PC-KEY-DRAW A KEYBOARD TO SCREEN GRAPHICS PROGRAM FOR THE IBM PC and COMPATIBLES Version 3.0 Disk version of manual is Incomplete Registered Users get complete Printed Users Manual (C)Copyright OED, 1984, 1985 Edward H. Kidera IV OEDWARE P.O. Box 595 Columbia, MD 21045-0595 (301) 997-9333 Portions copyright International Business Machines Portions copyright Microsoft, Inc. COPYRIGHT (C) Copyright 1984, 1985,1986 by OED. All rights reserved. Copying of PC-KEY-DRAW is allowed for the purpose of backup and to allow others to try out and evaluate the program. Unregistered USE past the trial stage is prohibited. This manual may not be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of OEDWARE, P.O. Box 595, Columbia, MD 21045-0595 except that the partial manual supplied on the disk may be dumped to a printer for the purpose of creating a single copy to aid in the evaluation of the program before registering. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY This software and manual are sold "AS IS" and without warranties as to performance of merchantability or any other warranties whether expressed of implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this program may be put, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered. Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. Any liability of the seller will be limited exclusively to product replacement. TRADEMARKS IBM PC,XT (tm) are trademarks of International Business Machines, EPSON(tm) is a trademark of Epson America, Inc., Plug'N Play(tm) and Okidata(tm) are the trademarks of Okidata, Columbia MPC/VP are the trademarks of Columbia Data Products. JRAM (tm) is the trademark of Tall Tree Systems. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.....................................1-1 HISTORY..........................................2-1 OPERATION THEORY.................................3-1 COMMAND SUMMARY..................................4-1 Cursor Mode..................................4-1 F1 Drawing Modifications....................4-3 F2 Boxes and Figures........................4-5 F3 Curves...................................4-6 F4 Spraypainting & Shading..................4-7 F5 Paint....................................4-8 F6 Draw & Text.............................4-10 F7 Copy, Erase, & Move.....................4-12 F8 Files...................................4-14 Zoom printing...........................4-16 F9 Speed...................................4-17 F10 Color...................................4-17 DRAWING TECHNIQUES...............................5-1 Examples.....................................5-1 KEY MACRO........................................6-1 Slide Shows..................................6-1 Editing Marcos...............................6-3 PAGES AND LAYERS.................................7-1 LIBRARIES........................................8-1 DIRECTIVES, FUNCTIONS, & WHAT THEY DO............9-1 APPENDIX A: User Supported Software.....................A-1 Invoice.....................................A-3 B: Start Up....................................B-1 C: Program Files...............................C-1 D: Improvements & Additions of Version 3.0.....D-1 E: Hardware....................................E-1 F: Creating 35mm Slides From Your Graphics.....F-1 Viewgraphs..................................F-7 G: Dateit......................................G-1 PC-KEY-DRAW INTRODUCTION Welcome to PC-KEY-DRAW! You are about to encounter one of the most powerful graphics programs available for the IBM PC and compatibles. PC-KEY-DRAW is a graphics package that can be used by anyone and everyone. It includes many features designed specifically for a mechanical engineer, such as calculate and measure. It also includes many features designed specifically for artists, such as pattern fill and area smear. Its ability to create symbol libraries is ideal for the electrical engineer or the architect. Those into needlepoint will find that the drawing capabilities combined with the zoom printer feature allow interesting patterns to be designed on the computer and easily transferred to a form suitable for stitching. Graphic game designers can use the drawing abilities along with the ability to save an image as a BASICA subroutine to create graphics ideal for animation. Teachers will find the geometry aspects of the program useful in the math and science class room. Business people can create eye catching slides for presentations using such features as slide and text fonts. Drawing with a computer can and should be very different from drawing with more conventional tools. PC-KEY-DRAW gives you all the features you need for free hand drawing, but its power and the power of the computer lies in the many features that are not possible with conventional techniques. When you learn to use such commands as slide, rotate, revolve, mirror, spraypaint, etc. then the real power of computer graphics will be in your hands. This manual is provided primarily for those who like manuals. Many people will just dive straight into the program and so PC-KEY-DRAW has been laid out with that in mind. Significant help information is available on the basic program operation from within the program. The manual does include some additional information that will become more and more useful as you proceed to master the numerous drawing functions available. The complete manual is no longer contained on the disk. 2-1 PC-KEY-DRAW HISTORY PC-KEY-DRAW version 3.0 is the result of thousands of hours of development time by myself, Edward H. Kidera IV. I am trained as an ocean engineer, a mechanical engineer for equipment to go near, on or in the ocean. I bought a PC in the spring of 1983 to help my engineering. Like most PC users I use my PC for word processing, information filing, and basic accounting. I also wanted to use the PC to do mechanical engineering drawings. When I first got the PC there weren't any programs available, in my price range, for doing the type of drawing I wanted to do, so I decided to write my own. The first eight months of development proceeded rather slowly, but I had developed a program that I could use. As I started to use the program to create drawings, I realized that there were numerous features that I would like to be able to have to speed drawing and allow the creation of images not possible by purely manual techniques. At about ten months into the development I began showing the program to fellow PC enthusiasts. There was great interest in what PC-KEY-DRAW could do and I was encouraged to sell the program. This encouragement prompted me to spend more time on the program development and to add features to improve user friendliness. PC-KEY-DRAW version 1.3 was first released in May 1984 as two programs, a high resolution and a medium (color) resolution version. The response to the program was very favorable and so I began to devote more and more time to its advancement. Several months after the first release I released version 1.8 with many additional features and the color and high resolution portions combined into one program with the ability to readily switch between the two. This was followed by version 2.0, 2.2 and 2.21 around January 1985. These versions offered many additional features, improved user friendliness, and included a slide show and zoom printer feature. 