Chip 2002 September/Chip_2002-09_cd1.bin/sharewar/poster/Poster7.exe/{app}/Readme.txt

Text File | 2002-07-01 | 25KB | 502 lines

THE POSTER PROGRAM. Version 7.7 for Windows.  6/23/2002.

Congratulations on downloading a highly acclaimed and exceptionally
popular program, winner of a 5-star rating from ZD-Net.
Over 30,000 people download and enjoy POSTER every month!
Try this program -- then be sure to register it so you can print more
than twelve posters or banners. Registration is only $18,
and you'll get unlimited free support and free upgrades for the next two years.

=================================================================================

NEW - Wizard for enlarging photographs.
NEW - Margins are now displayed for full WYSIWYG performance.
NEW - Import formatted RTF files from Microsoft Word and other word processors.
NEW - Print posters and banners virtually UNLIMITED in size.
NEW - Support for transparent bitmaps (make any color in a bitmap transparent).
NEW - True 3D text special effects.
NEW - Easily print your poster or banner at Kinko's on one of their poster printers.
NEW - Improved support for large-format printers and plotters.

ATTENTION CURRENT POSTER USERS:
Poster 7.7 now displays the 'non-printing' margins around each page.
This way you see the page exactly as it will look when you print it.
The margins are shown by dotted gray lines.
To turn off this behavior and not show margins, select View->Options,
and check "Don't Show Margins".

==============================================================================
===============================================================================
CONTENTS:
    Introduction.
    Special Note for Poster 5 and 6 Users
    Installation.
    Support and Registration.
    Printer Driver notes.
    What's New.
    Association of Shareware Professionals Statement.
    UnInstall.
    Disclaimer.
    Usage.

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INTRODUCTION.

POSTER is the acclaimed Windows shareware program for making big posters,
signs, and banners. Posters and banners can be virtually unlimited in size.
Poster combines the best features of word-processing, graphics, and
desktop publishing with features especially tuned for big posters and banners.
This includes complete flexibility in the placement of graphics,
a full set of drawing tools and over 100 special effects (like 3D, rotate,
and arch) for text. All text and graphics are enlarged
and tiled over multiple pages. POSTER supports all True-Type and ATM fonts, and
imports graphics from BMP, GIF, JPG, TIF, and WMF files, scanners (TWAIN),  the
Clipboard, and OLE applications. A spelling checker is included. POSTER supports
full color, and all Windows-compatible printers.  Full support is provided for
non-standard poster and paper sizes, including continuous form banner printing.
POSTER includes exclusives like picture smoothing for smooth enlargements, and
font stretching for all windows fonts, including special effects.

A tutorial, extensive on-line help, and over 100 examples and templates are
included, together with clipart, textures and many fancy borders.


POSTER is great for a wide variety of projects at work, school, home, or
clubs:
1. Creating large posters for presentations, projects, charts.
2. Creating large signs for advertisements, announcements.
3. Creating banners for special events.
4. Enlarging pictures and charts for display.
See the Poster Examples for ideas.


- You can use POSTER with full confidence in a commercial-quality product.
  POSTER is the product of professional software developers, and has been
  continuously distributed and enhanced for the past 7 years.

- Don't just take our word for it. What do professional software reviewers think?
  - POSTER has earned the Ziff-Davis Net (publishers of PC Magazine and PC Week)
    Shareware 5-star rating, the highest rating from the premier internet download
    site.
  - the AOL Desktop Publishing Top Pick rating,
  - the Rocket-Download 4-smiley rating,
  - the Softseek Editor's Pick rating,
  - the Quality Shareware 4-Q rating.

If you like POSTER, try PUBLISH-iT - you can create professional-quality
newletters, brochures, and other publications. You can try PUBLISH-iT before you
buy it - and it comes to you at the shareware price of only $22. Check it out
at www.postersw.com.

=================================================================================

INSTALLATION.

Double click on poster7.exe to run the installation program.
==============================================================================

SUPPORT.

For the latest on Poster, including the latest version, tips and hints,
etc., see our web page:
  http://www.postersw.com

If you have any problems or suggestions, please send us a note.  Our
email address is: [e-mail]
Or you can call us at [phone].

==============================================================================
REGISTRATION.

POSTER is shareware. If you try this program, find it useful, and
continue to use it, please register. The cost is only $18  -
less than a tank of gas or a meal at a good restaurant - and POSTER keeps on
working for you for years. $18 is a terrific value for a program as powerful POSTER.

