Copyright: Copyright © 1995-1998 Electric Rain, Inc.
Citation: Copyright © 1995-1998 Electric Rain, Inc.


(Animation Gallery) Preview Windows
The animation preview windows display a preview of each of the animations available for use within the program. Each of the animations belong to a category designated by the tabs above all the preview windows.


(Animation Gallery) Tabs
The animation category tabs represent the available animations categories within the program. You can create your own categories using the Setup | Animations main menu command. Categories are provided as a convenience to you to help maintain like animations in a common location.


(Animation Gallery) Toggle Add/Replace Mode
The Add/Replace mode button instructs Font FX how to apply animations dropped from the Animation Gallery.

When depressed, Font FX uses replace mode when applying dropped animations. Replace mode will replace any animations already applied to the target of the drop operation.

When raised, Font FX uses add mode when applying dropped animations. Add mode will add the dropped animation to any other animations that are already applied to the target of the drop operation.


(Animation Gallery) Toggle Parent Children Mode
The Parent/Children mode button instructs Font FX how to apply animations dropped from the Animation Gallery.

When depressed, Font FX applies the dropped animation to the entire text object that the animation is dropped to rather than the individual characters making up the text image.

When raised, Font FX uses applies the dropped animation to each individual character making up the text image.

Note that you can also drop an animation to an individual character by holding the control key while dropping the animation over that character.


(Animation Menu) First Frame Command
The First Frame command rewinds the animation to the first frame of the animation, also setting the current time to the start time of the animation.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar


(Animation Menu) Generate Animation Reel
Use the Generate Animation Reel button whenever available to regenerate all the frames in the animation. Note that this button is grayed whenever the animation frames are up to date. As soon as changes are made to the output file or if changes are made through the Scene Editor or Animation Editor, the animation frames are automatically destroyed and this button will be enabled, indicating that the animation requires regeneration.


(Animation Menu) Last Frame Command
The Last Frame command forwards the animation to the last frame of the animation, also setting the current time to the end time of the animation.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar


(Animation Menu) Next Frame Command
The Next Frame command steps the animation to the next frame of the animation, also setting the current time to the next frame time.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar+


(Animation Menu) Next Key Frame Command
The Next Key Frame command steps the animation to the next key frame of the animation, also setting the current time to the next key frame time. A key frame is defined as a frame in which an animation event is started or ended.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar


(Animation Menu) Play Command
Use the Play command to preview the animation. Once pressed, the animation will begin playing. If the animation is not a loop animation, it will automatically stop after displaying the last frame. Otherwise, you will need to use the Animation | Stop menu command or button.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar


(Animation Menu) Previous Frame Command
The Previous Frame command steps the animation to the previous frame of the animation, also setting the current time to the previous frame time.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar


(Animation Menu) Previous Key Frame Command
The Previous Key Frame command steps the animation to the previous key frame of the animation, also setting the current time to the previous key frame time. A key frame is defined as a frame in which an animation event is started or ended.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar


(Animation Menu) Stop Playing Command
Use the Stop command to stop the animation preview. Once pressed, the animation will stop in no more than two frames. If the animation is not a loop animation, it will automatically stop after displaying the last frame. Otherwise, you will need to use this command to stop the animation preview.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Play Toolbar, Preview Toolbar


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Animation Tab
The Animation Property Tab is available when the view/scene is selected. To select the view/scene, click anywhere in the View Port that is not occupied by a text image, or simply stated, click on the background of the scene within a View Port. This tab allows you to modify the general animation settings for the scene.


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Cyclic Loop
Often when creating an animation, the intended purpose is to have the animation play continuously such that when the last frame in the animation is encountered, it should replay again from the beginning. To accommodate this condition, Font FX provides the Cyclic Loop Animation check box. When selected, Font FX generates an animation that will play continuously.


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Frame Decay Rate
Frame Decay Rate is used in conjunction with motion blur and specifies how many frames should be used in the motion blur image. The terminology refers to a decay rate because as each frame is composited with the next frame, it is decayed so that it will eventually decay to zero and will not be visible after 'n' frames. Use this control to set the number of frames for this decay to complete. Note that larger values will appear more blurry.


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Frames / Second
Frames Per Second refers to the number of frames that Font FX should generate for each second of animation time defined in the Total Run Time control. Together, these two values determine the total number of frames that the animation will contain as well as the amount of time each frame should be displayed.


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Motion Blur
Motion Blur is the process of combining the images from sequential frames of the animation in a way that generates a blurred motion image. This process models photographing motion by using multiple exposures. Enable this option if you would like to include motion blur in the animation.


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Reverse Animation
On occasion, it is easier to create an animation in the opposite direction that you wish to have it played. For this situation, Font FX implements the Reverse Animation option which will play the animation in the reverse direction from which it was created. Selecting this option will cause the program to reverse the time line on the Animation Tools toolbar and will generate and save the animation in reverse order.


(Animation Property Tools - Animation Tab) Total Run Time
Total Run Time refers the the total amount of time for the animation to play in seconds. When this value is set to zero, Font FX assumes that you do not intend to animate the scene and will only contain one frame in the Preview and Effects editor. Also, until the time is set to a value greater than zero, the Animation Tools toolbar will be disabled because there is no animation to edit. However, If you introduce an animation using the animation gallery, Font FX will automatically assume a total run time of 2 seconds by default.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Add/Edit Path
When you press this button, the Select Path dialog will be displayed to allow you to select a predefined path to apply to the animation.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Clear Selected Rotation
The Clear Rotation button can be used to remove all rotations that you have already applied to the path. The net result of using this button is to reset the path orientation to its natural construction coordinates.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Crystal Trackball
Use the Path Crystal Trackball to orient the direction of the selected path. This trackball works just like the Selected Crystal Trackball in orienting a text image. The difference here is that the path is oriented in the sphere with the start point of the path at the center of the sphere.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Lock Horizontal Rotation
When selected, the Lock Horizontal Rotation button forces the Crystal Trackball to rotate only in the horizontal direction in conjunction with horizontal mouse movement.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Lock Spin Rotation
When selected, the Lock Spin Rotation button forces the Crystal Trackball to rotate only in the spin or circular direction in conjunction with circular mouse movement about the center of the sphere.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Lock Vertical Rotation
When selected, the Lock Vertical Rotation button forces the Crystal Trackball to rotate only in the vertical direction in conjunction with vertical mouse movement.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Name
The Path Animation Name control allows you to specify a name for the animation. This name will be displayed in the Animation Tools toolbar when the text object containing the animation is selected. Font FX does not require the name of the animation. It is provided as an organizational convenience so you can distinguish one path animation from another.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Path
The Path control allows you to select a path for the animation. Pressing the '...' control will display the Select Path dialog which will allow you to select one of the predefined paths installed into Font FX. If you need to specify your own custom path, you can create new paths from the Setup | Paths main menu item.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Path Tab
The Path Property Tab is available when a path animation is selected through the Animation Tools toolbar. To select the a path animation, select a text image in the View Port, then select a path animation in the Animation Tools toolbar. This tab allows you to modify the path animation settings.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Reverse
Use the Reverse check box to reverse the direction of the path. Doing so will make the path's natural end point its new start point and its natural start point its new end point.


(Animation Property Tools - Path Tab) Scale
The Scale control allows you to size the selected path. Many of the paths included in Font FX are somewhat small for the size of the text image you are applying the path to. You can increase the size of the path using this control by increasing the scale. Conversely, you can reduce the size of the path by decreasing the scale value for the path.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Crystal Trackball
Use the Rotation Crystal Trackball to specify the direction of revolution for the rotation animation. This trackball works similarly to the Selected Crystal Trackball in orienting a text image except that it uses the start and end points of the rotation to determine the axis to rotate the text image about.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Lock Horizontal Rotation
When selected, the Lock Horizontal Rotation button forces the Crystal Trackball to rotate only in the horizontal direction in conjunction with horizontal mouse movement.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Lock Spin Rotation
When selected, the Lock Spin Rotation button forces the Crystal Trackball to rotate only in the spin or circular direction in conjunction with circular mouse movement about the center of the sphere.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Lock Vertical Rotation
When selected, the Lock Vertical Rotation button forces the Crystal Trackball to rotate only in the vertical direction in conjunction with vertical mouse movement.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Name
The Rotation Animation Name control allows you to specify a name for the animation. This name will be displayed in the Animation Tools toolbar when the text object containing the animation is selected. Font FX does not require the name of the animation. It is provided as an organizational convenience so you can distinguish one rotation animation from another.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Number of Revolutions
Use the Number of Revolutions control to specify the number of revolutions you want the text object to spin through over the course of the animation. You can specify any number greater than zero in this control to get partial or multiple revolutions.


(Animation Property Tools - Rotation Tab) Rotation Tab
The Rotation Property Tab is available when a rotation animation is selected through the Animation Tools toolbar. To select the a rotation animation, select a text image in the View Port, then select a rotation animation in the Animation Tools toolbar. This tab allows you to modify the rotation animation settings.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Box
Drawing Modes control how the current working (or selected) View Port will draw the scene.. Each View Port can render in four modes; Render, Fast Render, Outline, or Box. Box mode bypasses the rendering process by drawing only a boxed outline of the image in the View Port. This mode provides the fastest drawing speed at the expense of detail within the View Port. This mode is intended to be used during construction of the scene.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Double Buffer
Double Buffering refers to a drawing method that draws the scene into memory then quickly copying the scene to the View Port. The primary purpose to this option is so that animations will appear very smooth between frame transitions. Without double buffering, you would see each of the text images in your scene being drawn which detracts from the animation preview process. When double buffering is off, all drawing is done directly to the View Port rather than to memory.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Fast Render
Drawing Modes control how the current working (or selected) View Port will render text images. Each View Port can render in four modes; Render, Fast Render, Outline, or Box. Fast Render mode draws text images as solid objects except unlike Render mode, its shading is not smooth and does not include textures. Fast rendered images represent an approximation of what will be printed or exported. This mode is intended to be used for general construction when Render mode is too slow but where more detail than Outline mode produces


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Outline
Drawing Modes control how the current working (or selected) View Port will render text images. Each View Port can render in four modes; Render, Fast Render, Outline, or Box. Outline mode bypasses the rendering process by drawing only an outline of the image in the View Port. This mode provides the second fastest drawing speed behind Box mode with more detail than Box mode by drawing the outline of each text image but with less detail than Render mode which fills the text images. This mode is intended to be used during construction of the scene. Font FX uses this mode as the default mode for its construction views.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Plane Depth
The Shadow Plane Depth control allows you to move the background shadow plane closer or farther away from the viewer. This adjustment is provided to allow you to control where shadows are cast in relation not only to the viewer, but also to the text images in your scene. Note that the Shadow Plane Depth moves with the viewer when using the scene tools, but stays stationary relative to individual text objects when using the Selected Tools to move text images.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Render
Drawing Modes control how the current working (or selected) View Port will render text images. Each View Port can render in four modes; Render, Fast Render, Outline, or Box. Render mode draws text images as solid objects displaying all properties including textures, colors, bevels, and lighting effects. Rendered images represent exactly what will be printed or exported. This mode is intended to be used for final presentation of the scene. Font FX uses this mode as the default mode for its primary view.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Show Animation Paths
When the Show Animation Paths option is selected, Font FX will display the path animations applied to each of the text images in the View Port rendering of the scene. The displayed path provides a visual representation of the path that the text will travel over. The path is also colored to help distinguish between the start and end of the path. The beginning of the path uses green arrows that eventually merge into red arrows which represent the end of the path.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Show Material Textures
Since rendering images with textures is a fairly compute intensive process, Font FX allows you to turn texture mapping on and off for each particular View Port. When this option is checked, Font FX will drawing textures on the images surfaces that have defined a texture. When unchecked, textures will not be drawn.

Note:	This option only affects View Ports that have their drawing mode set to Render.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Show Motion Blur
The Show Motion Blur option is used during animation preview only. When set, Font FX will display each preview frame with its associated motion blur. Since Motion Blur is a compute intensive task, this setting is optional to speed the animation preview process. In most cases, you will not want to actually see the motion blur until you create your final animation in the Preview and Effects editor.


(Animation Property Tools - View Tab) Show Shadows
Use the Show Shadows button to enable or disable shadow drawing in the View Port.


(Animation Reel) Frames
The Frames portion of the Animation reel offer a frame by frame account of the animation. You can scroll through the frames and select any particular frame by simply clicking your on the frame in question. Once selected, Font FX will display the full size frame in the Preview and Effects View Port. Note also that you can use the Frames control to select groups of either contiguous or non-contiguous frames by holding the Shift or Ctrl keys while making your selections. Any group of frames may be exported to any format.


(Animation Tools) Animation Name
The animation name is derived from the name associated with the animation from the Animation Gallery. After dropping an animation onto a text object, the name of the animation will appear in the animation name control. Note that if more than one animation is dropped and added to a text image, the name will reflect the multiple origins of the animation by placing a plus (+) sign between the names.


(Animation Tools) Animation Time Line
The area below the time line contains all the applied animations for the currently selected text image. Click in the rectangle to the right of the animation name to select that animation for editing. Additionally, you can set the start and end time for each animation by selecting either end and dragging it to the desired time. Also, you can move the entire animation time by clicking anywhere inside the rectangle and dragging the time rectangle itself.


(Animation Tools) Time
This portion of the animation tools displays the time of the animation. With the time slider, you can set the current time to be displayed in the current View Port. In addition, clicking anywhere within the time line, will also set the current time.


(Arrange Menu) Draw First command
This command reorders the image drawing sequence such that the selected text image will be drawn first, relative to other text images.

This feature is useful when working with transparent text images because transparent images must be drawn before opaque images that are behind them. In addition, you can increase drawing performance using this command by ordering images with like textures to be drawn sequentially. Sequentially ordering images that use the same texture keeps Font FX from having to perform expensive texture calculations that are necessary whenever a new texture is specified.


(Arrange Menu) Draw Last command
This command reorders the image drawing sequence such that the selected text image will be drawn last, relative to other text images.

This feature is useful when working with transparent text images because transparent images must be drawn before opaque images that are behind them. In addition, you can increase drawing performance using this command by ordering images with like textures to be drawn sequentially. Sequentially ordering images that use the same texture keeps Font FX from having to perform expensive texture calculations that are necessary whenever a new texture is specified.


(Arrange Menu) Draw Later command
This command reorders the image drawing sequence such that the selected text image will be drawn later in the drawing sequence, relative to other text images.

This feature is useful when working with transparent text images because transparent images must be drawn before opaque images that are behind them. In addition, you can increase drawing performance using this command by ordering images with like textures to be drawn sequentially. Sequentially ordering images that use the same texture keeps Font FX from having to perform expensive texture calculations that are necessary whenever a new texture is specified.


(Arrange Menu) Draw Sooner command
This command reorders the image drawing sequence such that the selected text image will be drawn sooner in the drawing sequence, relative to other text images.

This feature is useful when working with transparent text images because transparent images must be drawn before opaque images that are behind them. In addition, you can increase drawing performance using this command by ordering images with like textures to be drawn sequentially. Sequentially ordering images that use the same texture keeps Font FX from having to perform expensive texture calculations that are necessary whenever a new texture is specified.


(Arrange Menu) Group command
The Arrange | Group command lets you group two or more selected text images together. Grouping images gives you the flexibility to rotate or reposition multiple text images as if they were one text image.

To select and group multiple images:

1.	Select the first Text Image in the View Port.

2.	Hold down the [image] key and click on each subsequent text image you want to group.

3.	Choose the Arrange | Group menu command to group all of the selected text images.


(Arrange Menu) Ungroup command
The Ungroup command lets you separate two or more text images that have been grouped.

Ungrouping will allow access to image specific controls in the Property Tools toolbar for single text image that requires editing. If you wish to edit a text image without breaking its current group relationship, hold the [image] key while you select the text image. This method allows access to all of the Property Tools toolbar as well as the Selected Tools toolbar to perform editing on an individual text image even while it is grouped.


(Camera Tools) Camera Preview
The Camera Preview box is a visual representation of the level of distortion that will be applied to the text image.


(Camera Tools) Lens Length
The Lens Length is a numerical representation of the lens size. The most extreme distortion of the scene occurs when the Lens Slider is moved to the left or less than 50mm.


(Camera Tools) Lens Slider
The Lens Length Slider adjusts the lens length through which you view the scene, which effectively reduces the field-of view when zooming in (Telephoto) or increases the field-of-view when zooming out (Wide Angle) without physically moving you, the viewer, toward or away from the object.


(Camera Tools) Orthographic Projection
Use this control to set the View Port projection method to orthographic (box) projection. Orthographic projection is characterized by the lack of realistic depth in the view. Object distance from the viewer does not affect the size of the object and parallel edges of the text will remain parallel at all viewing angles. Note that panning a text image in or out does not change the size of the image but will still affect the depth ordering of the images.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Camera Tools


(Camera Tools) Perspective Projection
Use this control to set the View Port projection method to perspective (cone) projection. Perspective projection is characterized by adding depth to the view. Objects that are farther away from you, the viewer, appear smaller while objects that are closer appear larger.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Camera Tools


(Color) Color Palette
This control contains a grid of palette colors you can use to apply to the view and its components. To apply one of the colors in the list to an element in the scene, simply click and hold the left mouse button over the color you wish to use and drag it to the component you wish to color. You can drag and drop the colors over the faces, bevels or edges of a text image, over the background to color it or over the selected light color ball. Additionally you can color the faces, bevels and edges from this palette by dragging to the colorballs in the Material tab on the Property Toolbar.


(Color) Color Tools Pop-up
Accessed with the main toolbar button


(Color) Colorball Group List
This control contains a list of colorball palettes to choose the colors from. All of the elements of this list are fixed and cannot be changed by the user. However, there is one palette within this list that is editable by the user and is titled User Defined Colors. Select the group of colors you wish to use and the available color selections for that group will be shown in the colorball grid below.


(Color) Colorball Palette
This control contains a grid of colorballs you can use to apply to the view and its components. To apply one of the colors in the list to an element in the scene, simply click and hold the left mouse button over the color you wish to use and drag it to the component you wish to color. You can drag and drop the colors over the faces, bevels or edges of a text image, over the background to color it or over the selected light color ball. Additionally you can color the faces, bevels and edges from this palette by dragging to the colorballs in the Material tab on the Property Toolbar.


(Color) Palette List
This control contains a list of single color palettes to choose the colors from. Some of the names in this list are list are fixed and cannot be changed by the user. You can however, add palettes using the Setup-Drawing Components menu item. Select the palette of colors you wish to use and the available color selections for that group will be shown in the color palette grid below.


