Thank you for your interest in Micrografx Graphics Suite 2. The Graphics Suite combines five best-of-breed applications that deliver the features and functionality business professionals need throughout an entire organization, enabling users to integrate and share graphics in business communication. If your organization is looking to standardize on a single suite of graphics applications that meet the needs of individuals across the enterprise, Graphics Suite 2 is the solution for you.
Once you test drive this 30-Day Trial, visit your favorite reseller to purchase the full version. Or you can call Micrografx directly in the U.S. at 1-800-482-7980 or in Canada call 1-800-360-8464. For orders outside the U.S. and Canada, see your local Micrografx sales office. For a list of offices, go to http://www.micrografx.com.
1. If you have not already registered on our web site or registered with a customer service sales representative, please complete and mail in the registration card. As a registered user, you will receive important product upgrade information.
2. Install Graphics Suite 2 30-Day Trial CD-ROM.
To install Graphics Suite 2 30-Day Trial on Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0:
a. Start Windows 95.
b. Insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
c. Double-click the CD-ROM drive icon in My Computer.
d. Double-click SETUP.EXE.
e. Follow the instructions on screen.
To install Graphics Suite 2 30-Day Trial on Windows NT 3.51:
a. Start Windows NT.
b. Insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
c. Click the CD-ROM drive icon in the File Manager.
In addition to the clip art on the 30-Day Trial CD, the full version of Graphics Suite 2 includes over 250 TrueType fonts (the Trial version includes the 19 fonts required for Designer projects). The full version also includes many more clip art symbols and images (the Trial version includes a 30-megabyte sampling of clip art).
Installing Graphics Suite 2 on Windows NT 3.51
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A Service Pack 5 has been issued by Microsoft for NT3.51 that fixes a number of problems with the operating system. The problem affects how applications install, specifically as it relates to the registry. Windows NT 3.51 (Service Pack 5) allows Picture Publisher 7 to be installed correctly.
Service Pack 5 must be installed first. If it is not, you may have problems in Picture Publisher 7 with special effects and Wizards, causing the program to crash (due to the registry fixes in Service Pack 5).
Incorrect "available hard drive space" information
If you are running the Windows 95 Service Pack #2 and using Fat32 to format a hard drive larger than 2 gigabytes(gig), the installation of Graphics Suite 2 will report an incorrect number for the available hard drive space.
Filenames
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Fully qualified filenames over 128 characters may not be detectable or accessible by some applications within Graphics Suite 2. This includes many file types including application components, data files, clip art, palettes, etc. If this occurs, make sure the filename (including the path) is less than 128 characters.
Double-byte character sets
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Graphics Suite 2 supports double-byte character sets. This means that if you run any of our programs on the Chinese or Korean versions of Windows 95, you can use native non-English character sets.
Virus checkers
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Virus checkers installed with "strict" checking prevent you from copying files to the hard disk until the checker has scanned the file. If you have a virus checker on your system, disable the checker or set it to a different mode before installing Graphics Suite 2.
About fonts
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Windows requires that fonts be installed to the same drive where Windows is located. If your computer's hard drive is set up as more than one drive (for example, drive C: and drive D:), you can choose to install Graphics Suite 2 to any drive, but you must have enough space available for fonts on the drive that contains Windows.
About graphics
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Graphics Suite 2 does not support CMYK JPEG images. Although most CMYK JPEG images produce a "not supported" message, some images cause the application to stop responding.
Online Help -- The Graphics Suite 2 context-sensitive, online help system is designed so you can easily find the information you want for all the programs. Using the new Windows 95 help system, it's easier than ever to find exactly what you're looking for with a few mouse clicks.
Technical Support -- Micrografx offers a number of technical support services for Graphics Suite 2. Please call (972) 234-2694 for further information regarding fee-based support options, fax support, and online services.
Online Services -- Micrografx maintains forums on America Online and CompuServe so that you can exchange information with other users, download information about new products and services, and read answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). Locate the keyword MGX on America Online or type GO MICROGRAFX on CompuServe to access the forums. In addition, you can contact Micrografx through our World Wide Web site on the Internet. Our Web address is http://www.micrografx.com.
