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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to PC-KEY-DRAW! You are about to encounter
one of the most powerful graphics programs avail-
able for the IBM PC and compatibles.
PC-KEY-DRAW is a graphics package that can be used
by anyone and everyone. It includes many features
designed specifically for a mechanical engineer,
such as calculate and measure. It also includes
many features designed specifically for artists,
such as pattern fill and area smear. Its ability to
create symbol libraries is ideal for the electrical
engineer or the architect. Those into needlepoint
will find that the drawing capabilities combined
with the zoom printer feature allow interesting
patterns to be designed on the computer and easily
transferred to a form suitable for stitching.
Graphic game designers can use the drawing abili-
ties along with the ability to save an image as a
BASICA subroutine to create graphics ideal for ani-
mation. Teachers will find the geometry aspects of
the program useful in the math and science class
room. Business people can create eye catching
slides for presentations using such features as
slide and text fonts.
Drawing with a computer can and should be very dif-
ferent from drawing with more conventional tools.
PC-KEY-DRAW gives you all the features you need for
free hand drawing, but its power and the power of
the computer lies in the many features that are not
possible with conventional techniques. When you
learn to use such commands as slide, rotate,
revolve, mirror, spray paint, etc. then the real
power of computer graphics will be in your hands.
INTRODUCTION 1-1
This manual is provided primarily for those who
like manuals. Many people will just dive straight
into the program and so PC-KEY-DRAW has been laid
out with that in mind. Significant help informa-
tion is available on the basic program operation
from within the program. The manual does include
some additional information that will become more
and more useful as you proceed to master the numer-
ous drawing functions available. I am always open
to suggestions on improving not only the program,
but the manual as well. If you have any sugges-
tions or comments for the manual, please let me
know. Many of the features of this manual are a
direct result of comments and suggestions from
users. The complete manual is no longer contained
on the disk because of size limitations and because
I hope to encourage users to register. The manual
on the disk should provide more than enough infor-
mation to allow the user to try out PC-KEY-DRAW.
This manual is laid out to provide two ways of
finding how to perform a function. The Command Sum-
mary section is divided by the function keys that
activate the various commands. The DEFINITIONS &
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION is an alphabetized listing
of the commands and how to use them.
PC-KEY-DRAW is distributed as User-Supported or
Shareware. This means it is not only legal for you
to copy the program and give it to friends, but
that I actually encourage you to do so. I feel
that everyone is entitled to try out a software
package before paying for it. If you don't like
the program, fine, please give it to someone who
might. If you do like the program, please be sure
to register. Your support is greatly appreciated.
INTRODUCTION 1-2
HISTORY
PC-KEY-DRAW version 3.3 is the result of thousands
of hours of development time by myself, Edward H.
Kidera IV. I am trained as an ocean engineer, a
mechanical engineer for equipment to go near, on or
in the ocean. I bought a PC in the spring of 1983
to help my engineering. Like most PC users I use my
PC for word processing, information filing, and
basic accounting. I also wanted to use the PC to do
mechanical engineering drawings. When I first got
the PC there weren't any programs available, in my
price range, for doing the type of drawing I wanted
to do, so I decided to write my own.
The first eight months of development proceeded
rather slowly, but I had developed a program that I
could use. As I started to use the program to
create drawings, I realized that there were numer-
ous features that I would like to be able to have
to speed drawing and allow the creation of images
not possible by purely manual techniques. At about
ten months into the development I began showing the
program to fellow PC enthusiasts. There was great
interest in what PC-KEY-DRAW could do and I was
encouraged to sell the program. This encouragement
prompted me to spend more time on the program
development and to add features to improve user
friendliness.
PC-KEY-DRAW version 1.3 was first released in May
1984 as two programs, a high resolution and a
medium (color) resolution version. The response to
the program was very favorable and so I began to
devote more and more time to its advancement. Sev-
eral months after the first release I released ver-
sion 1.8 with many additional features and the
color and high resolution portions combined into
one program with the ability to readily switch
between the two. This was followed by version 2.0,
2.1, 2.2 and 2.21 around January 1985. These ver-
sions offered many additional features, improved
HISTORY 2-1
user friendliness, and included a slide show and
zoom printer feature.
Since February 1985 I have been working on PC-KEY-
DRAW version 3.0. Rather then release numerous
small updates I decided to create a major update.
Version 3.0 was released in October 1985 and offers
a significant improvement in user friendliness
without any sacrifice in power or speed of oper-
ation. It also provides many new features to aid
drawing of all types of graphics. Appendix D lists
the improvements included in version 3.0 over ver-
sion 2.21.
The development of PC-KEY-DRAW continues with 3.1
3.2, and now 3.3. Appendix D also lists the addi-
tions that are found with each new version. This
time rather than keep the additions and improve-
ments to myself and then releasing them in large
chunks as I had done between version 2.2 and 3.0, I
have decided to release the newer version as they
become available. I have been slowly adding new
features and improving old features to PC-KEY-DRAW.
Some of this is driven by the compiler I'm using,
some by my time and some by need for a particular
feature. Recent version have added numerous fea-
tures to make the program easier to learn, features
to speed mouse operation and features to make the
macro capability very powerful and very useful for
presentation slide shows.
HISTORY 2-2
The overall design of PC-KEY-DRAW has been driven
primarily by my needs as an Ocean/Mechanical Engi-
neer and my lack of any reasonable hand to eye
coordination for standard drawing. I have found
seven different drawing areas that the PC-KEY-DRAW
has been a great help.
1) It is ideal to create slides to use in pre-
sentations. I can quickly and easily put
together a series of screens that I then shoot
as 35mm slides and show to perspective custom-
ers or use in conferences.
2) I have also created video tape titles using
the program.
3) PC-KEY-DRAW is ideal for basic design and
layout of new mechanical systems. It is very
easy to try a geometry and test it for a new
motion compensator or similar device.
4) It is easy to create schematics and mechan-
ical drawings to be used in fabricating
machine parts and complete systems.
5) it is easy to make drawings for inclusion
in technical papers.
6) computer screens shows make ideal demon-
strations for new products, old products and
anything else you might want to promote. The
ability to do animation can really get an idea
across.
7) finally, I just like to relax by drawing
designs and patterns, just playing and having
fun.
HISTORY 2-3
With pencil and paper I cannot begin to create even
the simplest of drawings, but with a computer key-
board I am able to produce just about anything in a
short period of time and have some fun doing it.
Sometimes it even makes me feel like an artist.
Three ladies have also had a profound effect on the
course the program has taken, my mother, my sister
Elizabeth and my wife Brenda. My mother and Brenda
are both superb artists with conventional tools and
I wanted to create a system that they could use and
love. The artistic pictures that are supplied with
this program were done by my wife. Brenda's primary
use of PC-KEY-DRAW, other than doing some nice
works of art for me, has been in the area of
graphic design. She has made considerable use of
the program to design logos and letterheads. An
example of her talent is shown in Figure 1. Eliza-
beth is an architect and I ultimately want PC-KEY-
DRAW to be something that she uses on a regular
basis. No matter how good the tool, it is still the
skilled hands of the artist, designer, draftsman,
or architect that determine the output.
What's in a Name? OEDWARE comes from OED which
stands for Ocean Equipment Development. I formed
Ocean Equipment Development to design, promote and
sell motion compensated launch/recovery cranes.
OEDWARE (owed ware) is just an extension of OED,
but if correctly pronounced relates to the market-
ing method being used to distribute PC-KEY-DRAW. If
you are not a registered user you owe me for using
the program. PC-KEY-DRAW comes about because it
describes the program operation. The keyboard is
used to draw. Now with version 3.30 the program is
also quickly and easily used with a mouse for those
of you who prefer the little rodent.
HISTORY 2-4
The future of PC-KEY-DRAW looks bright. There are
still many things that I want to work on. Version
4.0 may be awhile in coming, but it will be another
step in the quest to create a "complete" graphics
program. Your comments and suggestions are always
welcome. Your support is also greatly appreciated.