(Color) Palette Toggle
This control toggles the Material Gallery toolbar between the colorball palette and the normal color palette. When the button is up, the Material Gallery display the colorball tools and when the button is down, the Material Gallery display the normal color palette tools

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Material Gallery


(Contents)
Introduction

Using Templates Tutorial

Step by Step Tutorial

Glossary


(Contents) Introduction
Introduction

Benefits and Features

Capabilities

System Requirements

Learning Font FX

Ordering Font FX

Support

Using Templates Tutorial

Step by Step Tutorial

Glossary


(Dialog - Color Effects - Brightness) Value
Use the brightness slider and/or edit box to adjust the brightness of the picture. Setting the value to its minimum (Dimmer) at a value of -100 turns the picture black. Setting the value to its maximum (Brighter) at a value of 100 turns the picture white. All values in between wash out the colors toward black or white (the opposite of Saturation effect).


(Dialog - Color Effects - Contrast) Value
Use the contrast slider and/or edit box to adjust the contrast of the picture. Increasing contrast in an image is the process of adjusting light colors towards white (making them brighter) while adjusting the dark colors towards black (making them dimmer). Decreasing the contrast has the opposite effect in that both light and dark colors move toward gray. Contrast values range from -100 (minimal contrast) to 100 (maximum contrast).


(Dialog - Color Effects - Gamma Correct) Value
The Gamma Value edit box allows you to set the gamma constant used in the gamma correction calculations. Gamma correction is similar to Brightness effect except that it adjusts the intensity of the image in a way that more closely resembles the way the human eye perceives color. The default value of 2.35 is generally adequate for most video monitors to provide good gamma correction.


(Dialog - Color Effects - Hue) Value
Use the Hue Angle slider and edit box to change the hue of the picture. The hue angle defines how to convert the colors in the picture. Positive values map red towards green, green towards blue and blue towards red and negative values have the opposite effect. A hue angle of 180 degrees in either direction changes each color to its complementary color which is the same effect as the Invert effect.


(Dialog - Color Effects - Saturation) Value
Saturation refers to the amount of color in each pixel. Increasing the saturation changes the picture's color so they move toward being as bold as possible. Decreasing the saturation changes the picture's color so they move toward being as gray as possible. Setting the saturation to a minimum value (-100) has the same effect as the Gray Scale effect. Values range from -100 (gray) to 100 (saturated).Use the value slider and edit box to define the amount of color saturation in the picture.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Add Noise) Color Channel
When adding noise to an image, use the Color Channel list to choose which color channels to apply the noise to. You can apply noise to all color channels (red, green and blue) or to any of the individual channels alone (red, green or blue).


(Dialog - Image Effects - Add Noise) Percent Coverage
Use the Percent Coverage slider and edit box to set the density of the noise to add to the picture. The higher the value, the more noise is added to the picture.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Blur) Value
Blurring a picture is actually a process of averaging the color within a block of pixels and assigning that color to the pixel being evaluated. Specifying the amount of blur, tells Font FX exactly how large of a pixel block is to be averaged. The larger the block, the more blurry the image. Use the slider and/or edit box to adjust the blur block size.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Emboss) Depth
Use the Depth slider and edit box to set the relative depth for embossing. Valid values are from 0 to 100 where 0 is no depth and 100 is the maximum embossing depth.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Emboss) Direction
Use the Direction drop down list to set the direction of the lighting for the embossed picture. Available options are the eight primary compass directions: North, North West, West, South West, South, South East, East and North East,


(Dialog - Image Effects - Mosaic) Value
The Mosaic effect takes a block of pixels, determines the average pixel color of all the pixels and applies that color to all the pixels. The net effect makes the image look as though it is made up of mosaic tiles. Use the Mosaic Size slider and edit box to set the size, in pixels, of each mosaic tile.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Posterize) Value
Posterizing adds a poster effect on the picture by converting the picture's colors to a specified number of color levels per color plane. For example, setting the posterize levels to 2, results in the final picture having 2 levels of red, 2 levels of green and 2 levels of blue. The minimum number of levels is 2 and the maximum number of levels is 64. Use the Posterize Levels slider and edit box to set the number of posterize levels per color.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Reduce Noise) Value
Reducing the noise in the picture is the process of changing the color of each pixel in the picture to the median color of a group of pixels in its neighborhood. The result is an image that looks like it is being blended together as contrasted with the blurring that occurs when averaging the pixel colors that is used with the Blur effect. Select the size of the neighborhood of pixels to use in the noise reduction calculations. The larger the neighborhood, the more blended the picture becomes.


(Dialog - Image Effects - Sharpen) Value
Use the Sharpness value slider and edit box to define the amount of sharpness to add to the picture. Sharpening an image is often desirable after antialiasing a picture because of the slight blurring that takes place during the antialiasing process. You can also use the Sharpness effect to unsharpen a picture. Value values for sharpening the picture are -100 (minimum sharpness) and 100 (maximum sharpness).


(Dialog - Picture Effects - Effects List) Delete
After making one or more selections in the Effects List window, press the Delete button to delete the selection(s). If nothing is selected in the Effects List window, this button will be grayed. Note that this action cannot be undone.


(Dialog - Picture Effects - Effects List) Delete All
Use the Delete All button to delete all of the effects displayed in the Effects List window. If there are no effects displayed in the Effects List window, this button will be grayed. Note that this action cannot be undone.


(Dialog - Picture Effects - Effects List) Edit
Once a single selection is made in the Effects List window, press the Edit button to edit the settings for the selected effect. If nothing is selected in the Effects List window, this button will be grayed. Note that this action cannot be undone.


(Dialog - Picture Effects - Effects List) Effects List
Use the Effects List window to select one item to edit or one or more items to delete. Once a single item is selected, the Edit and Delete buttons will become active. If more than one item is selected, only the Delete button will be available. To select more than one item, hold the Shift key to make a contiguous selection or the Control key to make multiple individual selections.


(Dialog Bitmaps) Preview
The Preview window displays a preview of the currently selected bitmap.


(Dialog Bitmaps) Statistics
The Statistics group displays information about the currently selected bitmap including the width, height and color depth of the bitmap.


(Dialog Color) Add to Custom Colors
Use this button to add the color currently displayed in the Color | Solid window to the custom color displayed in the lower right corner of the dialog. Font FX remembers these colors for later use whenever this dialog is displayed again.


(Dialog Color) Basic Colors
The Basic colors are common colors used in Windows applications. These colors provide good primary color support and provide a good starting point for using the Hue-Saturation interactive color window and its Luminance slider.


(Dialog Color) Color|Solid
This window displays the current color as it would look as a solid and as the specified color within a Windows application. These two halves always appear the same except on 256 color VGA displays. In this scenario, only 256 colors are available and Windows must dither the color by combining colors from one or more of the 256 colors in its palette. Generally, Font FX uses the actual color defined and applies its own dithering algorithm when rendering a text image. Again, note that dithering only occurs on 256 color systems.


(Dialog Color) Custom Colors
Click the Add to Custom Colors button to add the color displayed in the Color | Solid window to a color box. Font FX saves these custom colors for future use.


(Dialog Color) Description
The following options to define a single color within this dialog:

Add to Custom Colors	Adds the color currently displayed in the Color | Solid window to the Custom Color list.

Basic colors:	The Basic colors are common colors used in Windows applications. These colors provide good primary color support and provide a good starting point for using the Hue-Saturation interactive color window and its Luminance slider.

Color|Solid	Displays the current color as it would look as a solid and as the specified color within a Windows application. These two halves always appear the same except on 256 color VGA displays. In this scenario, only 256 colors are available and Windows must dither the color by combining colors from one or more of the 256 colors in its palette. Generally, Font FX uses the actual color defined and applies its own dithering algorithm when rendering a text image. Again, note that dithering only occurs on 256 color systems.

Custom colors:	Click the Add to Custom Colors button to add the color displayed in the Color | Solid window to a color box. Font FX saves these custom colors for future use.

HLS and RGB values	Use these controls to set the numerical values for the Hue-Luminance-Saturation or for the Red-Green-Blue color components. Hue is the actual color based on the primary colors. The saturation defines the saturation value of the Hue. The luminance is the brightness of the color. The RGB components are the primary colors used by the video display. You can adjust the intensity of each of these components with values between 0 and 255, where zero is none of that color and 255 is the maximum of that color.

Interactive Controls	Use these controls to define the color interactively. Use the left window to adjust the Hue and Saturation. The Hue is adjusted along the horizontal axis and the Saturation is adjusted along the vertical axis. Use the right window to adjust the Luminance.


(Dialog Color) HLS and RGB Values
Use these controls to set the numerical values for the Hue-Luminance-Saturation or for the Red-Green-Blue color components. Hue is the actual color based on the primary colors. The saturation defines the saturation value of the Hue. The luminance is the brightness of the color. The RGB components are the primary colors used by the video display. You can adjust the intensity of each of these components with values between 0 and 255, where zero is none of that color and 255 is the maximum of that color.


(Dialog Color) Interactive Color Definition
Use these controls to define the color interactively. Use the left window to adjust the Hue and Saturation. The Hue is adjusted along the horizontal axis and the Saturation is adjusted along the vertical axis. Use the right window to adjust the Luminance.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Crop Bottom
Set the value in the Crop Bottom control to set the bottom of the cropping area.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Crop Left
Set the value in the Crop Left control to set the left side of the cropping area.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Crop Right
Set the value in the Crop Right control to set the right side of the cropping area.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Crop Top
Set the value in the Crop Top control to set the top of the cropping area.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Description
The following options allow you to set the Font FX document View Port options:

Units	Select the units for sizing the View Port for the document to be either Inches, Centimeters or Pixels. When specified as Inches or Centimeters, Font FX uses the current video display resolution to determine the size of the image. Use Inches or Centimeters when the final destination device for the output is something other than the video display such as a high resolution printer and Pixels when the destination device is the video display.

Width	Set the width of the View Port based on the units selected above.

Height	Set the height of the View Port based on the units selected above.

Positioning Increment	Set this value to the amount of movement Font FX is to apply to the panning buttons on the Scene Tools and Selected Tools toolbars. It is also used to position objects interactively within the View Port by dragging them. If set to zero, the panning buttons will no longer work but interactive image placement will move the image one pixel at a time as it is dragged.

Zoom Increment	Set this value to the amount of movement Font FX is to apply while zooming using the zoom button on the Scene Tools and Selected Tools toolbars. If set to zero, the zooming buttons will no longer work.

Rotation Increment	Set this value to the amount of rotation Font FX is to apply while rotating the scene or individual images within the Crystal Trackballs on the Scene Tools and Selected Tools toolbars. Font FX will only rotate the scene or image when at least this much rotation has been performed.

Render	Select this option to have Font FX render images when they are in motion. Motion refers to panning, zooming and rotation that occurs in the Crystal Trackballs and in the View Port.

Outline	Select this option to have Font FX draw image outlines when they are in motion. Motion refers to panning, zooming and rotation that occurs in the Crystal Trackballs and in the View Port.

Box	Select this option to have Font FX draw image extents boxes when they are in motion. Motion refers to panning, zooming and rotation that occurs in the Crystal Trackballs and in the View Port.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Height
Sets the height of the View Port based on the option selected in the Units drop down above.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Motion Box Mode
Motion Drawing Mode is how Font FX draws text images while they are in motion. Motion indicates that the images are being positioned, zoomed and/or rotated. The Box option draws only the extents box for the image. It offers the fastest draw, but the least detail.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Motion Outline Mode
Motion Drawing Mode is how Font FX draws text images while they are in motion. Motion indicates that the images are being positioned, zoomed and/or rotated. The Outline option draws a rough outline of the font image during motion.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Motion Render Mode
Motion Drawing Mode is how Font FX draws text images while they are in motion. Motion indicates that the images are being positioned, zoomed and/or rotated. The Render option draws the complete image during motion. This mode does not include textures if specified. Typically, this mode is slowest and is not recommended for motion drawing.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Positioning Increment
The Positioning Increment feature determines the way an image is positioned in the View Port. When positioning the image, Font FX moves the image by the specified increment with each move. If this value is set to 1.0, Font FX moves the image 1.0 units only after the mouse has moved at least one unit. This can be very useful when precise image positioning control is needed. Setting this value to 0.0 causes the image to track mouse movements exactly.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Rotation Increment
The Rotation Increment feature determines the way an image is rotated within the Scene and Selected Tools. When rotating the image, Font FX rotates the image by the specified degrees with each move. If this value is set to 45.0, Font FX will move the image 45.0 degrees only after the mouse has moved at least 45.0 degrees on the Crystal Trackball. This can be very useful when precise image rotation control is needed. Setting this value to 0.0 causes the image rotation to track mouse movements exactly.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Units
Use this drop down list to set the units for the drawing View Port's size. The options include Inches, Centimeters and Pixels. When you choose Inches or Centimeters, Font FX calculates the size of the image based on the current video resolution. When you select Pixels, Font FX creates an image of that exact size in pixels. Select Inches or Centimeters whenever the target output device is different from the video display such as a high resolution printer so Font FX can maintain a constant image size and pixels when the target device is the video display.


(Dialog Document - View Port Tab) Width
Use this edit window to set the width of the View Port based on the option selected in the Units drop down above.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) Animations
The Animations list displays all the animations currently installed for the currently selected category in the Categories list. Selecting an animation in this list will display a preview of the animation and allow you to edit, remove or move that animation.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) Categories
The Categories list contains all the animation categories installed in Font FX. Each of these categories is represented by a tab on the Animation Gallery toolbar. When you select a category in this list, the animations belonging to that category are displayed in the Animations list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) Description
The following options allow you to edit, remove and move Font FX animations:

Animations	The Animations list displays all the animations currently installed for the currently selected category in the Categories list. Selecting an animation in this list will display a preview of the animation and allow you to edit, remove or move that animation.

Categories	The Categories list contains all the animation categories installed in Font FX. Each of these categories is represented by a tab on the Animation Gallery toolbar. When you select a category in this list, the animations belonging to that category are displayed in the Animations list.

Edit ...	The Edit button displays the Edit Animation Dialog that will allow you to edit the settings for the animation. This dialog will not allow you to edit the dialog itself. In order to edit the dialog itself, you must apply the animation to a text image, edit accordingly then resave the animation set using the File | Save Animation Set main menu command.

Remove	Pressing the Remove button will remove the currently selected animation set to be removed from Font FX entirely, including the Animation Gallery toolbar. This action cannot be undone so use this option with proper care.

Move	Pressing the Move button will move the currently selected animation from one category to another. Choosing this option will display the Move Category dialog which will allow you to specify which category to move the animation to.

New Category...	Use the New Category button to create a new category in which you can manipulate animations.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) Edit
The Edit button displays the Edit Animation Dialog that will allow you to edit the settings for the animation. This dialog will not allow you to edit the dialog itself. In order to edit the dialog itself, you must apply the animation to a text image, edit accordingly then resave the animation set using the File | Save Animation Set main menu command.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) Move
Pressing the Move button will move the currently selected animation from one category to another. Choosing this option will display the Move Category dialog which will allow you to specify which category to move the animation to.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) New Category
Use the New Category button to create a new category in which you can manipulate animations. Upon pressing this button, the New Category Dialog will be displayed as shown below.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Animations Tab) Remove
Pressing the Remove button will remove the currently selected animation set from Font FX entirely, including the Animation Gallery toolbar. This action cannot be undone so use this option with proper care.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Colors Tab) Defined Colors
This list displays the user defined colors that are currently defined within Font FX. Use it to select a color to edit or remove.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Colors Tab) Description
The following options allow you to add, edit and remove Font FX colors:

Defined Colors	This list contains the current User Defined Colors group found in the Material Gallery toolbar. Use the list to select a color to edit or remove.

Add ...	Click this button to add a new User Defined color to the Material Gallery toolbar. Doing so displays the Edit Color dialog so you can specify the new color.

Edit ...	Click this button to edit the selected color in the Defined Colors list. Doing so displays the Edit Color dialog so you can edit the color. The button will be grayed if you have not selected a color in the Defined Colors list.

Remove	Click this button to remove the selected color in the Defined Colors list. Note that you cannot undo color removal so be certain that you really want to perform this action. When you delete a color, it only deletes it from the User Defined Colors group, it does not affect any of the text images or lights you have applied the color to.

Preview	This window displays a preview of the color selected in the Defined Colors list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Colors Tab) Preview
This window provides a preview of the color that is currently selected in the Defined Colors list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Colors Tab) Remove
Use this button to remove the color that is currently selected in the Defined Colors list. The currently selected color is the color that is highlighted. This button is grayed when there is not a selected color in the Defined Colors list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Materials Tab) Categories
The Categories list contains all the material categories installed in Font FX. Each of these categories is represented by a tab on the Material Gallery toolbar. When you select a category in this list, the materials belonging to that category are displayed in the Materials list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Materials Tab) Copy
Pressing the Copy button will make a copy of the currently selected material with the same name except a number in parenthesis will be appended. Font FX will automatically select the new material so it can be edited, or moved.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Materials Tab) Description
The following options allow you to add, edit, remove, copy and move Font FX materials:

Materials	The Materials list displays all the materials installed for the currently selected category in the Categories list. Selecting a material in this list will display a preview of the material and allow you to edit, remove, copy or move that material.

Categories	The Categories list contains all the material categories installed in Font FX. Each of these categories is represented by a tab on the Material Gallery toolbar. When you select a category in this list, the materials belonging to that category are displayed in the Materials list.

Add ...	The Add button creates a new material and displays the Edit Material Dialog that will allow you to edit the properties of the material.

Edit ...	The Edit button displays the Edit Material Dialog that will allow you to edit the properties of the material.

Remove	Pressing the Remove button will remove the currently selected material from Font FX entirely, including the Material Gallery toolbar. This action cannot be undone so use this option with proper care.

Copy	Pressing the Copy button will make a copy of the currently selected material with the same name except a number in parenthesis will be appended.

Move	Pressing the Move button will move the currently selected materials from one category to another. Choosing this option will display the Move Category dialog which will allow you to specify which category to move the material to.

