home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Tech Arsenal 1
/
Tech Arsenal (Arsenal Computer).ISO
/
tek-19
/
se215.zip
/
README.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-01-18
|
16KB
|
379 lines
S o f t E n g i n e D e m o
by Vibrant Graphics
Welcome to the on-line version of the Soft Engine Demo packet.
Please printout this file before using the demo. It contains
information on installation and use of the demo, as well as
ordering information.
Soft Engine Features:
o True-Erase Display List Technology
o Fast Display List Processing
o Accelerated Regens, Moves - & More
o Programmable Icon Interface
o Dynamic Bird's Eye Window
o Pointing Device Button Interface
o Programmable Hot Keys
o Real Time Zoom and Pan
o Custom Palette Editor
o Custom Menu Fonts
o Edgepanning
o Regenless Zooms & Pans
o Online Help Screens
o Support for over 250 graphics boards, including VGA, SVGA,
TIGA, 8514, S3 & XGA.
---INSTALLATION---
Place your Soft Engine demo disk into the appropriate disk drive and
run the INSTALL program from the DOS prompt:
A:\INSTALL <enter>
Follow the instructions to install your Soft Engine demo, which lasts about
an hour. See below for complete configuration instructions.
---FEATURES & BENEFITS---
Soft Engine is undoubtedly the fastest software display list driver available
for AutoCAD. It is the result of continuing efforts by Vibrant Graphics to
bring you the best possible software for your AutoCAD system. Soft Engine's
many features include:
o True-ERASE for a perfectly clean display list with no speed penalties.
o A must for anyone trying to increase productivity, especially in
AutoCAD R12.
o Unsurpassed acceleration, speeding up your zooms, pans, moves, picks,
erases and even regens.
o Easily customizable Icon Interface.
o User-programmable Hot Keys.
o Reconfigurable Digitizer Buttons.
o Bird's Eye Window with Real Time Zoom & Pan.
o Customizable screen colors & menu fonts.
---FREE GIFT ENCLOSED!---
SET OF 6 AUTOCAD .SHX FONTS!
With this Soft Engine demo, you will find a free set of 6 AutoCAD .SHX fonts.
These fonts are selections from CAD Lettering Systems's popular fonts for
AutoCAD. Try this demo and, at the end, Soft Engine will automatically
install your easy-to-use fonts. Once installed, you simply choose the
new fonts as you would any AutoCAD font. They'll lend a touch of class
to your drawings, making them ideal for presentations and important projects.
For information on the complete line of fonts available, contact CAD
Lettering Systems at P.O. Box 832, Oldsmar, FL 34677 or call (813) 855-2681.
(see form at the end of this document).
---ICON INTERFACE---
Soft Engine also features an easy, intuitive icon interface which pops up at
the cursor location and saves the time and strain of constantly switching
from the display to the digitizer.
Soft Engine's icon interface is simple to access. A simple long press of your
pick button will bring it up.
The layout of each icon panel is easy to understand and arranged to provide
you with easy access to logically grouped commands. The bar at the top shows
the title of the active panel. On the left side is an index of all panels
available and the actual icons are on the right. A click on a panel name in
the index activates the desired panel. A click on the icon box activates the
desired command. The panel disappears (in most cases) and the command is
executed.
The last panel you used stays active, making it easy to choose multiple
commands of the same type without having to select the same panel over and
over again. Soft Engine's icon interface is fully customizable by the user.
When you purchase Soft Engine, refer to your user's manual for complete
instructions.
---BUTTON INTERFACE---
Soft Engine includes a useful mouse and digitizer interface which allows you
to use various Soft Engine commands through single clicks, double clicks and
long presses of your pointing device buttons. These commands are available
on any mouse or digitizer and are fully configurable by the user. Soft
Engine's zooming commands are all given unique button assignments.
Zoom Window ZW Shift & Click Button 2
Previewed Zoom PZ Double Click Button 2
Both the Zoom WIndow and the Previewed Zoom commands require a
second press of the same button to complete the zoom.
Zoom Previous ZP Double Click Button 3
Zoom VMAX ZV Long Press Button 3
Zoom Center ZC Long Press Button 2
Icons Long Press Button 1
Bird's Eye BE Shift & Click Button 3
For more information on the Icon and Bird's Eye functions, refer to the
appropriate reference sheet in this demo packet.
Soft Engine's button commands can be reconfigured to suit your particular
pointing device in Soft Engine's Custom Configuration. From the AutoCAD
command prompt, type:
SECONFIG <enter>
This will take you into Custom Configuration where you select Button
Configuration and set your new button assignments. After completing that,
pressing Enter or Esc a couple of times will return you to the drawing
editor.