The tutorials are installed on the hard drive with a Typical and Custom install (with 'Designer Templates' sub-component selected). If the tutorial files in the Project Wizard are not installed on the local hard drive, the files can be found in a folder named Tutorial\Designer on the CD.
When you perform a Compact install, no TrueType fonts are installed on the local hard drive. Designer 7 adds system registry entries for Designer 3.1 files; these registry entries remap the fonts used in those drawings to your available fonts.
If you have problems with the font appearance of the templates in the Project Wizard, rerun the Graphics Suite 2 installer, choose Custom install, and select only the TrueType fonts item from the list. This adds the necessary fonts to your hard drive to display the template files correctly.
The tutorial files are installed on the hard drive with a Typical and Custom install (with the 'Micrografx FlowCharter' and 'FlowCharter Tutorial Files' sub-component selected).
If you perform a Compact install, no tutorial files are installed on your hard drive. If you do this, you can still find all the tutorial files you need on the CD in a folder called Tutorial\Flow7.
The basic tutorial files are installed on the hard drive with a Typical and Custom install (with the 'Micrografx Picture Publisher' and 'Tutorial images' sub-components selected).
If you want to start a tutorial in the middle, rather than going through it from start to finish, you must open the appropriate file on the CD. These Picture Publisher tutorial files can be found on the CD in a folder called Tutorial\Picpub7. (Refer to the Picture Publisher 7 Tutorials chapter to find out which file you need to open.)
If you perform a Compact install, no tutorial files are installed on your hard drive. You can find all the tutorial files you need on the CD in a folder called Tutorial\Picpub7.
You can install Kodak's Color Management System (CMS) software through the Micrografx Graphics Suite 2 installer. Choose the Custom setup option, and then from the Select Components dialog box, highlight Picture Publisher and click Details. Choose Color Management System and click Continue. Follow the instructions on screen for the remainder of the installation.
Installing the Color Management System installs a selection of the most popular transforms in a folder named KPCMS\DCPDB on the drive where Windows is installed. If the KPCMS folder is not found there, you can locate it by checking the KPCMS.INI file in the Windows folder. If you do not find a KPCMS.INI file in the Windows folder, reinstall the Color Management System.
Besides the transforms installed by the Micrografx Graphics Suite 2 installer, other transforms are available on the CD in the KODAK, HP, 3M, EPSON, OPEN, JAPAN, CANON, and TEKTRNIX folders. To install these transforms, copy them to the KPCMS\DCPDB folder. After any transform file is added or deleted, delete the UID.DAT file. Then enable color management by opening Picture Publisher, selecting it in EDIT/TOOLS/OPTIONS, and clicking APPLY.
You can remove CMS transforms that you have installed by deleting their files in the KPCMS\DCPDB folder. The transform files have the extension *.pt and can be identified by examining the contents of the file. After any transform file is added or deleted, delete the UID.DAT file. Then enable color management by opening Picture Publisher, selecting it in EDIT/TOOLS/OPTIONS, and clicking APPLY.
Contact Kodak for purchasing other transforms. Call (800) 75-COLOR for details.
For more information on Kodak Color Management, please contact Kodak for their book "Managing Color with Micrografx Picture Publisher." You can reach Kodak at (800) 752-6567.
Picture Publisher does not support CMS profiles built using the Kodak Input Profile Builder 3.3.
Send Binary PostScript
----------------------
To use the Send Binary PostScript option in the Print dialog, you must also have Tagged binary communications protocol checked in the Advanced dialog of the PostScript Tab located in the printer's Properties dialog. You can only set this option from Control Panel or Printers (in the Settings flyout of the Start menu).
KPT 3.0
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Do not install KPT 3.0 or any other 32-bit plug-ins in the same folder as your 16-bit plug-ins. You must install 32-bit plug-ins in a different folder.
Photoshop files
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PhotoShop files with transparent backgrounds are not supported.
