STACKS: Master Magazine v1.5x, MagMaker Tools A, MagMaker Tools B
REQUIREMENTS: HyperCard 2.1 or later.
This software is provided “As Is” without warranty of any kind. The author expressly disclaims all implied warranties, including but not limited to the implied guarantee, or makes any representations regarding the use or the results of the software or any accompanying written materials in terms of their correctness, accuracy, reliability, currentness, or otherwise. The entire risk as to the results and performance of the software and written materials is assumed by you.
Macintosh, HyperCard and HyperTalk are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
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WELCOME TO MAGMAKER.
MagMaker is a HyperCard application that makes it easy to create great looking, colorful magazines, books, newsletter and other documents – even if you have little HyperCard knowledge or artistic skill.
MagMaker turns HyperCard into a basic electronic page layout program. You can import text, choose typefaces, sizes, leading, import pictures (even color pictures) and create text run-arounds. MagMaker automatically flows text around pictures and from page to page.
MagMaker is FREE for personal, non-commercial use. A $25 one-time registration fee is required for commercial use. Once registered, you can create as many MagMaker magazines as you wish and and distribute them any way you like.
To register MagMaker, send a check for $25 made payable to Ronald Ladouceur to:
Ronald Ladouceur
c/o Media Logic, Inc
1520 Central Ave.
Albany, NY 12205
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INSTRUCTIONS
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Make sure you have at least 1,200K - 2,000K of memory allocated to HyperCard.
To see how much memory you have allocated to HyperCard, quit HyperCard and click on the HyperCard application icon once to highlight it. Select “Get Info” from the “File” menu. You can enter the memory allocation in the box in the lower right of the Get Info window. If you don’t have enough RAM to devote 1,200K - 2,000K to HyperCard, MagMaker will still run, but placed PICTs probably won’t display.
Set Your User Level to 5
You must have the HyperCard user level set to 5 to author with MagMaker. To set your user level, first go to your Home stack. Then choose "Last" from the "Go" menu. If you are running a HyperCard version earlier than v2.2 you'll have to choose "Message" from the "Go" menu and type the word Magic into the message box and then a carraige return to show the user level 5 option. Click on the 5 and then return to MagMaker.
General Overview
MagMaker is an electronic page layout program. It creates book-like or magazine-like documents. Rather than using scrolling fields, MagMaker paginates text. Paginated text is much more natural to read. You can import or directly enter text, professionally “typeset” the text, paginate the text, draw or place graphics, place PICTs and create text run-arounds. You can create a new MagMaker document from any existing MagMaker document. After you create a new magazine, you create articles. MagMaker lays out documents one article at a time. Once you have entered your text and established run-arounds, you simply “Reflow” the text. MagMaker automatically flows text around your established run-arounds and paginates the text. As you edit text and change layouts, you just “Reflow” the text and MagMaker resets and repaginates your articles.
Finished MagMaker magazines are self publishing... you do not need to distribute the MagMaker Tools A and B stacks for the documents to be read. Because of this, MagMaker documents are small and easy to copy and distribute, either by disk or electronically.
Creating a MagMaker Magazine
You can create a new MagMaker magazine from any existing MagMaker magazine. Just put a MagMaker magazine in the same folder as the MagMaker Tools A and MagMaker Tools B stacks and open the existing magazine. Then choose “Create New Magazine” from the “MagMaker” menu.
Creating Articles
MagMaker lays out magazines one article at a time. To create a new article, navigate to the article just prior to the one you wish to create and choose “New Article” from the “MagMaker” menu. MagMaker will ask you to name the article and create a blank page for the article. You can enter text directly in the body copy field or import text from a text (ASCII) file created by a word processor.
Importing Text
You can import ASCII text (copy saved as TEXT from a word processor) directly into a MagMaker magazine. First, open a new article by choosing “New Article” from the “MagMaker” menu. Next, choose “Import Text” from the “Layout” menu. MagMaker will flow text from page to page and around any text run-arounds you have established.
Typesetting Text
MagMaker can “smarten” any article’s text (insert smart quotes, strip double spaces, etc.). Just select “Typeset Text” from the “Layout” menu.
Creating Text Run-Arounds
You can place one text run-around on each page of a MagMaker magazine. Choose “Create Run-Around” from the “Layout” menu. A box labeled “Picture” will be placed on the page. You can grab any corner of the “Picture” box to enlarge or reduce it or grab the center of the box to move it around. Once the “Picture” box is in position, choose “Reflow Text” from the “Layout” menu (or just double-click the box) to imbed the run-around.
Editing Text Run-Arounds
You can edit a text run-around that has been placed on a page by choosing “Edit Run-Around” from the “Layout” menu or double-clicking the run-around. To delete a run-around, just choose “Delete Run-Around” from the “Layout” menu.
Importing Picts
One of the greatest features of MagMaker is its ability to import, place and display PICT files even color PICT files. Before MagMaker is able to display a PICT file, you must import the file into your magazine by selecting “Import Pict” from the “Layout” menu. MagMaker will ask if you wish to place the PICT file on the current page. Once imported, one PICT can be placed on each page by selecting “Place Pict” from the “Layout” menu.