New Category...	Use the New Category button to create a new category in which you can manipulate animations.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Materials Tab) Materials
The Materials list displays all the materials currently installed for the currently selected category in the Categories list. Selecting a material in this list will display a preview of the material and allow you to edit, remove, copy or move that material.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Materials Tab) New Category
Use the New Category button to create a new category in which you can manipulate materials. Upon pressing this button, the New Category Dialog will be displayed as shown below.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Materials Tab) Remove
Pressing the Remove button will remove the currently selected material from Font FX entirely, including the Material Gallery toolbar. This action cannot be undone so use this option with proper care.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Palettes Tab) Defined Palettes
This list displays the palettes that are currently defined within Font FX. Use it to select a palette to edit or remove.

Note:	Font FX comes with several predefined palettes. When these palettes are selected in this list, the edit and remove button remain grayed. Font FX does not allow the user to edit these built-in palettes.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Palettes Tab) Description
The following options allow you to add, edit and remove Font FX palettes:

Defined Palettes	This list contains the currently defined palettes found in the Material Gallery toolbar. Use the list to select a palette to edit or remove.

Add ...	Click this button to add a new palette to the Material Gallery toolbar. Doing so displays the Edit Palette dialog so you can define you new palette.

Edit ...	Click this button to edit the selected palette in the Defined Palettes list. Doing so displays the Edit Palette dialog so you can edit the palette. The button will be grayed if you have not selected a palette in the Defined Palettes list or if the selected palette is a built-in palette.

Remove	Click this button to remove the selected palette in the Defined Palettes list. Note that you cannot undo palette removal so be certain that you really want to perform this action. When you remove a palette, it removes it from the Material Gallery toolbar palette list.

Preview	This window displays a preview of the palette selected in the Defined Palettes list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Palettes Tab) Preview
This window provides a preview of the palette that is currently selected in the Defined Palettes list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Palettes Tab) Remove
Use this button to remove the palette that is currently selected in the Defined Palettes list. The currently selected palette is the palette that is highlighted. This button is grayed when there is not a selected palette in the Defined Palettes list or when the selected palette is one of the built-in palettes..


(Dialog Drawing Components - Paths Tab) Description
The following options allow you to add, edit, remove and copy Font FX paths:

Installed Paths	The Installed Paths list contains all of the paths that are currently installed in Font FX.

Add ...	The Add button creates a new path and displays the Path Editor Dialog that will allow you to edit the properties of the path.

Edit ...	The Edit button displays the Path Editor Dialog that will allow you to edit the properties of the path.

Remove	Pressing the Remove button will remove the currently selected path from Font FX entirely. This action cannot be undone so use this option with proper care.

Copy	Pressing the Copy button will make a copy of the currently selected path and the Path Editor Dialog will be displayed to allow you to edit the properties of the path.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Paths Tab) Installed
The Installed Paths list contains all of the paths that are currently installed in Font FX.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Paths Tab) Preview
The Preview window displays a preview of the currently selected path.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Paths Tab) Remove
Pressing the Remove button will remove the currently selected path from Font FX entirely. This action cannot be undone so use this option with proper care.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Templates Tab) Description
The following options allow you to add or remove templates to Font FX:

Installed Templates	This list contains the current templates installed in Font FX. Use the list to select a template to remove.

Add ...	Click this button to add a new template to Font FX. Doing so displays the Templates dialog so you can specify the new template.

Remove	Click this button to remove the selected template in the Installed Templates list. Note that you cannot undo template removal so be certain that you really want to perform this action. When you remove a template, it will no longer be available in the New File Wizard when you create a new file.

Preview	This window displays a preview of the template selected in the Installed Templates list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Templates Tab) Installed Templates
This list displays all of the templates that are currently installed within Font FX. Use it to select a template to remove.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Templates Tab) Preview
This window provides a preview of the template that is currently selected in the Installed Templates list.


(Dialog Drawing Components - Templates Tab) Remove
Use this button to remove the template that is currently selected in the Installed Templates list. The currently selected template is the template that is highlighted. This button is grayed when there is not a selected template in the Installed Templates list.


(Dialog Edit Animation) Display Name
The Display Name control is the name by which the saved animation set is referenced within the Animation Gallery toolbar. You will see this name in a small window below the animation preview window in the Animation Gallery toolbar.


(Dialog Edit Animation) Name
The Name control is the name by which the saved animation set is referenced. You will see this name if you hold the mouse over an animation in the Animation Gallery toolbar in a pop-up text window.


(Dialog Edit Animation) Pan Down
Use this button to pan the scene down. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Animation) Pan In
Use this button to pan the scene in (closer to you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Animation) Pan Left
Use this button to pan the scene to the left. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Animation) Pan Out
Use this button to pan the scene out (farther from you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Animation) Pan Right
Use this button to pan the scene to the right. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Animation) Pan Up
Use this button to pan the scene up. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Animation) Preview
The Preview window displays a preview of the animation set to be saved. You can edit the viewer location for the preview by using the panning buttons below the Preview window.


(Dialog Edit Animation) Zoom Extents
Moves the viewer closer or farther away from the scene and centers the scene such that all objects in the scene can be rotated in any direction and the complete scene will still be visible within the View Port. This command only applies the zoom to extents to the current (selected) View Port.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Edit Animation Toolbar


(Dialog Edit Color) Ambient Color
The ambient color component of a Font FX color is the color that is either emitted by a light source or the color reflected from an image due to ambient light. Ambient light can be thought of as background light that exists in any lit space. To understand the ambient component of light picture yourself in a completely dark room with only a flashlight. Assume you turn on the flashlight and aim it at the north wall such that the light only hits the north wall. If you were to turn your head an look at the south wall where no direct light is striking, you are observing the ambient light reflected from the wall. The ambient light that strikes the south wall is the light that was reflected from all the other surfaces in the room.

To understand how light and materials interact with one another, assume all the ambient light striking the south wall is pure red and that the wall itself is colored with only a pure red ambient component. In this case, you would perceive the wall to be red in color. In contrast, if the wall is colored with only a pure blue ambient component and the light striking the wall was pure red, then you would perceive the wall as black because there is no blue in the light source. For this reason we recommend using gray-white light source with colored images or a gray-white material when specifying colored light.


(Dialog Edit Color) Color Group
Use the colorballs to drag and drop on the color preview to start with a color close to the desired color.


(Dialog Edit Color) Color Group List
Select a Color Group from this list to display in the color ball grid below.


(Dialog Edit Color) Color Preview
The Color Preview window displays the effects of the settings you specify in this dialog. Note that the preview sphere is lit with a white light source and the color you are editing is applied as a material color to the surface of the sphere.

Keep in mind however that the color of the light source will affect the final appearance of the image you are creating. It is generally wise to make either the light source or the the image material color a gray-white color in order to obtain the desired coloring of the image. You can however, achieve very interesting effects when you specify colors for both the light and the image material color but the results are not always intuitive. It is best to experiment with different combinations to achieve the desired effect when working with colored light sources and colored image materials.


(Dialog Edit Color) Diffuse Color
The diffuse color component of a Font FX color is the color that is either emitted by a light source or the color reflected from an image due to diffuse light. Diffuse light can be thought of as light reflected from an object as a result of light that hit the object directly from a light source and is reflected evenly in all directions. Generally speaking, the diffuse component of color defines the color of the object. While the ambient color also affects the final color, the diffuse color is the dominant color for an object or light source. To understand the diffuse component of color, assume you shine a flashlight onto a piece of tissue laying on a table. As long as you do not move the flashlight, the tissue appears roughly the same from any viewing direction. You are seeing the light from the source being diffused or scattered equally in all directions. Note that the tissue will get brighter or dimmer depending upon the direction of the light source but at a given lighting direction, the tissue always appears about the same no matter where you view it from.

To understand how light and materials interact with one another, assume all the diffuse light striking the tissue is pure red and that the tissue itself has only a pure red diffuse component. In this case, you would perceive the tissue to be red in color. In contrast, if the tissue only reflects blue light and the light striking the tissue is pure red, then you would perceive the tissue as black because there is no blue in the light source. For this reason we recommend using a gray-white light source with colored images or a gray-white material when specifying colored light.


(Dialog Edit Color) Emits Light
When you check this option, the color you are defining will act as an emitter of light. Using a color that emits light on an image makes the image appear as if it is a light source. Font FX does not actually use emitting objects in its lighting calculations, it merely renders the object as though it is a light source. Other objects in the scene are not affected as they are with normal light sources.


(Dialog Edit Color) Highlight Color
The highlight color component of a Font FX color is the color that is reflected by an object as would a mirrored surface such as a highly polished piece of plastic. To understand the highlight component of light picture a very shiny piece of plastic lying on a table with a red light somewhere in the room. If you were to position yourself in the room such that you could see the reflection of the red light in the plastic, you would be seeing the red highlight component of light from the source.

To understand how light and materials interact with one another, assume all the highlight light striking the plastic is pure red and that the plastic itself has only reflects pure red light. In this case, you would perceive the reflected image of the light to be red. In contrast, if the plastic only reflects blue light and the light striking the plastic was pure red, then you would perceive the plastic as black because there is no blue in the light source. It is for this reason that you should generally use a gray-white light source with colored images or a gray-white material when specifying colored light.


(Dialog Edit Color) Highlight Slider
The highlight slider determines how narrow or wide the specular highlight will be. Sliding this control towards the left (Wide) makes the specular highlight very large or makes the object appear very flat. Conversely, sliding the control all the way to the right (Narrow) makes the object appear very specular or mirror-like. Highly reflective colors should have the highlight slider to the right of center where very flat colors should have the slider to the left of center.


(Dialog Edit Color) Name
The name edit window allows you to set or change the name of the color you are editing. This name appears as a tool tip when you place the mouse over a color ball within the Font FX interface such as within the color ball palettes.


(Dialog Edit Color) Narrow Text
The Narrow side of the highlight slider makes the highlight appear to be very narrow.


(Dialog Edit Color) Opaque Text
Opaque means that the object will not be at all transparent.


(Dialog Edit Color) Palette
Use the palette to drag and drop colors onto the individual color components or onto the preview window.


(Dialog Edit Color) Palette List
Select a palette from this list to have it displayed below in the palette window. You can use the palette to drag colors to the preview window.


(Dialog Edit Color) Transparency Slider
Use this slider to adjust the transparency of the color you are specifying. This component of color only affects objects that the color is applied to. It does not affect lights. Applying a transparent color to an object makes the object appear to be transparent. Move the slider control towards Trans to make the color more transparent and towards Opaque to make the color less transparent.

Note that Font FX does not allow any color to become 100% transparent because if applied to an object, the object would become invisible which makes no sense.


(Dialog Edit Color) Transparent Text
Indicates that the color you are specifying is transparent, or see-through.


(Dialog Edit Color) Wide Text
The Wide end of the highlight slider makes the highlight appear to be very wide.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Change Color
Pressing the Change Color button will display the Edit Color dialog so that you can change the color properties of the texture.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Combine
Application refers to the way in which the texture interacts with surface colors assigned to the image through the Material Tab. The Combine button integrates assigned surface colors, including specular attributes, with the selected texture. The effect is that the final text image will display the texture while respecting color attributes assigned to the face, bevel, and edge.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Display
The Display Name control is the name by which the saved material is referenced within the Material Gallery toolbar. You will see this name in a small window below the material preview window in the Material Gallery toolbar.


(Dialog Edit Materials) High Quality
Textures may be mapped to an image with a Low, Medium, or High level of Quality. The High option requires the most time to render, but yields the best quality of detailed resolution. This option should be used for final output and for close-up views of images that display a great deal of detail.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Low Quality
Textures may be mapped to an image with a Low, Medium, or High level of Quality. The Low option renders the image in the least amount of time, with the least amount of detail. This option should be used to speed the rendering process while constructing your image, or for textures in background images that require very little detail.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Medium Quality
Textures may be mapped to an image with a Low, Medium, or High level of Quality. The Medium option renders the image in reasonable amount of time, with a moderate level of detailed resolution.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Name
The Name control is the name by which the saved material is referenced. You will see this name if you hold the mouse over a material preview in the Material Gallery toolbar in a pop-up text window.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Preview
As changes are made to the material, this window is updated to display a preview of the material as it will be shown in the Material Gallery toolbar.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Remove Texture
Pressing the Remove Texture button will remove the currently selected texture from the material.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Repeat Rate
The Repeat Rate refers to the number of times you want a selected texture to be repeated across the face of the text image.

For example, a high repeat rate of 10 would essentially fit 10 renditions of the selected texture across the face of each letter in the text image. On the other hand, a repeat rate of 1 maps only 1 rendition across each face, where a repeat rate of .5 would map one-half of the texture across each face.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Replace
Application refers to the way in which the texture interacts with surface colors assigned to the image through the Material Tab. The Replace button replaces all surface colors including specular attributes that would normally reflect light. The effect is that the final text image will appear very flat with little edge and bevel definition.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Scale with Text
Check the  Scale with Text option to make the texture scale as the text is resized. Normally, when the text is resized to values larger than 1.0, the texture will repeat over the text rather than scale with it. Setting this option makes the texture enlarge or reduce as the size of the text changes.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Select Texture
Pressing the Select Texture will display the Bitmaps dialog that will allow you to select any bitmap file available on your computer for use as a texture. Once selected, a preview of the texture will be displayed in the texture preview window.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Solid
Style refers to how the texture is applied to the object. The Solid option treats the texture as though it is a solid where the edges look as though the text image is cut out of that material. With this option, the texture does not wrap around the text image.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Texture Preview
The Texture Preview window displays a preview of the currently selected texture.


(Dialog Edit Materials) Wrap
Style refers to how the texture is applied to the object. The Wrap option treats the texture as though it is wrapped around the object like a piece of wrapping paper rather than a solid section of the material that the texture represents.


(Dialog Edit Palette) Palette Color Grid
This window displays the grid of colors that are defined in the palette. Initially all of the colors in a new palette are white. To define or edit any of the colors, double click over the color you wish to change and the Windows common Color dialog displays. Additionally, you can drag and drop a color from one color entry to another within the palette. This feature allows you to copy a color that is close to the desired color before editing.


(Dialog Edit Palette) Palette Name
The name edit window allows you to set or change the name of the palette you are editing. This name appears in the palette list drop down boxes in the Material Gallery toolbar and in the Edit Color dialog box.


(Dialog Export Bitmap) Individual Frame Files
Export Individual Frame Files puts each individual frame in its own file and appends the frame number to the filename.


(Dialog Move Category) Move To
Use the Move To Category list to select the category to move the animation or material to.


(Dialog Open File) Preview
The Preview box displays a preview of the currently selected file. If you do not have a file selected, nothing displays.


(Dialog Order) Card Number
Type your Credit Card Number exactly as it appears on the Credit Card.


(Dialog Order) City
Very Important !! Don't forget to include your City.


(Dialog Order) Cost per License
The cost will be calculated for you depending on the fulfillment method and number of licenses you choose.

The cost per license is a s follows:

Single License Only (No disks or manual, just License).....................$29.95

x Number of License ______ (No S & H Charges)

*Single License with (1) Disk Set (1) Manual .....................................$39.95

x Number of Set ______ (*Add $5.00 S & H for Each Set)

Five Licenses with (No disks or manuals, just Licenses) ...................$129.95

x Number of License ______ (No S & H Charges)

*Five Licenses with (1) Disk Set (1) Manual......................................$139.95

x Number of Sets ______ (*Add $5.00 S & H for Each Set)


(Dialog Order) Country
Very Important !! What Country will we be sending your Font FX package to?


(Dialog Order) Email
Very Important !! Whenever possible, please include your Email address. Some orders and most correspondences are communicated via Email when this address is specified.


(Dialog Order) Expiration Month
Enter the Month of the Card's Expiration date.


(Dialog Order) Expiration Year
Enter the Year of the Card's Expiration date.


(Dialog Order) Expire Txt
Enter the Month and the Year your card expires.


(Dialog Order) Fax #
Enter your Fax number here. In case we have a question regarding your order, we may elect to fax you.


(Dialog Order) First Name
Type in your First Name. If you're registering as an Organization, enter the First Name of the person we should address our communications to.


(Dialog Order) Fulfill Method
Font FX offers two convenient fulfillment methods

1.	License Only- If you are currently running a 30 day evaluation copy, and are only interested in registering your copy before it expires, click this button.

Note:	No disks or users manuals will be sent, however the cost is $10 less.

OR

2.	(1) License (1) Disk Set and (1) Users Manual- If you want to receive the complete Font FX package with license, disks, and written users manual.


(Dialog Order) Individual
Are you Ordering Font FX for an Individual?

If yes, click this button.


(Dialog Order) Last Name
Type in your Last Name. If you're registering as an Organization, enter the First Name of the person we should address our communications to.


(Dialog Order) License Full
Click (1) License (1) Disk Set and (1) Users Manual- If you want to receive the complete Font FX package with license, disks, and written users manual.


(Dialog Order) License Only
Click License Only- If you are currently running a 30 day evaluation copy, and are only interested in registering your copy before it expires, click this button.

Note:	No disks or users manuals will be sent, however the cost is $10 less.


(Dialog Order) License Type
Select the Single User button if Font FX will be used on one computer at any one time, or choose the 5 Pack Site button to get a special discount for 5 licenses, which enables you to run Font FX on up to 5 computers at the same time.


(Dialog Order) Mailing Address
Very Important !! Type the Address you would like us to ship Font FX to.


(Dialog Order) Name on Card
Type the Cardholder's Name exactly as it appears on the Credit Card.


(Dialog Order) Number of Licenses
Use the arrows to indicate the number of Font FX copies you are ordering. The total cost will be calculated for you.


(Dialog Order) Organization
If you are ordering Font FX for an organization rather than an individual, click this button. If you select this option, we will register your order as an organization rather than as an individual.


(Dialog Order) Pay Method
Please Click on the drop-down list and choose a payment method.

Visa / Mastercard will provide the quickest processing time. We also accept cash, money orders, and personal checks. Please note, personal checks may take up to 10 days to clear before order can be processed.


(Dialog Order) Phone #
Enter your phone number here. In case we have a question regarding your order, we may have to call you.


(Dialog Order) Region
Very Important !! If you're ordering from outside the USA, include your Region.


(Dialog Order) Register To
Would you like your order for Font FX to be registered as an Individual or as an Organization. Click the appropriate button.


(Dialog Order) S & H
There are no Shipping and Handling charges for LICENSE ONLY orders. This order form will automatically calculate S & H charges if they apply. Standard S & H charge is $5.00 per set of disks and manuals.


(Dialog Order) Single User
Select the Single User button if you will be ordering single users license(s) for Font FX. A single user license means that the program will only be installed and used on one computer at a time.


(Dialog Order) Site
Choose the 5 Pack Site button to get a special discount for 5 licenses, which enables you to run Font FX on up to 5 computers concurrently.