---CONFIGURATION---
AUTOCAD R10 & R11
Enter AutoCAD by typing ACAD at the DOS prompt. Select option 5 from the
main menu to configure AutoCAD. Select option 3 from the configuration menu
to configure the video display. Select option 1, ADI P386 4.0/4.1, from the
video display configuration menu. This will take you into Soft Engine's
configuration screen.
Follow Soft Engine's instructions for configuring for your video board.
Select single or dual screen & anti-aliasing as desired. After completing
Soft Engine's configuration, enter a drawing to test Soft Engine's features,
described on accompanying reference cards. For an overview of Soft Engine's
Custom Configuration, see the Custom Configuration reference below.
AUTOCAD R12
Enter AutoCAD by typing "ACAD -R" at the DOS prompt. This will take you
to R12's configuration menu. Selection option 3 to configure the video
display. Select Soft Engine by Vibrant Graphics from the list of available
video device drivers. This will take you into Soft Engine's configuration
screen.
Follow Soft Engine's instructions for configuring for your video board.
Select single or dual screen & anti-aliasing as desired. After completing
Soft Engine's configuration, enter a drawing to test Soft Engine's features,
described on accompanying reference cards. For an overview of Soft Engine's
Custom Configuration, see the Custom Configuration reference below.
---CUSTOM CONFIGURATION---
One of Soft Engine's unique features is that all configuration can be done
from within AutoCAD. In fact, most options can be customized while you are
actually in the drawing editor. To enter Soft Engine's Custom Configuration
from the command line, type:
SECONFIG <enter>
After a brief pause, a menu is presented telling you which options can be
customized. Using the arrow keys, highlight the appropriate option and
press Enter.
Soft Engine's Custom Configuration options are self-explanatory. Each
option has its own text window explaining its use and function. Read the
instructions and follow them to easily customize Soft Engine - go ahead
and experiment. You can always choose Restore Factory Settings or Restore
Previous Settings. These options help you recover from any confusion.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please note that the demo is timed to last approx. 1 hour and you must
save your changes before it ends or changes may be lost.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once you have finished with Custom Configuration, select exit at the bottom
of the main menu. It is important to note that some changes, such as font
and screen layout changes, will not take effect until you have quit the
drawing editor and re-entered it.
After purchasing Soft Engine/386, you will be able to refer to the User's
Manual for a detailed explanation of each Custom Configuration option.
---BIRD'S EYE WINDOW---
One of Soft Engine's most useful interfaces is the Bird's Eye window. The
Bird's Eye allows you to pan and zoom throughout your entire drawing in real
time, always telling you where you are and what your next zoom will be. The
Bird's Eye also makes it easy to preview your drawing for the area you want
to zoom in on or pan to. Your Bird's Eye can be made to size and placed
anywhere on your drawing and it appears with a simple click of your mouse
or digitizer. Soft Engine's Bird's Eye is now more powerful and versatile
than ever.
From the drawing editor, you can activate and configure your Bird's Eye by
holding down the shift key and doing a single click of the #2 mouse button.
The outline or your Bird's Eye appears where your cursor was and allows you
to enlarge or reduce it with the (+) & (-) keys on your numeric keypad.
Position your Bird's Eye correctly and press the pick button to "drop" it.
The Bird's Eye now contains a miniature version of your drawing and a dashed
box indicating your current zoom level (it will be on the edge of the Bird's
Eye if your are zoomed all the way out).
You may perform a zoom within the Bird's Eye by either single clicking
outside of the dashed box, or double clicking within the dashed box. Click
on the other corner of the Zoom Window to complete the zoom.
Alternately, you may "pick up" the dashed box, and use it to zoom and pan
around your drawing. Do a single click within the dashed box to pick it up.
You may then move it around the Bird's Eye while your drawing pans beneath
the Bird's Eye. If your dashed box is as big as the Bird's Eye, you'll need
to resize it before panning. You may resize the dashed zoom box at any time
by using the Ctrl & Alt keys. This has the effect of performing a real time
zoom on your drawing. Soft Engine allows you to zoom and pan in real time
simultaneously.
Once you have finished your zoom & pan, you can "drop" the zoom box by
pressing the pick button. At this point the Bird's Eye will disappear,
leaving you with your new zoomed viewport. You may cancel the Bird's Eye
at any time by pressing any key on the keyboard.