2-2 PC-KEY-DRAW Since February 1985 I have been working on PC-KEY-DRAW version 3.0. Rather then release numerous small updates I decided to create a major update. Version 3.0 offers a significant improvement in user friendliness without any sacrifice in power or speed of operation. It also provides many new features to aid drawing of all types of graphics. Appendix D lists the improvements included in version 3.0 over version 2.21. The design of PC-KEY-DRAW has been driven primarily by my needs as an Ocean/Mechanical Engineer and my lack of any reasonable hand to eye coordination for standard drawing. I have found four different drawing areas that the PC-KEY-DRAW has been a great help. First it is ideal to create slides to use in presentations. I can quickly and easily put together a series of screens that I then shoot as 35mm slides and show to perspective customers. I have also created video tape titles using the program. The second area of use is in basic design and layout of new systems. It is very easy to try a geometry and test it for a new motion compensator or similar device. The third use is the creating of schematics and mechanical drawings to be used in fabricating machine parts and complete systems. And finally it is easy to make drawings for inclusion in technical papers. With pencil and paper I cannot begin to create even the simplest of drawings, but with a computer keyboard I am able to produce just about anything in a short period of time and have some fun doing it. Sometimes it even makes me feel like an artist. Three ladies have also had a profound effect on the course the program has taken, my mother, my sister Elizabeth and my wife Brenda. My mother and Brenda are both superb artists with conventional tools and I wanted to create a system that they could use and love. The artistic pictures that are supplied with this program were done by my wife. Brenda's primary use of PC-KEY-DRAW, other than doing some nice works of art for me, has been in the area of graphic design. She has made considerable use of the program to design logos and letterheads. An example of her talent is shown in Figure 1. Elizabeth is an 2-3 PC-KEY-DRAW architect and I ultimately want PC-KEY-DRAW to be something that she uses on a regular basis. No matter how good the tool, it is still the skilled hands of the artist, designer, draftsman, or architect that determine the output. Unfortunately no program is bug free. As I find bugs and fix them the actual version number will change. At this point I am up to 3.08. The .08 represents correcting several minor bugs and adding several new items to the program. If you find any bugs, please let me know. What's in a Name? OEDWARE comes from OED which stands for Ocean Equipment Develpment. I formed Ocean Equipment Development to design, promote and sell motion compensated launch/recovery cranes. OEDWARE (owed ware) is just an extension of OED, but if correctly pronounced relates to the marketig method being used to distribute PC-KEY-DRAW. If you are a registered user you owe me for using the program. PC-KEY-DRAW comes about because it describes the program operation. The keyboard is used to draw. The future of PC-KEY-DRAW looks bright. There are still many things that I want to work on. Version 4.0 may be awhile in coming, but it will be another step in the quest to create a "complete" graphics program. Some of the things I intend to work on include, lightpen support, joystick support, plotter support, additional 3D drawing capabilities, Hercules Monochrome card support, EGA support, full CAD capabilities, automatic dimensioning, and a whole lot more. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Your support is also greatly appreciated. 2-4 PC-KEY-DRAW OPERATION THEORY PC-KEY-DRAW is a very comprehensive graphics system. Its large number of commands may tend to intimidate the initial user if he/she does not fully understand the basic program philosopy. The first thing to remember is that in creating any one particular drawing only a handful of the program's commands will be used. Don't feel that you have to learn everything from the start. Begin with the basics and build from there. As you become more proficient at creating graphics you may realize the need for an automated way of performing a particular task. Chances are PC-KEY-DRAW already has the feature just waiting to be used. For instance, creating presentation slides for a business meeting may involve placing significant portions of text on the screen so that it is centered. Manually moving the text into place is slow so an automatic centering feature is included. The program is designed to be run from the keyboard. Version 3.0 also allows a mouse mode of operation with click to select on pull down menus. Contrary to what you might think, the keyboard method is an excellent way to run a graphics program. The trained user can create all sorts of drawings quickly. You do not have to waste time clicking through a series of menus as with most other graphics programs, unless you want to. Keyboard input also means you don't have to have extra equipment cluttering up your desk. When running PC-KEY-DRAW from the keyboard the left hand is used to select the various function keys and make other selections. The right hand is used to operate the cursor keys and the / key and to help in selecting commands. A variety of commands are available from the cursor mode. These are commands that control general program operation and features that are common to all of the main drawing functions. The function keys are used to select the area of drawing to use next. The function keys are used to combine commands that are similar to each other. F1 is for modification, in that its commands are used to modify objects or the screen. F2 is for creating boxes and other straight line figures, such as polygons. F3 is for generating a 3-1 PC-KEY-DRAW variety of curved lines. F4 is for shading and spraypaint. F5 paints areas and modifies existing colors. It also controls the palette and background. F6 draws lines and adds text to the screen. F7 allows portions of the screen to be copied, saved, erased or moved. F8 handles files. F9 sets the speed of the cursor. F10 sets the color to be used by the majority of functions. Basics: Items enclosed with < and > are commands that are entered via the keyboard using the appropriate letter/key. Certain commands require using the Shft, Ctrl, or Alt keys with the specified key. Where this is required is indicated as , for example, or , , . When sequential key strokes are required they are indicated by separating the commands with a space, such as , or . Items enclosed with [ and ] are commands that will be taken as the default if is selected. The first mouse button acts as the key, if you are using a mouse. Prompts that start with "Enter" require user input followed by a . Other prompts need only a single key to initiate. When a function is selected a list of possible commands are provided on the prompt line. More information is available by using the cursor keys. Functions can be selected by entering the appropriate letter and Shft, Ctrl, or Alt as needed. Or the key can be hit to select the displayed command. Note that the commands are case sensitive. A lowercase "m" is different from an uppercase "M" in its effect, but they both have the same basic meaning. Consider F7 which allows 4 different ways to move an object to the screen. All of them are a type of move so that "m" is appropriate, but to differentiate between the different moves a "m" is used either alone or with the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt keys. Not every command has four levels to it. Those commands that have more then one level are designated on the prompt line by the letter followed by a ".". 3-2 PC-KEY-DRAW If you enter a function and then change your mind or realize the need to reposition the cursor first, select or to return the CURSOR MODE. When operating from the keyboard you should position the cursor as desired first and then select the desired function. If you are using a mouse to click on the function you want then first select the desired function, click with button 1, move the cursor to start position, click with button 1 a second time, select desired directive and follow prompts. There are two basic types of function commands, those that act on an object and those that act on the entire screen. For commands that act on the entire screen the action is started by selecting the appropriate command and following any prompts. When the action is complete the program will ask if the result was correct before saving it to the drawing you are working on. Before selecting a command to create or to modify an object the cursor should first be moved to the desired start of the function, such as the center of the circle, or one of the corners of a rectangle. Some commands that work on an object require that you first define the object by enclosing it in a box, then selecting . Some object functions can be color specific, ie. only the color set by will be acted on. If a function does not appear to work, it maybe that the color was improperly set. It is somewhat easier to learn PC-KEY-DRAW by working in the high resolution mode. This is because the prompt line allows 80 columns as compared to 40 in the medium/color mode. The 80 columns allow additional information to be displayed. Virtually all functions available in color are available in high resolution and vice versa. Extra prompts have been added as part of version 3.0 to help guide the user through each function. If you are using the 40 column mode the prompt will be replaced by the cursor information as the cursor is moved. To see the prompt type any non command