Contact Hemera

If you can’t find an answer to your question in our Help files, please email our technical support team at support@hemera.com.

You can also email Hemera™ directly by choosing Help > Send feedback to Hemera, and clicking on the link within the sentence "Email us at: support@hemera.com."  A New Email Message window will appear.

Hemera offers 90 days of free technical support from the date of first technical support contact.

For general enquiries, please visit www.hemera.com.


Customizing Your Work Environment

Customize your work environment using the View features in the main menu.

View > Thumbnails

View thumbnails without details in the Thumbnail Panel.

View > Thumbnails and Details

View thumbnails with image information in the Thumbnail Panel.

View > Standard Toolbar

Select this feature to add or remove the Toolbar from view.

View > Application Toolbar

Select this feature to add or remove the Application Toolbar from view.

View > Preview

Select this feature to add or remove the Preview Panel (large thumbnail window) from view.

You can also resize the panels by positioning your cursor over any of the panel separators, then clicking and dragging the separator to a new dimension.  This allows you, for instance, to fill your screen with thumbnails if you wish to view as many thumbnails as possible at one time.


Search Overview

Images are organized by keyword, by image type, by category, and by their location (collections).  You can use one or all of these fields, depending on how broad or specific you need your search to be.  While you can select your image type, category and location using the drop-down lists, you must use the Search For text bar to search images by keyword (the most effective method).  The search engine will sift through the total number of images at your disposal as you type, based on the search parameters you set.  You can use up to six search features at once to customize your search:

Search For

Type keywords into the Search For window.  This is the most effective method for finding the image you have in mind.

Note that as you type, thumbnails will appear in the Thumbnail Panel that directly correspond to your word(s).  The search engine works to narrow your search automatically and immediately, so that if you type car, images of automobiles will appear in the Thumbnail Panel. If you add a -p to car (carp), images of a certain type of fish will replace the car images.  Add an -et to the end of carp (carpet) and a selection of carpet images will be the final result.

Search In Panel

This panel displays your Hemera™ image collections and your Personal Collections.  The Big Box of Art™ will search through collections you have selected using the checkboxes.

Image Type Drop-Down List

This drop-down list displays the image types you have at your disposal, such as color photographs or vector clip art images.  If you only wish to search through vector art for a certain image, select Vector Art, and The Big Box of Art will only display vector art thumbnails in the Thumbnail Panel.  We recommend selecting Search All Image Types for most searches for maximum search capability.

Categories Drop-Down List

This drop-down list displays various image categories, such as Education or Nature.  You can narrow you searches by selecting specific categories for The Big Box of Art to browse, but we recommend selecting All Categories for most searches for maximum search capability.

Match All Words

Select Match All Words to look for images attached to every word in the keyword text bar.

Match Any Words

Select Match Any Word to look for images attached to any word in the keyword text bar.

Clear Search

Click the Clear Search button in the Toolbar to stop a search, or to clear your search parameters and start a fresh search.  You can also choose Edit > Clear Search in the main menu.


Searching by Keyword

A keyword is a common word that describes an image.  Every image has several keywords attached to it, so if you type the word gorilla in the keyword text bar (a hypothetical example), every image that contains one or many gorillas will appear in the Thumbnail Panel.  You might also get the same image(s) by typing in ape or primate.  If you type in a broader term, like animal, you’re bound to get many more images, some of which will contain gorillas.  Therefore, depending on your needs, you can either narrow your search for a specific image (gorilla) or widen it to gather a broader assortment of the kind of image you have in mind (animal).

To search by keyword, type your word(s) into the keyword text bar under Search For , at the top of your screen.  Note that as you type, thumbnails will appear in the Thumbnail Panel that directly correspond to your word(s).  The search engine works to narrow your search automatically and immediately, so that if you type car, images of automobiles will appear in the Thumbnail Panel. If you add a -p to car (carp), images of a certain type of fish will replace the car images.  Add an -et to the end of carp (carpet) and a selection of carpet images will be the final result.

Select Match All Words (at the far right of the keyword text bar) to look for images attached to every word in the keyword text bar.

Select Match Any Word to look for images attached to any word in the keyword text bar.

Some things to remember:

      1.	Be sure to type words in their singular form, unless they are common plurals such as scissors or pliers.

2.	Separate keywords by a space if you are using more than one at a time.

3. 	Use letters only (no numbers or symbols).

4. 	Acronyms such as USA should be entered without periods.

      5.	If nothing comes up, try a related keyword. We’ve used keywords that make the most sense, e.g. the name of the image, its color, where you might find it, etc.

       6.	The Big Box of Art™ does not accept wildcard characters (such as ampersands and percentage symbols) or foreign characters (such as French or German accents).


Searching by Image Type

The Image Types panel displays a list of the types of available images in that collection, such as vector clip art or color photographs.  Image types are distinguished by appearance (e.g. illustration, photograph) and format (e.g. JPG or GIF).  Some image types have larger file sizes (and take more memory) than others.  You will probably have an idea of the kind of image you need for your project before you begin your search.

To restrict your search to the image type you need, select the desired image type in the Image Types list.  As you type keywords, only images of the specified image type will appear.

To search through every image type in your image collection(s), select Search all Image Types.


Searching by Category

You can narrow your search to a particular topic of interest within a collection by choosing a category from the Categories list at the top of the screen.

To restrict your search to the category you need, select the desired category in the Categories list.   As you type keywords, only images in the specified category will appear.

To search through every category in your image collection(s), select Search all Categories.  For the most thorough possible search, we recommend keeping Search All Categories selected at all times.


Search Results

View your search results in the Thumbnail Panel, located in the bottom left-hand of your screen.  This panel displays the thumbnail images you requested based on the search parameters you set in the Search For bar, Search In Panel and the Image Types and Categories drop-down lists.

Use the vertical scroll bar at the right of the window to scroll through thumbnails in the Thumbnail Panel.  The thumbnails you see depends on the search parameters you set in the top third of the screen.

View important information about an image by clicking the [image] symbol at the bottom right of a thumbnail.  A window appears displaying the image name and category, its associated keywords, its size, format, bit depth, etc.

Make the Thumbnail Panel itself larger or smaller by placing your cursor over the horizontal or vertical separation bars above and to the right of the panel, then clicking and dragging to size.

Choose View > Thumbnail and Details in the main menu to display details beside every thumbnail. Return to original view by choosing View > Thumbnails.


Creating a New Personal Collection

Personal Collections organize groups of images for you.  You may wish to group certain images into a Personal Collection based on project, similar images or favorites.  A list of your Personal Collections appears in the Search In Panel.

1.	Choose File > New Personal Collection in the main menu.

2.   	Type a name for your Personal Collection in the New Personal Collection window.  A folder will appear in the Personal Collections list, located in the Search In Panel.