Unregistered users are limited to printing 12 posters.
When you register, you will receive unlimited support, future
upgrades for 2 years, and a disk with the latest version.  You will receive the
registration code immediately, which will remove the 12 poster
limit. To register:

For INSTANT Registration.
    By the WEB: http://www.postersw.com. (Visa, MC, Amex, Discover):
    By Phone: Call
             SWREG at 1-866-500-6750 (toll free).  Ask for Poster (#2378P7),
        Overseas customers, call SWREG at one of the following numbers:
        Australia 1800069620  Norway 800 10772
        Canada 866 723 3439  Portugal 800 844031
        Germany 0800 1808206  Spain 900 95 8969
        Ireland 1800 509145  Sweden 0207 96278
        Italy 801 781702  Switzerland 0800 835132
        Netherlands 0800 0232865  UK 01297 552862
        New Zealand 0508555200

    (Do NOT use these numbers for any support questions. Instead, call
       [phone].)

For 24 hour response:
        By FAX: Fax to Poster Software at [phone].
        Include your credit card number AND expiration date.

For 1 week response:
    Send $18 (+ $5 for a CD) check drawn on a US BANK, money order, or cash (US DOLLARS) to:
    POSTER Software
    PO Box 1064
    Milton WA. 98354
    USA

You may print an order form by copying the file ORDER.TXT to your
printer.

When you register, for an additional $5 in shipping, you can receive a CD
containing the latest versions of all our products (POSTER, DRAWiT, Publish-iT, Present-it), 100 fancy borders, 150 fancy paper backgrounds, 200 fonts, 400 clip art graphics, and 500 textures.

==============================================================================

PRINTER NOTES:

PRINTING AT KINKO's:
You can use POSTER to prepare a poster or banner to print at any Kinko's
store on one of their large-format poster printers. To enable this, you must
first download and install the Kinko's File Prep package. To do this,
go to www.kinkos.com, and follow the instructions.
After you have installed the package, simply select it from File->Printer Setup,
(like you would any other printer), click on properties and select the plotter
page size you want, and then print.  You will generate a file that you can send electronically, or bring to any Kinkos.

BANNER PRINTING ON HP and LEXMARK PRINTERS:
Banner (continuous forms) are supported on Lexmark and HP inkjet printers that
specifically support continuous forms - banner mode.
Note: The HP890 will NOT print on continuous forms.
1. Start POSTER. Select Banner. Then sent the banner length in pages.
2. HP Printers: Physically set the lever on the printer to banner mode.
3. Set the driver to banner mode:  File->Printer Setup->Properties.
   Click on Continuous Forms or Paper->banner.
3. When you print, select File->Print and in the dialog box,
   click "Continuous Forms".

BANNER PRINTING ON EPSON COLOR STYLUS PRINTERS.
The epson color stylus printers will print a banner up to 44 inches wide
as a single continuous page.  To do this:
1. Start POSTER.
2. Select File -> Printer Setup -> Propreties. set page size to User Defined,
   and set length to 44".
3. Select New->Horizontal (or Vertical). OR Select Banner and make it 1 page.
4. Create your poster.
5. Print it at 1x.
If you want something longer than 44", you can select BANNER, then set
the width in pages, where each page is 44". When you print, you will have
to feed in multiple 44" long pages. You will have to tape the 44" pages together.

LASERJET 6 PRINTERS:
If you are printing at 300 DPI with the PCL driver, (NOT the host-based driver),
then some special effects or warp characters will not print correctly.
The workarounds are:
1. Install and use the host-based driver. (This will not work over a network). OR
2. Print at 600 DPI.  OR
3. Select File->Printer Setup->Text Special Effects Printing Method->Alternate.
   Note: This will only work for upper case letters.

CONTINUOUS FORMS:
Poster supports continuous forms on dot matrix and the HP inkjet printers. Be
sure to check the continuous forms box in the POSTER Print dialog box.
You may use continuous forms for posters or banners.  Using it for
posters causes your poster to be printed in continuous strips, reducing
the amount you have to paste together.

