Computerworld 1996 March/Computerworld_1996-03_cd.bin/idg_cd3/aplikace/dtp/poster23/readme.txt

Text File | 1996-02-14 | 14.3 KB | 369 lines

THE POSTER PROGRAM.

Version 2.3 1/8/96.  This version works with Win 3.1, WFW, and Win95.

Caution: This version will NOT read files created by Poster 1.x.

INTRODUCTION.

POSTER 2.3 is the latest version of the popular Windows shareware
program for making big posters, signs, and banners,  printing them at up
to 9 feet by 9 feet. All text and graphics are enlarged and tiled over
multiple pages. POSTER supports all True-Type and ATM fonts, and imports
graphics from BMP and WMF files, as well as from the Clipboard and OLE
applications. POSTER supports full color, and most Windows-compatible
printers. This new version of poster supports complete flexibility in
the placement of graphics, incorporates many drawing tools and special
effects (like 3D) for text, and provides better support for non-standard
poster and paper sizes.

POSTER is great for a wide variety of projects at work, school, home, or
clubs:
1. Creating large posters for presentations, projects, charts, etc.
2. Creating large signs for advertisements, announcements, etc.
3. Creating banners for special events, etc.
4. Enlarging pictures, charts, etc. for display.


ADVANTAGES OF POSTER.

This program is very easy to use, and it is very simple to create large
posters and banners.  It is especially useful when you have a number of
fonts installed, as the font selection menu displays renditions of all
the true-type fonts. The final poster size is fully configurable.

WHATS NEW.
Version 2.3:
Automatic word wrap.
Text boxes can now be multiple lines.
Text boxes can have automatic adjusting borders.

Version 2.2:
Thick dashed and dotted lines.
Arrows.
Arcs, Pies, Polygons, and Polylines.
Automatic Drop shodows for shapes. See Draw->Shadow.
Control over spacing between characters and between lines.  See Text-
>Spacing
More special effects for text, with a preview box. See Text->Special.
Subscript and superscript for text.  See Text->Special
Inverted (White on Black) text. See Text->Special.
Tab support. Tab stops align every 1/2 inch (12 cm).
Selectable colors and paterns for backgrounds.
Text boxes of a single line of disconnected text.
Bug fixes for background bitmaps and metafile borders.
Bug fix for a hang when moving single lines too many times.

Version 2.1:
Special effects for text.
Bug fix for jagged lines when printing in method A or method B.



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SUPPORT.

For the latest on Poster, including the latest version, tips and hints,
etc., see our web page:
  http://users.aol.com/PosterSW

If you have any problems or suggestions, please send me a note.  My
email address is
AOL: PosterSW
Internet: [e-mail]
Compuserv (CIS): 75754,2174
Or you may call me at [phone].

REGISTRATION.

POSTER is shareware. If you try this program, find it useful, and
continue to use it, you are expected to register. The fee is only $10,
which is really quite reasonable for a program like POSTER. This fee
helps cover costs for distribution and support of the program.

If you register, your are entitled to unlimited support, future
versions, and a free disk full of fancy borders.  To register:

From CIS (Compuserv), type GO SWREG, and register ID 4249.

By mail, send $10 to:
    POSTER Software
    11002 48th St. E.
    Puyallup, WA. 98372

Credit Card Orders (Visa, MC, Amex, Discover) are handled by Public
Software Library:
    Call 1-800-2424-PSL,  or 713-524-6394,  or FAX to 713-524-6398
      or email to CIS at 71355,470 ([e-mail]).
      or mail credit card orders to PsL at
           P.O.Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.
    Ask for POSTER, ID  number 14375.
    The cost is $10 + $2 shipping ($4 shipping for overseas).
    Do NOT use these numbers for any support questions. Instead, call
       [phone].


When you register, you receive a disk containing the latest version of
POSTER, and a set of fancy borders, by return mail.

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ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals) OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT.

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle
works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem
with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members'
products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road,
Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX [phone] or send a CompuServe
message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536."