key. Pull down menus have also been added to aid learning the program as they display extra information on the screen. A sample of what the screen would look like in medium resolution with the main menu is shown in Figure 2. The menu is 3-3 PC-KEY-DRAW toggled with or can be set as part of the program configuration with . A complete help file is included and can be called up when entering a function if further information is needed by select . The help file can also be reached from the CURSOR MODE for information on commands that can be used at anytime the cursor can be moved on the screen. Consider the keyboard as an input device compared to a two or three button mouse. Most people have ten fingers, why not use them. Version 3.0 does allow a mouse to be used in much the same fashion as with other point and click programs, but its slower and less powerful. The mouse is best for free hand drawing using ine or ursor of . This manual is layed out to provide two ways of finding how to perform a function. The Command Summary section is divided by the function keys that activate the various commands. The Directive, Functions and What They Do Section is an alphabetized listing of the commands and how to use them. The section you have just read is probably the most important section of the manual. If you understand the theory behind PC-KEY-DRAW you will find it easy to use and very fast. if you don't understand the basic operation of the program reread this section, then try the program. The best way to learn is to play and experiment, rather than jumping right in and attempting to create an architectural drawing or other work of art. 3-4 PC-KEY-DRAW COMMAND SUMMARY Commands for PC-KEY-DRAW are divided into two primary types. Type 1 are those that can be issued in the CURSOR MODE (any time the cursor can be moved about on the screen) and type 2 are the commands that are called from within a particular function. Basically type 1 commands pertain to general operation, while type 2 commands pertain to a specific drawing function. The help file in PC-KEY-DRAW and the Command Summary sheet (available from OEDWARE) are similar to the contents of this chapter, which is arranged by command. See Chapter 9 DIRECTIVES, FUNCTIONS, & WHAT THEY DO for additional detail of the commands. Cursor Mode Cursor keys <1-9> move cursor around on screen at speed set by or <+> and <->. sets the display to Screen 1 if screen is not 1. Allows panning or paging through pages and layers if screen is already set to 1 sets screen 1 to Page 00 or layer 0 returns to Page 00 or layer 0 without saving screen youare currently on. sets screen 1 to last page or layer created moves through pages and layers one page/layer up moves through pages and layers one page/layer down Pan in page mode by 1/2 screen sets screen to Screen 2 Moves up through screens Moves down through screens Stops current operation Switches between high and medium resolution The Enter/Return key is used to complete functions, mark points, take default values. The first mouse button is used as the Enter key. During line drawing the Enter key is used to mark line end points and continue drawing. 4-1 PC-KEY-DRAW is active during line drawing with F6 or to temporarily suspend line drawing and display the cursor. <$> Sets screen aspect ratio. An aspect ratio of 1.0 in color or 2.0 in high res gives good results. <+> increases cursor step by one <-> decreases cursor step by one <(> shifts entire display to the left <)> shifts entire display to the right <[> rotates polygon or rose counterclockwise at steps set by <]> rotates polygon or rose clockwise in steps set by <{> rotates polygon or rose counterclockwise in 90 degree increments <}> rotates polygon or rose clockwise in 90 degree increments <*> toggles prompt line display for playback sets cursor to 0,0 (top left corner) <5> displays color value that cursor is over sets background value (AVAT-anti video attribute) switches cursor to last center of a circle or centers animated area horizontally on screen toggles through three cursor types sets grid to display as dots changes grid color sets grid to display as lines selects help menus and this help screen toggles help menus toggles isometric drawing mode. A 1 indicates that the isometric mode is off, while a 2 means the mode is on. keeps the screen in memory as it currently appears activates key macro turns display of visual layers on and off sets active and visual layers as desired moves current screen to visual page and starts next layer; screen 2 becomes part of visual layer. This is the primary method of initializing the use of layers. turns layers off and pages back on mark measure point switches cursor to last marked point sets screen scale based on measured distance. Use first. 4-2 PC-KEY-DRAW sets pause length for macro playback controls cursor movement quality. Quality off allows faster motion. Quality on ensures equal cursor steps. Key macro automatically sets quality on. Refresh the screen with current picture. Show only active screen, without cursor or prompt line, useful for taking slides from screen. Shows active and visual layers. Switch to the configuration screen. updates workspace #1 and declares that current screen is Screen 1 updates workspace #2 and declares that current screen is Screen 2 sets visual horizon of screen sets line width form 1 to 32 Drawing Modification Rectangles and Polygons Curves Shading and Spraypainting Painting Palette Control Drawing and Text Copy, Erase and Move File Handling, Fresh Screen Speed toggle Sets cursor speed to 1 Color control sets color to color 1 4-3 PC-KEY-DRAW F1 Drawing Modification allows rotation about a point in the plane of the screen. First select center of rotation, next define object. Follow prompts. *C*- will rotate only the current color as selected by . Use to rotate all three colors of an object. A screen aspect ratio of 1.0 in medium resolution or 2.0 in high resolution provides the cleanest rotation, while other aspect ratios can be used for interesting effects. again-allows the same object to be rotated/zoomed again with a new angle/size. again-allows a previously rotated object to be zoomed and vice versa. revolves an object about a horizontal or vertical axis. Use like by marking axis center, and any two opposite corners. rotates left half of screen 90 degrees. zooms an object either up or down. Does not change drawing scale. Use like by marking center, and any two opposite corners. *C*-will zoom only current color as selected by . Use to zoom entire object. zooms the entire screen up or down, changing scaling accordingly. A screen aspect ratio of 1.0 in color or 2.0 in high resolution gives the best results for zooming. zooms portion of screen for editing on a pixel by pixel basis. Selecting a second time will allow work on 8 screens at one time. The size of the pixel screen corresponds to the size of the patterns used in F5 fill. mirrors image of an object defined in box. Select mirror line orientation. 4-4 PC-KEY-DRAW mirrors entire screen either horizontally or vertically. flips/rotates object through desired view angle, thus compressing it. flips/rotates full screen through desired view angle. reverse video - switches colors 0 to 3; 1 to 2; 2 to 1; 3 to 0 reverse video - switches colors 0 to 1; 1 to 0; 2 to 3; 3 to 2 reverse video - switches colors 0 to 2; 1 to 3; 2 to 0; 3 to 1 XORs screen with set value slides object either horizontally or vertically by a given number of steps. slides entire screen. slides entire screen as above only to a power from 2 to 4. calculates area and center of area for object. By looking for the color set with F9. The area calculation is based on the screen scale and lit pixels. To get the area of a circle the circle must be completely filled in with the same color, otherwise calculate will return a value closer to the perimeter of the object. calculates mass and center of mass for object. Operates much the same as only all colors are calculated for and weighted based on user supplied density factors. exits function. 4-5 PC-KEY-DRAW F2 Draws a Boxs and Polygons. rectangle -displays box as cursor is moved. The key can be used with the cursor keys to adjust the first corner of the box. The diagonal length of the rectangle is displayed on the prompt line. produces shaded box with choice of light, medium, and heavy shade Use to set color. Mark any two opposite corners. same as only box is copied for use with nimate, move, etc. same as only box is copied for use with nimate, move, etc.

polygon inscribed in circle. Enter number of any number of sides. The polygon is displayed as it is sized and positioned with the cursor. Use <[> and <]> to rotate the polygon as you position it. controls the amount the polygon is rotated with each step. arrow-places arrow head at cursor location either pointing up, down, left, or right. Use u or d to upsize or downsize the arrow exits function. 4-6 PC-KEY-DRAW F3 Draws Curves circle-draws a full circle. The location of the cursor when is selected will be the center of the circle. After marking the center, move the cursor to the desired radius. The length of the radius is shown on the prompt line and the circle is displayed. The center can be shifted with the numeric keys corresponding to the cursor keys. Select again to mark the radius and draw the circle. If circle is not of desired roundness, select <$> and change screen aspect ratio. draws the center line for a circle. arc-draws an arc using cursor position as start and end. As with the circle, the current cursor position is the center of the arc. The second position is the radius and one end of the arc. The third position is the other end of the arc. Arcs are always drawn counterclockwise. draws arc with lines from center to endpoints (pie shaped) ellipse-draws a full ellipse. Use as with circle, but use up and right arrow to properly shape ellipse before hitting a . draws the center line for an ellipse. fillet for 90 degree corners. rose curves inscribed in circle. Enter number of leaves. spiral from center outward. trig(sine)-produces sine curve. Set desired amplitude and period with cursor keys. exits function. 4-7 PC-KEY-DRAW F4 Shades area lightly shades enclosed area medium shading of enclosed area dark/heavy shading of enclosed area Use to determine color of shading Spray paints area. Use on painted circle to give a 3-D effect. Affects active color only. First draw item and paint with . Current cursor location sets the position of light source (generally on the object). Next mark any corner of box containing object and select again. Mark opposite corner of box and select to spray paint. as above but effects all colors. Set screen aspect ratio to 0 to shade columns. fades enclosed area with AVAT. fades all colors to AVAT. exits function. 4-8 PC-KEY-DRAW F5 Paint *C* -The medium resolution portion only.

paint-paints the enclosed area with the specified fill color. You must also specify the border color by number. Gaps in the area to be painted will allow the paint to leak out.

paint-same as

only remains active until next function is selected. Use to paint next area. paints enclosed area with one of 29 color combinations. Use to select color set. background(*C*)-sets the color of the entire screen. 32 colors are available: 0-Black 8-Dark Gray 1-Blue 9-Light Blue 2-Green 10-Light Green 3-Cyan 11-Light Cyan 4-Red 12-Light Red 5-Magenta 13-Light Magenta 6-Brown 14-Yellow 7-Light Gray 15-White Select the color of the background by using the . Fix the color with . The second set of 16 is similar, but with different intensity. color (*C*)-sets the active color palette. color-turns on color and toggles it in high resolution. (*C*)-selects unichrome palette ( sets unichrome color). Selects background color active in high resolution. modifies color (as set with ) of object to one of 29 color combinations modifies color (as set with ) of screen to one of 29 color combinations 4-9 PC-KEY-DRAW modifies one of 29 colors of object to another one of 29 color combinations. modifies one of 29 colors of screen to another one of 29 color combinations. fills area with one of 64 patterns. In order to properly fill an area it must be fully enclosed just as with paint or the fill will leak out. The basic 64 patterns can be modified as desired using to load the file KD-PTRN.PIC into one of the screens and then changing the desired pattern(s). Be sure to save the patterns with . fills area with pattern from user specified file. File must have a .PIC extension. strips (*C*) all colors on screen except to one set with . This can be useful for producing color viewgraphs without a color printer as discussed in Appendix F. shifts (*C*) screen foreground colors by one. The background color is not effected. exits function. 4-10 PC-KEY-DRAW F6 Draws and Adds Text Line width and dot size can be set in the CURSOR MODE with a idth. dot-places dot at cursor location. An will mark dot and added it to the vector array. continues vector array from last point entered. line-connects cursor points with a line and adds it to the vector array. A will mark next point and continue drawing. All points must be marked with an or they will not be saved. Select a second time and or to end line drawing. You can temporarily suspend line drawing with a and continue it again with the an . backs up one point. continues vector array from last point entered.

parallel-draws parallel lines and adds it to the vector array.

continues vector array from last point entered. spoke-draws lines from common center point and adds it to the vector array. continues vector array from last point entered. exit-ends current mode. Required after any of the above. ends current mode and saves line drawing to disk using user specified name. These are saved as vectors and are ideal for commonly used symbols. old line drawing from disk. A single drive letter will display appropriate files on disk. Must specify rotation angle(any angle) and scale factor. old, last drawing selected from disk. Allows alternate rotation and scale. 4-11 PC-KEY-DRAW cursor-draws continuous lines as the cursor is moved. Use this function for freehand drawing with the cursor or with a mouse. Line drawing can be suspended by hitting a (the second mouse button) and restarted with the key. text-enters text at cursor location. text-allows text to be centered or justified right or left. text-is copied into so it can be moved to position required. text-allows use of alternate fonts as stored on disk. exits function. 4-12 PC-KEY-DRAW F7 Erases, Copies, Animates, Moves, Smears, or Replicates erases the enclosed area and copies it for use with a,s,r, and m. erase and animate-allows an area to be picked up and moved quickly. erases area enclosed in circle. erases enclosed area but does not copy it. Use to erase small areas. copies area to be moved, but does not erase copies the portion of the screen to disk for later use. No extension on the user supplied name creates a file that can be retrieved with . A .PIC extension saves portion of screen for later use and is compatible with other graphics programs. A .BAS extension will save the screen as a basic subroutine for use in user written programs. A .FNT saves the object as part of a font library for use with . copies the same size object as previously copied without remarking. retrieves drawings saved with . A single drive letter will display appropriate files on disk. animate allows a previously copied or erased area to be moved around the screen with the cursor. As the object is moved vertically off the screen it will slowly disappear until the cursor wraps. As the object is moved horizontally off the screen it will distort until wrapping occurs. ,, and move area previously erased or copied to lower right of cursor, each with a different syntax. (different result). The sample demo provides a good example of the different results obtained with the four syntaxs of move. Basically XORs the copied area with what is on the screen. If a copied object is XORed twice the original screen image is restored 4-13 PC-KEY-DRAW intact. performs an OR with the object and screen, thus superimposing the copied image onto the screen. uses the PSET action to replace a portion of the screen with the copied image. uses AND to transfer an image only if an image already exists. ,, and smear the copied object with each step of the cursor using different syntax. Use this as a paint brush. Copied size determine number of bristles in brush. The syntax of smear is the same as move. ,, and replicates object with each cursor step. The syntax of replicate is the same as move and smear. inserts a horizontal line at the cursor position. The number of lines inserted is determined by the current cursor speed setting (). deletes a horizontal line at the cursor position. The number of lines deleted is determined by the current cursor speed setting (). exits function. Note that when a very large or complex object is rotated or zoomed using , the last copied area maybe lost. It is possible to copy the entire screen. The last screen copied or erased can be view and further manipulated by selecting . 4-14 PC-KEY-DRAW F8 Directory, Saves, Retrieves Old Drawing, Starts Fresh, or Exits. directory of selected disk saves the current drawing - must be room on disk. For best results save drawings on B:. Two files will be saved. The first is the screen file saved with a .SCN extension. The second is the data file for scale information. Multiple pages/layers must be saved independently if they are to be used again. old-retrieves a stored drawing from disk Screens previously created with this program should have an associated data file with scale information. old-displays screen files on disk and loads then for sequential display using . template-allows a template screen to be called up. Disables updating of disk. Retrieve working screen with or . fresh-clears screen and starts again. If the current drawing has not been saved on disk it will be lost. fresh-clears screen and layers or pages from workspace disk.