PROBLEMS WITH PAGE EJECTS WITH CONTINUOUS FORMS:
If your printer page ejects or skips lines while trying to print continuous forms,
you must adjust the page size.  EACH time you print:
1. Select File->Print.  Then select Continuous Forms.
2. Click on "More"
3. Adjust the field "Override Paper Size, Height" to a smaller value if you
   get page ejects, or a larger value if you get a few blank lines.
4. Select OK.
5. Select OK.
You may have to adjust this field up or down to get Poster to go to the
very edge of the current page, and then begin the next page at the very top of
the next page.

PROBLEMS WITH DROPPED CHARACTERS AT PAGE BOUNDARIES:
If POSTER drops characters at page boundaries, try checking
the box marked "Method A1" in the PRINT dialog box.

LASERJET III USERS.
If the posters you print are missing characters at page edges, then do
the following:
1. Select "Method A1" in the Poster Print Dialog box.  Also, be sure your
   printer is set to 300 dpi.
2. If this doesn't work, or it is too slow for you, install and use the
   Laserjet II driver.

LASERJET 4 USERS.
If you cannot successfully print posters, configure your printer as
follows:
1. Select "Printer Setup":
2. Select "options".
4. Select "Graphics Mode" = "raster", "Graphics Quality"="high", and
     check "print true-type as graphics".

HP LARGE FORMAT (plotter) USERS:
Poster will support these printers. From printer setup, select the final page size
you want, such as 22 x 44.  Then start Poster and select a horizontal or vertical
poster. Print the poster at 1x.
If you want something longer, start Poster and Select Custom Size.  Then select
the number of pages long that you want (such as 1 page high by 2 pages long).
You can also build your poster for normal letter size paper.  Then select the HP
printer, select the page size you want, and let POSTER stretch and rescale your
poster or banner to fit the page.

POSTSCRIPT PRINTER USERS.
Not all Special Effects characters print properly on Postscript printers
on Windows 95, 98, and ME. (There is no problem on Windows 2000 and XP).
If you get funny characters printing out, it is probably because you are
using special effects or text warps. The workaround is:
   Select File->Printer Setup->Text Special Effects Printing Method->Alternate.
   Note: This will only work for upper case letters, so all lower case letters
    are always printed as upper case.



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WHATS NEW.
7.7b 6/30/02. Message with unprintable area. Check for printer in banner mode.
7.7 6/23/02. Always display margins in print preview. Add option to
    display margins on normal display. Add 'Guide Lines' option.
    Add Mirror Text menu entry.
7.6f 6/17/02. Fix 'flip' for clip art and metafiles.
7.6e 6/9/02. Support for Read-only files.
7.6b 5/29/02. Fix for white lines at page breaks on banners on Lexmark printers.
7.6a 5/27/02. Photo Enlargement wizard. Subscript,superscript,emboss,engrave.
    Better file error messages. Ability to shift image on page.
7.5a 4/5/02.  Fix Postscript custom size and copy count on Win2000.
7.4  3/18/02. Accept RTF (rich text). Use standard file open dialogs.
          Fixes for printing large circles; smooth using too much memory.
7.3f 10/15/01.Fix rescale for large format printers. Support wheel mouse.
7.3c 9/12/01. Improve saving to EMF files.
7.3a 9/2/01.  Fixed problem that limited total number of table cells & text boxes to 256.
    There is now no limit on the number of table cells and text boxes.
    Fix for printing metafiles (clipart) in Win2K.
7.2 6/10/01. Improved rescale dialog. New 3D effects.
7.1d 6/3/01. Improve gray soft-shadow. Fix 3D to work with warped text.
7.1c 5/29/01. Improve display of black&white bitmaps.
7.1b 5/19/01. Turn off postscript workaround on Win2K (drivers are finally fixed).
7.1 5/14/01. Add bitmap transparency. Improve custom page wizard. Add true 3D text.
7.0 5/5/01. Increase maximum size to 100x100.  Fix rescale routine. Add Kinko's and
    large format help. Turn on postscript workarounds automatically.
6.6c 3/2/01. Fix for background color on WinNT and Win2000.
    Fix for borders disappearing on Undo, and Free-form text warp problems
    when text ended in the letters w, f, t, or f.  Improve text wrap logic.
6.6b 1/30/01. Fix problem with 'Wrap Text' option which caused bitmaps to not print.
6.6  11/1/00. Automatic text wrap.  Selectable number of tiles. Clip art.
6.5  10/15/00. New Color picker. Lock objects. Variable zoom. Move forward/backward.
    freeform drawing tool.  Add bitmaps to shapes.
6.4f 9/23/00.Remember load/save directories. Ensure dictionary always found.
    Be tolerent of no printer installed.
6.4d 9/9/00. Add menu pick to change a background to a standalone picture.
    Fix occasional aborts on bitmap backgrounds.
6.4c 8/1/00. Minor bug fixes. Dialog boxes now all fit at 600x800.
6.4b 5/14/00. Fix one of the font selections calling up the size selection.
6.4a 5/7/00. Always apply 'center', 'right', and 'left' to the entire line.
6.4  4/20/00. Easy font and character size selection in toolbar. Support character
        sizes in points.
6.3o 4/1/00. Fixes: always save high color BMP files as 24 bit.
             Fix for objects not printing at page overlaps.
6.3n 3/1/00. Fix 6.3m problems with text delete, backspace, and
             text box select. Fix tab key.
6.3m 2/17/00. Improved text selection logic.
6.3j 1/29/00. Minor fixes for home and end keys.
6.3i 1/20/00. Specify bitmap resolution on 'save as bmp'.
    Fixes: printing of scale factors < 1, background overlapping border,
    page bottom display with nonstandard margins.
6.3g 12/12/99. Improve printer dialog.
6.3f 11/28/99. Misc. fixes and enhanements. Improved tutorial.
6.3c 11/12/99. Usability enhancements. Minor bug fixes.
6.3a 11/3/99. Fix problem with copy/paste. Option to center text in text boxes.
6.3  11/1/99. Table support. Consolidation of 6.2x versions.
6.2k 10/18/99.Free-form warp. Over 50 predefined warps.
6.2h 10/5/99.Revises Text Warp and Stretch logic for dramatically faster printing.
6.2g 10/1/99.Fixes problems with some of the special effects text, such as
    gradient outline and texture outline.  Lets text horizontal and
    vertical spacing operate independently.
6.2f 9/1/99. Reorganize special effects and improve shadows. Add rotated
             text with 'straight' characters. Add 'tip' option.
6.2e 9/1/99. Add 'same size' command and auto-text mode. Fix bitmap flip.
6.2d 8/19/99.  Fix scrolling problem. Add fast text rescale option.
6.2c 7/17/99. Add join commands. Fix text redraw, background overlapped edges.
6.2 7/11/99. Easily set picture size in inches or DPI.
    Fix colors in TIFF photos. Add align commands.
6.1e 6/15/99.Fix case where cursor didn't change over multiple selections.
6.1d 6/6/99. Enhancement: text attributes can be changed in 1 or multiple
    text boxes by selecting the text box in graphics mode.
6.1c 6/1/99. Fixes problem with pasting metafiles from the clipboard as borders.
6.1b 5/1/99. Fixes problems with temporary registration codes.
6.1a 4/27/99. Poster printer settings will now be local to poster.
    Don't display page size dialog if page size isn't changing.
6.1 4/4/99.  Rollup of all fixes.  Enhanced handling of metafiles.
    Copy to clipboard for other copies of POSTER, and other Window's programs.
    Many usability enhancements.
6.0q 3/22/99.  Fix for rotated text boxes placed at x=0.
6.0p 3/17/99.  Fix for HP Deskjets not always printing text boxes.
6.0m 12/18/98. Fix for A4 paper size printing 6 pages at 2x.
6.0k 12/13/98. New, more powerful Quick Start Wizard.
6.0j 11/25/98. Fix problem with font size 0.3, and acceptance of old registration.
6.0i 11/15/98. Fixes some margin problems and some font picks that didn't work.
    Ensures correct margins for Epson Stylus Color printers (.45, .55 inch).
    Fix left margin for banners, and eliminates white lines at fold.
6.0g 11/1/98.  Fixes problems with setting margins (Page->Margin)
    Fixes problems with rotating clip art (metafiles).
6.0 10/11/98.     Spell Check. Picture smoothing for smooth enlargements.
    Stretch fonts wider or taller.Support for tiff files.
    Support for scanners (TWAIN interface). Texture support.
    Clip art can be rotated. User settable margins.
    Find and replace text.Crop pictures using the mouse.
    Better support of very large bitmaps (including jpegs).
    Print multiple copies.    Improved printer troubleshooting.
5.3d 7/7/98. Fix for save to wmf files.
5.3c 7/1/98. Improved rescale logic for new size and new paper size.
         Comes up maximized. Supports window resize.
         Arrows supported on polyline and freeform curve.
5.3b 6/20/98. Fix for occasional aborts when selecting 'custom size'.
5.3 6/13/98. Fancy templates. Improved Custom Size and Banner Size selection.
    Support for very large bitmaps & jpegs,
    Free rotate. Other refinements.
5.2j 5/3/98.Picture edit of 24-bit color pictures. Specify banner size.
    Many more special effects and smart shapes.
    Free-form curves.
    Bug fix for printing arched text.
5.2i 4/19/98. Additional text special effects.  Additional gradients.
     Gradients on polygons & elipses. Line style dialog enhanced.
     Resize text on stretch of Auto Text Box.
     Fix for temp files not released.
     Fix to allow large jpeg files.
5.2h 3/22/98. Preview on Open. Minor enhancements & fixes.
5.2g 3/7/98. Change text box focus to only appear in text mode.
     Improved HELP file.
5.2f 2/7/98. Adds text box focus. Fixes occasional GPF when
     mixing text boxes and normal text.
5.2  10/20/97. Toolbar,ruler, and many usability enhancements.
5.1  9/20/97.OLE support. Improved startup. Large page support.
    Fancy shapes.  Bug fixes.
5.0c 8/8/97. Improved arrows and graphics selection.
5.0b 7/9/97.  Improved print preview. Fixes for bitmap printing,
     "Cant Print Poster" errors. Shift-arrow now selects text..
5.0 5/25/97. 32-bit port of 3.5a. No OLE support.



