: Holding down the Shift key while drawing will restrict the
box to a perfect rounded square.
}
{H300 (CIRCLE Tool)

^RCircles and Ellipses^r


This tool is used to draw circles and ellipses. You may pull out the
shape either from a corner or from the center, depending on whether or
not the Draw From ^LCenter=H179^l mode is selected under the Options menu
button. Use the ^LSnap=H171^l To Grid command if you need to draw an object
with exact proportions. The thickness of the line may be selected using
the ^LSize=H520^l Selector box. The color and/or pattern for the lines and
interior of the shape will be as in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection
Box.


Note: Holding down the Shift key while drawing will restrict the
object to a perfect circle.


Clicking a second time on the icon will bring up two additional
variations of this tool:


^T2 ^LGradient Filled Circle=H303^l

^T2 ^LEditable Ellipse=H305^l
}
{H303 (Gradient CIRCLE)

^RGradient Circle^r


Use this tool to produce an ^Lellipse=H300^l containing a fill consisting of
two colors which gradually blend into one another.


The style, direction and method for the gradient is controlled using
the ^LGradient=H701^l Options command under the Options menu button.
These options may be employed to further smooth gradient transitions
and produce the illusion of depth.
}
{H305 (Editable CIRCLE)

^REditable, Irregular Ellipses^r


This tool allows you to construct ellipses using bezier mode. Once
you have used the mouse to ^Ldrag=H134^l out the ^Lcircle=H300^l, nodes will
appear along the outline of the shape. You may drag the nodes to
resize the ellipse, drag the centerpoint to move the figure, drag the
handles attached to each node to distort the circle, and/or use the
rotate buttons from the accompanying dialog to rotate the shape. Once
the overall shape, size and placement are satisfactory, click on the
OK button in the dialog and the shape will be drawn and filled.
}
{H310 (POLYGON Tool)

^RPolygons^r


Drawing multi-sided figures is greatly simplified by using the tools
found under this icon button.


Clicking a second time on the icon will drop down the Polygon menu.


The thickness of the line may be selected using the ^LSize=H520^l Selector
box. The color and/or pattern for the lines and interior of the shape
will be as in the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box.


The Polygon Tools are:


^T2 ^LREGULAR POLYGON=H311^l

^T2 ^LFREEFORM POLYGON=H312^l

^T2 ^LEDITABLE REGULAR and FREEFORM=H313^l Polygons
}
{H311 (POLYGON - Regular)

^RRegular Polygon^r


The selection appearing at the top of the ^LPolygon=H310^l menu is the
Regular Polygon tool. To construct an object using this tool, move the
mouse cursor to a point where an angle in your object will occur. Press
and hold the left mouse button and drag the line for the first side.
When the line reaches the desired length and position, release the
mouse. Next, move the mouse to the point where the second side will
terminate. A rubber-band line will follow the cursor. When the second
side has been correctly positioned, click once with the left mouse
button to set the line. Continue constructing the sides of your object.


When you click on the point at which you started, the Polygon will
be complete, and the correct line width, color and object fill will be
painted. You may also draw the last side by clicking once with the
right mouse button.


Note: Holding down the Shift key at any time while drawing a
regular Polygon will cause the line being drawn to snap to a 45 degree
increment.
}
{H312 (POLYGON - Freeform)

^RFreeform Polygon^r


The second selection from the top of the ^LPolygon=H310^l menu represents
the Freeform tool. Use this to create complex, irregular shapes. As
above, you must first determine a starting point. With the mouse cursor
over this point, press and hold down the left mouse button. While still
holding down the button, slowly drag the mouse to outline your object.
When you have come around again to the starting point (or close by),
release the button and your object will be drawn. NeoPaint will draw a
straight line between the starting point and the point at which you
release the mouse button.
}
{H313 (POLYGON - Editable)

^REditable Polygons^r


The third and fourth icons appearing in the ^LPolygon=H310^l menu are
versions of the first two which give you a chance to adjust the object's
outline before the final figure is drawn. To use these two tools, draw
as for ^LRegular=H311^l and ^LFreeform=H312^l Polygons. Once you have completed the
object, an outline will appear with a node (shown as small boxes) appear-
ing at each angle. Use the mouse to ^Ldrag=H134^l the nodes to expand or
contract the outline as desired. As you move these, the outlines will
stretch or shrink. Should you need to add a node, simply position the
mouse cursor over the point on the outline where you would like a new
node to appear, then press the left mouse button. To delete a node, move
the mouse cursor over the unwanted node. Holding down the CTRL key,
press the left mouse button and the node will disappear.


You may also drag the centerpoint to reposition the entire shape, and
use the rotate buttons from the accompanying dialog to rotate the figure.
}
{H320 (3-D Tool)

^RThree Dimensional Object Tools^r


Clicking a second time on this icon will allow you to quickly and
easily construct either 3-D rectangles, pyramids, etc.


Once you have selected either the cube or pyramid tool, place the
object onto the drawing board by clicking at one corner and dragging to
the proper size before releasing the mouse button. You may also draw the
cubes or pyramids starting from the center point, if the
Draw from ^LCenter=H179^l mode has been enabled under the Options menu button.
Depending on which tool you have selected, this initial side will be either one
side of a box, the base of a pyramid, or the first line of a freeform
object. If using the freeform tool (the bottom tool on the toolbar),
continue clicking to establish the perimeter of one face of the object
(you will be given an opportunity to edit and position the object before
continuing).


Line and Fill attributes are determined by values selected in the
^LSize=H520^l Selector box and the Current ^LColor/Pattern=H530^l Selection Box.


