In tests on amiga 4000 with Cybergraphics card chimicad could open his screen in the
modes managed from the card, but it was seen a big deceleration of drawing operations.
And probably with other commodities that manipulate mouse and windows events.
3 : INSTALLATION
This program can be installed using COMMODORE'S INSTALLER®, which presence is required
in your commands path.
Installer is not suppled with system software but is very easy to find it.
I omit to insert it in distribution archive to reduce its size and so the downloading
time (i apologize to those that don't use modem.).
If you don't have Installer then read INSTALL_eng.DOC to make a manual install (it's
however very easy and not so long).
Installation program must insert in User-Startup file three assign, you can skip this
part during installation, but you'll must make this assign manually for a correct
program use.
More information in INSTALL_eng.doc
4 : REGISTRATION
This is an evaluation version and so, to encourage You to registrate, it have some
function disabled or reduced :
-PRINTING IS DISABLED
-WHOLE PAGE SAVING IS DISABLED
-BRUSH IFF SAVING IS POSSIBLE ONLY IF DIMENSIONS ARE LOWER THAN 70x70 PIXELS
-BRUSHES BANK ONCE SAVED LOSE ALL CONTENTS WITH EXCEPTION OF FIRST TWO ELEMENTS
With registration you'll receive a fully functional version and a lot of archive
containing structural formulas for various classes of compounds (pharmaceuticals,
biochemical etc.).
Registered users have also opportunity to receive immediately informations about new
ChimiCad versions
The registration fee is :
12 U.S. DOLLARS
or
15 GERMAN MARCS
or
75 FRENCH FRANCS
or
8 U.K. POUNDS
or
15000 ITALIAN LIRE
And is inclusive of shipment.
You can pay fee by :
-INTERNATIONAL POSTAL ORDER (if possible make this in Italian Lire) to my
address :
PAOLO GATTI
Via Pietro Cristofoli 3/7
16151 GENOVA
ITALY
In this case join copy of order to your request letter.
-CASH using any currency above indicated and inserting it in request
letter (it's easiest but less sure way....).
For fastest information you can contact me at this E-Mail address:
gatti@iatfa.unige.it
5 : CHIMICAD USE
Once installed program you can start it by double click on your icon, or by typing
in a CLI window `CHICAD:chimicad'.
The program at start opens a screen in the resolution decided from user through the
PREFERENCES EDITOR (see menu 'commands'), default is HIRES LACED 640x512. Once closed presentation requester you enter in work page that contain two windows:
-Drawing sheet window
-Brushes & Instruments Window
Brushes and instruments, selectable by a click of left mouse button (LMB) on your
gadget icon, are used to operate on drawing sheet.
In MENU BAR are accessible three BRUSHES MENU and one COMMANDS MENU: in first three
you can insert yours brushes (picked from drawing sheet or loaded from disk); the last
contain various utility commands.
5.1 BRUSHES & INSTRUMENTS WINDOW
This window contains two series of gadgets that are selectable by LMB click; first
row presents various instruments to draw structures, pick and save or load brushes,
type letters etc.
Second row contains 24 default brushes.
Last three gadget of first row represents BRUSHES BANKS and are used with instruments
that operate on them (see save brush on bank,delete bank etc.).
You can hide this window to use all drawing sheet by clicking on its depth gadget; to
unhide then click on depth gadget of drawing window.
You can also move screen up or down other using its depth gadget.
During whole page printing instruments window is automatically closed and reopened at
the end of work.
REMEMBER !!
You can quit any instrument during your use simply by clicking right mouse button
(RMB) or by pressing ESC key.
Only during brush rotation (see there) you can't use RMB but only ESC key to abort
operation.
5.1.1 DRAW LINE
Choose point between trace line using LMB; once choosed first point you can drag
the line just to second and then fix it by another LMB click.
