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INTRODUCTION Welcome to PC-KEY-DRAW! You are about to encounter one of the most powerful graphics programs avail- able for the IBM PC and compatibles. PC-KEY-DRAW is a graphics package that can be used by anyone and everyone. It includes many features designed specifically for a mechanical engineer, such as calculate and measure. It also includes many features designed specifically for artists, such as pattern fill and area smear. Its ability to create symbol libraries is ideal for the electrical engineer or the architect. Those into needlepoint will find that the drawing capabilities combined with the zoom printer feature allow interesting patterns to be designed on the computer and easily transferred to a form suitable for stitching. Graphic game designers can use the drawing abili- ties along with the ability to save an image as a BASICA subroutine to create graphics ideal for ani- mation. Teachers will find the geometry aspects of the program useful in the math and science class room. Business people can create eye catching slides for presentations using such features as slide and text fonts. Drawing with a computer can and should be very dif- ferent from drawing with more conventional tools. PC-KEY-DRAW gives you all the features you need for free hand drawing, but its power and the power of the computer lies in the many features that are not possible with conventional techniques. When you learn to use such commands as slide, rotate, revolve, mirror, spray paint, etc. then the real power of computer graphics will be in your hands. INTRODUCTION 1-1 This manual is provided primarily for those who like manuals. Many people will just dive straight into the program and so PC-KEY-DRAW has been laid out with that in mind. Significant help informa- tion is available on the basic program operation from within the program. The manual does include some additional information that will become more and more useful as you proceed to master the numer- ous drawing functions available. I am always open to suggestions on improving not only the program, but the manual as well. If you have any sugges- tions or comments for the manual, please let me know. Many of the features of this manual are a direct result of comments and suggestions from users. The complete manual is no longer contained on the disk because of size limitations and because I hope to encourage users to register. The manual on the disk should provide more than enough infor- mation to allow the user to try out PC-KEY-DRAW. This manual is laid out to provide two ways of finding how to perform a function. The Command Sum- mary section is divided by the function keys that activate the various commands. The DEFINITIONS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION is an alphabetized listing of the commands and how to use them. PC-KEY-DRAW is distributed as User-Supported or Shareware. This means it is not only legal for you to copy the program and give it to friends, but that I actually encourage you to do so. I feel that everyone is entitled to try out a software package before paying for it. If you don't like the program, fine, please give it to someone who might. If you do like the program, please be sure to register. Your support is greatly appreciated. INTRODUCTION 1-2 HISTORY PC-KEY-DRAW version 3.3 is the result of thousands of hours of development time by myself, Edward H. Kidera IV. I am trained as an ocean engineer, a mechanical engineer for equipment to go near, on or in the ocean. I bought a PC in the spring of 1983 to help my engineering. Like most PC users I use my PC for word processing, information filing, and basic accounting. I also wanted to use the PC to do mechanical engineering drawings. When I first got the PC there weren't any programs available, in my price range, for doing the type of drawing I wanted to do, so I decided to write my own. The first eight months of development proceeded rather slowly, but I had developed a program that I could use. As I started to use the program to create drawings, I realized that there were numer- ous features that I would like to be able to have to speed drawing and allow the creation of images not possible by purely manual techniques. At about ten months into the development I began showing the program to fellow PC enthusiasts. There was great interest in what PC-KEY-DRAW could do and I was encouraged to sell the program. This encouragement prompted me to spend more time on the program development and to add features to improve user friendliness. PC-KEY-DRAW version 1.3 was first released in May 1984 as two programs, a high resolution and a medium (color) resolution version. The response to the program was very favorable and so I began to devote more and more time to its advancement. Sev- eral months after the first release I released ver- sion 1.8 with many additional features and the color and high resolution portions combined into one program with the ability to readily switch between the two. This was followed by version 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.21 around January 1985. These ver- sions offered many additional features, improved HISTORY 2-1 user friendliness, and included a slide show and zoom printer feature. Since February 1985 I have been working on PC-KEY- DRAW version 3.0. Rather then release numerous small updates I decided to create a major update. Version 3.0 was released in October 1985 and offers a significant improvement in user friendliness without any sacrifice in power or speed of oper- ation. It also provides many new features to aid drawing of all types of graphics. Appendix D lists the improvements included in version 3.0 over ver- sion 2.21. The development of PC-KEY-DRAW continues with 3.1 3.2, and now 3.3. Appendix D also lists the addi- tions that are found with each new version. This time rather than keep the additions and improve- ments to myself and then releasing them in large