Help Index
CaseLinr Help Index

The Index lists all Help available for CaseLinr.  To learn how to use Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

Overview

Registration

Commands

File Menu Commands

Format Menu Commands

Fonts Menu Commands

Text Menu Commands

File Association

Questions


Overview

CaseLinr is a Windows 3.1 program which prints case liners (a.k.a. J-Cards) for audio cassettes -- including DAT.  The image displayed on the CRT screen approximates what will actually be printed.  The printed result is quite accurate and can be cut, folded, and then inserted into an empty (preferably clear plastic) audio cassette box.

To install CaseLinr, copy the three files CASELINR.EXE, CASELINR.HLP, and DEFAULT.FMT to any directory and then use the New Program Item in the Files menu of the Program Manager to install CaseLinr within any group.  If you do not copy these files to your "Windows" directory (I don't), then the first time you start CaseLinr, it will ask you for the location of DEFAULT.FMT.

You have control over many variables determining the final result.  The default font were chosen since they come with Windows.  My own personal preferences are 14 pt. Engraver bold for the Side Letters, 18 (or 17) pt. Diego1 bold for the Title, and 10 pt. Architect for everything else.

The Title and Song dialog boxes are multi-line edit boxes which allow horizontal and vertical scrolling.  Use the Enter key to actually enter multiple lines.  Either click on the OK button or Tab to the OK button and then press Enter to complete title and song entry.  Even though there is no Edit menu, the Windows clipboard can be used for copying (Ctrl+Ins), cutting (Shift+Del), and pasting (Shift+Ins) titles and/or songs.  When entering songs and titles, just enter each song on a separate line and let the program perform word-breaks and spacing, it's by no means perfect but it tries.  CaseLinr will not split a song across a fold line.


Registration

CaseLinr is Shareware.  It is not free software, but it is also not Crippleware.  It is fully functional and does not contain any randomly appearing oversized dialog boxes with insulting messages, charge card graphics, or floating buttons.  If you like CaseLinr and find it useful, you are requested to support it by registering (i.e. sending me money).  If you have registered a previous version, you don't have to re-register this version.  However, if you feel a burning desire to send me more money, I will not refuse it!  Please do not request the latest version of the program since I am not sure when, and if, the next version will come out -- this one took almost 1 year!

Registration fee is $18

All funds should be in US dollars -- cash, check (drawn on US banks only), money order, or postal money order.  I don't wish to belittle foreign currency, but the local banks (in a small town) charge a very unattractive (to me) fee to exchange currency.  No credit cards -- I haven't made it to the big time.

Please make all checks payable to Ed Adasiewicz, and forward your payment along with name, address, and comments to:

Ed Adasiewicz

260 Richmond Lane

Crystal Lake, IL  60014

This program is being made available on an "as is" basis, and carries no warranties, express or implied.  The author shall in no way be held liable for any damages resulting from the use of this program or the media on which it is distributed, including, without limitation, loss of business profits, interruption of business, loss of information, damage to equipment, or any other incidental or consequential damages.


File Menu Commands

New

Starts a new (untitled) liner.  If the current liner has not been saved, CaseLinr lets you save that liner before displaying a new liner.  A standard Windows file selection box containing the names of liner formats is displayed.  One of these formats must be selected and it will serve as the basis for the new liner.  The new liner has no title or songs and uses all settings (features, fonts, alignments, etc.) that were defined when the selected format was saved.  The default extension for CaseLinr formats is *.FMT.

Open

Opens an existing liner.  If the current liner has not been saved, CaseLinr lets you save that liner before opening the requested liner.  This is a standard (common) Windows File Open dialog box.  The default extension for CaseLinr files is *.CAS.

The Title area is a multi-line display only field with scroll bars.  It is not for modifying titles, but rather for determining the contents of a case liner -- eight character file names tend to get quite cryptic.  When you click on a valid CaseLinr file, the titles contained within the file will be displayed.  Needless to say, if you click/open a file which was not created by CaseLinr (e.g. an EXE file) you will probably notice some pretty erratic behavior on your machine!

