Borland Programmer's Resource

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Borland Programmer's Resource / Borland_Programmers_Resource_CD_1995.iso / code / graphics / techv201 / techview.doc < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1995-05-19 | 18.8 KB | 451 lines

TechView Shareware Version 2.1 (C) 1992-3 Technalysis Limited. All rights reserved. Table of Contents 1. What do I need to run TechView ? 2. File checklist 3. What is TechView ? 4. How do I use TechView ? 5. How can I use TechView with a spreadsheet or database ? 6. What will I use TechView for ? 7. What does TechView cost ? 8. Can you take my picture ? 9. Tips for linking picture files into databases. Appendix A. What is Shareware ? Appendix B. Technalysis License Agreement Appendix C. Super VGA Support TechView is distributed by "Technalysis Limited" as Shareware. This means that it is not free, even if you have already paid an amount for obtaining a copy of this product from a Shareware supplier. The Shareware concept is explained in Appendix A. Our licensing policy is outlined in Appendix B. ___________________ 1. WHAT DO I NEED TO RUN TechView ? An IBM compatible PC, preferably a 386sx or faster running MS-DOS 3.x, 4.x or 5.x . A Super VGA card (not VGA) and color monitor. See Appendix C for further details about supported SVGA cards. ___________________ 2. FILE CHECKLIST FILE_ID.DIZ BBS/Software Catalog Summary TECHVIEW.DOC TechView Documentation (and introduction) MANUAL.DOC Quick reference manual ORDER.FRM TechView order form PHOTO.FRM Postal Digitizing order form TECHVIEW.EXE TechView 2.1 GO.BAT Start demonstration data base DEMO.EXE Demo data base program DEMO.DBW Demo database files DEMO1.DAT Demo database files DEMO1.K1 Demo database files DEMO1.K2 Demo database files DBPMENU.DMU Demo database files *.GIF Database pictures ___________________ 3. WHAT IS TechView ? An incredibly useful program for linking pictures into your database, spreadsheet, word processor or any program that displays text. Even this file ! ______________________ 4. HOW DO I USE TechView ? You can use it now as you read this file ... Your screen must be in 80x25 mode (25 lines of text). (Sorry, it won't work under Microsoft Windows) 1. Exit back to DOS and type "TECHVIEW". 2. Now continue reading this file using your word processor or file browser. To activate TechView from your word processor, use the hotkeys: Press Alt+LeftShift (Hold down the Alt key and press the left shift key) Use arrow keys to select a picture file and press the Enter key. ... [You can select one of these: JON.GIF PAULINE.GIF ADRIAN.GIF] Presto ! Up pops the picture. Type ESC key to select another picture. Type ESC key a second time to return to your word processor. Why not try it now ! Don't forget to press ESC a SECOND TIME to get back to your word processor. Note: The picture filename must have the extension "GIF" for TechView to find it on the screen. Adjusting the contrast and brightness of your display will enhance picture quality. If you find that TechView doesn't work for your Super VGA card, read about using VESA support in Appendix C below. _______________________ 5. HOW CAN I USE TechView WITH A SPREADSHEET OR DATABASE ? Simple ! Say you have a data base recording details of personnel in your office. It might include record fields such as Employee Number, Name, Position, Date Commenced, etc. Now just add an extra record field called "Photo" which contains the file name of the person's picture (TONY.GIF). When you search for an employee, your data base can display all the person's details including the name of their picture file on the screen. With TechView loaded, you can now pop up the person's photograph by pressing Alt+LeftShift together followed by Enter. Similarly, you can use TechView with your spreadsheet, by adding an extra column containing the picture file name. Often you can link pictures into an existing database without having to add extra fields or change anything! Suppose you have a database of products you sell which includes a "Comments" or "Description" field in the product table. Just add the picture filenames as part of the product description. You can now pop up a photo of the product whenever you display it's description. TechView allows you to control where the picture is displayed on the screen so you can still read the data base or spreadsheet information AND view the picture. We've included an example personnel data base which displays photographs of the development team at Technalysis. Type "GO" at the DOS prompt to see a demo employee database showing photos of our software development team. Previously only a few database products could provide picture support. Now they ALL do ! Truly magic .... __________________________ 6. WHAT WILL I USE TechView FOR ? The possibilities are endless ... Link pictures to a data base of ... * Personnel records * Security ID photos * Real Estate properties * Holiday resorts * Merchandise catalogues * Insured assets * Plant maintenance records * Farm/Nursery