3.	You can delete a Personal Collection by selecting it, right-clicking your mouse and choosing Delete.


Adding Images to Your Personal Collections

When adding images to Personal Collections, you may be prompted to let The Big Box of Art™ create image categories if they don’t already exist in a given Personal Collection.   If you are importing a Food image, e.g., for the first time, a window will appear prompting you to add a Food category to that Personal Collection.

You can choose to leave certain images uncategorized when the prompt window appears.  These images will be stored in an Uncategorized category.

You can add images to your Personal Collection(s) using one of three methods:

Drag & Drop

Click and drag a thumbnail to its intended Personal Collection folder.  You can only drag and drop thumbnails, to which you have access through collection, into a Personal Collection.

Copy/Paste

1.	Select the thumbnail you wish to add to a Personal Collection.  Please note you can only add an image to your Personal Collection(s) if you have full access to the image through local installation.

2.	Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu, or right-click your mouse and choose Copy.

3. 	In the Search In Panel, select a Personal Collection in which to place the image.

4. 	Choose Edit > Paste in the main menu, or right-click your mouse and choose Paste.

Insert an Image From Disk

You can import outside images for The Big Box of Art to manage alongside your Hemera™ collection images.

1. 	Choose File > Insert Images from Disk… in the main menu.

2. 	Choose a Personal Collection in which to place the image.

3. 	Browse for the location of your image.  Select the image file, making sure the file name appears in the File Name text bar.

4. 	Click Open. The image should appear as a thumbnail in your Personal Collection.


Using Drag & Drop to Manage Your Images

You can move and copy images quickly and easily to your desktop or to Personal Collections using the drag & drop functionality.  Drag the images to these locations from the Thumbnail Panel.

Dragging and Dropping an Image

You can drag and drop an image if you own it through a Hemera™ collection.  Be sure your Drag & Drop option is set correctly before you start:

1.	Choose Edit > Options.

2.	Choose the Drag & Drop tab.

3.	Choose An image file in the following format and select your image format in the drop-down list.

4.	Click OK.

You can now drag and drop an image from either the Thumbnail Panel or Preview Panel .


Export Overview

Exporting images to your documents is made easy by Export Wizard, a step-by-step guide that takes you through the process of tailoring an image to your needs and getting it into your document.  Export Wizard can be opened any time by double-clicking on a thumbnail image in the Thumbnail Panel, or by double-clicking on your image in the Preview Panel.  You’ll be asked to make certain selections as Export Wizard takes you through its steps:

Select the type of application the image is destined for.

Resize, flip or crop your image before you export it.  It also lets you choose another resolution or aspect ratio for your image.

Choose or create a background color for certain types of images before you export an image (if applicable).

Save your image in the best format for your application type and intended use.

(Please note that Export Wizard does not support animated GIFs.  Export animated GIFs by double-clicking on an image in the Preview Panel and saving the image to your hard drive when prompted.)


Selecting an Application Type

Let The Big Box of Art™ know to what kind of application you wish to export your image, and Export Wizard will guide you through the process best suited to both your image type and your application.

Double-click on a thumbnail image to open Export Wizard. This built-in export application makes the process of getting images to your documents as simple as possible.  Select an application type in Export Wizard based on the kind of document your image is going into:

WORD PROCESSOR, spreadsheet or other software into which images can be pasted

Choose this option if you wish to use the image in a word processor (e.g. Word, WordPerfect®) or a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel, Quattro Pro®). This is also the best alternative if you aren’t sure what option to choose for your document, or if you’ve already tried several other options without success.

PRESENTATION software

Choose this option if you wish to use the image in presentations packages, which vary in the way they handle files.  Click on the arrow and choose the appropriate software from the drop-down list (PowerPoint®, Corel® Presentations™, Harvard Graphics®, or Freelance). If your presentations package isn’t listed, you can try choosing one of the other packages in the list (or the WORD PROCESSOR option).

WEB AUTHORING tool or other software that allows me to build Web pages

Choose this option if you wish to use the image on a Web page.

GRAPHICS APPLICATION that supports 32-bit images with a transparency mask

Choose this option if you wish to use the image in a graphics program and maintain transparency. Many graphics programs support transparency in images. This is the first option to try when working with a graphics application.

EXPORT the image to a popular image format

Choose this option if you wish to save the image as a file instead of inserting it directly into an application.

Email the Image

Choose this option if you wish to email the image to a recipient.


Emailing an Image

Click the Email Image button in the Toolbar (this will launch Export Wizard in which you can select your export features), or

1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail image of your choice.
2.	Choose Email the Image in the first window.

3.	Follow the onscreen instructions.

You can also email an image by right-clicking on a thumbnail and choosing Email Image To… or selecting a thumbnail and choosing File > Email Image To…


Selecting Background Color

This step in Export Wizard matches your image’s background color to the background of the intended document. Selecting a background color is useful in two instances.

1.	When your chosen image format doesn’t support transparency , you can create the illusion of transparency by selecting an image background that matches the document background.

2. 	When your chosen image format supports transparency but doesn’t support 32-bit masks, you can smooth out the image edges (anti-aliasing) for the background color being used.

There are four ways to define the background color of your document.

Pick Color from Document

You can match the background color to any color in your intended document (or in the image itself).  To do the former, be sure you can access your document onscreen while the Background Color window is visible.

1. 	Click Pick Color and your cursor will change into an eyedropper symbol.

2. 	Place the eyedropper on a color in your open document and click your right mouse button. That color will automatically appear as the background to your image in the Background Color window.

Custom drop-down list

Select a popular color from the Custom drop-down list by clicking the down arrow.  A list of popular colors will appear.  Select a color name and that color will automatically fill the background in the Preview Panel. (The default color in the Custom drop-down list is white.)

Hex Values

Type Hex values into the Hex box to match your Pantone® color values.

Color Palette

The Color Palette permits more advanced selection of background color.  Click on the Color Palette button and a Color paint-box will appear.  Use the features below to create a custom color that matches your image’s intended background:

Basic Colors

Select a color from the Basic Colors menu by double-clicking on a colored square.  The color will appear in the Color/Solid box.  When you exit the Color window, the chosen color will appear automatically in the background of the Background Color window.

Color Matrix

Place your cursor on any color in the rainbow color matrix and click.  That color will appear in the first available square of the Custom Colors box.  You can also increase or decrease a color’s shade using the slide to the right of the color matrix.  To use the slide, click on your color in the matrix, then click and drag the arrow beside the slide.  The changing hue gradient will appear in the Color/Solid box.   Add the color to your Custom Colors list by clicking the Add to Custom Colors button.

Background image

Use a saved image as background for the image you are exporting.

1. 	Choose Web authoring tool or other software that allows me to build Web pages in Export Wizard.

2.	Select Background Image Tile or The one specified in the following HTML file.

3.	Browse for the image you wish to use as background in the drop-down list.

  4.	Click Select.  The image will appear as background in the Export Wizard preview window.


Saving Your Images to an Application

The steps you need to take to save an image to your document depend on which type of application you’re using.  Choose the option that best suits the type of image and your working application.

