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STIX(C) Sticker Draw Version 2.0
(C) Copyright 1989-1999 BILL BUCKELS
All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
------------
STIX is a Children's Sticker Art System and Drawing Program.
It allows the child to create "Sticker Art" by combining a library of
148 "Stickers" and "Big Letters" onto a selection of "BackGrounds".
(STIX comes with a variety of "Backgrounds" which can be used as a
"Canvas" for the young artist's "MasterPiece".)
When your child is finished with the "MasterPiece", it can be safely
saved away into "Your Library", and later showed-off to friends and
family, or used as the background for yet another "MasterPiece".
No "real" typing is required (unless the child wants to use the "ABC"
Menu Command and add "Big Letters" and "Big Words" to the "Masterpiece").
The child uses STIX with the mouse or the arrow keys and "F-Keys" on the
keyboard. (Navigation is discussed later in this document.)
History
-------
I wrote STIX for my children in 1989 and released it as ShareWare in
1990.
STIX was not a success, as shareware goes, and I did not receive a
single registration, but my children enjoyed playing with the program
when they were young, so I feel that it was worth the effort.
I had very nearly forgot about STIX until Spring of 1999, when I ran
across my archive copy while cleaning-up my computer room. I ran it for
old time's sake and it seemed a waste to let such a great little
Children's program "gather dust". I decided to clean STIX up a little
and redistribute it as shareware again.
I added a mouse to the program, and made the menus and features easier
to navigate and to use, but I have basically carried forward the spirit
of the original release. STIX remains a DOS program. However, I
programmed and tested STIX under Windows 98, and had no problems. ("If
it's not broken, why fix it?") I have left STIX in 4-Color CGA Mode
which I personally find quite attractive for Children's programs.
I am distributing STIX with complete source code for this release which
I expect will probably be the Final Release. Read the licencing section
in each of the sources if you are inclined to use such things.
Overview
--------
What Graphics Format Does Stix Use?
STIX uses an early 4-color CGA variation of the ZSOFT .PCX Image Format
which has not been supported by any paint programs or loaders for many
years. I don't intend to change this.
Printing and Using STIX Graphics in Other Programs
The Windows 98 Clipboard can be used with STIX, so using STIX to create
pictures for printing and use in other programs poses no real problems.
Windows 98 is versatile when it comes to supporting graphics.
If you wish to use your child's "sticker art" created in STIX in other
programs under Windows 98, follow the instructions in the section
entitled "Using the Windows 98 Clipboard to copy STIX Sticker Art".
Installing STIX
---------------
Install STIX by "UNZIPPING" STIX.ZIP complete with pathnames to
the drive of your choice. If you decide to install STIX to Drive C:,
STIX will be installed into the directory C:\STIX.
To run STIX in DOS, type STIX.EXE and press [Enter]. To Run
STIX in Windows, click-on STIX.EXE.
Getting Started
---------------
It is not necessary for your child to read in order to use STIX. The
Main Menus is very straight forward and uncluttered. Your child can
"Click-On" the command "Sticker" of their choice. After using STIX once
or twice, remembering commands won't be a problem.
Commands and Navigation
-----------------------
The mouse, the arrow keys and other cursor keys like [PAGEUP], and
[PAGEDN], and the functions keys [F1]-[F6] are used to navigate through
STIX. Other keys used are the [ENTER], [ESC], and [SPACEBAR] and
[BACKPSACE] keys.
LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK - Clicking the Left Mouse Button means "Go Further". It
is the equivalent of pressing the [ENTER] Key. The [ENTER] key or a
LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK is always used to "INITIALIZE" an "Action".
RIGHT_MOUSE_CLICK - Clicking the Right Mouse Button means "Don't Go
Further". It is the equivalent of pressing the [ESC] Key.
[UPARROW] - Go Up One.
[DOWNARROW] - Go Down One.
[LEFTARROW] - Go Left One.
[RIGHTARROW] - Go Right One.
[PAGEUP] - Next Picture in List or Increase Letter Size.
[PAGEDN] - Previous Picture in List or Decrease Letter Size.
[HOME] - First Picture in list.
[END] - Last Picture in List.
[BACKSPACE] or [SPACEBAR] - Mirror Current.
The Main Menu
-------------
The Main Menu has 6 Basic "Command Stickers". These commands can be
"Clicked-On", "Arrowed-To", or "F-Keyed" using keys [F1]-[F6].
[F1] - Selects a Sticker to add to the Current Background.
[F2] - Selects Letters to add to the Current Background.
[F3] - Selects a Saved Picture from Your Libraries.
[F4] - Selects a Background from the Background Libraries.
[F5] - Saves the Current Masterpiece. No typing is required.
[F6] - Exits the program.
[ENTER] - Initializes the Selected "Command Sticker".
[ESC] - Switches between the Main Menu and the Current Masterpiece.
So don't forget, you can press [ESC] or use your RIGHT_MOUSE_CLICK to
flip between the Main Menu and your child's picture.
