Previous
Next
It is possible to reduce the margins to both sides of the paper to 1/4 inch. On the top of the page, you can even reduce it it to zero inches. But at the bottom the minimum will always be 1/2 inch. This is a function of inkjet printers, not of PMG. Inkjet printers grab the page by the edges and the bottom. At both sides of the page, the edges can be reduced to 1/4 inch but at the bottom the best we have been able is 1/2 inch. The top can printed right up to the edge. The trick is to put a line in your PMW.INI file in C:\PMW, under the [Configuration] heading. The line should be "MarginStyle=0" or "MarginStyle=1". (no quotes) To do this, put your computer in DOS mode and type EDIT C:\PMW\PMW.INI and press the ENTER key. You'll see the contents of your INI file on the screen. Type in the line in the appropriate place. Click on FILE and on SAVE. Type EXIT to go back to Windows. The difference between 0 and 1 in the line is: 0 gives no edge at the top, 1 gives 1/2 inch at the top. Now, in the last case, after you print, you cut off 1/4 inch on top and bottom and you'll have 1/4 inch all around (a more balanced card or poster results). If you want 1/2 inch all around, replace the "1" by a "3." Good luck, Maurice.
To copy the entire PrintMaster 7.0 "Program CD" to your hard disk. Got about 640mb of free hard drive space? OK, then Larry's Windows 95/98 version is as follows.
1. Open Windows Explorer (Not Internet Explorer).{vbg} We are going to make a Folder to install the program files into the C drive. Left click on the C: hard drive icon. Now at the top left of your Explorer screen you will see the name "File," click here and you'll get a drop down menu with the first option "New" with an option to the right called "Folder ," left click here. This gives you a highlighted "New Folder" option waiting for you to rename it. Let's name it PM by typing over the words "New Folder."
2. Now with the PrintMaster Program CD in the CD-Rom drive (whatever "letter" yours happens to be, generally D: If you only have one hard drive or if not, the drive with the cute little CD-Rom icon). Double left click on this CD-Rom drive icon and on the large window on the right side you will see 7 yellow file folders consisting of Audio, Content, Msreg, Nfsmodel, Runtime, Tutorial, Winhelp, and the single file pmpl70.id (for those with PM Platinum or "similar" with the other versions of PM) These are all the files on the PM Program CD.
3. At top left of your Explorer screen you will see the name "Edit," click here, and in the drop down menu, click the option "Select All." All the above PM folders & files will be "selected" (highlighted). Go back to "Edit," and this time in the drop down menu, choose "Copy." Now go back and left click on the PM folder(the folder we created), to highlight it. One last time go back to "Edit" and click on "Paste." All the files will now be copied from the PM Program CD to your new PM folder. (Depending on your PC, allow up to 30 minutes, it took Mary's PII 300mhz about 10 minutes.)
4. Now we must "inform" the program that the Program folders and files are residing on the hard drive and not to look on the CD-ROM. To do this we must "redirect" it by editing the .Ini files located in the User001 folder. (.INI files are plain-text files that contain configuration information. These files are used by Windows and applications like PM to save information about your preferences and operating environment. "INI" stands for Initialization). To do this we will go where PrintMaster originally installed the program in the Mindscape folder. Go through the following folders on the C: drive in this order: Program Files; Mindscape; PrintMaster; User001 folder. (C:\Program Files\Mindscape\PrintMaster\User001) Inside the User001 folder we see the file named "User" (a 2k-conflguration file). Double left click on this file, which will bring up the Notepad program and the ability to edit the configuration file. Under the [Configuration] heading we will now create a new line by placing the cursor directly behind the closing bracket of [Configuration] by hitting the Enter key (this gives us an open line) and typing CDPath=C:\PM
Now click FILE at the top left of the window and choose SAVE. Now close (exit) that window and close Explorer. (This redirects the program to look here rather than the CD-Rom drive) We are done.. Have fun!...
As you can see, Larry wrote these instructions for PM7, but they work just as well for PM4.
Good luck,
Maurice
-----------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATE METHOD
Hi Jimm, yes it can be done, provided you have at least 640 MB free. Put your computer in DOS mode and type: MD C:\CDIMAGE and press the ENTER key. That makes a directory on the hard disk to receive all the files from the CD.(You may select any directory name, of course) Now type XCOPY D:\*.* /s/e C:\CDIMAGE -- that copies all the files from the CD to the C:\CDIMAGE directory. The /s and /e switches mean "copy all subdirectories, even if they are empty." Give it time to do its thing, like 20 minutes. In Windows, uninstall the old PMG and re-install from the C:\CDIMAGE directory. Now type from DOS again: EDIT C:\PMW\PMW.INI and press ENTER. Under the [Configuration] heading type a new line: CDPath=C:\CDIMAGE This redirects the program NOT to go look for the CD in the drive but in the CDIMAGE directory. (This last line thanks to Jay. Thanks Jay for the instruction.) Now, don't forget to save the INI file after this modification. Click on FILE and S, for Save. Click on FILE and X, for Exit. Type EXIT to go back to Windows. Everything should now run smoothly. Maurice.