Word Processor

When exporting images to a word processor or spreadsheet application, use the Drag and Drop or Copy to Clipboard option.

Drag and Drop

Click on the image and drag it to your document.  The image inserts automatically when you release the left mouse button.

Copy to Clipboard

1.	Click the Copy to Clipboard button in the Drag & Drop - Copy to Clipboard window.

2.	Choose Edit > Paste in your working application, or use the keyboard shortcut Control  + V.

Presentation Package

  There are several ways to save images to presentation packages.

Insert Picture from File

Insert a GIF with Transparency into PowerPoint® and Corel® Presentations™ to maintain the transparent background of an image. Choose Insert > Insert Picture From File in your working application’s main menu.

Copy to Clipboard

Harvard Graphics® and Freelance don’t accept images with transparency. Insert images into these applications using the Copy to Clipboard function (see Word Processor/Copy to Clipboard, above).

Presentation Packages Other Than Those Specified

When using a presentations package not listed in the drop-down list in Export Wizard’s Export To dialog box, try the PowerPoint or Presentations option and insert the image as a GIF with Transparency. If you are unable to import the image, or if it appears in the application with a white background, use the Copy to Clipboard function (see Word Processor/Copy to Clipboard, above).

Graphics Application

Save the image in a file format that supports transparency masks (alpha channels) using the drop-down list.  The best file format to use depends on your working application. Try different file formats with your application to find out which one works best. As a rule of thumb, the TIFF file format is the most widely accepted.

1. 	Select a file format from the drop-down menu.

2.	Browse for the destination folder and click Export.

To check if your graphics application has accepted the image with its transparent background, place the image over a colored background. If a white rectangle is visible around the image, transparency has not been preserved.  Return to Export Wizard and select a different file format from the drop-down list.

If the image does not appear in your application after a drag-and-drop, or you are unable to open the image file in your application, try another file format.

If no file format appears to be working, your application probably doesn’t support images with transparency. Export your image using the Word Processor option.

Web Authoring Tool

When using the Web Authoring Tool option, Export Wizard will analyze the image and recommend the best file format to use for exporting the image to a Web application (JPG, PNG or GIF).  Click Next.

Use the features in the Image Compression window to control the compression of the exported image.

File Size vs. Image Quality

Vary the number of colors used to produce the image. Use the slide rule to select image quality.  Click Hold to View Original button to see the difference between the original image and the image with fewer colors.

Image Info

View the file size as you vary the number of colors and file format.  Dither the image (a way of creating the illusion of detail in a low resolution image.)   Specify the Internet access type and speed, and view the image’s corresponding download time.

Use the features in the Progressive/Interlace window to select image interlacing when displayed over the Internet. Web page images normally display from top to bottom. When interlaced, images are initially fuzzy, then become sharper as the image data is transferred. Use the View Download Simulation button to view the difference between an interlaced display and a non-interlaced display.

Save the image to your application in recommended file format and click Export to complete.

Export the Image to a Popular File Format

1. 	Select a file format from the drop-down menu.

2.	Browse for the destination folder and click Export.


Viewing Terms and Conditions

You can read Terms and Conditions anytime by choosing Help > View Terms and Conditions in the main menu.


Viewing Privacy Policy

You can read the Privacy Policy anytime by choosing Help > View Privacy Policy in the main menu.


Main Menu

Complete a variety of functions using the main menu and submenus.

File > New Personal Collection

Use this feature to create as many Personal Collections as you like.  Personal Collections help you organize your images, and are located in the Search In Panel.

File > Insert Images From Disk…

Use this feature to import your own digital images into The Big Box of Art™.  Images can be imported from a variety of drives, including your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

File > Export

Use this feature to launch Export Wizard.

File > Save As

Use this feature to save an image to a folder of your choice.

File > Launch

Use this feature to launch your installed bonus applications if available (e.g. Jigsaw Puzzler).

File > Email Image To

Use this feature to email an image to a recipient. To email several images at once, select the thumbnails you wish to send before using this feature.

File > Properties

Use this feature to view image properties such as image name, file size, location, format, bit depth, etc.  Select a thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel before using this feature.  A pop-up window will appear displaying the thumbnail’s image properties.

File > Exit

Use this feature to exit the application.

Edit > Cut

Use this feature to remove an image from a Personal Collection.

Edit > Copy

Use this feature to copy an image to a Personal Collection.

Edit > Paste

Use this feature to paste an image into a Personal Collection.

Edit > Delete Image…

Use this feature to delete an image from a Personal Collection.

Edit > Edit Image…

Use this feature if you wish to open images in another application (as default) and edit an image from a Personal Collection, rather than edit images using Export Wizard.

Edit > Select All

Use this feature to select all the images in the Thumbnail Panel.

Edit > Clear Search

Use this feature to clear all search parameters in one step.

Edit > Options…

Use this feature to select options for Clipboard/Copy Paste and Drag and Drop operations.

View > Thumbnails

View thumbnails without details in the Thumbnail Panel.

View > Thumbnails and Details

View thumbnails with image information in the Thumbnail Panel.

View > Standard Toolbar

Select this feature to add or remove the Toolbar from view.

View > Application Toolbar

Select this feature to add or remove the Application Toolbar from view.

View > Preview

Select this feature to add or remove the Preview Panel (large thumbnail window) from view.

Help > Help Contents

Use this feature to launch this Help Contents document.

Help > Online Technical Support

Use this feature if you wish to visit the www.graphicdesk.com Help pages.

Help > www.hemera.com

Use this feature to visit Hemera’s Web site.

Help > Send Feedback to Hemera…

Use this feature to email comments or questions to Hemera.

Help > View Privacy Policy

Use this feature to view the Privacy Policy.

Help > View Terms and Conditions

Use this feature to view the Terms and Conditions.

Help > About The Big Box of Art

Use this feature to read technical information about this product.


Standard Toolbar

The Toolbar, located at the top of your screen, features shortcut buttons for popular functions:

Export

Click this button to launch Export Wizard.

Email To

Click this button launch Export Wizard before emailing an image to a recipient.

Cut

Click this button to cut an image from a Personal Collection.

Copy

Click this button to copy an image from one Personal Collection to another.

Paste

Click this button to paste an image into a Personal Collection.

Properties

Click this button to view the image properties of a selected thumbnail (in the Thumbnail Panel).

Clear Search

Click this button to clear the search parameters you have provided, such as keywords in the Search For bar, or selected image types in the Image Types drop-down list.

Product Info

Click this button to learn more about the Hemera product you are using.


Application Toolbar

The Application Toolbar contains buttons that launch your Hemera™ bonus graphics applications from within The Big Box of Art™.  Click any application icon on this toolbar and the bonus application will launch.