chunks as I had done between version 2.2 and 3.0, I have decided to release the newer version as they become available. I have been slowly adding new features and improving old features to PC-KEY-DRAW. Some of this is driven by the compiler I'm using, some by my time and some by need for a particular feature. Recent version have added numerous fea- tures to make the program easier to learn, features to speed mouse operation and features to make the macro capability very powerful and very useful for presentation slide shows. HISTORY 2-2 The overall design of PC-KEY-DRAW has been driven primarily by my needs as an Ocean/Mechanical Engi- neer and my lack of any reasonable hand to eye coordination for standard drawing. I have found seven different drawing areas that the PC-KEY-DRAW has been a great help. 1) It is ideal to create slides to use in pre- sentations. I can quickly and easily put together a series of screens that I then shoot as 35mm slides and show to perspective custom- ers or use in conferences. 2) I have also created video tape titles using the program. 3) PC-KEY-DRAW is ideal for basic design and layout of new mechanical systems. It is very easy to try a geometry and test it for a new motion compensator or similar device. 4) It is easy to create schematics and mechan- ical drawings to be used in fabricating machine parts and complete systems. 5) it is easy to make drawings for inclusion in technical papers. 6) computer screens shows make ideal demon- strations for new products, old products and anything else you might want to promote. The ability to do animation can really get an idea across. 7) finally, I just like to relax by drawing designs and patterns, just playing and having fun. HISTORY 2-3 With pencil and paper I cannot begin to create even the simplest of drawings, but with a computer key- board I am able to produce just about anything in a short period of time and have some fun doing it. Sometimes it even makes me feel like an artist. Three ladies have also had a profound effect on the course the program has taken, my mother, my sister Elizabeth and my wife Brenda. My mother and Brenda are both superb artists with conventional tools and I wanted to create a system that they could use and love. The artistic pictures that are supplied with this program were done by my wife. Brenda's primary use of PC-KEY-DRAW, other than doing some nice works of art for me, has been in the area of graphic design. She has made considerable use of the program to design logos and letterheads. An example of her talent is shown in Figure 1. Eliza- beth is an architect and I ultimately want PC-KEY- DRAW to be something that she uses on a regular basis. No matter how good the tool, it is still the skilled hands of the artist, designer, draftsman, or architect that determine the output. What's in a Name? OEDWARE comes from OED which stands for Ocean Equipment Development. I formed Ocean Equipment Development to design, promote and sell motion compensated launch/recovery cranes. OEDWARE (owed ware) is just an extension of OED, but if correctly pronounced relates to the market- ing method being used to distribute PC-KEY-DRAW. If you are not a registered user you owe me for using the program. PC-KEY-DRAW comes about because it describes the program operation. The keyboard is used to draw. Now with version 3.30 the program is also quickly and easily used with a mouse for those of you who prefer the little rodent. HISTORY 2-4 The future of PC-KEY-DRAW looks bright. There are still many things that I want to work on. Version 4.0 may be awhile in coming, but it will be another step in the quest to create a "complete" graphics program. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Your support is also greatly appreciated. Other Programs: OEDWARE has released several small, simple and useful programs that are available to anyone for the asking. The first of these is called DATEIT and is included with the PC-KEY-DRAW disk as it comes from OEDWARE. DATEIT is for the many of us without a battery backed up clock. It remembers the last date entered and I have person- ally found it to be very useful. For more informa- tion on DATEIT see Appendix G. DATEIT is free. The second program is a batch file editor (OEDLIN) that was written as a test bed for another program and while it is only a simple editor I have found it to be very useful. It contains a box drawing routine that allows you draw in text mode like you would in graphics mode. It can be loaded and kept in the background of DOS for use when needed. OED- LIN sells for $15. OEDLIN is also useful for edit- ing short (<500 lines) translated PC-KEY-DRAW macro files. HISTORY 2-5 OPERATION THEORY PC-KEY-DRAW is a very comprehensive graphics sys- tem. Its large number of commands may tend to inti- midate the initial user if he/she does not fully understand the basic program philosophy. The first thing to remember is that in creating any one par- ticular drawing only a handful of the program's commands will be used. Don't feel that you have to learn everything from the start. Begin with the basics and build from there. As you become more proficient at creating graphics you may realize the need for an automated way of performing a particu- lar task. Chances are PC-KEY-DRAW already has the feature just waiting to be used. For instance, creating presentation slides for a business meeting may involve placing significant portions of text on the screen so that it is centered. Manually moving the text into place is slow so an automatic center- ing feature is included. The program is designed to be run from the keyboard Version 3 also allows a mouse mode of operation with click to select on pull down menus or instant menu selection with the click of a mouse button. Contrary to what you might think, the keyboard method is an excellent way to run a graphics pro- gram. The trained user can create all sorts of drawings quickly. You do not have to waste time clicking through a series