-----------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATE METHOD
In case anyone is interested I've just put all of PrintMaster 7.0 onto a HD. It took up just over 5GIG.
At first it didn't work. It no longer asked for the program disk but it still asked for the various graphics CD's number? . After much experiment I discovered that there were two SUB directories on the drive named CONTENT. One was in the first directory I HAD CREATED (see below) (PMCD) the other was one that PM had put on from the installation disk
Here's how I did it :- First in DOS mode I made a directory called PMCD (it could be called anything.) Next I copied the Program disk & all the graphics disks into the new directory (still in the DOS mode.) I did it by changing directories until I was in the PMCD directory then typed xcopy f:\ *.*/s/e (f being my CD drive.)
Next I installed PM from the installation disk.
What I had to do last seemed weird but it worked. In windows explorer I located the two SUB directories named CONTENT (one in my new directory the other in the PM installation directory.) In the directory that holds the copied Cd's (in my case PMCD) there are seven huge files about 604,000 plus they all end with the extension .CDT. They will look like "P7cd1art.cdt" "P7cd2art.cdt" (no quotes) there is one for each CD.
Click & drag each one into the CONTENT folder in the PrintMaster installation directory & walla! No more disk swapping
Check it out - PrintMaster has a patch for version 4.0. You can get it at http://www.mindscape.com/service/updates/pmcard.htm
Dear PM Users, Do you all know that song about the hole in the bottom of the sea? You know, "There's a flea on the fly on the hair on the wart, etc..." Well, sometimes my projects are like that, an assemblage of two eyes and eyebrows, a nose and mouth on a circle in the middle of a flower on top of a background. I'm all zoomed in close, modifying the eyelashes, and I'm ready to move to the nose, but when I click I accidentally get the circle behind it and I can't find a neutral place to click so I can let go. Zooming clear out to click, then zooming clear back in has been a hassle. I finally found a solution that tech support hasn't mentioned: the tab key! Next time you want to let go of something without having to back out to an empty space, just hit the tab key and you're free to select a different item. Lynn
Lynn, Another solution is to hold down the Shift key and click again. That will turn the object back off. In fact, if you hold the Shift key down and keep clicking, it will "tunnel" through an object on top of another to the one underneath. Jay
1) The attribute "text wraps around" is applied to the object you want the text to wrap around, not the text box. 2) The object you want the text to wrap around must be layered "on top" of (in front of) the text box. 3) To have text flow with a little space around a picture, use the crop tool to extend the picture boundary *outward*. Jay Nabonne
Gwen, I don't know how these instructions will differ from what you've already read, but I use Text Wrap frequently. This is what I do: 1)Create a text box. 2)Type my text into it. 3)Click on Add a picture. Find and select my graphic. It will land in the middle of the page. Move it to approximately where I want it. (Because I selected the picture after the text, it's on top. If, for some reason I do it in the other order, I use the placement tools on the right to be sure the graphic is on top of the text.) 4)Next, click on the graphic. 5)Then holding down on the shift key, click on the text box. (Click just barely outside the text box to get the box.) (It is very important to get the box, not the text itself. I can tell the difference because there's a cursor if I have the text itself, and I will lose the selection handles on the graphic.) 6)Then, when text box and graphic are both selected, click on Arrange. 7)Then click on Text Wrap, then Text Wraps Around, then Ok. When I come back to the desktop, the text will have wrapped around my graphic. Voila! A few more things: Text will only wrap around the rectangular space your graphic occupies, not following the outline of the graphic itself. Jay says there's no help for that. It's important that you move the graphic clear to the edge of your text box, or you can accidentally split words. Sometimes I place the graphic on a borderless white rectangle to leave a little more white space between my graphic and text. I text wrap the white rectangle just like any other graphic, then move my chosen graphic on top of it and group them together. Lynn
Rick - Another way to proportionally increase/decrease size of graphics is to click on the first button on the task bar at the bottom of the workspace. A drop-down menu appears, click on More & a Confirm Dialog Box appears with tabs for size & placement. This comes in handy if you want to be exact. Tom - Thanks for the tip in holding down the Shift key. That's a real time saver! Also, thanks to Lynn (I think) who offered the suggestion to see the inside of a card, to click on the large size on the View menu item. You are one smart lady! The ongoing debate to upgrade or not to upgrade :( ) , I have worked w/the original 3.0, the Gold 3.0 & now the Platinum. When I initially installed Platinum on my new computer, I experienced lots of problems. Now, after help from this chat room, I vote with no hesitation to upgradie. There is little being offered in the software arena that compares. Soon we will all become experts in the intricacy of the program. Hang in there! Amy