The read only checkbox allows you to look at a liner without being able to modify its contents on the disk -- i.e. you can change it all you want, but you cant Save it.  I have had trouble getting this field to work with File Assist in the Norton Desktop; with the standard Windows common dialog boxes it works just fine.

If the selected file was created by an earlier version of CaseLinr, you will be asked whether CaseLinr should read only songs, titles, and features or almost all of the data.  In either case, the data that is read is merged in with the currently active format.  New features are not added, but side text is added if it is not part of the feature.  If the almost all option is selected, then all data except for the following, and new features, will be read:

Song title / title align is ignored and song title / song align is used.  The title over songs option has been dropped, but can now be implemented by making the title the first song, applying the appropriate font, and adding a blank line before the first real song.  Thus, the alignment must be that of the songs.

The DAT flag is ignored.  If you are using DATs, a suitable format should first be defined, saved, and then made active (via New) prior to reading the file.

The cassette and DAT dimensions are ignored for the same reason that the DAT flag is ignored.

Upon exiting CaseLinr, the last directory searched is recorded in CASELINR.INI and used the next time file searching is required.

Save

Saves changes to the current liner in the filename displayed in the caption, unless the file is read only.  If the liner is (untitled), CaseLinr prompts you for a filename -- as in Save As.  When you choose Save, the liner remains open so you can continue working on it.

If you are overwriting a file that was created by an earlier version of CaseLinr, you will be asked whether you want to continue.  If you do, the new file will not be readable (at least not without one of those wonderful Windows error boxes) by previous versions.

Save As

Saves the current liner after prompting you for a filename.  If the filename already exists, you will be asked if the existing file should be overwritten with the current liner.  If the liner is currently in a file ( of another name or in another directory), this original file remains unchanged.  This is a standard (common) Windows File Save As dialog box.

If you are overwriting a file that was created by an earlier version of CaseLinr, you will be asked whether you want to continue.  If you do, the new file will not be readable (at least not without one of those wonderful Windows error boxes) by previous versions.

Print

Prints the currently displayed liner on the currently selected printer using any print settings entered with the Printer Setup command.  You can specify the margins, relative to the top and left edges of the paper, that the liner will be indented prior to printing.  Upon exiting CaseLinr, the last entered margins are recorded in CASELINR.INI and used the next time CaseLinr is executed.

The Print to File checkbox allows you to print to a file rather than a physical device.

Multiple copies can be printed, but currently only 1 per page.

To print multiple liners on the same sheet of paper, setup your printer to use landscape orientation, print the first liner (with the margins set accordingly), insert the printed sheet of paper back into your printer, and then print the second liner (with the margins (re)set accordingly).

Printer Setup

Sets printer options for the currently selected printer.  This is a standard (common) Windows Printer Setup dialog box.

Exit

Exits CaseLinr.  If the current liner has not been saved, CaseLinr lets you save that liner before exiting.


Format Menu Commands

Features

Defines features for the liner and/or format.

Feature -- This is where you enter the text for a feature.  There is no limit to the number of features or the length of a feature, but a feature will NOT be automatically wrapped if it extends beyond the right edge of the liner.  If there is some special text you would like placed in a certain position on the liner, just enter it as a feature -- e.g. copyright notice.  All features are displayed on the liner.  There are certain features which come with CaseLinr (i.e. MODE) which you can either use or delete.  To add your own features just enter the text and select the Add button -- this added feature will then be displayed on the liner.  Note that features are case insensitive -- i.e. you cannot add the same text string twice if the only difference is one of case.  As you type data in this field (as opposed to selecting an entry) the Add and Remove buttons are enabled/disabled dynamically based upon whether the text you have entered is already in the list.