5.1.2 DRAW POLYLINE
You can draw multiple lines joined one to another. Procede like for line using LMB
to choose various points (start and end of any segment), then if you want a polygon
you can close it by pressing SPACE BAR (this join end of last line drawed to first
point choosed).
5.1.3 FREE HAND
You can draw freely by moving mouse holding down LMB; at LMB release you can move
without draw. You can leave this instruments by pressing ESC key or clicking RMB.
5.1.4 DRAW CIRCLE
To draw a circle choose its centre by moving mouse pointer and clicking LMB, then
enlarge circle by dragging it.
You can leave instrument by pressing ESC or RMB.
5.1.5 TYPE LETTERS
By mouse and LMB choose start typing point in which appear text cursor (a small
horizontal line); from there you can type your text using keyboard.
Program use as default font TOPAZ in size 8; you can choose personal font using
COMMANDS MENU item named CHANGE FONT.
ARROW KEYS allows you to move on sheet by a step of one letter (8 pixels); using
TAB key you change step to ONE PIXELS for fine positioning on sheet.
You can erase letters typed (only after last arrow key use) using BACKSPACE (<-)
key (DEL key is not active).
After first point choice you can't use mouse to position text cursor but only
arrow keys.
You can fix letters and end typing by pressing RETURN key.
ESC and RMB aren't active to quit program.
Numbers tied at right of a letter are automatically shifted to underscript to speed
up writing of inorganic compounds formulas or long hydrocarbon chains etc. (FORMULA
typing mode).
example:
Typing 3H2SO4 number 2 and 4 are underscript.
For write letters or numbers in SUPERSCRIPT or UNDERSCRIPT could be used the keys F1 and F2; with the key F3 you can return on the line of base.
The key F4 allows to use a Special Font that could be definite from the preferences
editor or selected through Choose Font (menu 'commands').
I have inserted as default the Symbol.font that contains the Greek letters.The key F5 activate or deactivate FORMULA typing mode (see above).
5.1.6 ROTATE
You can use this instrument to rotate:
-DEFAULT BRUSH : choose it by clicking on your gadget icon
-USER BRUSH : choose it from brushes menu where it's
-SHEET SECTION : choose it by use of `PICK BRUSH' instrument
activated after rotate instrument.
Once choosed object to rotate, it appear under mouse pointer and you can move it
around sheet just to zone where make its rotation.
By pressing LMB fix object in rotation site and then by others LMB click rotate it.
If object is NOT a DEFAULT BRUSH then rotation angle is 90°; if it's then rotation
With Epson LQ400 results are less, but ever acceptable.
It's important that you set ever SMOTHING ON (or with turboprint at SUPER).
If you don't obtain good results with internal printing routine then you can
export your draws as IFF files and then print it for your preferred printing
program.
5.1.10 CLEAR ZONE
You can choose a rectangular drawing sheet zone (see print) to clear from your
contents.
CAUTION:
This command don't ask you to confirm before delete zone.
5.1.11 CLEAR PAGE
You can clear whole drawing sheet.
Before to delete you are asked by a requester to confirm your choice.
5.1.12 LOAD IFF
You can use this instruments to load an IFF image that can be used as a brush.
Files are choosed from a requester that use program location as files path; you
can also change the path using the CHANGE DIR item in COMMANDS MENU.
CAUTION:
only 2 colors (1 bitplane) IFF IMAGE can be loaded; a requester let you know if
image have more than 1 bitplane.
5.1.13 SAVE IFF
This instrument allows you to save contents of a rectangular drawing sheet zone in
IFF format; this is useful for data exchange between programs.
(For zone selection see PRINT)
5.1.14 DEFINE BRUSH
By this you can transform contents of a rectangular drawing sheet zone in a brush
that you can use as a default brush (you can move it by mouse and fix it by LMB
clicks).
If you use the DEL key instead of LMB click to end zone selection then you cut off
the brush fisically from sheet and zone choosed will be cleared (the brush obtained
is identical to others for your use).
