Copyright: Copyright (c) August, 1996 by Ulead Systems, All rights reserved
Citation: Ulead iPhoto Express Explorer online Help


What is Explorer?

iPhoto Express Explorer is a handy program for quickly viewing the contents of image and graphics files in your system. Operating very much like the Windows Explorer, iPhoto Express Explorer displays all the folders and files in a tree-like structure. Selecting a folder from this tree structure displays the image and graphics files in a thumbnail pane to the right of the tree structure. This provides the advantage of finding images visually rather than remembering filenames when you want to open, delete, move, or copy files.


Open to iPhoto Express

Opens the files of the selected thumbnails in iPhoto Express. (Right click on a thumbnail to access this command.)

(Hot Key -- Ctrl+G)

Editing files


Open to Another Editor

Starts or accesses the image or other media file editing program specified in the Preferences dialog box with the active image in its workspace.

Note: Specify the program to start in the Explorer tab of the Preferences dialog box.

Editing files

Choosing another editing program


Delete

Deletes the selected file(s). (You can also right click on a thumbnail to choose this command.)

(Hot Key -- Del)


Rename

Renames the selected file. (You can also right click on a thumbnail to choose this command.)


Properties

Displays the source file attributes of the selected file. You can also right click on a thumbnail to choose this command.)

(Hot Key -- Alt+Enter)


Select All

Selects all the thumbnails in the current folder.

(Hot Key -- Ctrl+A)

Selecting files


Invert Selection

Selects all the thumbnails that are not currently selected and unselects those that are.

Selecting files


Go to

Opens a dialog box where you can identify a folder to display in iPhoto Express Explorer.

(Hot Key -- Ctrl+F)


Preferences

Allows you to set the standard way for iPhoto Express Explorer to work on your system.

(Hot Key -- F6)

Calibrating the display

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer

Saving hard disk space


Recently Visited Folders

Lists the last viewed folders. Selecting a folder from the list automatically displays the images in that folder.


Exit

Quits the active iPhoto Express Explorer program.

(Hot Key -- Ctrl+Q)


Always on Top

Causes iPhoto Express Explorer to always appear over any other programs open in the desktop.


Layout

Offers these options for displaying the iPhoto Express Explorer window.

Full View shows iPhoto Express Explorer in standard mode with the workspace divided into the tree structure pane and thumbnail pane.

Top shows iPhoto Express Explorer in compact mode as a single-row thumbnail image pane along the top of the screen.

Bottom shows iPhoto Express Explorer in compact mode as a single-row thumbnail image pane along the bottom of the screen.

Left shows iPhoto Express Explorer in compact mode as a single-column thumbnail image pane down the left side of the screen.

Right shows iPhoto Express Explorer in compact mode as a single-column thumbnail pane down the right side of the screen.

Hide Folder Tree shows only the thumbnail window.

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer


Sort

Displays a submenu with the following sorting options.

by Name sorts files alphabetically by filename.

by Type sorts files alphabetically by extension.

by Size sorts files by file size, from smallest to largest.

by Date sorts files by the last save date, from the most recent to the oldest.

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer


Refresh

Updates the contents of the entire drive. (You can also choose this command by right clicking on a folder.)

(Hot Key -- F5)


Duplicate Window
Duplicate Window/Open

Opens another iPhoto Express Explorer window for the folder under the cursor. (Right click on a folder to access this command.)


Explore

Opens the folder under the cursor and displays its images in the thumbnail pane.


Toolbars

Opens the Toolbars dialog box where you can choose whether to show or hide the Standard toolbar, Task bar, and Status bar. You can also choose whether to show ToolTips and large or small icons.

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer


Standard toolbar

The Standard toolbar gives you quick access to frequently used commands. Below the toolbar is the Task bar which contains buttons to make completing major tasks easier.


Status bar

The Status bar provides short descriptions of commands or Standard toolbar buttons when the pointer moves over them. Otherwise, it displays the information above.

Note: Double-clicking anywhere on the Status bar opens the Preferences dialog box for configuring iPhoto Express Explorer.


