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1990-09-19
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|A╔════════════╦════════════════════════════════════════════════════╦════════════╗
|A║ ^0Diskussion |A║ ^1 On the Editor's Desk |A ║ ^0Diskussion |A║
|A╚════════════╩════════════════════════════════════════════════════╩════════════╝
^CPrint Shop (R) and Big Blue Disk
^Cby George Leritte
This column is designed to provide information about the Print Shop (R)
images which we publish on a regular basis. There have been numerous
questions about their care and usefulness. I decided that a column such as
this might be a better forum for the various bits and pieces of information
being bandied around. (Print Shop (R) and The New Print Shop (R) are the
registered trademarks of Broderbund Software.)
For simplicity, the step-by-step instructions were usually written
assuming no hard disk was available. Only where the lack of a hard disk
would make the operation extremely time-consuming was its use referenced.
The column is presented in Question and Answer format to make it more
easily organized, since it covers a discontinuous range of information.
Q1: What are Print Shop images?
A1: Print Shop images are clip-art images designed to be used with
Broderbund Software's Print Shop program. This program is a commercial
software product for creating personalized greeting cards, stationery,
posters, banners, etc. The clip-art images published in Big Blue Disk as
Print Shop images may be used directly by the Print Shop program.
Q2. Can the images be used if I do not have Broderbund Software's Print Shop
program?
A2. Maybe, depending on what software you do have. If you have another "clip-
art" package, you may use these images AFTER they have been converted to
the precise format and naming conventions dictated by that package.
If you have no "clip-art" package, but DO have the Print Shop Utilities
III program published on a previous issue of Big Blue Disk, you may use
PS UTILITIES III to view or print the clip-art.
If neither of these options are available, you may still view the clip-art
with the program on the Big Blue Disk publication disk: psmed. Use the
"Copy It" option from the Big Blue Disk menu to copy both program and
clip-art images to another disk. To view the art, type: psmed grxxxxx
where xxxxx matches the remaining part of the name of the file of images.
For example: psmed GRBBD49.
Q3. How do I convert the clip-art to another package's format and naming
conventions?
A3. There are several programs available to convert between formats. The
aforementioned PS UTILITIES III is my favorite (for ease of use, not
because I wrote it). This program converts between Print Shop and Unison
World's popular PrintMaster program formats. If you need other formats,
you'll have to look around for conversion programs.
Q4. What about The New Print Shop? Do these images work there?
A4. The images we have published (to-date) are in the original Print Shop
format. To use them in The New Print Shop, you would use the CONVERT
program included with The New Print Shop software to convert the Big
Blue Disk clip-art to The New Print Shop format.
Stay tuned for new developments. I plan to write PS UTILITIES IV in the
near future.
Q5. What about using these images in PrintShop Plus?
A5. I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with PrintShop Plus. If it is really
Print Shop or New Print Shop or PrintMaster Plus, then some of the notes
below will answer your question. If it is none of the above, you will
have to try to find a conversion program elsewhere.
Q6. I recently bought a copy of the New Print Shop. I was wondering if you
knew of a program I could use to draw my own graphics?
A6. If all you want to do is draw Print Shop graphics, there is an editor for
that purpose in both new and original Print Shop. In New Print Shop,
select Graphic Editor from the Main Menu. If you want to create bigger
graphics, you will need to investigate some of the many drawing or
"paint" programs on the market.
Q7. You have always added extra Print Shop graphics? Why not some fonts,
too?
A7. Few fonts have been submitted to Big Blue Disk. Maybe the future will
bring us some.
Q8. How do I copy Print Shop images from Big Blue Disk?
A8. Step 1. Be sure you have some formatted floppy disks for use in the
process. (Consult the DOS manual FORMAT command.)
Step 2. From the Big Blue Disk menu, select Print Shop Images.
Step 3. From the sub-menu, select the "Copy It" option.
A screen of instructions will appear ending:
Enter drive/path of your disk: -
At this point, you need to tell BBD where to put the copy
you are making. The proper response varies, but here are
some guidelines.
Single Floppy Disk systems, type: b:\
Two Floppy Disk systems, with BBD in drive A, type: b:\
Hard Drive systems: Put the copy on a floppy disk by typing
a:\ or b:\ as above. The remaining instructions
assume this.
(On a single floppy drive system, insert the formatted blank
disk when prompted for the B: disk drive, and insert the BBD
disk when prompted for the A: disk drive.)
The program psmed.exe and two data files will be copied from
BBD to your formatted floppy. The two data files will both
begin with the letters GR. One will end with an extension
.NAM and the other with .DAT. These conventions are required
by Print Shop. The two data files are really what you need
for Print Shop.
Step 4. Exit normally from Big Blue Disk.
Q9. Can you give me step-by-step instructions for using Big Blue's images in
Print Shop?
A9. ^1Using BBD's PS Images in Print Shop -- NOT NEW Print Shop^0
1. Be sure you have some formatted floppy disks for use in the
process. (Consult your DOS manual's FORMAT command.)
