OS/2 Shareware BBS: Graphics/Graphics.zip/drawc11d.zip/tutorial.INF

OS/2 Help File | 1997-12-13 | 194KB | 455 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. DRAWCAT Tutorial ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 This tutorial is still under construction! For a complete overview of the
features of this program please click on the Beginners Path icon. Advanced
users may find some helpful informations following the What Is button.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.1. Beginners path ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 We're really working on it.

Please use the menu option Help/Help Index or Help/Help Contents to get further
information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.2. What is ? ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What-is-???

For a better understanding how powerful most of the tools are you should read
the section Areas and Outlines.

Which tools does DRAWCAT provide?

Goto

Which functions does DRAWCAT provide?

Goto


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.3. Functions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 To get some special information on the provided topics click on one of the
buttons below.

Invoke the functions listed above by using the menu option File.

Invoke the functions listed above by using the menu option Edit.

Invoke the functions listed above by using the menu option View.

Invoke the functions listed above by using the menu option Options.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4. Tools ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The toolbar on the left of the DRAWCAT window provides several tools to help
you to construct your drawing. These tools are the LINE tool, the POLYLINE
tool, the (simple) BOX tool, the POLYGON tool, the full ELLIPSIS tool, the
ELIPSIS SEGMENTS tool, the TEXT tool and the FILET tool. Each tool comprises a
variety of facilities. To get some special information on the provided topics
click on one of the buttons below.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.1. Text tool basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How can I insert text?

First select the text tool then move the mouse cursor to the position where the
text shall start. Click the leftmost mousebutton. The text cursor will appear.
Now you can type the text.

If you hit the <return> or the <enter> key the cursor will jump to the start of
the next line as you exspect. Internally a new text object is created. You can
define the attributes such as colour, size, font or other text attributes
independendly for each line.

Which font should I choose?

You can choose a text font using the menu option Atributes/Font Selection. It
is strongly recommended to choose a vector font because only vector font
characters are fully qualified outline area objects.

On the following pages we will demonstrate some facilities of the text tool
(only valid for vector fonts).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.2. Text special information (1) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Filling Options of Vector Font Characters


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.3. Text tips and tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

A Note on Fonts

There are two mayor types of fonts available. That are raster fonts and vector
fonts (also called outline fonts). But only vector fonts are fully supported by
DRAWCAT. Most features will not work with raster fonts. You cannot size, rotate
or mirror them and probably you will get trouble printing them. On the
contrary, vector font characters are fully qualified outline area objects. You
can fill them solid, with patterns or use colour shading. You can show the
outline in a different colour or draw the outline alone. Therefore, the
application shows you a warning message when you have selected a raster font
using the menu option Menu/Font selection.

So is there a reason to use a raster font? Well, we found only one. The
appearance of raster fonts on the screen (not on the printer!) is slightly more
pleasing, especially when working with small point sizes. So, if you plan to
make a screen hard copy or a snapshot of the screen use a raster font.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.4. Text special information (2) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Sizing, Rotating, Mirroring and other Text Facilities

You can size a selected vector font text object like any other object using the
mouse and also invoking the menu option Options/Size. To rotate or mirror use
the menu option Option/Rotate or Options/Mirror horz. or Options/Mirror vert.
To alter other text attributes use the menu option Attributes/Text Attributes.
Here are some examples:


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.5. Text special information (3) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Special Text Options

To select the special text option doubleclick on a text object. Three new tools
will appear at the bottom of the tool bar. Select the tool <Sp> and a new
dialog will be shown where you can choose one of the special text options.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.6. Lines basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 How can I draw lines?

First select the line tool then move the mouse cursor to the position where the
line shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move the mouse a
rubberband line will follow the mouse cursor. If you want to abort this
function click the rigthmost mouse button or click on the selection tool.
Otherwise, click again the leftmost mouse button when the line has the intended
length and position. Now DRAWCAT will draw the line with the currently valid
attributes.

