To use the help system simply select the subject you wish help on from the pop-up menu at the top right of this window.
The help system and the whole application are copyrighted ⌐ 1991 Mark Dunlop, all rights reserved.
┘Converter
Colour Converter allows users to convert Sun¬ raster files into Macintosh¬ PICT format. This allows the files to be opened from within many Macintosh applications and printed to a Macintosh printer.
Colour Converter can convert standard or run length encoded format sun rasters with 1 bit or 8 bit depth. Colour rasters are converted to version 2 pictures while monochrome are converted to version 1 pictures.
┘Shareware
This software is not free but may be distributed without commitment so long as:
Ñ no fee of any kind is made for the
software
Ñ the software (including ╥About Box╙ and
this help file are not altered in any
manner.
Ñ the software is deleted if you do not send
the shareware contribution.
Send me ú10 / 15 ECU / US$ 20 to fulfil your shareware commitment. My address is in the about box and the last page of this help.
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┘Getting Files
Files should be transferred to the Macintosh using a file transfer application which is in binary mode. Please ensure you are in binary mode, most of the ╘bug reports╒ I received from ╘classic╒ Converter were results of non-binary file transfer.
AUFS is NOT suitable for transferring files, although see the help page on AUFS if you would find this useful.
┘Opening Files
Most file transfer applications shall produce text files from the downloaded file (i.e. file type will be TEXT).
In a few cases, however, the file may not be of type TEXT. If you cannot see the file from the ╘Convert╒ dialogue box then select cancel and choose the convert command again - but this time hold down the shift key. This will allow you to convert a file of any type. Converter checks the start of the file for a ID (magic) number which specifies that the files are Sun rasters - the magic number is the Unix equivalent to Creator and Type on the Macintosh.
┘Multiples
You can convert (or print) many sun rasters in one go by selecting the appropriate menu command. Colour Converter shall then ask you to select any file in the folder you wish to convert. You will also be asked where to place the converted files if they are not to be printed. It shall then scan though that folder (and any folder which it contains) for TEXT files and will attempt to convert / print each file in turn.
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┘Preferences
There are three sets of preferences available on the Preferences menu. Select the preferences you require for the type of rasters you are converting (monochrome or colour) or select general for some preferences relating to the general behaviour of Colour Converter.
┘Ratio
The monochrome and colour preferences dialogues allow you to select a ratio for rasters to be converted to, they are:
1:1 direct pixel for pixel copy resulting in
a 72 dpi PICT
1:2 squeeze 2 Sun pixels into one Mac
pixel resulting in a 144dpi PICT
1:4 squeeze 4 Sun pixels into one Mac
pixel resulting in a 288dpi PICT
Use 4% reduction when printing at 300dpi.
┘Creator
The monochrome and colour preferences dialogues allow you to specify the creator of the Macintosh PICT file. The creator specifies which application will be used to open the file when it is double-clicked from the Finder¬. The choice of creator is different for colour and monochrome and both have a custom setting which may be altered by selecting the custom setting.
┘Brightening
When converting a colour raster the colour table can be brightened. This is useful when the file is to be printed, as many printers give results darker than the screen values.
┘AUFS
While it is not possible to transfer files to the Macintosh using AUFS it is possible to convert files which are held on an AUFS server. The ╘AUFS compatible╒ option in the general preferences dialogue must be set on, then files can be converted which are held on AUFS.
The problem with AUFS is that it assumes any Unix¬ created files are textual and performs some small conversions as the file is transferred. This can have fatal results when transferring binary files like raster images.
┘Temp Files
When printing a Sun raster the file is first converted, the converted file is printed, and finally deleted. The temporary file must be stored on disk somewhere; the general preferences allows you to specify whether this file should be stored in the System Folder or in the directory where the Sun raster is (the source folder).
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┘Finally
Please send bug reports, shareware cheques (payable to Mark Dunlop) and comments to me at:
