
PicViewer Version 1.8 / Shareware ($20)

Requirements:
   - Windows 95/98 or NT

Installation (for the version without an automatic installer):
  To install this program, just place the PicViewer files in a directory and 
  create a shortcut to PicView.exe. PicViewer makes no changes to your 
  Windows Registry (except one case: see the Uninstall note below). 
  To uninstall, just delete the PicViewer files. 

Unistall note:
  Don't forget to unmark file types in the Options dialog before you delete PicViewer
  files (if you marked them, of course).

Features:
   - Clean and easy-to-use interface
   - Slide show
   - Image file name as command-line parameter
   - Supports animated GIFs
   - Bookmarks
   - File operations (copy, move, rename and delete)
   - Fullscreen mode
   - Viewing/extracting icons from EXE, DLL, ICL(icon libraries) files
   - Build-in image converter
   - and more...

Registration:
  The simplest way to register, is by registering online with a major
  credit card through a secure server. Point your browser to the
  following URL and follow instructions onscreen:
  https://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=1602-1

When you register, you will get:
  - you'll became registered user of PicViewer and get registration code
    to unlock the shareware version
  - free updates
  - free technical support via e-mail
  - a good feeling that you are honest and support shareware concept

After Getting Registration Code:
  After receiving your registration information (name and code) you need 
  to enter it into PicViewer. Once the registration information is entered 
  the program is registered to you. To enter your registration information 
  take the following steps:

  - Select 'Registration' item in the Help menu. The Register dialog will show up. 
  - Type in your registration code EXACTLY the way they appear in 
    the letter you received. Use the same capitalization as in the letter.
    You can use the clipboard for convenience.
  - After the registration information in entered, press the OK button. 
    If your data was entered correctly, PicViewer is registered to the name
    you entered. The 'Registration' menu item will be hidden and your name will be 
    displayed in the About box. You are now the lawful owner of the program.


Command-line pamameters (an image file name or folder name must be FIRST, before the others):
   For using long file names (contains space symbols) place a file name in the quotation marks:
   picview "c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe"

   /s              run slide show
   /ds             disable storing options in the PicView.ini when the program closes
   /m              start in maximized state
   /fs             start in fullscreen mode (Escape key closes the program)
   /pure           start in normal mode, but without menu\toolbar\status bar 
                   (works only if a file name is specified)
   /close:msCount  close the program in <msCount> milliseconds 
                   (the /close:1000 parameter closes PicViewer in 1 sec)
   /title:TitleStr set the program caption to TitleStr (until you change current folder)
                   If your TitleStr contains space symbols, place a parameter into the quotation marks. 
                   See sample below.
   /hideapp        hide application window from the Windows Taskbar (but until user minimizes the program).

Command-line examples:
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe d:\pics\pic1.jpg      Show pic1.jpg 
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe d:\pics\pic1.jpg /s   Show pic1.jpg and run slide show
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe d:\pics /s            Run slide show in d:\pics folder
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe . /s                  Run slide show in current folder
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe d:\pics\pic2.gif /m   Open in maximized state and show pic2.gif
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe /m                    Open in maximized state
   c:\utilities\picview\picview.exe d:\pics\GoldenYears.bmp /pure /m "/title:Golden Years" /close:5000
     Show GoldenYears.bmp, the program runs without menu\toolbar\status bar, in maximized state,
     with the Golden Years caption and closes in 5 sec.

Keyboard commands available:
F3        Shows FileBrowser/Toolbar/StatusBar
F4        Hides FileBrowser/Toolbar/StatusBar
F5        Refresh directory
Alt-F5    Maximizes program
Ctrl-W    File browser on/off
Ctrl-T    Tile mode on/off
Ctrl-A    Activate Image/Icons viewer panel
Ctrl-Q    Activate File browser panel
Space     Pause in the SlideShow process (hold the key pressed)
Alt-Up    Previous file
Alt-Down  Next file
Alt-Left  Back folder
Alt-Right Forward folder

Copy/Move menus with Ctrl pressed - Copy/Move with renaming

Mouse tips:
Mouse left button double-click - switch on/off fullscreen mode

File browser notes:
Enter  - Reload selected file
Ctrl  + arrows or mouse selection - Select without loading
Shift + right mouse key - Loading and Pop-up menu
Ctrl  + right mouse key - display Explorer Context menu

Known problems:
   - Some files with the .GIF extension, are images in the ART format.
     PicViewer causes an error message for such files. True GIF images have 
     GIF87 or GIF89 strings in the beginning of a file.
   - Maybe with TGA and EPS files.
   - Rotating 180 and fliping black'n'white images.
   - User had problems with old Matrox Millenium video drivers. OK after the upgrade.
   - Maybe with the InocuLAN antivirus program. I don't know, but one user informed me.

