Contents

Common Ground MiniViewer Online Help

Contents

What is Common Ground?

Opening a Common Ground document

Document navigation

Printing a Common Ground document

Print Setup

Menus

Keyboard shortcuts

How to contact No Hands Software

To see help on a topic, click on it.

For information on using Help, choose How to Use Help from the Help menu.


What is Common Ground
What is Common Ground?

Common Ground lets you easily convert any document from any Windows application to an exact representation that can be viewed and printed by anyone, regardless of their applications, computer platform, or fonts.

You can distribute Common Ground documents to others, confident that recipients will be able to view and print them as an exact representation of the original.

No Hands Software sells both Windows and Macintosh versions of Common Ground.  Common Ground makes it possible to view Macintosh documents within Windows and Windows documents on a Macintosh, provided you have the Common Ground Viewer or MiniViewer (described below).

Components of Common Ground

The Common Ground software consists of three parts:

1  The Maker

Creates a Common Ground version of your application document.

2  The Viewer

Lets anyone read, search, copy from, and print Common Ground documents.

3  The MiniViewer

Lets anyone read and print Common Ground documents.  Can be embedded within a document and freely distributed for non-commercial purposes.

The Common Ground Maker

From within any Windows-based application, you can create a Common Ground version of any document using the Common Ground Maker.

The Maker is actually a set of Windows printer drivers, one for standard applications and one for PostScript applications.  Either driver creates a copy of your document in Common Ground format, then prints it to a disk file.  The resulting document can then be read using either the Common Ground Viewer or MiniViewer.

The Common Ground MiniViewer

The MiniViewer supports document viewing, printing, and simple document navigation.

Embedded MiniViewer

The creator of a Common Ground document can embed the MiniViewer in the document at the time it is created.

A document with an embedded MiniViewer has a filename with an .exe extension to show that it is "self-launching".  When the document is opened, the MiniViewer starts up automatically and displays the document.

Stand-alone MiniViewer

The MiniViewer can also be distributed freely for non-commercial use as a stand-alone application.  In this form, it can be installed as an icon in a Windows program group.

You can open a Common Ground document from the stand-alone MiniViewer using the standard Open command on the File menu.

The Common Ground Viewer

The Viewer is a software tool for viewing, manipulating, and printing Common Ground documents.  It has all the features of the MiniViewer.  In addition,  it allows you to:

Search for text in a document

View a document one page or many pages at a time

View multiple documents at one time

View the document at a range from 25% to 400% of normal size

Copy text and graphics from a document to the Windows Clipboard

Save as into other file formats

For information on upgrading from the Common Ground MiniViewer to the Common Ground Viewer, choose the Information command from the Upgrade menu.


Opening a Common Ground Document

You can open a Common Ground document in the MiniViewer, then read and/or print it.

Only one document may be open at a time.  If you choose Open when a document is displayed, that document is closed before the next document is opened.

To open a Common Ground Document:

1.	Choose Open... from the File menu.  The Open dialog box appears.

2.	Type a file name in the File Name box.  Or select a name from the list below it.

3.	If necessary, use the "List Files of Type" list to change the type of file displayed above it.  The currently selected type is listed, along with its file name extension.   To see the other types available, click on the down arrow.

Files with a .dp extension are Common Ground documents.  Files with an .exe extension include Common Ground documents with embedded MiniViewers, as well as other executable files.

4.	If you want to open a file in another directory, select that directory from the Directories list.  The directory currently open has an open file folder icon next to it.

5.	If you want to open a file on another drive, select that drive from the Drives list.  The Drives window shows which drive is currently selected.  To see the other drives available, click on the down arrow.

6.	Once the correct file is selected, choose the OK button.

See also

Open Command


Document Navigation

Navigation is the process of moving around in a Common Ground document, either on a single page, or from page to page in a multiple-page document.

Navigating Within a Single Page

You may use any (or all) of the methods listed below.

Scroll Bars

Use the scroll bars to move the current page up and down or from side to side.

NOTE:  The vertical scroll bar does not move from page to page.  It operates only on the currently displayed page.

Keyboard

>  The up and down arrow keys move the current page in the specified direction in small increments.

>  The PgUp and PgDn keys move the current page in the specified direction in larger increments.