of menus as with most other graphics programs, unless you want to. Key- board input also means you don't have to have extra equipment cluttering up your desk. Because of the drawing advantages of a mouse and since mouse sup- port is widely requested, I have greatly expanded and improved operation with a mouse. Keyboard Operation: When running PC-KEY-DRAW from the keyboard the left hand is used to select the various function keys and make other selections. The right hand is used to operate the cursor keys and the <ENTER>/<RETURN> key and to help in OPERATION THEORY 3-1 selecting commands. A variety of commands are available from the cursor mode. These are commands that control general program operation and features that are common to all of the main drawing func- tions. The function keys are used to select the area of drawing to use next. Either select a func- tion key directly or select the </> or <Space Bar> then enter the desired function number or move thru the menu with the cursor keys and select the dis- played function with <ENTER>. The function keys are used to combine commands that are similar to each other. F1 is for modification, in that its commands are used to modify objects or the screen. F2 is for creating boxes and other straight line figures, such as polygons. F3 is for generating a variety of curved lines. F4 is for shading and spray paint. F5 paints areas and modifies existing colors. It also controls the palette and background. F6 draws lines and adds text to the screen. F7 allows portions of the screen to be copied, saved, erased or moved. F8 handles files and exits to DOS. F9 sets the speed of the cursor. F10 sets the color to be used by the majority of functions. Basics: Items enclosed with < and > are commands that are entered via the keyboard using the appro- priate letter/key. Certain commands require using the Shft, Ctrl, or Alt keys with the specified key. Where this is required is indicated as <Alt-m>, for example, or <R>, <Ctrl-c>, <Shft-F9>. When sequen- tial key strokes are required they are indicated by separating the commands with a space, such as <F3 c>, or <F1 Alt-r>. OPERATION THEORY 3-2 Items enclosed with [ and ] are commands that will be taken as the default if <ENTER> is selected. The first mouse button acts as the <ENTER> key, if you are using a mouse. The second mouse button acts as the <Space Bar>. Prompts that start with "Enter" require user input followed by a <ENTER>. Other prompts need only a single key to initiate. When a function is selected a list of possible com- mands are provided on the prompt line. More infor- mation is available by using the cursor keys. Func- tions can be selected by entering the appropriate letter and Shft, Ctrl, or Alt as needed. Or the <ENTER> key can be hit to select the displayed com- mand. Note that the commands are case sensitive. A lowercase "m" is different from an uppercase "M" in its effect, but they both have the same basic mean- ing. Consider F7 which allows 4 different ways to move an object to the screen. All of them are a type of move so that "m" is appropriate, but to differentiate between the different moves a "m" is used either alone or with the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt keys. Not every command has four levels to it. Those commands that have more then one level are designated on the prompt line by the letter fol- lowed by a ".". If you enter a function and then change your mind or realize the need to reposition the cursor first, select <n> or <Esc> or <Space Bar> to return the CURSOR MODE. When operating from the keyboard you should position the cursor as desired first and then select the desired function. Help: Three levels of help are provided within the program. This manual and the quick reference card provide additional help as needed. Registered users can also get help from OEDWARE by mail or by calling anytime from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week. OPERATION THEORY 3-3 The first help level is readily reached when selecting a function or selecting a directive within a function. Moving the cursor will display the possible options. The second level of help is also immediately avail- able, but must be called up when needed by select- ing <h>, <H>, or <?>. It can also be set from within the Status configuration screen by specify- ing the Novice Mode. To turn the level two help screen off, simply select <H> from the CURSOR MODE or specify Expert Mode in the configuration screen. The third level of help resides on the disk and takes a second or two to be read in when called with <h>, <H>, or <?> (assuming level two is cur- rently displayed) It displays KD-DRAW.HLP as appropriate for the CURSOR MODE or for the selected function. Mouse Operation: PC-KEY-DRAW is now easy to use with a mouse. There are three basic methods of using a mouse with the program: Method one is to use the keyboard to selected com- mands and use the mouse only for cursor movement. Method two works in conjunction with the Novice Mode (level two help). Use the mouse to click on the function you want with button 1 then move the cursor to start position, click with button 1 a second time, select desired directive and follow prompts. This simulates how most graphics programs employ a mouse, but it is a silly way to operate, since you are constantly moving the mouse away from where you are working. Method three is a much better way to use the mouse than method two, but I still prefer method one. With method one you start by positioning the cursor as desired for the start of a directive, ie the center of the circle or one corner of box. Hit the OPERATION THEORY 3-4 second mouse button (=<Space Bar> or </>) to dis- play function menu. Move the cursor through the menu and hit the first mouse (=<ENTER>) button on the desired function. Move the cursor again to select the desired directive within the function and again select with the first mouse button. General Operation: There are two basic types