To re-enter the Bird's Eye, click your #2 button again while holding down
the Shift key. The Bird's Eye will reappear instantaneously in the same
position and size as before. If you need to reconfigure the Bird's Eye,
type at AutoCAD's command prompt:
BE=T <enter>
---HOT KEYS---
Soft Engine's Hot Key interface allows easy access to any AutoCAD command,
AutoLISP routine, or any combination of commands and keypresses. You can use
your function keys, cursor keys, numeric key pad, as well as Alt, Ctrl &
Shift keys combinations to access these commands.
The Hot Keys come preconfigured for the following commands:
F11 Zoom in 1.5x (Regenless)
F12 Zoom out 1.5x (Regenless)
Ctrl & 1 Pan Down & Left
Ctrl & 2 Pan Down
Ctrl & 3 Pan Down & Right Note: These Ctrl key - number key
Ctrl & 6 Pan Right combinations require the use
Ctrl & 9 Pan Up & Right of the Numberic Keypad.
Ctrl & 8 Pan Up
Ctrl & 7 Pan Up & Left
Ctrl & 4 Pan Left
Soft Engine's Hot Keys are fully customizable by the user. When you purchase
Soft Engine, refer to your user's manual for complete instructions.
---COMMAND SUMMARY---
ZW Shorthand Zoom Window Command
ZV Shorthand Zoom VMAX Command
ZP Zoom Previous Command (Regenless)
ZC & ZCC Zoom Center & ZC Continuous Commands
ZI Zoom In 1.5x
ZI=[magnification factor]
ZO Zoom Out 1.5x
Zoom Out=[reduction factor]
PZ Shorthand Previewed Zoom Command
GC & GCALL Garbage Collection & TrueErase Toggle
GC=[Y,N]
RD & RDALL Redraw current & all viewports
REGENMAX Regens at current zoom level accurately
SEDL Display List Command
SEPAN Panning command used for Hot Keys & Icons
SEPAN=[direction],[distance]
SEDG & SEEDGE Edgepanning Toggle
SEEDGE=[Y,N],[distance],[Delay],[Speed]
BE & BIRDSEYE Bird's Eye Configuration Command
BE=[T,N]
SEKEY Hot Key Assignment Command
SEKEY=[scancode],[command string]
SEICON Icon Activation Command
SEAA Anti-Aliasing Toggle
SEAA=[Y,N]
SEPAL Palette Editing Command
SECONFIG Custom Configuration
SESTATUS Current Driver Status
SEHELP Activates Online Help Screens
ORDER SOFT ENGINE NOW!
Name: ________________________________________________________________
Company:______________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Ph.: (__________)________________Ext.__________
FAX: (__________)___________________________
Send me _______ Soft Engine(s) @ $395 ea. (retail) or
_______ Soft Engine(s) @ $355 ea. (10% discount for giving qualified
referral below)
on ( ) 5 1/4" or ( ) 3 1/2" disk(s)
Include $8 for shipping & handling
and applicable taxes, totaling: $____________.
For quantities of 3 or more units, please call for further discounts.
Texas residents please add 8.25% tax.
Check Enclosed for $__________________
( ) VISA ( ) MC ( ) AMEX No._______________________________________
Exp.__________________
Name & Signature of Card Holder:
_________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A FRIEND THAT SHOULD LOOK AT SOFTENGINE/386?
Your friend must be a current AutoCAD user. If so, we'll send them a demo
and give you 10% off your order.
Name:_________________________________________________________________
Company:______________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Daytime Ph.: (__________)________________ Ext.__________
Fax us this card at (512) 250-5811 or mail it, or call us at 1-800-250-5811
Vibrant Graphics, Inc., 12741 Research Blvd., Austin, TX 78759, U.S.A.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
---LETTEREASE---
The fonts provided with this Soft Engine demo are just a small sample of the
hundreds of font files provided with the LETTER-EASE software. LETTEREASE
includes more than just fonts...it is a powerful and unique program that
assists you in producing high quality graphic layouts inside AutoCAD.
Features include true kerning, adjustable spacing, typing on an arc or
polyline, mono-spacing, and much more.
To see how LETTEREASE can work for you, call, fax or return this card today.
PLEASE FILL OUT & FAX OR RETURN THIS FORM TODAY!
Name: ________________________________________________________________
Company:______________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Ph.: (__________)________________Ext.__________
FAX: (__________)___________________________
Phone: 813-855-2681 Fax: 813-854-2795
CAD Lettering Systems, Inc. Post Office Box 832 Oldsmar, FL 34677
LETTEREASE is a trademark of CAD Lettering Systems, Inc.