>  HOME and END move to the beginning and end of the page.

Navigating From Page to Page

To move from one page to another in a document, you must use the commands on the Page menu (or their keyboard shortcuts).

Command	      Shortcut	            What it Does

First	CTRL+HOME	Displays the first page

Previous	CTRL+PgUp	Displays the previous page

Next	CTRL+PgDn	Displays the next page

Last	CTRL+END	Displays the last page

Go to...	Displays the page you specify


Printing a Common Ground Document

When  a document is displayed in the MiniViewer window, you can print it to your local printer or to a disk file.

NOTE: If the document was created with print privileges disabled, the Print command will be dimmed and the document cannot be printed.

To print a Common Ground document:

1.	Choose Print from the File menu.  The Print dialog box opens.

2.	The active printer is listed at the top of the dialog box.  If you want to change it, do so in Print Setup.  See Print Setup.

NOTE:  If Common Ground Maker is the active printer, you must select a different printer in order to print the document.

3.	Select a print range option.  If you select Pages, enter the first and last page numbers in the "From" and "To" boxes.

4.	Select the desired print quality.

Click on the down arrow to see a list of choices.  They will vary, depending on which printer is active.

5.	Select other options, if desired, by clicking in the appropriate checkboxes.

Print to File prints the document to a disk file.  Common Ground prompts for a filename.

Print Text as Graphic may improve printing under some conditions.  (See the note below.)

Collate Copies prints all pages in sequential order for multiple copies.

6.	Enter the number of copies desired in the Copies box.

7.	Choose the OK button.

NOTE on Print Text as Graphic:

When you print a document, Common Ground converts the text to soft fonts, which it downloads to your printer.  This conversion causes the document to print faster.

However, for some documents that contain numerous fonts, or for some printers, this conversion can slow printing, distort the characters, or overflow the printer's memory resources.

If your document prints too slowly, if the fonts in the printed document don't look quite right, or if your printer misbehaves while printing, select the Print command again and check this box.  It will prevent the conversion of characters from text to soft fonts and ensure a faithful printed copy.


Print Setup

Print Setup lets you specify the active printer, paper orientation and size, and access additional setup options via the Options button.

There are two ways to get to Print Setup.

1.	Click on the Setup button (if present) in the Print dialog box.  OR,

2.	Choose Print Setup from the File menu.

Print Setup Dialog Box

Printer

The default printer is the one that is automatically selected when you first open this dialog box.  You set the default printer (and change the setting) in the Printers Control Panel  in the Windows Program Manager.

To temporarily change to a different printer, select the Specific Printer option button.  Click on the down arrow to see a list of printer options, then select one.  This selection remains in effect until you change it or leave the Common Ground program.

NOTE:  You cannot select the Common Ground Maker as your printer while in the Common Ground program.  Doing so will give you an error message.

Orientation

This setting allows you to specify how the document text will be oriented on the page.

Portrait is the standard vertical orientation, in which the page is longer than it is wide when the text is upright.

Landscape is the horizontal orientation, in which the page is wider than it is long when the text is upright.

Paper Size and Source

Set your paper size and source to match the size and source in your printer.  Available choices vary with the active printer.  Click on the down arrow to see the choices.

Options

Choose the Options button to open the Options dialog box.  In it, you can choose settings that ensure your Common Ground document will print as desired.  In general, they control various aspects of the print quality (intensity, grayscale, etc.).

The exact appearance of the Options dialog box and the settings available vary from printer to printer.  The active printer will determine which settings are available.

See also

Printing a Common Ground Document


Menus

File Menu

Open...

Print...

Print Setup...

Exit

Page Menu

First

Previous

Next

Last

Go to...

Upgrade Menu

Information...

Help Menu

Contents...

Search for Help on...

How to use Help

About Common Ground...


Open Command
Open Command  (File Menu)

Open lets you locate and open a Common Ground document.

Keyboard shortcut:	CTRL+O

When you choose Open, the current document (if any) is closed and the File Open dialog box appears.

To open a document:

1.	Type a file name or choose it from the list of files.

2.	Choose the OK button.

The document is displayed in the MiniViewer window.

