Screen Dreams Online Help

Welcome to the Screen Dreams online help system. Here you'll find assistance with the mechanics of operating the features of this program. To access information about a specific topic, click on an item in the topic list below.

General Operations:

README File

Screen Elements

Selecting Items and Executing Commands

Managing Windows and Dialogs

Screen Dreams Window

Program Basics:

Selecting a Theme

Previewing a Theme

Activating a Theme

Waking Up a Saver

Customizing Options

Launching Options

Exiting the Program

Additional Features:

Using Password Protection

Windows Password Protection After Rebooting

Creating New Wallpaper

Take a Message Feature

Adding New Theme Packages

About the Photographic Images


README File

During the setup procedure, you were given the opportunity to read any README file that may be included on the setup disks. This file would contain information not available when the User's Guide was printed. If Screen Dreams does not contain a README file, the setup program would not have made reference to it.

To access the README file at a later time, open the README.TXT in the Windows Notepad. See your Windows manual if you need help using the Notepad.

For more information, see:

Screen Dreams Window


Exiting the Program

When you are finished using Screen Dreams or wish to disable the program during a session at your computer, you may close the program in one of the following ways. In the Screen Dreams window,

*	Click on the Close button.

*	Select Close from the control-menu box.

*	Double click on the control-menu box.

*	Type Alt+F4.

Any tailored settings you assigned will remain, and the program will be ready for you to use when you open it again. If you chose the option to Load Screen Dreams at Windows Startup, the program will reload itself automatically when you restart Windows.

Screen Dreams Window


Screen Elements

Command Buttons--Command buttons can perform actions, complete actions, and open windows or dialog boxes to additional program features. They look like buttons on any electronic device, but rather than "pressing" the button, you click on it or press Alt plus the button's underlined pick letter.

Control-menu Box--This box, in the upper-left corner of the Screen Dreams application window, opens a menu where you can choose to resize, move, maximize, and minimize the Screen Dreams window. You also can access product support information and switch to other applications. Double click on the box to exit the application.

Minimize Button--This button appears in the upper-right corner of the Screen Dreams window. Use it to reduce the program to an icon on your Windows desktop. The program remains active.

Screen Dreams Desktop--The Screen Dreams desktop is the surface on which your screen-saving images are displayed. With an image on the screen, there are no program functions (menu options, buttons, etc.) available directly. You must first deactivate the display and open the Screen Dreams window to access other screen elements and perform program operations.

Screen Dreams Window--In the Screen Dreams program, you'll use the initial window as a starting point to perform all the major functions of the program. Think of it as your "home base."

Scroll Bar--Like most Windows applications, Screen Dreams contains scroll bars you can use to change certain program settings or view lists of information in dialog boxes.

Title Bar--The title bar (shown at the top of the Screen Dreams window and on all dialog boxes) displays the name of the screen you currently have open. The title bars indicate the function of the current window or dialog.

For more information, see:

Selecting Items and Executing Commands

Accelerator Keys

Entering Data

Radio Buttons

Check Boxes

Managing Windows and Dialogs

Screen Dreams Window


Selecting Items and Executing Commands

Both the keyboard and mouse movements used in Screen Dreams are typical of those found in many software programs.

You can select items from the control-menu box or from items in a list box using one of the following methods:

*	Position the mouse pointer on the option and click.

*	Use the cursor keys (arrow keys, PgUp, PgDn, Home, or End) to move the highlight to the item you want to access and press Enter.

*	Press only the option's underlined pick letter. This applies to submenu options when the submenu is pulled down.

Other program options are selected using buttons. Buttons can perform actions, complete actions, and open windows or dialogs to additional program features. To "press" a button, position the mouse cursor on it and click or press Tab until the button is highlighted. Then press Enter. This is often referred to as "executing" the button. Many buttons also have underlined pick letters. Press Alt plus the pick letter to execute the button.

For more information, see:

Selecting a Theme

Accelerator Keys

Entering Data

Radio Buttons

Managing Windows and Dialogs

Check Boxes


Accelerator Keys

Screen Dreams provides accelerator keys to simplify the selection of features you use frequently. As you become familiar with the program, you'll be able to navigate the dialogs using these keys. For example, when a Help button is active on your screen, pressing Alt+H will access the help topic that applies to your current location within the program.

For more information, see:

Radio Buttons

Check Boxes


Entering Data

Some screens display blank spaces called fields ready for you to enter data. You'll enter the information much as you would do using any word processor. The highlight indicates your current location. The best way to move from field to field is to use the Tab key or your mouse.

Most fields accept keyboard characters (letters, numbers, punctuation marks, spaces, and other keyboard symbols), though some fields may accept only letters or only numbers, depending upon the data the program requires at a specific location. For example, the Password Protection dialog contains this type of entry field.


Radio Buttons

This selection format is used for options from which you can make only ONE selection. One item is usually marked by default. To change the selection, click on the circle in front of the option of interest. Or, you can press Tab until you reach the first item in a particular grouping, then use an up or down arrow key to move to the desired item. The mark will move from the previous selection to your new choice.

For more information, see:

Check Boxes


Check Boxes

This selection format is used when you can choose none, one, several, or all the options listed. To mark a check box, click on the box. Or press Tab to reach the box, then the spacebar to mark it. Or press Alt plus an item's underlined pick letter. To mark another item, repeat the procedure.

To delete a mark from a check box, do ONE of the following:

*	Click on the check box again

*	Reposition the cursor and press the spacebar

*	Press Alt plus the pick letter

The wake up options for your screen saver, accessible by executing the Wake Up button in the Preferences window, present this type of selection option.

For more information, see:

Radio Buttons


Managing Windows and Dialog Boxes

As you are working with the Screen Dreams windows and dialogs, you may find you have several of them on your screen at once. You can place the currently active dialog anywhere on your screen by clicking on the title bar and dragging the dialog to the desired location. This will allow you to move the entire box so you can see any information hidden beneath it. You can only move a currently active dialog, so you cannot move any of the dialogs underneath the active dialog unless you close the current dialog and activate another.

For more information, see:

Screen Dreams Window

Accelerator Keys

Radio Buttons

Check Boxes


Screen Dreams Window

On the left of the Screen Dreams window, a Presents box lists the available screen saver themes installed with your program. Each Screen Dreams package contains a series of images that are a part of a particular theme--impressive images of the biblical Holy Lands or breathtaking adventure scenes, for example. The themes will vary depending on the package(s) you purchased. Notice that a brief explanation of the item currently highlighted appears below the list box.

Below the list of themes, a check box appears that gives you the option to hide the Screen Dreams icon from view when it is minimized. If you mark this box, the icon will be hidden from view when you minimize the program. To access the Screen Dreams window when the icon is hidden from view, double click on the Screen Dreams icon in the program group created when you installed the program.

The series of buttons along the right side of the Screen Dreams window will provide you with the tools you'll need to set up a screen saver to meet your needs.

The box in the lower right corner of the Screen Dreams window contains a pictographic representation of the screen saver you have highlighted on the list. This image is not an actual display of what the saver would look like on your screen, but simply a visual reminder of the item you have selected. (Click the Preview button to view an actual representation of the saver you've selected.) Clicking on the picture in the corner, or on the Copyright button below it, displays an information dialog that contains copyright information about the selected theme.

The Screen Dreams window will also be referred to as your "home base" window because it is the starting point for accessing features and customizing options within the program.

For more information, see:

Screen Elements

Selecting a Theme

Previewing a Theme

Activating a Theme

Launching Options


Selecting a Theme

To turn on a screen saver, you first need to select a theme from the Presents box in the Screen Dreams window. Your list of available themes will vary depending on the package(s) you purchased and have installed. (See Adding New Theme Packages for information on additional Screen Dreams theme packages.) Select a theme by clicking on an item in the list. You also can press Tab to move the cursor to the list box and the arrow keys to position the highlight on the item of interest.