Dear Karenm, Sorry. I tried just to add the additional graphics from Platinum when I upgraded, but you're right, it doesn't know. You have to install it. I just moved my saved projects to another directory while I did the installation. As I needed them I opened them from disk and saved them in PMW again, but I find I have more problems when my USER file is full, so I like to keep a lot of my projects stored in another directory anyway. To install the National Geographics with Windows 3.1, you'll need to add another file that someone on this board can give you, but that's the only other complication. If you don't mind changing the CD's (I think it's worth it for the tremendous variety) you'll love it! Lynn
Karenm - To upgrade to Platinum over Deluxe ver 4.0, yes, you will have to install the Platinum version in order that all of the graphics included with this version appear in your Art Gallery. Good Luck! Robin
For anyone who is installing PMG 4.0 over PMG 3.0, I would like to share a valuable lesson I learned. I was unable to access the Deluxe Art & Projects CD. I had to call Mindscape Tech Support. I installed 4.0 over 3.0. For 4.0 to work properly you need to uninstall 3.0 before you install 4.0. Or if you have already installed 4.0 uninstall it and then reinstall it. I spent hours trying to figure out what the problem was, I was ready to return PMG 4.0. Now that it is loaded properly I see marked improvement over 3.0. I am very happy with the program. Nancy Booth
Hi Carrie, The graduated screens that the manual is referring to are gradient rectangular graphics that are called "Top to Bottom", "Bottom to top", "Left to Right", and "Right to Left". I deduce this by looking at what they've used behind the train graphic on page 16. Use the aforementioned key words in your graphic search as well as the word "gradient". Other useful gradient graphics are called, "Inside Out", and "Outside In".
Harry, do a search for color gradients. Type in "gradient" in the search box and you will get several types of color blends, e.g. boxes and circles. One blend that won't show up on this search is a circle called "Center Out". Type in "Center" and you should find it. - Brooks
Open a new project (card, poster, etc.) Click on the Picture Icon. In the Art Gallery put ALL in each the windows. Then type the words GRADIENT BLEND in the search window and click on FIND NOW. You will be presented with several gradients. (Additional search words are Center Out, Outside In, and Outside in Rainbow) These are not brought up under gradient blend and will have to be entered in search separately. Center out is most useful. Remember that color is not important. You need to click on the one that has the effect you want to create. Then click on SELECT. The gradient will then appear in your project. Size it to fit the page.(or beyond)......To change the color click on the paint can. Select a color from the palette. Then click on MORE. You will get a rainbow palette with the color you selected as the starting point. You can move the cross hairs to any color you like. Move the slider on the right side to lighten the color. This is to make it more usable as a background. Experiment to get just the color you want. When satisfied click on OK. The color possibilities are virtually limitless.Glenn
To all: Holding down the Control key also makes graphics stretch proportionately. (I was surprised to read that Shift does, too.) Hold down the Control key to make rectangles perfect squares and elipses perfect circles. Here's a great tip that's not in the manual. Brooks mentioned it a couple of months ago. To see the inside of a Ready Made Card, view it in Large. Then at the bottom of the screen you have an option of looking at the front, inside or back. If you want to make a background that exactly matches a color in a graphic, make a copy of the graphic, crop it until only the section in the desired color remains, then stretch or duplicate that until it covers your screen. Send it to the back and your project is perfectly color coordinated. Lynn
Hi, a couple of weeks ago somebody posted that error on the chat room. Unfortunately, the postings have been frantic lately, so it must have scrolled off already. I hope the person in question gets to see this. At the end of October 97 Jay posted the following: "PhotoEnhancer won't run if the file CTL3D.DLL isn't present in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. You can copy this file from the CD in \PMW16\SUPPORT directory to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory." My own comments: sometimes you install a new program after you have installed PMG4. That new installation sometimes corrupts PMG-installed files. Believe it or not, I have seen my share of ill-behaved program installations. They sometimes do stranger things. Well, to copy this file from your CD to the \SYSTEMS directory, put your computer in DOS mode and type: COPY D:\PMW16\SUPPORT\CTL3D.DLL C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ and press the ENTER key. (I assume that your CD drive is called D:, otherwise substitute) Make sure you have a space between the last L in DLL and the C of C:\... I tested this out by removing that file from my computer and, as always, Jay was right. PhotoEnhancer refused to do its thing. Maurice.