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ASP (Association of Shareware Professionals) OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT.

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware
Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle
works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem
with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to
help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members'
products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road,
Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX [phone] or send a CompuServe
message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536."


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UNINSTALL  (REMOVING POSTER)

To remove POSTER from your system, select Start -> Poster ->Uninstall.

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

USING POSTER.

To start using poster, simply double click on the poster icon.  POSTER
will start and ask you for the poster or banner format. After selecting
the format you want, it will present an empty page to you.  Just start
typing to begin making your poster.

The POSTER install program also associates *.POS files with POSTER.
Double clicking on a POS file will automatically start poster with that file.

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


DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT.

Users of POSTER must accept this disclaimer of warranty:
"POSTER is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all
warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation,
the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose.
The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or conse-
quential, which may result from the use of POSTER."

POSTER is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge
to the user for evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your
friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of
another system.  The essence of "user-supported" software is to
provide personal computer users with quality software without
high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to
continue to develop new products.  If you find this program
useful and find that you are using POSTER and continue to use
POSTER after a reasonable trial period, you must make a reg-
istration payment of $18.  The registration fee will license one copy
for use on any one computer at any one time.  You must treat this
software just like a book.  An example is that this software may be used
by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer
location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it
being used at one location while it's being used at another.
Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the
same time.

Commercial users of POSTER must register and pay for their copies of
POSTER within 30 days of first use, or after six posters have been
printed,  or their license is withdrawn.  Site-License arrangements may
be made by contacting the author.

Anyone distributing POSTER for any kind of remuneration should
first contact the author at the address below for authorization.
This authorization will generally be automatically granted.

You are encouraged to pass a copy of POSTER along to your
friends for evaluation.  Please encourage them to register their
copy if they find that they can use it.  All registered users
will receive a copy of the latest version of POSTER.

Registered users are entitled to free upgrades of POSTER for 2 years from
the time of registration.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
CLIP-ART.

The clip-art files that accompany POSTER (*.PMF files) are for your use
in producing posters and banners using this program.  They will not work
in any other program. You may not sell or redistribute the clip art as clip art.

These clip-art samples are representative of fine clip-art collections that
you can purchase from Poster Software, or from Clip-Art companies.

Poster Software carries 'Art Mania 10,000' from Nova development, which is
a 1-CD collection of 10,000 pieces of scalable clipart, photos, and engravings.
You may purchase this CD for only $6 from www.postersw.com.

Additional fine clipart collections are available from:
Nova Development: www.novadevelopment.com
IMSI: www.imsisoft.com
Correl: www.corel.com
and from retailers that carry these products.

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

TECHNICAL TRIVIA.

POSTER is written in C++, and complied using MSVC 5.  It consists of
over 200,000 lines of code.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bob Bedoll.
Poster Software
P.O. Box 1064, Milton WA 98354
email: [e-mail]
[phone].   FAX: [phone].