For more information, see:

Previewing a Theme

Selecting Items and Executing Commands


Previewing a Theme

To preview a screen saver, highlight the desired option in the Screen Dreams window; then execute the Preview button. The images will be displayed using the default settings unless you have already made modifications. An image introducing the theme you have launched will appear on your screen momentarily while the first picture is loading. Using Preview is a quick and easy way to view a screen saver or modifications you've made for a particular screen saver.

NOTE: You may need to adjust your monitor's brightness and contrast settings to make the pictures appear their best on your screen.

For more information, see:

Selecting Items and Executing Commands

Waking Up a Saver

Customizing Options

Launching Options


Activating a Theme

If you're anxious to get started, highlight a theme and click Minimize in the Screen Dreams window. This will remove the window from your screen, but the program will remain active and ready to launch. You can open other applications and begin working. Screen Dreams will remain ready to display its screen-saving images if your computer screen remains unchanged for the designated amount of time (by default, the time is 5 minutes).

You may wish to disable other screen savers on your machine (the Windows screen saver in the Control Panel, for example) when you run Screen Dreams. Otherwise, your other savers may activate themselves when their default periods have elapsed and override the Screen Dreams images on your screen.

NOTE:  During the installation process, if you chose the option to Load Screen Dreams at Windows Startup, Screen Dreams will be ready to launch each time you start Windows. If you chose that option but want to disable Screen Dreams during a particular session at your computer, access the Screen Dreams window by double clicking on the icon. Then execute the Close button. This will close the program for your current Windows session. The next time you start Windows, Screen Dreams will load itself again automatically and will be ready to launch.

For more information, see:

Launching Options

Traditional Launch

Quick Launch Corners

Keyboard Quick Launch

Waking Up a Saver


Waking Up a Saver

When you wish to resume using your computer after Screen Dreams has been running, you'll need to deactivate, or "wake up," the screen saver in order to see the contents of your screen. The program is still active and will begin operating again if the designated time elapses.

To wake up Screen Dreams, tap a key on the keyboard, or click or move your mouse. This will remove the Screen Dreams images from view and allow you to see your screen as you normally would. You can view the settings that are marked by default in the Wake Up dialog, accessible from the Preferences box. You can change the wake up settings to suit your needs using these steps:

1.	Click on the Preferences button in the Screen Dreams window.

2.	At the Preferences dialog that opens, click on the Wake Up button.

3.	At the Wake Up dialog that opens next, you can select the options you want to use. Options include:

*	Wake on key strokes

*	Wake on mouse clicks

*	Wake on mouse movements

4.	A check box appears next to each option. Mark the ones you want to use. (Click on an item to mark it; click on it again to unmark it.) You must check at least one setting. To allow any of the options to deactivate a screen saver, check all three boxes.

5.	When you are satisfied with your selections, click OK. Your computer will recognize only the setting(s) you identify to wake up your screen saver.

For maximum compatibility--This check box appears at the bottom of the Customizing Options dialog box and by default is marked On. It should remain marked to prevent your having problems operating Screen Dreams with other applications (such as certain communication packages, multi-media applications or computer games). This option will prevent those applications from interfering with Screen Dreams, although you will notice a delay in Screen Dreams' response to wake up options. (NOTE: When capturing an image as wallpaper, you may need to unmark this check box while you perform the capture if you experience difficulty capturing the image you want.)

As an alternative to marking this check box, you may choose one of the following options to avoid conflicts between Screen Dreams and the types of programs listed above:

1.	Close Screen Dreams temporarily while you run such applications.

2.	Use a Quick Launch corner that you designate as a Prevent Launch corner.

3.	Assign a large amount of time for the traditional launch. This will allow you to work with your other program for an extended period without Screen Dreams launching.

For more information, see:

Customizing Options

Launching Options

Exiting the Program

Activating a Theme

Traditional Launch

Quick Launch Corners

Keyboard Quick Launch


Customizing Options

Many of the choices you have for customizing your screen saver are available in the Customize dialog box. You can choose to rearrange, include or exclude pictures, and add or edit captions for each one.

