Citation: N.Waltham (100013.3330@Compuserve.Com), January 1993


 Buttons!

by N.Waltham

Version 1.20

COPYRIGHT 1992,93 NICHOLAS WALTHAM

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, EXCEPT THAT

PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO FREELY

COPY AND DISTRIBUTE THE SOFTWARE

AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION

WITHOUT ALTERATION OR AMENDMENT

FOR THE PURPOSES CONSISTENT WITH

THE CONCEPT OF SHAREWARE.

You can use Buttons!  to help design BWCC style bitmap buttons. It helps you  by managing the six bitmaps that you require for (S)VGA and EGA support and by calculating appropriate shadows and effects which are consistent with the 'Borland look'.

This is a shareware version of the program:-	Registering

 	Buttons, dialogue boxes, resources, compiled programs and anything else created in whole or in part with the shareware version of Buttons are for evaluation only, and may not be distributed in any fashion until the program is registered.

How to ...

Create a fresh button set

Generate the button effects (shadows etc.)

Write resource data

Edit text attributes

Re-size buttons

Commands

File menu commands

Button menu commands

Text menu commands

For more information on using BWCC style bitmap buttons see the Borland Documentation.

I  will provide support for both registered and unregistered users by email

All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Disclaimer

     I have made every attempt to ensure that this program works correctly. Much as I would like to  I cannot guarantee that it is bug free. I do not accept any responsibility for loss or damages financial, broken marriages or other caused through the use of this program.

     Should you find a problem with the program please let me know and I will fix it.


File Menu Commands

New

Creates a new set of buttons.

When you choose New, you can save changes to the file you have been working on.

Open

Opens a file.

When you choose Open, you can save changes to the file you have been working on.

Save

Saves changes to the file you have been working on.

On choosing Save, the file remains open so you can continue working on it.

Save As

Saves a new or existing file.

You can name a new file or save an existing file under a new name. The original file remains unchanged.  When you choose Save As, the file remains open so you can continue working on it.

Change working directory

Change the currently selected directory.

The current working directory is the directory where the  button resource data files will be written. Changing the current working directory will not affect the directory that the button set is saved in when you select 'File | Save'.

Exit

Closes the file you have been working on and quits Buttons!

You can save the file before quitting.


Button Menu Commands

Set text

Allows you to enter the text that will appear along with the graphic on the face of the button.

Generate

Generates the buttons from the template. If you have edited buttons other than the template buttons these changes will be lost.

Arrange

Aligns the buttons in two rows of four.

If you have moved the buttons away from the original positions they can be replaced with this option.

Resize

You can increase or decrease the size of the buttons in the button set with this option. If the new size of the button is smaller than the existing size then the button bitmap will be clipped. Button effects will be restored when the button set is next regenerated.

Write resource data

Writes the six bitmaps to disk as six separate  '.BMP' files and generates a '.RC' style file that you can #include in your main '.RC' file for your project.


Creating a set of buttons

To create a new set of buttons select the 'File | New' option from the menu. You will be presented with a dialogue box allowing you to set the size of buttons that you wish to create and enter the text you wish to appear on the button face. The defaults given in the dialogue box are those usually used for BWCC Borland style buttons.

After you select the desired size the program creates eight blank buttons. You can edit any of these buttons with the Microsoft Paintbrush application by double clicking on the desired button face. However it is suggested that you only edit the template buttons (VGATemp and EGATemp) for a start. You should only edit the others if necessary to touch up any effects you are not happy with and to add any effects of your own.

Before instructing Buttons! to generate effects you also need to select the 'Buttons | Set Text' menu option to edit the text you would like to appear on the button face.

Select 'Buttons | Generate' and Buttons! will add text, shadows and movement to your buttons. After generation you can edit the individual buttons to add any other effects.

Finally . . .  Select 'Buttons | Write resource data' to write the data to disk as individual bitmap files that are readable by the resource compiler (or Borland Resource Workshop)


Generating Button Effects

Generation of the following button effects is totally automatic:

- text and focused text

- shadow

- movement of text and shadows

After designing your button graphics on the EGA and VGA templates simply select 'Buttons | Generate'.  Any alterations that you may have made to the other buttons in the set will be lost.


Write resource data

This option allows you to write the button set to the disk as six '.BMP' files readable by the Resource Compiler or  by Borland Resource Workshop.

Buttons! also writes a '.RC' compatible file which you can #include in your main '.RC' file.

The dialogue box allows you to give different names to the bitmap and '.RC' files though it is likely that the only setting you will want to change will be the 'Control ID'. The control ID is the button id in your dialogue box eg 'id_Register' or 'id_Save'.


Email Address

You can contact the author by email at

Internet : 100013.3330@Compuserve.Com

CompuServe : 100013,3330


Text Menu Commands

Edit text

Allows you to enter the text that will appear along with the graphic on the face of the button.

Set Position

With this option you may set the text to be left justified, right justified or centred. Alternatively you can enter your own x and y coordinates for the text. To see the changes you on the button face you must regenerate the buttons.

Control Size Style & Colour

This option displays the standard Windows 3.1 font attributes dialogue box allowing you to select the typeface, size, style and colour.


Edit Text Attributes

You can edit the following  features of the text that will appear on the button face:

Wording

Position

Font details


Text Wording

Although you enter the text appearing on the button face when you create the button set - it is possible to alter the text appearing on the button using the 'Text | Edit Text' menu option. Changes will become apparent when you next regenerate the button set.


Edit Text Position

With the 'Text | Set Position'  menu option you may set the text to be left justified, right justified or centred. Alternatively you can enter your own x  coordinate for the text. To see your changes on the button face you should regenerate the buttons.


Edit Font Details

With the 'Text | Control Size, Style & Colour'  menu option you may use the standard Windows 3.1 fonts dialogue box to select the typeface, size, style and colour.


Re-size Buttons

You can increase or decrease the size of the buttons in the button with the 'Buttons | Resize' menu option. If the new size of the button is smaller than the existing size then the button bitmap will be clipped. Button effects will be restored when the button set is next regenerated.


Registering

This program was written by N.Waltham and may be freely copied for evaluation purposes only.

If you find this software useful, you should register your copy. Registering your copy will result in you being sent a non shareware copy of the latest version of the program. If  you do not register then there will be no further versions of this or any other program and the shareware concept will have failed.

Methods of payment include:

CompuServe's Shareware Registration Service

Credit Cards: MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover

 If these methods are not suitable for you then further registration details can be obtained by email.

 There is no printed documentation available for this software. Sorry!

 The current cost of the software is $30 US or £20 Sterling. However, these prices are subject to change due to the volatile nature of exchange rates.


Register with CompuServe

If you subscribe to CompuServe, you may register this software using their shareware registration service. You will need the registration ID which is 530. You can reach the service using GO SWREG. If you register in this way I will usually send a registered version of the program by email. If you don't want me to do this (ie you have a slow modem) then let me know giving postal details and the media format that you prefer and I will post you a copy.


Register with PsL
Register with your credit card through PsL

CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY

You can order with MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover from Public (software) Library by calling 800-2424-PsL or 713-524-6394 or by FAX to 713-524-6398 or by CIS Email to 71355,470. You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O.Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705, USA.

Psl Reference for this program: 10751

THE ABOVE NUMBERS ARE FOR ORDERS ONLY

Any questions about registration options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, etc., must be directed to me preferably by email

Shipping Charges

When this software was released, Psl's charges for shipping were:

$4 s/h for US/Canada  and

$10/$11 s/h for overseas.