Personal Computer World 1993 February

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NeoPaint - Version 1.00 (C)1992 OSCS Software Development, Inc. * IMPORTANT INFORMATION * -------- CONTENTS -------- * About NeoPaint * System Requirements * Supported Video Cards * Starting NeoPaint * Command Line Options * NeoGrab Screen Capture Utility * Optimizing NeoPaint * Acquiring Additional Fonts * Microsoft Windows Considerations * Problem Images * Customer Services & Technical Support * Registering NeoPaint -------------- ABOUT NEOPAINT -------------- NeoPaint is the ultimate image editing program for DOS! Until now sophisticated image editing has required spending hundreds of dollars on software and hardware. At $45 (US) & £39.00 (UK), NeoPaint sets a new standard in price/performance. NeoPaint is as simple to use as any paint program, yet with many powerful features usually found only in high-end picture publishing systems. Better still, NeoPaint is NOT a Microsoft Windows program, so it's easy to install, set up and use. NeoPaint's state of the art GUI interface allows you to edit and view multiple images at the same time in resolutions as high as 1024x768. When you compare NeoPaint with high end graphics packages costing hundreds of dollars we think you'll discover that NeoPaint gives you tremendous power at any price! NEOPAINT FEATURES: ----------------- o File Formats: PCX, GIF and TIFF o Video Modes: Hercules (720x348x2), EGA (640x350x16), VGA (640x480x2, 640x480x16), Super VGA (640x480x256, 800x600x16, 800x600x256, 1024x768x256) * o Multiple Images: View and Edit multiple images in adjustable on-screen windows o Drawing Tools: Brush, Air Brush, Eraser, Color Eraser, Flood Fill, Tile Fill, Color Convert, Text, Line, Bezier Line, K-Line, Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, Ellipse/Circle, Polygon, Freehand Polygon, Editable Polygon, Grid, 3D Cube, 3D Pyramid, Magic Marker, Stamp Pad, Solid and Transparent Patterns o Fonts: Multiple Styles and Sizes with Bold, Italic, Underline, Outline and Shadow effects; Additional fonts available from OSCS and third party vendors o Selection Tools: Rectangle, Polygon and Freehand Polygon (Lasso) o Effects: Invert, Flip, Rotate, Scale, Stretch, Smudge, Screen, Smear, Pixelize, Border, Lattice, Blur, Darken, Lighten, Fade, o Zoom: Multilevel Zoom allows precise editing; Scrolling and most drawing tools also work in Zoom Mode. o Color Control: Works with 2, 16 and 256 Color Images; Color Balance, Brightness, Contrast and Color Reduction is supported o Output: Produce high quality halftones on HP DeskJet, HP LaserJet and Postscript or compatible printers; Scaling and Orientation controls; also supports Epson/IBM compatible Dot Matrix Printers o Memory Management: Supports Expanded (EMS), Extended (XMS) and Virtual Disk Memory for working with very large images ------------------- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ------------------- To use NeoPaint you will need the following: o IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2 or 100% compatible computer. A 286 or better CPU is highly recommended. o EGA, VGA, Super VGA, Hercules monochrome or compatible graphics card and monitor. See Supported Video Cards below for information on compatible Super VGA cards. o 640K minimum RAM o A hard disk o MS-DOS, PC-DOS 3.1 (or higher) or DR-DOS o Microsoft, Logitech or compatible pointing device o Printer (optional) Epson/IBM dot matrix, HP DeskJet, HP LaserJet II/III, Postscript and 100% compatibles. --------------------- SUPPORTED VIDEO CARDS --------------------- NeoPaint will run on any computer system equipped with a 100% compatible EGA, VGA, Super VGA or Hercules graphics card. To operate NeoPaint in 256 color, 800x600 or 1024x768 modes you must have a super VGA video card equipped with one of the following chipsets (or a close compatible): Tseng ET3000 Tseng ET4000 Paradise/Western Digital Video Seven ATI Trident VESA * NOTE: Due to severe limitations inherent in their design, CGA video cards are not supported. This includes many Tandy 1000 systems which are essentially CGA. * For instructions on using a VESA compatible chipset see Command Line Options below. ----------------- STARTING NEOPAINT ----------------- For the steps below, we assume that you have installed NeoPaint in the directory C:\NEOPAINT. If you installed NeoPaint in a different DOS subdirectory, then substitute that name for C:\NEOPAINT below. o Your mouse driver (usually MOUSE.COM) must be loaded before running NeoPaint. Please refer to your mouse's user manual for more information. o To change to the NeoPaint directory, at the DOS prompt (C:\), type CD\NEOPAINT and press Enter. This places you in the NeoPaint subdirectory. o Once you have switched to the proper directory, NeoPaint can be started from the DOS command line by typing NEOPAINT followed by the Enter key. -------------------- COMMAND LINE OPTIONS -------------------- You