(Dialog Order) Special Order Txt
For Special Order Requirements, Contact Electric Rain:

Electric Rain, Inc.
5171 Eldorado Springs Drive
Boulder, CO 80303

Phone (Sales Only):	1-303-543-8230
Fax:	1-303-543-8225
Internet:	http://www.erain.com
E-mail:	sales@erain.com
support@erain.com


(Dialog Order) State
Very Important !! Don't forget to include your State.


(Dialog Order) Total Cost
This is the total cost based on the information you supplied in the License Type Box, Fulfillment Method, and the Number of Licenses boxes. Please use this amount when writing a check or money order, otherwise, this amount will be charged to your credit card.

Note:	Price discounts are automatically calculated when ordering the 5 Pack Site License Package.


(Dialog Order) Zip Code
Very Important !! Include your Zip Code and 4 digit extension, if you know it (for faster delivery).


(Dialog Path Editor Edit Menu) Delete
Use the delete command to delete the currently selected point or points.


(Dialog Path Editor Edit Menu) Select All
Use the Select All command to select all of the points in the path. This action is useful for case where you would like to move the entire path at once without changing its shape.


(Dialog Path Editor Edit Menu) Undo
Use the Undo command to undo the last edit to the path. Note that the undo system in the path editor is multi-level meaning you can undo several operations not just the last operation.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor View Menu) Point Properties
Use the Point Properties menu item to view the Point Properties Dialog. This dialog allows you to control the location of points in the path very precisely.


(Dialog Path Editor View Menu) Zoom
Use the Zoom menu item to zoom closer or farther away from the path for editing. Note that when zoomed, you can use the scroll bars to move to parts of the path that may not be visible.


(Dialog Path Editor) Add Corner Point
Use the Add Corner Point button to set the path editor into corner point mode. Once in this mode, the path editor will add corner points either between points or at the end of your path. A corner point is differentiated by other point types in that the points have no tangents and therefore create straight lines between the points.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Add Curve Point
Use the Add Curve Point button to set the path editor into curve point mode. Once in this mode, the path editor will add curve points either between points or at the end of your path. A curve point is differentiated by other point types in that the curve will pass smoothly through the point and the two tangents on either side of the point will remain colinear.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Add Tangent Point
Use the Add Tangent Point button to set the path editor into tangent point mode. Once in this mode, the path editor will add tangent points either between points or at the end of your path. A tangent point is differentiated by other point types in that the curve can be discontinuous through the point and the two tangents on either side of the point need not remain colinear.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Close Path
Use the Close Path button to close the path you are editing. Closing the path connects the first point in the path to the last point in the path.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Corner Point Type
Use the Corner Point Type button to change the currently selected point(s) to corner point types.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Curve Point Type
Use the Curve Point Type button to change the currently selected point(s) to curve point types.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Display Name
The Display Name control is the short name by which the path is referenced throughout Font FX. The display name is intended for use wherever the complete name would potentially be too long.


(Dialog Path Editor) Name
The Name control is the name by which the path is referenced throughout Font FX.


(Dialog Path Editor) Select Tool
Use the Select Tool to set the path editor into selection mode. Once in this mode, you can select points along the path to edit or move.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Tangent Point Type
Use the Tangent Point Type button to change the currently selected point(s) to tangent point types.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Undo
Use the Undo command to undo the last edit to the path. Note that the undo system in the path editor is multi-level meaning you can undo several operations not just the last operation.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Path Editor) Zoom In/Out
Use the Zoom In/Out button to set the Path Editor into zoom mode. Once in this mode, clicking the left mouse button will zoom in and clicking the right mouse button will zoom out.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Path Editor Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Point Properties) Current Point Number
The Current Point Number displays the number of the currently selected point within the path.


(Dialog Point Properties) Next Point
Use the Next Point button to move to the next point in the path without having to dismiss the Point Properties Dialog.


(Dialog Point Properties) Previous Point
Use the Previous Point button to move to the previous point in the path without having to dismiss the Point Properties Dialog.


(Dialog Point Properties) X Coordinate
Edit the X Coordinate to set the horizontal location of the point.


(Dialog Point Properties) Y Coordinate
Edit the Y Coordinate to set the vertical location of the point.


(Dialog Print Setup) Print Setup dialog box
The following options allow you to select the destination printer and its connection.

Printer	Select the printer you want to use. Choose the Default Printer; or choose the Specific Printer option and select one of the current installed printers shown in the box. You install printers and configure ports using the Windows Control Panel.

Orientation	Choose Portrait or Landscape.

Paper Size	Select the size of paper that the document is to be printed on.

Paper Source	Some printers offer multiple trays for different paper sources. Specify the tray here.

Options	Displays a dialog box where you can make additional choices about printing, specific to the type of printer you have selected.

Network...	Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


(Dialog Print) Comment
The machine that owns the printer you are printing to may have added an additional comment to the printer which might help distinguish two like printers at different locations on your network. This field may help clarify which printer you are actually printing to.


(Dialog Print) Horizontal
Horizontal specifies the horizontal location of the upper left corner of the image relative to the left side of the page.


(Dialog Print) Name
Specifies the name of the printer to print to. Drop down the selection box to change the printer you wish to print your Font FX image to.


(Dialog Print) Number of Copies
Specify the number of copies of your image that you wish to have printed.


(Dialog Print) Page View
Provides a visual representation for how and where the image appears on the page. You may interactively position the image on the page by clicking and holding the left mouse button over the image and dragging it to its desired location.

The image presented here may only be approximate and may not display all of the effects you actually applied to the scene. Do not be alarmed, the actual effects are always printed.


(Dialog Print) Print Dialog Box Description
The following options allow you to specify how the document should be printed:

Printer	This is the active printer and printer connection. Choose the Setup option to change the printer and printer connection.

Setup	Displays a Print Setup dialog box, so you can select a printer and printer connection.

Image Positioning	This control allows you to position the image on the page to be printed. To size the image, hold the pointer over the dashed border of the image and when the cursor changes to a double arrow cursor, hold the left mouse button down while sizing the border. To position the image on the page, move the pointer inside the borders of the image an when the cursor turns into a 4 arrow cursor hold the left mouse button down and drag the image to the desired position.

Copies	Specify the number of copies you want to print for the above page range.

Collate Copies	Prints copies in page number order, instead of separated multiple copies of each page.

Print Quality	Select the quality of the printing. Generally, lower quality printing takes less time to produce.


(Dialog Print) Properties
Use this button to modify the printer properties such as paper size and orientation. Note that the changes you make will only apply to the current Font FX session and will be discarded when you exit the program. To make permanent changes to the printer properties, use the Printers item in the Start menu or in the setting dialog.


(Dialog Print) Status
The status refers to the current status of the selected printer. This control will inform you if there are problems with the printer.


(Dialog Print) Type
The printer type is specified here.


(Dialog Print) Units
Indicates the units to use for the horizontal and vertical positions below. You may choose between inches and Centimeters


(Dialog Print) Vertical
Vertical refers to the vertical location of the upper left corner of the image relative to the top of the page.


(Dialog Register Font FX) ID
Enter the registration number as it appears on the registration card. The format of this number should be sixteen digits long with the digits grouped as 6-5-5.

If you receive an error regarding your attempt to register the program, try entering all of the information again being very careful to enter it exactly as it appears on your registration card. If you continue to have problems, contact Electric Rain technical support at support@erain.com for help with this process.


(Dialog Register Font FX) Name
Enter the registration name exactly as it appears on your registration card including any punctuation, capitalization or spaces. This is the name you used when you ordered Font FX.

If you receive an error regarding your attempt to register the program, try entering all of the information again being very careful to enter it exactly as it appears on your registration card. If you continue to have problems, contact Electric Rain technical support for help with this process.


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Category
The Category list contains a list of available categories that an animation set can be save to. These categories are represented in the tabs within the Animation Gallery toolbar. If you wish to save the animation set to a non-existent category, use the New Category... button to create the new category.


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Display Name
The Display Name control is the name by which the saved animation set is referenced within the Animation Gallery toolbar. You will see this name in a small window below the animation preview window in the Animation Gallery toolbar.


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Name
The Name control is the name by which the saved animation set is referenced. You will see this name if you hold the mouse over an animation in the Animation Gallery toolbar in a pop-up text window.


(Dialog Save Animation Set) New Category
Use the New Category button to create a new category in which you can save the animation set. Upon pressing this button, the New Category dialog will be displayed as shown below.


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Pan Down
Use this button to pan the scene down. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Pan In
Use this button to pan the scene in (closer to you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Pan Left
Use this button to pan the scene to the left. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Pan Out
Use this button to pan the scene out (farther from you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Pan Right
Use this button to pan the scene to the right. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Pan Up
Use this button to pan the scene up. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Preview
The Preview window displays a preview of the animation set to be saved. You can edit the viewer location for the preview by using the panning buttons below the Preview window.


(Dialog Save Animation Set) Zoom Extents
Moves the viewer closer or farther away from the scene and centers the scene such that all objects in the scene can be rotated in any direction and the complete scene will still be visible within the View Port. This command only applies the zoom to extents to the current (selected) View Port.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Save Animation Set Dialog Toolbar


(Dialog Select Path) Installed Paths
The Installed Paths list contains all of the paths that are currently installed in Font FX.


(Dialog Select Path) Preview
The Preview window displays a preview of the currently selected path.


(Dialog Statistics) Created
This field displays the name of the author that created the document.


(Dialog Statistics) Last Printed
This field displays the date and time that the document was last printed.


(Dialog Statistics) Last Saved
This field displays the last date and time that the document was saved.


(Dialog Statistics) Last Saved By
This field displays the name of the last author that saved the document.


(Dialog Statistics) Page Count
This field displays the number of pages in the document. For Font FX documents this value is always one.


(Dialog Statistics) Revision Number
This field displays the revision number of the document. In Font FX, the revision number is incremented each time the document is saved.


(Dialog Statistics) Security Level
This field displays the security level for the document. Currently, this field is not utilized by Font FX.


(Dialog Statistics) Statistics Tab Help
The statistics tab shows you statistics about the document. None of the fields within this tab are editable, they are maintained by Font FX.

Created	This field displays the name of the author that created the document.

Last Printed	This field displays the date and time that the document was last printed.

Last Saved	This field displays the last date and time that the document was saved.

Last Saved By	This field displays the name of the last author that saved the document.

Page Count	This field displays the number of pages in the document. For Font FX documents this value is always one.

Revision Number	This field displays the revision number of the document. In Font FX, the revision number is incremented each time the document is saved.

Security Level	This field displays the security level for the document. Currently, this field is not utilized by Font FX.


(Dialog Statistics) Text Image Count
This field displays the number of text images in the document. When viewing the file summary information through Windows 95, this field is typically expressed as the word count for the document.


(Dialog Statistics) Total Editing Time
This field displays the total amount of time that the document has been open within Font FX. Note that this field includes all open document time including idle time.


(Dialog Summary) Author
Enter the name of the author of this document, typically your name.


(Dialog Summary) Comments
Enter any comments you might have about the document that will help you recognize it at a later time.


(Dialog Summary) Keywords
Enter any keywords that you may use later to search for this document.


(Dialog Summary) Subject
Enter the subject of this document.


(Dialog Summary) Summary Tab Help
The summary tab allows you to embed information about the document into the document which can later be searched or viewed within Windows 95.

Created	This field displays the name of the author that created the document.

Author	Enter the name of the author of this document, typically your name.

Comments	Enter any comments you might have about the document that will help you recognize it at a later time.

Keywords	Enter any keywords that you may use later to search for this document.

Subject	Enter the subject of this document.

Template	Enter the name of the template file that this document was based on.

Title	Enter the title you wish to give this document.


(Dialog Summary) Template
Enter the name of the template file that this document was based on.


(Dialog Summary) Title
Enter the title you wish to give this document.


(Dialog View Port Zoom) Magnification
Select a magnification to size the View Port to. Note that larger values show more detail while also requiring more screen space to display the whole document. Select the Fit To Window option to allow Font FX to automatically size the View Port to fill the available space. Select the Custom option to specify your own zoom factor. Note that when using the Custom option, you can only specify values between 10% and 200%.


(Edit Menu) Copy All Animations
Use this command to copy the currently selected animation or all animations for the selected text image to the clipboard. Once copied, the animation can be pasted into the animation set for another text image.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Animation Toolbar

Keys:	Ctrl+C, Shift+Insert


(Edit Menu) Copy command
Use this command to copy the currently selected text image or the entire scene in the clipboard, which can then be pasted into other applications or back into Font FX.

If the command reads Copy Entire Scene, a bitmap representation will be placed on the clipboard as though you had exported the picture to the clipboard rather than to a disk file. In this case, you cannot paste the bitmap back into Font FX because the program does not import 2D picture files. You can however, use the bitmap on the clipboard in other applications that support bitmap file formats.

 If the command reads Copy Selected Only, then Font FX will copy the selected text image to the clipboard in its native data format so it can be pasted into another Font FX document or into the original document as a copy of the original.

Cutting text images to the clipboard replaces the current contents of the clipboard.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Insert


(Edit Menu) Create Text command
This command opens the Text Property Tab in the Property Tools, allowing you to enter new text to be rendered into a 3-D text image.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keyboard:	Insert


(Edit Menu) Cut All Animations
Use this command to cut the currently selected animation or all animations for the selected text image to the clipboard. Once cut, the animation(s) will be removed from the currently selected image and can be pasted into the animation set for another text image.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Animation Toolbar

Keys:	Ctrl+X, Shift+Insert


(Edit Menu) Cut command
Use this command to remove the currently selected text image from the document and put it on the clipboard. The clipboard will contain a bitmap copy of the image only when the Generate Clipboard Bitmap box is check from the Settings | Preferences dialog box. This command may also be used to delete a text image from the document.

Cutting text images to the clipboard replaces the current contents of the clipboard.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+ X


(Edit Menu) Delete All Animations Command
Use the Delete All Animations command to delete all of the animations in the current scene. Note that this command cannot be undone and should be executed with care.


(Edit Menu) Delete Animations Command
Use the Delete Animations command to delete the selected animation from the Animation Tools toolbar or the entire animation set for the selected text image as is appropriate for the current selection mode.


(Edit Menu) Effects List...
Use the Effects List... menu command to edit the effects list for the image or animation. Doing so will display the Edit Effects List dialog.


(Edit Menu) Enable Drag-Drop command
Select this command to enable drag-drop and disable positioning. Drag-drop allows you to move or copy the selected text image from one document window to another document window or to another application. Keep in mind that when Drag-Drop is enabled, that object positioning is disabled.

TIP: To copy an image using drop-drag, hold the [image] button while dropping the image in place.

Shortcut:

Toolbar: 	Main


(Edit Menu) New Path Animation Command
The New Path Animation button provides a quick method of creating a new path animation for the currently selected text image. Note that this button will be grayed until a text image is selected. Keep in mind that you need to ensure that the Total Run Time for the scene is also set to a non-zero value so that you will have access to the Animation Tools toolbar before you can select a new path animation for editing.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Toolbar


(Edit Menu) New Rotation Animation Command
The New Rotation Animation button provides a quick method of creating a new rotation animation for the currently selected text image. Note that this button will be grayed until a text image is selected. Keep in mind that you need to ensure that the Total Run Time for the scene is also set to a non-zero value so that you will have access to the Animation Tools toolbar before you can select a new rotation animation for editing.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Animation Toolbar


(Edit Menu) Paste Multiple Animations
Use this command to paste any animations that are currently on the clipboard to the currently selected text image. Note that this item will be grayed if there are no animations on the clipboard to be pasted.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Animation Toolbar

Keys:	Ctrl+V, Shift+Insert


(Edit Menu) Paste command
Use this command to insert a copy of the clipboard contents into the current document. This command is unavailable if the clipboard is empty or contains data which is not native to Font FX..

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+V, Shift+Insert


(Edit Menu) Undo Last Effect Command
Use the Undo Last Effect command to undo the last color or image effect that was applied to the preview image or animation.


(Edit Menu) Undo command
Reverses changes you make in a document, such as editing, formatting, and rotation. To quickly reverse changes in editing, formatting, and other actions, click the Undo button on the main toolbar. To undo multiple actions, continue to click the Undo button each action is reversed in the order they were applied.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+Z


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Brightness Command
Use the Image Effects Brightness command to change the brightness of the image. This command will display the Brightness dialog.


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Contrast Command
Use the Image Effects Contrast command to change the contrast of the image. This command will display the Contrast dialog.


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Gamma Correct Command
Use the Image Effects Gamma Correct command to gamma correct the image. This command will display the Gamma Correct dialog.


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Gray Scale Command
Use the Image Effects Grayscale command to convert the image to gray scale.


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Hue Command
Use the Image Effects Hue command to change the hue of the image. This command will display the Hue dialog.


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Invert Command
Use the Image Effects Invert command to invert the colors of the image.


(Effects Menu) Color Effects Saturation Command
Use the Image Effects Saturation command to change the color saturation in the image. This command will display the Saturation dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Add Noise Command
Use the Image Effects Add Noise command to add noise to the image. This command will display the Add Noise dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Blur Command
Use the Image Effects Blur command to blur the image. This command will display the Blur dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Emboss Command
Use the Image Effects Emboss command to emboss the image. This command will display the Emboss dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Flip Command
Use the Image Effects Flip command to flip the image about the horizontal axis or make the image upside down.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Mosaic Command
Use the Image Effects Mosaic command to create a mosaic effect with the image. This command will display the Mosaic dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Posterize Command
Use the Image Effects Posterize command to posterize the image. This command will display the Posterize dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Reduce Noise Command
Use the Image Effects Reduce Noise command to reduce the noise in the image. This command will display the Reduce Noise dialog.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Reverse Command
Use the Image Effects Reverse command to reverse the image or make the image look backwards.


(Effects Menu) Image Effects Sharpen Command
Use the Image Effects Sharpen command to sharpen the image. This command will display the Sharpen dialog.


(File Menu) 1..2..3.. command
Use the numbers and names listed near the bottom of the File menu to open one of the documents you recently worked on. Select the number or name that corresponds to the document you want to open.


(File Menu) Close command
Use this command to close all windows containing the active document. Font FX suggests that you save changes to the document before you close it. If you close a document without saving, you lose all changes made since the last time you saved it. Before closing an untitled document, Font FX displays the Save As dialog box and suggests that you name and save the document.


(File Menu) Exit command
Use this command to end the Font FX session. Font FX prompts you to save documents with unsaved changes.