You can display the same PICT in more than one place in your magazine, but you can only display 1 PICT per page.
Manipulating Picts and Creating Pict Run-Arounds
You can move a PICT around the page by holding down the option key while clicking on it and holding down your mouse button. You can automatically create a run-around for a PICT by first placing the PICT and then choosing “Create Run-Around” from the “Layout” menu. If you change the location of a page’s PICT after you’ve created a run-around, select“Delete Run-Around”and then “Create Run-Around.”
Editing the Pict List
When you import a PICT file into MagMaker, it is converted to a “Resource” (if you don’t know what this means, don’t worry). Each resource takes up memory. To keep your magazine as lean as possible, make sure there are no PICTs imported into the current magazine that are not used in that issue. You can edit the installed PICTs by selecting “Edit Pict List” from the “Layout” menu.
Notes on Picts
PICT file image size can not be manipulated by MagMaker. You must create and save your PICT file to the size you wish it to display in your magazine.
To increase speed, PICT files should be saved at the lowest possible bit depth (16 colors or 4-bit if possible and no more than 256 or 8-bit). Saving PICT as 8-bit system palette file is the best for display.
In reality, the PICT file is not actually displayed on the page, but in a floating window above the page. You will notice when you open a page or move a page, the PICT window takes a moment to catch up to the HyperCard window.
Color and grey-scale PICTs are automatically dithered on black and white screens, so your magazine should look fine on most Macs.
Reflowing Text
When you edit text or create run-arounds, you have to reflow the text to update your magazine’s page layout. To do this, choose “Reflow Text” from the “Layout” menu.
CAUTION: When you reflow text, MagMaker defaults to the magazines set font and font size. If you have made any size or font modifications to your text, those modifications will be lost when you reflow the text. It is best to create your layout and proof read it prior to changing fonts and sizes.
Creating a Table of Contents
Once your magazine is complete (or at any time), MagMaker can automatically create a table of contents. Just select “Create Table of Contents” from the “MagMaker” menu.
Changing the Magazines Body Copy Font,Size and Leading
You can change the type style, size and leading of the body copy by selecting “Set Magazine Text Font”, “Set Magazine Text Size” or “Set Magazine Text Leading”from the “MagMaker” menu.CAUTION: Changing the body copy typeface, size and leading changes those attributes for the whole magazine. You will have to reflow the text of all articles once you change font, size or leading. You can have multiple sizes and styles in the body copy of your magazine, but those styles are lost each time you reflow the text. It is best to pick a font and size prior to laying out your magazine and sick with it.
General Notes
• Only one PICT and one text run-around can be placed per page.
• Type fonts, sizes and leading can only be changed for the body copy field, not the article name or note pad fields.
• MagMaker automatically dithers color PICTs when magazines are opened on a black and white monitor.
Tips and Tricks
• When laying out a magazine that uses PICTs, select “Show Pict List” from the “MagMaker” menu. The top window shows the current page’s PICT name and location. The bottom window shows all the magazine’s installed PICTs. You can click on the lower window’s PICTs to try them out in your layout. You can also option-click the lower window’s PICTs to delete them from the magazine.
• You can nudge PICTs by changing the location values in the upper Pict List window and typing a return or enter.
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DISTRIBUTING MAGMAKER MAGAZINES
When you distribute a MagMaker magazine you need only distribute the magazine stack, not the MagMaker Tools stacks. When a reader opens a MagMaker magazine without the Tools stacks present, MagMaker automatically sets itself up as a reader. Users are given access to the full navigation and note making menu items, but not the MagMaker authoring menus.
You are free to distribute the MagMaker Tools stacks if you wish, but they must be in the original unmodified form and be accompanied by the Instructions file.
You are free to sell or distribute MagMaker created documents any way you wish once you have paid the licensing fee, but you may not sell the MagMaker Tools stacks or imply that the Tools stacks are a bonus or gift.
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READING A MAGMAKER MAGAZINE.
MagMaker has features that make reading electronic publications interesting and easy. You can page through a MagMaker magazine by selecting a menu item, clicking a button, clicking on the right or left hand side of a page, or with your computer’s arrow keys. The graph at the bottom of each page tells you where you are and you can “grab” the bar to skip forward or back in your book.
You can mark an interesting page by clicking on the little check mark icon. When you double click on this icon you can skip to the next marked page.
You can add notes to each page by selecting “Make Note” from the Navigation menu or double-clicking the note field.
You can mark your place in the book by folding over a page corner with a mouse click. The next time you open the magazine, MagMaker automatically opens to the marked page.
Of course, if you are experienced in HyperCard, you can add a full range of multi-media options to your magazines.
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JOIN THE MAGMAKER PUBLISHING SOCIETY (It’s Free!) Many new features are planned for future upgrades of MagMaker. If you would like to be kept informed of future upgrades or if you have any suggestions for improving MagMaker, send your name and address to:
