Rockford! Help

LICENSE INFORMATION
Rockford! is a shareware program. This is the shareware version. You may use this program for a trial period not to exceed 30 days. If you continue to use it after that period, you must register your copy. To register, use the OsoSoft Information command in the Help menu. Fill out the order blank and send it with a check for $20 to the address on the form. Registered users receive the latest version, a printed manual, full support, and notification of upgrades. Unregistered users get minimal support and are not entitled to telephone support. Please register your copy today!

THE ROCKFORD! INTERFACE

EDITING AND DISPLAY BOXES

You'll see two boxes on the screen. At the top is the text-editing box. Here, you'll enter and edit all the text to be included on your card. Just below it is another box, where a WYSIWYG display of your card appears. You can't edit directly in this WYSIWYG box.

Editing Text in Rockford!
Rockford!'s editing box works like your Windows word processing program. You can simply type your text in the box. To position the cursor, use the cursor keys or the mouse pointer. New text you type replaces the selected text.
All attributes continue from line to line when you press the <Enter> key. You're limited to 20 lines of text in Rockford!.

LEFT SIDE COMMAND BUTTONS

The Text Group

[Edit] Returns the cursor to the text editing box.

[Exit] Click this button to leave Rockford!.

The Card Group

[Update] Updates the WYSIWYG display. 

[Clear] Clears your current card from the screen and from memory.

[New] Clears your current card and prepares Rockford! for an entirely new card.

[Load] Retrieves an existing card design from your hard disk. 

[Save] Saves the current card with the current filename.

[Save As] Lets you assign a new name for a card design. If you enter a filename without an extension, Rockford! will use .CAR. 

[Print] This button drops the file menu down, highlighting one of the available printing options. 

The Layout Group

[Grid] Overlays a grid on the WYSIWYG display. The grid has divisions of .1-inch, with full inch lines in bold. The grid disappears when you click this button again.

[Horiz] This button selects a Horizontal card layout.

[Vert] This button switches to a Vertical layout. Not available with pre-cut card stock.

[Margins] Sets customized margins for your card. The default is .1 inch. 

[Offset] Sets the spacing between the card edge and the borders drawn with the Border Type list box. 

RIGHT SIDE COMMANDS

Text Attributes (Whole Line)

[Line] Displays the current line number, as determined by the position of your cursor in the text editing box.

[Dupe Previous] Repeats the formatting of the line above the current line.

[Font] Displays the current font, and allows you to change a line to another font. You'll see a sample of your selected font.

[Size] Sets the size for the font used on the current line. Sizes range from 4 to 36 points. HINT: Changing the font size of a blank line affects line spacing.

[Border] Offers five options for card borders, ranging from none, to single, double, bold, and thin/thick double lines.

[Align] Sets the alignment of the selected line. You can choose left or right aligned, centered, split lines, or set a customized horizontal and vertical position.

[Style] Four check boxes control text attributes for the entire line. 

[Rev.] This option prints the current line in white type on a black background.

The Clip Art Group

[AddArt] Opens a dialog box for loading .BMP or .PCX clip art images. Rockford! supports both black and white, or color images up to 256 colors. To see a preview of an image, click once on the filename. To load the image, double-click the file or click OK. 

[Delete] Deletes the currently-selected clip art image. NOTE: If you're loading a card created by an earlier version of Rockford!, your image will not appear on the card. First, select the PIC 1 option, then delete the image and reload it from disk.

[Option Buttons] Selects one of the two clip art images. When you select an image, a thin border will appear around the image.

[Sizing Scroll Bar] Resizes the selected clip art image. For small changes, click the arrows. Click between the arrows for larger changes. Avoid moving the thumb.

Moving a Clip Art Image
You can move a clip art image by dragging it around the screen with the mouse. To do this, first select the image, then click the left mouse button somewhere outside of the image. The image will instantly move with its upper, left corner at the position where you clicked. Then, with the mouse button held down, you can drag the image to a new location. 

Scaling a Clip Art Image
To alter the size of a clip art image, select it, then use the scroll bar in the Clip Art group of commands to change the size. 

The Graphics Objects Group

[Object] Selects an individual object for editing.  If you do line drawings, each line, box, or circle gets an object number, which appears near the object. Select the object you want to modify in this list box.

[Width] This box controls the width of line drawing elements. If you change the current setting, it will affect the current object, if present, or the next object you draw.

[Draw] Enables line drawing. Click it before attempting to create a line. 

[Line], [Box], [Circle] These options determine the type of object you want to draw.

Draw [Black] or [White] Options These options control the color of the object you are going to draw, or change the color of an existing object.

Drawing an Object
To draw an object, select the type of object, then set the line width. Click on the [Draw] checkbox, then move the mouse pointer inside the WYSIWYG display. While holding the left button down, drag the mouse pointer to a new location. A rubber-band image of your object will appear as you draw. When the object is the right size, release the left mouse button. 

[Move], [Size] Options These two options determine whether the scroll bars (see below) move or size the current object.

[Scroll Bars] Horizontal and vertical scroll bars control positioning of graphical elements. Depending on which of the option buttons above is selected, you can move or scale all graphical objects in .005 inch increments.

