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Best of www.BestZips.com (Collector's Edition)
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Best of WWW.BESTZIPS.COM Collector's Edition (JCSM Shareware) (JCS Marketing).ISO
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DOCUMENT.TX_
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DOCUMENT.TX
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1997-01-16
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MGCM 1 (Multimedia Greeting Card Maker v1.1) DOCUMENTATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
************************************************
* ⌐ Copyright 1996 Stephen D. Groll & *
* Robert E. Rowell. All Rights Reserved. *
* *
* CREDITS *
* *
* Programer . . . . . . Stephen D. Groll *
* Artist . . . . . . . Robert E. Rowell *
* Musician . . . . . . Gilbert J. Hansen *
* *
* CONTACT INFORMATION *
* *
* Email 71024.3501@compuserve.com *
* *
* Impact D.Publishing *
* P.O.Box 1596 *
* Palm Desert, CA 92261 *
* *
* 1-(619)-328-8151 *
* If it is necessary for us to return a *
* phone call, we will do so using the *
* 1-800-COLLECT service. *
************************************************
INTRODUCTION
The flexibility of this Windows (TM) software allows you
several options in creating multimedia computer greeting cards.
The easy steps given below will guide you in creating something
you will be proud to send your friends and family.
The shareware version of the program comes with files to create
3 different holiday greeting cards. Those who register this
software will receive files to create 1 anniversary, and 2
birthday cards available by April, 97. And they will receive 1
Kwanzaa, and 2 Hanukkah available by July, 97. We also have
plans to create other graphic, music MIDI, voice WAVE, files you
can use with MGCM to create cards for many other occasions. Of
course you can create your own graphic, music, and voice files to
use with MGCM. There are more detailed instructions for creating
your own animated graphics in the documentation that comes with
the registered version.
In order for the recipients to enjoy the cards you create they
must have an IBM/compatible, 486/better, Windows (TM) multimedia
system with VGA/better (SVGA recommended) screen. Of course you
will need the same system to use MGCM.
INSTALLING AND RUNNING MGCM
Place the program disk in the appropriate drive. Select File
Manager. Select the drive where the program disk is located.
From the list of files that comes up, double click the
setup.exe file.
You will be given the option of changing the default directory
from C:\MMGCARDS to another name. However, please note that you
must install the program on the same drive where you have
Windows installed. For example: if you have a duel drive system
with a C: and D: drive, and Windows is on the C: drive you
cannot install Multimedia Greeting Card Maker on D: drive. You
must use C: drive. You can change the name of the directory to
some other name such as C:\GREETCRD or whatever you wish.
When the installation process is finished, return to Program
Manager. From the MM Card Maker program group select the Demo
Card icon to see what you can create using this software. Pay
close attention to the documentation so you can see what you
need to do when running MGCM.
I. SELECT MUSIC
When you run MGCM you will see a line of buttons just below
the program title at the top of your screen. The button titled
Select Music allows you to select a .MID file that will play
while your card is being displayed.
Even though MGCM comes with .MID files created specifically for
use with the animated graphics, you can select any .MID file.
You can even select one that you have created.
After you have made a selection you can hear the .MID file
played by clicking the long button next to the blue MUSIC:
label. This button will have the name of the .MID file you
selected displayed on it. If you wish to select another file
simply press the Select Music button again.
If you decide not to have any music play while your card is
displayed, you can unload the file. You unload a file by
clicking the Select Music button and then chose Cancel. The
name of the music file displayed on the MUSIC: button will be
replaced with Play Selected Music.
II. VOICE MESSAGE
If you would like your card to play a .WAV file you can select
one by clicking the button labeled Voice Message. You can select
a .WAV file that has been created specifically for the animated
graphics.
You can also create your own voice message, assuming you have
the software and microphone with which to create .WAV files.
It is exciting for recipients to hear your voice and/or the
voice of your family wishing them holiday greetings.
If a .WAV file is used to make up your card, a button labeled
Click and Listen will appear on your card. Your file will play
each time the user clicks this button. If you do not include a
.WAV file, this button will not appear on the card. If you
decide to create your own .WAV file for your card, you will
want to keep it as short as possible. A thirty second or less
8 bit mono file should fit on a 3.5 disk along with the other
files needed to create the card. It is important to leave about
a 2.5 second pause before you begin your message. See the
documentation, for the software you are using to generate the
.WAV files, for details. The .WAV file can take up a lot of
space.
Once a .WAV file has been selected you can hear how it sounds
by clicking the long button next to the blue VOICE: label. To
remove a selected file, click Voice Message and then select
Cancel.