These bonus graphics applications are found in various Hemera retail collections.  Whether installed before you installed The Big Box of Art, or added to your hard drive later on, The Big Box of Art will create a launch button for each of them on the Application Toolbar.


Search For Bar

Narrow your search parameters by typing keywords in the Search For bar.  When using more than one keyword, separate each word by a space.   You can read more about using keywords in The Big Box of Art™ in Searching by Keyword.


Thumbnail Panel

Hemera™ thumbnail images are displayed in the Thumbnail Panel, on the left-hand side of the bottom two-thirds of your screen.  Thumbnail images are small read-only versions of the actual images displayed in a group for easier overview.  A thumbnail’s resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.

Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on any thumbnail.  This lets you access the corresponding image, format it, and export it to your document.

Use the vertical scroll bar at the right of the window to scroll through the group of thumbnails.  The thumbnails you see depends on the search parameters you set in the top third of the screen.

View important information about an image by clicking the [image] symbol at the bottom right of a thumbnail.  A window appears displaying the image name and category, its associated keywords, size, format, bit depth, etc.

If you are using an installed collection, learn on what CD you can find the image you need thanks to the CD Indicator symbol [image] next to each thumbnail.

Make the Thumbnail Panel larger or smaller by placing your cursor over the horizontal or vertical separation bars above and to the right of the panel, then clicking and dragging to size.


Preview Panel

The Preview Panel, located to the right of the Thumbnail Panel, displays a larger view of a selected thumbnail image.

If you have a thumbnail selected, you can open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the Preview Panel.  Export Wizard lets you format the image and get the image into your document. It’s the first step in using the images you need, guides you through the process, and it takes just seconds.

Make the Preview Panel larger or smaller by placing your cursor over the vertical separation bar and clicking and dragging to size.


Search In Panel

This panel displays Hemera™ image collections and your Personal Collections.  The Big Box of Art™ will search through collections you have selected using the checkboxes.


CD Indicator Symbol

When searching Hemera™ collections installed on your hard drive, The Big Box of Art™ lets you know on which CD you can find the image corresponding to any thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel.

1. 	Look for the CD Indicator symbol [image] in the upper right-hand corner of a thumbnail box, and note the corresponding number.  That number refers to the CD number in your installed Hemera image collection.

2.	Place the corresponding CD in your CD-ROM drive to access the desired image.


Viewing Image Properties

Information about images can be viewed through their thumbnails in the Thumbnail Panel .  This information includes image name, file size, location, format, bit depth, etc.  There are four ways to view thumbnail information:

Pop-up View

Read thumbnail information by clicking the [image] symbol next to a thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel.  Information about the image will appear in a pop-up window.

Right-click

Right-click on any thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel and select Properties.

Main Menu

Click on a thumbnail and choose File > Properties.

Toolbar

Click on a thumbnail, then click the Properties button on the Toolbar.

View Thumbnails and Details

Choose View > Thumbnails and Details in the main menu.  Details will appear statically beside every thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel.  This view is not as comprehensive as the others, but provides a good overview of the basic data attached to images.  Return to original view by selecting View > Thumbnails.

If you have any Hemera™ image collections installed locally on your hard drive, the names of the collections and their thumbnails will appear in the Search In Panel when you installed The Big Box of Art™.  If you install a new Hemera CD or DVD collection later on, the new collection will also appear in this panel automatically.


Image Properties

Information about images can be viewed through their thumbnails in the Thumbnail Panel .  This information includes image name, file size, location, format, bit depth, etc.  There are four ways to view thumbnail information:

Pop-up View

Read thumbnail information by clicking the [image] symbol next to a thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel.  Information about the image will appear in a pop-up window.

Right-click

Right-click on any thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel and select Properties.

Main Menu

Click on a thumbnail and choose File > Properties.

Toolbar

Click on the Properties button on the Toolbar.

View Thumbnails and Details

Choose View > Thumbnails and Details in the main menu.  Details will appear statically beside every thumbnail in the Thumbnail Panel.  This view is not as comprehensive as the others, but provides a good overview of the basic data attached to images.  Return to original view by selecting View > Thumbnails.

If you have any Hemera™ image collections installed locally on your hard drive, the names of the collections and their thumbnails will appear in the Search In Panel upon installation.


Managing Personal Collections

If you have created a Personal Collection, you can easily manipulate its properties, such as name or category, by clicking the adjacent Edit Properties button in the upper right-hand side of the Search In Panel.  When the Edit Personal Collection Properties window appears, select one of the following tabs to make your changes.

Collection

Type a new name for your Personal Collection or delete the collection.  Click OK to save your changes.

Image Types

Create a new image type for your image if its image type does not already exist in The Big Box of Art™.  You can also rename or delete an image type.  Click OK to save your changes.

Categories

Create a new category for your image. You can also rename a category or delete a category.  Click OK to save your changes.


Clearing Search Parameters

Click the Clear Search button in the Toolbar to clear your search parameters and start a fresh search.  You can also choose Edit > Clear Search in the main menu.


Optimizing an Image for the Web

You can optimize any image for use on Web pages by taking advantage of the Web Authoring Tool in Export Wizard.

1. 	To open Export Wizard, double-click on the thumbnail of your choice.

2. 	Select WEB AUTHORING tool or other software that allows me to build Web pages.

3. 	Resize, flip and/or crop the image using the features in the second window.

4. 	Specify the background color using the Background Color drop-down list, the HTML color box, the Hex box or by clicking on the Color Palette button (click the eyedropper on the color within the image that you wish to use as background).

5. 	Click on the desired image format (the most suitable format for your image will be recommended).

6. 	Minimize file size and download time by using the File Size vs. Image Quality slider.

7. 	Choose whether or not you would like the image to be displayed progressively as it downloads on the Internet.

8. 	Save the image to your hard drive by following the onscreen instructions.


Exporting Multiple Images

You can export as many images as you like at one time (provided the images can be accessed through a Hemera™ CD/DVD loaded in your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive).

1.	Hold down the SHIFT or CTRL key and click on thumbnail images in the Thumbnail Panel.

2.	Select your export features for the entire group in Export Wizard.


Additional Help - Hemera Support

The following are a few ways to get additional support from Hemera™ if you can’t find what you need in our Help files.

1. 	Choose Help > Send feedback to Hemera in the main menu to email your question to our technical support team.  You can also email Hemera at support@hemera.com.

2.	Choose Help > Online Technical Support in the main menu to learn more on the Hemera Web site.

3.	Go to your Windows® Start Button and choose Programs > The Big Box of Art  > The Big Box of Art ReadMe for additional technical information about The Big Box of Art ™.


Drag and Drop Settings

Most Windows® applications let you drag images into your documents, a fast and easy way of inserting graphics. When an image is dragged and dropped into another application, it’s presented to the application in a particular file format.  Since different applications may accept different file formats, it may be necessary to change the default format for drag and drop.  See below for information on viewing and changing default settings.

