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Rachel's Fashion Dolls A Virtual Paper Doll Dressup and Coloring Program from the Author of Bert's Dinosaurs Shareware Version 2.6 User's Guide Introduction Rachel's Fashion Dolls is a children's paper doll dressup and coloring program. This program will appeal to a wide age group and is easy enough for preschool age children to use with a minimum of assistance from adults. Children of all ages will enjoy placing dolls on a background and then dressing them with various clothing outfits. The outfits can be easily changed and the dolls can be removed and replaced as well. After an image has been created it can be colored from a palette of 48 different colors, as well as saved for the future and printed on a variety of standard printers. When first started, Rachel's Fashion Dolls displays a title screen and then the drawing surface with ten buttons on the left. Children can operate the program with the mouse alone. Installation Rachel's Fashion Dolls requires an IBM compatible computer with at least 512K of memory, a VGA display and a Microsoft compatible mouse. A Sound Blaster card is needed to use the voice feature but is not required. The program installation process is quite easy. (Users obtaining .ZIP files from the Internet or a BBS can skip this installation section.) First, make a backup copy of your Rachel's Fashion Dolls program disk. If necessary, consult your PC-DOS/MS-DOS manual for a description of the DISKCOPY command. Save the original program disk in a safe place and use the copy as the working program disk. Second, while it is possible to use Rachel's Fashion Dolls on a floppy disk system, a hard disk system is a necessity for reasonable speed and storing a number of pictures your child has created. To install Rachel's Fashion Dolls on a hard disk use the following steps: 1. Insert the floppy disk in your computer in drive A. (or B if necessary) 2. Type A: (or B:) 3. Type INSTALL A C Any hard drive letters can be used, for example INSTALL B D will install the program from floppy drive B to hard drive D. The installation will create a directory called DOLL2 on your hard drive and you will need to enter a CD\DOLL2 to change to the Rachel's Fashion Dolls directory before running the program. Once installed just type DOLL to start the program. If your computer gives any beeps or error messages when you run Rachel's Fashion Dolls it is probably because it cannot find the image files it needs to run. All the files for Rachel's Fashion Dolls need to be in the same directory for the program to operate successfully, and you need to run the DOLL.EXE program from this directory. This version of Rachel's Fashion Dolls has an improved Sound Blaster Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 1 interface which interacts directly with the on card circuitry. It should operate with all Sound Blaster brand cards as well as a number of "Sound Blaster compatible" cards. If sound is not coming through the Sound Blaster output, it is possible that your current Sound Blaster setup is incorrect. First, check your AUTOEXEC.BAT file in the root directory. It should have some lines that look something like this: SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6 SET SOUND=C:\SB16 C:\SB16\SB16SET /M:220 /VOC:220 /CD:220 /MIDI:220 /TREBLE:0 C:\SB16\SBCONFIG.EXE /S Your parameters may very well be different, depending on what I/O port address, interrupt number and DMA channel your system is using. You can check the SET statements by just typing SET from the C: prompt. These values must match the hardware setting on your sound board. Rachel's Fashion Dolls is a DOS program and should be run in DOS mode, ie. started from the C:> (or D:>) prompt. Running Rachel's Fashion Dolls from Windows may cause some problems. The Command Buttons Operation of Rachel's Fashion Dolls is quite easy. The ten buttons are configured to do the following when the left mouse button is clicked on them: DOLLS When beginning a new picture, six small backgrounds are displayed. The user clicks with the mouse on the selected background scene to have it drawn on the screen full size. Next, a doll is displayed. If the stop sign is clicked on, the doll will not be selected and you are returned to the drawing surface. When the green arrows are clicked on, the next or previous doll will be displayed for possible choice. If the OK box is clicked on, the displayed doll will be selected. After the doll is selected, a rectangle outlining its size will appear in the upper left. When the left mouse button is held down on the rectangle it can be dragged into its desired position. When the left mouse button is released, the doll will be drawn and any previously drawn background lines under it will be erased. An additional feature is that the doll figures can also be drawn in reverse. To reverse a figure simply hold down the right mouse button as you release the left one when you position the doll on the drawing surface. CLOTHES After dolls are placed on the drawing surface, various outfits can be placed on the dolls. When the Clothes button is clicked on, a window opens and displays an outfit. The