Qprint Version 1.0 October 1993 Text file printing for Windows 3.1 ****************************************************************** Qprint is Shareware. If you use Qprint for more than 10 days, you must register. You can register Qprint by sending $10.00 to Alpine Electronics 1013 Pardee St. Suite 212 Berkeley, CA 94710 Print out and send in the ORDER.FRM file to register. Please send checks or money orders in U.S. dollars only Thanks for supporting Qprint! Introduction ------------ Qprint was written to make it easier to print text files using Windows. The normal way to do this is to open the file in Notepad (or some other text editor) and then issue the print command from the menu. Windows also lets you drop a file from File Manager onto the Print Manager icon, and Print Manager will call up Notepad (if the file extension was ".TXT"). In either case, only very limited formatting capability is provided, and only one file can be printed at a time. If you're lucky, the file you want to print will have a "TXT" extension. Otherwise, you will have to either register a new file extension with Notepad, or rename the file extension, etc. Of course, if you want to print more than one file at a time, use non-standard tab spacing or if your document has embedded formfeeds for page breaks you may be out of luck. Qprint is designed to solve these problems and to provide more flexible Windows text printing in general. You can print as many text files as you want with a single command. Each file can be formatted differently automatically, using a pre-selected format associated with each file's extension. For example, a "C" file created with the Brief text editor will have 3 space tabs, while "TXT" files will have 8 space tabs. Qprint can be configured to automatically print all "C" files with 3 space tabs, and "TXT" files with 8 space tabs. Since Qprint determines the print format by the file extension, you can mix printing "C" files and "TXT" files at the same time, and they will be formatted differently automatically. Some files (such as shareware manuals) are already formatted in the file, with justified margins, form feeds, page numbers, etc. Qprint can be configured to automatically print these files without any additional formatting. Qprint also allows selection of a two line customizable header and page margins may be set individually for each file type. How it Works ------------ Qprint accomplishes these tasks by maintaining a data base for each file extension. The data base entries are called "Styles". The user enters a style via a dialog box, and associates that style with one or more file extensions. Some default styles are provided in this release. These styles may be used as is, or customized as required. One special style (called "Default") will be used if a file is printed without a previously designed style. This is done by associating the file extension "???" with the default style. Qprint stores the style database in a file called QPRINT.CFG. This file must be in the same directory as QPRINT.EXE. Qprint will look for a file named QPRINT.INI in your Windows directory. If it is not found, it will be created. Installation ------------ Qprint is installed by placing QPRINT.EXE QPRINT.CFG, and QPRINT.HLP in the directory of your choice. An icon may be installed in Program Manager using the "FILE - NEW - PROGRAM ITEM" menu selections. Simply use the brouse function to find QPRINT.EXE, then select it as the file name and press OK. Finaly, press OK again in the Program Item Properties dialog box, and QPRINT will be installed. Be sure to check the "Save Settings On Exit" selection under the Options menu to cause Program Manager to save your Qprint Icon. Qprint may be easily uninstalled by simply deleteing QPRINT.EXE, QPRINT.CFG, QPRINT.HLP, and QPRINT.INI. If the icon was installed in a Program Manger group, simply select the icon, and select "File - Delete" from the memu bar. This will delete the Qprint icon. Again, make sure that the "Save Settings On Exit" selection is checked under the Options menu to save the fact that you deleted the icon. Using Qprint ------------ Once a Program Manager icon is installed, Qprint can be launced by double-clicking the icon. It can also be launced from File Manager by either using the File - Run memu selections, or by double clicking QPRINT.EXE in the file window. If the File - Run method is used, note that a full path name must be provided if Qprint is not installed somewhere along your search path. Qprint provides a main dialog box showing the path and files contained in the current directory. Files may be selected using a mouse by clicking in the "Available Files" window. Once files are selected, they may be copied to the "Files to Print" window by clicking the "ADD >>" button. Files may be removed from the "Files to Print" window by selecting them with the mouse, and clicking the "Remove" button. The path can be changed at any time by clicking on directory names in the "Path" window. More files can then be selected from a different directory, etc. When the "Files to Print" window contains all the file names desired, simply press the "Print" button to send them to the printer. A standard Windows print dialog box will appear, allowing you to select the printer, page orentation, etc. A print status and cancel print button will appear while the files are printting. To change the default formatting capabilities supplied with Qprint, you must press the "Configure" button on the main dialog box. Use the online Help capabilities to guide you through this process. The Future for Qprint --------------------- Functions & features planned for later releases of Qprint: Drag and Drop - allowing you to drag files from File Manager to Qprint and have them automatically printed. Accept command line arguments - allowing you to print one or more files by adding them to the command line. (eg. readme.txt or *.c) Configuration file selection - allowing you to have multiple sets of styles for different printers, etc. Font selection - allow printing in compressed printer font or ability to select any Windows font for printing. Print Rotated - allow printing of a file type in landscape mode without printing all files in landscape. If you have an idea for additional features for Qprint, drop us a line. Our address is: Elizabeth Simon or Albert Pion Alpine Electronics 1013 Pardee St. Suite 212 Berkeley, CA 94710 Compuserve: 70730,357 Registering Qprint ---------------- You can register and get a license number for Qprint by sending us $10.00. Once you enter your license number, you won't have to see that registration reminder every time you start Qprint and your license will be valid for all future versions of Qprint. Please send your registration as: a) a check in U.S. dollars (drawn on a U.S. bank) b) a money order (e.g. Canadian postal, Bundepost, etc.) Obviously you can send U.S. currency, but we don't want to be responsible if the money gets "lost" on the way. Print and fill-out the ORDER.FRM file and send to: Alpine Electronics 1013 Pardee St. Suite 212 Berkeley, CA 94710 About Qprint ------------ Qprint was created with Visual C++ for Windows and the Microsoft Foundation Class Library. About Alpine -------- We are a small electronics and software consulting firm. If you like Qprint and need someone to write your Windows programs, please contact us at the above address.