Search Filename dialog box

Enter a character string containing the name, or part of the name of a file you are seeking in the entry box. You may also select a previously used search string by selecting it from the dropdown list.


New Folder dialog box

The New Folder dialog box creates a new, empty folder in the current folder. Enter a name for the new folder to in the entry box.


Rename dialog box

Enter a new name for the selected file in the To entry box.


Go To dialog box

Enter the name of the folder to display in the Specify the folder to go to entry box or click Browse to search your system for a folder.


Preferences dialog box - iPhoto Express Explorer
Preferences dialog box

  Explorer	  Display

Allow you to customize iPhoto Express Explorer for your use.

Number of recently visited folders Set the number of recently visited folders to display at the bottom of the File menu.

Other editing program Choose another program to use for media files. Click Browse to search your system for a program.

Delete folder reference files belonging to CD-ROMs and read-only network drives Click on the Delete button to remove all the reference files created for CD-ROM and network read-only files.

Save folder reference files Check to save thumbnail files to make Explorer work faster when returning to a previously viewed folder. Clear to save hard disk space, (Explorer re-creates thumbnails from scratch each time it switches folders, and thus runs more slowly).

Number of folder reference files kept for CD-ROMs and read-only network drives Set the maximum number of thumbnail files to keep for CD-ROMs and read-only network drives.

Compression Choose a compression scheme for the thumbnail images.

  Choosing another editor


Preferences dialog box - Display
Preferences dialog box

  Explorer	  Display

Control how the thumbnail images are displayed.

HiColor dithering Check this if your display mode is HiColor and you want True Color images to look their best on screen.

View images with a common palette Check this if you are working in 256-color mode and want to open grayscale and color images at the same time or when comparing 256-color images with each other.

Ignore background quality Check to devote most system resources to viewing the active image. When selected, inactive images may appear discolored.

Monitor gamma Check to correct your display for manufacturers’ differences and the environment. Set the gamma value so that the calibration square appears to be a single color.

  Calibrating your display


Properties dialog box

The Information dialog box offers statistical information about the selected file. It consists of two sections:

Attributes Tells the data type, dimensions, resolution, and file size when open.

File Tells the name, format, compression method, saved file size, and other information.


About iPhoto Express Explorer

Provides copyright and other information about Explorer.


Why use Explorer?

Use iPhoto Express Explorer to:

Quickly view the media files in any folder.

Move and copy media files between folders.

Delete or rename media files.

Find the files you want to edit and send them directly to iPhoto Express or another image editor of your choice.

Sort your media files visually.


This does not affect the actual data, it only affects the appearance when not active.


Leave this option unchecked if you are running low on hard disk space.


Number of files selected.


Total number of media files in the folder; total number of files in the folder.


The percentage of media files already generated.


Play

Opens the selected media file so your can review it. For example, if you select a video (.AVI) file, Windows Media player will show the video.


Create Thumbnail Files

Scans all folders under the one currently shown in the iPhoto Express Explorer and creates files containing thumbnails for all media files in those folders. This prevents you from having to wait for thumbnail files to be created each time a folder is opened for the first time, but may take up a lot of disk space.


Delete Thumbnail Files

Opens a dialog box showing all current thumbnail files in your system under the currently selected folder so you can delete them. It is a good idea to delete thumbnail files for folders you rarely open in iPhoto Express Explorer to save disk space. However, you should not delete thumbnail files for those folders you frequently view as this will slow down the program’s performance.

Saving hard disk space


New Folder

Opens a dialog box allowing you to create a new folder in the currently shown folder.


Copy

Copies the selected file to the clipboard without removing it from the folder.

(Hot Key -- Ctrl+C)


Paste

Places the file on the clipboard into the current folder. (Hot Key -- Ctrl+V)


Search Filename

Opens a dialog box allowing you to look for and select files in the current folder according to their filenames. iPhoto Express Explorer finds all media files that contain the string you type as part of the file name.

Finding media files


Thumbnail Size

Shows a submenu offering different sizes for media file thumbnails. Larger sizes allow you to see the thumbnail images more clearly, but reduces the number of thumbnails you can see at one time.

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer


Set Background Color

Opens the Windows Color dialog box where you can choose a color to use as the background of the iPhoto Express Explorer thumbnail window.