prints graphics screen on line printer #1 The last screen title is displayed and you are asked if it is OK. es will print the title with the screen. o allows you to enter a new title on the prompt line. zoom prints partial screen. Enclose area to be printed in box.

Zoom prints entire screen. With partial and full screen zoom printing you must specify the characters to use and one of three sizes.(1 is the smallest and 3 is the largest) 4-15 PC-KEY-DRAW restores old workspace #1 to any screen restores old workspace #2 to any screen kills a file on the disk. User must specify full name including drive. exits program completely and returns to DOS. exits function. 4-16 PC-KEY-DRAW Zoom Printing with F8: Print sizes range from 1 to 41 Size 1 corresponds to 17 cpi Size 2 corresponds to 12 cpi Size 3 corresponds to 10 cpi Some printers do not support all three character pitches and will not be available for use. Size 4 through 41 are multiples of the first three sizes. Some experimentation maybe necessary to find the correct size to print with. Start small!!!! 1X 2X 3X 4X 5X 6X 7X 8X etc.. 17 CPI 1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 12 CPI 2 5 8 11 14 17 20 23 10 CPI 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 Several printer configurations have been include on the disk. Any printer can be configured to work with the zoom printing option. To select a printer or to configure a printer select from the CURSOR MODE. Set desired printer number and the screen will switch to the configure printer section. Select one of the available printers or using your printers owners manual enter in the configuration for your printer. Note that printer number one "1" is reserved for an Okidata 92. Please send any printer configurations so that others can use them. See LIBRARIES. 4-17 PC-KEY-DRAW F9 Speed Cursor speed is controlled with , <+>, and <->. toggles between setting the cursor speed to 1 and to the last speed set with the <+> and <-> keys. This allows rapid movement or fine movement. forces the cursor speed to 1. F10 Color controls the color that many of the functions work with. Lines, rectangles, circles etc. will be drawn to the color set by . Other commands such as paint, spraypaint, rotate, etc. use the color to work with. forces the color to color 1. 4-18 PC-KEY-DRAW DRAWING TECHNIQUES Start out using the program by experimenting. Try using the various functions and actions and noting the results. With a little time and practice using the program becomes very fast and efficient. For major works take time to plan out the order in which you will create the drawing. It is generally best to start with the details, shrink these down and combine them to produce the final drawing. If you want the printed drawing to look like the screen the reverse video action should be chosen from just before printing. This is useful showing things like planetoids. The black background is more natural. Mechanical drawings should be printed out without reversing the screen so that they correspond to the standard method of viewing. Since many of the actions take place inside of boxed areas it is advisable to create parts of a drawing separately and then combine them at the end. This can be accomplished by drawing the various components on different parts of the screen or by using a screen for each component and combining screens using the copy action of . EXAMPLES: To draw box: Move the cursor to one of the corners of the box. Select desired color of box with . Select and ectangle to display the box as it is drawn. Move the cursor to form the box as desired. Use the keys to adjust the start point of the box if needed. Hit either , , or to complete function and draw box. Respond to the "Correct (y/n)?" prompt to keep the box or to return to the drawing as it was. To draw a circle: Move the cursor to the desired center of the circle. Select desired color of the circle with F8. Select and for circle. Move the cursor to the desired radius and hit either , , or to complete function and draw circle. If the circle is not properly centered simply hold down the key while using the cursor 5-1 PC-KEY-DRAW keys. Respond as desired to the "Correct (y/n)?" prompt. To draw a line: Move the cursor to the start of the line. Select and . Move cursor to position line as desired. Use a or to mark next point on line. Continue drawing lines. To stop momentarily use the . If you make an error can be use to erase the last line and redraw up to where you are. Line width can also be set using the idth command of the CURSOR MODE and changed at will while drawing the line. The color can also be varied as the line drawn and you can switch back and forth with ot,

arallel line, and poked line. When last point of line has been marked, select F6 and either or to end the line. If is chosen the line is not only drawn on the screen, but saved to disk under user specified name. It can be retrieved at any angle and any scale using . Even if you did not save the drawing to disk it is still available for reuse, continuation or modification. Select to redraw the last vector. To erase an area: Move the cursor to a position at one of the corners of the area to be erased. Select to mark the corner. Move the cursor to enclose the desired area with the display box. As with box the keys can be used to modify the initial corner position. Select or to mark the opposite corner. Copy works the same way. Very complex and interesting patterns can be created by copying and area and then moving off the screen with nimate. Try this with the file KD-PTRN.PIC, which can be retrieved with ld. When you obtain a particular pattern you want to use leave it on the screen with and then copy it again. Next move over the object you wish to paint with this new color pattern. Select to paint the object. (Note the object should be in color 3 for best results.) 3-D oblique drawings can be made quickly from 2-D drawings. In high resolution, draw a box with ; copy the box with ; set the cursor speed to 1; 5-2 PC-KEY-DRAW move one space to the left and one space up; select ; move alternately one step left and one step up until cube is of desired size; select ; and the cube is complete. Special effects can be created by setting the background attribute (AVAT) to something other then the actual background. Try setting the background with to <1>. Now draw a box or circle or line. Note how the object is left behind as you move the cursor. When you hit the key the screen is refreshed and then the final box/circle/line is drawn, but sometimes it is desirable to use to create patterns and other effects much quicker than otherwise possible. At any time you wish to preserve what the screen shows, select eep and it will be saved. 16 Colors If you have a composite color monitor or TV set you can obtain sixteen colors instead of the normal 4 available in RGB. Set the color palette to the second palette where color 1=Green, color 2=Red and color 3=Yellow. Draw several boxes, circles, or polygons on the screen. Move the cursor to within one of the figures and select aint. A colorbar will appear showing 16 color choice, but these won't look that great. Select a and the colors change to 16 distinct/vibrant colors on a composite monitor. Select the number you desire and specify the color of the figure and wholla the object is painted. Most of the other drawing functions only recongize the four primary colors so some care must be taken when creating a composite picture. 