Collection of Tools & Utilities/Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso/graphic/okf220.zip/OKDOCS.ZIP/OKDOCS.DOC

Text File | 1989-04-28 | 55KB | 1,004 lines

@TITLE PAGE = OPTIKS
@TITLE PAGE L2 = Graphics Editor
@TITLE PAGE L2 = by Graham Systems
@NOTES = This is a preliminary (un checked) copy of the new
OPTIKS documentation. I am writing as much as I can with the
intention of coming back and spell checking it and sense checking
it. For now, even with several chapters missing, it is better
than the old documentation.
@NOTES = Thank you for choosing OPTIKS. OPTIKS is a system for
changing PC graphics files. OPTIKS can read an write many
different graphic file types. OPTIKS is useful for converting
files from one type to another, sizing files and changing files
in many ways. OPTIKS is easy to use and easy to learn. It is a
very complicated program in some ways, but it has very easy paths
to let you do exactly what you need to do in minimum of fuss. Now
that you have OPTIKS, what do you do next? You will have to
install OPTIKS (this takes about 2 minutes). You should practice
for another few minutes, loading and saving a file, and then you
should browse through the manual. The manual is nice to have, but
it spends most of the time on the shelf. You will only have to
use the manual if you are having a problem or trying to do
something a little complicated.
The manual has installation instructions, a few overview
chapters, many examples of common things that you might want to
try, and a series of detailed discussions of all of the OPTIKS
options.
Start by installing OPTIKS and then try a few of the examples.
You will be an expert in a few minutes and with good luck, never
have to use the manual again.
@CHAPTER = TABLE OF CONTENTS
@TOC ITEM =    1.   Installing OPTIKS   1
@TOC ITEM =    2.   Starting Up Optiks
@TOC ITEM =    3.   What is OPTIKS?
@TOC ITEM =    4.   How to Use the Menu Tree
@TOC ITEM =    5.   Selecting Files
@TOC ITEM =    6.   Viewing a Picture
@TOC ITEM =    7.   Help System
@TOC ITEM =    8.   Mouse and Keystrokes
@TOC ITEM =    9.   Keyboard Macros
@TOC ITEM =    10.  Altering an Image
@TOC ITEM =    11.  How to Save an Image
@TOC ITEM =    12.  Configuration options
@TOC ITEM =         a. Screen Type
@TOC ITEM =         b. Virtual Screen Width
@TOC ITEM =         c. EMS Memory
@TOC ITEM =         d. Miscellaneous Options
@TOC ITEM =         e. Printer Options
@TOC ITEM =         f. Saving the CONFIG.OK file
@TOC ITEM = Appendix:
@TOC ITEM =    A.   Problems Appendix
@TOC ITEM =    B.   Menu Tree Appendix
@TOC ITEM =    C.   Examples
@TOC ITEM =         a. Converting a MAC file to a PCX file
@TOC ITEM =         b. Sizing a picture
@TOC ITEM =         c. Printing a picture
@TOC ITEM =         d. Merging a picture
@TOC ITEM =         e. Scanning graphics
@TOC ITEM =         f. Creating a soft font and OKHL
@TOC ITEM =         g. Creating a print file for include.com
@TOC ITEM =         h. Creating a graphics file from text
@TOC ITEM =         i. Using a soft font.
@TOC ITEM =         j. Drawing lines.
@TOC ITEM =         k. Saving as a Autocad, CGM or GEM Draw
@TOC ITEM =    D.   Using Color
@TOC ITEM =    E.   Using HP Soft Fonts
@TOC ITEM =    F.   Supported File Formats
@CHAPTER = 1. Installing OPTIKS
OPTIKS needs no special setup for most situations. The program
will try to figure out what video screen you have and if you have
a mouse and EMS memory. If you start up OPTIKS and get a blank
screen, please refer to APPENDIX A.
Installing OPTIKS only requires that you copy the OPTIKS programs
to a disk where you can get at them.
