Copyright: ®1995 Orest Kinasevych


Table of Contents
Color Calculator

An RGB to Hexadecimal converter

Contents:

Overview

Interface Guide

Menu Guide

Using Color Calculator

What Are Hexadecimal Values?

What Are RGB Values?

Using Hexadecimal Values

How To Register

Registration Form

Copyright, License, and Warranty

Contacting the Author


Overview

Color Calculator is designed for quick determination of hexadecimal values from RGB values. This helps a user convert from a set of known color units to units that are understood by several programming languages such as Microsoft® Visual Basic™, as well as by hypertext languages such as HTML.

Color Calculator also displays a sample swatch of the color being calibrated. This is useful to the user that has no particular RGB values in mind, but wants to experiment with color values on the fly.


Interface Guide

Click the part of the interface you wish to learn more about.


Menu Guide

There are two menus in Color Calculator: the Command menu and the Help menu.

Under the Command menu you'll find the following commands:

Copy Hex Value

Selecting this command copies the displayed hexadecimal value to the Windows™ Clipboard. For more information, see the topic Using Color Calculator. The keyboard shortcut for this command is Ctrl + C.

Reset

Selecting this command resets the Scroll Bars, RGB Values, Hexadecimal Value, and Color Swatch to the setting displayed on start-up, which is for the color black. The keyboard shortcut for this command is Ctrl + R.

Exit

Selecting this command exits the program.

Under the Help menu you'll find the following commands:

Contents

Selecting this command opens the Color Calculator Help file to the Table of Contents page. The keyboard shortcut for this command is the F1 key.

Search For Help On...

Selecting this command opens the Search dialog box for the Color Calculator Help file.

How To Use Help

Selecting this command opens the Windows™ Help file for instructions on how to use the Help utility.

How To Register

Selecting this command opens the How To Register topic in the Color Calculator Help file. This command will not be available if Color Calculator is already registered.

Register

Selecting this command activates the registration screens for Color Calculator. You will be asked to enter your name and a registration number to properly register your copy of Color Calculator. This command will not be available if Color Calculator is already registered.

About

Selecting this command displays the opening screen of Color Calculator. If registered, the opening screen displays the registered user name as well as the registration number. Otherwise, the opening screen will display a notice that the product is unregistered, as well as how many days remain in the trial period.


Using kRGBCalc
Using Color Calculator

To use Color Calculator, adjust the RGB Values Scroll Bars to select your RGB values, or to change the Color Swatch to the desired color.

Clicking the scroll arrows increments the RGB values in units of one. Clicking inside the scroll bars increments the values in units of 32.

As you change the Scroll Bar values, you will see the following happen:

The numbers at the top of the Scroll Bars change. These indicate the amount of RGB color being calibrated. The minimum RGB value is 0 and the maximum is 255.

The Hexadecimal Value changes. This change dynamically represents the change in the RGB values.

The color in the Color Swatch changes. This gives you a visual representation of the color you have selected.

When you have arrived at your desired color, you can copy the hexadecimal value to the Windows™ Clipboard. To do this:

click the Copy Hex Value button, or

select the Copy Hex Value command from the Commands menu, or

use the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + C.

Once you have copied the Hexadecimal Value to the Windows™ Clipboard, you will be able to paste it into any Windows™ application using the Paste command, or with a keyboard shortcut.

If you need to start from scratch, you can quickly reset all values to the startup color, black. To do this:

select the Reset command from the Commands menu, or

use the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + R.

When you have finished using Color Calculator, simply click on the Close button, or select Exit from the Help menu.


What Are Hexadecimal Values?

Just as the decimal numbering system uses a base of 10, hexadecimal numbering uses a base of 16. Accordingly, the decimal system uses 10 symbols to represent its numbers (0-9), while the hexadecimal system is represented using 16 symbols.

In hexadecimal notation, the values 0 through 9 are represented with the symbols 0 through 9, just as they are in the decimal system. To represent the values 10 through 16, the hexadecimal system uses the symbols A through F.