To use your customizing features, highlight a theme in the Screen Dreams window and execute the Customize button. The dialog that opens allows you to customize the presentation of that theme's pictures. (The exact dialog name and the choices presented will vary depending upon the theme you've selected.) These options appear in the Customize dialog if you've selected a pictures theme:

Display Pictures--Use this feature to display the images randomly or in the sequential order presented in the Pictures list. Click on the appropriate radio button to make your selection.

Transition--This pull-down list allows you to choose settings for the transition of pictures. Rather than simply flashing each new image on your screen, Screen Dreams offers gradual transitions to present each new image. Click on the arrow at the right of the Transition field to scroll through these options.

Display Rate--Using the scroll bar, you can adjust the rate of display for each picture.

Display Captions--A brief descriptive caption accompanies each photograph. Use this option to designate the placement of the caption on the screen. You can also choose to display no caption at all.

Edit Caption--Use this command button to customize the text that appears with the image you have highlighted in the Pictures list. The text you assign will appear with the image on the screen when the screen saver is active. The caption will also become the title labeling that picture in the list.

Move Picture--To move a picture to a different position in the sequence, execute Move Picture with the desired image highlighted in the list of pictures. The Drop Picture button will appear. Click on the numbered position in the list where you wish to move the original image. Then execute Drop Picture. The original image will be placed in the position you highlighted. (Other pictures in the list will shift to fill in the position left vacant.)

Exclude Picture--Remove the highlighted picture from the display loop. When you exclude a picture, the title still remains in the list of pictures. The picture will not appear in the sequence of photographs when the saver is active. Placing the highlight on a picture that has been excluded will cause the Include Picture button to appear. Click on Include Picture to add the image to the display loop once again.

Reset to Default--Revert your changes to the program's default settings. A dialog will ask you to confirm your command before the settings change. This feature will not alter the captions you may have customized. It will, however, revert the pictures to their original order in the display loop. (If you wish to reassign the default caption, do so by clicking on Original in the Edit Caption dialog.)

Zoom Picture--Enlarge the thumbnail picture to view the highlighted picture in greater detail. You can use either the Zoom button or simply click on the picture to enlarge it on your screen.

For maximum compatibility--This option, at the bottom of the Customizing Options dialog box, is defaulted to On and can help prevent problems you may have when operating Screen Dreams with other applications (such as certain communication packages, multi-media applications or computer games). Using "For maximum compatibility" will prevent those applications from interfering with Screen Dreams, although you will notice a delay in Screen Dreams' response to wake up options. (NOTE: When capturing an image as wallpaper, you may need to unmark this checkbox while you perform the capture if you experience difficulty capturing the image you want.)

As an alternative to this option, you may choose one of the following to avoid conflicts between Screen Dreams and the types of programs listed above:

1.	Close Screen Dreams temporarily while you run such applications.

2.	Use a Quick Launch corner that you designate as a Prevent Launch corner.

3.	Assign a large amount of time for the traditional launch. This will allow you to work with your other program for an extended period without Screen Dreams launching.

For more information, see:

Launching Options

Traditional Launch

Quick Launch Corners

Previewing a Theme

Adding New Theme Packages


Launching Options

Screen Dreams launching options allow you to designate how and when your screen saver will begin to operate. If, for example, you frequently refer to information you have displayed on your screen for extended periods of time, you may want to choose a launch setting that allows a considerable length of time to pass before your saver becomes active. This will enable you to have a static image on your screen without being frequently interrupted by your screen saver.

Choose from these launching options:

Traditional Launch

Quick Launch Corners

Keyboard Quick Launch


Traditional Launch

Allowing the screen saver to activate itself is what we'll call the traditional launch method. You'll find that Screen Dreams also offers other methods (called Quick Launch options) for activating the screen saver.

You'll find the traditional launch setting, along with the others, in the Preferences dialog. Open the dialog by executing the Preferences button from your home base window. You can tailor the Screen Dreams traditional launch by defining the number of minutes you want to pass between the time your screen is stagnant and when the screen saver activates. Enter a number between 1 and 99 minutes in the field located at the top of the Preferences dialog box.