Which features does the line tool provide?

Lines are not fully qualified outline area objects and have only a line
attribute set. However, there are a lot of line styles provided. Select the
line object you wish to alter and invoke the menu option Menu/Line Attributes.
Some examples of the different line styles are shown on page Lines Special
Information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.7. Lines Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Selecting Lines

You may have problems to select straight horizontal or vertikal lines by moving
the mouse pointer over the line and click the leftmost mouse button as you can
easily do with other objects. That is because lines can be only one pixel wide
and it would be difficult to hit that. There is an alternative. Move the cursor
outside of the object, push the left mouse button and drag open the rubber box.
After releasing the mouse button the line should be selected.

Sizing Line Widths

You can allow sizing the line width when sizing a line object. Select the menu
option Options/Special Options. Then check the button <allow to alter line
width>. Standard option is not checked.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.8. Lines special information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Some examples of lines

Use the menu option Attributes/Line Attributes to alter the appearance of
lines.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.9. Polylines basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 How can I draw polylines?

First select the polyline tool then move the mouse cursor to the position where
the polyline shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move the
mouse a rubberband will follow the mouse cursor. To abort the function click on
the selection tool. Click again the leftmost mouse button when the first part
of the polyline has the intended length and position. Move the mouse cursor to
the next point and click again the leftmost mouse button. After you have set
the last point click therigthmost mouse button. Now DRAWCAT will draw the line
with the currently valid attributes.

Which features does the polyline tool provide?

Polylines are fully qualified outline area objects. You can specify the line
attribute set as well as the area attribute set. The default option is to show
only the outline. Select the polyline object you wish to alter and invoke the
menu option Menu/Line Attributes or the menu option Menu/Area Attributes.
Internally polylines are handled as Bezier splines. Get some information on
Bezier splines and how to handle them on page Polylines Special Information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.10. Polylines Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

There are yet no special tips and tricks.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.11. Polylines special information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 Polylines and polygons are Bezier splines. The straight lines initially shown
can be easily converted to curved lines changing the Bezier line control
points. As input to a Bezier spline, you supply three construction points for
each spline. Bezier splines start from a specified point (B1) and go to the
fourth specified point (B4). The two intermediate points (BC2) and (BC3) are
used as control points. Subsequent splines start from the end point (B4) of the
previous spline. The control points (BC2, BC3, ...) determine the slope of the
curve at the Bezier points (B1, B4, ...). If you want the gradient to be
continuous at a specific Bezier point (e. g. B12) you must assure that the
preceeding control point (BC11), the chosen Bezier point (B12) and the next
control point (BC13) describe a straight line. To edit a polyline see Edit
Polylines.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.11.1. Edit Polylines ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

 To edit a POLYLINE object you must move the mouse cursor over this object and
double click the leftmost mouse button. This results in showing the Bezier
points as outlined squares and the control points as eight-point stars. One of
the Bezier points is selected (filled square). Additionally five new push
buttons will occur at the bottom of the tool menu.  Using this new tools you
can insert a new Bezier point [P1], delete the selected Bezier point [P2],
close an open figure [P3] by concatenating the first and the last point of the
object, opening a closed polyline [P4] or straighten the curve between the
selected and the preceeding Bezier points [P5].

You can also edit the polyline by moving the mouse cursor over one of bezier
points or the control points, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the
symbol. As long as the mouse button is pressed the symbol will be moved with
the mouse, the resulting Bezier spline as well as the original spline is shown.
After releasing the left mouse button the old spline is erased and the new one
will be shown.

Exit the EDIT mode by clicking the rightmost mouse button.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.12. Boxes basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How can I draw boxes?

First select the box tool then move the mouse cursor to the position where the
line shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move the mouse a
rubberbox will follow the mouse cursor. If you want to abort this function
click the rigthmost mouse button or click on the selection tool. Otherwise,
click again the leftmost mouse button when the box has the intended length and
position. Now DRAWCAT will draw the box with the currently valid attributes.

