README.TXT Photo Pat 1.5 - Copyright 1994, Rainbow Scan Inc. PhotoPat is a shareware program. Registration is $25/registration ($22 + $3 postage, materials, and handling) payable to: Rainbow Scan, Inc. 135 Beech Lake Court Roswell, Georgia 30076 (404) 642-7515 CompuServe 75027,3674 Registration includes: Custom Registered version with no more registration reminder screens or "unregistered version" text appearing on your printouts! A printed User's Guide! More bitmaps and palettes! A useful screen saver for your bitmaps and patterns! Three months of support via mail, telephone (404) 642-7515, and CompuServe (75027,3674) Information on upcoming releases, bug notices, scanning services, and design contests. Two free scans of your favorite photographs so that you can use them with PhotoPat. Simply send them along with your registration. They will be returned with your registered version. (Additional scans are $6/photograph). 1. Program Description PhotoPat 1.0 is a truly unique Windows image processing package. Bitmap images are read in (or transfered via the Window's Clipboard) and then converted into "color-by-number" patterns. A sophisticated algorithm is used to optimally select pixels into appropriate color-balanced pieces. B-spline based edge detection techniques are then used to construct the piece outlines. A user-definable palette (with as many as 240 colors) is used in matching up the regions. The user is also able to control the number of pieces allowing for designs of different complexity. The pattern may be customized by several means including line color and style, font selection, and a grid. A selection of palettes and sample images are provided. Various scaling options are available when printing allowing for poster-size output. Patterns can be saved as bitmap images (in BMP format) or as vector output (in HPGL and DXF formats). Patterns generated by PhotoPat are extremely photo-realistic, making them quite different from those found in Children's "color-by-number" kits. PhotoPat patterns can use colors from the entire set of crayons, making the spectrum of available shades and tints much greater than an 8-color kit. Because PhotoPat "averages" and "optimizes" the color matching, the resulting drawn pictures closely match the orginal image. Drawing the pattern is quite a challenge and makes for an entertaining puzzle. It can take up to an hour to carefully draw in a pattern, during which time your child (or even you!), will be totally immersed, particularly if the pattern has some relevance (like a picture of him/herself). Some pointers: + You can easily make poster size prints by scaling. This will help by enlarging the smallest pieces. + Keep the crayons sharp! + Print out the Palette so that you have an easily accesible list of the crayon colors and their ids. + Divide the crayons into groups of 16 (typically how they are packaged anyway) and color one group at a time. + Have fun! Applications for PhotoPat include "color-by-number" designs and puzzles, sign making, stain-glass design, needlecraft work, etc. PhotoPat has been designed to be a well behaved Windows Application making it easy to learn and use. Features include a simple setup program, context sensitive help, standard looking Windows menus and dialogs, toolbar, status bar, and clipboard support. 2. System Requirements Windows 3.1 Diskspace: Installation takes approximately 800K (0.8Meg) Memory: 5 Megs or more Video: 16 color display (usable); 256 color display (recommended) Mouse: Recommended Printer: Recommended (tested with HP Laser Jet III and Epson 1500) CPU: 368/16Mhz or higher PhotoPat requires MFC250.DLL (which is included and installed with the release). 3. Known Limitations Currently only Windows 256 color BMP files and 256 color PCX files are supported. Images can be transferred from any image reader into PhotoPat via the Clipboard. 4. Program Files The following files are installed with the shareware PhotoPat 1.5 version: PHOTOPAT directory ================== brooke.bmp - Sample BMP file locomoti.bmp - Sample BMP file louis.bmp - Sample BMP file mountain.bmp - Sample BMP file parrot.bmp - Sample BMP file seagull.bmp - Sample BMP file train.bmp - Sample BMP file zach.bmp - Sample BMP file cray24.pal - Crayola 24 crayon palette cray64.pal - Crayola 64 crayon palette cray96.pal - Crayola 96 crayon palette kodak64.pal - Kodak 64 crayon palette pbrush.pal - Windows Paintbrush program palette photopat.exe - Program file photopat.hlp - Help file rsfon.fon - Registration file readme.txt - This file register.doc - Registration info file vendor.doc - Vendor distribution info file file_id.diz - PhotoPat identification file WINDOWS DIRECTORY ================= photopat.ini - INI (settings) file for PhotoPat WINDOWS SYSTEM DIRECTORY ======================== guage.vbx - Gauge control mfc250.dll - Microsoft Foundation Class version 2.5 DLL muscroll.dll - Scroll on 5. Installation PHOTOP.ZIP: 1) Create a temporary directory (e.g. C:\PTEMP) 2) Copy PHOTOP.ZIP to this directory 3) Uncompress the file by running PKUNZIP PHOTOP.ZIP 4) From Windows Program Manager do File/Run Setup 5) Delete C:\PTEMP and contents. PHOTOP.EXE: 1) Create a temporary directory (e.g. C:\PTEMP) 2) Copy PHOTOP.EXE to this directory 3) Uncompress the file by running PHOTOP.EXE (file is self extracting) 4) From Windows Program Manager do File/Run Setup 5) Delete C:\PTEMP and contents. 6. Shareware This program is produced by a member of the Associate of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ________ ___|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| The ASP want to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for member's products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. Shareware distribution gives users a change to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual program differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with a printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific expections as stated below. Shareware aurhors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether its's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back guarentee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. 6. Disclaimer This software and other distributed materials are sold as it and without warranties as to performance of merchant ability or any other warrenties whether expressed or implied. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which this program may be put, no warrenty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered. Any program should be thoughly 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 to product replacement or refund of purchase price. 7. Revision History Version 1.5 - September 30, 1994 1. Allowed patterns to be separated by colors. 2. ASP acceptance 3. Allowed X/Y to be directly changed in resampling. 4. Incorporated quick resampling. 5. Allowing for scaling, 1-1, and actual size printing. 6. Supported HPGL and DXF for vector output. 7. Added Help buttons to most of the dialogs. 8. Allowed for configurable Major and Minor lines in the Grid. 9. Increased maximum size of user palette to 240 colors. 10. Fixed problem with sharpen filter. 11. Allowed for enabling/disabling of palette colors. 12. Expanded Image/Info display 13. Allowed for upto 20 undo operations. 14. Displayed Pattern Statistics. 15. Added Palette Save and Save As menu selections. 16. Improved Font selection and scaling. 17. Automatically ask to resample when creating patterns with large images 18. Changed wording of Curve Degree listbox. 19. Improved Help layout and readability. 20. Zoom percentage in Image Windows titles. 21. Image on/off and Pattern on/off buttons. 22. General 1.0 to 1.5 string changes. Version 1.0 (Orginal Version) August 14, 1994