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VERSION 2.2 Improvements. 12/19/95.
Thick dashed and dotted lines.
Arrows.
Arcs, Pies, Polygons, and Polylines.
Automatic Drop shodows for shapes. See Draw->Shadow.
Control over spacing between characters and between lines.  See Text-
>Spacing
More special effects for text, with a preview box. See Text->Special.
Subscript and superscript for text.  See Text->Special
Inverted (White on Black) text. See Text->Special.
Tab support. Tab stops align every 1/2 inch (12 cm).
Selectable colors and paterns for backgrounds.
Text boxes of a single line of disconnected text.
Bug fixes for background bitmaps and metafile borders.
Bug fix for a hang when moving single lines too many times.


VERSION 2.1 IMPROVEMENTS. 11/25/95.
1. Adds Special Effects for text.
2. Fixes text scaling problems when printing with Method A or B only.

VERSION 2.0 IMPROVEMENTS. 11/11/95.
1. Graphics can be placed anywhere on the page.
2. Free-form drawing tools added.
3. Automatic support for alternate paper sizes, like A2, 11x17, etc.
4. Easier page size setup for non-standard poster sizes.
5. Poster automatically fills the screen for any size poster.

VERSION 1.6 IMPROVEMENTS. 10/1/95.
1. Modified to print properly under WIN95.
2. Minor fixes to font menus, and OPEN.
3. Maximum characters increased to 2000.

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INSTALLATION.

If you have unzipped the files, then you have practically installed the
program.
The package consists of the following files:
1. This README file.
2. POSTER.TXT, which is  the documentation for POSTER.  All of this
   documentation is also in the on-line help file.
3. POSTER.EXE, which is the poster program itself.
4. POSTER.HLP, which is the on-line help file.
5. CTL3D.DLL, the 3d controls library.
6. Several BORDERx.WMF border files.  These can be imported using
   the Page->Border->From File command.

To install the program, do the following after unzipping the poster
download file:
1. Create a directory called POSTER.
2. Copy the files POSTER.TXT, POSTER.EXE, and POSTER.HLP into that
directory.
3. Copy the file CTL3D.DLL to your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
4. Create a program manager icon for POSTER by doing the following:

    WINDOWS 3.1 or WINDOWS FOR WORKGROUPS:
    a. Select the program manager group where you want the icon.
    b. Select NEW.
    c. Select Program Item.
    d. In the dialog box, fill in Description ("Poster"),
        The command line: C:\poster\poster.exe
    The working directory: C:\poster
    If you have unzipped into a different directory, use it instead of
    c:\poster.

    WIN95:
    a. From the START button, click on START, then Settings,
         then Taskbar.
     b. From the "Taskbar Properties" box, click on
        "Start Menu Options".
    c. Click on NEW.
    d. Enter the full patch name to poster (such as
       "c:\poster\poster.exe"), or click on the browse button,
       find the directory with POSTER in it, and click on POSTER.EXE.
    e. Click on Finish.
    f. Select the folder you want the shortcut in, then click on
       Finish.
    g. Enter the name you want to use for the icon,
       and click on Finish.


5. You may view and print the documentation file, POSTER.TXT, with
notepad.
      However, this entire document is included in the online help file.

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DEINSTALL  (REMOVING POSTER)

To remove POSTER from your system, do the following:

1. Find the directory containing Poster.
2. Delete all files, using erase *.*.
3. If you want to save the saved poster files, but remove the
   program, then delete the files POSTER.EXE, POSTER.TXT, POSTER.HLP,
   and CTL3D.DLL.
4. To remove the start icon:
    Windows 3.1: In the program manager, highlight the Poster icon,
        and then hit the DEL key.
    Win95: Click on 'Start', then 'Settings', then 'Task Bar', then
        'Start Text Menu', then 'Remove'.  Find the Poster entry,
        highlight it, and then click on 'Remove'.

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USING POSTER.

