                   Prolabel version 1.27 (22nd May 1994)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conditions for use
------------------

  This application is public domain - since there are several interpretations
of this term I will give you the definition of the words 'Public Domain' as
they apply to this application.
  This application may be copied from user to user without charge, under the
following conditions:-
1. All the files inside this application must be kept intact and unaltered.
2. No charge may be made for the product, although a small charge (i.e. not
   exceeding 1.50) made be made for disc duplication, post and packaging.
3. The copyright remains with the author at all times.

No liability will be accepted for any damage to or loss of data as a result
of using this application. This software is provided 'as is' and it is used
entirely at your own risk.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction
------------

  ProLabel is an application for designing disc labels. I wrote it as I am
completely sick of fiddling about in !Draw in order to make a decent looking
label. I also dislike the other disc labellers available due to their
inability to use outline fonts, pictures etc. Prolabel has the following
features:

 * WYSIWYG display in a window.
 * Outline fonts are allowed, producing quite nice labels.
 * Files are exportable to !Draw.
 * Pictures can be imported as either drawfiles or sprites.
 * Labels are made to fit discs exactly.
 * Only simple input is required to produce professional disc labels.
 * Labels can be printed either way round to suit all tastes.
 * Labels can be printed to standard RISC-OS printer drivers.
 * Acorn Interactive help is supported in all windows.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to use !ProLabel
--------------------

  ProLabel installs an icon on the icon bar, just like any other RISC-OS
software. Clicking the middle button on this icon brings up the icon bar
menu. Clicking the left button causes the design window to be shown.
  The icon bar menu has the following options:-

Info   - The displays information about the program
Create - This creates the label from the information in the designer window
         and displays it in another window. Changes are not noted in this
         second window until the create option is selected again.
Quit   - Just what you would expect!

  The designer window is operated in a mainly self explanatory way. The disc
name is the major title on the label. The contents are displayed in three
columns on the label - in the same way in which they are arranged in the
designer window. The 'spine' of the disc is the bottom edge. This can have
text on also, but it is displayed very small. The details include selecting
metal at top or bottom; this depends which way you store your discs (The
correct way to store discs is with the metal bit at the bottom, but many
people (including me) prefer to put the metal edge at the top). The final
box contains the filename of the picture (if any) that will be on the label.
You can fill this in by dragging pictures to the icon bar icon. Pictures are
accepted in both sprite and drawfile format. Once the options on this window
are set up as required, the fonts and colours used can be edited from the
designer menu, which is displayed by clicking menu over the designer window.
  After a label is designed, it needs to be created- this is done by
clicking the 'create' option on the icon bar menu. When this is done, another
window is opened whereby you can view your newly created label. It can then
be either saved into draw for further editing or printed outdirectly. By 
clicking the menu button over the WYSIWYG window, a further menu 
is displayed.
  To print, select the print option from this menu. Change the number of
copies if necessary and then click over 'OK'. This will send the label to the
current RISC-OS printer driver (if no driver is installed then the program
will obviously refuse to print!).
  To save the product as a drawfile, the save option brings up the usual
RISC-OS save box, which can then be dragged to the appropriate window as
usual.
  All windows support Acorn Interactive help facility- helptext can be
viewed by loading !Help.
  An options window is now available - it allows you to toggle outline fonts
on and off and auto printing on and off. Use is self-explanatory. It can be 
opened by adjust on the icon bar icon, or selecting the 'options...' option 
from the icon bar menu. The option can also be saved - they are reloaded
automatically from start.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Using the labels
----------------
  After printing the label out, it obviously needs putting on the disc. This
can be done in a number of ways:-
  My own personal preference is sticking the label to the disc with
Pritt-stick (or similar). This works reasonably well and costs next to
nothing. NOTE: Do not use Superglue or similar glues.
  An alternative is to buy paper which has a sticky peel-off back. This is
the best option but is slightly more expensive.
  The last option is to use double-sided sticky tape. The problem with this
is that it is hard to get the label to stick on in all the corners.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