INI file:
   - [Common] section/N_Force parameter:
     N_Force=0 default;
     N_Force=1 using Crde96v3.dll library with GIF files. This DLL reads only first frame for
     animated GIFs. But this option allows you use the 'Rotate' and 'Flip' functions on GIFs.
   - [Common] section/Charset parameter: 
     Charset=1   - DEFAULT_CHARSET
     Charset=128 - Japanese shift-jis characters.
     See charsets.txt for others values.
   - [Common] section/PureCmdStart parameter:
     PureCmdStart=1 PicViewer hides FileBrowser/Toolbar/StatusBar when starts with
     image file name as command line parameter
     PureCmdStart=0 PicViewer uses saved state from the INI file

PicView.cfg
   - [Common] section/WinDirIni parameter:
     if WinDirIni=1 PicViewer places PicView.ini in the Windows folder 
     else in PicView.exe folder

Note for CD-ROM writers:
  If you want to start the program directly from a CD, turn your attention to the
  /ds command-line parameter and the PicView.cfg file! PicViewer saves its data to the 
  PicView.ini when closes!

Revision History:
  v1.8a
   - A problem with Wallpaper setting/removing on NT has been fixed
   - Some other minor fixes
  v1.8
   - New command-line parameters
   - Added the Random order flag for the SlideShow
   - Added the Filter menu for the file browser
   - Added the 'Start up in fullscreen mode' feature (see the flag in the Options dialog)
   - PicViewer displays Explorer context menu when you click right mouse button
     with the Ctrl key pressed
   - Added the Back and Forward buttons on the toolbar (I think - very helpful)
   - PicViewer shows/extracts icons from EXE, DLL and ICL (icon libraries) files
   - Added the Wallpaper operations
   - Extended convert dialog - allows resizing image pixel/percent sizes
   - The program saves FullScreen AutoSize state
   - Some changes in the status bar
  v1.72
   - Some minor changes...
  v1.71
   - Removed a bug with palette in 256 colors mode
   - Added viewing CUR(cursor) files
  v1.7
   - Better TIFF support
   - PCD files support
   - Shows broken(not fully downloaded) GIF files from your web browser cache folder
   - 'RunWith' pop-up menu
   - FullScreen mode
   - Customizable image background color
   - Added an image scrolling by keys and mouse dragging
   - and more...
  v1.62
   - Now you can associate file types with PicViewer. See the 'Associations' sheet
     in the Options dialog
   - You can quickly copy and move files to your favorite folders via file context menu
  v1.61
   - The program allows to set a percent of image source size in the Convert dialog
   - Added displaying an image type and resolution
   - Added a pause in the SlideShow process (Space key)
  v1.6
   - New GIF images decoding algorithm: normal stretching
   - More smooth scrolling in the view panel
   - Customizable file types
   - /m command-line parameter for starting in maximized state
  v1.53b
   - Added .jpeg extension
  v1.53a
   - Fixed a little problem with ALT-F4
  v1.53
   - Bug when used on machine with early versions of ComCtrl32.dll - PicViewer didn't 
     show the image files selected in the file browser. Fixed
   - PicViewer saves FileBrowser/Toolbar/StatusBar visible state 
   - Added PureCmdStart parameter to PicView.ini
  v1.52
   - Added /ds command line parameter that disables saving to PicView.ini when program closes
   - Copy/Move As commands: Ctrl + Copy/Move context menu items
   - Added PicView.cfg
   - Some other minor changes
  v1.51
   - National character sets support
  v1.5
   - Removed ugly flicker effects
   - Added Image convertor
   - Added 'Rotate' and 'Flip' operations (see image context menu)
  v1.41
   - Fixed 'Show Hidden/System Files/Folders' option (folder listbox ignored this option).
   - File browser works better with not accessible drives.
  v1.4:
   - New Explorer-like file browser with file operations.
     Every file item has it's own popup-menu.
  v1.35
   - Added Tile mode.
     Some other minor changes.
  v1.32
   - Added command line key /s for slide show mode. Use /s key only as second parameter.
     First parameter is file or folder name.
  v1.31
   - Removed problem with 32bit display mode
  v1.3 
   - Sky32v3c.dll graphic library is used instead of NViewLib.dll
     (Better JPEG support!)


My other software:

BiCat - 
A utility for viewing, storing and cataloging small image files (glyphs). 
Bitmaps from BiCat may be used for program development (speedbuttons, toolbars) 
and WWW pages design (background, bullets, marks). It supports BMP, ICO, EMF 
and WMF formats. Saves disk space by storing all your glyph files in 
BiCat database. It helps to avoid cluster losses for small files. 
More than 2000 glyphs (bitmaps and icons) are available for registered users. 

HTML-View - 
Easy to use viewer for WWW file formats. Features: browse by file, file name as 
command line parameter, file and folder bookmarks, supports animated GIFs, 
search in files, file operations, and more. 
Requires installed MS Internet Explorer v3.01 or later


Visit http://www.strongsoftware.net/dronix/eng.html for the latest version.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments or suggestions 
at vlan@dataforce.net    
Your feedback is welcome!

Andrew Anoshkin