Moving an Object
Start by selecting the object in the [Object] list box. Next, click on the [Move] option button. To move the object, use the scroll bars. 

Scaling an Object
First, select the object you want to resize, then click the [Size] option button. Use the scroll bars as described above to alter the size of the object. 

Erasing and Restoring Line Drawing Objects

[Erase Selected] This button temporarily erases the current image. 

[Restore] This button restores objects deleted with the [Erase Selected] button. Objects remain in memory unless removed by the [Clear] or [Draw] buttons or until a new file is loaded.

[Erase All] This button temporarily removes all graphical elements from the screen. The image remains in memory, and can be restored with the Restore button.

MENU COMMANDS

FILE MENU

[New Card Design] Clears the current card and sets up for a new design. 

[Open Card File] Opens an existing .CAR card design file. 

[Save Current Card] Saves the current card with the current filename. 

[Save Current Card As...] Allows you to save the current design under a different filename.

[Insert Graphic File] Lets you select a clip art image for insertion in your design. Rockford! supports up to two clip art images on each card. 

[Print Quick Sample] This command prints a single card, with a border, on plain paper. 

[Print Card Layout] This command prints your design in its actual size, and as a double-sized image, with crop marks. 

[Print Sheet of Cards] This command prints an entire sheet of actual-sized cards. NOTE: If you're printing on precut card stock, be sure to select the correct option in the Layout menu.

[Print Four-Up Camera-Ready Layout] Prints your cards as a block of four cards on the page. Many print shops prefer this format. You may choose whether or not to include crop marks. Check with your print shop for its preference.

[Exit] Quits Rockford!, with a confirmation box. 

EDIT MENU

[Cut] Cuts selected text to the clipboard. 

[Copy] Copies selected text to the Clipboard. 

[Paste] Copies text from the Clipboard to the current cursor location. 

[Auto-Updating Enabled] Enables updating whenever you change lines in the text editing box.

[Edit Current Picture] Starts Windows PaintBrush and loads the selected clip art image for editing. When you exit PaintBrush, you'll return to Rockford!. To insert the altered image, delete the current image, then use [AddPic] to reload the image.

LAYOUT MENU

[Horizontal] Changes design to the horizontal format.

[Vertical] Changes design to a vertical format.

[Regular Card Stock] Check this menu item to print on normal card stock. Cut lines will print for easy cutting.

[Precut Stock (No Gap Between Columns)] Select this option for precut stock with no gaps between columns of cards. 

[Precut Stock (1-inch Between Columns)] Select this option for precut stock with a 1-in. gap between columns of cards. 

[Precut Stock (.5-inch Between Columns)] Select this option for precut stock with a .5-in. gap between columns of cards. 

Precut Stock Sources
At this time, pre-scored card stock is available from many sources, with more appearing regularly. Two options are: Paper Direct, 205 Chubb Ave., Lyndhurst, NJ, 07071 (1-800-APAPERS) and Viking Office Products, (1-800-421-1222). Both offer catalogs of paper supplies. 

[Margins] Sets margins for card text. 
[Offset] Changes the offset for card borders from the edges of the card design. 

[Shift Page Horizontally] Shifts the whole card layout to the left or right. Positive numbers move the page to the right; negative numbers move it to the left. Small numbers, like .05, are usually all you'll need. 

[Shift Page Vertically] Shift the card layout up and down. Positive numbers shift the page to the right; negative numbers shift the page to the left.

HP DeskJet Users: Use the Shift Page Vertically command to shift your page up .25" if you're having trouble with the last row of cards printing on the next page. 

[Make Current Shifts Default] Saves your current printer shifts as the default each time the program starts.

FONTS MENU

[Rebuild Font List] This command updates your Rockford! font list. 

[Make Current Font Default] This command sets all the lines of a new card design to the font currently shown in the font selection list box. 


INSERT FORMATTING CODES MENU

The commands in this menu insert special codes in your document which allow you to alter the appearance of just part of a line. Whenever possible, use the whole line formatting tools instead.

[Normal] Inserts <N> in the line. This code returns the line to normal text.

[Bold] Inserts <B> in the line, boldfacing the following text.

[Ital] Inserts <I> in the line, italicizing the followin text.

[Underline] Inserts <U> in the line, underlining the following text.

[Superscript] Inserts <S> in the line, superscripting the following text.

[Subscript] Inserts <R> in the line, subscripting the following text.

[Bullet] Inserts a standard bullet character at the cursor position. 

HELP MENU

[Help with Rockford! <F1>] This command opens a new window. On the left is an index of topics. To get help on a topic, just click on the topic's name. 

[About Rockford!] Displays information about Rockford!, including the current version number.

[OsoSoft Program Information] OsoSoft offers several other programs which may interest you. To view information on a program, click the [Info] button next to that program's name. To order, fill out the order form and click the [Print] button to print the form or the [Cancel] button to return to Rockford!.

DISCLAIMER
OsoSoft is not responsible for defective printer and video drivers. If you experience difficulties with your printer or video display, check with the manufacturer for updated drivers.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Rockford! and its documentation are Copyright, 1991, 1992, 1993 by George Campbell and OsoSoft. All rights reserved.