To start using poster, simply double click on the poster icon.  POSTER
will start and ask you for the poster or banner format. After selecting
the format you want, it will present an empty page to you.  Just start
typing to begin making your poster.

You can also associate "POS" file types with poster (do this with File
Manager or Explorer.).  Then, double clicking on a POS file will
automatically start poster with that file.

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PRINTERS.

This program has been successfully tested on the following printers:
    HP Laserjet II and compatibles
    HP Laserjet III - see special setup instructions below.
    HP LaserJet 4 - See special setup instructions below
    HP DeskJet PLUS
    HP DeskJet 500
    Epson dot matrix and compatibles
    Postscript printer - See special setup instructions below

If you cannot get POSTER to work properly on your printer, try checking
the box marked "Method A" in the PRINT dialog box. This should work ALL
printers (but not plotters).  If this still doesn't work, try "Method
B".  Also, see the special setup instructions below.



LASERJET III USERS.
If the posters you print are missing characters at page edges, then do
the following:
1. Select "Method A" in the Poster Print Dialog box.  Also, be sure your
printer is set to 300 dpi.

LASERJET 4 USERS.
To successfully print posters, you must configure your printer as
follows:
1. Select "Printer Setup":
2. Set resolution to 300 dpi. (At 600dpi, printing takes a very long
time, and may hang the printer.)
3. Select "options".
4. Select "Graphics Mode" = "raster", "Graphics Quality"="high", and
     check "print true-type as graphics".
If posters still do not print properly, then in the PRINT dialog box,
check the boxed marked "Method A". This should always work.

POSTSCRIPT PRINTER USERS.
POSTER cannot always automatically switch a postscript printer from
portrait mode to landscape mode.  If  "Print Preview" shows the printer
to be in the incorrect mode,use the "Print Setup" menu item to manually
select the proper mode.

If you get postscript errors, or you are loosing characters at page
boundaries:
1. From the control panel, select Printers, then select 'Setup.
2. Select "options", then select "advanced".
3. Select "print true type fonts as" "Bitmap (type 3)".
4. Close the control panel.
5. Start POSTER.
If posters still do not print properly, or print too slow, then in the
PRINT dialog box, check the boxed marked "Method A". This should always
work.

COLOR PRINTERS.
POSTER should now properly print color text and graphics.

SLOW PRINTING.
Sorry, but Windows printing is s..l..o..w.  I have no good solution for
this.  Be sure to verify your poster with "Preview" in the "Print"
dialog box.  Then, have patience while it prints.

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DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT.

Users of POSTER must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
"POSTER is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all
warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation,
the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose.
The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or conse-
quential, which may result from the use of POSTER."

POSTER is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge
to the user for evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your
friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of
another system.  The essence of "user-supported" software is to
provide personal computer users with quality software without
high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to
continue to develop new products.  If you find this program
useful and find that you are using POSTER and continue to use
POSTER after a reasonable trial period, you must make a reg-
istration payment of $10.  The registration fee will license one copy
for use on any one computer at any one time.  You must treat this
software just like a book.  An example is that this software may be used
by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer
location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it
being used at one location while it's being used at another.
Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the
same time.

Commercial users of POSTER must register and pay for their
copies of POSTER within 30 days of first use or their license
is withdrawn.  Site-License arrangements may be made by con-
tacting the author.

Anyone distributing POSTER for any kind of remuneration should
first contact the author at the address below for authorization.
This authorization will generally be automatically granted.

You are encouraged to pass a copy of POSTER along to your
friends for evaluation.  Please encourage them to register their
copy if they find that they can use it.  All registered users
will receive a copy of the latest version of POSTER.

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TECHNICAL TRIVIA.

POSTER is written in C, and complied using MSVC 1.5.  It consists of
about 15,000 lines of code (proving that it takes a lot of code to not
do very much).

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Bob Bedoll, member, Association of Shareware Professionals
1/2/96.
Poster Software
11002 48th St. E., Puyallup, WA, 98372
email: [e-mail]
[phone].