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.	Choose the Drag & Drop default options you need.

Default Settings

A standard Windows vector image or bitmap: Use this format when dragging and dropping images into programs such as word processors or spreadsheets. It’s the format most widely accepted by applications that support drag and drop. It does not, however, support the transparency included with certain types of images.

An image file in the following format: Control the file format used during drag and drop by specifying the format you need using the attached drop-down list.

Display the Resize window when pasting (or dropping) the image: Make the Resize window appear when you drag and drop an image from Export Wizard, so you can resize the object and adjust its quality (resolution) before inserting it into your document.


Drag & Drop and Clipboard (Copy/Paste) Settings

Most Windows® applications let you drag and drop or copy/paste images into your documents, a fast and easy way of inserting graphics. When an image is dragged and dropped or copy/pasted into another application, it’s presented to the application in a particular file format.  Since different applications may accept different file formats, it may be necessary to change the default format for drag and drop and copy/paste.  See below for information on viewing and changing default settings.

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.	Choose the Drag & Drop and Clipboard default options you need.

Default Settings

A standard Windows vector image or bitmap: Use this format when dragging and dropping or copy/pasting images into programs such as word processors or spreadsheets. It’s the format most widely accepted by applications that support drag and drop and copy/paste. It does not, however, support the transparency included with certain types of images.

An image file in the following format: Control the file format used during drag and drop and copy/paste by specifying the format you need using the attached drop-down list.

Display the Resize window when pasting (or dropping) the image: Make the Resize window appear when you copy/paste or drag and drop an image from Export Wizard, so you can resize the object and adjust its quality (resolution) before inserting it into your document.


About DPI

What does DPI mean?

Image resolution is expressed in DPI (dots per inch).  This refers to the number of pixels used to represent 1 inch of image information.  A high DPI means greater image detail, especially for printing purposes, but also means larger file sizes and memory usage. For example, a 1X1 inch image at 96 DPI contains 9,216 (96x96) pixels, while the same 1X1 inch image at 300 DPI contains 90,000 (300x300) pixels.

Why isn't my image displaying or printing at the proper size?

An image’s physical dimensions (e.g. in inches) result from the relationship between the number of pixels in the image and the DPI value contained in its information header.

For example, if a 600x600 pixel image contains a DPI value of 200 in its header, a well-behaved application using this image should display it 3X3 inches. The application performs the following calculation in each direction: 600 pixels / 200 pixels per inch = 3 inches.

Sometimes an image isn’t displayed at the size you initially selected when inserted into other documents. This may happen if your file format doesn’t have a DPI placeholder in its information header. In these cases, the application using the image has no way to perform calculations that would translate to physical dimensions. Other applications never calculate the physical dimensions of an image. You can often resize the image to proper dimension and quality in your working application.

Why is the DPI in the exported image lower than the one I selected?

When resizing an image, Export Wizard will only re-sample that image up to twice its full size in each direction for a particular DPI. This is done automatically to prevent the image from losing too much quality due to re-sampling, and ensures it doesn’t become unnecessarily large.

When an image is resized to dimensions larger than twice its full size, the DPI is lowered to a value that displays the image at the selected physical dimensions. This provides the same image quality that results when the image has been completely re-sampled to the desired size and DPI, but considerably reduces the file size and memory usage required to obtain that quality.

Onscreen display (96 DPI)

Select this resolution for images intended for display on a screen (e.g. in slide presentations or on a Web page). Images saved in this resolution can be printed, but will normally look a little fuzzy on paper.

Good quality printing (150 DPI)

Select this resolution for images you intend to print from text documents or graphics software. This option provides good quality printing while minimizing the image’s file size and memory usage.

High quality printing (200 DPI)

Select this resolution for images you intend to print that need a higher quality appearance. This option provides high quality printing with reasonable file size and memory usage. Typically, images saved with this option use twice as much memory than those saved in the Good quality printing option.

Professional quality printing (300 DPI)

Select this resolution for maximum printing quality (e.g. documents destined for a professional printing press). This option provides the best printing quality but also yields the largest file size and memory usage, making documents potentially harder to work with.


Clipboard (Copy/Paste) Settings

Most Windows® applications let copy/paste images into your documents, a fast and easy way of inserting graphics. When an image is copy/pasted into another application, it’s presented to the application in a particular file format.  Since different applications may accept different file formats, it may be necessary to change the default format for copy/paste.  See below for information on viewing and changing default settings.

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.	Choose the Clipboard default options you need.

Default Settings

A standard Windows vector image or bitmap: Use this format when copy/pasting images into programs such as word processors or spreadsheets. It’s the format most widely accepted by applications that support copy/paste. It does not, however, support the transparency included with certain types of images.

An image file in the following format: Control the file format used during copy/paste by specifying the format you need using the attached drop-down list.

Display the Resize window when pasting (or dropping) the image: Make the Resize window appear when you copy/paste an image from Export Wizard, so you can resize the object and adjust its quality (resolution) before inserting it into your document.


Exporting Vector Clip Art

There are four different ways to place vector clip art images in your documents. Please note that certain applications do not automatically convert transparency found with some vector art images.  Click here to read more about transparency.

Export Wizard
1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail  image of your choice.
2.	Follow the onscreen instructions.

Drag an image to your desktop or document

When you drag and drop an image into an application, it takes on the file and image formats defined in the Drag & Drop settings (found under Options in the Edit menu).

1.	Click and hold on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2.	Drag the thumbnail to your desktop or into your application.

Copy/Paste

Copy/pasted images default to the file and image formats defined in the Clipboard settings (found under Options in the Edit menu).

1.	Click on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2.	Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu.

3.	From within your working application, choose Edit > Paste in the main menu.

  4.	Follow the instructions in Export Wizard if you wish to resize or flip your image.

Save to hard drive

1.	Click on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2.	Choose File > Save As in the main menu.

3.	Browse for the destination folder and choose Save.

4.	Open the saved image from within the destination folder.


Exporting Photographs

There are four different ways to place photographs in your documents.

Export Wizard
1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail  image of your choice.
2.	Follow the onscreen instructions.

Drag an image to your desktop or document

When you drag and drop an image into an application, it takes on the file and image formats defined in the Drag & Drop settings (found under Options in the Edit menu).

1.	Click and hold on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2.	Drag the thumbnail to your desktop or into your application.

Copy/Paste

Copy/pasted images default to the file and image formats defined in the Clipboard settings (found under Options in the Edit menu).

1.	Click on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2.	Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu.

3.	From within your working application, choose Edit > Paste in the main menu.

  4.	Follow the instructions in Export Wizard if you wish to resize, flip or crop your image.

Save to hard drive

1.	Click on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2.	Choose File > Save As in the main menu.

3.	Browse for the destination folder and choose Save.

  4.	Open the saved image from within the destination folder.


Image Types Drop-Down List

Narrow your search to a particular image type (e.g. vector clip art, color photograph) by selecting an image type in the Image Types drop-down list, located at the upper right-hand of your screen.