Other Programs: OEDWARE has released several small,
simple and useful programs that are available to
anyone for the asking. The first of these is
called DATEIT and is included with the PC-KEY-DRAW
disk as it comes from OEDWARE. DATEIT is for the
many of us without a battery backed up clock. It
remembers the last date entered and I have person-
ally found it to be very useful. For more informa-
tion on DATEIT see Appendix G. DATEIT is free.
The second program is a batch file editor (OEDLIN)
that was written as a test bed for another program
and while it is only a simple editor I have found
it to be very useful. It contains a box drawing
routine that allows you draw in text mode like you
would in graphics mode. It can be loaded and kept
in the background of DOS for use when needed. OED-
LIN sells for $15. OEDLIN is also useful for edit-
ing short (<500 lines) translated PC-KEY-DRAW macro
files.
HISTORY 2-5
OPERATION THEORY
PC-KEY-DRAW is a very comprehensive graphics sys-
tem. Its large number of commands may tend to inti-
midate the initial user if he/she does not fully
understand the basic program philosophy. The first
thing to remember is that in creating any one par-
ticular drawing only a handful of the program's
commands will be used. Don't feel that you have to
learn everything from the start. Begin with the
basics and build from there. As you become more
proficient at creating graphics you may realize the
need for an automated way of performing a particu-
lar task. Chances are PC-KEY-DRAW already has the
feature just waiting to be used. For instance,
creating presentation slides for a business meeting
may involve placing significant portions of text on
the screen so that it is centered. Manually moving
the text into place is slow so an automatic center-
ing feature is included.
The program is designed to be run from the keyboard
Version 3 also allows a mouse mode of operation
with click to select on pull down menus or instant
menu selection with the click of a mouse button.
Contrary to what you might think, the keyboard
method is an excellent way to run a graphics pro-
gram. The trained user can create all sorts of
drawings quickly. You do not have to waste time
clicking through a series of menus as with most
other graphics programs, unless you want to. Key-
board input also means you don't have to have extra
equipment cluttering up your desk. Because of the
drawing advantages of a mouse and since mouse sup-
port is widely requested, I have greatly expanded
and improved operation with a mouse.
Keyboard Operation: When running PC-KEY-DRAW from
the keyboard the left hand is used to select the
various function keys and make other selections.
The right hand is used to operate the cursor keys
and the <ENTER>/<RETURN> key and to help in
OPERATION THEORY 3-1
selecting commands. A variety of commands are
available from the cursor mode. These are commands
that control general program operation and features
that are common to all of the main drawing func-
tions. The function keys are used to select the
area of drawing to use next. Either select a func-
tion key directly or select the </> or <Space Bar>
then enter the desired function number or move thru
the menu with the cursor keys and select the dis-
played function with <ENTER>. The function keys
are used to combine commands that are similar to
each other.
F1 is for modification, in that its commands are
used to modify objects or the screen.
F2 is for creating boxes and other straight line
figures, such as polygons.
F3 is for generating a variety of curved lines.
F4 is for shading and spray paint.
F5 paints areas and modifies existing colors. It
also controls the palette and background.
F6 draws lines and adds text to the screen.
F7 allows portions of the screen to be copied,
saved, erased or moved.
F8 handles files and exits to DOS.
F9 sets the speed of the cursor.
F10 sets the color to be used by the majority of
functions.
Basics: Items enclosed with < and > are commands
that are entered via the keyboard using the appro-
priate letter/key. Certain commands require using
the Shft, Ctrl, or Alt keys with the specified key.
Where this is required is indicated as <Alt-m>, for
example, or <R>, <Ctrl-c>, <Shft-F9>. When sequen-
tial key strokes are required they are indicated by
separating the commands with a space, such as <F3
c>, or <F1 Alt-r>.
OPERATION THEORY 3-2
Items enclosed with [ and ] are commands that will
be taken as the default if <ENTER> is selected. The
first mouse button acts as the <ENTER> key, if you
are using a mouse. The second mouse button acts as
the <Space Bar>.