Macros and third party plug-ins
-------------------------------
Running third party plug-ins in a macro may cause the application to stop responding.
Andromeda
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Regenerating Andromeda plug-ins through the Command List may cause your system to stop responding.
Alien Skin 2.0
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Alien Skin 2.0 plug-ins may cause your application to stop responding if the Object selected doesn't fill up the Alien Skin preview window. In addition, some of these plug-ins may not work on masked areas. Contact Alien Skin for upgrades to correct these problems.
Picture Publisher Image Viewer
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The Picture Publisher Image Viewer only works if you install Quick View. To install Quick View, go to Control Panel, run Add/Remove Programs, and change to the Windows Setup Tab. Select Accessories, click Details, and select Quick View in the Components list box. To use the Picture Publisher Image Viewer, right-click on a file type supported by Picture Publisher in the Explorer and select View from the right mouse menu.
Picture Publisher special effects
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You can only run Picture Publisher special effects on images greater than 256 colors. If the Image\Effects menu is grayed out you must first convert the image to an RGB by going to the menu Image\Convert to\RGB color.
Animated cursors
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Additional animated cursors are available as .ani files in the Picture Publisher folder. To change the new animated cursor (camera) to one of the old animated cursors, rename the pp70.ani file to something else to save it, and then copy the beachball or clock .ani file to pp70.ani.
K channel
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To display the K channel after importing a CMYK TIFF file, click Setup Print Style under File/Setup Printer and choose a Black Generation Map.
Tips for using Tablets
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Do not set the tablet to a specific place in the tablet. Use the whole tablet, not portions picked by the wintab driver.
Pressure sensitivity turned on with brush size is not available with some brush tips.
Docking custom toolbars
-----------------------
When docking a custom toolbar at the bottom of the window with the status bar, make sure that the toolbar rectangle is on the top or bottom portion of the status bar. Docking directly in the middle of the status bar causes the toolbar to be docked as a tiny sliver at the right side of the status bar. If this happens, undock the toolbar by dragging the tiny sliver into the work area.
HP 820Cxi print driver
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Using the HP 820Cxi print driver, a centered image will not always print in the center of the page.
PPF files
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Picture Publisher 7 PPF files containing Command Center information will not load correctly into Picture Publisher 6.0.
Kodak DC25 Digital Camera
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Images created by the Kodak DC25 Digital Camera open inverted by Picture Publisher. To correct this problem, open the Image menu and choose Invert.
Non-wintab tablets
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Non-wintab tablets are not fully supported by Picture Publisher.
CMYK Targa files
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Picture Publisher does not support CMYK Targa files.
Registry entries
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You can change these items in the Registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Micrografx\Picture Publisher\7.0\Settings to modify the program's behavior.
To turn off hi-resolution rebuild when you paste low-resolution data into a hi-resolution image, change the following entry in the Registry:
NoHiResRebuild=0
to
NoHiResRebuild=1
You can disable the warning dialog box for read-only files. Picture Publisher defaults to warning dialog boxes appearing when you try to open or save to a read-only file. You can modify the following entry in the Registry file to do this:
WarnReadOnly='Number'
'Number' can either be 1 which is ON, or 0 which is OFF. The setting is ON by default.
Windows NT specifics:
The Use Printer Screening option in the Print dialog causes the image to print incorrectly in NT. The image will print correctly if this option is turned OFF.
* Lets you experiment with the reshaping editors but does not let you keep the changes you make. There is no OK button in the reshaping editors.
* Does not create animated GIF or VRML files.
* Does not import DXF files.
* Includes only the Lite catalog.
Cannot Undo after Deleting a Parent Object
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Setting the Undo Object Deletion option lets you use Undo to restore a deleted object, However, you may not always be able to undo after deleting a parent object. You can undo if the deleted parent object is the top parent in the hierarchy, but you cannot undo deletion of a parent object that is also the child of another parent.
Problems with Playback of Simply 3D AVI Files
---------------------------------------------
The Windows 95 Media Player has problems playing back AVIs at some sizes when compressed using Microsoft Video1 or Indeo compression types.