Categories Drop-Down List

Narrow your search to a particular category of image (Architecture, People, Wildlife & Animals) by selecting an image category in the Categories drop-down list, located at the upper right-hand of your screen.


Insert Images From Disk

You can import outside images for The Big Box of Art™ to manage alongside Hemera™ collection images.

1. 	Choose File > Insert Images from Disk in the main menu.

2. 	Choose a Personal Collection in which to place the image.  If you do not have any Personal Collections, you will be prompted to create one at this time.

3. 	Browse for the location of your image.  Select the image file, making sure the file name appears in the File Name text bar.

4. 	Click Open. The image should appear as a thumbnail in your Personal Collection.


Exporting as an Email Attachment

1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail  image of your choice.

2.	Choose Email the Image in the first window.

3.	Follow the onscreen instructions.


Image Paths

You can tell The Big Box of Art™ where to store image information by using this feature.  Choose Edit > Options > CD-Rom Drives and browse for the folder you need.  This feature is useful if you wish to store images on your hard drive or on a network server, rather than on CD or DVD.

Click here for information on how to store images from a CD or DVD on your hard drive (this removes the need to swap CDs or DVDs as you search for images).


Resizing, Flipping and Cropping Images

The Resize/Flip/Crop window in Export Wizard has four features:

Resize Image Tab

Lets you select the image size and resolution you need, and maximize the quality of the image while keeping the file size and memory usage reasonable.

Crop Image Tab

Lets you define what part of the image you wish to keep (and removes the rest).   Please note that this tab does not appear in Export Wizard when working with vector clip art images.

Size in Memory View

This view box keeps track of your file size (size in memory). Please note that this view box does not appear in Export Wizard when working with vector clip art images.

Horizontal and Vertical Flip Checkboxes

Lets you flip the image horizontally or vertically, and view the size of the image in memory.  Select either checkbox and the image will be displayed from its opposite horizontal or vertical angle.

Resizing an image manually

A typical cropping box surrounds the image with eight square handles along its border.

1.     	Grasp any corner handle with your mouse cursor by clicking and holding on the handle.

2.	Drag the box inward or outward to resize the image quickly. The dimensions in the Width, Height and Units boxes will change automatically as you resize.

Specifying exact size dimensions

1.	Click inside the Width and Height boxes in the Resize Image tab.

2.	Choose the unit of measurement (centimeter, inch or pixel) in the Units drop-down list.

3.	Type in the dimensions, or use the up/down arrows to increase or decrease size. Your dimensions will be evaluated in the units of measurement selected in the Units drop-down list.

Flipping an Image

1. 	Click on the Flip tab.

2.	Choose whether to flip the image horizontally, vertically or both using the checkboxes.

Cropping an image manually

Specify the cropping boundaries using one or more of the methods below. The image itself will remain stationary while you position the cropping box.  The Width and Height fields adjust automatically as the dimensions change. The Size in Memory view displays the size in memory of your dimension. (These indicators are useful when you have exacting dimension or memory requirements for your exported image.)

Click and hold on the cropping box outline or use the handles. Move the box over the image until it is positioned in such a way that the parts you wish to crop appear outside the box’s boundaries.

Hold down the ALT key while dragging a handle, and the cropping box will resize symmetrically, growing or shrinking from the center.

Hold down the Shift key while dragging a handle, and the cropping box will remain square.

Move the cropping box by clicking in the middle of the parameter and dragging it to the desired location.

Hold down the Control key and the cropping box and image will move together.

Once you’ve positioned the cropping box over the image, click Crop Image.  Click Revert to Original to undo the crop.  If you select the Auto-crop image checkbox, the image will crop automatically when you release your mouse button.

Specifying exact cropping dimensions

1.	Click inside the Width and Height boxes in the Crop Image tab.

2.	Choose the unit of measurement (centimeter, inch or pixel) in the Units drop-down list.

3.	Type in the dimensions, or use the up/down arrows to increase or decrease size. Your dimensions will be evaluated in the units of measurement selected in the Units drop-down list.

Forcing Aspect Ratio

If you select the Force Aspect Ratio checkbox, the cropping box maintains its width to height proportions as you resize it. The two fields under the Force Aspect Ratio checkbox allow you to specify the aspect ratio.  Use the up/down arrow buttons to select your aspect ratio, or type in your dimensions manually.

Units of measurement

There are 3 units of measurement used for resizing objects: pixel, inch and centimeter. Access the Units drop-down list by clicking on the arrow beside the Units box. When using the Pixels units, the Wizard automatically selects the Onscreen display (96 DPI) resolution, since such units are best for onscreen display of images. For most other uses, it is best to select inches or centimeters along with a compatible resolution.  You can select your resolution in the Adjust Image Resolution For drop-down list.

Adjusting image resolution

This drop-down list lets you select your image’s resolution, which helps Export Wizard maximize the quality of the image, while keeping the file size and memory usage reasonable. This option defaults to Onscreen display (96 DPI) when the Web Authoring Tool option was selected in the first step of Export Wizard.

Onscreen display (96 DPI)

Select this resolution for images intended for display on a screen (e.g. in slide presentations or on a Web page). Images saved in this resolution can be printed, but will normally look a little fuzzy on paper.

Good quality printing (150 DPI)

Select this resolution for images you intend to print from text documents or graphics software. This option provides good quality printing while minimizing the image’s file size and memory usage.

High quality printing (200 DPI)

Select this resolution for images you intend to print that need a higher quality appearance. This option provides high quality printing with reasonable file size and memory usage. Typically, images saved with this option use twice as much memory than those saved in the Good quality printing option.

Professional quality printing (300 DPI)

Select this resolution for maximum printing quality (e.g. documents destined for a professional printing press). This option provides the best printing quality but also yields the largest file size and memory usage, making documents potentially harder to work with.

(Please note that the last three resolutions also provide good onscreen display quality.)


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Thumbnail

A small read-only version of an actual image that has been reproduced in a view feature for easier overview, often in a group.  A thumbnail's resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.


Environment Overview

The Big Box of Art™ has a user-friendly interface that helps you manage and export your images.

Main menu

The main menu at the top of your screen gets you started.  It houses the basic features that let you personalize your application.

Search Features

Custom search features occupy the top third of your screen.  This is where you indicate your search parameters.

Enter keywords to describe the image you need in the Search For bar.

Select the image type you need, such as vector art or color photograph, in the Image Types drop-down list.  For maximum search results, select Search All Image Types.

Select an image category, such as People or Nature, in the Categories drop-down list.  For maximum search results, select Search All Categories.

Match All Words

Select Match All Words to look for images attached to every word in the keyword text bar.

