Welcome to the second Cerilica Vantage pre-release. Being amongst the first commercial pre-release versions, it should provide a good insight into the final version.
Contents of the pre-release package
The package that you have just received should contain the following; Pre-release manual (1st Edition), Cerilica Vantage CD and a Cerilikey security 3½” disc. If any of these items are missing, please contact Cerilica as soon as possible. Likewise, if the Cerilikey has incorrect details entered on it, please return the disc stating the necessary corrections.
Concept of the pre-release version
This pre-release version of Cerilica Vantage has been produced due to the recognised delay in the final shipment of the full commercial package. As some deposit holders placed their deposit just before the New Year of 1999, it was felt that the option of obtaining this version would help maintain faith in this exciting product. Cerilica thanks all deposit holders who have, without exception, shown much patience and given so much support. With customers like this, we can immediately see why the RISC OS platform is such a beneficial one to develop for.
Please note that Cerilica does not recommend that the pre-release version of Cerilica Vantage is used for commercial or critical work. The consequences of doing so are entirely at the user’s own risk!
Installation
The Cerilikey security system was completed just after the pre-release manuals went to press and therefore it is essential to read and understand the following instructions before attempting to instal the software.
Cerilikey is Cerilica’s proprietary software security system. Your customised Cerilikey enclosed will enable (until notified otherwise) this and future versions of Cerilica Vantage to operate. Before copying the !Vantage application from the CD to your hard disc, first transfer your !Cerilikey to your computer. You may either leave the Cerilikey in the same directory as !Vantage (which may mean that you would have to double-click run it before !Vantage) or ensure that your system “sees” it upon every boot. This may be done on RISC OS 3.5 and higher machines by moving !Cerilikey into the following directory on your boot disc:
$.!Boot.Resources.
To do this, Shift-double-click on the !Boot application and enter the Resources directory. Drag !Cerilikey into this directory alongside other resources such as !System. Cerilikey may now be ignored from hereon.
The applications are present within an archive that may be found on the CD. To open and copy the contents of the archive use !Sparkplug/FS by David Pilling or !ArcFS by VTi/Mark Smith. These are commonly-found archive decompressors and are on virtually every magazine cover disc. An archive was used to preserve the file names.
The !Boot directory in the archive is to be copied over your existing RISC OS 3.5 (or higher) computer boot structure. This will only append some extra PostScript™ resources and not delete any other files. If you are uncertain about this, then please either copy the individual files by hand or (if you do not envisage using PostScript) do not copy the !Boot directory out of the archive at all.
Other features available since the completion of the manual
Before diving into !Vantage looking for certain features, it is highly recommended that you read the “Work in progress” chapter at the end of the manual to understand what has not yet been implemented. What follows are features that have since been included or modified.
• View Everything
In order to be able to view anti-aliasing, dithering or transparencies, you first have to ensure that the view mode is set to Everything. This may be found by following Main menu ç View ç Everything. This version does not anti-alias bitmaps or use TRUISM II to separate RGB data, but the rendering and colour engine do already allow for this.
• Transparencies
To make an object transparent, first select it (using the Select tool), then enter the transparencies tool (the wine glass icon on the toolbar). With the object selected, just Select-drag a transparency level chequered/red circle square onto the left-most opacity well above the colourbar. To alter the level of transparency, Select-double-click on the selected transparency square (in the new well to the left of the colourbar) and alter the Opacity slider or enter a specific value.
Note that transparencies do not currently export apart from saving out as a bitmap. As PostScript™ does not have in-built transparency handling, Cerilica Vantage will shortly allow for such printing by using the common method of converting the transparent area to an appropriately-sized embedded bitmap.
• Ink windows
Just when you thought that Cerilica Vantage had plenty of ink options, a new variation of the ink window system has been created. The ink window now caters for the majority of TRUISM II features and therefore had to be enlarged. In order not to bewilder all users new to the system, the window now has three distinct components, each accessed by one of the three radio buttons located under the ink name.
All the features listed in the pre-release manual may be found within the Colour and Halftones windows (apart from Overprint which was overridden by the colour overprint option). The new contents may be mainly found under Separations which caters for automatic RGB data separation. At this stage it is safe to state that if you do not know the meaning of any of the new ink options, it is unlikely that you will need it immediately. The new ink front-end will be explained fully in forthcoming documentation.
• Quick copying
To quick copy any object with the Select tool, drag it and then hold down Shift before release.
• Note about closing paths
It is possible to close paths by pressing Return after selecting one of the end nodes. However, the current version of Cerilica Vantage brings two end points together as opposed to joining the last nodes. This was intended as a feature but due to feedback will be reverted, in future versions, back to a more conventional joining segment. Also, it is not possible, currently, to snap end nodes together. Once more, this will be implemented soon.
• Terminating any operation
Whilst performing any operation within Cerilica Vantage, it is possible to terminate it by pressing Escape. This will revert the selected object(s) back to its current status.
• Shapes dialogue box
This version currently animates the shape’s dialogue box when creating an object but does not allow you to alter its value thereafter (apart from dragging an object’s handle). To alter the type of shape or a polygon’s number of sides, Adjust-click on the Join: or Width: wells to be found on the toolbar in Select mode until the setting becomes apparent.
Feedback and bug reports
Cerilica is constantly receiving feedback with regards to Cerilica Vantage. If you feel that certain areas are lacking, or whatever, please do not hesitate to contact Cerilica at the address below. A Cerilica WebSite-based bug report list will be available for users when such reports are received. If you wish to submit an e.mail bug report, please send it to vantagebug@cerilica.com with a description of the bug, your software and hardware in use at the time of the bug and the method to recreate it. If you are not on the internet, please phone or write to Cerilica.
E.mail-based upgrades
Upgrades will be sent over e.mail if you so wish. If you have access to the e.mail, please mail cerilica@cerilica.com with the subject heading “CV Upgrade” and the contents stating your desire to receive upgrades in this manner along with your name and first line of your postal address and postcode.
No upgrade should exceed approximately 750K in size, with typically 500K being maximum. This equates to around a few minutes download time depending on your system and the internet service provider amongst other things. Cerilica can not reassure any user that upgrades will be sent at any particular time or day (such as weekends).
Upgrades via post
Updates will be made available to non-internet users at key stages. If you wish to update Cerilica Vantage pre-release inbetween any automatic update that may occur, please send an ADFS HD formatted floppy disc to the address below, enclosing a first class stamped-addressed envelope for return postage. It may be wise to first phone and see if the next development version is worth upgrading to.
Problems with reading the CD-R
Cerilica have opted for using CD-Rs instead of standard CDs so that the latest version may always be shipped. This is very relevant to the RISC OS market due to its relatively small size. However, certain customers have already experienced problems with reading the CD-R.
The main incompatibility so far seems to be with the original Panasonic PD drive (which could read CDs as well as read/write its own cartridge format). In the event of this, please use a standard CD drive, if possible.
If you experience CD-R read problems, please do not hesitate to contact Cerilica. There are two remedies; either Cerilica e.mails you the contents minus a single example file (total approx. 800K) or a floppy disc is despatched.
PLEASE BE EXTRA CAREFUL WITH THIS CD-R AS THEY ARE NOT AS ROBUST TO HEAT OR SCRATCHES AS NORMAL CDs, BUT DO ALLOW US TO UPDATE THE APPLICATION MUCH MORE REGULARLY.
