A few months ago I needed to print "DRAFT" across the top of an abstract I was working on. Instead of typing it in, I decided to use a little PostScript code I had been playing with and print the word diagonally across the page in light grey 72 point type (Helvetica-Bold). I thought the effect was nice, so I wrote a few Nisus macros to do it for me. I found myself using them so much that I decided to clean up the code a little and distribute them as version 1.0. After releasing that, I went out and bought the red book and actually learned some PostScript, resulting in version 1.1. Version 1.1.1 resulted from a bonehead mistake in I left in the version of 1.1 that I sent out. Version 1.2 began when I found out that the upgrade to Microsoft PowerPoint version 3.0 was $100 and occupied 12 megs of disk space -- all I ever did with P.P. was make overheads so...my Mac is now an MFZ (Microsoft Free Zone). I also discovered that by printing the backdrops with a clockwise rotation they would appear right-side-up in both landscape and portrait orientations.
WHAT THEY DO
This file contains 6 different Macros:
psBackdrop CONFIDENTIAL: Backdrops the word CONFIDENTIAL.
psBackdrop PRELIMINARY: Backdrops the word PRELIMINARY. (Note that either of these first two macros can easily be altered to print something different by changing the text between the () in the (xxx) center show line.)
psBackdrop REVISED d t: Backdrops the word REVISED, followed by the date, then prints the time an inch or two lower. The date and time update just like any other date or time in Nisus (very useful as you only have to run the macro once, but the date & time stay current with each printing, making it easy to figure out which of 100 revisions lying on your desk is the current one).
psBackdrop...: Backdrops whatever word(s) are typed into the dialog box the macro presents. You may wish to edit the macro and put a default word into the second set of "" on the :1 line.
psRRect Frame: Places a frame with rounded corners on the page. Options for inserting up to 3 text strings (Title, Presenter, Date/Company but whatever is typed will be accepted). As with the Backdrop… macro, the three :1 lines can be edited to put default responses in the dialogs. Designed to be a poor man/woman's answer to PowerPoint for creating overhead slide transparancies.
Remove PostScript Code: Deletes ALL postscript code (backdrops and or Frames) from the body text and the headers (a good thing to do when you are ready to print the final copy, or when you wish to change the Backdrop or Frame). May beep some while it is working. Could be hostile to any other PS Escape code embeded in the text by the user, though it won't affect PS code contained in drawings or EPS picts.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
The psBackdrop macros can be executed in either the body text, or in the header. If executed in the body, the Backdrop will appear on only the page executed on. If executed in the header, the Backdrop will appear on that page and all following pages in the document. It is possible to have more than one backdrop in the document (just insert another header). It is also possible to have more than one Backdrop per page (though since they overprint each other, it doesn't have much practical value). There is currently no simple way to tell if a Backdrop is installed, so beware (of course selecting Remove PostScript Code insures that any installed backdrops are removed).
The Frame macro, on the other hand, would usually be executed several times in different headers in a single document. (The simplest example would be a presentation with a title page: the macro would be run once in the header of the first page with all 3 strings blank, then executed again in the header of the second page with the desired text. This will yield a solid frame around the title page (to prevent audience deja vu) and identically sized frames with title, name, date/etc. on all subsquent pages.)
Note that the PS code in Frame, though invisible, occupies about 1" (2.5 cm) at the top of the page, so be sure to set that margin up accordingly. Default setup is for landscape orientation with 1" margins between frame and page but can easily be changed (see customization document). As configured, the margins in Nisus should be set for 1.25" on all sides but the top, which should be set to 0.5" or smaller (if necessary, check "Larger Print Area" in the LaserWriter Page Setup—Options to allow setting the top margin to a smaller value). I am trying to devise a way to get rid of this wasted "white space", but don't expect results soon (currently the best bet seems to be using an EPS file with a "defective bbox").
It is possible to make fairly good looking presentations quickly with Frame (type in the text, format it & break the pages, run the macro on the first & second header and print). If one sticks with character graphics, which will reflow as the document is paged & formatted the process is more painless and could probably be fully automated using Nisus' macro language and egrep (sorry PowerSearch+) and a little creativity..
As all these macros are done in PostScript code, so you will need a postscript printer or clone to print them. Of course if you insist on trying to print them on a non-PS printer, they will not show up (but neither will they effect your document, and will still print correctly on a PS printer at a later time). If this is the type of feature you really need on your StyleWriter/DeskWriter/etc., check out either Freedom of the Press, TScript, GhostScript, or any other PostScript-->QuickDraw interpreter.
The PostScipt code used in these macros will work independently of the macros themselves, so it is possible to simply insert the code into a Word/MacWrite/WriteNow/?? document and change the font to PostScript Escape. To that end, I have included the PostScript Code in a seperate file for non-Nisus use (note that the code in the file is not exactly the same code that the macros insert -- the Nisus time/date/etc. functions have been replaced or removed to improve compatability).
INSTALLATION
Enclosed you should find:
This README file
A suitcase containing the PostScript Escape font.
A Nisus macro file.
A customization guide.
A file containing the "raw" PostScript code used in these macros -- for those who wish to incorporate these PostScript effects into programs other than Nisus.
The macros ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE the PostScript Escape font to be installed. You can use Carpetbag, Suitcase, Font Juggler or the good old-fashion System file/suitcase, but at lease one size of PostScript Escape must be there. Note that PostScript Escape is not a "font" in the normal sense of the word. It is invisible in the document, but it is seen by a PS printer as PS code (it will also be invisible when using WYSISYG font menus, so you now know what the blank line in your Font menu is due to).
CHANGE HISTORY
1.2: Modifed the backdrop macros to make them easier to localize for paper sizes other than US letter. Added the psRRect Frame macro for creation of overhead slides. Macros no longer jump to begining of page when executed.
1.1.1: Fixed a stupid typo in the released version of 1.1 that caused the Remove macro to abort. (I forgot to put the t back into the find options after testing).
1.1: The PostScript code itself has been reworked in most of the macros. They now center much better and are MUCH easier for the user to change (just change the text between the "()" to say whatever you want backdropped).
1.0: First release.
FINAL NOTES
This package is, of course, FREE.
If you find these useful, or you see an improvement that is needed or you actually improve the code yourself, please drop me an e-mail message and let me know (I might find it useful as well). Hell, let me know if you find them worthless!
Comming soon:
An expanded collection of PS codes for dropping in various letterhead-type logos and text effects (as soon as I get the self-modifying macro code to work…).
