======================== ROCK A DOODLE OWNERS MANUAL========================
MAIN SCREEN
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When you first load the Computerized Coloring Book, the first background in the file is displayed. On top of the picture, the menu options are shown. You can get rid of the menus at any point by pressing the F1 key. Pressing F1 again will bring the menu back. Below is an explanation of each menu option.
**** Tandy Users: If you are using the keyboard, you must use the cursor keys that are on the numeric keypac to control the cursor.
LEFT ARROW - Click on this to move the previous picture in the program. If you are using the keyboard, press and hold the SHIFT key and then press the LEFT ARROW KEY on the keyboard.
RIGHT ARROW - Click on this to move to the next picture in the program. If you are using your keyboard, press and hold the SHIFT key and then press the RIGHT ARROW KEY on the keyboard.
PRINT - This option will allow you to select a printer and printer port and then print your picture. To choose this option, simply click on it or press the P key on your keyboard. After you make this selection you will be presented with four options:
Print - Once you are ready to print out a copy of your picture, select this option by clicking on it or
pressing the P key.
Printer- This option is for you to choose the appropriate printer which corresponds to yours.
Port- This program will work with printer ports LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3. The default is LPT1. If your
printer is using another LPT port, click on Port or press O. Move the cursor over your selection and
click (or press the 5 key twice if using the keyboard).
Cancel- If you decide no to print and want to return to the main program, clikc on CANCEL or
press C.
ERASE - Use this option to remove all of the characters and colors from a background. The image will be restored to the original black and white art. To make this selection, click on Erase or press E on your keyboard.
QUIT - Click on this option, or press Q, to exit from the program and return to DOS.
UNDO - This option is for when you make a mistake. If you have just put color where you didn't mean to, you can choose this option to 'undo' the last thing you did. Click on Undo or press U to make the selection.
PICTURE NAME - The box on the lower lefthand side of the screen displays the name of the current picture.
BACKGROUNDS - Click on this option (or press B) to access the background pictures.
FIGURES - Click on this option (or press F) to access the Rock-A-Doodle characters. You can then select a character to place on a background. See the section on Creating and Coloring a Picture for instructions on how to select characters.
COLOR PALETTE- The squares of color on the lower righthand side of the screen are your color palette. To choose a color, position the pointer over the desired color and click (press the 5 key twice if using the keyboard). The crayon pointer will turn the shade of the selected color. Alternatively, when using the keyboard, you can press the TAB key to cycle though the available colors until the pointer turns the color that you want to use.
MIX (VGA ONLY) - If you have a VGA graphics card, you can mix colors to obtain 256 different shades. To mix colors, place the pointer on the MIX button and click (or press the M key if using the keyboard). The program will tehn mix the currently selecteed color with the other colors in the palette to give you 16 new colors.
CHOOSE COLOR FROM SCREEN - If you want to use a color that has already been put on the picture, you can easily select it as the current color. Place the crayon pointer over an area of the desired color (on the picture) and press the C key on the keyboard.
CREATING AND COLORING A PICTURE
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Now you are ready to create and color your first picture. Use the SHIFT key and the left and right arrows to move through all of the available backgrounds until you find the one thaty ou wnat to use. Now click on the Characters button (or press H). The program will display the first Rock-A-Doodle character. Use SHIFT and the left and right arrows to move through the characters until you find the one that you want to use on your background. Once you have the character on screen, simply click the mouse button or press the 5 key twice. The character will now be picked up. Now, click on the Backgrounds button (or press B) to switch back to you background.
You will now have the selected character 'floating' on your background. Move the character to the desired position on the screen and click or press the 5 key twice to place it. Remember, you can press F1 to make the menus disappear when placing a character. If you decide not to place the character you have selected, press the ESC key to abort the operation. You can add as many characters to a background as you would like.
Now, choose your first color. Move the crayon pointer over an area on the picture that you want to fill with the selected color. Once you have the pointer positioned, click or press the 5 key. The area of the picture that you are pointing to will fill with the current color. If you color the wrong area, you can always choose UNDO.
Continue selecting colors and painting them onto the picture. Remember, once you have selected a color, you ccan press F1 to make the menus disappears so that you can get to the rest of the picture.
You do not have to finish a picture all at one time. The program will remember your characters and colors so that you can finish the picture at another time
