ViewPoint 1.5
ViewPoint for Windows

The following Help Topics are available:

What is ViewPoint?

File Commands

Edit Commands

View Commands

Using an Icon Editor

Using a Graphics Editor

File Types Supported

About ViewPoint

For Help on Help, Press F1


What is ViewPoint?

ViewPoint is a simple answer to an old problem -- how to quickly scan through a list of graphics files to find the one you want?  With ViewPoint you can simply change to the drive and directory desired and quickly scan through the list of files available, viewing each as you go by.  Use your mouse or your arrow and tab keys -- it's equally simple.

ViewPoint offers the following features...

Supports BMP, RLE, DIB, ICO and WMF files in 16- and 256-color format

Automatically resizes to fit the graphic for BMP, RLE, DIB and ICO files

Allows you to resize the viewer when viewing Windows Metafile (WMF) files

Allows you to open the file directly using a graphical editor you specify

Allows you to create new files using the same graphical editor

Lets you copy, rename delete or move files

Provides on-line help

Lets you view large graphical files by maximizing the Viewer


File Commands

New	Launches your chosen graphical editor to create a new file.

Open	If you're viewing a picture, ViewPoint launches your chosen graphical editor and loads the currently selected file.  Your editor must support the file type chosen.  If you're viewing an icon, ViewPoint launches your chosen icon editor.

If Paintbrush is your chosen editor and you choose a file format not supported by Paintbrush, you are given the option to edit a copy of the image.

Rename	Lets you rename your currently selected file.

Copy	Copy the currently selected file to a new file

Move	Move the currently selected file to a new location.  You can also rename the file as you move it.

Delete	Deletes the currently selected file.

Reset Pattern...	Re-establishes the default file specification in the current directory for viewing files.

Exit	Closes down the program


Edit Commands

Copy	Copies the current graphic to the Clipboard.

Edit VUEPOINT.INI	Launches Notepad to edit ViewPoint's initialization file, VUEPOINT.INI.  This file is located in your Windows directory.  This can be handy if you need to specify a graphics or icon editor and the full path and filename path is too long to fit in the dialog box provided from the Options menu.


View Commands

Clipboard	Launches or displays Windows' Clipboard Viewer.

Max Viewer	Maximizes the Viewer Viewer window for easier viewing of large files.  This entry changes to Restore Viewer when the Viewer window is maximized.

Fetch Viewer	This "finds" the Viewer window and aligns it with the Controller window.  Helpful if you've lost track of it!

Home Windows	Rearranges both the Viewer Window  and the Viewer Controller.  This is like Fetch Viewer except that it moves both windows 'home' to the top left corner of the screen.


Options

Graphics Editor

Allows you to select the default editor to use when editing graphical files.  ViewPoint will store this information in a file called VIEWPOINT.INI in your WINDOWS directory.

Icon Editor

Allows you to select the default editor to use when editing icon files.  This will also be stored in VIEWPOINT.INI.

Confirm Actions

When this option is checked, ViewPoint will ask for confirmation before you copy, delete, move or rename files.


Other Features

Pixel Placement	If you work a lot with graphics files, you often need to know the exact pixel location of a point on a drawing.  When you hold down the left mouse button while the mouse is over the Viewer window its caption will indicate the current X and Y coordinates of the mouse.

Window State 	ViewPoint will remember it's window state when you close it

Memory	down.  When you next start the program it will assume the window state (Maximized or Normal) it had when you last used it!


Using a Graphics Editor with ViewPoint

When you click on File Graphics Editor a dialog box pops up prompting you for the name of the program to use in editing your image files.  If the program is on your path, just type the file name; if not, type the full path and file name.  ViewPoint will then store this information in a file called VUEPOINT.INI in your Windows directory.

NOTE:  If the dialog box doesn't provide sufficient length to type the full path and filename of your graphics editor you can enter it directly into the programs initialization file, VUEPOINT.INI.  See Edit Commands for more information.

Whenever you click File Open ViewPoint will launch this program to edit the image file currently being viewed (unless you're viewing an icon file, in which case see Using an Icon Editor with ViewPoint.  If you click File New ViewPoint will launch this program without loading a file.

The default Graphics Editor is PBRUSH.EXE, also known as PaintBrush, and comes with every copy of Windows.  PaintBrush can only edit BMP files, so if you click File Open on a non BMP file you'll be given the option to edit a COPY of the image which will be pasted in via the clipboard.

If you choose another graphics editor other than PaintBrush, it will be up to the program you choose to determine whether the file type is supported and can be edited.


Using an Icon Editor with ViewPoint

When you click on File Icon Editor a dialog box pops up prompting you for the name of the program to use in editing icon files.  If the program is on your path, just type the file name; if not, type the full path and file name.  ViewPoint will then store this information in a file called VIEWPOINT.INI in your Windows directory.

Whenever you click File Open while viewing an icon file, ViewPoint will launch this program to edit the icon file.  If you're viewing an non-icon file, see Using a Graphics Editor with ViewPoint.

There is no default Icon Editor specified when you first run ViewPoint; you must specify one using the process described above.  Also note the ViewPoint can only display icon files of the default ICO format.


File Types Supported

BMP	Standard Windows Bit Map file

RLE	Run Length Encoded Bit Map file.  Like a BMP, only encoded to take up less space on your disk.

DIB	Device Independent Bit Map file.  Usually a BMP, sometimes an RLE.

WMF	Windows MetaFile.  Unlike Bit Map files which store information on every pixel in the picture, MetaFiles contain instructions on how to draw themselves!  This is why WMF files are resizeable in ViewPoint;  you select the size, the file draws itself to match.

PCX	PC PaintBrush file format.

ICO	Windows Icon file, a 32 by 32 Pixel bit map.  You often need a separate editor to edit icon files.  (See Using an Icon Editor).

NOTE:	With Version 1.5, ViewPoint now supports 256-color graphics.


About ViewPoint
About ViewPoint...

ViewPoint is produced by Marquette Computer Consultants of San Rafael, California.  MCC provides a broad range of services for business and multimedia computing using IBM compatible desktop computers in the Microsoft Windows 3.x environment.  MCC offers the following services...

Windows Programming in Microsoft Visual Basic

Windows installation, optimization training and support

Database programming for Windows/DOS applications in standalone, networked and/or SQL Server environments

Hardware support, assistance and troubleshooting

 MCC also produces TaskTracker for Windows, a shareware time management and reporting program currently available on Windows OnLine, CompuServe, BIX and many other bulletin board services.

For more information, contact