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer


Disable Slide Frame

When checked, removes the frames around each media file thumbnail. By disabling the frames, you may be able to view more thumbnails at a single time.

Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer


Explorer from here

Starts an instance of Microsoft Explorer using the folder you right clicked on as the starting point. This is a good way to compare the total number of image files against the total number of files in a folder.


Wallpaper

Allows you to use the selected image for your Windows Wallpaper. Besides offering options for centering or tiling the image you can also decide how to tile or mirror the image on your desktop.

Using iPhoto Express Explorer to set your Windows Wallpaper


Slide Show

Creates a slide show of the selected media files. The resulting dialog box offers options for determining how the transitions between files occur, whether to add music, and what information should accompany each file while displayed. You also have options to save the slide show as a file for future use.

Creating side shows and screen savers


Screen Saver

Creates a screen saver of the selected media files. The resulting dialog box offers options for determining how the transitions between files occur, whether to add music, and what information should accompany each file while displayed. You also have options to save the screen saver as a file. (Note: This file does not physically contain the media files used for the screen saver. To use a screen saver created with this command on another system, you must also copy all the included media files to the new computer, matching the folder names and locations.)

Creating side shows and screen savers


Up One Level

Switches the view to show thumbnails for media files in the next higher folder.


Ulead iPhoto Express Explorer Help Topics

Opens the Explorer Help Topics dialog box where you can search for topics in the on-line help.


About Ulead Products

Opens the About Ulead help document. This provides insight into the history, philosophy, and products of Ulead Systems.


Delete Thumbnail Files dialog box

The Delete Thumbnail allows you to free up disk space by deleting unwanted or rarely used thumbnail files.  Select the thumbnail files in the list that you wish to delete. Use the Ctrl and Shift keys to select multiple files.

Deleting thumbnail files does not affect the actual image files.

Delete Click to delete the selected thumbnail files only.

Delete all Click to delete all the listed thumbnail files.

Exit Click to close the dialog box.


Toolbars dialog box

Standard toolbar Check to display the Standard toolbar. Clear to hide it.

Task bar Check to display the Task bar. Clear to hide it.

Status bar Check to display the Status bar. Clear to hide it.

Color buttons Check to display the toolbar buttons in color. Clear to use grayscale buttons.

Large buttons Check to show large icons in the toolbar. Clear it to show small icons.

Show ToolTips Check to show ToolTips. Clear it to prevent them from appearing.


Acquire

Shows a submenu for using a TWAIN compatible capture device. Use these commands to import printed photographs or other images into iPhoto Express.

Image accesses the selected capturing device and sends the captured image to a specified destination.

Select Source allows you to choose which scanning device to use if more than one is connected to your system.

Troubleshooting offers advice and guidance if you have problems scanning.


Acquire Image dialog box -- Destination
Acquire dialog box

Choose where to send scanned images. This dialog box is similar to most file save dialog boxes except it adds a couple extra items:.

Increase file number by two automatically increments automatically named scanned images two.

Automatically number Automatically names each scanned image by adding a numerical value to the name. You must specify a starting point and initial file name. If you expect to scan more than 9 images, make sure to use a leading zero for your first scan. More than 99, use two leading zeroes. For example, your first image might be called “scans001”.

Option Open the file format save options dialog box to change the file settings for those formats that have user defined settings.

Browse Open the Browse dialog box to search your system for a folder to place scanned images into.


Calibrating the display

Each computer monitor is a little different from others, so colors may not appear the same. Calibrating your display adjusts the colors so you can be more confident of how colors will look when printed.

Note: Calibrating your monitor works great in iPhoto Express and other Ulead programs, but does not affect other software.

1.	From the File menu, choose "Preferences."

2.	Click the Display tab.

3.	Check Monitor gamma.

4.	Raise or lower the gamma value until the gray box looks something like this:

5.	 Click OK.


Choosing another editing program

There may be times when you wish to use a program other than iPhoto Express to edit media files from iPhoto Express Explorer. Here is how to link another program directly to iPhoto Express Explorer.