Prompts that start with "Enter" require user input
followed by a <ENTER>. Other prompts need only a
single key to initiate.
When a function is selected a list of possible com-
mands are provided on the prompt line. More infor-
mation is available by using the cursor keys. Func-
tions can be selected by entering the appropriate
letter and Shft, Ctrl, or Alt as needed. Or the
<ENTER> key can be hit to select the displayed com-
mand. Note that the commands are case sensitive. A
lowercase "m" is different from an uppercase "M" in
its effect, but they both have the same basic mean-
ing. Consider F7 which allows 4 different ways to
move an object to the screen. All of them are a
type of move so that "m" is appropriate, but to
differentiate between the different moves a "m" is
used either alone or with the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt
keys. Not every command has four levels to it.
Those commands that have more then one level are
designated on the prompt line by the letter fol-
lowed by a ".".
If you enter a function and then change your mind
or realize the need to reposition the cursor first,
select <n> or <Esc> or <Space Bar> to return the
CURSOR MODE. When operating from the keyboard you
should position the cursor as desired first and
then select the desired function.
Help: Three levels of help are provided within the
program. This manual and the quick reference card
provide additional help as needed. Registered
users can also get help from OEDWARE by mail or by
calling anytime from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days
a week.
OPERATION THEORY 3-3
The first help level is readily reached when
selecting a function or selecting a directive
within a function. Moving the cursor will display
the possible options.
The second level of help is also immediately avail-
able, but must be called up when needed by select-
ing <h>, <H>, or <?>. It can also be set from
within the Status configuration screen by specify-
ing the Novice Mode. To turn the level two help
screen off, simply select <H> from the CURSOR MODE
or specify Expert Mode in the configuration screen.
The third level of help resides on the disk and
takes a second or two to be read in when called
with <h>, <H>, or <?> (assuming level two is cur-
rently displayed) It displays KD-DRAW.HLP as
appropriate for the CURSOR MODE or for the selected
function.
Mouse Operation: PC-KEY-DRAW is now easy to use
with a mouse. There are three basic methods of
using a mouse with the program:
Method one is to use the keyboard to selected com-
mands and use the mouse only for cursor movement.
Method two works in conjunction with the Novice
Mode (level two help). Use the mouse to click on
the function you want with button 1 then move the
cursor to start position, click with button 1 a
second time, select desired directive and follow
prompts. This simulates how most graphics programs
employ a mouse, but it is a silly way to operate,
since you are constantly moving the mouse away from
where you are working.
Method three is a much better way to use the mouse
than method two, but I still prefer method one.
With method one you start by positioning the cursor
as desired for the start of a directive, ie the
center of the circle or one corner of box. Hit the
OPERATION THEORY 3-4
second mouse button (=<Space Bar> or </>) to dis-
play function menu. Move the cursor through the
menu and hit the first mouse (=<ENTER>) button on
the desired function. Move the cursor again to
select the desired directive within the function
and again select with the first mouse button.
General Operation: There are two basic types of
function commands, (directives) those that act on
an object and those that act on the entire screen.
For commands that act on the entire screen the
action is started by selecting the appropriate com-
mand and following any prompts. When the action is
complete the program will ask if the result was
correct before saving it to the drawing you are
working on. Before selecting a command to create
or to modify an object the cursor should first be
moved to the desired start of the function, such as
the center of the circle, or one of the corners of
a rectangle. Some commands that work on an object
require that you first define the object by enclos-
ing it in a box, then selecting <ENTER>. Some
object functions can be color specific, ie. only
the color set by <F10> will be acted on. If a func-
tion does not appear to work, it maybe that the
color was improperly set.
It is somewhat easier to learn PC-KEY-DRAW by work-
ing in the high resolution mode. This is because
the prompt line allows 80 columns as compared to 40
in the medium/color mode. The 80 columns allow
additional information to be displayed. Virtually
all functions available in color are available in
high resolution and vice versa. Extra prompts have
been added as part of version 3 to help guide the
user through each function. If you are using the 40
column mode the prompt will be replaced by the cur-
sor information as the cursor is moved. To see the
prompt type any non command key. Pull down menus
have also been added to aid learning the program as
they display extra information on the screen. A
sample of what the screen would look like in medium
OPERATION THEORY 3-5
resolution with the main menu is shown in Figure 2.
