Copyright: ® 1993 TANSTAAFL Software


Help Contents
3x3 Labeler

© 1993 TANSTAAFL Software

Introduction

Overview

Installation

Instructions

Command Buttons

Diskette

Print

Clear All

Clear Last

Menu Options

File

Options

Help

Future Features

Fonts

Filename Columns

Banner Text

Label Preview

Other Enhancements

Order Information

Addresses

Prices

Order Form

Legalese

Revision History

7/5/93	1.0


Overview

3x3 Labeler produces 3 1/2" diskette labels containing a listing of the diskette contents.  The currently-supported label is the Avery 5196, which contains three rows of three labels each on an 8 1/2" by 11" page.  Each label's contents can be read from a different diskette or drive.  All labels share common banner text and edge text.


Installation

3x3 Labeler is distributed as a .ZIP file.  Unzip this file into the directory of your choice.  Copy the THREED.VBX file into your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.  To run, select 3x3.EXE from your shell or desktop.

This program is written in Visual Basic, and requires the run-time library VBRUN300.DLL, which should be available at the bulletin board where you obtained 3x3 Labeler (It's also included on the registered version disk).


Instructions

Select your 3 1/2" drive using the drop-down drive list.  Insert a diskette into the drive.  Click on one of the diskette icons in the 3x3 grid.  This grid corresponds to the 3x3 label format.  When the program has read the contents of the diskette, the diskette icon changes to a diskette icon with print on the label.  Repeat this process for up to 9 diskettes.  Press the Print button to send the information to the default printer.  Press the Clear All button to revert the icons and clear the information, or use the Clear Last button to clear the last diskette pressed.

To create 9 labels of the same disk (for program distribution, for instance), click all nine icons in rapid succession.  It is not necessary to use all nine labels in each pass.  Since you can specify which label to read a disk to, you can print some now and some later.

The banner and edge text may be specified with the Options menu.  Banner text will print above the contents listing.  Edge text will print above the banner, and will be on the edge of the diskette when the label is properly applied.  These options can be saved in 3x3.INI.


Diskette

There are nine diskette buttons, in a 3x3 grid.  Each button corresponds to a label on the Avery 5196 page.  Press one of these buttons to read the contents of a diskette (specified in the drop-down drive list).  This button can have two states.  The first, cleared state, is represented by a standard picture of a 3 1/2" disk.  The second, full state, is represented by a picture of a 3 1/2" disk with the label filled in.


Print

This button prints the diskette file information to a page of labels.  The default printer should be online, in portrait mode, with labels loaded.  Each press of this button will print one page of labels.


Clear All

This button resets the Diskette button icons to show an "empty" diskette.  All internal arrays with diskette contents are cleared.


Clear Last

This button resets the last Diskette button pressed.  All information for this label is cleared.


File

Exit

This option exits the 3x3 Labeler.


Options

Edge Text

Banner Text

Save Options


Edge Text

This option allows you to specify the text to be printed on the edge of the 3 1/2" diskette.  This text is printed in Arial at 7 points.


Menu Options - Options - Banner Text
Banner Text

This option allows you to specify the text to be printed between the top edge of the diskette and the contents columns.  This text is printed in Arial at 16 points, and may overflow the label if too many characters are used.


Save Options

This option saves the edge and banner text and the default floppy drive to the 3x3.INI file.  Next time 3x3 is started, these defaults are used.  Due to a quirk in Visual Basic's drive listbox, 3x3 will change to the floppy drive only if it has a disk in it.


Help

Contents

About


Contents

This option runs the Windows Help program with 3x3.HLP.


About

This option shows the About box, containing the program name, version number and other information.


Fonts

The next version will include the ability to specify which font and size to use for the edge text, banner text, and/or contents columns.  Currently, it is hard-coded to use Arial in 7 and 16 points.  Expect this enhancement in version 1.1.


Filename Columns

This version is limited to 3 columns of 12 filenames maximum.  With smaller point sizes, 4 columns would be possible, with perhaps up to 16 or 18 filenames.  If there is any interest, the filenames could be split into name and extension, similar to a DOS DIR command output.

Another possibility is to automatically decide the number of rows and columns, and the font size, based on the number of files.  Probably version 1.1 for this stuff.