Style -- Defines the style of the feature

Per Side -- The feature is composed of three parts:  the text entered here is centered horizontally between the edges of the liner; the Side A text (see Side Features) is displayed left justified on the left; and the Side B text is displayed right justified on the right.  This type of feature is intended for cassettes where you have a quality (feature) that varies by side (e.g. source, noise reduction, mode, etc.).

Left Justified -- The feature will be left justified at the Side Margin.

Right Justified -- The feature will be right justified at the Side Margin.

Centered -- The feature will be centered horizontally (if possible) between the edges of the liner.

Margins -- Defines the margins for the feature.

Top -- A vertical measurement (relative to the top of the liner) at which the Feature will be printed.

Side -- A horizontal measurement (relative to either the right or left edge of the liner based upon justification) at which the feature will be aligned

Add -- Adds the text in the edit field of the Feature combo box to the dropdown list of that combo box.  The addition is not permanent until OK is requested.  This button is not enabled if the text in the edit field is already in the dropdown list.  The status of this button can change dynamically as you enter characters into the edit field.

Remove -- Removes the value in the edit field of the Feature combo box from the dropdown list of that combo box.  The deletion is not permanent until OK is requested.  This button is not enabled if the value in the edit field is not currently in the dropdown list.  The status of this button can change dynamically as you enter characters into the edit field.

Font -- Allows the default font to be overridden and/or augmented.  Highlight the text (with the mouse or cursor keys) and select this button.  There is no limit to the number of fonts.  The fonts will not be noticeable until the OK button has been selected -- the fonts apply to the liner not the dialog box.

Liner

Defines options global to the liner and/or format.

Cut Lines -- The line style used for the border (where you cut the liner).

Fold Lines -- The line style used for the three interior lines (where you fold the liner).

Height -- Defines heights of various portions of a liner.

Feature Flap-- A measurement which defines the height of the feature flap area -- so called because the only things that usually go here are features and side letters.

Title -- A measurement which defines the height of the title area.

Primary Song-- A measurement which defines the height of the primary song area.  This is the area in which songs are initially placed.

Overflow Song -- A measurement which defines the height of the overflow song area.  This is the area which is usually folded inside the liner and is only used if all of the songs will not fit in the primary song area.  If this height is zero, the liner will only consist of the above three areas.

Width -- A measurement which defines the width of the liner.

Invert Image -- Flips the entire liner.  A flipped liner is oriented like a liner that accompanies a pre-recorded cassette, whereas an un-flipped liner looks like one that comes with a blank cassette.  Go ahead and compare the two, I didn't realize there was a difference until this feature was requested.

1-Up Sides -- Causes the songs on Side A to be printed across the entire width of the liner followed by the songs on Side B.  This feature is especially useful for classical music where the song titles are long and for DATs which have only one side.

Bisect Sides -- Draws a vertical line separating the songs on Side A from those on Side B.  This makes for an unattractive liner if 1 Up Sides is also selected.

Sides

Defines options for the (at most) two sides of a liner and/or format.

Side Letters -- Defines the side letter characteristics.

Location -- Allows you to select one of 4 letter areas and to define Style, Text, and Margins for the side letter that is printed in that area.

Style -- Defines the style used to print the Text.

Normal -- Black (colored) letters on a white background.

Reverse Video -- White letters within a black (colored) rounded corner rectangle.

None -- No letters.

Text -- This is the actual text that will print as the side letter.  It is not limited in length (although most people will probably choose between the single letters A and B) but the text will NOT be automatically wrapped if it extends beyond the right edge of the liner.

Margins -- Defines margins for the side letter.

Top -- A vertical measurement (relative to the top of the liner) at which the Text will be printed.

Side -- A horizontal measurement (relative to the left edge of the liner) at which the Text will be printed.

Side Features -- Defines options related to features that were defined as being Per Side.

Side -- Allows you to select one of 2 sides.

Feature -- Allows you to select any one of the features that were defined as being Per Side.