2. Follow the instructions in Answer 6 for copying Print Shop
images to a floppy disk.
The program psmed.exe and two data files will be copied from
BBD to your formatted floppy. The two data files will both
begin with the letters GR. One will end with an extension
.NAM and the other with .DAT. These conventions are required
by Print Shop. The two data files are really what you need
for Print Shop.
3. Load up Print Shop. From the Main Menu, select the SETUP option.
4. The SETUP option should let you tell Print Shop:
1) How many floppy disk drives you have: 1 or 2
2) If you have a hard drive.
3) What drive you wish to designate as a DATA Drive.
For this function, specify the A: drive as the DATA Drive.
5. Continue with whatever you want to do in Print Shop. When you
get to the "Choose a graphic" prompt, select "From Disk."
If you are running Print Shop from the A drive, you should
receive a message: "Remove Print Shop Disk and Place Data Disk
in the A drive." Place the disk you copied TO in step 2 into
Drive A and press <ENTER>.
6. **NOTE** See detailed notes about PS UTILITIES III later in this
article. The utilities give you a lot of help with organizing
the clip-art images you collect.
Q10. Can you give me step-by-step instructions for using Big Blue's images in
The New Print Shop?
A10. ^1Using BBD's PS Images in The New Print Shop^0
1. Be sure you have several formatted floppy disks for use in the
process. (Consult your DOS manual's FORMAT command.)
2. Follow the instructions in Answer 6 for copying Print Shop
images to a floppy disk.
The program psmed.exe and two data files will be copied from
BBD to your formatted floppy. The two data files will both
begin with the letters GR. One will end with an extension
.NAM and the other with .DAT. These conventions are required
by Print Shop, not The New Print Shop. The two data files must
be converted to what you need for New Print Shop.
3. The New Print Shop documentation includes a page of instructions
for using the CONVERT program. For this discussion, we will assume
New Print Shop is NOT installed on your hard disk.
Find the floppy disk labeled Data Disk 2 and insert into drive A.
Type: CONVERT
Press <ENTER>.
4. Choose the option for converting original graphics.
5. Choose graphics.
6. Remove the New Print Shop disk and replace with the disk containing
the copied Print Shop Images.
7. You will be prompted for the disk drive with the original graphics
files. Type: a
8. The list of Print Shop files on the disk in drive A (Usually just
one) will be displayed. Use the <SPACEBAR> or <F1> to select the
file to be converted.
9. Press <F10>.
10. You will be prompted for the disk drive to receive the converted
graphics files. Type: a
11. Press <F10> again. When conversion is complete, EXIT from the
CONVERT program.
12. The disk in Drive A now contains files with the extensions .PNM
and .POG in addition to the original files with .NAM and .DAT
extensions. The .PNM and .POG files are those used by the New
Print Shop.
13. Load up The New Print Shop, and begin whatever project you wish.
After you select "Graphic," a prompt at the bottom of the screen
will appear: "F9 - Choose disk drive."
Press the <F9> key. Insert the disk with your converted files in
Drive A and select "Drive A."
In some cases you may receive a message that The New Print Shop
could not find graphics files. Select the "Select Another
Drive" option, and direct The New Print Shop to the correct
drive for your graphics files.
14. **NOTE** See detailed notes about PS UTILITIES III later in this
article. The utilities give you a lot of help with organizing
the clip-art images you collect BEFORE they are converted to
The New Print Shop.
Q11. Can you give me step-by-step instructions for using Big Blue's images in
PrintMaster?
A11. ^1Using BBD's PS Images in Unison World's PrintMaster^0
1. Be sure you have some formatted floppy disks for use in the
process. (Consult your DOS manual's FORMAT command.)
2. Follow the instructions in Answer 6 for copying Print Shop
images to a floppy disk.
The program psmed.exe and two data files will be copied from
BBD to your formatted floppy. The two data files will both
begin with the letters GR. One will end with an extension
.NAM and the other with .DAT. These conventions are required
by Print Shop. The two data files are not what you need
for PrintMaster and must be converted.
4. Load PS UTILITIES III, published on Big Blue Disk #34.
5. Select the "Configuration Menu" option. Place the disk with the
copied Print Shop files into the A drive. Select "Source Print Shop
Drive/Path." Type: a:\
6. Select "Destination PrintMaster Drive/Path."
Type: a:\
The converted images will be put on the same floppy disk
with the copied Print Shop images.
7. Select "Back to Main Menu."
8. From Main Menu, Select Printmaster <===> Print Shop.
9. On the PS/PM Conversion Menu, select "Source PS Drive/Path."
Place disk with BBD converted files in the A drive.
Type: a:\
10. Select "Destination PM Drive/Path."
Type: a:\
11. Select "Print Shop to PrintMaster." You will be prompted to
select the PrintMaster file to which the converted images are to
be added. Select an existing file, or select "New File" and type
a file name. (**NOTE: PrintMaster reads files named ulib.shp and
ulib.sdr. Type: ulib as the file name.)