management records * Patient medical records * Laboratory/Field samples * Coin or other collections * Artworks or Historical artefacts .... the list is endless .... Are you a school teacher or university professor ? Add a new dimension to your computer-based training lessons. Display pictorial examples of anything from biology to physics, geography or history. Simply insert the picture file names (like STEVE.GIF) in your lesson text. A picture is truly worth a thousand words ! Write your next book and put it on CD-ROM complete with pictures. Or just for fun ... Send a letter about your holiday, including pictures, to your friends via modem or floppy disk. I'm sure you'll think of many more ideas as you explore the limitless opportunities this program provides. ________________________ 7. WHAT DOES TechView COST ? $US45 for TechView or $US95 for our professional version TechViewPro. Now that's a bargain! TechViewPro is due for release in March 1993. Simply fill out the form in the file "ORDER.FRM" and either Fax or mail it to us. While the unregistered version is a fully functional non-crippled product. The unregistered version is identical to the standard version with the "UNREGISTERED" message removed, configuration file and network support. If you have suggestions for features you would like to see in TechView, write them on the back of your order form. Here's the current list of features in TechView and TechViewPro. TechView Version 2.1 Feature List ---------------------------------- Standard Professional TechView TechView Picture border in selectable color X X Can load TechView into high memory X X Multiple photos per database record X X VESA VGA driver support X X GIF file format supported X X PCX file format supported X Position photo in 9 positions on screen X X Position photo anywhere on screen X X Resize photo X Configure via configuration file X X Selectable Hot Keys X X "UNREGISTERED" messages removed X X Delay when loading TechView removed X X Can unload TechView from memory X X Network aware X X Can suppress output when loading X Aliases in place of image file names X Pop up list of filenames for file patterns X __________________________ 8. CAN YOU TAKE MY PICTURE ? Sure can ! We offer a professional postal photo digitizing service for capturing quality digitized images of :- * Color/B&W Prints * Color/B&W Slides * Color/B&W Transparencies * Color/B&W Negatives * Microfiche * X-rays * Live Videos * Still Video * All your publication media We use high quality cameras and lighting equipment and experienced operators. Just mail us your pictures and we'll post them back with your images on floppy disk. Contact us for details about special bulk order rates or urgent processing. Use the order form in the "PHOTO.FRM" file. __________________________ 9. TIPS FOR LINKING PICTURE FILES INTO DATABASES This next section is intended for the database developer and assumes knowledge of database concepts. See you database manual for further explanation of unfamiliar terms. The simplest way to match a picture file with a data base record is to use the primary key or record number in the picture file name. For example if "Staff ID" is used as the primary key we might have employee records like ... Staff ID Name Age Salary Position Photo -------- --------------- --- -------- -------- --------- 23142 Thunk, Fred 42 $250,000 CEO 23142.gif 87612 Gates, Bill 36 $BIG Laundry 87612.gif 45217 Brown, Tom 112 $102,006 Clerk 45217.gif When retrieving a picture, TechView only looks at what is displayed on the screen. This means that your database might not need to store the photo field but simply generate it on the report or form based on the value of the key field. This strategy unfortunately can create some problems :- 1. Some databases may require a large number of pictures. This can create problems as accessing files in large directories (>150 files) can be slow. The root directory has a limit of 512 files, while subirectories have no limits (DOS 5.x). Floppy disk root directories have smaller limits. 2. DOS filenames can only be 8 characters followed by the ".GIF" or ".PCX" extension. This may not be enough characters to identify the record's primary key. 3. Picture files are stored in the same directory as that used to run the database application and this is not always convenient. Here are some suggestions to circumvent these problems ... All of the above problems can be addressed by placing picture files in multiple directories. To access the files, you can either store the directory name as part of the filename in the "Photo" database field or better, generate it from the primary key as shown :- Staff ID Name Age Salary Position Photo -------- --------------- --- -------- -------- ------------- 23142 Thunk, Fred 42 $250,000 CEO C:\231\42.gif 87612 Gates, Bill 36 $BIG Laundry C:\876\12.gif 45217 Brown, Tom 112 $102,006 Clerk C:\452\17.gif In the example above, each directory will contain no more than 100 picture files. By using further subdirectories, primary keys