5-3 PC-KEY-DRAW KEY MACRO Perhaps one of the most powerful functions of PC-KEY-DRAW is the key macro command, because it has so many different uses. I have yet to fully explore all of the uses of the key macro, but they include saving entire drawings, creating slide shows, saving commonly used routines/figures, and performing repetitive operations. The key macro command works by recording all of the key strokes you make and saving them to disk in a sequential ASCII file. The program keeps track of the same key being hit a multiple number of times and records not only the key, but its repetition number. Key macro files can be very small and still do quite a lot. This section has been removed from the disk manual. Registered users get a complete printed manual. 6-1 PC-KEY-DRAW PAGES AND LAYERS PC-KEY-DRAW version 3.0 allows you the option to draw using up to 64 pages or 64 layers. The two cannot be used at the same time. Pages and layers are saved on the workspace disk, which can either be a RAM disk, hard disk, or floppy. To use all 64 pages/layers about 1.2 megs of memory is required. In addition to use more than about 20 pages/layers you must set up a subdirectory for the workspace. See your DOS manual for information on creating and using subdirectories. This section is not included in the disk manual. Registered users get a complete users manual. 7-1 PC-KEY-DRAW LIBRARIES PC-KEY-DRAW provides 6 methods of creating libraries of commonly used pictures, screens, fonts, vectors, macros, and patterns. Line drawings can be saved as vectors for later recall at any angle and scale using F6. Portions of the screen can be saved as bitmapped images under F7. Fonts can be created and then saved using F7 as can patterns. Entire screens are saved with F8, while key macros can be created for a wide variety of uses. This section has been removed from the disk manual. A complete manual is supplied to all registered users. Creating Libraries While PC-KEY-DRAW is ideal for creating libraries, it currently comes with a limited supply of libraries. I have created many libraries for my own use, but they include things that would be of little use to anyone else. Most of the libraries I have created relate to motion compensated cranes and there just isn't much call for such symbols. At the time of this writing PC-KEY-DRAW includes two font libraries, and one pattern library and thats it. I do not have the time or the talent to create general purpose libraries, but some of you might. Please send any libraries that you create to me for evaluation. Unregistered users can receive credit towards registering, while registered users can receive credit towards updates or CA$H back. Yep, I am willing to pay for good libraries in any of PC-KEY-DRAW's formats, including printer configuration. The actual price will depend on the type, quality, and general use of the library. Please send what you think the library is worth. Perhaps a commision basis would be appropriate. I am open to suggestions, just remember this is a low budget operation. I reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time, like when there are more libraries than PC users. Please send original libraries only and not copies of other program libraries. 9-1 PC-KEY-DRAW DIRECTIVES, FUNCTIONS AND WHAT THEY DO. This section has not been included in the disk manual. Registered users get a copy of the printed manual which includes this 22 page section. 9-2 PC-KEY-DRAW APPENDIX A: USER-SUPPORTED SOFTWARE This software is being distributed under the User-Supported Concept. Individuals, clubs and other non-profit organizations are encouraged to copy this software and distribute it to members and friends, provided no price other than the cost of a diskette is charged, the receiver is informed of the User-Supported Software concept and encouraged to participate, and the program and documentation are not modified in any way. The printed documentation should not be copied or distributed! If an individual finds the program of use, he is trusted to send in a $100 payment to: Edward H. Kidera IV OEDWARE P.O. Box 595 Columbia, MD 21045-0595 If the software is not of use to you, you should discontinue its use, but please pass it along to friends for their evaluation. What constitutes "use" of a program is a good question. Trying the program to see what it does is not using the program. Creating drawings or other graphics is using the program. Even if you only use the program on weekends, or evenings, you are still using it and should register. Some people seem to think that they must use PC-KEY-DRAW every day to constitute "use", but this is not fair to me. If you create any screens that you feel will be of particular use to others, please send in a copy for evaluation. A swap list of screen libraries will be created and sent to registered users on a periodic basis. This can be a way for you to earn some credit or even cash and help out others as well. See LIBRARIES Registered owners will receive periodic updates for a minimal charge and will receive a phone number for fast response to questions. I have many future improvements and companion programs planned. Please support my effort by registering. Updates to A-1 PC-KEY-DRAW registered users will never be more than $10.00, no matter how substaintial the changes are. Many more people have a copy of the program then are registered. I tend to get inquiries for help from people that have not registered. Initially I tended to provide any and all information to those inquiring, but soon found that it was taking up my time with NO return. Most of the questions are simple and straight forward, while others can be long and extensive. If you have a simple question, like,"Does the program work with an XYZ computer?", I will be glad to let unregistered users know what I know. If your question is significant like,"How do I integrate drawings into a BASICA program?", then unless you are a registered user do not expect much of an answer. If you make use of PC-KEY-DRAW, please register. User Supported Software should be very popular with most PC users. It means that the software is not copyprotected making backup easy and use with a hard disk or RAM disk a snap. It also allows you to try before you buy to see if the program actually does what it says it does. User Supported Software will only continue if you the user does support it. Another advantage to User Supported Software is price. PC-KEY-DRAW is well worth the registration price. Many of its features can not be found for under $500 in commercial software and some cannot be touched for under $1500. The final advantage to User Supported Software is my commitment to expanding and improving the program. A-2 PC-KEY-DRAW INVOICE DATE OF ORDER ORDER NUMBER DATE OF INVOICE DATE OF SHIPMENT TO: ______________________________________________________ : QTY : DESCRIPTION : UNIT :EXTENSION: :______:_________________________:_________:_________: : : : : : : : PC-KEY-DRAW : $100.00 : : : : Version 3.0 : : : : : : : : : 1-2 : 0% Discount : : : : 3-10 : 20% Discount : : : :10-19 : 40% Discount : : : : 20+ : Call for Discount : : : : : : : : : : Extra Manual : 15.00 : : :______:_________________________:_________:_________: SUB TOTAL MARYLAND RESIDENTS ADD 5% TAX SHIPPING 0.00 TOTAL DUE Send Check or Money Order to: Edward H. Kidera IV OEDWARE P.O. Box 595 Columbia, MD 21045-0595 A-3 PC-KEY-DRAW APPENDIX B: START UP Load DOS into your computer. PC-KEY-DRAW requires DOS 2.0 or later. If your system has more than 256K of RAM memory available, set up a ram disk of at least 40K for the program workspace. You may want to add an AUTOEXEC.BAT file to load the RAM disk at start up. (RAM disk software is not included.) Check the directory of the program disk to be sure you have all the required files.