12. PS UTILITIES III will convert the Print Shop images to PrintMaster
format and place them in the destination file named in Step 11 in
the destination directory named in Step 10.
13. Exit from PS UTILITIES III and return to the DOS prompt.
14. Remove the disk and label it appropriately, as the PrintMaster
images that converted from the BBD Print Shop images.
15. Load up the PrintMaster program. From the Main Menu, select the
"Configuration" option. For Data Drive, type: a
16. Continue with whatever you want to do in PrintMaster. When you
get to the "Choose a graphic" prompt, select "From Other Disk."
If you are running PrintMaster from Drive A, you should receive
a message: "Remove PrintMaster Disk and Place Data Disk in Drive
A." Place the disk with the converted images in Drive A.
Press <ENTER>.
17. **NOTE** See detailed notes about PS UTILITIES III later in this
article. The utilities give you a lot of help with organizing
the clip-art images you collect.
Q12. Can you give me step-by-step instructions for using Big Blue Disk's
images in PrintMaster Plus?
A12. ^1Using BBD's PS Images in Unison World's PrintMaster Plus^0
1. Be sure you have some formatted floppy disks for use in the
process. (Consult your DOS manual's FORMAT command.)
2. Follow instructions for PrintMaster with these exceptions:
Step 11. You will be prompted to select the PrintMaster file to
which the converted images are to be added. It may be an
existing file, or select "New File" and type a file name.
(**NOTE: PrintMaster Plus allows for multiple file names,
so give it something helpful.)
Step 16. When you get to the "Choose a graphic" prompt, select
"Another Disk." The Data Drive (A) will be accessed, and
all PrintMaster graphics files on the disk there will
be listed for you to select the one you wish to access.
Q13. I have seen references to Print Shop Utilities III in Big Blue Disk. Can
you describe those utilities?
A13. Print Shop Utilities III provide many services to make handling graphics
for Print Shop or for PrintMaster more convenient. These conveniences
were not available in Print Shop, so I wrote the program to provide them.
Examples: Extract images from one file to another.
Merge multiple image files into one file.
Print a file of images for reference.
Print images on labels.
Convert between Print Shop and PrintMaster images.
Create an index of images and print.
Q14. Does Print Shop Utilities III handle conversions to/from the NEW Print
Shop?
A14. Not yet. Watch for Print Shop Utilities IV.
Q15. Where can I buy Print Shop Utilities III?
A15. Call Softdisk, Inc., at 1-800-831-2694 to place your credit card order
for Big Blue Disk Back Issue #34.
Q16. How do I use Print Shop Utilities III?
A16. A couple of examples have already been mentioned. There are a few main
points to remember.
FIRST, go to the Configuration Menu from the Main Menu and set the
correct drive/path combinations for Print Shop and PrintMaster images
and for any index file you may eventually build.
If you have a hard drive, and have installed Print Shop on the hard
drive in a subdirectory (like c:\ps) then source and destination here
for Print Shop should be c:\ps as the default.
If you have a hard drive, but have not installed Print Shop on the
hard drive, then source and destination here should act as if you do
not have a hard drive. Alternatively, if you have installed
Print Shop Utilities III on the hard drive in a subdirectory, then
you may want to use that subdirectory. However, you will then have
to use the DOS copy to put the image files on a floppy disk because
Print Shop/PrintMaster operate with these options only: images in the
same subdirectory as the programs; or images in root directory of some
drive A-H.
If you have no hard drive, using "a:\" for the source and "b:\" for the
destination is a common ploy. If you have only one physical drive,
this results in a great deal of disk swapping.
Second, set the "Change Main File Type" option to Print Shop or to
PrintMaster.
If you have the Print Shop package, but not the PrintMaster package,
you would normally set file type to Print Shop (and vice-versa). To
change the file type, highlight "Change Main File Type" and press the
<ENTER> key until the desired package name appears at the bottom
of the menu.
Third, make backup copies of all your disks before trying new options.
This is a very good habit to get into. Print Shop Utilities III is
quite easy to use, but we all make occasional mistakes. You will be
much less tense with one or more backup copies stored away.
Fourth, try each option on the menu for which you have the necessary
files. Always try new things on an extra set of files first.
For instance, convert Print Shop images to PrintMaster format, note
the changes in file name extensions. Then, convert back to Print Shop.
Try out everything so that you feel familiar with the workings of
Print Shop Utilities III.
I hope this helps you get more from the Print Shop images we publish
on Big Blue Disk.
George
Thanks to the following BBD readers for their questions and comments
which led, in part, to this article.
Susie Hunt J. Daniel Lyons R. W. Gilman
Salinas, California Manassas, Virginia
Priscilla Haynes Kerry Cutler Ottomar Cabral
Grass Valley, California Richmond, Virginia
James A. Hartzell Debbie Karimullah
East Haddam, Connecticut Leeming, Western Australia