This instrument can also be choosed after ROTATE activation; in this case, choosed
brush, you can rotate it before to move it on sheet (see ROTATE).
5.1.15 BRUSH TO BANK
Operate like in previous instrument to define your brush, then choose by its icon
gadget the bank in which to insert it.
If all banks are complete (i.e. each contains 15 brushes) then a requester let you
know that must free space in brushes banks. In this case you can erase all contents
or one or some elements of a bank (see ERASE BANK or ERASE ITEM).
Choosed bank a requester ask you to insert bank name (you can also keep present
name) and brush name (if you insert a blank string then you abort operation.
Both name can contain 20 letters at the most.
5.1.16 CLEAR BANK
By this instruments you can erase all contents of selected brushes bank.
Achieve bank selection as previous by clicking on its icon gadget.
Before erasing a requester ask you to confirm action or give the possibility to
save and then erase or to abort.
5.1.17 DELETE ITEM
By this instrument you can erase a single element from a brushes bank.
You can choose the element directly from brushes bank menu in which it is contained.
Before erase it a requester show you brush image and ask you to confirm action.
5.1.18 LIST BRUSHES SET CONTENTS
You can read names of brushes contained in a set saved on disk and choose to load this
set in a bank.
The files is choosed from a requester that use a default files path (CHIMICAD
location) or a user files path (see CHANGE DIR PATH in COMMANDS MENU).
In window that show contents a gadget offer posibility to load listed set of
brushes; in this case you must indicate by click on its icon gadget bank in which
load set.
5.1.19 LOAD BRUSHES SET IN A BANK
At first select by its icon gadget the bank in which you want to load brushes set.
Then choose the set from a files requester that use a default or a user defined
files path (in requester are showed only .SHP files, see later for more details).
If selected bank contains one or more brushes (and then it can' t receive brushes
set) a requester tell you to choose another one.
If all banks contain brushes then you must free one of them before you can load a
brushes set from disk; in this case a requester infor you about this necessity.
NOTE ABOUT FILES CREATED BY CHIMICAD
In brushes set saving chimicad create two files with name that you give to set.
This files are different for your SUFFIX :
.SHP is for the file that contains image of brushes
.FRN is for the files that contains name of brushes and set informations
These suffix are joined automatically to files if you obmit them in file name
definition (only during save operations).
!!ATTENTION!!
These files must be present in same directory so that brushes set can ce loaded
succesfully.
Suffix must be always present in the file name and must be joined to right file
type name (not .shp for names file or .frn for image file).
Don't modify brushes set bank name for your suffix part and DON'T assign names that
contains .SHP o .FRN as suffix (last four letters) to files that aren't Chimicad
brushes set.
You can't load files that don't have .SHP suffix and if you try a requester inform
you that choosed files probably is not a Chimicad brishes set.
If you add a .SHP or . FRN suffix to wrong files and you try to use it as brushes
set you obtain probably a SYSTEM CRASH or (if you are lucky) a program abort.
5.1.20 SAVE BRUSHES BANK
By this you can create from a bank a brushes set on disk.
At first choose brushes bank to save by its icon gadget; if bank is empty a requester
notify it to you.
After insert in a files requester the name that you want to give to brushes set; this
files requester show only files with .SHP suffix.
Files path is by default program location and it's possible to change it by using
CHANGE DIR in COMMANDS MENU.
As previous indicated file name must contains .SHP files and if you omit it then
program add it automatically.
5.1.21 BRUSHES BANK ICON GADGETS
They are used to choose bank on which operate by instruments as LOAD BRUSHES SET,
SAVE BANK, ERASE BANK, DELETE ITEM or BRUSH TO BANK.
Number that they contains indicates brushes contained at moment in the bank.
5.2 DRAWING SHEET
It is the screen area utilizable for drawing; your dimensions are based on screen
resolution choosed, and is partially covered by Instruments window.
As before said you can view all drawing sheet by pressing depth gadget of instruments
window.
Instruments window reappear if you ppress depth gadget of drawing sheet window.