1.	From the File menu, choose "Preferences."

2.	Click the Explorer tab.

3.	Type the complete path and filename for the image editing program you want to use in the "Other editing program" text box. (Click Browse to find the program if you don't remember the path.)

4.	Click OK.

Later, if you wish to use this program, select the file you wish to edit. Then, from the File menu, choose Open to Another Editor.


Opening files

There are lots of ways to open files shown in iPhoto Express Explorer. You can:

Double-click a thumbnail. Image files open in iPhoto Express. Media files, such as video and audio files will be played.

Right-click a thumbnail and choose Open to iPhoto Express. The file opens in the iPhoto Express workspace.

Right-click a thumbnail and choose Open to Another Editor. The file opens in the workspace for the program specified in the iPhoto Express Explorer Preferences dialog box.

Drag a thumbnail from iPhoto Express Explorer to the open workspace of the desired program.

Drag a thumbnail from iPhoto Express Explorer to the icon of the desired program on your windows desktop.


Copying files
General use

One of the great things about iPhoto Express Explorer is you don’t need to learn a new way to do things to use it. Almost anything you can do with Windows Explorer can be done in iPhoto Express Explorer the same way.


Editing files

Select the files you want to edit and

Choose "Open to iPhoto Express" from the File menu or toolbar.

or

Choose "Open to Another Editor" from the File menu.


Starting iPhoto Express Explorer

Start iPhoto Express Explorer by:

Right clicking on a folder in Windows Explorer and choosing "Open to iPhoto Express Explorer".

Locating it in the Start menu.

Click on the Start button in the task bar. Point to Programs and then Ulead iPhoto Express. From the Ulead iPhoto Express submenu, click Explorer.

Choosing the Run command from the Start menu.

If you are starting iPhoto Express Explorer using the Run command, you can set options so that the program opens to a specified folder and/or format. Here are the command line options for iPhoto Express Explorer.

C:\iPhoto Express3\PE4 [option1] [option2] [option3]

[option1]

Enter the full path of a folder; runs iPhoto Express Explorer and sets the specified folder as the current folder

Example:	C:\iPhoto Express3\Pe4 C:\windows\samples

Runs iPhoto Express Explorer and displays the image files in the folder c:\windows\samples.

[option2]

/T	shows iPhoto Express Explorer as a single-row thumbnail pane located at the top of the screen.

/B	shows iPhoto Express Explorer as a single-row thumbnail pane located at the bottom of the screen.

/L	shows iPhoto Express Explorer as a single-column thumbnail pane located on the left side of the screen.

/R	shows iPhoto Express Explorer as a single-column thumbnail pane located on the right side of the screen.

[option3]

S.EX1.EX2	shows only files with the file extensions, "EX1" and "EX2" in the thumbnail pane.

Example:	C:\iPhoto Express3\PE4 /L /S.TIF.BMP

Runs iPhoto Express Explorer in compact mode with the thumbnail pane located on the left side of the screen. Only files with file extensions of "TIF" and "BMP" are shown in the thumbnail image pane.


Removing media files from your hard disk

Instead of trying to remember the names of files you want to delete, use iPhoto Express Explorer to find and delete the ones you don’t want anymore:

1.	Switch to the folder containing the files you want to delete.

2.	Click on the file you want to delete to select it. (Press Ctrl and click to select several files individually; Press Shift and click to select a range of files.)

3.	Press the Delete key on your keyboard or from the File menu, click Delete.


Changing the names of your media files

If you have images on your hard disk with strange, hard to remember names, use iPhoto Express Explorer to rename them to something easier to recall:

1.	Switch to the folder containing the files you want to rename.

2.	Click on the file you want to rename to select it.

3.	From the File menu, click Rename.

4.	The Rename dialog box appears. Enter a new name for the selected file and click OK.


Selecting files

There are several ways to select files in iPhoto Express Explorer

Click a thumbnail.

Press Ctrl as you click thumbnails to select multiple thumbnails.

After you select your first thumbnail, Press Shift and click on another to select all thumbnails in the range from the first selected thumbnail and the present selection.

From the Edit menu, choose Select All to select all thumbnails in the current folder.

From the Edit menu, choose Invert Selection to deselect the currently selected thumbnails and select the rest.


Finding media files

If you know the name, or part of the name of a media file, you can have iPhoto Express Explorer find and select the file for you:

1.	Switch to the folder where the file resides.

2.	From the Edit menu, choose Search Filename.

3.	The Search Filename dialog box opens. Enter the name (or part of the name) or choose a previous search from the dropdown list and click OK.


Changing the appearance of iPhoto Express Explorer

The View menu contains many commands enabling you to customize how iPhoto Express Explorer appears on your desktop. Some of the things you can control include layout, sorting order, thumbnail size, workspace color, and how the toolbar appears. Many of these commands are duplicated in the toolbar for quick access.

To customize how iPhoto Express Explorer starts, from the File menu, choose Preferences to open the Preferences dialog box. Here you can set how many recently visited folders iPhoto Express Explorer remembers. How thumbnails are created, and how colors appear on your screen.


Using iPhoto Express Explorer to set your Windows Wallpaper

iPhoto Express Explorer adds great new options for setting your Windows Wallpaper. Some of the advantages include:

Any image format supported by iPhoto Express can be used.

You can custom fit your images so they tile perfectly on your screen.

You can use horizontal and/or vertical mirroring to tile your images.

Here’s how:

1.	Switch to the folder containing the image you want for your wallpaper and select that image.

2.	Click Wallpaper ( [image] )

3.	In the Wallpaper dialog box, set how you wish your wallpaper to appear. (You can see a preview of how your wallpaper will look in the sample monitor in the dialog box.)

4.	When everything is set the way you want it, click OK.

Note: After you set the wallpaper using iPhoto Express, try not to adjust your Background settings using the Windows Display Properties dialog box.


Creating slide shows and screen savers

iPhoto Express provides you an easy way to create slide shows and screen savers of your favorite media files. You can use this feature for automated demonstrations, presentations, or simply for your own entertainment. Here’s how:

1.	Place all the media file you wish to use for your slide show or screen saver into a single folder. (Use iPhoto Express Explorer to drag and drop them.)

2.	Select the files you wish to use and click Slide show ( [image] ) or Screen Saver ( [image] )

3.	A dialog box for the presentation you are creating opens. Set the amount of time you want each image to show before switching to the next one.

4.	Choose how you want the transition between media files to appear from the Transition dropdown list. The thumbnail on the left shows a preview of the selected transition.

5	To add audio, looping, or other fancy features, click Advanced.

6.	The General tab controls looping, and overall presentation appearance. The Info tab controls what information to show with each media file. The Music tab allows you to add .WAV and MIDI sound files to play with the presentation.

7.	Click Play to start. Click Save to save the show for later use. (For screen savers, always save the presentation. Then, in the Screen Saver tab of the Windows Display Properties dialog box, select this file for your screen saver. Click here  [image]  to do it now.)


Saving hard disk space

If you are running low on Hard disk space, try deleting thumbnail files for folders you do not frequently view with iPhoto Express Explorer. Deleting thumbnail files will slow iPhoto Express Explorer down a little when it accesses folders without corresponding thumbnail files. But the space savings may be worth it.

1.	In the Directory Tree window, select root of the drive that is low on space.

2. From the File menu, choose Delete Thumbnail files.

3.	The Delete Thumbnail Files dialog box opens showing the total space used on that drive for thumbnail files. Select the files you want to delete. (Press Ctrl and click to select several files individually; Press Shift and click to select a range of files.)

4.	The dialog box updates to show the potential savings by deleting the selected files. When you are satisfied with your selections, click Delete.

Note: If disk space is always a problem, from the File menu, choose Preferences. In the Explorer tab of the Preferences dialog box, clear “Save folder reference files”. Also, to limit disk usage by thumbnail files, set a lower number for the “Number of folder reference files kept for CD-ROMS and read-only network drives”, and select JPEG from the Compression dropdown list.


Technical Support Contents
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AUTOEXEC.BAT

CONFIG.SYS

WIN.INI

ULEAD32.INI

Note: You can open most of these files at once by running SYSEDIT.EXE, found in your Windows program directory.

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