Shortcuts:

Mouse:	Double-click the application's Control menu button.

Keys:	Alt+F4


(File Menu) Export Current Frame Command
Use this command to save the currently selected (and displayed) frame to a bitmap file on disk.

Note:	You may also export the entire animation using the Export Entire Animation Command.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Preview Toolbar


(File Menu) Export Entire Animation Command
Use this command to save all of the frames of the current animation either as as series of individual files or as an animation file.

Note:	You may also export a single frame of the animation using the Export Current Frame Command.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Preview Toolbar


(File Menu) New command
Use this command to create a new document in Font FX. Use File | Open command if you wish to open an existing document.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+N


(File Menu) Open command
Use this command to open an existing Font FX document in a new window. Font FX allows you to have multiple documents open at one time. Use the Window menu to switch among the multiple open documents. See Window 1, 2, ... command.

Note:	To create a new document, use the File | New command.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+O


(File Menu) Print Frame Command
Use this command to print the currently selected frame of your animation.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Preview Editor - Main

Keys:	Ctrl+P


(File Menu) Print Setup Command
Use this command to select a printer and printer selection. This command will present the Print Setup dialog box, where you specify the printer and its connection.


(File Menu) Save Animation Set
Use this command to save the Animation Set.


(File Menu) Save As command
Use this command to save and name the active document. Font FX displays the Save As dialog box so you can name the document.

Tip: To save a document with its current name and directory, use the File | Save command.


(File Menu) Save command
Use this command to save the active document to its current name and directory. When you save a document for the first time, Font FX displays the Save As dialog box so you can name the document.

Tip: To change the name and/or directory of an existing document before you save it, choose the File | Save As... command.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Main

Keys:	Ctrl+S


(File Menu) Send command
Use this command to send the active document through electronic mail. This command presents the mail window with the active document attached to it. You may then fill out the To: field, Subject: field, etc., and add text to the body of the message if you wish. When you are finished you may click the "Send" button to send the document and/or message to the recipient.


(File Menu) Summary Info...command
This command opens the Document Properties dialog box which includes the Summary and Statistics tabs. The Summary tab allows you to enter information about the document that can be used later to identify and/or find the document. The Statistics tab displays information about the document and its history.


(Glossary)
Glossary

A - F

ambient color

antialiasing

Apply button

background

background color

background texture

bevels

bitmap files

bitmaps

bits per pixel (bpp)

BMP files

Crystal Trackballs

diffuse color

dithering

document files

dots per inch (dpi)

drag and drop

edges

embedded images

extrusion depth

exporting

faces

flashlights

G - L

GIF files

grouping

High Color (65K colors)

highlight color

horizon

M - R

main window

mirror angle

OLE

orientation

orthographic projection

Paletted Colors (256 colors)

panning

perspective projection

projection

properties

rendering

S - Z

scene

shading

telephoto

template files

text image

textures

transparent

True Color (16.7M colors)

vanishing point

View Port

viewer

viewer position

viewing angle

wide angle

zoom extents

zooming


(Glossary) Ambient Color
The ambient color component is the color that is reflected due to background light. Ambient light comes from all directions and cannot be pinpointed as coming from any particular source. In essence, ambient light is the light that is reflected from surfaces in a space such as walls, floors, ceilings and other objects in the space.


(Glossary) Antialiasing
Antialiasing a picture is the process of minimizing the jagged edges and pixels within the picture. Font FX is capable of antialiasing a picture using a method called supersampling. To supersample the picture, Font FX must first draw the picture at a higher resolution than is actually intended for the final image then resize the picture back to its intended size by averaging a block of pixels in the high resolution image. The resultant picture is much smoother because rather than having abrupt changes in pixel colors at the edges of objects, the averaged pixel colors blend more smoothly from one color transition to another.


(Glossary) Apply Button
The Apply Button appears at the bottom of the Property Tools toolbar. It must be clicked in order for the changes to take effect. If after making changes, you decide that you do not want to apply the changes simply select any other object type (text image, scene or light source) and when prompted to save changes respond no.


(Glossary) BMP Files
BMP files are bitmap files that use the common Windows file format for storing color images. This file format is the native format for Microsoft Windows and many Windows programs support this format. Font FX supports this bitmap file format for its file export feature which allows you to use these files with other bitmap editing programs.


(Glossary) Background
The background is the area in the View Port that is not occupied by any text images. You can apply colors and textures to the background to create a backdrop for the scene.


(Glossary) Background Color
The background color is the color of the background of the View Port. The View Port background is the area of the View Port not occupied by any text images and provides a backdrop for the scene. You can apply a background color using the Background tab in the Property Tools toolbar or by dragging and dropping a color onto the background from the Material Gallery toolbar.


(Glossary) Background Texture
The background texture is the texture of the background of the View Port. The View Port background is the area of the View Port not occupied by any text images and provides a backdrop for the scene. You can apply a background texture using the Background tab in the Property Tools toolbar.


(Glossary) Bevels
Bevels are the angled faces that connect the front or back face of the text image to the side faces or edges of the text image. Bevels help to highlight or outline the face of the image by reflecting highlights from the surrounding lighting which enhance the 3D look of the image.


(Glossary) Bitmap Files
A Font FX bitmap is colored rendering of the scene. A bitmap contains the color information for each pixel in the image. The name is derived from the fact that each pixel is represented by red, green and blue color information by a series of bits (0's or 1's). Therefore, the bits in the bitmap are mapped to the pixels in the image. The common bitmap formats are 8 bits per pixel (Palette Colors), 16 bits per pixel (High Color) and 24 bits per pixel (True Color).

Bitmap Files are files stored with a common bitmap format. Font FX support two very common bitmap formats. The first is the Windows .BMP file format and the other is the .GIF (Graphics Interchange Format).


(Glossary) Bitmaps
A Font FX bitmap is colored rendering of the scene. A bitmap contains the color information for each pixel in the image. The name is derived from the fact that each pixel is represented by red, green and blue color information by a series of bits (0's or 1's). Therefore, the bits in the bitmap are mapped to the pixels in the image. The common bitmap formats are 8 bits per pixel (Palette Colors), 16 bits per pixel (High Color) and 24 bits per pixel (True Color).


(Glossary) Bits Per Pixel
When creating color images in a digital format, the color information for each pixel (picture element) is represented by a series of bits (see bitmaps). The number of bits per pixel defines how many bits of information are stored for each pixel. The common formats are 8 bits per pixel (Palette Colors), 16 bits per pixel (High Color) and 24 bits per pixel (True Color). Font FX supports all these formats for rendering its images.


(Glossary) Crystal Trackballs
Crystal Trackballs are unique Font FX 3D tools available in the Scene Tools, Selected Tools and Lighting Tools toolbars and the Animation Property Tools Rotation and Path tabs. Crystal Trackballs are crystal balls that contain text images or house light sources. These trackballs give you precise rotation control for the scene orientation, selected image orientation, and light source direction. Using Crystal Trackballs is as easy as turning a virtual ball with the mouse. Just click and drag the mouse across the surface of the ball, and watch the image or flashlight turn in conjunction with the mouse movements.


(Glossary) Diffuse Color
The diffuse color component of a Font FX color is the color that is either emitted by a light source or the color reflected from an image due to diffuse light. Diffuse light can be thought of as light reflected from an object as a result of light that hit the object directly from a light source and is reflected evenly in all directions. Generally, the diffuse component of color defines the color of the object.


(Glossary) Dithering
Dithering is the process of combining two or more colors in a pattern of pixels to approximate a color that is not present in the current palette. Dithering only applies to 256 color systems where you are limited to 256 individual colors. When a color is required that is not represented in the 256 color palette, Font FX creates a dithered pattern of pixels to represent the color.


(Glossary) Document Files
Document files are the native files that Font FX generates to save your work in. Each document file contains all the information for one scene.


(Glossary) Dots Per Inch
Dots Per Inch (dpi) defines the spatial resolution of a display device such as a video monitor or printer. The term is used when working with printers that have 300 dpi or 600 dpi resolution. The term implies that the device is capable of displaying its spatial resolution number of dots per inch of display area.


(Glossary) Drag and Drop
Drag and Drop is a method for quickly copying information from one place to another within Font FX.

Within Font FX, you can use drag and drop in the following situations:

To copy colors from the Material Gallery toolbar to the Material tab.

To copy colors from the Material Gallery toolbar directly to the text image surfaces in the View Port.


(Glossary) Edge
Edges are the sides of a letter that connects the front face of the letter to the back face or the back face bevel to the front face bevel depending on whether the letter is beveled. Edges and bevels are the qualities that give the text it third dimension, depth.


(Glossary) Embedded Images
The term Embedded Images refers to Font FX images (and documents) that are embedded into the documents of other applications using its OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) interface. Using OLE, you can embed Font FX documents and images into other applications such as your word processor or spread sheet to enhance the presentation of those documents.


(Glossary) Exporting
Exporting is the process Font FX uses to convert its native data format to a format that other programs can recognize. When you export a Font FX scene, the program creates a colored rendering of the scene and saves it to a bitmap file. The resulting bitmap file can then be read and edited by other applications that support the common formats that Font FX supports.


(Glossary) Extrusion Depth
A text image’s Extrusion Depth is the distance between its front face and its back face; the thickness of the text.

Extrusion depth is created by using the Property Tools - Sizing tab. When applying depth to a text image, that the front face is always stationary while the back face is moved closer or farther away to give the depth to the image.


(Glossary) Face
The Face of a text image is the 2D flat surface that makes up the front part of the letters.

For example, the text you're reading now represents just the ‘Face’ of the letters. Only when ‘Bevels’ and ‘Edges’ are added to the text does it create the illusion of three dimensions


(Glossary) Flashlights
Font FX represents its light sources as flashlights. These flashlights appear on the Crystal Trackball in the Lighting Tools toolbar and can be selected and rotated within that trackball. When the lights are placed on the back side of the trackball, their yellow lens will be visible. If the lens is not visible, then the flashlight is on the near side of the trackball sphere.


(Glossary) GIF Files
GIF files are bitmap files that use the common Graphics Interchange Format(c) file format for storing color images. This file format is the Copyright property of CompuServe Incorporated. GIF(sm) is a Service Mark property of CompuServe Incorporated. The file format is an industry wide standard for storing color bitmap images and is noted for its concise file size.


(Glossary) Grouping
Grouping refers to selecting two or more text images and making them all part of the same group. Performing this operation on the images essentially makes all the text images act as though they are all one image. When you select any of the individual images in the group, the whole group is selected. Whenever you apply rotation or panning on the group, it affects all the images within the group.


(Glossary) High Color
High Color is a common bitmap format that utilizes 16 bits of data to represent the colors for each pixel in a bitmap image. Font FX uses High Color as one of its bitmap formats and uses 5 bits for the red and green components and 6 bits for the blue component of its colors.


(Glossary) Highlight Color
The highlight color component of a Font FX color is the color that is reflected by an object as would a mirrored surface such as a highly polished piece of plastic or a glossy painted surface.


(Glossary) Horizon
The horizon is a reference to a concept in perspective projection where parallel edges of three dimensional images converge to. The illustration below shows the horizon and how it is used in perspective projection.


(Glossary) Main Window
The Main Window is the entire Font FX working space. It houses all tools and toolbars, view ports, and command menus.


(Glossary) Mirror Angle
The mirror angle is the angle at which the viewer and light source must be placed such that the viewer can see the reflection of the light source on the surface of an object. Put simply, if you were to point a light at a mirror then position yourself such that you could see the light in the mirror, both you and the light source would be at the mirror angle with respect to the mirror. The illustration below demonstrates this principle.


(Glossary) OLE
OLE is an acronym which stands for Object Linking and Embedding. Using OLE, Font FX is capable of embedding its scenes and images into other programs that also provide OLE support. Font FX is considered an OLE server application while the applications that you would embed Font FX scenes into are known as OLE client applications.


(Glossary) Orientation
Orientation refers to either the position and rotation of an object in a scene or the position and rotation of the viewer viewing the scene.


(Glossary) Orthographic Projection
Orthographic projection is a method of projection implemented in Font FX in which object edges that are parallel before projection onto the View Port window remain parallel after projection onto the View Port window. This method of projection can be contrasted with perspective projection where parallel edges converge to a single point.


(Glossary) Paletted Colors
Paletted Colors refer to 8 bit per pixel display devices, most commonly the VGA video display in your computer. Paletted colors implies that the device maintains a palette of colors (256 for VGA devices). The palette is maintains the red, green and blue (RGB) information for each of the colors in the palette. When a program attempts to specify a color, it references the color using a palette index rather than the RGB values for the color. As an example, assume that the first color in the palette is black (Red=0, Green=0 and Blue=0). Rather than setting the pixel to (Red=0, Green=0 and Blue=0), Font FX would set the pixel to 0 (the first color index into the palette.


(Glossary) Panning
Panning is the process of moving either the object or the scene left, right, up, down, in or out. You can think of panning as changing the position of an object or the scene. Panning is also referred to as translation in that the object or scene is translated from one position to another.


(Glossary) Perspective Projection
Perspective projection is a method of projection implemented in Font FX in which object edges that are parallel before projection onto the View Port window converge to a point on the horizon known as the vanishing point. The use of perspective projection makes three dimensional renderings look more realistic. This method of projection can be contrasted with orthographic projection where parallel edges remain parallel after projection.


(Glossary) Projection
Projection is the process of converting three dimensional information about an object to a two dimensional picture on a display device such as a printer or video display. In other words, projection is the process of projecting three dimensional data onto a two dimensional device. Font FX employs two types of projection, orthographic and perspective.


(Glossary) Properties
Properties represent all the modifiable attributes associated with a text image, scene, view, or lights. For instance, the properties associated with text images are the Text, Styles, Sizing and Material attributes. These attributes are accessed and can be changed through the Property Tools toolbar tabs.


(Glossary) Rendering
Rendering is the process of drawing the text images as solid objects displaying all properties including textures, colors, bevels, and lighting effects. Rendered images represent exactly what will be printed or exported. You can set this attribute for entire scene in the View tab in the Property Tools toolbar.


(Glossary) Scene
The Scene is made up of the entire contents of the View Port window including the open space surrounding text images. To 'select' the Scene in order to display the View and Background tabs within the Property Tools toolbar, click anywhere inside the View Port away from all text images (i.e. in the background). Changes made to the scene's properties are global.


(Glossary) Shading
Shading is the process of filling the faces of a projected three dimensional object in such a way that changes in color transition smoothly from one shade to another. During the process of rendering, object surfaces are shaded to display all properties of the object including textures, colors, and lighting effects.


(Glossary) Telephoto
Telephoto refers to the the length of a lens on a camera. Within Font FX telephoto implies that the View Port is as though it is a view finder on a camera whose lens length is relatively long. The distinguishing characteristic of a telephoto lens is that image distortion is minimized and parallel edges of the three dimensional objects converge very slowly when contrasted with a wide angle lens which distorts the image much more and parallel edges converge much more rapidly.


(Glossary) Template Files
A template files is a file type used by Font FX that can be installed into the program to provide a basis for document creation. Template files are distinguished from ordinary document files in that the text images they contain can have special properties applied to them that allow the New File Wizard to process the text images during document creation time.


(Glossary) Text Image
Once text has been defined and is rendered in the View Port, it is referred to as a Text Image that define the whole scene.

Text Images within a scene are independent of each other. Effects applied to one Text Image will not affect other Text Images, and in fact, must be applied separately to each. Access a Text Image's properties in the Property Tools toolbar by selecting the image in the View Port.


(Glossary) Textures
Textures are bitmap images that can be applied to the surfaces of objects or applied to the background of the View Port to make the surfaces or View Port appear to be made up of the scene or material depicted in the bitmap image. Most commonly, surface textures are applied to achieve the effect of making the surface appear to be made up of a particular material such as marble or wood. View port textures are typically applied to create a backdrop for the scene.


(Glossary) Transparent
Transparent is a term that is used in color definition to define the transparency of the color you are modeling. When you apply a transparent color to an object, the object will also appear to be transparent meaning that object behind the transparent object will be visible.


(Glossary) True Color
True Color is a common bitmap format that utilizes 24 bits of data to represent the colors for each pixel in a bitmap image. Font FX uses True Color as one of its bitmap formats and uses 8 bits each for the red, green and blue components of its colors.


(Glossary) Vanishing Point
The vanishing point is a reference to a concept in perspective projection where parallel edges of three dimensional images converge to. The illustration below shows the vanishing point and how it is used in perspective projection.


(Glossary) View Port
The View Port is the window in which the text images and scene are drawn.


(Glossary) Viewer
The term viewer refers to you the user of the program. Just as when you look at any scene in the real world, your position and orientation relative to that which you are viewing is an integral factor in exactly what you will see.


(Glossary) Viewer Position
The term viewer position refers to your position and orientation relative to that which you are viewing. Just as when you look at any scene in the real world, your position and orientation relative to that which you are viewing is an integral factor in exactly what you will see.


(Glossary) Viewing Angle
The Viewing Angle refers to the angle from which you, the viewer, views the scene.


(Glossary) Wide Angle
Wide Angle refers to the the length of a lens on a camera. Within Font FX wide angle implies that the View Port is as though it is a view finder on a camera whose lens length is relatively short. The distinguishing characteristic of a wide angle lens is that image distortion is pronounced and parallel edges of the three dimensional objects converge very rapidly when contrasted with a telephoto lens which distorts the image very little and parallel edges converge much more slowly.


(Glossary) Zoom Extents
Zoom extents is the process Font FX employs to move the viewer to a new position such that the scene just fills the boundaries of the View Port.


(Glossary) Zooming
Zooming is the process of moving closer or farther away from the scene such that more or less detail is visible. In other words, as you move closer to the scene, the scene becomes larger in the View Port and as you move farther away from the scene, it becomes smaller in the View Port.


(Help Menu) About Font FX command
Displays information about your copy of Font FX, including the version number; the copyright, legal, and licensing notices.


(Help Menu) Context Sensitive Help
Help - Context Sensitive Help

When you first dive into Font FX pay special attention to the fact that the program employs context sensitive help for all the user interface elements. Font FX has designed its context sensitive help to act a quick reference or extended tool tip to help you with its interface.

To use context sensitive help, simply select the context sensitive button [image] on the main toolbar. After selecting context sensitive help, you can click on any user interface element to get help on only that element.

For more detailed help, Choose the Help | Contents command.


(Help Menu) Context Sensitive Help Popup
When you first dive into Font FX pay special attention to the fact that the program employs context sensitive help for all the user interface elements. Font FX has designed its context sensitive help to act a quick reference or extended tool tip to help you with its interface.

To use context sensitive help, simply select the context sensitive button [image] on the main toolbar. After selecting context sensitive help, you can click on any user interface element to get help on only that element.

For more detailed help, Choose the Help | Contents command.


(Help Menu) Font FX Home Page Command
Use the Font FX Home Page command to open your Internet browser and go to the Font FX home page. Note that you must be connected to the Internet for this command to work properly.


(Help Menu) Order Now command
Use this command to order Font FX. This command presents an online order form for you to fill out directly on the screen. Once you are finished filling out the form, Font FX encrypts the information and offers you options about how to send the form to Electric Rain to process the order.

You may send the order form through electronic mail, or you may print the form and fax or send it to Electric Rain.


(Help Menu) Register Font FX command
This command opens the Registration Input dialog box. Once you have ordered Font FX, a registration card with your name and identification code is sent to you and must be entered in this dialog.

To order Font FX, choose the File | Order Now... Command.


(Help Menu) Search For  command
Displays an alphabetical list of all help topics Font FX has for viewing.


(Help Menu) Start Tutorial...
This command will start an online tutorial session covering nine basic topics and give you an overview of the user interface and most of Font FX tools and features.

You may choose to follow this tutorial while working in Font FX. A smaller separate tutorial window appears on top of Font FX, allowing you to switch from the tutorial window to Font FX on the fly. At the bottom of each lesson, there are links to the next lessons.


(Help Menu) Technical Support (web) Command
Use the Technical Support (web) command to open your Internet browser and go to the Font FX technical support page. Note that you must be connected to the Internet for this command to work properly.


(Help Menu) Tip of the Day command
Displays tips about using Font FX features.

Show Tips At Startup:

Displays a tip every time you start Font FX. If you don't want to display tips when you start Font FX, clear this check box.

Next Tip:

Displays the next tip in the list.


(Interface - Scene Editor) Main Menu
This is the Main Menu bar. It provides you with all of the commands Font FX can perform. Some of the more commonly used commands can also be accessed from a context menu within the View Port by clicking the right mouse button while it is over the View Port window.


(Interface - Scene Editor) Main Toolbar
This is the main toolbar. From this toolbar you can create a new file, save the current file, open an existing file, cut, copy, paste, print, toggle all the other toolbars on or off and access help or context sensitive help.


(Interface) Rulers
This is the Ruler window. It provides you with information about where the cursor is while it is in the View Port. In addition, it shows you the size of the View Port with its numbered scale.


(Interface) View Port
The View Port is the interactive window in which the text images and the scene are created.


(Introduction) Benefits & Features
Benefits & Features

Benefits:

High quality 3-D graphic impact to enhance all types of business communications:

Corporate logos and letterhead

Reports and Cover Sheets

Presentations and Slide Shows

Newsletters

Web Page enhancement with 3-D text that will jump off the page.

Professional quality artwork for any occasion.

Features:

Intuitive user interface, with easy-to-use 3-D tools.

Instantly creates 3-D text from any True Type font.

Texture Mapping! The ability to wrap a bitmap texture around the face of the text image.

Incredible photo-realism with full control over surface colors, colored lights, and camera effects.

Lightning-fast speed. Render speed is 5 times faster than any other programs on the market.

High resolution printing capabilities.


(Introduction) Capabilities
Capabilities

Supports OLE 2.0 for use with all your Windows 95, Windows 98 and Window NT programs.

Exports pictures as bitmaps to any application.

Supports antialiasing for the best looking pictures possible.

Features a simple picture editor to apply special effects to all exported pictures.

Prints to the resolution of any Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT supported print device directly from within Font FX.


(Introduction) Learning Font FX
Learning Font FX

Font FX was designed as a learn-while-you-use program. The program assumes a familiarity with Windows 95/98/NT's menus, dialogs, buttons, user interface and its underlying architecture. We have designed an excellent task-oriented tutorial to introduce the Font FX environment. Visit these following related topics to learn about Font FX:

Use Context Sensitive Help

Use Tool Tips

Step-By-Step Tutorial

Using Templates Tutorial


(Introduction) Ordering Font/FX
Ordering Font FX

To Order Font FX, you can select the File | Order Now... command within the main menu. This command presents an online order form for you to fill out directly on your screen. Once you are finished filling out the form, print it out and then fax or mail it to us.

Alternatively, when the evaluation version of Font FX is installed, it places an order form in the Font FX program group. You can double click on this item to display the order form which you can print out and fax or mail to us.

How to Contact Electric Rain

-------------------------------

Phone (Sales Only):	1-303-543-8230

Fax:	1-303-543-8225

Internet:	http://www.erain.com

E-mail:	(Sales)	sales@erain.com

(Support)	support@erain.com

Font FX Version 2.00

(C) Copyright 1996-1998 Electric Rain, Inc.

All rights reserved.


(Introduction) Support
Support

Most of the answers to your questions and difficulties can be found in the online help system. Use the Search button at the top of this page to find information on any Font FX subject.

Electric Rain is pleased to offer free technical support. We are happy to answer your technical support questions by fax or E-mail.

How to Contact Electric Rain:

-------------------------------

Phone (Sales Only):	1-303-543-8230

Fax:	1-303-543-8225

Internet:	http://www.erain.com

E-mail:	(Sales)	sales@erain.com

(Support)	support@erain.com

Font FX Version 2.00

(C) Copyright 1996-1998 Electric Rain, Inc.

All rights reserved.

______________________________________________


(Introduction) System Requirements
System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0

Pentium 90 MHZ

16 MB RAM and 40 MB Virtual Memory

40 MB Free Hard Disk Space

Mouse

Video Display Resolution 800 X 600 X 256 colors (or Higher)

Recommended Requirements:

Pentium 133MHZ Processor

32 MB RAM and 60 MB Virtual Memory

60 MB Free Hard Disk Space

Video Display Resolution 1024 X 768 X 65K colors (or Higher)

Note: 	Font FX is a full 32-bit application created specifically for Windows 95, Windows 98 and Window NT. For optimal performance however, we recommend configuring your system beyond the Windows 95 recommended memory and processing speed requirements.


(Introduction) Tool Tips
Tool Tips

Tool-Tips are small pop-up windows that display brief descriptions about each of the tools functions. To view a tool tip, just hold the mouse cursor over the user interface element and its tip will pop-up.

Also, note that the main status line at the bottom of the window displays additional information about each tool and menu command while the tool-tip is displayed.


(Lighting Tools Pop-up)
Accessed with the main toolbar button


(Lighting Tools) Account for Viewer Position
Pressing this button tells Font FX to perform its lighting calculations by accounting for the position of the viewer within the scene. Specifying this option yields more realistic results but takes longer to render the image. You may choose to turn off this option while constructing the scene to enhance performance and turn it back on as you near completion.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Add Light Command
Adds an additional light source (flashlight) to the scene, represented by a wire-framed flashlight on the Crystal Trackball in the Lighting Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Crystal Trackball
The Lighting Crystal Trackball works as though flashlights are attach to the surface of the ball with their lights shining toward the center of the ball. Each flashlight represents a different light source. You may track a flashlight to the backside of the Trackball. The yellow lens on the flashlight becomes visible and appears transparent as the flashlight tracks behind the ball.


(Lighting Tools) Global Ambient Color
Use this control to modify the amount and color of the Global Ambient Light. Global Ambient Light can be thought of as background light that cannot be attributed to any one source. If this light color is set to black and all other sources are turned off, you will not be able to see any of the text images because there will be no light lighting them. You should keep this light color to at least some minimal value so you will always be able to see your work. To modify the Global Ambient Light color double click over the control to bring up the color editing dialog.


(Lighting Tools) Lock Horizontal Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the light Crystal Trackball in the horizontal direction. When locked only horizontal movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Lock Spin Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the light Crystal Trackball in the spin direction. When locked only spin movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Lock Vertical Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the light Crystal Trackball in the vertical direction. When locked only vertical movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Remove Selected Light
Removes the currently selected light source (wire-framed flashlight) from the scene.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Rotate With Scene
Use this control to allow the lights to rotate when the scene is rotated (button down) or to force the lights to remain stationary as the scene is rotated (button up).

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Selected Light
A wire-frame flashlight on the Lighting Crystal Trackball represents an added or selected light source of the scene. Other flashlights on the trackball represent additional light sources that also effect the scene. The color of the light emitted by each flashlight can be determined by the color of the flashlight handle.


(Lighting Tools) Selected Light Color
This toolbar control allows you to see the color of the currently selected light source (flashlight) as well as modify it. The currently selected light is represented as a wire-framed flashlight on the Crystal Trackball in the Lighting Tools. To edit the color of the light, double click on the current color to edit it within the color editing dialog.


(Lighting Tools) Toggle On/Off
Use this button to turn the currently selected light on (button down) or off (button up)

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Lighting Tools) Toggle Shadow Light
Use the Shadow Light button to make the currently selected participate (or not participate) in casting shadows.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Lighting Tools


(Materials Gallery) Preview Windows
The material preview windows display a preview of each of the materials available for use within the program. Each of the materials belong to a category designated by the tabs above all the preview windows.


(Materials Gallery) Tabs
The material category tabs represent the available material categories within the program. You can create your own categories using the Setup | Materials main menu command. Categories are provided as a convenience to you to help keep like materials in a common location.


(Materials Gallery) Toggle All Faces
Use this button to control how Font FX drops materials onto the surfaces of text images. When depressed (as shown below), Font FX will apply the dropped material only to the actual surface where the drop occurred (faces, corners or edges). When not depressed, the program will apply the dropped material to all the surfaces of the text image (faces, corners and edges).

Shortcut:


(New File Wizard - Query Page) Change Text
Use this edit box to change the specified template text. The edit box will initially display the text to edit in the font that the template text was created with. To replace the text, simply delete the existing text in the edit box and replace it with your text.


(New File Wizard - Query Page) Description
The following options allow you to modify the template text images:

Change Text	Use this edit box to change the specified template text. The edit box will initially display the text to edit in the font that the template text was created with. To replace the text, simply delete the existing text in the edit box and replace it with your text.

Preview	The box displays a preview of the selected template. If the No Template option is selected, nothing is displayed.

Next	When this button is displayed, select it to go to the next editable text image in the template. If you wish to leave the current template text unchanged, use this button to proceed to the next text image without performing any editing.

Finish	When this button is displayed, select it to finish the New File Wizard. Font FX will close the wizard and display the new document.


(New File Wizard - Template Page) Description
The following options allow you to specify how the new file will be created:

Document	Select this option if you are creating a normal Font FX document that you do not wish to use later as a template. Note that if you later decide to convert this file to a template, you may do so using the File - Save As ... menu command

Template	Select this option if you are create a new template file that can be installed into Font FX at a later time. Note that if you later decide to convert the template to a normal Font FX document, you may do so using the File - Save As ... menu command.

Template List	Use this drop-down box to select the template that you wish to base the new file on. If you wish to create an empty new document that is not based on a template, select the No Template option in this list.

Preview	The box displays a preview of the selected template. If the No Template option is selected, nothing is displayed.


(New File Wizard - Template Page) Document and Template
The Document and Template options refer to the type of file you are creating. If you are creating a normal Font FX document, select the Document option. If you are creating a new template file that you wish to later install into Font FX select the Template option.


(New File Wizard - Template Page) Template List
Choose a template that you wish to base the new document or template on. A preview of the selected template displays in the Preview box below.

If you wish to create a new empty document and do not want it to be created from a template, select the first template option titled No Template. Using this option will create an empty document in which you can begin working.


(New File Wizard) Preview
The Preview box displays a preview of the currently selected template. If the No Template option is selected, nothing displays.


(New Image Wizard - Creation Page) Description
The following options specify how the new image is created:

Use a Font FX Template

Uses a Font FX template to create the new embedded OLE image. Templates provide a new image complete with effects, all you need to do is specify replacement text for the text images in the template file.

Import from existing Font FX File

Creates a new embedded image by importing an existing Font FX document. Creating the image within Font FX is typically more expedient and easier than through an OLE interface. It is the recommended method when using an image repeatedly, such as a logo.

Create a new empty image

Creates a new empty embedded image completely through the OLE interface within the OLE client application.


(New Image Wizard - Creation Page) Import FFX
The Import from existing Font FX File option creates a new embedded image by importing an existing Font FX document. Creating the image within Font FX is typically more expedient and easier than through an OLE interface. It is the recommended method when using an image repeatedly, such as a logo.


(New Image Wizard - Creation Page) New Empty Image
The Create a new empty image option creates a new empty embedded image completely through the OLE interface within the OLE client application.


(New Image Wizard - Creation Page) Use Template
The Use a Font FX Template option uses a Font FX template to create the new embedded OLE image. Templates provide a new image complete with effects, all you need to do is specify replacement text for the text images in the template file.


(New Image Wizard - Import Page) Browse
Use the Browse... button to select a Font FX document file to import. Once selected, the document file name displays in the control window above this button.

After selecting a document file to import, click the Finish button at the bottom of the Wizard.


(New Image Wizard - Import Page) Description
The following options specify how the new image is created:

File Name	Displays the name of the selected Font FX document file to be imported.

Browse...	Use this button to select the Font FX document file to import.

Preview	Displays the contents of the selected Font FX document file.


(New Image Wizard - Import Page) File Name
The File Name field displays the name of the Font FX document file to import.


(New Image Wizard - Import Page) Preview
The Preview window displays the contents of the selected Font FX document file.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) Antialias
Antialiasing a picture is the process of minimizing the jagged edges and pixels within the picture. Font FX is capable of antialiasing a picture using a method called supersampling. To supersample the picture, Font FX must first draw the picture at a higher resolution than is actually intended for the final image then resize the picture back to its intended size by averaging a block of pixels in the high resolution image. The resultant picture is much smoother because rather than having abrupt changes in pixel colors at the edges of objects, the averaged pixel colors blend more smoothly from one color transition to another.

Using the Antialias Method option, you can tell Font FX how large to draw the high resolution image before sampling. Note that the higher the resolution of supersample picture, the smoother the final picture will turn out. Due to drawing and memory constraints required to create the high resolution image, Font FX allows you to set the size of the supersample picture. You can choose None for no antialiasing or 2x Supersample, 3x Supersample and 4x Supersample to generate a supersampled picture at 2, 3 or 4 times the intended final image size.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) Custom
You can set the resolution of the any picture exported from Font FX. The Custom Resolution edit box allows you to enter any arbitrary resolution for the picture. If nothing is entered in the Custom Resolution edit box, the value found in the Predefined Resolution list will be used. This value is placed into exported files that support image resolution so that other programs can accurately calculate the intended size of the image.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) Depth
The Color Depth of the picture defines how many colors per pixel are used in the final exported picture. Generally speaking, Font FX is capable of exporting pictures at color depths of 8 bits per pixel (bpp) or 256 colors, 16 bpp or 65536 color and 24 bpp or 16.7 million colors. Note that not all file formats support all color depths. If you select a file format that does not support the current color depth selection, Font FX will automatically adjust the color depth to the nearest matching color depth for the file format you select.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) Dithering
The Dither Method tells Font FX how to convert a picture at a higher Color Depth to a lower Color Depth. Dithering is only valid and therefore available when the Color Depth is set to 256 colors (8 bpp). Additionally, dithering is closely related to the Palette option as well because the Palette option defines the color palette that Font FX dithers to. The following are the Dither Method options that Font FX supports with a brief description of each:

None	Instructs Font FX not to perform any dithering.

Error Diffusion	This dithering method spreads out the error between the color the pixel should be and the closest color found in the palette to surrounding pixels. Generally speaking, this method of dithering provides the best results.

Ordered	Ordered dithering provides a preset pattern to use in a neighborhood of pixels to represent the actual colors. The trademark to this method is that you will see patterns in the solid areas of the image that represent the ordered dithering patterns.

Font FX	Font FX dithering is a special Ordered dithering algorithm specifically optimized for the Font FX palette. When you select this method of dithering, you cannot select the palette to dither to and therefore, will not be available.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) File Type
The Export Type defines the type of the file to be exported. Font FX supports the following export file types:

CompuServe Graphics Interchange Format Files (*.gif)
Windows Bitmaps Files (*.bmp)
JPEG File Interchange Format (*.jpg)
Tagged Image File Format (*.tif)
ZSoft PCX Format (*.pcx)
Windows AVI (*.avi)
Adobe Photoshop 3.0 (*.psd)
Portable Network Graphics (*.png)
True Vision TARGA (*.tga)


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) General Tab
The General Property Tab is available at all times when in the Export and Effects editor. This tab allows you to modify the general output settings for the preview images.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) Palette
The Palette defines the palette you wish Font FX to dither to. This option is only valid and therefore available when the Color Depth is set to 256 colors (8 bpp). The following are the palette options that Font FX supports with a brief description of each:

Optimized	The Optimized palette searches the picture and creates an optimum palette for the picture. In many cases, this option will produce almost identical results to 65K or 16.7M color images. The downside to using this palette method is that no two pictures are guaranteed to have the same palette which can cause problems when using Internet browsers in 256 color video modes. Also, you cannot use the Solid Background option when using the Optimized palette option.

Fixed	This Fixed palette is general rainbow palette that provides good dithering for most pictures. This is the default palette that Windows itself uses.

Internet Browser	The Internet Browser palette is the palette used by the most common Internet browsers. The primary advantage to using this palette is that users will not see flashing colors when the pictures are displayed by browsers under 256 color video systems and the pictures will not conflict with the other browser colors. The downside to this option is that images dithered to this palette tend to be somewhat more grainy.

Font FX	This is the default palette used by Font FX when generating 256 color images. Like the Fixed palette, it is a rainbow palette but is optimized for Font FX pictures.