5.3 BRUSHES BANKS MENU
It contains three brushes set composed by brushes picked from drawing sheet
contents.
A set can contains up to 15 brushes each of them is indicated by a name created
with brush (see BRUSH TO BANK) and modifiable by a COMMANDS MENU option.
Name must be long 20 letters at the most.
You can act on brushes contained in banks by ROTATE or DELETE ITEM instruments (see).
5.4 COMMANDS MENU
From them you can choose some utility commands :
- INFO give you informations about program version, author and copyright
-LOAD PAGE: it allows to load screens IFF on the DRAWING SHEET. Such screen could not have more than 2 colors. If the page choosed is bigger than used, then a requester will
propose the choice between the abandonment of the operation and
the conversion of the screen to the necessary resolution. Opting for the conversion you will be decide the new resolution
and screen mode by a requester.
-SAVE PAGE by them you can save whole drawing sheet as IFF file.
-CHANGE PATH allow you to choose by a path requester the directories used
by files requesters as default for load/save commands.
-CHOOSE FONT: from here is approached to a REQUESTER that allows the choice
of the type of font to modify. Selected that you can choose
with a comfortable requester the font to use, his dimensions and his style (boldfaced, italic, underlined). The others options in the requester don't act on the selected
font. The requester show the list of fonts present in the device FONTS: .
-CHOOSE SCREEN MODE: it allows to decide the resolution of the screen in which ChimiCad will work. They are approved all graphics
modes managed from your chipset (Except HAM, HB and Lores
that don't are listed in requester).
-CHANGE BRUSH NAME allow you to change the name of a brush contained in
a brushes menu.
First choose this command, then choose the brush directely
from the menu in where it is, then insert new name in
a requester that appear and that show you also brush
image.
-PREFERNCES EDITOR: from this window the user can decide the default settings
(screen mode, fonts, paths of search) for the program,
i.e. those active at the moment of the start. The definition of such characteristics happens through the different Requester quoted in precedence. The choices will be active from the following start of the
program, to condition that they come saved in the file
chimicad.settings through the gadget SAVE in the window.
-MEMORY STATUS show chip, fast and total memory situation at the present.
-EXIT by this you can leave out the program. Before to exit you are asked to
your choice.
6: AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Big and lovely thanks to Monica, my patient girlfriends.
"Thecnical" tanks to ACID SOFTWARE for your BLITZ BASIC® 2.1, the powerful
language by which this software have been developed.
Thanks to NEIL O' ROURKE for your NEILSREQTOOLSLIB and to NICO FRANCOIS
and MAGNUS HOLMGREN for your REQTOOLS.LIBRARY.
Great thanks to GIOVANNI CALDERONE for your precious beta testing work.
Thanks to PATRICK KURSAWE for your suggestions and criticisms.
7 : FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Support of LOCALE.LIBRARY to obtain national versions with only a program, use of
UNDO function, DATABASE functions.
In far future is possible use of vectorial graphics (i'm only an hobbist and i have
too little time for programming).
8: HISTORY
ChimiCad V 0.01 (6/1994) : AMOS version of this program.
Born to draw quickly chemical structures for my
graduation thesis (i'm a pharmaceutical chemist).
Chimicad V0.50 (1/1995) : First BlitzBasic porting of program.
Chimicad V0.90 (7/1996) : Complete change in interface and requesters.
ChimiCad V1.00 (1/1997) : First shareware distributed version; compatibility
problem on A500 and not 3.0 Ks computers.
ChimiCad V1.05 (1/1997) : Version compatible with A500 and Ks 2.x
ChimiCad V1.09 (2/1997) : Various bugs fixed.
ChimiCad V1.10 (2/1997) : Screen format choice; Depth gadget use.
ChimiCad V1.12 (3/1997) : Preferences Editor and others minors changes.
Chimicad V1.14 (3/1997) : Actual version: typing routine recoded, some bugs fixed.