Which features does the box tool provide?

Boxes are outline area objects and have a line attribute set as well as a area
attribute set. However, boxes are not fully qualified outline area objects
because they can be rotated only in steps of 90 degrees. There are a lot of
line styles and area styles provided. Select the line object you wish to alter
and invoke the menu option Attributes/Line Attributes or Attributes/Area
Attributes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.13. Boxes Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When should I use the boxes tool?

Using the box tool you can boxes with rounded edges. That looks quite well on
text slides. If you don't use the rounded edge option you better draw boxes
using the polygon tool. DRAWCAT provides several predefined polygons among them
a rectangle box. That box is a fully qualified outline area object and can be
rotated and mirrored.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.14. Polygons basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How can I draw polylgons?

First select the polygon tool. A dialog with a set of predefined polygons will
appear. Select one of them and then move the mouse cursor to the position where
the polygon shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move the
mouse a rubberpolygon will follow the mouse cursor. To abort the function click
on the selection tool. Click again the leftmost mouse button when the first
part of the polyline has the intended length and position. Move the mouse
cursor to the next point and click again the leftmost mouse button. After you
have set the last point click the rigthmost mouse button. Now DRAWCAT will draw
the polygon with the currently valid attributes.

Which features does the polygon tool provide?

Polylgons are fully qualified outline area objects. You can specify the line
attribute set as well as the area attribute set. The default option is to show
only the outline. Select the polyline object you wish to alter and invoke the
menu option Menu/Line Attributes or the menu option Menu/Area Attributes.
Internally polygons are handled as Bezier splines. Get some information on
Bezier splines and how to handle them on page Polylines Special Information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.15. Polygons Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

There are yet no special tips and tricks.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.16. Ellipses basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How can I draw ellipses?

First select the ellipse/circle tool then move the mouse cursor to the position
where the figure shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move
the mouse a rubberellipse will follow the mouse cursor. To abort the function
click on the selection tool. Click again the leftmost mouse button when the
ellipse has the intended length and position. Move the mouse cursor to the next
point and click again the leftmost mouse button. After you have set the last
point click the rigthmost mouse button. Now DRAWCAT will draw the ellipse with
the currently valid attributes.

Which features does the ellipse/circle tool provide?

Ellipses and circles are fully qualified outline area objects. You can specify
the line attribute set as well as the area attribute set. Select the ellipses
object you wish to alter and invoke the menu option Menu/Line Attributes or the
menu option Menu/Area Attributes. Full circles and ellipses can be transformed
into segments see information on page Ellipses Special Information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.17. Ellipses Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

It may not easy to draw a perfect circle using the ELLIPSE tool. Therefore you
should perform the following steps. Create an ellipse nearly looking like a
circle. Then exit the construction mode by clicking the right mouse button and
select the ellipse. Call the menu option Options/Size and set the values in the
Hight and Length entry fields of the Size Dialog to an equal number (e. g. for
a circle with 20 mm diameter set Hight = 20.0 mm and Length = 20.0 mm).


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.18. Ellipses special information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Internally ellipses created using the ELLIPSE tool are defined as ellipse
segments with a start angle of 0 degrees and an end angle of 360 degrees. The
start and the end angle can be changed in the EDIT mode. To use this option
doubleclick the leftmost mouse button while the mouse cursor is over the
ellipse object. The application will draw two rubber lines from the center of
ellipse to the start point (outlined square) and to the end point (filled
square). For a full ellipse the start point is eclipsed by the end point and
only a filled square is shown. You now can move the start or the end point by
moving the mouse cursor over one of these squares, push the leftmost mouse
button and drag the point. After releasing the mouse button the resulting
segment is calculated and shown.

Exit the EDIT mode by clicking the rightmost mouse button.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.19. Segments basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How can I draw a segment?