(Preview Property Tools - General Tab) Typical
You can set the resolution of the any picture exported from Font FX. The Predefined Resolution is a list of the most commonly required resolutions. If nothing is entered in the Custom Resolution edit box, the value found in the Predefined Resolution list will be used. This value is placed into exported files that support image resolution so that other programs can accurately calculate the intended size of the image.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Add/Edit Background
The Add/Edit Background button allows you to select the transparent background texture file by displaying the Bitmaps dialog to select a bitmap from disk.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Background
This control displays the Background over which transparent GIF images are displayed. This feature is useful for giving you an idea about how the image will look over the background of your web page or similar application.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Index Number
The Index Number edit control allows you to input a specific index number to use as the transparent color index for your transparent GIF file. Additionally, if you select the background color index interactively, this control will display the index of the currently selected transparent background index.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) JPEG Compression
The JPEG Compression option is specific to the JPEG file format. JPEG compression is a lossy form of compression. Lossy means that the image can continue to be compressed more and more but you will lose image quality along the way. When the slider is all the way to the left, minimal compression is performed but image quality is maintained at its highest level. When the slider is all the way to the right, maximum compression quality is obtained at the expense of image quality. You may have to experiment with this setting to determine how much loss you are willing to accept to achieve optimal compression.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) None
The None button clears the transparent background texture control if one is selected.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Progressive
The Progressive option is specific to the JPEG file format. When set, all JPEG files are output as progressive files where raster lines are interlaced with each other. This option is good for Internet Web graphic images because it allows browsers to begin displaying the image before it has completely downloaded onto the user's machine.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Select Color Index
When the Select Color Index option is checked it allows you to interactively select the background color index to be used for the transparent color in your transparent GIF file. Note that your output file type must be the GIF file format and the Transparent option on the property page must also be checked.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Solid Background
The Solid Background option is specific to all 256 color pictures but is most useful with the GIF file format. When set, Font FX selects a background color from the palette that most closely matches the requested background color. Doing so guarantees that all of the pixels drawn using the background color will be drawn with a color that is in the palette and no dithering will occur. This option is most useful when creating transparent GIF files where you want the whole background to be transparent, not just some pixels that dither out properly.

Note that this option is not available when the Color Depth is set higher than 256 colors or when you select Optimized as the Palette option. When using the Optimized Palette option Font FX cannot determine in advance which color will be selected as the background color because the palette is not determined until the image is reduced to a 256 color image. As such, the program cannot ensure that all of the background pixels will use the same color and therefore cannot guarantee a solid background.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Specific Tab
The Specific Property Tab is available at all times when in the Export and Effects editor. This tab allows you to modify settings that are specific to the file type you selected in the General Property Tab.


(Preview Property Tools - Specific Tab) Transparent
The Transparent option is specific to the GIF file format. When set, saves the GIF file as a transparent GIF meaning that the background color will be transparent when viewed in a program supporting transparent images such as Internet Web browsers. This option is affected by the Solid Background option as well as the Manually Select Color Index option both of which determine which color in the palette is chosen as the transparent color.


(Preview Toolbar) Toggle Animation Reel
Use this command to display and hide the Animation Reel toolbar on the desktop. The Animation Reel Tools contain all the tools to generate manage and display the animation frames in your animation.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Preview Toolbar


(Preview Toolbar) Toggle Property Tools
Use this command to display and hide the Preview Property Tools on the desktop. The Preview Property Tools contain all the settings you need to control the type and quality of the animation or output you intend to produce.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Preview Toolbar


(Property Tools - Background Tab Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting the scene.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Background Color
This control allows you to modify the current background color for the scene. By default, the Background Color is set to white. To change the Background Color, double click the left mouse button over this control and select a color from the Color dialog box. You can also set the color by dragging and dropping a color from the Material Gallery toolbar directly to the View Port and drop it anywhere on the background.

Note:	The Background Color is used for printing, exporting bitmaps, within the OLE images as well as the display background color of the scene. As such, the color you choose displays within all these media.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Background Preview
This control displays a preview of the texture selected in the texture name list. Note that the texture is simply stretched or shrunk to fit within the preview window such that it will maintain its aspect ratio (width/height). Also, the texture is not dithered for the preview window so its color rendition may be poor.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Background Tab
The Background Property Tab is available when the view/scene is selected. To select the view/scene, click anywhere in the View Port that is not occupied by a text image, or simply stated, click on the background of the scene within a View Port. This tab allows you to modify the background color and texture for the View Port.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Center
Select this control to instruct Font FX to center a single copy of the texture within the View Port without stretching or shrinking it to fit. This setting does not interact with the vertical and horizontal position controls. Note that the effect on the screen will only be duplicated on print devices of the same resolution of the display. This option is intended to be used when the resolution of the final destination device is well matched to the texture resolution or when working in a pixel based View Port.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Fill
Select this control to instruct Font FX to shrink or stretch the background texture so that it will just fill the complete View Port. This setting does not interact with the vertical and horizontal position controls. Note that when using low pixel resolution bitmaps as backgrounds, that the effect on the screen may be radically different that that of a high resolution print device in this mode. On high resolution devices, the bitmap pixels could become stretched to such an extreme as to appear very blocky. Generally speaking, you should only use this option when the background texture bitmap is suitable for the resolution of the final destination device.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Remove Backdrop
Use the Remove Backdrop button to remove the backdrop from the scene. Once you remove the backdrop, Font FX will draw the background in the current background color.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Select Backdrop
Use the Select Backdrop button to display the Bitmaps dialog to select the backdrop you want to use.


(Property Tools - Background Tab) Tile
Select this control to instruct Font FX to tile the background repeatedly until the View Port is completely filled. This setting interacts with the vertical and horizontal position controls below in that those controls define where the upper left corner of the first tiled bitmap is to be placed. By default, the upper left corner of the first bitmap tile will coincide with the upper left corner of the View Port. If the bitmap is larger than the View Port, you may prefer to use the Center option as that option will center the texture on the View Port.


(Property Tools - Material Tab Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting a text image


(Property Tools - Material Tab) Material Tab
The Material Property Tab is available when a text image is selected in a scene. To select a text image click the left mouse button over the text image you wish to select. This tab allows you to modify the material properties for all the surfaces of the text image.


(Property Tools - Material Tab) Preview
Material Preview displays a thumbnail image of the material for the currently selected surface.


(Property Tools - Material Tab) Surfaces
Select a surface from this list to display the material for that surface. The available options are All Faces, All Corners and All Edges. Drag and drop a material texture from the Material Gallery toolbar to the material preview window.

To edit the material, double click on the material preview window. Note however that editing the material in this way will change the material such that all occurances of this material will be affected. To create and edit a custom copy of the material, use the Copy function in the Setup | Materials tab.


(Property Tools - Materials Tab) Category
The Category control displays the name of the category that the material belongs to.


(Property Tools - Materials Tab) Name
The Name control displays the name of the material.


(Property Tools - Property Tools Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting a text image.


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting a text image


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab) Depth
Use this series of controls to adjust the extrusion depth of the text image. Use the spin buttons or directly enter the new value into the edit window to change the size. The units of the extrusion depth are relative because the actual size of the text depends on the viewing distance, projection method and View Port size. The value specified here simply means that if you have two text images aligned the same distance away and the same extrusion depth, they appears to have the same thickness.


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab) Height
Use this series of controls to adjust the height of the text image. Use the spin buttons or directly enter the new value into the edit window to change the size. The units of height are relative because the actual size of the text depends on the viewing distance, projection method and View Port size. All the actual value means that if you have two text images aligned the same distance away and the same width, they appears to be the same size. Note that if you use a negative height, the text will draw upside down from bottom to top rather than from top to bottom. This feature is handy for creating mirrored text.


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab) Intercharacter Spacing
Use this series of controls to adjust the spacing between characters within the text image. Use the spin buttons or directly enter the new value into the edit window to change the size. The units of the inter-character spacing are relative to the sizes you specify above for the width, height and depth of the text image. If you specify a negative value here, Font FX will draw subsequent characters closer together until it eventually begins drawing subsequent characters to the left of previous characters.


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab) Interline Spacing
Use this series of controls to adjust the spacing between the lines in multi line text images. Use the spin buttons or directly enter the new value into the edit window to change the size. The units of the interline spacing is relative to the sizes you specified above for the width, height and depth of the text image. If you specify a negative value here, Font FX will draw subsequent lines closer together until it eventually begins drawing subsequent lines above previous lines.


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab) Sizing Tab
The Sizing Property Tab is available when a text image is selected in a scene. To select a text image click left mouse button over the text image you wish to select. This tab allows you to modify the size of the text image including the width, height and depth as well as the line and character spacing.


(Property Tools - Sizing Tab) Width
These controls adjust the width of the text image. Use the spin buttons or directly enter the new value into the edit window to change the size. The units of the inter-character and interline spacing are relative to the sizes you specify above for the width, height and depth of the text image.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting a text image


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Back Face
Applies the Style property (Square, Beveled or Inner Round, Outer Round, or Step Down) to the back face of the text image only.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Bevel Depth
Bevels are the small angles that connect the face of a letter with its side or edge. Bevels offer a more pleasing presentation to the text images when extruded into three dimensions. In addition, they can be effectively used with the lighting to help the text appear shiny.

The Depth is the depth into the extrusion of the text that you wish to apply the bevel to.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Both Faces
Applies the Style property (Square, Beveled or Inner Round, Outer Round, or Step Down) to both faces (Front and Back) of the text image.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Cast Shadows
Place a check mark in the Casts Shadows check box If you want the selected text image to cast shadows.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Front Face
Applies the Style property (Square, Beveled or Inner Round, Outer Round, or Step Down) to the front face of the text image only.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Scale With Text
When checked, this option tells Font FX to scale the bevel as the text image is resized (scaled). One notable and perhaps undesirable effect is that the bevels may become distorted as the image is distorted.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Smoothness
The Smoothness slider defines how smooth the curves in the text image will be.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Style
The Style drop down list contains all the available corner styles.


(Property Tools - Styles Tab) Styles Tab
The Styles Property Tab is available when a text image is selected in a scene. To select a text image click left mouse button over the text image you wish to select. This tab allows you to define and modify the corner style, curve smoothness and shadow options for a text image.


(Property Tools - Text Tab Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting a text image


(Property Tools - Text Tab) Center Justify
Justification is the alignment of two or more lines of text entered into the Edit Text box in the Text Property tab. Center justification indicates that multiple lines of text will be centered over each other. In addition to the alignment of the text, Font FX uses this setting to determine the point about which the text will be rotated.


(Property Tools - Text Tab) Left Justify
Justification is the alignment of two or more lines of text entered into the Edit Text box in the Text Property tab. Left Justification indicates that multiple lines of text will be aligned such that the left side of each line will align vertically. In addition to the alignment of the text, Font FX uses this setting to determine the point about which the text will be rotated.


(Property Tools - Text Tab) Right Justify
Justification is the alignment of two or more lines of text entered into the Edit Text box in the Text Property tab. Right Justification indicates that multiple lines of text will be aligned such that the right side of each line will align vertically. In addition to the alignment of the text, Font FX uses this setting to determine the point about which the text will be rotated.


(Property Tools - Text Tab) Text Tab
The Text Property Tab is available when a text image is selected in a scene. To select a text image click left mouse button over the text image you wish to select. This tab allows you to define and modify the text and font properties for a text image.


(Property Tools - Text tab) Character Selection
The Character Selection box makes special characters available for insertion in to the Edit Text box. Special characters (not represented by a keyboard key) are typically specific to the selected font. All fonts may not contain the same special characters. To select a special character, simply click the left mouse button over the character you wish to insert. The character will be placed at the current cursor position within the Edit Text box.

Shortcut:


(Property Tools - Text tab) Edit Text box
The Edit Text box allows you to enter new text or edit text from an existing image. It also acts as a preview for viewing fonts from the Font drop down box.


(Property Tools - Text tab) Font Type
Select a font from this list. Font FX makes available any True Type font installed in Windows. The Font drop down box lists all the available fonts and displays its preview in the Edit Text box.


(Property Tools - View Tab Pop-up)
Accessed by selecting the scene.


(Property Tools - View Tab) View Tab
The View Property Tab is available when the view/scene is selected. To select the view/scene, click anywhere in the View Port that is not occupied by a text image, or simply stated, click on the background of the scene within a View Port. This tab allows you to modify the properties of the current View Port such as the drawing modes and positioning properties.


(Register) Register Font FX
Once you have ordered Font FX, you will be sent the registration information with your registered name and user ID code. Enter that information here, exactly as it appears with your registration information. Font FX uses this information each time it is run to validate that you are a registered user of the program and keeps the program from expiring. If the program has already expired, entering the registration information restores the program to a full running version.


(Scene Tools Pop-up)
Accessed with the main toolbar button


(Scene Tools) Add / Restore View
Use the Add / Restore View button to save, restore and delete saved views.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Back View
This command quickly changes the current View Port viewing position to display the Back View of the entire scene. This command does not change rotations made to individual text images through the Selected Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Bottom View
This command quickly changes the current View Port viewing position to display the Bottom View of the entire scene. This command does not change rotations made to individual text images through the Selected Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Crystal Trackball
The Scene Crystal Trackball enables you to rotate an entire scene (all text images). Conversely, the Selected Crystal Trackball rotates the selected text images only. The Selected Trackball uses the value of the Rotation Increment defined in the View Property tab within the Property Tools toolbar. When working with only one text image, the Scene Trackball appears to do the same thing as the Selected Trackball.


(Scene Tools) Front View
This command quickly changes the current View Port viewing position to display the Front View of the entire scene. This command does not change rotations made to individual text images through the Selected Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Left View
This command quickly changes the current View Port viewing Position to display the Left View of the entire scene. This command does not change rotations made to individual text images through the Selected Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Lock Horizontal Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the scene Crystal Trackball in the horizontal direction. When locked only horizontal movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Lock Spin Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the scene Crystal Trackball in the spin direction. When locked only spin movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Lock Vertical Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the scene Crystal Trackball in the vertical direction. When locked only vertical movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Pan Down
Use this button to pan the scene down. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Pan In
Use this button to pan the scene in (closer to you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Pan Left
Use this button to pan the scene to the left. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Pan Out
Use this button to pan the scene out (farther from you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Pan Right
Use this button to pan the scene to the right. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Pan Up
Use this button to pan the scene up. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Right View
This command quickly changes the current View Port viewing position to display the Right View of the entire scene. This command does not change rotations made to individual text images through the Selected Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Top View
This command quickly changes the current View Port viewing position to display the Top View of the entire scene. This command does not change rotations made to individual text images through the Selected Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) View List
This list displays viewing positions that have been saved for the scene.

To restore a previously saved view, select the view you wish to restore from this list and press the Apply button. Likewise, to save the current view being displayed in the active View Port, type in a unique name for the view and press the Save button. To delete a saved view, select the view to delete from this list and press the Delete button. To reuse a name for the current view, select the name from this list and press the Save button. You will be prompted regarding if the name should be used for the current view.


(Scene Tools) Zoom Extents
Moves the viewer closer or farther away from the scene and centers the scene such that all objects in the scene can be rotated in any direction and the complete scene will still be visible within the View Port. This command only applies the zoom to extents to the current (selected) View Port.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Scene Tools


(Scene Tools) Zoom Extents - All
Moves the viewer closer or farther away from the scene and centers the scene such that all objects in the scene can be rotated in any direction and the complete scene will still be visible within the View Port.


(Selected Tools Pop-up)
Accessed with the main toolbar button


(Selected Tools) Align With Selected
Reposition a text image to align itself to be parallel to the selected text image.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Back View
This command rotates the selected text image so that its Back View displays in the current view's View Port. This command does not change rotations made to the scene through the Scene Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Bottom View
This command rotates the selected text image so that its Bottom View displays in the current view's View Port. This command does not change rotations made to the scene through the Scene Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Clear Selected Rotation
Clears all rotations made to a text image that were done using the ‘Selected Trackball’ and aligns it to its front position in the scene. Using the ‘Clear Selected Rotation’ command or button does not clear rotations made to the scene using the ‘Scene Trackball'.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Crystal Trackball
The Selected Trackball rotates the currently selected text image only. With this tool you can rotate the selected text image independent of the scene rotation. The Selected Trackball uses the value of the Rotation Increment defined in the View Property tab within the Property Tools toolbar. When the scene contains only one text image, the Scene Trackball appears to do the same thing as the Selected Trackball.


(Selected Tools) Front View
This command rotates the selected text image so that its Front View displays in the current view's View Port. This command does not change rotations made to the scene through the Scene Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Left View
This command rotates the selected text image so that its Left View displays in the current view's View Port. This command does not change rotations made to the scene through the Scene Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Lock Horizontal Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the selected Crystal Trackball in the horizontal direction. When locked only horizontal movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Lock Spin Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the selected Crystal Trackball in the spin direction. When locked only spin movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Lock Vertical Rotation
Use this button to lock the rotation of the selected Crystal Trackball in the vertical direction. When locked only vertical movement of the trackball is recognized.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Pan Down
Use this button to pan the selected text image down. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Pan In
Use this button to pan the selected text image in (closer to you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Pan Left
Use this button to pan the selected text image left. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Pan Out
Use this button to pan the selected text image out (farther from you, the viewer). Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Pan Right
Use this button to pan the selected text image right. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Pan Up
Use this button to pan the selected text image up. Hold the button down for repeated movements. The longer the button is held down, the faster the scene will pan. The amount of movement for each increment is determined by the Positioning increment setting in the document setup dialog under the Setup-Document menu command in the View Port tab.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Right View
This command rotates the selected text image so that its Right View displays in the current view's View Port. This command does not change rotations made to the scene through the Scene Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Top View
This command rotates the selected text image so that its Top View displays in the current view's View Port. This command does not change rotations made to the scene through the Scene Tools.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Selected Tools) Zoom Object Extents
Moves the viewer closer or farther away from the scene and centers the scene such that the currently selected text image can be rotated in any direction and the complete text image will still be visible within the View Port. This command only applies the zoom to extents to the current (selected) View Port..

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Selected Tools


(Setup Menu) Animations
Use this command to setup the animations that are installed in Font FX.


(Setup Menu) Colors
Use this command to setup the user defined colors that are installed in Font FX.


(Setup Menu) Document
The Document command will display the document setup dialog which includes the View Port page so you can size the document and modify document specific options.


(Setup Menu) Materials
Use this command to setup the materials that are installed in Font FX. Note that this command allows you to edit existing materials as well as create new materials to be used within the program.


(Setup Menu) Palettes
Use this command to setup the palettes that are installed in Font FX. This command allows you to edit existing palettes as well as create new palettes to be used within the program.


(Setup Menu) Paths
Use this command to setup the animation paths that are installed in Font FX. This command allows you to edit existing paths as well as create new paths to be used within the program.


(Setup Menu) Templates
Use this command to setup the templates that are installed in Font FX. This command allows you to add and remove templates from the program.