can specify several command options when starting NeoPaint. An option consists of a slash (/) followed by an option letter and information about that option. LOADING NEOPAINT'S OVERLAY INTO EXPANDED MEMORY ----------------------------------------------- USAGE: /E EXAMPLE: NEOPAINT /E PURPOSE: NeoPaint's overlay file (NEOPAINT.OVR) can be loaded into expanded memory, thus speeding up execution of some NeoPaint functions. When exiting NeoPaint the overlay is removed from memory. This option requires approximately 300K of expanded (EMS) memory. USING A VESA COMPATIBLE VIDEO CARD ---------------------------------- USAGE: /V EXAMPLE: NEOPAINT /V PURPOSE: NeoPaint has the ability to use a VESA compatible video card. Without the /V option NeoPaint will attempt to autodetect the chipset employed by your video card. Generally, directly detecting the chipset is preferable to using VESA emulation. VESA tends to be extremely slow and compatibility between VESA cards can vary widely. This option is included for compatibility reasons, however, we do not recommend using VESA for the reasons stated above. NETWORK SETUP FILES ------------------- USAGE: /S[file] EXAMPLE: NEOPAINT /Sf:\users\cindy.set PURPOSE: Normally NeoPaint stores its setup information in the NEOPAINT.SET file in the NeoPaint directory. This file contains information about the default settings such as video mode and memory usage options. In a multi-user environment with PCs of vastly different configurations it is necessary to specify setup files for different users and/or different machine types. The /S option allows users to load NeoPaint with their own personalized setup file. For example: if Cindy keeps her personal files in the PAINT directory on her C: drive then she might start NeoPaint by typing: NEOPAINT /Sc:\paint\cindy.set LOADING IMAGES FROM THE COMMAND LINE ------------------------------------ You can also load images into Neopaint directly from the DOS command line. Simply run NeoPaint with the names of the files you wish to load as parameters. For example: NEOPAINT C:\PCX\VANGOGH.PCX C:\GIF\IRISES.GIF You may load as many files as will fit on the DOS command line. ------------------------------ NEOGRAB SCREEN CAPTURE UTILITY ------------------------------ Included as part of the NeoPaint Package is a simple screen capture utility called NeoGrab. NeoGrab will capture graphics displayed on your monitor and convert them into PCX format files which may be used in NeoPaint. To load NeoGrab, at the DOS prompt type: NEOGRAB [Options] To capture a graphics screen, press <Ctrl> <Print Screen>. Two short beeps means the screen was captured successfully. One long beep means an error occurred and the screen could not be captured. An error will occur if you are in text mode, an unsupported graphics mode, or if your disk is full. NeoGrab supports all standard video modes and most super VGA modes so you shouldn't have any trouble using it with popular software. NeoGrab will not, however, work with Microsoft Windows. Screen captures are stored as PCX files and placed in the directory where the NEOGRAB.EXE file is located. Files are numbered sequentially starting with 00000001. For example the first captured screen will be named 00000001.PCX the second 00000002.PCX and so on. NeoGrab will not delete files to make room - it simply selects the next available file name in the sequence. Deleting files is up to you. NEOGRAB COMMAND LINE OPTIONS ---------------------------- You can specify several options when starting NeoGrab. An option consists of a forward slash (/) followed by an option letter. ALTERNATE HOTKEY ---------------- USAGE: /K EXAMPLE: NEOGRAB /K PURPOSE: Changes the hotkey from the default <Ctrl> <Print Screen> to <Alt> <Scroll Lock>. This is useful if another program is already using the default hotkey. SPECIFY CAPTURE PATH -------------------- USAGE: /P[path] EXAMPLE: NEOGRAB /Pc:\pcx PURPOSE: This option allows you to specify a drive and directory for captured PCX images. By default captured screens are stored in the directory that contains the NEOGRAB.EXE file. UNLOADING NEOGRAB ----------------- USAGE: /U EXAMPLE: NEOGRAB /U PURPOSE: Use this option to unload NeoGrab from memory. This will only work if NeoGrab is the last TSR loaded in memory. ------------------- OPTIMIZING NEOPAINT ------------------- NeoPaint has been designed to run acceptably on a wide range of DOS based systems and will automatically try and take optimal advantage of all supported hardware resources available to it. Some machines have processing speed, disk space, and memory limitations which will affect how NeoPaint can perform. Graphics programs by their nature are demanding of system resources. Some images, particularly 256 color pictures in larger sizes, can easily use more than 1 megabyte of memory and storage space. If you have a system with speed and memory limitations, one or more of the following suggestions may offer relief: o If you have a choice between configuring your system's memory as either EMS (expanded memory) and XMS (extended memory) on your system, use EMS for NeoPaint. Using EMS memory can dramatically speed up many NeoPaint functions including rotating, flipping and special effects. o Turn off the UNDO command under the SET PREFERENCES selection in the OPTIONS menu. UNDO keeps a record of the image prior to the last change you made. This takes up memory. If your system has limited RAM and disk memory available, you may want to disable this in any case. If your system is limited to 640K of RAM, then UNDO may use your hard disk to store changed items. Using hard disk storage is slower than using RAM, and turning off UNDO will increase NeoPaint's performance. o Do not run NeoPaint as a DOS application under Windows. Windows will slow NeoPaint's execution, as Windows will still be using up your system's resources while NeoPaint is running. o If disk storage space is a problem (and in many cases even if you have plenty of disk space) turn off the CREATE BACKUP FILES function in the PREFERENCES selection of the OPTIONS menu. Graphic files tend to take up a large amount of disk space, and creating a backup file (.BAK) each time you SAVE a picture can rapidly deplete the free space available on your drive. You might want to turn this feature back on, however, when working with particularly important images. o Try using the 640x480 VGA resolution in 16 colors as your default. Some video cards use a TSR program to display VESA compatible higher resolutions. Using a TSR program is a much slower method of interacting with your hardware. o When using the 3-D OBJECT icon, use the Wire Frame mode. o Turn the PREVIEW option off for STAMP PAD images. If none of the above seem to help, you may wish to consider upgrading your system's hardware. Four hardware options are listed below, in ascending order of cost: o Add 2 or more megabytes of (RAM) memory to your system. NeoPaint supports both the XMS and EMS specifications. o Use a graphics card containing a chipset supported by NeoPaint. Cards containing chipsets compatible with ATI, Trident, Hercules monochrome, Paradise/Western Digital, Tseng (ET3000 or ET4000), or Video Seven can be addressed directly by NeoPaint. o Add a larger, faster hard drive. o Upgrade your CPU. ------------------------- ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL FONTS ------------------------- NeoPaint comes with a variety of fonts. Additional fonts are available on OSCS' electronic bulletin board. You may download these via modem at no charge. The number for the bulletin board is (503) 383-7195. In the U.K. you may order additional fonts from TRANSEND SERVICES LIMITED on (0274) 622228. We will also give you a BBS number nearest to your home that stores the Fonts. Third party software that can generate GEM screen fonts (used by the DOS version of Ventura Publisher) may also be used to create fonts for NeoPaint. Simply follow the program's instructions for generating screen fonts. Copy the fonts to your NeoPaint directory and rename them so that they use the .GFT extension. -------------------------------- MICROSOFT WINDOWS CONSIDERATIONS -------------------------------- NeoPaint may be run as a DOS application under Windows 3.1, subject to certain limitations. We are not recommending that you use NeoPaint under Windows, and believe you will prefer using the program under the quicker DOS environment. However, should you need to work from within Windows: o NeoPaint does not support the Windows clipboard, OLE, etc. If you need to bring an image from NeoPaint into a Windows program, this will best be done by importing the saved NeoPaint image file directly. Most Windows programs which can display graphic images will support one or more of NeoPaint's image file formats (i.e., PCX, TIFF, or GIF). o The NeoGrab screen capture utility is not designed to capture Windows screens. o Occasionally, using some keyboard shortcuts will cause Windows to corrupt the NeoPaint screen. You will need to exit NeoPaint to be able to continue. o Windows limits the memory resources available to the DOS programs it runs. This may cause problems in such operations as converting an image to a higher resolution or working with very large images. o NeoPaint under Windows will tend to run noticeably slower than when run as a DOS application. -------------- PROBLEM IMAGES -------------- NeoPaint is designed to read and write the popular PCX, GIF and TIFF file formats. We tested literally hundreds of images during the design phase of NeoPaint. However, even with the best testing, it's entirely possible that there are some images that either don't follow the rules or employ a compression algorithm that is not supported by NeoPaint. During our research we discovered, much to our surprise, that there is no real consensus or standard among programs that use 16 Color TIFF images. Images created by one program frequently cannot be loaded by another program. With NeoPaint we employed what we believed to be the most popular format for 16 color TIFF images. If you have problems using 16 color TIFF images with other programs, try saving them as PCX or GIF files instead. 