Hexadecimal numbers are built out of hexadecimal digits. In decimal notation, the numbers 123 mean the following:

(1 times 100) + (2 times 10) + (3 times 1)

The same symbols in hexadecimal notation would mean the following:

(1 times 256) + (2 times 16) + (1 times 1)

Note that in decimal notation, the 100's position is equal to 10 times 10. In hexadecimal notation, the third position represents a value of 256, which is equal to 16 times 16.


What Are RGB Values?

RGB stands for "red-green-blue." Color computer monitors are RGB devices. They display color using separate red, green, and blue color signals. The range of colors in the visible spectrum is represented on a computer monitor by controlling the intensities of these red, green, and blue signals.

RGB colors are also known as primary additive colors. Primary additive colors combine to form white light. Complete absence of the primary additive colors is perceived as black.

Computer displays are made up of a matrix of small, closely spaced dots called pixels (picture elements). The video circuitry of the computer specifies each pixel's brightness and color. The values for the pixel's brightness is stored in data bits reserved for those values.

The typical color computer monitor is able to display 256 levels of color per pixel, using 8 bits of data per pixel. These values are represented numerically from 0 to 255, hence the numbers for RGB values. Monitors that are unable to display 256 colors use a process called dithering to simulate colors that are not available. Dithering creates a pattern of pixels from the available palette of colors.

Here are some examples of how colors are formed from RGB values. A color that has a 0 value of red component, a 0 value of green component, and a 0 value of blue component, appears black. A color that has a 255 value of red component, a 255 value of green component, and a 0 value of blue component appears yellow.


Using Hexadecimal Values

There are several places that hexadecimal values are required to enter color information.

HTML and Netscape™

The HTML tagging language for encoding pages for the World Wide Web is able to make use of hexadecimal values when accessed by the Netscape Navigator™ web browser. With hexadecimal values, an HTML author can encode information about text, link, background, and other colors. This information will override the browser default values for these colors.

To affect the background color of pages that will be read with the Netscape™ browser, the following code must be place near the top of the HTML file:

<BODY BGCOLOR=000000>

Where "000000" represents the hexadecimal color value that will fill the background of the page.

Text color can be controlled with the following HTML command:

<BODY TEXT=000000>

In both examples, replace the "000000" with the hexadecimal value for the color you wish to use.

More information on HTML and Netscape Navigator™ is available from a variety of online sources.

Visual Basic™

The Microsoft® Visual Basic™ programming language also requires hexadecimal values for fill, background, foreground, shape, and line colors. These values would be represented in the following format:

&H00FFFFFF&

where "FFFFFF" represents the hexadecimal value for the color. Note that this number must be preceded by "&H00" (ampersand, capital H, zero, zero) to indicate that the value is represented in hexadecimal notation, and a closing "&" must also appear to end the notation.

Refer to Visual Basic™ documentation provided by Microsoft® for further information.

C Programming

In C, hexadecimal numbers are usually indicated by the characters "0x" (zero followed by a lowercase x).

Refer to your C language documentation for more information.


How To Register
Registering this software

This software is shareware. It is not free. If you find Color Calculator valuable enough to use, you are expected to register it.

The trial period for this software is 15 days. After 15 days, the software will expire, and there is a short grace period for registering. After the grace period, the software will disable itself until a valid registration number is entered.

To register, print and fill out the registration form in this help file. Mail your completed registration form along with your payment of US$7.00 per license to:

Orest Kinasevych
502 Chestnut Street, #34
Roselle Park, NJ  07204

After registering, a registration number will be mailed to you, which you will then be able to use to properly activate Color Calculator.

Please note that each registration number will be for use on one computer only, as detailed in the license agreement, and must not be shared.

Additional licenses can be purchased for copies of this software running simultaneously on several computers and used by multiple users. Licenses should also be purchased to cover all workstations that will access the software through the network.


Copyright, License, and Warranty

Color Calculator is copyright 1995 by Orest Kinasevych. All rights reserved.

License Agreement

You should carefully read the following terms and conditions before using this software.

Shareware License

You are hereby licensed to:

use the shareware version of the software for a 15-day evaluation period;

make as many copies of this software and documentation as you wish;

give exact copies of the original software to anyone; and

distribute the software and documentation in its unmodified form via electronic means.