First select the segment tool. A dialog with a set of predefined segments will
appear. Select one of them and then move the mouse cursor to the position where
the figure shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move the
mouse a rubberellipse will follow the mouse cursor. To abort the function click
on the selection tool. Click again the leftmost mouse button when the ellipse
has the intended length and position. Move the mouse cursor to the next point
and click again the leftmost mouse button. After you have set the last point
click the rigthmost mouse button. Now DRAWCAT will draw the segment with the
currently valid attributes.

Which features does the segment/arches tool provide?

Segments and arches are fully qualified outline area objects. You can specify
the line attribute set as well as the area attribute set. Select the ellipses
object you wish to alter and invoke the menu option Menu/Line Attributes or the
menu option Menu/Area Attributes. You can define the angle of the segments and
arches using the mouse see information on page Ellipses Special Information.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.20. Segments Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

There are yet no special tips and tricks.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.21. Fillet basic information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

What is a fillet?

The fillet starts at the current position and finishes at the end point of the
last line. On the way from the start point to the end point, the fillet is
tangential to all intermediate lines at their midpoints. When the fillet is
drawn, the current position is at the end point of the last construction line.
Subsequent fillets start from the end point of the previous fillet, and are
constructed using the next two lines in the sequence in exactly the same way.

How can I draw fillet?

First select the fillet tool then move the mouse cursor to the position where
the fillet shall start. Click the leftmost mouse button. If you now move the
mouse a rubberband will follow the mouse cursor. To abort the function click on
the selection tool. Click again the leftmost mouse button when the first part
of the polyline has the intended length and position. Move the mouse cursor to
the next point and click again the leftmost mouse button. After you have set
the last point click the rigthmost mouse button. Now DRAWCAT will draw the
fillets with the currently valid  attributes.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.22. Fillet special information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Which features does the fillet tool provide?

Fillets are fully qualified outline area objects. You can specify the line
attribute set as well as the area attribute set. The default option is to show
only the outline. Select the polyline object you wish to alter and invoke the
menu option Menu/Line Attributes or the menu option Menu/Area Attributes. For
information how to alter the fillet line form see change fillet line form.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.23. Fillet Tips and Tricks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

There are yet no special tips and tricks.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.4.24. Edit Fillets ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

To edit a Fillet object you must move the mouse cursor over this object and
double click the leftmost mouse button. This results in showing the fillet
control points as outlined squares and the lines connecting the control points.
One of the fillet control points is selected (filled square). Additionally two
new push buttons will occur at the bottom of the tool menu. Using this new
tools you can insert a new control point [P1] or delete the selected control
point [P2].

You can also edit the fillet by moving the mouse cursor over one of fillet
control points, pressing the left mouse button and dragging the symbol. As long
as the mouse button is pressed the symbol will be moved by the mouse, the
resulting fillet as well as the original fillet is shown. After releasing the
left mouse button the old fillet line is erased and the new one will be shown.

Exit the Edit Mode by clicking the rightmost mouse button.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.5. Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Each figure you draw using one of the tools is called an object. Nearly all
objects consist of an area enclosed by an outline. These objects are POLYLINES,
FILETS, POLYGONS, ELLIPSES, SEGMENTS, simple BOXES, and TEXT characters.

Both outline and area can be switched on separately. Therefore, for example, it
is possible to draw only the outline of a character or only the enclosed area
of a polyline object.  You will specify that using the menu option
Attributes/Area Attributes. The area attribute will be switched off choosing
the radio button <not filled>. Otherwise the area is visible and you can choose
either a filling with a selectable pattern, a solid filling or a colour shaded
filling. In the same dialog you may define if the outline is visible (select
radio button <special outline>). The outline is invisible when you select the
radio button <outline as interior>. If <special outline> is selected you can
alter the attributes of the outline using the menu option Attributes/Line
Attributes. Area and outline have a separate set of attributes. So, changing
the colour of the area, for example, has no effect on the colour of the
outline.

There are two exceptions, LINES possess only the outline attribute set and
BITMAPS have neither the outline nor the area attribute.