Comics! For Windows ------------------- Comics! For Windows is a comic book database maintenance program that runs under Windows 3.n in standard or enhanced mode. It is easily the most sophisticated, flexible, and powerful comic book database on the market, while also being very easy to learn and use. (This is straight from the users of Comics!, many of whom tried several database packages before finding Comics!.) Because of the size of the download files, this file is provided separately so that you can decide whether you would like to download the full demonstration version. A detailed feature list describing many of the capabilities of the Comics! software is at the end of this file. The same demonstration version is available on diskette for $7.00 -- see ordering information later in this text. Latest version dated: 2/18/93 Very Important -------------- o This is the complete Comics! system except: * You can only add twenty-five comic books. * Only the 01/93 market values beginning with "A" are included. The full version includes constantly updated values for more than 60,000 comics, with more being added on a regular basis. * There are no on-line tutorials. If you receive any error message when attempting to start up Comics!, or when trying to print reports, etc., check the on-line help topics "Problems Running Comics!" and "Error Messages". There are several environmental possibilities for the messages, particularly if you are using SHARE.EXE or if you have the Origin FX screen saver. You need to download three files to install Comics! Download either one of, but not both, COMW0.ZIP or COMW1.ZIP. COMW0.ZIP does not contain the file VBRUN200.DLL -- if you already have this file available on your system, download COMW0.ZIP. If you do not, download COMW1.ZIP. COMW2.ZIP and COMW3.ZIP should also be downloaded. Installation of the Demo Version -------------------------------- If you have at least 7 MB of disk space available: 1. Unzip all three files into a single directory. Do not name this directory COMICS or COMICS!. 2. If you already have VBRUN200.DLL on your system and downloaded COMW0.ZIP, copy VBRUN200.DLL to filename VBRUN200.DL_ (the last character is an underscore) in the directory. 3. From Windows, run SETUP.EXE from this directory. 4. Answer the prompts for a program and database directory. These do not have to exist, and the defaults are suggested. 5. Files will now be copied and expanded. 6. To create a program group, answer the next prompt affirmatively. 7. To preview Comics! help and release notes, click on the "Yes" button to enter Windows Help. If you do not have at least 7 MB available: 1. Unzip each file onto a separate 1.2M or more diskette. Label the disks as 1, 2, and 3. 2. If you already have VBRUN200.DLL on your system and downloaded COMW0.ZIP, copy VBRUN200.DLL to filename VBRUN200.DL_ (the last character is an underscore) on the first diskette. 3. From Windows, run SETUP.EXE from the first diskette. 4. Answer the prompts for a program and database directory. These do not have to exist, and the defaults are suggested. 5. Files will now be copied and expanded. Insert disks 2 and 3 when directed. 6. To create a program group, answer the next prompt affirmatively. 7. To preview Comics! help and release notes, click on the "Yes" button to enter Windows Help. How To Use Several Features --------------------------- The art frame icon (below the magnifying glass) is used to associate a BMP picture with a comic. Click on it and then choose the BMP in the program directory for an example. Support for GIF, TGA, and several other formats will be available soon. If you get the message "Printer Error" when starting Comics!, make sure that you have a printer driver installed through Windows control panel. If you do not have a printer attached to the computer, install the generic printer. To display reports to a window, you must run Reports! from the program manager rather than Comics!. You can size the report window or always have it maximized by clicking on the size report window button on the Setup Window (from the Reports! icon, press the Setup button). The magnifying glass icon is used to enter details about codes, and it corresponds to the options on the Detail menu. To use it, click and hold over the magnifying glass. Then drag (move while holding down the left mouse button) the smaller magnifying glass over the box containing a code, such as the title. Release the button (dropping the icon) to display the detail entry window. Story titles can be associated with a comic by clicking on the stories icon (in the titles box). The book icons are used to enter more than two creators or more than one character for a comic book. Click on the book to display the corresponding entry window. The book will appear open if there are more entries than can be displayed on the main window. Click on the folder icons to add detailed notes to a comic. This action displays a window in which up to a 255 character comment can be added. If there is a comment associated with the comic, the folder will be displayed open rather than closed. There are numerous options and features