The menu is toggled with <H> or can be set as part
of the program configuration with <Ctrl-s>. A com-
plete help file is included and can be called up
when entering a function if further information is
needed by select <h>. The help file can also be
reached from the CURSOR MODE for information on
commands that can be used at anytime the cursor can
be moved on the screen.
Consider the keyboard as an input device compared
to a two or three button mouse. Most people have
ten fingers, why not use them. Version 3 does allow
a mouse to be used in much the same fashion as with
other point and click programs, but its slower and
less powerful. The mouse is best for free hand
drawing using <l>ine or <c>ursor of <F6>. Ulti-
mately I hope to allow a lightpen, joystick, and/or
digitizer to be used.
CAD VS. PAINT: PC-KEY-DRAW is much more than a
paint program, but it is not yet a true CAD pro-
gram. True CAD programs operate by storing every-
thing entered in a vector format, while paint pro-
grams store things only as bitmapped images. PC-
KEY-DRAW provides vector save capabilities only for
line drawing in F6. Bitmapped graphics are used as
the primary save method, but unlike other graphics
programs you can draw on up to 64 screens at once
or use multiple layers. The key macro capabilities
provide a relative vector system for saving draw-
ings that can be very useful. The key macro used
with direct coordinate entry provides true CAD
capability to a limited extent. These three meth-
ods of operation make PC-KEY-DRAW very powerful.
It has all of the features of low cost paint pro-
grams combined with many of the features of high
cost CAD programs. The hybrid design allows you to
do things that cannot be done with either pure CAD
or pure paint programs. It also means that you
don't need one program to design with and a second
program to do illustrations. But PC-KEY-DRAW
OPERATION THEORY 3-6
doesn't stop with just providing CAD and paint fea-
tures. It also includes one of the most comprehen-
sive slide show systems as part of its macro capa-
bility along with banner and poster printing.
Because of the numerous commands and the hybrid
design different users will use different func-
tions.
Summary of Operation: There are several important
things to remember when using PC-KEY-DRAW:
1. PC-KEY-DRAW is very case sensitive. Be
sure to use lower case as primary. There
are 4 possible cases for a given key.
These are: lower case, uppercase (Shft),
Ctrl case, and Alt case.
2. Some directives operate on objects and must
be defined by enclosing in a box, while
some directives operate on the entire
screen.
3. Position cursor first, then select desired
function.
4. Some directives are color sensitive. If an
operation doesn't appear to work it may be
that the color, as set by F10 is not
appropriate. All color sensitive commands
have an all color alternative.
5. Most actions work from a single key or
SHFT-key, Alt-key, or Ctrl-key combination
and do not require an <ENTER>.
6. "Enter" preceding a prompt indicates that
a prompt answer must end with an <ENTER>.
7. Brackets ([ ]) enclosing part of the prompt
line indicate the default value that will
be used if <ENTER> is selected.
OPERATION THEORY 3-7
The chapter you have just read is probably the most
important section of the manual. If you understand
the theory behind PC-KEY-DRAW you will find it easy
to use and very fast. If you don't understand the
basic operation of the program reread this section,
then try the program.
Some find the best way to learn PC-KEY-DRAW is to
play and experiment, rather than jumping right in
and attempting to create an architectural drawing
or other work of art. The first time you picked up
a pencil, pen, or paintbrush you probably did not
create a work of art. Others find it is best to
have a project in mind before starting. In that
way they learn the commands they need immediately
and don't bother with commands that aren't needed
for their particular project.
Give yourself time to learn. PC-KEY-DRAW is not
designed to mimic existing manual drawing tools, it
is more of a new way to draw. It is a tool, just
like the manual tools mentioned, and learning to
use it may take time, but once you have learned it
the program is very fast, easy to use, fun, and
very powerful.
OPERATION THEORY 3-8