Match Any Words

Select Match Any Word to look for images attached to any word in the keyword text bar.

Search In Panel

This panel displays your Hemera™ image collections and your Personal Collections.  The Big Box of Art will search collections you have selected using the checkboxes.

Thumbnail Panel

Hemera thumbnail images are displayed in the Thumbnail Panel, on the left-hand side of the bottom two-thirds of the screen.  Thumbnail images are small read-only versions of the actual images displayed in a group for easier overview.  A thumbnail’s resolution is not as great as that of the actual image, and it cannot be manipulated.

Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on any thumbnail.  This lets you access the corresponding image, format it, and export it to your document.

Use the vertical scroll bar at the right of the window to scroll through the group of thumbnails.  The thumbnails you see depends on the search parameters you set in the top third of the screen.

View important information about an image by clicking the [image] symbol at the bottom right of a thumbnail.  A window appears displaying the image name and category, its associated keywords, size, format, bit depth, etc.

If an installed collection is selected, learn on what CD you can find the image you need thanks to the CD Indicator symbol [image] next to each thumbnail.

Make the Thumbnail Panel larger or smaller by placing your cursor over the horizontal or vertical separators above and to the right of the panel, then clicking and dragging to size.

Preview Panel

On the right-hand side of the thumbnail screen, the Preview Panel displays a larger view of a selected thumbnail image.

Make the Preview Panel larger or smaller by placing your cursor over the vertical separator bar and clicking and dragging to size.

Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the Preview Panel.


Welcome to The Big Box of Art

Welcome to the new and improved The Big Box of Art™ !  This image collection offers a wide variety of image types and themes so you’ll always have the perfect graphic for every project.  Better yet, you’ll be able to get that perfect image to your project in seconds thanks to our fast search engine and easy-to-use work environment that guides you through the export process, step by step.  These Help files should assist you if you have any questions while using the product; if not, we have some additional Help suggestions for you.


Importing Your Own Images into The Big Box of Art

1.	Choose File > Insert Images from Disk… in the main menu.

2. 	Choose a Personal Collection in which to place the imported image (if you do not have any Personal Collections, you will be prompted to create one).

3. 	Browse for the image, select it, and click Open.  The image will be stored in the Personal Collection you have chosen and can now be opened within The Big Box of Art™.


About Transparency

Certain images are distinguished by a feature called transparency.  This refers to the empty space in and around such images. Placing these images in documents requires a slightly different process because transparency must be taken into consideration.

Using images with transparency

Taking advantage of image transparency in certain software packages may involve several steps. Select a new format in the drop-down list. There are several ways to export your image using transparency.  Please note that some applications won’t accept a TIFF with Transparency or a Targa with Transparency using Drag and Drop or Copy/Paste.

Export Wizard

1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the image of your choice in the Thumbnail Panel.

2.	Choose GRAPHICS APPLICATION that supports 32-bit images with a transparency mask.

3.	Click NEXT and follow the instructions.

Save to hard drive

1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the image of your choice in the Thumbnail Panel.

2.	Choose File > Save As in the main menu.

3.	Choose either the TIFF 32 or TGA-32 bit from the Save As Type drop-

down list.

4.	Import the image from within your working application.

Drag an image to your desktop or document

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.	Choose An image file in the following format.

3.	Choose either TIFF with Transparency or Targa with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4.	Return to the Thumbnail Panel and click and hold on the thumbnail of your choice.

5.	Drag it to your desktop or into your working application.

Copy/Paste

(Please note that although this method is available, such a clipboard operation is rarely supported.)

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.  	Choose An image file in the following format.

3.	Choose either TIFF with Transparency or Targa with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4.	Return to the Thumbnail Panel and click on the image of your choice.

5.	Choose Edit > Copy.

6.	From within your working application, choose Edit  > Paste.

7.	Follow the instructions in Export Wizard if you wish to crop or resize your image.

Using the GIF file format for transparency

Many applications that don’t support the full transparency of the TIFF or Targa file formats will support it in the GIF file format.  GIF supports a simple form of transparency that allows images to be placed on top of one another. It also allows them to be placed on a textured background.

The GIF format has two weaknesses. The number of colors contained in the image are reduced and the edges will only blend with a uniform background color. If you define a dark background for an image, a dark line borders the image when it is placed on a light background.  Match the color of the intended background, and the edges of the image will blend with the chosen background color.

Despite these limitations, the GIF format is a good option if you have a textured background or wish to place images over top of one another in applications that only support GIF transparencies. There are several ways to convert images to the GIF format.  Please note that some applications won’t accept a GIF with Transparency using Drag and Drop or Copy/Paste.

Export Wizard

(You’ll be asked to define the image’s intended background color so its edges will blend with the background.)

1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail of your choice in the Thumbnail Panel.

2.	Choose EXPORT the image to a popular image format.

3.	Choose Next and follow the instructions.

 	Save to hard drive

1.	Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail of your choice in the Thumbnail Panel.

2.	Choose File > Save As in the main menu.

3.	Choose GIF 8-bit from the Save As Type drop-down list.

4.	Import the image from within your working application.

Drag an image to your desktop or document

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.	Choose An image file in the following format.

3.	Choose GIF with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4.	Specify the background color using the Background Color drop-down list or by clicking on Color Palette.

5.	Return to the Thumbnail Panel and click and hold on the thumbnail of your choice.

6.	Drag the image to your desktop or into your application.

Copy/Paste

(Please note that although this method is available, such a clipboard operation is rarely supported.)

1.	Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2.	Choose An image file in the following format.

3.	Choose GIF with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4.	Specify the background color using the Background Color drop-down list or by clicking on the Color Palette button.

5.	Return to the Thumbnail Panel and click on the thumbnail of your choice.

6.	Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu.

7.	From within your working application, choose Edit > Paste.

8.	Follow the instructions in Export Wizard if you wish to crop or resize your image.

Using images in applications that don’t support transparency

Give images the illusion of transparent backgrounds by defining background color so your image background can’t be seen. Although defining the background color will make it appear as if there is no background, it won’t allow you to layer one image on top of another.


Exporting Animated GIFs

Animated GIFs are not supported by Export Wizard, but can easily be exported in three simple steps.

1. 	Click on the animated GIF thumbnail of your choice in the Thumbnail Panel.

2. 	Double-click on the image in the Preview Panel.

3. 	Save the image to your hard drive when prompted.

You can now open the animated GIF file from within your working application.


Installing Images on Your Hard Drive

You can install all  images on your hard drive so you don’t have to swap CDs each time you wish to access an image.  In order to do this, you will need to create a folder for the contents of each CD (the operation will fail if the contents from every CD are put into a single folder).  You will then have to save the HPI folder from each CD in one of these folders on your hard drive, and follow the steps below:

1. Choose Edit > Options.

2. Choose the CD-Rom Drives tab and select Also look for images in the following

    location.

