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Simtel MSDOS 1992 December
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simtel1292_SIMTEL_1292_Walnut_Creek.iso
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msdos
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ventura
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mar89_ps.arc
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ARTLINE.TXT
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1989-02-04
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@ART PAL 10J = <B>rtline<D> by CCP is bound to become one of the<%4>
hottest<%0> graphic and text manipulating programs of 1989. It has
the features that serious desktop publishers need to add dramatic
looking headlines and other text effects into otherwise plain documents. It
also has the ability to turn bit-mapped graphics into object-oriented
art.
@1ST PAR PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = <MI%6>Illustrator <D>by Adobe has been touted as the
<%0><169>ultimate<170> drawing program for PC desktop publishers but
suffers from a difficult-to-learn command structure, a slow (MS Windows)
graphic environment, and the inability to create non-Postscript artwork. Artline
is a real zippy program due to the GEM<190>/3 graphic environment
it uses, and creates EPS and GEM files. GEM files can be output to
any printer supported by Ventura Publisher or the GEM/3 Desktop. I
felt right at home and comfortable with Artline's controls after only
an hour or two of serious use. If you like Ventura you're going to
love Artline!
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = The combination of Bitstream Fontware and Artline <%4>allows
you to easily create some very exotic text <%0>effects. The <169>What
You See Is What You Get!<170> title on the cover and every other header
and text effect used in this month's magazine was generated by Artline. Images
speak louder than words, so here is Artline's editing screen while
doing a simple text <169>stretch.<170>
@ARTICLE PAL =
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@ART PAL 10J =
@ART PAL 10J = Artline comes with the Bitstream Fontware installation
kit for GEM/3 and three typefaces: Swiss, Dutch, and Charter. Bitstream
has many different typefaces available for $195 each. I found the
Headlines 1 <%4>and Headlines 2 families to be very useful, each family<%0>
includes four different typefaces. Bitstream fonts are of very high
quality and can be installed for either the HP Laserjet (PCL) and
compatibles or Postscript printers. The Fontware install kit lets
you generate whatever size screen fonts you desire and automates the
whole process of naming fonts and placing them in the correct sub-directories
for GEM/3 use.
@ART PAL 10J = Artline is an object-oriented drawing program that
lets you create very complex drawings with many elements. These elements
are arranged in <169>layers<170> on the editing screen and can be
placed either in front of or behind other elements. This layering
produces some really wild 3-D effects and allows you to move any element
anywhere you want it. You can group several elements into one so
they can be further manipulated or moved as one. This frame shows
six separate objects layered and shaded <197> and also the contents
of the <169>Arrange<170> menu.
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = The elements may be individually colored or given a
desired gray value for Postscript users. One of the toolbox options
let you set any desired percentage of fill for the selected object
whether it be a graphic or text item.
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = Other Artline tools let you set the border thickness
and <%6>color attributes, select<%0> objects, <%6>draw squares, rectangles,<%0>
circles, and ellipses or trace bit-map images.
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = Any graphic or text object may be stretched, twisted,
<%4>or rotated with the the<%0> special tools found at the bottom
of the toolbox.
@ARTICLE PAL =
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@ART PAL 10J = Text can be inserted anywhere you place the cursor
on the editing screen. A dialogue box will pop-up to let you pick
the desired typeface, point size, leading, spacing, and kerning attributes
during text entry.
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@ART PAL 10J = How many times have you wished that you could easily
create some circular or curved text? Artline makes this a fairly
simple task; you enter your text, select the text, ungroup the individual
letters, arrange all the letters in one pile, then individually rotate
each letter to wherever you want it. A difficult task like rotation
is done by placing a <169>thumb tack<170> on the screen at the point
you wish to make the center of your arc or circular shape.
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = Commonly used symbols or small pictures can be <%2>saved
as symbols and stored in SYF files. You can <%0>create any kind of
symbol or graphic up to 16k in size and save it as a symbol. Artline
has a built-in symbol library editor and pre-view tool for easy selecting
of symbols. Once a symbol has been brought out onto the drawing screen
it can be treated like any other piece of art work and manipulated
by the tools. Artline comes with 10 symbol libraries so you can <%6>start
exploring this feature right away. Digital<%0> Research will be releasing
more symbol libraries later.
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = Artline can perform many different editing functions
on a selected object such as copy, rotate, move, scale, mirror, pattern,
color and group/ungroup. The move command allows you to make multiple
copies of the same object and specify a given distance up or down
and right or left to <169>move<170> the copies in relation to the
original. This feature can create some complex 3-D or shadowed graphics
or text effects with just 2 or 3 simple keystrokes.
@ART PAL 10J = Drawings can be saved as object-oriented GEM files
or you can use the Postscript option to generate EPS (encapsulated
Postscript) files. The GEM files can be used with Ventura Publisher
and the EPS files can be <%2>used by Ventura or any other desktop
publishing<%0> program that accepts EPS format.
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = You can also use the Postscript option to output directly
to your Postscript printer. Other options let you choose the page
orientation, device port or output filename, scaling, 4-color separation,
lines per inch resolution, and the number of copies desired.
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@ART PAL 10J = As I mentioned at the start of this review, Artline
<%4>has the ability to turn bit-mapped graphics <%6>into<%2> <%6>object-oriented
graphics. This is done by first<%0> importing an IMG, PCX, or TIFF
file into the background. The quill tool is used to trace lines or
create very complex arcs which are later either colored in or assigned
a Postscript gray fill value. When you're done tracing you simply
tell Artline to delete the original bit-map image and you are left
with an object-oriented piece of artwork in GEM (or EPS) format. This
is not an easy or fast process, but the end results are well worth
the time and look fantastic!
@ARTICLE PAL =
@PRODUCTS = SUMMARY
@ARTICLE PAL =
@ART PAL 10J = Artline is definitely not for Pagemaker users, but
for us Ventura addicts it is a dream come true! I have spent many
hours manipulating bit-map images <%4>trying to make <169>nice looking<170>
title and other text<%0> effects only to end up with a jagged-looking
mess. After just a few short minutes with Artline I have designed
the front cover title and every other fancy looking text effect used
in this month's magazine. GEM Artline is T H E program for you
if you are serious about the way your Ventura documents look. Artline
is available now with a suggested retail price of $495 and already
discounted by mail to $309! <188>