of function commands, (directives) those that act on an object and those that act on the entire screen. For commands that act on the entire screen the action is started by selecting the appropriate com- mand and following any prompts. When the action is complete the program will ask if the result was correct before saving it to the drawing you are working on. Before selecting a command to create or to modify an object the cursor should first be moved to the desired start of the function, such as the center of the circle, or one of the corners of a rectangle. Some commands that work on an object require that you first define the object by enclos- ing it in a box, then selecting <ENTER>. Some object functions can be color specific, ie. only the color set by <F10> will be acted on. If a func- tion does not appear to work, it maybe that the color was improperly set. It is somewhat easier to learn PC-KEY-DRAW by work- ing in the high resolution mode. This is because the prompt line allows 80 columns as compared to 40 in the medium/color mode. The 80 columns allow additional information to be displayed. Virtually all functions available in color are available in high resolution and vice versa. Extra prompts have been added as part of version 3 to help guide the user through each function. If you are using the 40 column mode the prompt will be replaced by the cur- sor information as the cursor is moved. To see the prompt type any non command key. Pull down menus have also been added to aid learning the program as they display extra information on the screen. A sample of what the screen would look like in medium OPERATION THEORY 3-5 resolution with the main menu is shown in Figure 2. The menu is toggled with <H> or can be set as part of the program configuration with <Ctrl-s>. A com- plete help file is included and can be called up when entering a function if further information is needed by select <h>. The help file can also be reached from the CURSOR MODE for information on commands that can be used at anytime the cursor can be moved on the screen. Consider the keyboard as an input device compared to a two or three button mouse. Most people have ten fingers, why not use them. Version 3 does allow a mouse to be used in much the same fashion as with other point and click programs, but its slower and less powerful. The mouse is best for free hand drawing using <l>ine or <c>ursor of <F6>. Ulti- mately I hope to allow a lightpen, joystick, and/or digitizer to be used. CAD VS. PAINT: PC-KEY-DRAW is much more than a paint program, but it is not yet a true CAD pro- gram. True CAD programs operate by storing every- thing entered in a vector format, while paint pro- grams store things only as bitmapped images. PC- KEY-DRAW provides vector save capabilities only for line drawing in F6. Bitmapped graphics are used as the primary save method, but unlike other graphics programs you can draw on up to 64 screens at once or use multiple layers. The key macro capabilities provide a relative vector system for saving draw- ings that can be very useful. The key macro used with direct coordinate entry provides true CAD capability to a limited extent. These three meth- ods of operation make PC-KEY-DRAW very powerful. It has all of the features of low cost paint pro- grams combined with many of the features of high cost CAD programs. The hybrid design allows you to do things that cannot be done with either pure CAD or pure paint programs. It also means that you don't need one program to design with and a second program to do illustrations. But PC-KEY-DRAW OPERATION THEORY 3-6 doesn't stop with just providing CAD and paint fea- tures. It also includes one of the most comprehen- sive slide show systems as part of its macro capa- bility along with banner and poster printing. Because of the numerous commands and the hybrid design different users will use different func- tions. Summary of Operation: There are several important things to remember when using PC-KEY-DRAW: 1. PC-KEY-DRAW is very case sensitive. Be sure to use lower case as primary. There are 4 possible cases for a given key. These are: lower case, uppercase (Shft), Ctrl case, and Alt case. 2. Some directives operate on objects and must be defined by enclosing in a box, while some directives operate on the entire screen. 3. Position cursor first, then select desired function. 4. Some directives are color sensitive. If an operation doesn't appear to work it may be that the color, as set by F10 is not appropriate. All color sensitive commands have an all color alternative. 5. Most actions work from a single key or SHFT-key, Alt-key, or Ctrl-key combination and do not require an <ENTER>. 6. "Enter" preceding a prompt indicates that a prompt answer must end with an <ENTER>. 7. Brackets ([ ]) enclosing part of the prompt line indicate the default value that will be used if <ENTER> is selected. OPERATION THEORY 3-7 The chapter you have just read is probably the most important section of the manual. If you understand the theory behind PC-KEY-DRAW you will find it easy to use and very fast. If you don't understand the basic operation of the program reread this section, then try the program. Some find the best way to learn PC-KEY-DRAW is to play and experiment, rather than jumping right in and attempting to create an architectural drawing or other work of art. The first time you picked up a pencil, pen, or paintbrush you probably did not create a work of art. Others find it is best to have a project in mind before starting. In that way they learn the commands they need immediately and don't bother with commands that aren't needed for their particular project. Give yourself time to learn. PC-KEY-DRAW is not designed to mimic existing manual drawing tools, it is more of a new way to draw. It is a tool, just like the manual tools mentioned, and learning to use it may take time, but once you have learned it the program is very fast, easy to use, fun, and very powerful. OPERATION THEORY 3-8