Text -- This is where you enter the text for the Side A and B parts of a Per Side feature and select existing entries.  There is no limit to the number these text fields or their length, but they will NOT be automatically wrapped if they extend beyond the edge of the liner or overlap the centered text.  There are certain Per Side features which come with CaseLinr (i.e. MODE) which you can either use, delete, or augment.  To add your own choices just enter the text and select the Add button -- the added text will then be displayed on the liner if it is also selected.  Note that these text fields are case insensitive -- i.e. you cannot add the same text string twice if the only difference is one of case.  As you type data in this field (as opposed to selecting an entry) the Add and Remove buttons are enabled/disabled dynamically based upon whether the text you have entered is already in the list.

Time -- Either places the current system time into a blank Text field or appends the current system time (preceded by a single space) onto a non-blank Text field.  The time is formatted according to the settings entered under Time Format in the International portion of the Control Panel.

Short Date -- Either places the current system date into a blank Text field or appends the current system date (preceded by a single space) onto a non-blank Text field.  The date is formatted according to the settings entered under Short Date Format in the International portion of the Control Panel.

Long Date -- Either places the current system date into a blank Text field or appends the current system date (preceded by a single space) onto a non-blank Text field.  The date is formatted according to the settings entered under Long Date Format in the International portion of the Control Panel. The weekday portion is NOT currently used.

Add -- Adds the text in the edit field of the Text combo box to the dropdown list of that combo box.  The addition is not permanent until OK is requested.  This button is not enabled if the text in the edit field is already in the dropdown list.  The status of this button can change dynamically as you enter characters into the edit field.

Remove -- Removes the value in the edit field of the Text combo box from the dropdown list of that combo box.  The deletion is not permanent until OK is requested.  This button is not enabled if the value in the edit field is not currently in the dropdown list.  The status of this button can change dynamically as you enter characters into the edit field.

Font  This button acts upon either the Text field in Side Letters or the Text Field in Side Features depending upon which field has the input focus.  It allows the default font to be overridden and/or augmented.  Highlight the text (with the mouse or cursor keys) and select this button.  There is no limit to the number of fonts.  The fonts will not be noticeable until the OK button has been selected -- the fonts apply to the liner not the dialog box.

Songs

Defines options for the songs of a liner and/or format.

Song Area -- Allows you to select one of 4 song areas and to define Margins, Spacing, and Alignment for the songs that are printed in that area.  For a non 1-Up liner, the four areas are well defined (e.g. Side B - Primary is always on the right half of the primary song area) whereas these areas will float (and possibly even vanish) for 1-Up Liners.

Margins -- Defines horizontal and vertical margins for the songs.

Top -- A vertical measurement (relative to the top of the selected song area) above which songs will not be printed.

Bottom -- A vertical measurement (relative to the bottom of the selected song area) below which songs will not be printed.

Left -- A horizontal measurement (relative to the left side of the selected song area) to the left of which songs will not be printed.

Right-- A horizontal measurement (relative to the right side of the selected song area) to the right of which songs will not be printed.

Wrap -- If a song requires more than one line, this horizontal measurement defines the distance that subsequent (wrapped) lines will be indented (right or left based upon Song Alignment) relative to the first line.

Spacing -- Defines vertical spacing between lines of song text.

Between -- A measurement which defines the amount of vertical spacing between songs.  Zero will result in normal spacing -- each line will be as tall as the tallest character in the line; whereas -1 li will cause overprinting.

Within-- A measurement which defines the amount of vertical spacing between subsequent portions (lines) of a wrapped song.  Zero will result in normal spacing -- each line will be as tall as the tallest character in the line; whereas -1 li will cause overprinting.

Alignment -- Defines song alignment relative to the margins.

Left -- All songs will be aligned at the left margin.

Center -- All songs will be centered within the right and left margins.

Right -- All songs will be aligned at the right margin.

Text -- Transfers control to either the Side A or Side B song entry dialog box.