[F1] Add Stickers
-----------------
Selecting "Add Stickers" begins a 2-part process. Part 1 is to select a
sticker, and Part 2 is to stamp the sticker upon the background of the
current "SHEET".
Selecting Stickers
------------------
The Sticker Library is provided with 148- example stickers and offers 6
Stickers per Menu Page. Keys [F1] through [F6] toggle sticker choices
and [PAGEUP] and [PAGEDOWN] goto the previous or next sticker pages. The
mouse and arrow keys can also be used to select a sticker.
The [BACKSPACE] or the [SPACEBAR] key allows you to mirror the screen
from left to right, so you can load a mirror image of the sticker..
Pressing the [ESC] key or RIGHT_MOUSE_CLICK when you are selecting
stickers still loads the background ("SHEET" LEVEL), but leaves the
previous sticker in place.
Stamping Stickers onto the BackGround
--------------------------------------
Pressing the [ENTER] key or LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK imports a new sticker to
"SHEET" LEVEL.
At "SHEET" LEVEL, the arrow keys or mouse move the STICKER. Pressing the
[ENTER] key "stamps" a sticker onto the background. This will update the
"SHEET" in MEMORY. The "SHEET" is not saved to disk until [F5] is
selected and [ENTER] is pressed at the Main Menu.
Pressing the [BACKSPACE] or [SPACEBAR] keys while "stamping" stickers
will mirror the background. You and your child can create some
interesting "paired" sticker patterns by pressing the [SPACEBAR] while
"stamping".
[F2] "ABC" Add Text
-------------------
At the "SHEET" LEVEL, the letter size can be adjusted with the [PAGEUP]
and [PAGEDN] keys.
[F1]-[F4] keys toggle letter color.
[F5]-[F8] keys toggle letter shadow.
The arrowkeys or mouse are used to move the text, and the [ENTER] key or
LEFT_MOUSE_CLICK is used to "stamp" the text onto the background. This
will update the "SHEET" in MEMORY. The "SHEET" is not saved to disk until
[F5] is selected and [ENTER] is pressed at the Main Menu.
[ESC] or RIGHT_MOUSE_CLICK exits to the Main Menu.
[F3] Load Saved Pictures (Your Library)
---------------------------------------
Your library has no pictures until you start to save your child's
"masterpieces" (using [F5]).
A saved picture can be reloaded to use as a "Head Start" on a new
picture, or just to display to family and friends. This is also a good
place to save pictures that you may later want to paste into Windows
Paint.
Navigation of picture selection is similar to selecting stickers. In
fact all the keys are the same, with the difference being that your
child is selecting the entire sheet, and not just a sticker.
You can mirror the picture the same as the sticker selection by pressing
the [BACKSPACE] or [SPACEBAR] keys.
And You can select by pressing [ENTER] or cancel by pressing [ESC].
[F4] New Picture (BackGrounds)
------------------------------
Selecting BackGrounds works the same way as Loading a Saved Picture.
(See the description of the [F3] command above.)
[F5] Save Picture To Library
----------------------------
No typing is required. Your child simply clicks on the SAVE picture, and
a library copy is made for later retrieval. However, your child could
get "carried away" and save too many copies, so this is a good feature
to monitor.
The Library Files are the ones that are named SAVE9999.PCX. You might
wish to erase most of these from time to time. Use the VUX utility in
the Tools Subdirectory if you want to view these first.
[F6] Quit Exit Goodbye
----------------------
Need I say more?
If you get tired of the annoying train commercial at the end of the
program, simply register STIX with the Author, Bill Buckels. You will be
told how to disable the train commercial feature and exit STIX without
this annoyance.
Adding to the Library
---------------------
You can add to both the Sticker and to the Background Library. Simply
add more CGA PCX files of the same naming convention and STIX will use
them along with the original PCX images shipped with the program.
See appendix C for more information about STIX PCX FileNames etc.
Note: Blank Image Templates for STICKERS are provided in CGA PCX, CGA
BSAVED,and CGA TIFF formats.
Using the Windows 98 Clipboard to copy STIX Sticker Art
Before You Begin
----------------
1a. From the Windows 98 Start Menu, go to
Start/Programs/Accessories/Paint.
2a. Click-On "Paint" to start Windows 98 Paint. You will be using Paint
to save copies of your child's STIX Sticker Art Creations in Windows
.BMP, or .JPG, or .GIF formats.
3a. Select File/New in Windows Paint to start a new picture. You will
need to paste the sticker into Paint later.
Capturing Graphics From STIX for Windows Paint
----------------------------------------------
1b. Run STIX under Windows 98 as a full-screen application. If STIX
comes-up as a window, simply press [CTRL]+[ENTER] to "toggle" to
full-screen.
2b. Select the Sticker Art from the STIX Main Menu Choice 3, "Your
Picture Library". You will be returned to the Main Menu.
3b. From the Main Menu, press [ESC] to toggle to View The Picture.
4b. Press [ALT]+[PRINT SCREEN]. This copies your child's picture to the
Windows 98 ClipBoard, and expands the image size to 640 x 400. This will
look good under a normal Windows Screen Resolution of 800 x 600.