There is no charge for any of the above.

You are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such copies, however made; and from distributing the software and/or documentation with other products (commercial or otherwise) without prior written permission.

Unregistered use of Color Calculator after the 15-day evaluation period is in violation of federal and international copyright laws.

Evaluation and Registration

This license allows you to use this software for evaluation purposes without charge for a period of 15 days. If you use this software after the 15-day evaluation period you are required to pay a registration fee for it. Payment must be in US dollars drawn on a US bank, or written in US dollars on a postal money order. Completed registrations should be sent to Orest Kinasevych, 502 Chestnut Street, #34, Roselle Park, NJ  07204.

When payment is received you will be sent a registration number or numbers that will allow you to validate the software.

One registered copy of this software may either be used by a single person who uses the software personally on one or more computers, or installed on a single workstation used nonsimultaneously by multiple users, but not both. Multiple licenses can be purchased for copies of this software running simultaneously on several computers and used by multiple users. You may access the registered version of Color Calculator through a network, provided that you have obtained individual licenses for the software covering all workstations that will access the software through the network. Please indicate the number of licenses required on the registration form.

Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey.

Disclaimer of Warranty

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this software may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.

Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE.

All the trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.


Registration Form

(Select Print Topic from the File menu to print this form.)

Product Name: Color Calculator 1.x

Number of copies/licenses required: ..........................................

Amount enclosed (US$7.00 per copy/license): ..........................

Name: .....................................................................................

Address: ..................................................................................

................................................................................................

City: .........................................................................................

State/Province: ...........................................................................

Country: ...................................................................................

Postal/Zip Code: .......................................................................

E-mail Address: ........................................................................

Mail your completed registration form, along with payment to:

Orest Kinasevych
502 Chestnut Street, #34
Roselle Park, NJ  07204

By registering this software, you agree to be bound by the terms of the license agreement. Please note that each registration number will be for use on one computer only, as detailed in the license agreement, and must not be shared.


Contacting the Author

Please address all correspondence to:

Orest Kinasevych
502 Chestnut Street, #34
Roselle Park, NJ  07204

Correspondence can also be addressed to:

71151.1457@compuserve.com


RGB stands for "red-green-blue." These are the primary additive colors of which white light is comprised. Color computer monitors are RGB devices. For more information, refer to the topic entitled What Are RGB Values?


Hexadecimal is a numbering system based on units of 16. In comparison, the numbering system we normally use is based on units of 10. For more information, refer to the topic entitled What Are Hexadecimal Values?


Hyper Text Markup Language is a system of text encoding. This encoding is employed within files that populate the part of the Internet known as the World Wide Web in order to embed formatting instructions.


The World Wide Web is a part of the Internet. Documents on the WWW can be viewed using graphical browsers such as Netscape Navigator™ or NCSA Mosaic™.


Minimize Button

Clicking on this button minimizes the program to an icon on the Windows™ desktop.


Help Menu

The Help menu displays the Help commands that are available. See the Menu Guide topic for more information.


Command Menu

The Command menu displays other commands that are available. See the Menu Guide topic for more information.


Hexadecimal Value

The hexadecimal value for the calibrated color is displayed in this box. For information about what hexadecimal values are, see the topic What Are Hexadecimal Values? For information about using hexadecimal values, see the topic Using Hexadecimal Values.


Color Swatch

The Color Swatch displays a sample of the calibrated color. Note that this color may display differently on other monitors, or if the color depth for the current monitor is changed.


RGB Values

These numeric values represent the amount of each of the RGB primaries that is present in the currently calibrated color. The range of values is 0 to 255. A value of 0 represents the minimum amount of the associated color (none). A value of 255 represents the maximum amount of the associated color.


Scroll Bars

The Scroll Bars are used to calibrate the desired color in the Color Swatch. For information, see the topic Using Color Calculator.


Copy Hex Value button

Clicking on this button copies the displayed hexadecimal value to the Windows™ Clipboard. For information, see the topic Using Color Calculator.


Close button

Clicking on this button exits the program.