Title

Defines options for the title of a liner and/or format.

Margins -- Defines horizontal and vertical margins for the title.

Top -- A vertical measurement (relative to the line separating the feature flap from the title area) above which title lines will not be printed.

Bottom -- If Center Vertically is selected, this is a vertical measurement (relative to the line separating the title area from the primary song area) which together with the Top Margin define an area in which the title will be centered.  Otherwise this value is ignored.

Left -- A horizontal measurement (relative to the left edge of the liner) to the left of which title lines will not be printed.

Right-- A horizontal measurement (relative to the right edge of the liner) to the right of which title lines will not be printed.

Wrap -- If a title line requires more than one line, this horizontal measurement defines the distance that subsequent (wrapped) lines will be indented (right or left based upon Title Alignment) relative to the first line.

Spacing -- Defines vertical spacing between lines of title text.

Between -- A measurement which defines the amount of vertical spacing between title lines.  Zero will result in normal spacing -- each line will be as tall as the tallest character in the line; whereas -1 li will cause overprinting.

Within-- A measurement which defines the amount of vertical spacing between subsequent portions (lines) of a wrapped title line.  Zero will result in normal spacing -- each line will be as tall as the tallest character in the line; whereas -1 li will cause overprinting.

Alignment -- Defines title alignment relative to the margins.

Left -- All title lines will be aligned at the left margin.

Center -- All title lines will be centered within the right and left margins.

Right -- All title lines will be aligned at the right margin.

Split Title -- Draws a horizontal line separating the title area into two equal portions.

Center Vertically -- Causes the title lines to be centered vertically between the top and bottom margins.  This may not be possible based upon the fonts chosen and the number of lines.

Text -- Transfers control to the title line entry dialog box.

Save

Saves the current format after prompting you for a filename.  If the filename already exists, you will be asked if the existing file should be overwritten with the current format.  A format is very similar to a CaseLinr file except that no songs or titles are stored in it.  You use a format file as a template for building CaseLinr files.  There is no limit to the number of format files.  When CaseLinr is first loaded it looks for DEFAULT.FMT; if it cannot find it, it will ask for its location.  The default extension for CaseLinr formats is *.FMT.


Fonts Menu Commands

Side Letter

This defines the default font for all Side Letters on a case liner.

Title

This defines the default font for all Title lines on a case liner.

Song

This defines the default font for all Songs on a case liner.

Feature Name

This defines the default font for all Feature Names on a case liner.

Feature

This defines the default font for all Features on a case liner.


Text Menu Commands

Even though there is no Edit menu in either the title or song dialog boxes, the Windows clipboard can be used for copying (Ctrl+Ins), cutting (Shift+Del), and pasting (Shift+Ins) titles and/or songs, both within CaseLinr and between CaseLinr and other Windows applications.

Title

Enter the title for the case liner.  There is no limit to the number of lines (more than three may not be practical) or the number of characters in each line -- the Title Font will help determine how pleasing this appears.  Use the Enter key to actually enter multiple lines.  To override or augment the default font, highlight the text (with the mouse or cursor keys) and select the Font button.  There is no limit to the number of fonts.  The fonts will not be noticeable until the OK button has been selected -- the fonts apply to the liner not the dialog box.

Songs Side A

Enter the songs for Side A of the case liner.  There is no limit to the number of lines or the number of characters in each line.  A warning message will appear if all the songs will not fit on the side.  Use the Enter key to actually enter multiple lines.  To override or augment the default font, highlight the text (with the mouse or cursor keys) and select the Font button.  There is no limit to the number of fonts.  The fonts will not be noticeable until the OK button has been selected -- the fonts apply to the liner not the dialog box.  CaseLinr will not split a song across a fold line.