@SUB HEAD = Floppy disk installation
Copy OKPRIV.EXE (or OKFREE.EXE if you are testing out the free
version) to a floppy. Copy any OPTIKS screen fonts that you will
be using to the floppy. For example:
Put the OPTIKS disk in drive A:
Put a blank formatted disk in drive B:
At the dos prompt enter:
COPY A:*.* B:
This will copy all of the OPTIKS files (even some that you
probably don't need) to the B: drive. Label the disk in B: OPTIKS
and put the original disk with you other important disks in the
back of the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (or some other cool
safe place).
Now to start OPTIKS from the floppy, from the A prompt enter:
OKPRIV
and press return. (enter OKFREE if you are testing the free
version). Don't write protect the diskette. OPTIKS may want to
create afile called config.ok, and you may want to use the
diskette for storage of some graphics files.
If you are not installing on a hard disk, skip over to the
discussion of STARTING OPTIKS.
@SUB HEAD = Installing OPTIKS on a Hard Disk.
On a hard disk, all packages (including DOS) should have their
own sub directory to live in. The root directory should have the
following files: COMMAND.COM, CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT. The
root directory should have only these three files and the list of
subdirectories. If you have anything else on you root directory
you are slowing down the operation of you hard disk. All BAT
files (other than AUTOEXEC.BAT should be in their own directory.
All device drivers should be located off the root. All programs
should be located in separate directories for each subsystem. If
you disk is a mess with many files on the root, clean it up! Buy
a good book on disk management (such as Peter Norton's book) and
read it.
OPTIKS should have its own subdirectory. To create an OPTIKS
subdirectory, you will have to be at a DOS prompt. The following
assumes that you are installing OPTIKS on your C: disk and you
want a subdirectory call OK. (Keeping subdirectory names short
saves you time and save DOS time when it has to change
directories or search directories.)
First make sure you have a C prompt. If you have an A or a B
enter "C:" and change to the C: disk. Next change up to the ROOT
directory. This is the disks main directory, where all other
directories start from. Enter:
CD \
Press return. The slash used here is the "back slash". It tilts
backwards. You should be at the root. Some people have a prompt
command in their AUTOEXEC.BAT (the command is PROMPT $P$G) that
will show them which directory they are in. If you are not sure
which directory you are in just type "CD" and press return, this
will show you the current directory.
Next create the OK directory by entering:
MD OK
and press return. The "MD" command stands for Make Directory. It
will make a directory called OK. If you enter DIR after you
finish making the directory, you will be able to see the OK
subdirectory listed. If you get an "Unable to Create Directory"
error it means that there already is an OK directory. The next
step is to copy the files from the OPTIKS disk to the directory.
Place the OPTIKS main diskette in drive A: and enter the
following:
COPY A:*.* OK
There is no space between the : and the *.*. There are spaces
between the COPY command and the A and before the OK. You don't
have to use upper case letters with DOS. Press the return. This
will copy all of the programs and information from the A: disk
into the OK subdirectory. When the copy is done, you can take the
diskette in A: out and put it in a cool safe place.
OPTIKS may come with some diskettes of sample graphics. You can
copy this into the OK subdirectory, but some people like to keep
pictures in a separate PIC subdirectory. You can probably figure
out from the information above and your DOS manual how to get the
pictures off of the floppies into a subdirectory.
@SUB HEAD = Renaming the OPTIKS program.
The name OKPRIV is not that easy to type. After you install
OPTIKS it might be a good idea to rename the OKPRIV.EXE program
to OK.EXE. This makes it easy to remember how to start the
program. If you rename the program, make a note to yourself that
you enter OK and press return to start up OPTIKS.
@CHAPTER = 2. Starting Up Optiks
Change to the OPTIKS directory by entering: CD\OK and pressing
return.
The main OPTIKS program is called OKPRIV.EXE (I always rename
this file to OK.EXE to make it short.) If you are using floppies,
you can start u