Future Features - Banner Text
Banner Text

Banner text could be enhanced in several ways.  High on the priority list is the ability to print the banner text upside down above the edge text, so it will wrap to the back of the diskette and provide a label on that side.  Surprisingly, it is not overly easy to do this with Visual Basic, so this may wait until version 1.2 or 1.3.

Another option I'm considering is auto-sizing of the banner text to fit all the way across the label, with centering. Probably 1.1 for this enhancement.

The best planned enhancement is to allow you to use a .BMP bitmap containing a company logo, for instance.  This enhancement would include the ability to print the bitmap upside down for the back side label.  This enhancement probably won't come until 1.2 or 1.3.


Label Preview

Yes, this is also in the works.  Your feedback here is appreciated...Should it show just one label (the last one clicked?) or a whole page?  Maybe you'll see this in 1.1 but probably not until in 1.2.


Other Enhancements

There has been some interest in printing a directory tree of the diskette instead of the columns of filenames.  I have doubts that this is very useful, but will certainly consider it.

There is considerable interest in allowing each diskette label to contain a different banner and edge.  If I implement this, I will have both a local set (applies to each label) and a global set (applies if the local text is blank).  Probably version 1.1 for this, since it's relatively easy.

I also plan to implement better help, a printer setup dialog, and more robust error handling.  Also in 1.1.

The next version will use a standard Setup program, to allow easier distribution of all of the related files.

How about the ability to decide which files make it to the list?  A drop down list box with things like *.exe, *.com, etc.  This could also make it into 1.1.


Addresses

TANSTAAFL Software can be contacted via several methods.  All orders should be mailed to the Post Office box.  Questions and technical support for registered users can use mail, phone, or several flavors of Email.  If you call, please call between the hours of 8 AM and 10 PM, Mountain Time.  Since I have to work during the day, the best times to call are in the evening.

Dana W. Cline

TANSTAAFL Software
P.O. Box 260075
Lakewood, CO  80226

(303) 989-7389

CompuServe:	73700,3053

GENIE:	tanstaafl

Internet:	73700.3053@compuserve.com


Prices

3x3 Labeler is available for $20 for the latest version.  This is a good deal for two reasons.  First, by supporting the concept of shareware, you encourage development by individuals and small companies.  Second, your $20 will likely get you a newer version than the one you may have, with more features.  I plan on evolving this product quickly, with new versions every couple of weeks (well, at least up to a point).

Payment should be in the form of a check or money order.  Cash is accepted but discouraged.  Sorry, no company P.O.'s.

Foreign orders should include $5 for shipping, and the check or money order should be payable in US Dollars, on a US Bank.

Source code is available.  Contact us for further details.


Order Form

TANSTAAFL Software

NAME:     __________________________________________________

COMPANY:_________________________________________________

ADDRESS:  _________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

CITY:     ____________________________________________________

STATE:    ________________________  ZIP CODE:  ________________

PHONE:    __________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: ___________________________________________

WHERE DID YOU RECEIVE 3x3?  _______________________________

___________________________________________________________

DISK SIZE NEEDED: [  ] 3-1/2      [  ] 5-1/4

COMMENTS:  ________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Basic Registration	@ $ 20.00	__________

Colorado sales tax	(7.1%)	__________

Non-US Shipping	@ $5.00 	__________

(Payments must be in US Dollars, US bank)

                                                         TOTAL:  $__________

Checks or money orders only.  Sorry, no company

P.O.'s or credit cards.

Remit to:         Dana W. Cline

                         TANSTAAFL Software

                         P.O. Box 260075

                         Lakewood, CO  80226


Legalese

3x3 Labeler is Copyright 1993 by TANSTAAFL Software.  3x3 Labeler is released as shareware.  The unregistered version should be used for evaluation purposes only.  Users are expected to pay for the registered version of this program.  3x3 Labeler is not warranted for anything, and TANSTAAFL Software is not responsible for any damages arising from the use of this program.

If you want to give this program away, please distribute the original .ZIP file.  If you want to distribute this program via CD-ROM or software library service, please contact us for the latest shareware version.


7/5/93_1.0
7/5/93	1.0

Original release, did minimum necessary to produce disk labels.