of any length can be converted into in a unique path for the picture filename. For example, the key "566703HG162438ABY17219LV12" could be converted into the path name "C:\566703HG\162438AB\Y17219LV\12". Once again, these filenames can be generated from the primary key in reports or forms rather than being stored in a separate database field. This has the added advantage of being able to easily reconfigure the disk or subdirectory where the pictures are stored. The application program will need to be responsible for creating directories as new staff ID's are added. As records are deleted, their corresponding picture files may also need to be removed. Small databases may find the DOS "APPEND" command to be a simpler solution although it's use can affect performance of other programs. See your MS-DOS reference manual for details. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix A. What is Shareware ? Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix B. Technalysis License Agreement DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT Users of TechView must accept this disclaimer of warranty: TechView is supplied as is. Technalysis Limited disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. Technalysis Limited assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of TechView. The unlicenced version of TechView is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. TechView may not be altered or reverse engineered. The unlicensed version of TechView may not be used as part of another system. If you continue to use TechView after 10 days, you are legally required to make a registration payment. The registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another; just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time. Network or site licence agreements are available. Licences for use in distributed merchandise catalogs or packaginf with other products may also be negotiated. Anyone distributing TechView for any kind of remuneration must first contact Technalysis for authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the Association of Shareware Professionals as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering TechView immediately (However the author must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to-date with the latest version of TechView.) You are encouraged to pass a copy of the unregistered version of TechView along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy. Registrations give authors the incentive and financial aid to continue developing their software. To register your copy of TechView, print a copy of the file "ORDER.FRM", fill out the details and Fax or Airmail it to Technalysis, AUSTRALIA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix C. Super VGA Support TechView requires a Super VGA card to display quality pictures (256 colors). Unfortunately Super VGA card manufacturers did not set clear standards when designing their cards, the result is that until recently programs such as TechView must support specialised code for each and every chipset. To make matters worse, different cards support different display modes (number of rows, columns and colors). When displaying pictures, TechView attempts to uses 640x400 mode with 256 colors (VESA mode 100h) if this is not available it uses 640x480 with 256 colors which almost every card supports (VESA mode 102h). This second choice will cause the background text to appear slightly squashed up with a gap at the bottom of the screen. Recently, VGA manufacturers have (at last) decided to adopt a standard interface (called "VESA") that software developers can use. This simply means that VGA card manufacturers supply another program that can be loaded into memory that is unique to your video card allowing programs like TechView to support ANY Super VGA card. We realise that many users will not yet have such a VESA driver available so we've included VESA support along with direct support for several of the most common Video card chipsets. Note: The VESA driver MUST be run before TechView is used. In short, this means that there's a good chance TechView will support your card without needing a VESA driver. If it doesn't, then look on the floppy disk supplied with your VGA card for a VESA driver. Your VGA card supplier, BBS or local computer club might also be able to assist. We'll send a set of VESA drivers for most cards with your registration disk so that almost every VGA card can be used! Below is a list of cards we directly support and those for which we have VESA drivers :- Most Super VGA cards also come with a fast Video BIOS on floppy disk which can also enhance performance. ______________________ Supported directly by TechView (VESA not required) Ahead A & B chipsets Tseng Paradise Trident Video 7 ATI, VGA Wonder ______________________ VESA Drivers included on registration disk. (Supplied by card manufacturers - not supported by Technalysis) Appian ATI Chips & Technology Genoa Oak Orchid Paradise Sigma STB Tecmar Trident Video7 . o o O o o .