III. STATIC GRAPHIC
One feature that makes up your greeting card is a static
graphic. This graphic takes up about 1/4 of your screen.
Select the button labeled Static Graphic at the top of your
screen. Any graphic you select must be in the .BMP format. This
is the graphic format used by your Windows Paint program found
in your Accessories program group.
You may create your own static graphic using the Windows Paint
program. Select Options at the top of the Paint screen. Select
Image Attributes and for Units select cm. Enter 7.65 for Width
and 7.65 for Height. This will create a drawing area exactly the
size of the static graphic area on your finished greeting card.
A really exciting idea is to scan a color photograph of you and
or your family and have this appear as your static graphic.
There are many services available that will do this for you.
Kinko's is just one of many. Of course if you have a device
such as Snappy (TM) or your own color scanner, you can create
your own photograph files.
You will need to create a 256 color, 640 x 480 resolution,
.BMP graphic file. You do not want your photo to have a lot
of contrast. That is you do not want it to have very bright
and very dark images. It is better if it has a flat even
contrast and it is better that the photo be darker than lighter.
From this you might need to crop the photo file to make it
square. See the documentation for the graphic editing software
you use for details.
Any graphic that is loaded into the Static Graphic area will
be shaped to fit the box. The closer you get your graphic to
the actual size of the static graphic area the less distortion
will occur.
If you do not select a graphic a default graphic will be
displayed. The default graphic is shown under the blue
label titled Static Graphic. If you select a .BMP file to be
the static graphic, that graphic will be displayed in the
window under the blue Static Graphic label. If you wish to
return to the default graphic, select the Static Graphic
button again and then click Cancel.
IV. ANIMATED GRAPHIC
Nearly half the card screen is dedicated to the animated
graphic. To select an animated graphic, click one of the red
option labels titled Animation 1, 2, or 3. The documentation
that comes with the registered version gives information on
how you can create your own animated graphics to use with
MGCM.
V. SCROLLING TEXT MESSAGE
You can create a text message that will scroll across the
bottom of your animated graphic. To create a scrolling
message, click the white text box at the bottom of your
screen. Type your message, but do not press Enter.
If you decide not to include a scrolling message, the
animated portion of the card will extend down to cover the
area where the scrolling text window would normally be
displayed.
The long button labeled Erase Scrolling Text on the left
side of your screen just above the text window will clear
the text window. Use this to start over or if you decide
you do not want scrolling text in your card after all.
VI. SELECTING COLORS
On the left side of your screen just above the text window
where you type your scrolling text message you will see 4 long
buttons. One of these is the button that clears the text
window. The other three allow you to select the color of your
card background, scrolling text color, and scrolling text
background color. Upon selecting one of these buttons a color
palette will appear where you can select the color you wish
and then click OK.
VII. PREVIEW
When you are ready to see what your card will look and sound
like, select the button at the top of your screen labeled
Preview. When you are finished previewing your card, click the
Close Card button. You will be returned to the MGCM program.
You can make whatever changes you wish and then preview as
often as you like.
VIII. SAVE CARD
When you are satisfied that your card is the way you want to
send it to your friends and family, select the Save Card
button at the top of your screen. A small blue text window
will appear at the bottom of your screen. The default path A:
will appear, this is the drive where the card files can be saved.
If A: is not the drive where your floppy disk is located, then
type the correct drive letter (for example, B:). If you want to
save your card files to a hard drive directory, enter the path
where they are to be saved.
IX. LABELING THE CARD DISK
One of the things you will receive when you register MGCM is
12 free 3.5 disk labels. These labels will have a holiday
design, a place for you to write your name, and simple
instructions on how the recipient can run the card on his
computer. You may order more labels for $3.00 per dozen. If
you create your own labels, make sure you include instructions
on how to run the card. For example:
1. Insert disk into proper drive
2. Select File Manager
3. Select the proper drive
4. Double click CARD.EXE
X. REGISTRATION - QUIT
This software is shareware. That means that a registration fee
of $25 is required before you can create greeting cards for
distribution. You may freely evaluate this software's usefulness
without obligation to register. However, if you use an
unregistered version to create greeting cards to give away,
you are in violation of copyright.
All information you need to register this program is on the
closing screens of MGCM. When you select the Quit button you
will see a screen that tells you all the things you get and all
the benefits of registering this program. From this screen you
can chose to print out the registration information and order
form or see the information on the screen. The registration
information is also included in the readme.txt which you can
see by selecting the icon labeled Important Information in
your program group.
If you have any questions or need more information, please
contact us using the contact information given above. We would
love to hear from you.