buttons in the window are similar to the ones found when selecting a doll. The stop sign quits the operation and returns to the drawing surface, the green arrows select the next or previous outfit and the OK box chooses the displayed outfit. When choosing an outfit for a doll that is already wearing an outfit, the old outfit is removed and replaced by the chosen one. If the selected doll was drawn in reverse, then the clothes must be reversed as well. Hold Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 2 down the right mouse button while releasing the left one when clicking on OK. IMPORTANT The following are some important hints for successful use of this program. It is best to first place all the desired dolls on the drawing surface before filling with color, as some colors cannot be drawn over a doll outline. In addition, you should not overlap dolls, or place them too close to each other. If the image of a doll or an outfit overlaps into another doll's rectangular space, errors can be made when outfits are changed or the Undo command is used. Undos are implemented by replacing a rectangle of the image that was originally behind a doll or outfit. If the user clicks on Undo for a doll that has part of an outfit from another doll drawn over the top of it, that portion of the outfit from the other doll will be erased when Undo acts on the selected doll. While it is possible to place a doll very close to the edge of the drawing surface, this may cause problems when trying to place clothing outfits on the dolls. Most of the clothing outfits extend beyond the doll's body. If the entire outfit cannot fit on the drawing surface it will not be placed on the doll. While it might be possible to draw such an incomplete image, problems arise when trying to Undo such an image that would exist in a rectangle that extends outside the drawing surface. SELECT A COLOR When this button is clicked, a group of forty-eight colors is displayed. When a color is chosen, it fills the brush tip in the Color button. This color will fill the portion of the picture clicked on when the program is in coloring mode. Clicking outside the color box restores the screen with no action. The color fill may be a little slow on computers with 386 CPU's, but the tradeoff gives the additional colors. VOICE Clicking on this button toggles between coloring mode and voice mode. After clicking on this button, blue selection arrows appear on each doll. Next, click on the drawing surface and the arrow closest to the mouse cursor arrow selects which doll will speak. A saying is selected at random and sent to the Sound Blaster card. Users without a Sound Blaster card will have the blue selection arrows appear, but clicking on the drawing surface will do nothing. The Voice button must be clicked on again to return the program to the coloring mode. ERASE This selection will completely erase the current drawing surface. The user must verify the erase by choosing a happy face for erase or a sad face to cancel the erase. SAVE/LOAD The drawing surface can be saved by clicking on this button and then selecting the save box with the arrow pointing inward. While simple for adults, this function may need explaining with young children. Care must be taken because selecting the retrieve box with the arrow pointing Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 3 outward will load the stored image and story, erasing the one currently on the screen. When storing an image the user is prompted for a name. It should be a simple eight character or less file name with no extension or path name. When retrieving an image a large window appears containing the names of the images previously saved. Simply clicking on a name will retrieve the image. Many drawings can be stored by giving them different names. Again, this may be confusing for small children. A suggestion is to use his or her name with numbers for easy recall, ie. linda1, linda2, linda3, etc. Clicking outside the load/save box restores the screen with no action. While saved images can be loaded for display and printout, the image cannot be edited with new dolls or clothes. PRINT The image can be printed on several different types of printers: Epson or IBM dot matrix printers that support either 9 or 24 pin graphics, the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet series of printers and the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet printers. Color printing is supported on color capable Epson dot matrix printers, the DeskJet 500C and PaintJet printers. Certain other dot matrix printers, such as Panasonic, support the Epson color mode when equipped with a color kit. Other printer brands that support any of these formats will also be compatible. Color printing, because of large overheads, is much slower than black and white printing, so be patient. In addition, be aware that the print drivers create temporary disk files when printing and space will be needed for this. This requirement may cause failure of the program if you attempt to print while running on floppy disk only. The user need only click on the type of printer he has to begin printing. Once a printer has been selected, the program will remember the last printer selected and assume that it will be used for future printing. Clicking on the print button will then use this as the default printer. If the type of printer needs to be changed simply hold the right mouse button down while clicking the left one on the print button. This will allow you to choose the printer you desire. While printing a message box will appear, and the print job can be quit by pushing <Esc>. When printing is finished another message box appears, reporting the final print status. Clicking on the mouse returns you to the drawing surface. UNDO This button is clicked on to erase the selected clothes or doll that was placed on the drawing surface. Misplaced dolls can be removed with this command without affecting the image underneath. After clicking on this button all dolls on the drawing surface will display a blue selection arrow. After clicking on the drawing surface, the arrow closest to the mouse cursor arrow selects the doll which will have its outfit removed (if the doll is wearing an outfit) or which doll will be removed if the doll has no outfit on. If the right mouse button is held down when releasing the left one the last color fill will be undone. The color undo function will only work on the most recently placed color fill. STOP Selecting this button exits the program. A second mouse click on a happy face must be done to confirm exiting the program. After a support Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 4 shareware message is displayed, clicking the mouse will return the user to DOS. Registration You may freely copy and distribute this shareware Version 2.6. Shareware users who find Rachel's Fashion Dolls useful should support the author and register their copy. The form found below should be used for registration by mail, or you can phone us at 847-854-0489 for credit card orders. Registered users will receive a copy of the most current version of Rachel's Fashion Dolls with additional images and a printed manual. Registered users will also receive support, by mail, e-mail or phone, for one year from the date of registration. Rachel's Fashion Dolls 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 an incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using Rachel's Fashion Dolls and continue to use Rachel's Fashion Dolls after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of $20. plus $2. shipping. 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. There must be 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. The registration fee is $20. plus $2. for shipping and handling ($32. outside the United States.) A complete listing of the program, which is written in Borland C/C++, is also available for an additional $20.00. All prices are in U.S. dollars. Checks should be made out to: Theron Wierenga, P.O. Box 595, Muskegon, MI 49443 Ombudsman Statement This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). The 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 616-788-2765 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 5 Registration Form Rachel's Fashion Dolls, 2.6 Name____________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________ City_______________________________________State_____Zip________ Email address (if available)____________________________________ Disk size desired: 5 1/4 in._______ 3 1/2 in._______ Registration fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.00 __________ Registration fee (Outside the USA) . . . . . . 30.00 __________ Borland C/C++ program code . . . . . . . . . . 20.00 __________ Shipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ___2.00___ Total enclosed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . __________ (All prices are in U.S. dollars.) Method of payment: Check or MO______ MasterCard______ Visa______ Account number____________________________ Expir. date__________ Signature (necessary)___________________________________________ How did you receive your copy of this program?__________________ ________________________________________________________________ Suggested improvements__________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Rachel's Fashion Dolls 2.6 is a software product of Theron Wierenga P.O. Box 595 Muskegon, MI 49443 Customer support and order phone 847-854-0489 twiereng@remc4.k12.mi.us Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 6 Additional Children's Programs Available from Wierenga Software The Bert's Coloring Program Series is also available. Bert's Dinosaurs and the other Bert's programs are enjoyable coloring programs for children of all ages, but are especially useful for introducing young children to the computer. Bert's Dinosaurs was designed by educators to be used by young children with a minimum of assistance by adults. As a coloring program Bert's Dinosaurs is superior to many other children's coloring programs in that it allows the user to place the various dinosaurs, all in four different sizes, on a variety of backgrounds. This allows children to easily create their own picture before coloring. The opportunity to create their own picture will allow children to take pride in their unique creation. Bert's Dinosaurs also has a voice feature, which can be turned on or off, allowing the dinosaurs to speak their names, much to the delight of children. The first program is $20. and additional programs are $5. each. Please use the form below. Peter's Airplanes Peter's Airplanes is an enjoyable coloring program for children of all ages. Peter's Airplanes was designed to be used by young children with a minimum of assistance by adults. This program is superior to many other children's coloring programs in that it allows the user to place the various World War II vintage airplanes, in any size desired, on a variety of backgrounds. This allows children to easily create their own picture before coloring. The opportunity to create their own picture will allow children to take pride in their unique creation. When first started Peter's Airplanes displays a title screen and then the drawing surface with ten buttons across the top. Children can operate the program with the mouse alone. To begin you click on the image button and select a background and then place airplanes on the background. The child can choose the direction the airplane faces, and the exact size and placement of the airplane. Several airplanes can be placed on the same picture. After all airplanes are placed the entire picture can be color filled, using 48 different colors. After choosing a color simply click on an area of the picture and it fills with color. The program also includes notes about each airplane, which are displayed by clicking the Notes button. Finished pictures can be saved and later loaded for display. Pictures are saved in PCX format which can be easily imported into many paint programs. In addition, pictures can be printed on a variety of printers either before color filling or after. Those printed before being filled with color can be colored with crayons. +---------------+ ---------------| |---------------------(R) +---------------+ | | | o | | | | | | o +---------------+ | Association of | | | |-+ Shareware | | | | Professionals +---------| o | | | | ------------ | | |------------------------- +---------------+ Member Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 7 Registration Form Bert's Coloring Programs 4.6 Name____________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________ City_______________________________________State_____Zip________ Email address (if available)____________________________________ Disk size desired: 5 1/4 in._______ 3 1/2 in._______ Registration fee for first program . . . . . . $20.00 __________ Program name_______________________________________ Registration fee (Outside the USA) . . . . . . 30.00 __________ Borland C/C++ program code . . . . . . . . . . 20.00 __________ Additional program, Bert's African Animals . . 5.00 __________ Additional program, Bert's Christmas . . . . . 5.00 __________ Additional program, Bert's Dinosaurs . . . . . 5.00 __________ Additional program, Bert's Prehistoric Animals 5.00 __________ Additional program, Bert's Whales and Dolphins 5.00 __________ Shipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ___2.00___ Total enclosed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . __________ (All prices are in U.S. dollars.) Method of payment: Check or MO______ MasterCard______ Visa______ Account number____________________________ Expir. date__________ Signature (necessary)___________________________________________ How did you receive your copy of this program?__________________ ________________________________________________________________ Suggested improvements__________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Bert's Coloring Programs 4.6 is a software product of Theron Wierenga P.O. Box 595 Muskegon, MI 49443 Customer support and order phone 847-854-0489 twiereng@remc4.k12.mi.us Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 8 Registration Form Peter's Airplanes 1.4 Name____________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________ City_______________________________________State_____Zip________ Email address (if available)____________________________________ Disk size desired: 5 1/4 in._______ 3 1/2 in._______ Registration fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.00 __________ Registration fee (Outside the USA) . . . . . . 30.00 __________ Borland C/C++ program code . . . . . . . . . . 20.00 __________ Shipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ___2.00___ Total enclosed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . __________ (All prices are in U.S. dollars.) Method of payment: Check or MO______ MasterCard______ Visa______ Account number____________________________ Expir. date__________ Signature (necessary)___________________________________________ How did you receive your copy of this program?__________________ ________________________________________________________________ Suggested improvements__________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Peter's Airplanes 1.4 is a software product of Theron Wierenga P.O. Box 595 Muskegon, MI 49443 Customer support and order phone 847-854-0489 twiereng@remc4.k12.mi.us Rachel's Fashion Dolls Version 2.6 Page 9