For more information, see:

Quick Launch Corners

Keyboard Quick Launch


Quick Launch Corners

Below the timing option in the Preferences dialog is the Mouse Quick Launch option. Quick launch is a convenient way to immediately launch or automatically prevent the launch of your screen saver. Each corner of your screen will act as an on or off switch when you mark the Use Quick Launch Corners check box. The monitor pictured  in the Preferences dialog shows you which corners are assigned to launch or prevent the launch of the screen saver by default. The green corners marked with a plus sign indicate launching corners; the red corners marked with a minus sign indicate corners that will prevent launching your screen saver.

Assigning Quick Launch Corners

Each corner of the monitor pictured in the Preferences dialog acts as a toggle switch. Click on a corner to toggle it from red to green (minus to plus) or vice versa. You can choose to make all four corners active or inactive quick launch corners or any combination of the two. When you have toggled the quick launch corner selections to suit you, click OK.

When you are ready to launch your screen saver, place your mouse on one of the quick launch corners. (Notice that your mouse indicator becomes a plus sign.) Your saver will be activated, and an image introducing the theme you've selected will appear on your screen momentarily while the first picture is loading. (The graphic is not a part of the picture loop.) This option allows you to launch your screen saver immediately if you need to secure your screen in a hurry.

If you place your mouse on one of the inactive launch corners, a minus sign will appear. Until you move the mouse away from the area, your screen saver will be unable to launch. This allows you to view items on your screen without being interrupted by your screen saver.

For more information, see:

Traditional Launch

Keyboard Quick Launch


Keyboard Quick Launch

With Screen Dreams, you can define a keyboard quick launch setting that enables you to immediately launch your screen saver by typing a certain key combination.

If you want to use this option, you can use the default hot key setting (Ctrl+Shift+S) or define your own using this procedure:

1.	Mark the box next to Use Quick Launch Hot Keys in the Preferences dialog.

2.	Define the key combination you want to use to activate the screen saver. You may choose to mark the Ctrl and/or Shift check boxes, and then select a specific key from the choices in the pull-down list. To view the key choices, click on the arrow next to the list box and scroll through the list using the scroll bar or arrow keys. Click on your selection, or highlight it using the arrow keys.

3.	Once you've assigned the launch settings you wish to use, click on OK to return to the main Screen Dreams window.

NOTE: If you have assigned a hot key combination that conflicts with an existing Windows interface key function, a message will inform you of the conflict when you click OK in the Preferences dialog. You'll need to close the message and redefine your Screen Dreams hot key selection.

When you wish to launch your screen saver, type the keystrokes you assigned; your screen saver will launch, and a graphic image introducing the theme you've selected will appear on your screen momentarily while the first picture is loading. (The graphic is not a part of the picture loop.)

For more information, see:

Launching Options

Traditional Launch

Quick Launch Corners


Password Protection

Screen Dreams protects your screen while you're not using it, and with the Password Protection option, it can also protect the privacy of your system while you're away from your computer. If you assign a password in Screen Dreams, waking up your screen saver requires entering the correct password.

To assign a password,

1.	Execute the password button within the Preferences dialog box.

2.	The Password Protection dialog will appear. By default, the No Password radio button is marked. Click on Password to change the setting.

3.	Move the cursor to the blank entry field below the Password radio buttons.

4.	Enter the password you wish to use. Your entry will be displayed as a series of asterisks, so it's important that you type the word carefully. You are limited to 8 characters, and it's best to choose a word that you are not likely to forget, but one that an outsider would not be likely to determine.

5.	When you've typed a password, click OK and a second dialog will appear asking you to confirm by retyping your entry. Again, you will not be able to see the actual characters you're typing; they'll be displayed as asterisks.

6.	Click OK after you've confirmed the word. If the password you enter in the confirmation box does not match the original, a message will inform you of the error. Click OK to close that message. You'll return to the Password Protection dialog where you can click OK to try again to confirm.

For more information, see:

Customizing Options

Changing a Password

Windows Password Protection After Rebooting

Changing a Forgotten Password


Changing a Password

If you wish to change a previously assigned password, you must know what the old password was (see Changing a Forgotten Password for an exception). This is designed to protect your system from an unauthorized user.

To change a Screen Dreams password,

1.	Open the Password Protection dialog box by executing Preferences in the home base window, then Password in the Preferences dialog box.

2.	Use the Tab key to move the cursor into the Password field of the Password Protection dialog. This will highlight the asterisks representing the old password.

3.	Type the new password you'd like to assign and click OK.

4.	A Password Change dialog box will appear in which you must enter the OLD password before you're allowed to proceed. Click OK when you've entered the old password.

5.	If the password you entered matches the old password, clicking OK will automatically close the Password dialogs and return you to the Preferences dialog. The new password will now be in effect.

If, when asked to confirm the old password, you type an entry that does NOT match the previously assigned word, a message will inform you of the error. Click OK to close the error message. You'll return to the Password Protection dialog where you can click OK to try again to confirm the old password. (Note that the asterisks displayed in the Password Protection dialog represent the new password you are assigning.) Until you are able to confirm the old password, you will be unable to assign a new one.

For more information, see:

Password Protection

Windows Password Protection After Rebooting


Windows Password Protection After Rebooting

Additional protection for your system is available by marking "Ask for password if rebooted while show is running" in the Password Protection dialog. (Open it by executing Password in the Preferences dialog.) This feature is designed to prevent someone from bypassing the Screen Dreams password protection by rebooting your computer. Marking this check box in the Password Protection dialog would require a password to be entered to re-access Windows IF the computer was rebooted while the show was running. This feature does not require you to enter a password to access Windows at any other time.

NOTE:  In order for this protection feature to operate, you must have chosen the "Load Screen Dreams at Windows startup" option when you installed the program. Also, Screen Dreams must be active and running in order for this option to be effective.

How it works:

1.	First assign your Screen Dreams password using the instructions listed in Password Protection.

2.	In the Password Protection dialog, mark "Ask for password if rebooted while show is running" and click on OK.

3.	Click OK in the Preferences dialog to return to your home base window. Then click on Minimize. This will minimize the Screen Dreams icon on your desktop and prepare it to run.

You have now secured Windows. If you wish to test the feature, we recommend that you first exit any other applications you are currently running. (Remember, however, you cannot close Screen Dreams for this option to be effective.) Then, using a quick launch option (such as Quick Launch Corners), activate your screen saver. Once the images begin to appear on your screen, the password protection is in effect. If you try to wake up the saver, you'll be prompted to enter the password; for our purposes, don't enter the password at this time. Instead, type Ctrl+Alt+Del, or use the reset button to reboot the computer. When you try to restart Windows, you'll be asked to enter the Screen Dreams password. If an incorrect password is entered, access to Windows will be denied.

NOTE:  In order for this protection feature to operate properly, Screen Dreams must be running on your screen when the system is rebooted. This feature is not intended to provide password protection for Windows unless the system is rebooted while the show is running. Unless those conditions exist, password entry to Windows will not be required by Screen Dreams.

For more information, see:

Changing a Forgotten Password

Keyboard Quick Launch

Changing a Password


Changing a Forgotten Password

It's important to remember the password you assign, but if you forget the existing password, there is an alternate method for you to gain access to your system. To remove an existing password from Screen Dreams, you can edit the file named SD.INI in your Windows directory (or the subdirectory in which you installed Screen Dreams). Open the SD.INI file in the Windows File Manager and look in the section below the [Screen Dreams] line for the OPTS= line. Delete the entire OPTS= line. Then save and exit the file. You'll now be able to assign a new password from within Screen Dreams.

Be aware that Screen Dreams' password protection is only intended to provide minimum security under normal conditions. It is best used in situations where others would typically have only casual access to your machine. Screen Dreams is not designed to stop a determined computer saboteur.

For more information, see:

Using Password Protection


Creating New Wallpaper

Windows Wallpaper is a set of designs you can choose to display in the background of your Windows desktop. With Screen Dreams, you can capture a Screen Dreams image using the Wallpaper capture hot keys and assign it as a Windows wallpaper design. See Wallpaper Image Quality before you capture an image for wallpaper.

You can designate the keys you want to use to capture the image, or you can use the default setting already defined for you (Ctrl+Shift+W).

To define your Wallpaper capture hot keys,

1.	Open the Wallpaper dialog by executing the Wallpaper button in the Preferences dialog.

2.	By default, the Use Wallpaper capture hot keys box is marked, and the hot key is defined as Ctrl+Shift+W. You can change the hot key setting by marking the Ctrl and/or Shift check boxes and then selecting a specific key from the choices in the pull-down list. Click on the arrow next to the list box and view the key choices list using the scroll bar or arrow keys. Click on your selection, or highlight it using the arrow keys.

3.	Once you have defined the keys that will capture the image, click OK to close the Wallpaper dialog.

NOTE: If you have assigned a hot key combination that conflicts with an existing Windows interface key function, a message will inform you of the conflict when you click OK in the Preferences dialog. You'll need to close the message and redefine your Screen Dreams hot key selection.

For more information, see:

Launching Options

Customizing Options

Keyboard Quick Launch

Capturing a Wallpaper Image


Capturing a Wallpaper Image

At the Screen Dreams Home Base window, highlight the theme that contains the image you want to use as wallpaper. Click on Minimize. You're now ready to launch the screen saver and capture the image:

1.	Launch the screen saver using one of your quick launch methods. (Note that you cannot use the Preview button to display an image you're trying to capture as wallpaper.)

2.	When the image you want appears on the screen, type the hot key combination you assigned to capture the image.

NOTE:  Because of copyright restrictions, the program will not allow you to capture certain pictures for use as wallpaper. If you attempt to capture one of those images, an error dialog will appear.

3.	A dialog box will appear asking if you want to make the selection your current wallpaper. You have two options at this point:

If you click No, your current wallpaper will not be replaced. Instead, Screen Dreams automatically saves the picture (as a bitmap file) in your Windows directory and names it SD0001.BMP. Subsequent pictures you capture would be labeled SD0002.BMP, SD0003.BMP, and so on. You'll be able to use the pictures as wallpaper whenever you choose. To access your saved wallpaper at a later time, you'll need to open the Desktop dialog box within the Windows Control Panel (see your Windows manual for instructions). In the Desktop dialog Wallpaper selection field, select the wallpaper you want to use. The wallpaper selection will be displayed in the background of your desktop when you click OK to close the Control Panel.

If you click Yes, the wallpaper will instantly be created and displayed on your Windows desktop when you wake up your screen saver. The selection is automatically saved to your list of Windows wallpaper settings in the Control Panel Desktop dialog (see your Windows manual). The wallpaper will be named according to the numbering system described above.

You can reassign specific names to the wallpaper bitmap files that are created during this process. Doing so may enable you to identify your choices more easily when you're selecting a wallpaper. To rename a Wallpaper choice, you can use the Windows File Manager. See your Windows manual for instructions.

For more information, see:

Wallpaper Image Quality

Launching Options

Creating New Wallpaper


Home Base Window

The Screen Dreams "home base" window is the first window that appears when you open the program. Consider this window your home base because it is the starting point for making any modifications to your screen saver's options.


Wallpaper Image Quality

If you are operating in 16 color display mode, the captured image will lose color quality and resolution when displayed as Windows wallpaper. If your system is capable of displaying only 16 colors, you can upgrade it to 256 color capability. Doing so might require you to purchase a Super VGA (SVGA) video card, a Super VGA monitor, or both. If you already have this equipment and are displaying in 16 colors, you should be able to upgrade to 256 color capability by installing the appropriate Windows software video driver. Please see your hardware dealer for information on how to upgrade your system. Please do not call Parsons Technology for this information.

For more information, see:

Capturing a Wallpaper Image

Creating New Wallpaper


Take a Message Feature

With Screen Dreams, you have a private on-screen message box that allows others to leave a message for you if you're away from your computer. Screen Dreams confidentially stores the messages for you to access later using your password. (You can also use this feature without the password protection option.)