History
-------
  This is how the application has progressed so far:-
v1.00 : Program fully working and debugged. Helptext first written.
v1.01 : New mode 20 sprites are added (including an iconised window icon).
v1.02 : Low-res icons are added in the same way.
v1.03 : Sprites for hi-resolution monitors designed and added.
v1.04 : Interactive help is added to all windows.
v1.05 : Menus are given titles (forgot first time round).
v1.06 : Minor bug fixes.
v1.07 : !Run changed to be much smaller and more efficient.
v1.08 : Program compiled and minor refinements made.
 *** RELEASE VERSION
v1.09 : Options window added.
v1.10 : Outline fonts now available in all windows.
v1.11 : Auto printing option added.
v1.12 : Serious bug fix- would not load without seeing !HelixSys
v1.13 : Minor bug fixes
v1.14 : Options can now be saved...
v1.15 : ...And loaded again
 *** RELEASE VERSION       
v1.16 : New spacing in the options window
v1.17 : Disc titles can now have more characters; O.K. Dave?
v1.18 : Long disc titles now are in slightly smaller text!
v1.19 : 'Small Disc' option now added for people (Dave) who don't like spines
v1.20 : Files can now be dragged onto icon and be added to contents
v1.21 : Contents are now left aligned (in options window)
v1.22 : Option made to left justify contents...
v1.23 : ...And contents left justified if option is selected
v1.24 : ...And added to option window
v1.25 : 'Clear' option added, thanks to I. Ewings for suggesting it
v1.26 : ...Now working right!
 *** RELEASE VERSION
v1.27 : Label now prints at top left of sheet - saving paper (T.Batty's idea)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Author
----------

I can be contacted by the following address (no, I do not have a modem):-

Mr.E.P.Eastwood,
11,Marton Moor Road,
Nunthorpe,
Middlesbrough,
Cleveland.
TS7 0BL.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feedback
--------

  PLEASE contact me with your opinions about this application - how do you
think it could be improved? What do you think of it? Have you found any bugs?
I am always glad to hear from you and if you include a disc I will return it
with the latest version,plus whatever other PD programs I can get my hands
on. I can be contacted at the address above.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

HelixBasic
----------

  This program is written in HelixBasic (The Ultimate RISC-OS programming
language). HelixPD (The PD version of the HelixBasic module) is included in
this application - please remove it and put it inside !System, where other
applications will be able to get at it. HelixBasic is not owned by me, and is
not part of this application. HelixBasic is written by Phill Kent, who can be
contacted at:

PDK Technologies,
4, Meadow Way,
Ampthill,
Bedfordshire.
MK45 2QX.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wish List
---------

These are my own ideas about how this application could be improved, some of
these will definately be added to future versions; for information on how to
contact me for an upgrade, see above.

* Custom disc label layout could be added
* Support for other file formats, such as Euclid
* A mail merge facility, where only small details are changed each label
* 3-D icons in designer window
* Multiple Labels on a single sheet
* ALL bugs removed (too right, I wish)
* Bigger list of contents
* Opportunity to use printer fonts
* Hotlink with some disc catalogue program
* Major rewrite of internals - getting a bit messy!
* A rewrite of this Helptext

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thankyous/Hellos
----------------

Hello to everybody at NEACC (the North Eastern Acorn Computer Club).
Thankyou to Acorn for such a fine machine (my A5000).
Thankyou to Simtec to producing my 4Mb upgrade card (I can recommend it!).
Thanks to Leonard Cohen for such excellent music.
Greetings to all fellow Acorn Users.
Hello and thankyou to Dave Morrell (for criticism)
Thanks to D.M. Coulthard, for his letter/bug reports/suggestions
Thanks to Ian Ewings, for appreciations/suggestions/letter
Thanks to T.Batty for ideas/praises etc.
Hello to all Morrissey fans. Thank-ee.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

E.Peter Eastwood, 1993-4.