of the system which are described in the user manual available in the full version of Comics!, including descriptions of preferences and the other windows and controls. The on-line help also contains detailed descriptions of all of the components of the Comics! system. Free technical support is available -- see ordering information below. System Requirements ------------------- To run Comics!, you must have an IBM or compatible running Windows 3.n in standard or enhanced mode, and approximately 3.5 MB on your hard drive. A 16 MHz or faster 386 with 2MB+ RAM also is about the minimum hardware configuration, and DOS 5.0 is required on machines with close to the minimum resources. Windows 3.1 is required for the on-line help to function correctly. DON'T DOWNLOAD COMICS! IF YOU DON'T MEET THIS MINIMUM CONFIGURATION, YOU'LL ONLY BE DISAPPOINTED! Ordering Information -------------------- The full version of Comics! is priced at $39.95. The price includes 2-day priority United States Postal Service delivery. If you have downloaded Comics! and mention that while ordering, there are fewer files to ship, and the price is $36.95. Canadian orders add $3.00 handling, other non-US is $8.00 additional. The demonstration version is available on diskettes for $7.00 -- add $2.50 for second day delivery. Check or money order only accepted for the demo diskettes. If you purchase after ordering demonstration diskettes, the price is also $36.95, but you must mention the fact when ordering. MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover are accepted for the full version and all other updates, upgrades, and scanning service except the demonstration diskettes. THERE IS A 14 DAY NO QUESTIONS ASKED RETURN POLICY. If you return the product within a 14 day period, you will receive a prompt refund of the purchase price. For further information about Comics!, to place an order, or if you are having problems installing or running Comics! on your computer: CompuServe Mail: 71034,2345 Write: NewLine Enterprises 1373 Cave Springs Estates Drive St. Peters MO 63376 Call: NewLine Enterprises at (314) 928-4380 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Saturday There may be occasional periods when this number does not answer during the indicated hours. Please accept my apologies in advance and I hope you'll try again. FAX: NewLine Enterprises at (314) 928-4380 at times other than those above Detailed Feature List --------------------- o Next issue report displays the next missing issue of selected titles. This is useful for keeping track of running orders, etc. o Market values are updated automatically if you have this feature turned on via the preferences window. o Store a picture/scan with a comic. o Three dimensional bar graphs and pie charts show you visually the condition, sources, or publishers of your collection. Print the graph with a click of the mouse. Available only from the Reports! icon, not the Comics! icon. o Set up your own grading scheme, or use the pre-loaded default. o Store as many creators (artists, writers, even editors) as you like with each comic. o Enter guide values for ranges of comics and update the comics values automatically. o Store as many story titles as you like with each comic. No limit except disk space. o Add or delete a run of comics with one operation. o Complete on-line help. Context sensitive help for all Main Window entries and menu items. o Want and shopping lists highlight missing issues, including guide values if so desired. The want and shopping list reports are extremely flexible, with many options for the way each title is displayed, and the order in which they are displayed. o Automatic calculation of discounts, tax, and current value. o Store as many as three notes with each comic. Each can be as many as 255 characters long. o The icon screen lets you change the icon for each component of the Comics! system. Not only does this change the icon displayed on Windows groups, but also changes the icon when the program is minimized. o Reports can be called from the main window, or printed separately to save time. o More than thirty different reports are currently available. o You choose the fonts and styles for the reports you print. Any font and size which is available to Windows can be used. TrueType fonts are fully supported and encouraged. o Appearance types let you keep track of the first appearance, origins, etc., of characters. o Add multiple copies of a comic in one operation. o Over 2200 titles, 200 publisher names, and 200 creator names pre-loaded, so you can use them with a click of the mouse (or three or four keystrokes). o Enter a title, publisher, etc., once, and it is always available with a mouse click or a few keystrokes. o Do you want to keep track of every character who appears in a comic? You can do it with Comics!, which has no limit on the number of characters for each comic. o Windows 3.1 and TrueType Fonts compatible. o A 25+ plus page user manual, describing detailed use of the system. (Not included in the demo version.) o Many other features and capabilities. See the on-line help index for more information on Comics!.