For more information, see:

Password Protection

Leaving a Message

Accessing Messages


Leaving a Message

Open the Messages dialog by executing the Messages button in the Preferences window. By default, the Take a Message Option check box at the bottom of the dialog box is checked. With this option marked, an icon in the shape of a notepad and pencil will appear in the lower left corner of your screen when Screen Dreams launches. The icon will display the letters Esc to indicate that pressing the Escape key will access a note box.

In the note box, the current date and time are displayed, along with a prompt for the sender to type a note. Executing OK when the message is complete reactivates the screen saver and stores the message for you to read when you return. (Cancel closes the message box and reactivates the screen saver without saving the contents of that message.)

To view this feature, mark the Take a Message check box and click OK. Launch the screen saver using a quick launch option (such as Quick Launch Corners). The notepad icon will appear when the display sequence begins. Press Escape to access the note box.

For more information, see:

Accessing Messages


Accessing Messages

Your messages will be displayed in the Screen Dreams Message box when you wake up your screen saver. (If you didn't have any messages, the message box will simply not appear when you wake up your screen saver.) If you've assigned a password in Screen Dreams to protect your system, you'll need to enter the password to wake up your screen saver and view your messages. You also can view messages (old or new) by executing the Messages button in the Preferences dialog.

Viewing Messages--The Screen Dreams Messages dialog box is divided into two sections. The top half of the dialog lists each message and tells you the time and date it was written. Each is labeled using text from the first line of the note. In the Messages dialog that appears when you wake up Screen Dreams (if you have any new messages), your new messages will appear in bold face; previous messages will appear in gray. The messages will only have this distinction when you initially view them after waking up Screen Dreams. If you open the Messages box from within the Preferences dialog, all messages will appear in the same shade and will all be available for you to view. The lower section of the Messages dialog displays the text of each message that you highlight in the list box.

Deleting Messages--Use the Delete or Delete All buttons to discard messages you no longer want. To delete a single message, highlight it in the List of Messages and execute Delete. To delete all messages from the dialog at once, click on Delete All. Note that with Screen Dreams' message feature, you do not have to save messages yourself; the program will automatically save your messages for you when they are entered.

Click OK to close the Messages dialog. If you click Cancel to close, any changes you have made since you entered the dialog (deleting a message, for example) will be canceled.

For more information, see:

Take a Message Feature

Password Protection


Adding New Theme Packages

Screen Dreams is designed to allow you to expand your list of screen saver options. Once you have one version of the program, you have the option of purchasing different versions to install additional themes.

If you would like further details on ordering additional themes, call Parsons Technology's Orders Department at 1-800-223-6925. They will be happy to assist you.


About the Photographic Images

Screen Dreams includes high-quality photographic images created directly from original photos and compressed in order to provide you with a large number of images while using a minimum amount of hard disk space. The original image files (approximately 1 MB for each image) were compressed using a revolutionary graphics compression method called Fractal Transform Technology. Screen Dreams will display the image at whatever resolution your computer is currently running. If you upgrade your system capabilities, the images will automatically be displayed at the higher resolution.

Color Clarity

Prior to compression, each image file is virtually indistinguishable from the original photo when viewed in 640 x 480 resolution using a Truecolor graphics adapter. However, image files cannot be compressed significantly without some loss of information. This means most compressed image files are not as clear as the original image.

In addition to quality loss from compression, there is an additional loss of clarity that results from the ability of most computers to display a maximum of 256 simultaneous colors. The human eye is capable of seeing a palette consisting of over 16 million different colors. The sharpness present in most color photographs results from the subtle nuances that can be portrayed using this vast array of colors.

The difference between an original image (using a palette of 16 million colors) and its 256 color rendition manifests itself in a loss of clarity. With present mainstream technology, and the limits imposed by being restricted to 256 colors, there's absolutely no way to avoid this deterioration in image quality.

Some PC systems are further restricted and can only display images using a palette of 16 colors. To display the images in 16 color, the compression software will choose the 16 colors that best present the image. In this case, the loss of image clarity is greater still when compared to the way the image would be displayed using a 256 color palette. As a result, while the image is displayed, your Windows colors may change.

For more information, see:

Wallpaper Image Quality