Copyright: Copyright © tfmSoftware
Citation: tfmSoftware: jdwells@seasurf.com


Contents
Number by ther Colors Help - Contents

Overview

Menu Commands

Take a Look

Author Etc.


Overview
Number by the Colors Help - Overview

Number by the Colors began as a simple utility to return the hex number of a color chosen from a Windows color dialog box for pasting into an html document.  The basic purpose of NBC v 1.0 is the same: choose a color visually, then paste the corresponding hex number into an html document.  NBC v 1.0 now has several features to enhance this basic purpose.  NBC displays three sample elements - two text elements and a background sample to each of which a chosen color can be applied.  This allows easy visualization of what, for example,  #8587ED text looks like on a #E1F0D2 background.

NBC also allows any color chosen to be given a name and saved to a current list.  To reuse the color choose it by name  from the drop down list.  These lists can also be saved to file and retrieved in later sessions.

 NBC v 1.0 also has a Roll Up feature that allows you to stick it in a corner of your workspace, out of the way but easily available.

To intsall Number by the Colors simply unzip all files to directory of your choice.  Number by the colors neither adds files nor changes files on any other directory on your system.  To uninstall delete the directory.


Menu Commands
Number by the Colors - Menu Commands

File

 Load List

Save List

Exit

Edit

Copy to Clipboard

Options

Roll Up

Stay on Top

Disable/Enable Hints

Enable/Disable Lists


Load List
Choosing LoadList from the File menu will call an open file dialog box.  The files used by Number by the Color have a '.clr' extension.  The dialog box will open by default in the directory of the NBC executable and show files with the .clr extension that have been previously saved. Number by the Colors comes with a default list of colors named 'nbcsamp.clr'  If colors have been added to a new list or changes have been made to a list loaded from file, NBC will prompt you to save the current list before loading a new one. If you choose 'No' the changes will be permanently lost.


Save List
Choosing Save List from the File menu will open a save file dialog box.  It will open to the directory of the NBC executable with a default extension of '.clr'.  The files can be saved anywhere, but the default extension is the only one Number by the Colors will recognise.  If you choose to save a file using a name that already exits in the directory, it will be overwritten without asking for comfirmation.  Any color list currently in use by NBC can be saved at any time.


Exit
Choosing Exit from the File menu will terminate the Number by the Colors application. If any colors have been saved to a new list or any changes have been made to a list loaded from file, NBC will prompt you to save the file before exiting.  If you choose 'No' the changes will be permanently lost.


Copy to Clipboard
Choosing Copy to Clipboard from the Edit menu will copy the string in the field labled 'Hex Value' to the Windows clipboard.  The string in the 'Hex Value field always relates to the color of the active sample element.  So, for example you could choose text sample two, choose a color then chooseEdit/Copy to Clipboard.  Move back to the html document where you have just typed, for example, "vlink =",  place your cursor after the equal sign and hit Ctrl-V or Edit/Paste and... well you see.  Number by the Colors will copy nothing else to the clipboard, nor will it cut or paste anything.


Stay on Top
Choosing Stay on Top from the Options menu will cause Number by the Colors to remain in front other windows even if they have focus so that when you edit your HTML document, Number by the Colors stays visible and available.


Disable/Enable Hints
Disable/Enable Hints - This menu choice toggles the pop up hints off or on.  A future version of Color by the Numbers may include config files or registry settings to save this setting between sessions, but for now you have to turn off the hints each time you open the application; they are on by default.


Enable/Disable Lists
Enable/Disable Lists - Number by the Colors can be used without using lists of custom colors.  If Disable Lists is chosen from Options menu, Number by the Colors allows the user to choose one color at a time from the color dialog box.  Choosing Enable Colors allows the user to name and save selected colors for later use.


Take a Look
Number by the Colors - Take a Look

Set The Color: Clicking on this button will call the color dialog and apply  the chosen color to one of  the sample elements.  Choose which sample element you wish to apply the color to in the 'Set the Color of': box or by clicking once directly on the sample element you wish to set. Then click the Set The Color button. Setting the color  will also change the values in the Hex Value field and the values in the R:, G: and B: fields to the appropriate numbers.  Editing the R:, G: and B; values directly or changing the values with the sliders will change the Hex Value and the color of the currently chosen sample element.

Add To List: Clicking this button will add the color of the currently chosen sample element  to the list of custom colors stored in the drop down edit called Custom Color Name.  A name must be given to the color before in can be saved to the list.  Number by the Colors will not prevent you from saving the same color more than once, nor will it check for duplicate color names. The color of the chosen sample element can also be set by clicking on color name from the drop down list.

View/Close Full List: Clicking this button toggles a view of all saved colors as below:

Delete From List:: Clicking this button will delete the color currently listed in Custom Color Name from the list of saved colors.

Full List: Double-clicking on a color in the full list will update the active sample element to the color chosen.


Author Etc.
Number by the Colors - Author Etc.

Number by the Colors -version 1.0 is distributed as shareware.  It is not crippled or time-limited in any way, but if you find this application useful and continue using it beyond a reasonable trial period you should send $5.00 and an e-mail address to:

 JD Wells

 PO Box 213

 Seaside, OR  97138..

 The e-mail address is optional

Number by the Colors is freely distributable for evaluation purposes;  the 16- bit version (nbc16.exe) will run under Windows 3.x or Windows 95/NT; the 32-bit version (nbc32.exe)will run only under Windows 95/NT  This software was developed on a system running 16-bit color depth and 1024x768 resolution.  It's appearance and usefulness will be appreciably less on systems running lesser color depth or resolutions.

Bug reports and comments to jdwells@seasurf.com

Number by the Colors was developed using Borland's Delphi 1.0  and Delpi 2.0

Though this software performed admirably and does all it is reported to do on my machine, I cannot assure such will be the case in every environment.  Use of this software is at your own risk.

Number by the Colors v 1.0  copyright JD Wells/tfmSoftware 1996/19997


Roll Down
Choosing the Roll Up command from Options menu causes Number by the Colors to 'roll up' into just a title bar and a menu bar. Choosing Options/Roll Down will restore the Number by the Colors window. Using Stay on Top with Roll Up keeps Number by the Colors handy but out-of-the-way.


Roll Up
Here's NBC rolled up.