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VUEPRINT.DOC
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1994-02-06
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VuePrint User's Guide
Version 1.4
Copyright (c) 1994 Edward B. Hamrick
All Rights Reserved
1.0 Introduction
VuePrint is a Windows 3.1 program that lets you display and print
graphics files that use the GIF, JPEG, and BMP graphics formats.
VuePrint supports all graphics displays and printers that operate with
the MicroSoft Windows 3.1 operating environment, using a 386 or 486
microprocessor.
The two key features of VuePrint are speed and ease of use.
VuePrint is more than twice as fast as most other JPEG viewers, and is
able to scale images to full-screen more than five times as fast as
other viewers. VuePrint will scale images to fill a window
automatically, without distorting the image shape. While VuePrint has
many features, and all are integrated in an easy to use menu system.
Most printers are only capable of displaying an array of black
(or sometimes colored) dots. However, many graphics files contain
images with up to 256 different colors. VuePrint uses a very fast
error-dispersion algorithm (also called a dithering or half-toning
algorithm) to print the image in the graphics file. This error
dispersion algorithm takes advantage of the number of colors that a
printer supports. If a display is unable to display 256 colors,
VuePrint uses this same dithering algorithm to display an image.
VuePrint also supports viewing GIF or JPEG images that can't
completely fit into the available memory. It does this by storing a
lower-resolution image in memory. This is useful when running
multiple copies of VuePrint in different windows, doing slide shows in
each window. Running multiple copies of VuePrint simultaneously works
best on 16-bit and 24-bit displays, but it works acceptably on other
types of displays.
One of the design goals of VuePrint was to make it quick and
inexpensive to download. The size of the file VUEPRINT.ZIP is about
73,000 bytes, which can be downloaded in about 5 minutes at 2400 baud.
This costs less than $1.00. Other programs with comparable
functionality take up to four times as long to download. In order to
keep the size of the file small, this User's Guide is deliberately
brief and limited to explaining those features of VuePrint which can't
be discovered by exploring the various menus.
2.0 Prerequisites
In order to use VuePrint, you will need a personal computer that
is running Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or higher. You will also
need a 386 or 486 microprocessor. VuePrint will work with any Windows
display, including Hercules, EGA, 16-color, 256-color, 65536 color,
and 24-bit color displays.
VuePrint is distributed via CompuServe as shareware, and may be
evaluated for 15 days. If you decide you want to register VuePrint,
type "GO SWREG" and register program #1883.
When you register VuePrint, you'll receive assistance via e-mail
with any problems you may encounter. You'll also receive a Serial
Number identifying your copy of VuePrint. This serial number is also
valid for VueSav - a fast JPEG/GIF Screen Saver for Windows 3.1.
VueSav can be obtained separately from CompuServe, America Online, and
various Internet and BBS sites (VUESAV.ZIP).
If you'd prefer to register VuePrint by mail, you can send the
$40.00 registration fee to:
Ed Hamrick
11588 Raintree Spring Ct.
Cupertino, CA 95014
This address may only be valid for most of 1994, so you might
first want to send e-mail to 71470.3236@compuserve.com to request an
up to date mailing address.
3.0 Installing and Running VuePrint
To install VuePrint, put the file VUEPRINT.EXE in a directory
that's convenient for you. Then use the Windows Program Manager's
File->New menu item to install a new program item named VuePrint. To
run VuePrint, just double-click on the VuePrint Icon.
All commands are accessible through the menu bar. Each command
has a short-cut key which consists of a single keystroke. In addition
to the short-cut keys documented in the menu bar, the arrow keys move
the image when it is zoomed in. The arrow keys along with the shift-
key move the image one full screen at a time.
Pressing the left-hand mouse button causes the image to zoom in
by a factor of two at the point the mouse was located. Pressing the
right-hand mouse button allows you to move the image around when it is
zoomed in. Double-clicking the right mouse button displays the entire
image, undoing any previous zooming.
Note that the menu items that increase and decrease the contrast
are actually increasing and decreasing the "gamma" of the image. Gamma
is a non-linear function that compensates for the fact that most
monitors display non-linear intensities when presented with linear
color lookup tables. The gamma adjustment that's used for the display
is also used to change the contrast on the printout.
The File->Info menu item allows you to lok at any comments that
were included in the GIF or JPEG file that's currently being
displayed. This screen also displays the width and height in pixels
of the currently displayed image.
One feature that's a little bit subtle is the ability to convert
JPEG files to GIF files. If you check the JPEG Option "Write GIF",
every time you view a JPEG file, a GIF file will be written at the
same time. For instance, if you display XYZ.JPG, you'll find a file
XYZ.GIF in the same directory. The GIF file will only use 236 colors
unless the JPEG menu item "256 colors" is also enabled.
4.0 Bug Reports and Enhancement Requests
If you have problems running VuePrint, or have an idea for
enhancing VuePrint, please send e-mail to Ed Hamrick on CompuServe at
71470,3236. You can also send e-mail from the Internet to
71470.3236@compuserve.com.
There's one bug in VuePrint 1.4 that hasn't been fixed yet.
Occasionally when VuePrint is run for the first time after starting
Windows, if an image is displayed and then the keypad * is pressed to
change the contrast, the color map is jumbled. Subsequent runs of
VuePrint don't have this problem. The jumbled color map can be
cleared up by pressing Page Up and then Page Down.
VuePrint doesn't yet read compressed BMP files or 24-bit BMP
files. It only reads images that have a maximum size of 2048 by 2048,
and can zoom images up to 6000 by 6000.
TRADEMARKS
GIF, Graphics Interchange Format, and CompuServe are trademarks of
CompuServe, Inc., an H&R Block Company.
Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows is a trademark of
Microsoft Corporation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
VuePrint is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.