Once you have defined the dimensions of the first side, a dialog
window containing several editing buttons will be presented:


^T2 ^LRotation Buttons=H321^l

^T2 ^LExtrude Object=H322^l

^T2 ^LOptions=H326^l


Once you have customized the object to the your satisfaction, click on the OK
button to place the object in your picture.
}
{H321 (3-D ROTATE)

^RRotation Buttons^r


You can rotate your object along any combination of the X axis
(vertical through the center from top to bottom), Y axis (horizontal
through the center of the sides), and/or Z axis (through the center from
front to back). Use the arrow buttons to rotate the ^L3-D object=H320^l into the
desired position.
}
{H322 (3-D EXTRUDE)

^RExtrude Object^r


A pair of buttons allow you to extrude your ^L3-D object=H320^l to make it
longer or shorter. Use the arrow buttons to increase or decrease the
length of the object button to make the object thinner.
}
{H326 (3-D OPTIONS)

^R3-D Options^r


A check-off box allows you to work with your ^L3-D object=H320^l in either a
"Solid" mode with hidden lines removed and fills shown, in a "Wire
Frame" mode which presents the object as transparent showing all edges
while being edited, or in "Actual" mode, which also shows the line
width, colors and patterns. Note that if, however, you wish to draw a
hollow 3-D object, use the ^LHollow/Solid=H540^l Selector box to specify Hollow
drawing mode.


You can click on the Rotation Angle box to increase or decrease the
degree the object will move along each axis.


Note: You can increase the speed by rotating in Wire Frame rather
than "solid" mode. Rotations can be further accelerated by specifying
a Rotation Angle of 45 degree, or a multiple thereof.
}
{H001 (INDEX)

^RINDEX^r


^L3-D object=H320^l

^BA^b

^LABOUT NEOPAINT=H121^l

^LADJUST CONTRAST=H113^l

^LADJUST PALETTE=H114^l

^LAirbrush=H122^l

^BB^b

^LBlender=H226^l

^LBrushes=H230^l

^BC^b

^LCharcoal=H222^l

^LCircles=H300^l

^LCLEAR=H161^l

^LClone tool=H227^l

^LClone options=H702^l

^LCLOSE=H602^l

^LCLOSE ALL=H603^l

^LColor Palette=H550^l

^LColor Sampler=H210^l

^LCOLOR SIMILARITY=H703^l

^LColor, edit=H126^l

^LCOPY=H153^l

^LCOPY TO=H109^l

^LCrayon=H223^l

^LCROP=H157^l

^LCUT=H152^l

^BD^b

^LDELETE=H155^l

^LDELETE IMAGE=H578^l

^LDISTORT/SKEW=H167^l

^LDOS SHELL=H187^l

^LDrawing board=H570^l

^LDRAW FROM CENTER=H179^l

^BE^b

^LEdit Menu=H150^l

^LEDIT SCREEN=H168^l

^LEFFECTS=H115^l

^LEllipse=H305^l

^LElliptical Scissors/Selector=H376^l

^LErasers=H380^l

^LEXIT=H108^l

^BF^b

^LFile Menu=H140^l

^LFill=H240^l

^LFLIP HORIZ.=H163^l

^LFLIP VERT.=H164^l

^LFont Selector=H124^l

^BG^b

^LGradient Fill=H243^l

^LGradient Options=H701^l

^BH^b

^LHelp Menu=H180^l

^LHighlighter=H220^l

^LHollow/Solid=H540^l

^BI^b

^LImage Conversion=H700^l

^LINVERT=H162^l

^BL^b

^LLines=H270^l

^LLOAD PALETTE=H103^l

^LLOAD PATTERNS=H105^l

^BM^b

^LMain Menu=H139^l

^LMarker tool=H220^l

^LMicroscope=H200^l

^LMOUNT=H580^l

^LMouse=H131^l

^BN^b

^LNEW=H100^l

^LNeoBook=H129^l

^BO^b

^LOil Paint=H228^l

^LOPEN=H101^l

^LOptions Menu=H170^l

^BP^b

^LPaint tube=H240^l

^LPASTE=H154^l

^LPASTE FROM=H110^l

^LPattern, edit=H127^l

^LPatterns=H560^l

^LPICTURE INFO=H116^l

^LPicture Menu=H160^l

^LPolygons=H310^l

^LPRINT=H107^l

^BQ^b

^LQuill Pen=H229^l

^LQuikMenu=H130^l

^BR^b

^LRectangles=H280^l

^LROTATE=H111^l

^LRounded rectangle=H290^l

^BS^b

^LSAVE=H102^l

^LSAVE AS=H601^l

^LSAVE PALETTE=H104^l

^LSAVE PATTERNS=H106^l

^LSCALE=H112^l

^LScissors Selection=H370^l

^LSET COLOR CONVERT=H579^l

^LSET PREFERENCES=H119^l

^LSET TILE FILL=H118^l

^LSHOW CLIPBOARD=H156^l

^LSHOW PREVIEW=H166^l

^LSHOW SCREEN=H116^l

^LSmudge tool=H225^l

^LSNAP TO GRID=H171^l

^LSpecialty tools=H221^l

^LSpray can=H122^l

^LSquares=H280^l

^LStamp Pad=H260^l

^LSyringe=H210^l

^LSYSTEM INFO=H120^l

^BT^b

^LTest Colors=H557^l

^LText Tool=H390^l

^LThree-D object=H320^l

^LTRANSPARENT CUTOUTS=H178^l

^LTRANSPARENT PATTERNS=H401^l

^BU^b

^LUNDO=H151^l

^BV^b

^LVideo Mode=H125^l

^LVIEW README.DOC FILE=H181^l

^BW^b

^LWatercolor tool=H224^l

^BZ^b

^LZoom=H200^l

}
{H900 (UNDERLINED)

Yep, that was an underlined word all right!


^T2 ^LReturn to HELP=H002^l
}