Copyright: Copyright ® 1994 R.W. McGregor.


Contents
  Jump Color Help Contents

Welcome to Jump Color 2.0 for Windows!

Jump Color 2.0 lets you modify the different types of hypertext "Jump Colors" that are used in the Windows Help and MS Multimedia Viewer engines.

Choose from the following topics for more information

Why Do I Need It?

New Features In Jump Color 2.0

How To Use Jump Color 2.0

Jump Color 2.0 Controls

Registration


  Why Do I Need It?

Okay, I know...most people never even look at their Windows Help files.  This utility is for those of you who do read them and actually try to learn something from them.  It can be a real eyestrain trying to read that standard green jump text (also called Hypertext). The default green just doesn't go very well with some of the custom screen colors people choose to use with Windows!

Now you can choose from one of sixteen vibrant colors that might suit your taste, or your screen colors, just a little better.

How It Works

The colors are stored using RGB values in the WIN.INI file.  The color listings appear under two different sections:

[Windows Help] section

[Multimedia Viewer] section

You can manually change these color codes by editing the WIN.INI with a text editor such as Note Pad.  Of course, this means you must know what the RGB color codes are, and take the time to go in and change them.  Then you must restart Windows in order for the changes to take effect.

That's why I wrote Jump Color!  It fully automates the process, and gives you instant previews of your color selections in a simulated Help or Viewer file.  You can choose the appropriate setting(s) and change the colors as many times as you like, or you can choose the Cancel button to start over with your original colors.  When you're satisfied with the color scheme you've selected, you can save your changes to the WIN.INI by choosing the Change Colors button.  Windows is immediately notified of the modifications, and the new colors will appear the next time you start the WinHelp or Viewer engines (WINHELP.EXE and MVIEWER2.EXE).


  New Features In Jump Color 2.0

New Features

Jump Color 2.0 for Windows still has the ability to set the colors for both Microsoft Multimedia Viewer and Windows Help files.  New in version 2.0 are:

   A hypertext Simulation Mode. This is a realistic preview window you can use to view your color selections as they would look in actual Help/Viewer files.

   Ability to set all five types of hypertext colors!  These include:

JumpColor

PopupColor

MacroColor

IFJumpColor

IFPopupColor


How To Use Jump Color 2.0

Jump Color 2.0 Window Controls

Overview

There's really not much to it; I've tried to make this utility as user friendly as possible.

When Jump Color 2.0 loads, it automatically comes up with all the colors that are presently set in the WIN.INI.  If there are no color entries present, it uses the default green that is pre-assigned in Windows.  To see all the colors currently set on your system, choose a Program option, and then click the Simulation button.

Just select your options and colors, preview the simulation, click the Change Colors button, and Poof, the changes are saved!  To change back to the dreary old green, click Default on the menu bar.

Program Options

Jump Options

Color Options

Command Buttons


Program Option Buttons

These options let you to select which program(s) color setting(s) to change. Choose either:

WinHelp Engine

Colors selections affect the WinHelp Engine and any changes you make will appear in your Help files.

Multimedia Viewer Engine

Colors selections affect the Multimedia Viewer Engine and any changes you make will appear in your Viewer files.


Option Buttons used for selecting the Jump type

These options are used for both WinHelp and Multimedia Viewer.  Each program type's colors can be set independently of the other.

JumpColor	Selects the Jump Color.  Changes the JumpColor setting.
PopupColor	Selects the Popup Color.  Changes the PopupColor setting.
MacroColor	Selects the Macro Color.  Changes the MacroColor setting.
IFJumpColor	Selects the IFJump Color.  Changes the IFJumpColor setting.
IFPopupColor	Selects the IFPopup Color.  Changes the IFPopupColor setting.


Command Buttons

These are the buttons that control saving selections, previews, canceling, and exiting the program

Exit	Quits the program.
Simulation	Opens the simulated Help or Viewer window (depending on your selected Program option).
Cancel	Undoes any selections you've made, and restores your system colors as stored in the WIN.INI
Change Colors	Writes to the WIN.INI all selections you have made.


  Jump Color 2.0 Main Window Controls

This is the main window of the program.  Click on any part of the window below to get more information about the Jump Color 2.0 controls.


Registration

Registration Form

I strongly encourage you register this product.  Many long hours went into its design and development.  The cost is minimal - only US$5.00.  Registration entitles you to a free upgrade and discounts on my other products.  Send for a free catalog.

Feel free to distribute Jump Color 2.0 to your friends and associates.  Jump Color 2.0 is only US$5.00 and was written for anyone who finds it useful.  Jump Color 2.0 needs the file VBRUN300.DLL to run, and the JUMPCOLR.HLP file is useful to people new to Windows and/or the Windows Help system.

I also strongly encourage you to send me any comments, suggestions, and other feedback you may have concerning Jump Color 2.0, so feel free to contact me through CompuServe.  Enjoy!

Robert W. McGregor, Screaming Tiki Software

CIS 73122,3125


Registration Form

The Jump Color 2.0 registration fee is a paltry $5.00 US currency.  Print and complete this form.  Please send Check, Money Order, or Cash (yes, I still accept CA$H) to:

Screaming Tiki Software

P.O. Box 515

Cocoa, FL 32923-0515, USA

Name:
Address:
City:
State or Province:
Postal Code
Country:
Thanks for using Screaming Tiki Software!


Quick Preview

This little Quick Preview window shows what the selected color will look like against the window background color you've set in Control Panel.


[Windows Help] Section

This section of WIN.INI stores the RGB codes for your WinHelp Hypertext.


[Multimedia Viewer] Section

This section of WIN.INI stores the RGB codes for your Viewer Hypertext.


RGB

The combination of the colors red, green, and blue that Windows uses to create all other colors in the 256 color palette.  The range of each color is from 0 to 255.

Example:

0 0 255 - This would be 0 parts red, 0 parts green, and 255 parts blue; in other words, all blue.


JumpColor

"Jumps" you to another topic in the current Help/Viewer file.


PopupColor

Shows a popup window originating in the current Help/Viewer file.


MacroColor

Runs a command or set of commands that perform author defined tasks.


IFJumpColor

Performs a "jump" to a topic in another Help/Viewer file than currently displayed.


IFPopupColor

Shows a popup window originating in a different Help/Viewer file than currently displayed.


Help Menu

The Help menu gives you these choices:

Contents	Opens the Help file you're reading.
How To Use Jump Color	Brings up the Help topic about how to use Jump Color.
Registration	Brings up the Help topic about how to register this fine (and useful!) program
Read Me...	Open the README.WRI file that came with Jump Color 2.0
About...	Displays information about the program.


Default Menu

Clicking this menu item will change the colors of the currently selected program (WinHelp or Viewer) back to the Windows default hypertext color, a lovely shade of green (this green was, by the way, the inspiration for writing the original Jump Color).


Color Options

Clicking any of the numbered buttons or colored squares will change the color of the currently selected jump option.  This change will affect only the currently selected program option.  The changes are temporary until you click the Change Colors button.