(Template Tutorial - Lesson 1) Creating a Template Based Document
Lesson 1 - Creating a Template Based Document

To create a new Font FX template based document:

1.	Click the New File [image] button on the Main Toolbar. The New File Wizard dialog displays.

2.	Drop down the Template selection list in the Document Templates group.

3.	Select the template named Chrome. A preview of the Chrome template displays in the preview window below.

4.	Click on the Next button to go to the next page of the New File Wizard.

__________________________

Lesson 1	Done

Lesson 2	Editing the Template Text

Lesson 3	Finishing the Wizard


(Template Tutorial - Lesson 2) Editing the Template Text
Lesson 2 - Editing the Template Text

To Edit the Template Text:

1.	Place the cursor in the edit window containing the text Chrome Template titled Enter Modified Text For:

2.	Replace the text with your own text like:

My First
Document.

If the template contained more than one text image, rather than a Finish button at the bottom of the Wizard window you would see the Next button. In this case, Font FX will continue prompting you until with this wizard page until each piece of template text is modified. Once you reach the last modifiable template text image, you will see the Next button replaced with the Finish button.

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a Template Based Document

Lesson 2	Done

Lesson 3	Finishing the Wizard


(Template Tutorial - Lesson 3) Finishing the Wizard
Lesson 3 - Finishing the Wizard

To finish the wizard:

1.	Click the Finish button. When the Wizard disappears, Font FX displays the new document you created with your own customized text using all the other parameters of the template for lighting, colors and textures.

2.	Now you can proceed with changing the colors, lighting, text and textures in the new document.

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a Template Based Document

Lesson 2	Editing the Template Text

Lesson 3	Done


(Tutorial - Lesson 1) Creating a New Document
Lesson 1- Creating a New Document

To create a new Font FX document:

1.	Click the New File [image] button on the Main Toolbar. The New File Wizard dialog displays. For this tutorial, we will ignore the opportunity to use a predefined template.

2.	Click the Finish button. A new Font FX document is created. This process involves creating a new editing window which contains a Font FX View Port.

Terminology:

•	Text Image

•	Property Tools

•	Apply Button

__________________________

Lesson 1	Done

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 10) Animating the Scene
Lesson 10 - Animating the Scene

Applying an Animation

The animation system in Font FX has been designed with a simple drag and drop interface so you can apply great animations quickly and easily. With the use of the Animation Gallery toolbar, you only need to select which animation you want to apply, then drag it to the text image you wish to animate. To make selecting the appropriate animation easy, the animation preview windows in the Animation Gallery display a preview of the animation. Simply click on the animation you want to see.

To apply an animation to the text image:

1.Switch to the Animation Editor tab.

2.Select the Spins - Regular tab on the Animation Gallery toolbar.

3.Drag and drop the animation titled Right to the text image "Wow Effect".

4.Play the animation by clicking the Play [image] button on the Animation Editor toolbar.

______________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to Your Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Done

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 11) Previewing the Scene
Lesson 11 - Previewing the Scene

Preview and the Animation Reel

Within the Preview and Effects Editor is the Animation Reel toolbar. This toolbar displays each of the frames present in your animation. However, before you can see any of the frames, you must first generate the animation reel. Since frame generation is a fairly time consuming task, Font FX leaves it up to you to generate the reel. Once generated, you can scroll through the frames and click on a frame of interest to have the full size frame be displayed in the editor's View Port.

To preview the animation:

1.	Switch to the Export, Print, Preview and Effect Editor tab.

2.	In Lesson 10, you created a new animation. Click the Generate Animation Reel button on the Animation Reel toolbar to generate all the frames for the animation.

3.	Preview the animation by clicking the Play [image] button on the Export Editor toolbar.

______________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to Your Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Done

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 12) Printing and Exporting
Lesson 12 - Printing and Exporting

Printing

Font FX has an innovative Print Preview system that allows precise positioning of the scene on the page in the Print dialog box. This WYSIWYG interactive print preview displays exactly what will print on the selected paper source.

To position and print the text image:

1.	Select the frame to print from the Generate Animation toolbar.

2.	Choose the File | Print command or the Print [image] button.

3.	Click the Properties button to change paper size, orientation and other print attributes. Click OK when finished.

4.	From the Image Positioning section, either click and drag the displayed scene image to the desired position on the "page" shown or set the placement exactly using the Horizontal and Vertical controls.

5.	Select the number of copies to generate.

6.	Click OK to send the image to the printer.

Note:The print speed depends on type of printer, the computer's memory, and the quality and size of the image. Therefore, printing may take several minutes. The print job can be canceled by clicking the Cancel button on the status bar at the bottom of the main window.

Exporting

Font FX also allows a text image to be exported as a bitmap image or in two native animation file formats for use in other applications.

Export the Entire Animation

1.	To export the entire animation, click the Export Entire Animation [image] button on the Export Editor toolbar.

2.	Select the location and file name for the animation in the Export Bitmap dialog that is displayed.

3.	Click the OK button to save the animation to an animated GIF file. Once created, you can open an Internet browser and drop the animation into the browser from Explorer to view the animation.

Export a Single Frame

1.	To export a single frame, first select the frame from within the Animation Reel.

2.	Click the Export Frame [image] button on the Export Editor toolbar.

3.	Select the location and file name for the animation in the Export Bitmap dialog that is displayed.

4.	Click the OK button to save the animation to an animated GIF file. Once created, you can open an Internet browser and drop the animation into the browser from Explorer to view the animation.

______________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to Your Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Done


(Tutorial - Lesson 2) Creating a New Text Image
Lesson 2 - Creating a New Text Image

To create a new text image:

1.	Click the Create Text [image] button on the Main Toolbar. The Property Tools toolbar displays four tabs Text, Style, Sizing, and Material. By default, the Text tab displays first.

2.	Highlight the words New Text in the Edit Text window of the Property Tools.

3.	Type in the words Wow Effect to replace New Text Press the Enter key between Wow and Effect to wrap the text to a second line.

4.	In the Font drop down box, click the down arrow to show a listing of available fonts. Use the scrollbar, and click on the font Arial.

5.	Click the Center [image] button under the text editing window to center justify the text.

6.	Click the Apply button in the Property Tools toolbar to applies all the changes to the View Port.

Terminology:

•	Text Image

•	Property Tools

•	Apply Button

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Done

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 3) Adding Bevels
Lesson 3 - Adding Bevels

To add bevels to a text image:

1.	Select the text image in the View Port by clicking the left mouse button on the image in the View Port.

2.	Select the Styles tab in the Property Tools toolbar. The Styles tab dialog displays, showing the Bevel and Rounding controls.

3.	Choose the following options in the Styles tab dialog:

•	For Style, select Beveled

•	For Apply To, select Both Faces

•	Change the Depth to 0.05.

4.	Click Apply to have Font FX render the image in the View Port with the property changes.

Terminology:

•	Bevels

•	Property Tools

•	View Port

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Done

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 4) Extruding the Text
Lesson 4 - Extruding the Text

To extrude the text image:

1.	Click on the text image to select it.

2.	Select the Sizing tab in the Property Tools toolbar. The Sizing tab dialog displays, showing the Sizing and Spacing controls.

3.	Move the slider, use the spin button or edit the Depth directly setting it to 2.0.

4.	Click Apply to have Font FX render the image in the View Port with these property changes .

Terminology:

•	Extrusion Depth

•	Scene Tools

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Done

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 5) Adding Color
Lesson 5 - Adding Color

You may add colors to the faces, bevels, and edges of the Text Image through the by accessing the Property Tools - Material tab.

To add surface color to the text image:

1.	Click on the Text Image to select it.

2.	Click the Material tab in the Property Tools toolbar. The Material tab dialog displays the Color and Texture elements.

3.	Click and drag a color from the Material Gallery toolbar and drop it onto the Faces element in the Material tab.

4.	Repeat Step 3 by selecting colors for the Bevels and Edges elements.

•	You can also drag and drop between the Faces, Bevels and Edges color element windows.

•	If you leave the mouse over a colorball window for about 1/2 second a Tool Tip appears displaying the name of the selected color.

5.	Click Apply to have Font FX render the image in the View Port with these property changes .

Terminology:

•	Face, Bevel, Edge

•	Material Tab

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Done

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 6) Positioning and Adding Lights
Lesson 6 - Positioning and Adding Lights

To position an existing light source:

1.	Select the light to position by clicking the left mouse button on the flashlight within the Crystal Trackball on the Lighting Tools toolbar. The flashlight transforms into a wire frame indicating the light source is selected.

2.	Once selected, move the flashlight to the desired location or click anywhere on the Crystal Trackball to drag the trackball to position the selected light source. Once you release the mouse button, the scene redraws to show the effect of the repositioned light.

Note:	The Lighting Tools Crystal Trackball works as though each flashlight is stuck to the surface of the ball with its light shining toward the middle. Adjust the direction of the light by moving each of the lights around the surface of the ball. Lights may be repositioned to the back side of the trackball. When the light is on the back of the ball the yellow lens of the flashlight can be seen.

To add an additional light source:

1.	Click Edit | Add Light command from the main menu or click the Add Light button [image] on the Lighting Tools toolbar. An additional flashlight appears on the Crystal Trackball. The text image in the View Port becomes brighter showing the effect of the added light source.

Terminology:

•	Lighting Tools

•	Crystal Trackballs

•	Flashlights

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Done

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 7) Rotating the Text Image
Lesson 7 - Rotating the Text Image

To rotate a text image to view it from any angle:

1.	Select the Text Image “Wow Effect” or the working text image in the View Port. The selected text image appears in the Scene Tools and Selected Tools trackballs.

2.	Click and drag the mouse across the surface of the Crystal Trackball to rotate the image to the desired viewing angle.

Tip:	Spend some time learning how the text image floating inside the trackball reacts to the dragging movements.

Terminology:

•	Scene Tools

•	Selected Tools

•	Crystal Trackball

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Done

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 8) Zooming
Lesson 8 - Zooming

Font FX employs a concept called Extents Zooming and offers two tools that make zooming and finding the image simple. When zooming to the extents of an object or a scene, Font FX automatically calculates the size of the object or scene, then moves the viewing position so that the object or scene just fills the View Port, leaving room for additional rotations. The tools can be used to find objects in the scene that may not be visible in the View Port or to maximize the use of the View Port area.

Scene Zoom Extents

This tool is found on the Scene Tools toolbar. Click the Scene Zoom Extents button [image] to fill the View Port with all the Text Images in the scene.

Selected Zoom Extents

This tool is found on the Selected Tools toolbar. Click the Selected Zoom Extents button [image] to fill the View Port with the selected Text Image in the scene.

Terminology:

•	Scene Tools

•	Selected Tools

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Done

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial - Lesson 9) Saving Your Work
Lesson 9 - Saving the Work

To save your work as a Font FX document:

1.	Click the File | Save menu command, or click Save button [image] on the main toolbar.

2.	In the Save As dialog box, enter a name for the file and choose the folder where you would like to store the Font FX document.

3.	Click OK. Font FX saves text images with a .ffx file extension. This format is unique to Font FX documents only. You cannot save a text image as a bitmap image, but you may export an image as a bitmap to other applications.

__________________________

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Done

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial) Step-By-Step
Step-by-Step

(Click anywhere within the Font FX application to remove the Main Help window if it is present)

This tutorial is designed to have you producing a fantastic text image within minutes of installation, and at the same time give you an overview of the user interface and most of Font FX tools and features.

Lesson 1	Creating a New Document

Lesson 2	Creating a New Text Image

Lesson 3	Adding Bevels

Lesson 4	Extruding the Text

Lesson 5	Adding Surface Color to the Text Image

Lesson 6	Positioning and Adding Lights

Lesson 7	Rotating Text Images

Lesson 8	Zooming

Lesson 9	Saving the Work

Lesson 10	Animating the Scene

Lesson 11	Previewing the Scene

Lesson 12	Printing and Exporting


(Tutorial) Using Templates
Using Templates

(Click anywhere within the Font FX application to remove the Main Help window if it is present)

This tutorial is designed to have you producing a fantastic scene within minutes of installation, using the New File Wizard and its templates to create a new document that has all the colors, lighting and textures predefined for the scene.

Lesson 1	Creating a Template Based Document

Lesson 2	Editing the Template Text

Lesson 3	Finishing the Wizard


(View Menu)  Camera Tools command
Use this command to display or hide the Camera Tools toolbar on the desktop. The Camera Tools allow you to control distortion effects in a scene using the Lens Slider control. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Camera Tools toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu)  Color Tools command
Use this command to display or hide the Material Gallery toolbar on the desktop. The Material Gallery provide you with easy to use drag and drop colors that you can use to color any of the color editable components within Font FX. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Material Gallery toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu)  Lighting Tools command
Use this command to display or hide the Lighting Tools on the desktop. The Lighting Tools allow you to add, delete, and rotate up to 8 different light sources. When a light source is selected on the trackball, the color of the light is displayed in the color ball window as shown below. Also, once selected, you can remove the light from the scene or turn it on and off. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Lighting Tools toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Animation Gallery Command
Use this command to display or hide the Animation Gallery toolbar on the desktop.

A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Animation Gallery  toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Animation Play Toolbar Command
The Animation Play Toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar. The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Font FX.

To hide or display the animation play toolbar, choose Animation Play 'Toolbar' from the View menu

Animation Play Toolbar Buttons:

Shortcut:

Keyboard:	(ALT, V, P).


(View Menu) Animation Property Tools Command
Use this command to display and hide the Animation Property Tools on the desktop. The Animation Property Tools are Selection Sensitive meaning the program activates a specific set of tools depending on the current selection, and displays the corresponding property tabs that are relevant to text image, scene or animation.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Animation Reel Command
Use the Animation Reel menu command to toggle the display of the Animation Reel toolbar on and off.

Shortcut:

Toolbar:	Preview Toolbar


(View Menu) Animation Toolbar Command
The Main Animation Toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar. The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Font FX.

To hide or display the main animation toolbar, choose Animation 'Toolbar' from the View menu

Main Animation Toolbar Buttons:

Shortcut:

Keyboard:	(ALT, V, T).


(View Menu) Animation Tools Command
Use this command to display or hide the Animation Tools toolbar on the desktop.

A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Animation Tools  toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Display Working Frame
Use this command to display the working frame for the animation in any of the View Ports. The working frame gives you a reference frame from which you can work from. By default, Font FX uses the first frame as the current working frame.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Scene Editor Toolbar, Animation Toolbar

Keys:	Ctrl+Z


(View Menu) Materials Gallery command
Use this command to display or hide the Materials Gallery toolbar on the desktop. The Materials Gallery allows you to drag and drop materials to the surfaces of the text objects in your scene. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Materials Gallery toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Preview Property Tools Command
Use this command to display and hide the Preview Property Tools on the desktop. The Preview Property Tools are Selection Sensitive meaning the program activates a specific set of tools depending on the current selection, and displays the corresponding property tabs that are relevant to text images, scene or lights.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Preview Toolbar Command
The Main Preview Toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar. The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Font FX.

To hide or display the main Preview toolbar, choose Preview 'Toolbar' from the View menu.

Main Preview Toolbar Buttons:

Shortcut:

Keyboard:	(ALT, V, T).


(View Menu) Property Tools command
Use this command to display and hide the Property Tools on the desktop. The Property Tools are Selection Sensitive meaning the program activates a specific set of tools depending on the current selection, and displays the corresponding property tabs that are relevant to text images, scene or lights.

Shortcut:

Examples of Property Tabs depending on what is selected.

When a Text Image is selected, the Text Property Tabs are displayed.

When the Scene is selected, the Scene Property Tabs are displayed.


(View Menu) Scene Tools command
Use this command to display or hide the Scene Tools toolbar on the desktop. The Scene Tools control the rotation, orientation, and perspective of the entire scene (all text images). A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Scene Tools toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Selected Tools command
Use this command to display or hide the Selected Tools toolbar on the desktop. The Selected Tools control the rotation, orientation, and perspective of the currently selected text image among a scene containing multiple text images. Once a text image is selected within a View Port, it is placed in the Selected Crystal Trackball to be rotated to its desired orientation. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Selected Tools toolbar is displayed.

Shortcut:


(View Menu) Set Current Frame As Working Frame
Use this command to set the currently displayed frame as the working frame for the animation in any of the View Ports. The working frame gives you a reference frame from which you can work from. By default, Font FX uses the first frame as the current working frame.

Shortcuts:

Toolbar: 	Scene Editor Toolbar, AnimationToolbar

Keys:	Ctrl+Z


(View Menu) Status Bar command
The status bar is located at the bottom of each editor tab. While browsing menu commands or using tool-tips with the Font FX controls, the status bar displays a detailed description about each of the commands or tools. The panes along the right side of the status bar offer information about the state of the keyboard, current time and date and the drag-drop status of the current document. These messages will also be displayed as you select a button or menu command before releasing the mouse button. If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, simply release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button or menu command.

The right areas of the status bar indicate which of the following keys are latched down and drag-drop status information:

Indicator	Description

CAP	The Caps Lock key is latched down.
NUM	The Num Lock key is latched down.
SCRL	The Scroll Lock key is latched down.
DRAG	Drag-Drop is enabled for the current document.


(View Menu) Toolbar command
The Main Toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar. The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Font FX,

To hide or display the main toolbar, choose 'Toolbar' from the View menu

Main Toolbar Buttons:

Shortcut:

Keyboard:	(ALT, V, T)


(Window Menu) Arrange Icons command
Use this command to arrange the minimized document icons at the bottom of the main window. If there is an open document window at the bottom of the main window, it may obscure the document icons that reside there also.


(Window Menu) Cascade command
Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows in an overlapped fashion.

Shortcut:


(Window Menu) Next command
Use this command to move to the next window in the window list.


(Window Menu) Tile Horizontally command
Tile Horizontally command arranges multiple opened windows horizontal in a non-overlapped fashion.

Shortcut:


(Window Menu) Tile Vertically command
Tile Vertically command arranges multiple opened windows side by side.

Shortcut:


(Zoom View Port) 100%
The Zoom View Port - 100% command zooms the document View Port to be the exact size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) 150%
The Zoom View Port - 150% command zooms the document View Port to be 1.5 times the actual size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) 200%
The Zoom View Port - 200% command zooms the document View Port to be 2 times the actual size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) 25%
The Zoom View Port - 25% command zooms the document View Port to be 1/4 the actual size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) 50%
The Zoom View Port - 50% command zooms the document View Port to be 1/2 the actual size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) 75%
The Zoom View Port - 75% command zooms the document View Port to be 3/4 the actual size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) Custom
The Zoom View Port - Custom command zooms the document View Port to a custom size between 10% and 200% of the actual size as defined in the document setup.


(Zoom View Port) Fit to Window
The Zoom View Port - Fit To Window command zooms the document View Port to a size that will fit the current available window space.