(see next section) Place a formatted DS/DD diskette in drive B: and the original in drive A:. Copy the original diskette onto B: and store the original in a safe place. While you are at it, make a copy or two for friends. See your DOS manual for information on formatting and copying disks. All files must be included in any copies of PC-KEY-DRAW made for distribution. The files may not be modified and may not be distributed separately except for DATEIT.EXE. You are encouraged to copy and distribute PC-KEY-DRAW in the spirit of Shareware If printing of the drawings on a Epson or compatible printer is desired load GRAPHICS.COM (DOS 2.0). Note that GRAPHICS.COM will also work with other versions of DOS. Insert program diskette in drive A:. Type KD to load and run. Configuration parameters will be displayed. If these are incorrect select to enter CURSOR MODE then for status and configure the program. The program should be configured to your system and needs including the drive for the workspaces (RAM disk if you have it), update frequency, and drive for storing completed drawings. To move through the configuration screen use the key. Selecting a printer number switchs to the printer configuration screen. Generally this configuration needs only to be done once, but it can be done when ever required by system B-1 PC-KEY-DRAW changes. Store the configuration to disk with . The program gives you the option of setting the horizontal screen dimension. This is useful for engineering drawings. For general pictures respond to the "set scale" question with a o or for the default scale. resets the scale to pixel scaling, while leaves the scale as it was. If you select es then you will be asked to enter the horizontal screen dimension and the scale used. A demo program is included to act as a tutorial and demonstration of what the program can do. The demo program is actually a key macro created simply by drawing with the program. To run the demo be sure you are in the high resolution mode and that the program has been configured to match the drives you have available. Get yourself a beer or soda. Select and un A:SAMPLE. Sit back, watch the action, and enjoy the cool one. can be used to exit the demo at anytime. If you create slide shows that you think others would enjoy, please send me a copy and I will add it to the program disk. Be sure to include you name as part of the slide show. The DRAWING TECHNIQUES section of the manual provides several examples to help get you started, but first take a look at OPERATION THEORY. The program is easy and very fast, if you understand how it works. Don't let the numerous commands scare you. Start simple and experiment, learning as you go. Good luck. B-2 PC-KEY-DRAW APPENDIX C: PROGRAM FILES The following list of files are needed for PC-KEY-DRAW. Check the disk in DOS by using the directory command (DIR) to see that all of the files are included. If you do not have a complete set the program may not operate to its fullest. Anyone distributing this program to friends, please be sure to include all files. AUTOEXEC.BAT Batch file to start the program on boot KD-READ .ME This is the basic information to get you started with the program. KD .BAT Batch file to run PC-KEY-DRAW KD-COPY .BAT Batch file for copying only PC-KEY-DRAW files. KD-DRAW .EXE Main program for creating graphics KD-DRAW .DFT Program configuration parameters KD-DRAW .TXT Text file for program KD-STAT .DAT Status screen for KD-DRAW KD-DRAW .HLP Help file for use in program KD-PAINT.PIC PIC file containing paint options KD-PTRN .PIC PIC file containing 64 fill patterns. KD-FONT1.FNT Font file for double sized, solid text. KD-FONT2.FNT Font file for double sized, outline text. KD-MOUSE.MSC Source for Mousesystems Mouse KD-MOUSE.COM Mouse driver, load before program and after initializing your mouse with /R. KD-PRNT?.TBL Configuration tables for zoom printing DATEIT .EXE Replaces DOS date function DATEIT .DAT File of last date entered BASRUN .EXE BASICA runtime module needed for program C-1 PC-KEY-DRAW APPENDIX D: IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS - VERS. 3.0 There are many changes and improvements found in version 3.0 over all earlier versions. Those users familiar with earlier versions of PC-KEY-DRAW will find it friendlier and much more powerful. Those using PC-KEY-DRAW for the first time will enjoy its many features and ease of operation. The differences between the versions fall into three categories. The first differences involves changes made to the basic operation. The second area the versions differ is in the number of features available. Many new features have been added. The third area is improvement in user friendliness, without any sacrifice in speed or performance. CHANGES: 1. The zoom printer program has been integrated into the main drawing program for ease of use and thus ZPRINTER.EXE has been eliminated. 2. The main menu and slide show have been eliminated. Significantly more powerful slide shows can be developed using the key macro command of the drawing program than were possible with the old slide show. 3. The configuration portion of the program has likewise been integrated into the main drawing program allowing access at any time. The printer configuration is also part of the program configuration. 4. The F8 and F10 function keys have been swapped to improve operation. Heavy users of 2.21 may take some time to fully adjust to this switch. 5. The file structure of vector saves in F6 has been changed for a significant improvement in power and flexibility. The additional features this provides are discussed in the next section. A BASICA program is provided to aid in converting existing symbol librarys that you may have created with version 2.21 to version 3.0 format. Converting from 3.0 to 2.21 is not possible. 6. The manual is no longer included on the disk and is copyrighted and should not be copied or distributed. D-1 PC-KEY-DRAW ADDITIONS: CURSOR MODE: 1. Multiple pages with up to 64 pages on an 8X8 layout or multiple layers (overlays) up to 64. 2. Autocentering of animated objects. 3. Mouse operation for cursor movement and ability to point and choose commands if desired. 4. Show feature to quickly clear screen of everything except the picture you are working on. 5. Grid available as points or lines in a separate layer. 6. Choice of three cursor styles to suit every drawing taste. 7. Width setting for lines, circles, rectangles, etc. 8. Key macro command for remembering and playing back key sequences used to create a drawing. This feature has many applications including slide show creation, macro creation, drawing saves and more. Several other commands have been added to compliment the key macro. 9. The visual horizon can be set to limit the cursor movement. This is primarily used when animating to allow the animated object to disappear behind an object on the screen. F1 Modifications: 1. Calculation of centers, areas and mass have been moved from zoom printer for easy access. 2. Flip/compress works on objects as well as the screen. 