5b. If you have Windows Paint already running, select Edit/Paste and
paste your child's "Sticker Art" picture into the "New" picture. Use
File/Save to save the picture as a .BMP or .GIF, or use File/Print to
print-out the picture using normal Windows printing.
Note: If you get a warning that Windows is "Unable to Copy...", try
switching to a "Window", then Back to "Full Screen" again. (Windows
sometimes gets confused.)
This concludes the discussion about using the Windows 98 ClipBoard to
copy bitmaps from STIX.
Summary
-------
Again, to copy a BITMAP of the STIX screen press [ALT]+[PRINTSCREEN]. If
you are not running STIX as a "Full Screen" application, when you copy a
BITMAP of the STIX screen "Window" (Client Area), you will get a
picture of the "Window" borders, scroll bars, controls, and title bar
whether you want these or not. You will need to use Windows Paint to
clean this additional baggage from the copy if you insist on running
STIX in a "Window".
Note: Press [ALT]+[ENTER] to change between "Full Screen" and "Window".
Note: To copy a BITMAP of the entire DESKTOP, press PRINTSCREEN.
Copyright and Conditions of Use
-------------------------------
STIX(C) Sticker Draw Version 2.0
(C) Copyright 1989-1999 BILL BUCKELS
All Rights Reserved.
STIX and its associated files are Copyrighted by their author, Bill
Buckels. STIX is not a derivative work of any other author and is the
exclusive property of its author, Bill Buckels.
The images used in STIX were produced by Bill Buckels (the author) and
as such are the author's own expression, and a fair use of content that
is believed to be in the public domain. You may use these in any way you
find useful, provided you do not compete with Bill Buckels or his
agents, and that you agree that Bill Buckels has no warranty obligations
or liability whatsoever resulting from any associated loss or damage.
If you redistribute the STIX program, please distribute in its entirety.
If you are missing files, you can download a complete version from the
internet at:
http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels/kidstuff
Licence Agreement
-----------------
STIX is distributed as ShareWare.
Suggested Registration is $10.00.
You are expected to register with the Author if you use STIX beyond a
30-day evaluation period. Send registration in the form of cheque, or
money order to:
Bill Buckels
589 Oxford Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3M 3J2
Email: bbuckels@escape.ca
WebSite: http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels
Appendix A - HardWare Requirements
----------------------------------
If you are running an older computer, here are the basic hardware
requirements for STIX:
Hardware Requirements : IBM PC or compatible, 128K RAM Memory
Display Types: CGA and Compatible
(Also HERCULES Monochrome Display with an EMULATOR)
Appendix B - Utility Programs Provided With STIX
------------------------------------------------
A variety of Utilities are Provided with STIX. Although in this day and
age of Windows 98, these are of questionably little use and of
diminished value, I have still included these along with their source
since they are part of STIX, and there if you need them.
CGA2PCX.EXE - BACK AND FORTH CONVERSION between 2-color and 4-color PCX.
This is necessary to export .PCX to programs that don't support the CGA
level of the .PCX format in 4-color mode. The Output Format is ZSOFT
.PCX format per the VERSION 2.8 STANDARD without Color Map. PCX Files
converted by CGA2PCX can be exported to other applications accepting the
PCX format including Desktop Publishing and Paint Programs.
GBAS.EXE- A memory resident "CAMERA"
GBAS.EXE allows the GRABBING of GRAPHICS screens in other programs and
saves a "slide file" in the BASIC BSAVED IMAGE format. Easy to display
in a GWBASIC program.
BASTOPCX.EXE - Provides BACK and FORTH conversion between the BASIC
BSAVED CGA GRAPHICS MODE IMAGE FORMAT and EQUIVALENT PCX FORMATS.
VUX.EXE- A Commandline File Viewer For CGA SCREEN DUMP images in BSAVED
or PCX Graphics Formats.
Appendix C - FileNames and FileTypes used in Stix
-------------------------------------------------
The PCX Files used by STIX use the following naming convention:
BACK9999.PCX - BackGround "SHEETS"
STIX9999.PCX - Sticker "SHEETS"
SAVE9999.PCX - Your Library
Additionally, the following Picture Files are required by STIX:
STIXTIT.PCX - STIX Title Screen
STIXMENU.PCX - STIX Menu Screen
The Following Sticker Templates Have Also Been Provided
ABCMAST.TIF
ABCMAST.BAS
ABCMAST.PCX
If you have a CGA mode drawing or paint program you can use these
templates. But it is probably easy enough to simply "eyeball" six
stickers to a page and let it go at that.
i.e. You could simply download PCPG from my Website and Create many more
stickers for your child (6 to a page) even though PCPG won't let you use a
template. Then you can use The BASTOPCX Utility provided with STIX to
convert these to PCX.
I could probably have written much more on STIX, but it really isn't a
terribly hard program to use, so HAVE FUN with your young artist and
enjoy using and learning STIX.
Bill Buckels
March 1999
End of ReadMe