If you experience problems, you can either re-save the AVI using a different type of compression, or play the AVI with Microsoft's ActiveMovie player. The player is available on Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web site.
Simply 3D Catalogs Stored on CD
-------------------------------
Simply 3D catalogs contain professionally designed 3D objects, materials,lighting schemes, and animations that you can use in your 3D scenes. Depending on the installation options you select while installing Simply 3D, your hard disk may not receive copies of all the catalogs.
All of the Simply 3D catalogs are on one of the installation CDs.
To use a catalog stored on a CD:
1 Insert the CD.
2 In Simply 3D, click Load Catalog on the File menu. The Catalog Browser is displayed.
3 Click the Browse button and navigate to the S3D2ART folder on the CD.
4 Double-click the catalog that you want to use.
Note: If you have trouble using a catalog stored on a network drive, even after successfully browsing to the catalog's folder, try mapping a drive letter (such as P: or Q:) to the drive.
Direct3D Acceleration in Simply 3D
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Simply 3D 2 can use Windows 95 Direct3D for acceleration in both software and hardware support modes. These modes and issues specific to each are discussed below. At the time of the release of Graphics Suite 2, Microsoft's Direct3D is not supported under Windows NT. Under Windows NT 4.0 or 3.51, use OpenGL acceleration instead.
Direct3D with Software
----------------------
In software-only mode, all the 3D computations necessary for displaying the scene are handled by the CPU.
To enable Direct3D software-only mode in Simply 3D 2:
1 On the Tools menu, click Options.
2 Click Drawing Mode, and then click Solid Shaded.
3 In the Acceleration box, select Direct3D.
4 Make sure that Double Buffered and Texture Map are also selected.
Direct3D with Hardware
----------------------
In hardware mode, the 3D computations are handled by dedicated 3D-acceleration hardware (typically found on a specialized video card) instead of by the CPU. With appropriate 3D hardware, Direct3D can significantly speed up the drawing of your 3D scenes.
If you are unsure whether or not your video card has 3D acceleration, you should contact your video-card manufacturer before attempting to use Direct3D hardware support in Simply 3D 2.
To use Direct3D hardware support, follow the steps above in the "Direct3D with Software" section, and then do the following:
1 In the Acceleration section of the Options dialog box, click the Advanced button.
2 Deselect "Force 'Software Only' Acceleration".
If your hardware drivers are set up properly, you should get faster performance when previewing your 3D scenes. There are two issues to remember about hardware Direct3D support:
* Most Direct3D-enabled hardware works best in 16-bit video modes (65,000 or 35,000 colors). True color (24 and 32 bit) and 256 color (8 bit) may be slower and, in fact, may disable hardware support altogether or even cause system crashes.
* Many 3D accelerated cards only provide 3D acceleration at or below certain resolutions. Check the documentation that came with your 3D acceleration hardware to make sure you are running in an appropriate video mode before attempting Direct3D hardware support.
Saving a Simply 3D Scene as a Bitmap File
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When you save a scene as a bitmap file, Simply 3D saves the most recently rendered image unless you change the width or height settings in the Save As dialog box.
This characteristic can save time, especially for a scene that takes a long time to render. However, if you make changes to a scene after rendering it, the saved bitmap file will not reflect those changes.
You can save your FlowCharter 7 files in a file format that is readable by ABC FlowCharter 4.0 and ABC FlowCharter 6. However, when you choose to do that, you should be aware that you will lose some of the files' attributes, as described below:
Gradient Fills -- Shapes with gradient fills will appear correctly in ABC FlowCharter 4.0 and ABC FlowCharter 6. However, when you open the file in FlowCharter 7 again, the shapes will not have the gradient fill attribute set. The shapes will have a series of bands that can be individually formatted and colored.
Rotated bitmaps -- Rotated bitmaps (not 90 degrees) will appear correctly in ABC FlowCharter 6, but when read back to FlowCharter 7, the bitmaps will become a series of bitmaps defining the mask and the scan lines. The original bitmap will be gone.
Scripts -- Scripts will be lost.