See also

Opening a Common Ground Document


Print Command
Print Command   (File Menu)

Prints the open Common Ground document to a printer or disk file.

Keyboard shortcut:	CTRL+P

Print is dimmed if:

No document is open, OR

The open document was created with print privileges disabled.  (The creator specified that printing was not to be allowed.)

When you choose Print, the Print dialog box opens.  You can choose to print all pages or just specified pages.

If Common Ground Maker is listed as the active printer, you must choose the Setup button and select a different printer to print the document.

See also

Printing a Common Ground document

Print Setup


Print Setup Command
Print Setup Command  (File Menu)

Lets you specify the active printer, as well as select paper orientation, size, and source.  Also gives you access to other setup options via the Options button.

Since different printers have different capabilities, the exact contents of the Print Setup dialog box will vary with the printer selection.

See also

Print Setup

Printing a Common Ground document


Exit Command
Exit Command  (File Menu)

Closes the Common Ground document that is currently open and exits from the program.

Keyboard shortcut:	ALT+F4


First Page Command
First Command  (Page Menu)

Goes to the first page of the currently displayed document.

Keyboard shortcut:	CTRL+HOME

If you are viewing the first page of the document, First is dimmed.


Previous Page Command
Previous Command  (Page Menu)

Goes to the previous page of the currently displayed document.

Keyboard shortcut :	CTRL+PgUp

If you are viewing the first page of a document, Previous is dimmed.


Next Page Command
Next Command  (Page Menu)

Goes to the next page of the currently displayed document.

Keyboard shortcut:	CTRL+PgDn

If the document has only one page, or if you are viewing the last page, Next is dimmed.


Last Page Command
Last Command	  (Page Menu)

Goes to the last page of the currently displayed document.

Keyboard shortcut:	CTRL+END

If the document has only one page, or of you are viewing the last page, Last is dimmed.


Go to page Command
Go to Command  (Page Menu)

Opens a dialog box in which you specify the number of the page to display.

If the document has only one page, Go to is dimmed.


Information Command
Information Command (Upgrade Menu)

Displays a window containing information on contacting No Hands Software to upgrade the Common Ground MiniViewer to the complete Common Ground Viewer, or to license the Common Ground MiniViewer or the complete Common Ground Viewer.


Contents Command
Contents Command  (Help Menu)

Displays a list of the main topics in the Common Ground online Help system.  To display the Help for any topic, click on that topic.

Keyboard shortcut:	F1


Search for Help on Command
Search for Help on Command  (Help Menu)

A short-cut to the Search button within the online Help system.  Search lets you locate help on a word or phrase.

When you choose Search for Help on, the Search dialog box opens.

To search for Help on your topic:

1.	Type a word or phrase in the top box, or select one from the list.

Notice as you type that the list scrolls to show any words and phrases that start with the word(s) you typed.

2.	Choose the Show topics button.

Any Help topics keyed to the word(s) you selected in the upper list box are displayed in the lower list box.

3.	Select the desired Help topic from the lower list box.

4.	Choose the Go To button to display the selected Help topic.


How to Use Help Command
How to Use Help Command  (Help Menu)

This command takes you into a tutorial on how to use the online Help system.

The tutorial includes information on:

The different parts and features of the Help system

How to move around in Help

How to search for Help on your topic


About Common Ground Command
About Common Ground Command  (Help Menu)

This command displays a window containing some basic information about the Common Ground MiniViewer software.

The information displayed includes:

Product name

Version Number

Copyright date

Company Name


Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use key combinations to quickly execute certain commands on the menus or to scroll through a multiple-page Common Ground document.

To	Press

Open a Common Ground document	CTRL+O

Print the currently open document	CTRL+P

Exit Common Ground	ALT+F4

Go to the first page of a document	CTRL+HOME

Go to the previous page	CTRL+PgUp

Go to the next page	CTRL+PgDn

Go to the last page	CTRL+END

Display Contents for the Help system	F1


How to Contact No Hands Software

No Hands Software

1301 Shoreway Road

Belmont, CA  94002  USA

Tel:  (415) 802-5800

Fax: (415) 593-6868

Technical Support:  (415) 802-5820

Internet:  NoHands@netcom.com

CompuServe:  74740,2142

America Online:  NoHands