3. Choose Add and select the locations of each separate CD folder.

4. Choose Apply > OK.

5. Repeat until the contents of each CD have been copied to their respective folder.


Accessing CD Designs Creator

Launch CD Designs Creator from within The Big Box of Art. Double-click on the CD Designs Creator button on the Application toolbar, or choose File > Launch > CD Designs Creator in the main menu.


Accessing Greeting Card Creator

Launch Greeting Card Creator from within The Big Box of Art. Double-click on the Greeting Card Creator button on the Application toolbar, or choose File > Launch > Greeting Card Creator in the main menu.


Exporting Photo-Objects images

Photo-Objects™ images are distinguished by a feature called transparency, which refers to the empty spaces in and around such images. Photo-Objects images were once part of larger photographs, removed from their original background by image professionals, so you don’t have to do the masking.

There are four different ways to place images in your documents. Please note that certain applications do not automatically convert transparency.  If you try one method with poor results, try another.  Very often, what works for one application does not work for another.

Export Wizard

1. Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Drag an image to your desktop or document

When you drag and drop images into an application, they take on pre-defined file and image formats in the Drag & Drop tab (under Options in the Edit menu).

1. Click and hold on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2. Drag the thumbnail to your desktop or into your working application.

Copy/Paste

Copy/pasted images default to the file and image formats defined in the Clipboard settings (found under Options in the Edit menu).

1. Click on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2. Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu.

3. From within your working application, choose Edit > Paste in the main menu.

4. Follow the instructions in Export Wizard if you wish to resize, flip or crop your image.

Save to hard drive

1. Click on the thumbnail image of your choice.

2. Choose File > Save As in the main menu.

3. Browse for the destination folder and choose Save.

4. Open the saved image from within the destination folder.


Using the GIF File Format for Transparency

The GIF file format supports a simple form of transparency that allows Photo-Objects™ images to be placed on top of one another. It also allows them to be placed on a textured background.

Note: The GIF format has two weaknesses. The number of colors contained in the image are reduced, and the edges will only blend with a uniform background color. If you define a dark background for an image, for instance, a dark line appears around that image when placed on a light background. Match the color of the intended background, and the edges of the image will blend with the chosen background color. Despite these limitations, the GIF format is a good option if you have a textured background or wish to place images over top of one another in applications that only support GIF transparencies.

There are several ways to convert images to the GIF format.

Export Wizard

(Using this method, you’ll be asked to define the image's intended background color so its edges will blend with the background in your document.)

1. Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail of your choice.

2. Select EXPORT the image to a popular image format.

3. Choose Next and follow the instructions.

Saving to hard drive

1. Click on the thumbnail of your choice.

2. Choose Save As in the File menu.

3. Choose GIF 8-bit from the Save As Type drop-down list.

4. Import the image from within your working application.

Dragging an image to your desktop or document

1. Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2. Choose An image file in the following format.

3. Choose GIF with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4. Specify the background color using the Background Color drop-down list or by clicking on

    Color Palette.

5. Return to the thumbnail preview screen and click on the thumbnail of your choice.

6. Drag it to your application.

Copy/Paste

Please note that although this method is available, such a clipboard operation is rarely supported.

1. Choose Edit > Options in the main menu.

2. Choose An image file in the following format.

3. Choose GIF with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4. Specify the background color using the Background Color drop-down list or by clicking on

    the Color Palette button.

5. Return to the thumbnail preview screen and click on the thumbnail of your choice.

6. Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu.

7. From within your working application, choose the Edit menu.

8. Choose Paste.

Note: Some applications won’t accept a GIF with Transparency using drag and drop or copy/paste. If this happens, try using Export Wizard or save to your hard drive, then import the file from within the intended application.


Using Photo-Objects Images in Adobe Photoshop

(Please note that Hemera's technical support staff cannot provide support for operations in other applications. Contact the Adobe® technical support team if you require further assistance when using their product.)

(Adobe® Photoshop® 4.0 and higher)

1. Select either TIFF with Transparency or Targa with Transparency in your Drag & Drop

    preferences.

2. Drag-and-drop an image to your desktop.

3. Within Adobe® Photoshop®, open the image file and use one of the methods below to

    continue.

Method A

1. In Adobe Photoshop, go to the Select menu and choose Load Selection.

2. Select #1 or Alpha 1 (your mask) in the Channel drop-down menu.

 3. Use copy/paste to place the image in your Adobe Photoshop document.

Method B

1. In Adobe Photoshop, open the Channels palette and select RGB.

2. Hold down the Control key on your keyboard and click on the #4 channel (Alpha 1 in

    Adobe Photoshop 5.0).

3. Use copy/paste to place the image in your Adobe Photoshop document.


Using Photo-Objects Images in Applications That Don't Support Transparency

You can give Photo-Objects™ images the illusion of transparent backgrounds in applications that don’t support transparency. Just define the background color of the image so it matches the background of your document. Although defining the background color will make it appear as if there is no background, it won’t allow you to layer one image on top of another.


Using the TIFF or Targa File Formats for Transparency

Taking advantage of transparency of Photo-Objects™ images in certain software applications may involve several steps. Export these images using either the TIFF with Transparency or Targa with Transparency file formats. There are several ways to export your image using transparency, which vary from application to application.

Export Wizard

1. Open Export Wizard by double-clicking on the thumbnail of your choice.

2. Select GRAPHICS APPLICATION that supports 32-bit images with a transparency mask.

3. Choose Next and follow the onscreen instructions.

Saving to hard drive

1. Click on the thumbnail of your choice.

2. Choose Save As in the File menu.

3. Choose either the TIFF 32 or TGA 32-bit from the Save As Type drop-down list.

4. Import the image from within your working application.

Dragging an image to your desktop or document

1. Choose Edit > Options in the mail menu.

2. Select An image file in the following format.

3. Select either TIFF with Transparency or Targa with Transparency from the attached drop-down list.

4. Return to the thumbnail preview screen and click and hold on the thumbnail of your choice.

5. Drag it to your desktop or into the application.

Copy/Pasting

Please note that although this method is available, such a clipboard operation is rarely supported.

1. Choose Edit > Options in the mail menu.

2. Select An image file in the following format.

3. Select your format from the attached drop-down list.

4. Return to the thumbnail preview screen and click on the thumbnail of your choice.

5. Choose Edit > Copy in the main menu.

6. From within your working application, click on the Edit menu.

7.  Choose Paste to bring Export Wizard into your working application.

8. Follow the instructions in Export Wizard if you wish to crop or resize your image.

Note: Some applications won’t accept a TIFF with Transparency or a Targa with Transparency using drag and drop or copy/paste. If this happens, try using Export Wizard or save the image to your hard drive, then import the file from within the intended application.  (You can also try to export your image in the GIF file format.)

Once the image is in your document, activating the transparency depends on your software application. For more information on activating the transparency, refer to your application’s online Help.