Lines -- Filled lines will become normal lines. Wide, styled lines will become hairline. Shadows and 3D effects on lines will be lost.
Shadows -- Any shadow not available in ABC FlowCharter 4.0 or ABC FlowCharter 6 will be converted to the default shadow. (The default shadow appears on the bottom, right of a shape.)
3D -- 3D attributes are lost.
Worksheet -- Worksheet state data will be lost (for example, the worksheet window's position and location where you have the window docked will be lost, etc.).
Allow Styling - You will not be able to change the style of objects with multiple fills or lines in ABC FlowCharter 6, unless you turn on the checkbox in the Shape Properties dialog.
Groups -- Groups are ungrouped; they become individual objects again.
Layers -- Objects will no longer be on separate layers.
Pages across and down -- Values are lost, across and down are recalculated when an old file is read in.
CoolSheets - CoolSheets will be lost, but shapes that were placed using a CoolSheet will appear in the correct locations in ABC FlowCharter 4.0 and ABC FlowCharter 6.
Rotated text - Rotated text will appear to be unrotated in ABC FlowCharter 4.0 and ABC FlowCharter 6.
Links to Internet - Links to the Internet will still work. The data specifying the link will be there, but it will just launch your browser. Your browser may prompt you to download the file.
Linking to charts on the web
----------------------------
If you want to link to charts on the web ("trans-web linking"), you must install either Internet Explorer 3.0 or higher, or WebCharter. If you already have Internet Explorer 3.x or higher installed, you do not need to install WebCharter to use the trans-web linking feature.
WebCharter is included on the CD. When you install QuickSilver and WebCharter, you install some files necessary for the support of trans-web linking.
Installing Visual Basic Script Documentation
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1 Open the Explorer or My Computer.
2 Browse to the VBS folder on the CD.
3 Double-click the file called Vbsdoc.exe. The documentation installs.
Installing WebCharter
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WebCharter is available as a component of QuickSilver. Be sure to select the QuickSilver component in the Custom installation options if you want to run WebCharter.
Importing Data from Databases
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FlowCharter 7 only supports the importing of data from Microsoft Access databases, Excel, and text files. Other ODBC data sources are not supported.
VB3TO4.EXE
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The VB3TO4.EXE utility converts Visual Basic form files written using ABCAUTO.VBX so that they will use FLOW.OCX (not ABCFLOW.OCX as the utility states). Refer to the automate help file for instructions on converting your forms. To open the automate help file:
1 In the \Program Files\Micrografx\FlowCharter folder, double-click automate.hlp.
If you set a 3D style, then try to draw a line, FlowCharter automatically closes the shape and applies a 3D effect. This situation occurs when you select the Draw Tool, then select Jointed Line or Curved Line when a 3D effect is turned on.
If you want to draw a line without it turning into a closed shape, turn off the 3D effect. To do so:
1 Click the 3D button on the Formatting toolbar.
2 Click No 3D.
Shapes drawn with solid, nominal width lines
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You may observe some display problems when you have charts containing shapes drawn with solid, nominal width lines and you have certain Chips and Technologies video drivers. Contact your vendor for updated drivers.
Saving a .FLO file -- "Failed to save document" message
To install FlowCharter successfully, your storage device (hard drive) must support long file names. Windows 95 and Windows NT both support long file names by default. You may run into this problem:
- If you are running on a Windows NT system and have turned off support for long file names.
- If you are using a diskless workstation which uses a network server as your hard drive, and the server does not support long file names.
You must have support for long file names on your system to install FlowCharter successfully. If either of the two conditions apply to you, contact your system administrator for help.
You can save FlowCharter 7 files (.FLO) as ABC FlowCharter 6 files. However, when you do so, you will not be able to place objects outside of the first page.
To work around this problem:
1 Open the file in ABC FlowCharter 6.
2 On the File menu, click Page Setup.
3 Click OK.
4 Change the zoom level.
After you follow this procedure, you will be able to place objects outside of the first page.
Can't open files -- Embedded OLE objects and Shapes with 3D effects