Hi Frank, to add to what Chuck proposes, it is also possible to change the default font permanently. It requires you to add 4 lines to the PMW.INI file. Put your computer in DOS mode and type: EDIT C:\PMW\PMW.INI. (for those who have PMG installed on another drive and/or under another name, please substitute drive and name) Press ENTER, of course. You'll see the contents of the PMW.INI on the screen. Now type in these 4 lines, each separately on a line. I have separted them by dashes. Do NOT type these dashes. ---- [Fonts] ----- DefaultFace="Arial" ----- DefaultSize=12 ---- FontKSize=512 ----- Copy these lines exactly with upper- and lowercase characters as shown. Put the quotes around the typeface name (here Arial) Use any size from 4 to 600. Make sure you use a name of a font that is in your fontlist. Otherwise, it still reverts to Tiempo. In fact, if it still reverts to Tiempo, assume that you have made a typing mistake. When done, don't forget to click on S, for SAVE. Click on X, for exit. Type EXIT to go back to Windows. Launch PMG. This works in both PMG3 and PMG4. Good luck and let me know if it works for you. It has worked for a lot of people on this chat room. Maurice.
Dear Wendi, In addition to copying and pasting as Maurice suggested, if you want to identify the graphic for future reference, you can select the image (click until its handles show) and then push your delete button. It will say, Are you sure you want to delete "Angel Decorating Tree?" or whatever the graphic is called. (Click on No, and no harm is done.) Later if you want to use that graphic, you can do a search for that name, or a word from the name, and the browser will bring it up for you. In 3.0 there was a feature which identified on the screen each object, by name, as it was selected. I'm hoping we'll see that feature restored in future versions. Lynn
Hi Robert, a borders is most easily done by selecting the rectangular shape. Then change the FILL COLOR of the shape to NONE. Then change the LINE WIDTH to the desired width of your border. Now adjust the size of that frame you just produced so that it will be larger than the size of your photo. Make sure the frame is layered below the photo. You might even change the LINE COLOR of the frame, or put a seond frame around the first one, and so on, ad nauseam. (meaning "till you're blue in the face") There are a myriad possible variations. You might even place a SHAPE of a light gray color behind all this, offset it, say, to the right and to the bottom, and use this as a shadow. Maurice.
Hi all, if you have trouble with GPF errors when you try to access your picture album or your own projects, or when the names of your projects don't match the subject, please read this. I once asked Jay about it and he gave me this explanation: In PMG4, the USER000 subdirectory under C:\PMW contains all the information about a particular user. If there is more than one user on a particular computer (as in a network) you might also have USER001, USER002, etc. This information includes INI setting files, workspace files (the old _000OMW.WRK from PMG3 now simply PMW.WRK) art and project YOUR-OWN collections and any project and art saved to the default location. It turned out to be much simpler (from a programmers' standpoint) to put the number on a subdirectory, and stick all the user's files in there, than saving every user file, with a number attached, in the root directory of PMG. This means writing USER.INI, for example, as opposed to _000USER.INI. -------- If the YOUR-OWN collection gets corrupted (GFP error when you access it) you need to delete the files USERART.* in the ART directory under the USER000 subdirectory. Similarly, if the YOUR-OWN project collection gets corrupted (wrong project names or GFP when accessing project album) you need to delete all the files USERPROJ.* in the PROJECTS directory under USER000. --- Now, you don't want to delete EVERYTHING in the USER000\PROJECTS or USER000\ART directories, because your saved projects themselves are in the PROJECTS directory as well. You only want to delete the appropriate *collection* files. --- Now for my own comments and instructions: If you want to delete, say, USERART.* (meaning all files that start with USERART and have ANY extension) you are welcome to use the Windows Explorer if you know how to use it. But I always keep it simple (remember the KISS axiom: Keep It Simple Stupid?) I put my computer in DOS mode and type DEL C:\PMW\USER000\ART\USERART.* and press the Enter key. Similarly, if the remedy says to delete USERPROJ.* (meaning all files that start with USERPROJ and have ANY extension) I type from DOS: DEL C:\PMW\USER000\PROJECTS\USERPROJ.*. ---- If still in doubt, e-mail me your symptoms and I will tell you what to type from DOS. Good luck, Maurice.
Lynn, The 16-bit version of Platinum no longer has a file that the Natl. Geo. install program is looking for. To fix this, copy the file SMACKW32.DLL from the PMW32 directory on the CD into the PMW directory on your hard disk. Then Natl. Geo. will recognize it. Jay