3. A FATBITS mode of zooming is now available allowing work on up to eight screens simultaneously. 4. Sliding of objects and screens. 5. Object zoom allows zooming in steps for great 3-D effects on titles, etc. F2 Boxes: 1. Polygons of any number of sides can be quickly and easily drawn. Polygons are displayed as they are sized and placed on the screen. 2. Arrows have been moved to F2 from F6. D-2 PC-KEY-DRAW F3 Curves: 1. Arcs are displayed as they are drawn to aid proper placement. 2. Pie shaped pieces can be generated automatically. 3. Circle and ellipse center marks for engineering drawings can be created automatically. 4. Fillets are formed automatically. 5. Rose curves and spirals are available. 6. Sine curves can be quickly drawn and sized dynamically as desired. F4 Shading: 1. A fade function works by color or all colors. F5 Paint: 1. Enclosed areas can be painted with one of 29 colors in medium resolution, or one of 29 shades in high resolution. 2. Any of the 29 screen colors can be modified to another color. 3. Foreground colors can be shifted up by one. 4. Foreground colors can be stripped out. F6 Draw: 1. Line drawing has been greatly expanded. Vector objects can be created and saved using line, parallel lines, spoke lines, and dots with variable color and width. 2. Text can be automatically justified left, right or centered. 3. Text can be automatically imported to animate to aid in placement. 4. Multiple bitmapped text fonts can be used. Text fonts are created with any and all program functions and saved with F7. Two text fonts are supplied with 3.0. F7 Copy & Erase: 1. Circular areas can be erased. 2. Fonts can be saved for retrieval with F6. 3. Horizontal lines can be inserted or deleted. F8 Files: 1. Disk files can be brought in sequentially for viewing. D-3 PC-KEY-DRAW F9 Speed: 1. Speed set is remembered. IMPROVED USER FRIENDLINESS: Many features have been added to make the program easier and faster to use. Many functions now remember the last entry. For example when a file is retrieved from disk its name is remembered allowing a quick save under the same name. When parameters such as screen aspect ratio are set, the last entry is kept unless specifically changed. The appearance of brackets ([ ]) enclosing an entry indicate that it is the default taken if an is hit. Two modes of operation are possible with version 3.0. An expert mode allows fast keyboard operation and is equivalent to version 2.21 and earlier. A novice or mouse mode is available that supplies extra information in the form of pull down menus. These menus can be used to learn the program or used with a mouse for click on selecting of functions. Extra information is available on the prompt line to aid the user in completing each step. D-4 PC-KEY-DRAW APPENDIX E: Hardware PC-KEY-DRAW version 3.0 requires an IBM PC/XT/AT/Jr /Portable or most compatibles with 256K memory, one floppy drive, and standard color graphics card. A second disk drive or hard disk is preferred as is additional memory. PC-KEY-DRAW can use over 1.5 megs of RAM memory if it is available. The additional memory must be configured as a RAM disk. Memory Allocation: The preferred method of operation is to leave at least 320K of RAM for DOS and the program. The remaining memory should be partitioned into two RAM disks. One of the RAM disks will contain the drawing workspace and must be at least 45K and up to 1.2 megs. This memory can also be used for holding drawings to be called in a slide show. The other RAM disk can be used to hold the program files. This speeds access to fonts, help, patterns, etc. Such operation is also beneficial to many other programs. Everyone should have at least 2 megs in their machine. I strongly recommend the JRAM board for additional memory. Graphics Boards: Currently PC-KEY-DRAW is limited to operation on a standard color graphics card or any card that can emulate a standard card. However, you do not need a color monitor to make effective use of the program. Generally any incompatibility of PC-KEY-DRAW and a particular computer will be directly related to the graphics board. Version 3.0 will work with the PCJr graphics system, but does not support the extended capabilities of the graphics system. Version 3.0 will also work on the EGA, but does not support its extra capabilities. Some graphics boards may require some adjustment to operate properly. The need for adjustment is evident by the location of the display on the screen. Use the <(> and <)> commands from the CURSOR MODE to properly show and center the display. Version 3.0 does not work with the Hercules monochrome card, but may sometime in the future. Monitors: If you are looking for a color monitor to use with your PC for graphics I would strongly recommend the Sears Total Video System, since it is E-1 PC-KEY-DRAW not only a RGB monitor with 640X200 resolution, but a composite video monitor and high quality TV as well. The cost can't be beat either. General drawing will probably be done in the RGB mode, but the composite video mode has a lot to offer. In RGB, with a standard color card, colors are limited to 3 foreground and one background in a variety of palettes. PC-KEY-DRAW provides color mixing for 29 different colors in RGB, although the colors are obviously color mixes. In composite video 16 true colors are possible. Composite video signals can also be saved to video tape. Keyboard: PC-KEY-DRAW as its name implies is intended to be used from the keyboard. Version 3.0 also allows mouse input, if desired. The keyboard makes for a very effective graphics input device for a variety of reasons, especially if you are not an artist, but even artists can make effective use of the program. The actual keyboard you have may make some difference in how easy the program is to use. Since it is designed to be run from the function keys they should be in a position that is easy to reach. I find having the function keys on the left side is the best. The cursor key arrangement is also important. The program is designed to make use of a 9 key cursor pad to not only allow horizontal and vertical movement, but 45 or 30/60 movement as well. Printers: Any printer that works with GRAPHICS.COM of DOS 2+ can be used with PC-KEY-DRAW for doing standard screen dumps. A zoom printing routine is also provided that can be used with any printer, even letter quality printers, since it includes a configuration routine as part of the program configuration. You will need your printer manual to set it up for your printer if not already on the disk. Please send me any printer configurations that you develop so that I may give them to others. E-2 PC-KEY-DRAW APPENDIX G: DATEIT DATEIT is a utility program designed to replace the DOS DATE command for those without an onboard clock calendar. It is not part of PC-KEY-DRAW, but compliments its use. DATEIT remembers the last date entered so that if you reboot or even turn the computer off for a while the date will be correct when the computer is powered back up. The next day you use it the day will be off, but the month and year will be correct, so just enter in the correct day and the correct date will be set for your machine. The first of the month will require the month and day to be entered and of course on January 1 you will have to enter the entire date. It is a good idea to always set the date on your computer since it makes it much easier to determine when a file was created. Feel free to copy DATEIT to other disks. G-1