Songs Side B

Enter the songs for Side B of the case liner.  There is no limit to the number of lines or the number of characters in each line.  A warning message will appear if all the songs will not fit on the side.  Use the Enter key to actually enter multiple lines.  To override or augment the default font, highlight the text (with the mouse or cursor keys) and select the Font button.  There is no limit to the number of fonts.  The fonts will not be noticeable until the OK button has been selected -- the fonts apply to the liner not the dialog box.  CaseLinr will not split a song across a fold line.


File Association

CaseLinr files can be opened using file association.  File association is binding a filename extension (e.g. *.CAS) to a specific application (e.g. CASELINR.EXE), so that when you open a file with that extension, the corresponding application is automatically initiated with the file.  See your Windows manual or File Manager Help "Associating Documents with an Application" for information on how to setup file associations.


Questions

Why does the displayed liner sometimes show text running over the edge and/or text not lining up correctly, but the printed liner looks just fine?

All of the data entered for a font is used to create a logical font for the selected printer.  There are only a certain number of such fonts that each printer will support (usually less than the number of fonts definable via the dialog box) and the logical font created is the one closest to a font actually supported by the printer.  Next, a screen font is created that is the closest to the actual printer font and also supported by the display device.  You just have to remember that changing certain fields will not necessarily change the font and that all printer fonts cannot be displayed on the screen since the resolutions are different-- which is why some fonts will display text in an area which does not appear on the printed liner.  And on top of that, there may even be a bug in the code!

How do I format multiple fonts on the same line?

Go to the dialog box where you entered the text -- either songs, titles, features, or sides.  Select the text you want to format in a different font and click on the Font... button.  You are presented with a dialog box in which you can define a font to be used for the selected text.  If all of the selected text is currently formatted in the same font, then that font will be shown in the dialog box.  If the selected text is formatted with a variety of fonts, then a blank font will be displayed.  After you have defined the font you want, click on OK in the font dialog box and then click on OK in the text entry dialog box.  The liner will now display the new font.

Why can't I just highlight the text in the liner and set the format like I can in Word for Windows?

I would like CaseLinr to be able to do this some day, but I just don't have the time now.  Besides, the last time I looked, Word for Windows was a bit more pricey than $18.00!

You took away the title-over-songs option, what do I do now?

Add the title as the first song, change its font to whatever you like, and add a blank line between this new first song and the real first song.  This is how the title-over-songs should have been done in the first place, but the previous versions did not have the awesome font capabilities that the new one does.

You took away the DAT option, what do I do now?

Set all the appropriate options (e.g. dimensions, features, etc.) to what they should be for a DAT and save this format in a file -- DAT.FMT is a wisely chosen name.  Whenever you want to use DATs, just select this option.

Does the color option, in the font dialog box, work?

I don't know, since I don't have a color printer.  Theoretically, I should have done everything correct but it will take someone actually using the option to tell me if it works.

What possessed you to pick those choices for features and sided texts -- I don't like them or use them?

The choices are ones that I normally use.  If you don't like them then just delete (remove) them, add what you do like, and save the format.  I did not want to distribute a DEFAULT.FMT with no features.


Measurement

Measurements are used to indicate distances for margins, line spacing, and liner dimensions.  A measurement consists of a numerical value followed by any one of five different units: inches (in or "), centimeters (cm), points (pt), picas (pi), and lines (li).  The numerical value can be either integral or decimal, and positive or negative.

The following equivalencies apply:

1 in 	=	72 pt	=	6 pi	=	2.54 cm

1 li	=	1/6 in	=	12 pt

1 pi	=	12 pt	=	1/6 in

1 li	=	1/6 in	=	12 pt

If you omit the units when you type a measurement, CaseLinr will use inches for margins and dimensions, and lines for spacing.


Default Font

A font which is used in a specific area when no other fonts have been applied to that area -- e.g. if no other fonts have been applied to any data which was entered in the Title entry dialog box, then all title text will be formatted with the "Title..." font.  All default fonts can be accessed under the Fonts menu.  There are five default fonts: Side Letter, Title, Song, Feature, and Feature Name.