2 color and 256 color TIFF images are not effected by this problem. If you happen to run across an image file in either PCX, GIF or TIFF format that you are unable to load with NeoPaint upload the file to our BBS (503) 383-7195 (N/8/1/300-9600) or place the image on a diskette and mail it to: OSCS Software Development, Inc, Customer Support 354 NE Greenwood Avenue, Suite 108 Bend, Oregon 97701-4631 or if you are in the U.K. TRANSEND SERVICES LIMITED Technical Department Leeds Road, Thackley Bradford. BD10 8JH Include a brief note describing the image, where it came from and if possible what program was used to create it. ------------------------------------- CUSTOMER SERVICES & TECHNICAL SUPPORT ------------------------------------- OSCS provides its registered software customers with free technical support. We also provide limited technical support to persons evaluating our products during the 30 day evaluation period. We do, however, strongly encourage people to register. Software development and support is very expensive and we need your help if we are to continue to provided quality programs at affordable prices. If you haven't already, please take a few moments to register. This will assure you of eligibility for technical support, product update notification, special discounts, announcements, etc. If you should encounter a technical problem or question not covered in the manual, you may use one of the following avenues to obtain technical assistance: MAIL POSTAL CORRESPONDENCE TO: ------------------------------ TRANSEND SERVICES LIMITED Moorview Business Park Leeds Road Thackley Bradford BD10 8JH or for those outside the United Kingdom OSCS Software Development, Inc. Customer Support 354 NE Greenwood Avenue, Suite 108 Bend, OR 97701-4631 U.S.A. TELEPHONE SUPPORT: ------------------ Technical support and product update information are available between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (Pacific Standard Time), Monday through Friday. Please have the following information available for the support staff when you call: o Brand name and model of your computer system, mouse, video adapter and monitor. o Operating system (DOS) version number. o A listing of the contents of your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. o A description of the problem, how it occurred, and how to reproduce it. Telephone support may be obtained by calling (503) 389-5489. You may also FAX your questions to (503) 388-8221. Support for the U.K. is on (0274) 622228 ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD SERVICE: ---------------------------------- Up to date product information, evaluation programs and supplements may be obtained via modem from our BBS. The telephone number is (503) 383-7195. The bulletin board operates using N/8/1/300-9600 Baud. -------------------- REGISTERING NEOPAINT -------------------- If you purchased NeoPaint in a shrink wrapped box with an OSCS logo on the back, a registration card was included in the package. Please take a moment to fill out the lower portion of the card and mail it to: OSCS Software Development, Inc. Customer Registration 354 NE Greenwood Ave. Suite 108 Bend, Oregon 97701-4631. This will enter you as a registered user in our records and insure that you receive technical support, upgrade notices and information about future products. If you received NeoPaint from a friend, BBS, catalog or anywhere other than from OSCS or an authorized commercial software dealer or distributor, you may try the program for a trial period of up to 30 days before registering. To obtain a complete commercial package including registration number and typeset manual call OSCS at (503) 389-5489. We can process your order with VISA or MasterCard over the phone. The purchase price of NeoPaint is $45 + $7 ($21 outside United States) shipping and handling. If you prefer, FAX your order to us at (503) 388-8221. If you would like to mail a check or money order, make sure it's drawn against a U.S. bank in U.S. funds. Our address is: OSCS Software Development, Inc. 354 NE Greenwood Ave. Suite 108 Bend, Oregon 97701-4631. For those in the U.K. wishing to register NeoPaint for a price of £39.00 +Vat please contact : Transend Services Limited Moorview Business Park Leeds Road Thackley Bradford BD10 8JH TEL : (0274) 622228 You may also purchase NeoPaint from any one of our many dealers world wide. For a list of dealers see the DEALER.DOC file accompanying this program. If you would like to give a copy of this program to a friend or associate please do so, but you may NOT give anyone your registration/serial number. We hope you enjoy the program and share it with your friends.