AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER FOR WINDOWS README Version 1.0c April 1995 This "README" file contains information about the program that was not available when the Information Guide was printed. You may print this file for easy reference. Information is included on these topics: Contents -------- TOPIC 1: The Program Tour TOPIC 2: Installation Options: Read Only or Read/Write TOPIC 3: Audio Requirements TOPIC 4: Video Requirements TOPIC 5: Viewing 3D Images TOPIC 6: Legend Icon TOPIC 7: Finding HELP TOPIC 8: Printing Selected Rectangles TOPIC 9: Printing With Small Margins ****************************************************** TOPIC 1: The Program Tour ****************************************************** The first time you start the program (and every time until you disable the features), the program presents an Opening Video followed by a five minute Program Tour featuring an overview of American history and a description of the program's features. You can interrupt the Program Tour at any time by pressing any key on your keyboard. If you do so, an interrupt dialog appears, asking if you want to finish viewing the Program Tour. If you click Yes, the Tour will continue where it left off. If you click No, a second dialog appears, asking if you wish to have the Program Tour displayed each time you run AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER. Choose Yes to play the five-minute Program Tour the next time you run AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER. Choose No to disable the Program Tour. To re-enable the Program Tour after it has been disabled, 1. Click on any part of the title "American History Explorer" on the Opening Screen. An animated dialog opens with information about the program. 2. Click on the Settings button at the bottom of the dialog to open the Settings dialog box. 3. Click on the check box for Display Program Tour and click OK to save your change and close the dialog. The next time you run AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER, the Program Tour will be displayed. ****************************************************** TOPIC 2: Installation Options: Read Only or Read/Write ****************************************************** During the installation of AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER, you'll be given a choice of operating the program in a Read Only version or a Read/Write version. To switch between these options, you can re-install the program at any time. Following is an outline of the differences between the two options. READ ONLY This version is designed for those with precious little hard drive space (it requires approximately 2 megabytes) or who only want to refer to the information. This version allows you to open, close, and print maps and articles, or view the slide shows and videos. But you can NOT make changes to any of the items. This "non-editable" version leaves the data files on the CD ROM and will probably run slightly slower than the other version on certain features. In addition, your Map windows and Article windows will display an icon bar, but NO menus. Also four icon bar buttons in the Map window are NOT available. The omitted buttons are: Arrow Cursor, Hand Cursor, Edit Map Item, and Edit or Create Map Graphics. READ/WRITE This version is designed for maximum interaction and users who want to combine information from several sources to write a report or change the items displayed on a map. With this version, you can write new articles and design your own maps. You can cut and paste information from one place to another, and change or delete items. This "editable" version copies all the data files from the CD to your hard drive (requiring approximately 9 megabytes) and will probably run slightly faster than the Read Only version on certain features. ****************************************************** TOPIC 3: Audio Requirements ****************************************************** Because songs in the Song Book feature are recorded in stereo, a stereo sound card is needed for that feature. ****************************************************** TOPIC 4 Video Requirements ****************************************************** AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER is designed to run using the Video for Windows runtime version installed with AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER. Other Video for Windows versions may or may not be suitable for use with AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER. If you are having problems playing video in AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER, you can reinstall the compatible version of Video for Windows by going to the VFW directory of AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER on your CD drive and running SETUP.EXE. While AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER requires only a 256 color display VGA, a higher color display will improve performance. ****************************************************** TOPIC 5 Viewing 3D Images ****************************************************** Instructions for viewing the 3D (stereo) pictures included with American History Explorer are given in the Online Guide and the Online Help. To access instructions from the Online Guide: 1. Close this README file and return to the Windows Program Manager. 2. Open the Program Group that contains the AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER. (Parsons Technology is the default.) 3. Double-click on the Online Guide icon to open a Help screen titled American History Explorer Online Guide. 4. Scroll down to Chapter 4, Multimedia Features, and click on the Four button at the beginning of that line. 5. When Chapter 4 of the guide opens, scroll to page 6 and read the section on Viewing 3D Images. To access instructions from the Online Help: 1. Close this README and start AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER. 2. When the Opening Screen appears, press F1 to open the online Help. 3. When the American History Explorer Help Contents screen appears, click on the "Pictures: 2D & 3D" button. 4. When the Working with Pictures topic appears, scroll to the bottom and click Viewing 3D Images to jump to the appropriate topic. ****************************************************** TOPIC 6: Legend Icon ****************************************************** A Legend icon has been added to the Map window icon bar. Click on this button to display (or hide) the legend for the current map. This icon functions like the Display Legend option on the Options menu. It is available whichever installation option (Read Only or Read/Write) you choose. ****************************************************** TOPIC 7: Finding HELP ****************************************************** If you have questions about the operation of AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER as you're running the program, press the F1 key to access the online Help. The first screen you'll see is the Contents. From here you can access instructions on program operations or you can click the Product Support button for information on reaching customer service and technical support staff at Parsons Technology. Additional information on using the program is available in the Online Guide. To open the guide, go to the Windows Program Manager and open the Program Group where AMERICAN HISTORY EXPLORER was installed (Parsons Technology is the default). Double-click on the ONLINE GUIDE icon to view a list of the various sections of the guide. Click a button to open a section so you can view or print it. ****************************************************** TOPIC 8: Printing Selected Rectangles ****************************************************** When printing selected rectangles on a map, you may encounter a low memory message if the rectangle chosen is quite small. This is due to a bug in Microsoft Windows, versions 3.0 and 3.1. It is a limitation in its ability to accommodate a bitmap with a very large "stretch." To work around this limitation, enlarge the rectangle and try again. ****************************************************** TOPIC 9: Printing with Small Margins ****************************************************** When printing with margins less than 1.0, you may encounter a low memory message. This is the result of a bug in Microsoft Windows versions 3.0 and 3.1. It is a limitation in its ability to accommodate a bitmap with a very large "stretch." To work around this limitation, increase the size of the margins and try again.