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The EP Dogs Screensaver Creator
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Hello, and welcome to the EP Dogs Screensaver Creator! You're sure to have some dog or puppy pictures that you want to show off to friends and relatives. What a better way to do so than with your own personalized screensaver!

If you have a printer, feel free to print out these instructions. That way, you can read them while you are creating your first personalized screensaver.

Let's go! You'll need ten dog pictures, either photographs or digital pictures stored on your computer or on disk. If you do not want to use dog pictures, you're in luck! Envision Programming is developing a whole line of screensaver creators for weddings and anniversaries, pets, holidays, travel photos, and more! Each of these screensaver creators will have different sets of background pictures from which you may choose. Just visit http://www.envprogramming.com/create for the full information.

BTW: This program is shareware. What this means is that you can try it out, for free. If you don't like it, remove this software from your system. If you do like it, you need to register to remove the nag texts so you can distribute the screensaver without friends thinking you are a cheapskate :) 

If you need help with this software, you can E-Mail webmaster@envprogramming.com for assistance. Please describe the problem as much as possible.

1) PLANNING / REQUIREMENTS

Make sure you have at least 20 megs free hard drive space before creating screensavers. You'll need that room for temporary files.

You need to make it so your computer can display your ten images. If you do not have a scanner or digital camera, here's what you can do. Just visit your local department or drugstore and see if they can put your photographs in digital format. You'll need to tell them to place the pictures in .JPG (JPEG) format Many companies provide this service, but if you can't find one in your area that does this, we would be glad to help. Envision Programming can place your photos on a disk which can then be read on your computer and placed in a screensaver using this software.

Contact us for information on our scanning services.

Envision Programming
PO Box 11592
Knoxville, TN  37939-1592
(423) 694-8596
admalek@usit.net

2) RUN THE SOFTWARE

If you have not already, run the SETUP.EXE program contained in the archive/package when you received the shareware version of the screensaver creator.

Is the screensaver creator running? If not, you need to navigate your computer and double-click the screensaver creator's icon. If you clicked 'Help' from the creator to read this text, you are all set.

3) OVERVIEW

Now that the program is running, quickly look around the program's display area. If you are reading this help from within the creator, you will need to switch back and forth between this help document and the screensaver creator.

The 'Preview Window' shows a smaller version of how a particular frame of your screensaver will look. Each frame holds one picture, and there are ten frames (that's why you needed ten pictures).

Under 'Choose a Frame,' you just need to click once on a button to go to its corresponding frame in the screensaver. For example, to get to frame five, click on button five. To get to frame ten, click on button ten.

The buttons on the bottom of the display area let you perform several options, such as reading your pictures into the screensaver and customizing your screensaver.

4) PUT YOUR PICTURES IN THE SCREENSAVER

Do you have a scanner or digital camera? If so, here's how to get the pictures into your computer. 

(If you don't have one, just skip a couple of paragraphs).

Click on button '1' under 'Choose a Frame.' Now, look at the bottom of the display area. Click the button labeled 'Scan in a new picture.' Now, refer to your scanner or digital camera's instructions for scanning your picture.

When the picture is done scanning, you should see it in the 'Preview Window.' Now, click on button '2' under 'Choose a  Frame.' Now, look at the bottom of the display area. Click the button labeled 'Scan in a new picture.' Now, refer to your scanner or digital camera's instructions for scanning your picture.

... get the idea? Repeat for frames three through ten.

Now, back to those who have their photos on a disk or already in their computer.

Are your pictures on a floppy disk? If so, place the disk containing your pictures into your computer. Click on button '1' under 'Choose a Frame.' Now, look at the bottom of the display area. Click the button labeled 'Get a new picture from the disk drive.' You'll see a list of computer files. Double-click the one that represents your desired picture (or just the first one on the disk).

You should see your picture in the 'Preview Window.' Click on button '2' under 'Choose a Frame.' Now, look at the bottom of the display area. Click the button labeled Get a new picture from the disk drive.' You'll see a list of computer files. Double-click the one that represents your desired picture (or just the second one on the disk).

... get the idea? Repeat for frames three through ten.

Are your pictures elsewhere on your computer or on a CD-ROM? If so, click on button '1' under 'Choose a Frame.' Now, look at the bottom of the display area. Click the button labeled 'Get a new picture from the hard drive.' You'll need to navigate your computer's hard drive(s) or CD-ROM(s) to where you stored your pictures. When you find the file that represents your first desired picture, double-click it.

You should see your picture in the 'Preview Window.' Click on button '2' under 'Choose a Frame.' Now, look at the bottom of the display area. Click the button labeled 'Get a new picture from the hard drive.' You'll need to navigate your computer's hard drive(s) or CD-ROM(s) to where you stored your pictures. When you find the file that represents your second desired picture, double-click it.

... get the idea? Repeat for frames three through ten.

5) CUSTOMIZE, CUSTOMIZE, CUSTOMIZE

Now that you have your ten pictures in the screensaver, let's have some fun!

Look under 'Choose a Frame.' Remember, you can click on any number to go to that desired frame and see a picture. Want to change the background for a given picture? Look at the bottom of the display area and click the button labeled 'Change the picture border.' You'll see buttons with hands pointing various directions. Click the hand pointing right to choose the next available border or the hand pointing left to choose the previous available border. There are many to choose from - try them all!

Want to add some words or a greeting to a picture? Look at the bottom of the display area and click the button labeled 'Add or Edit text on the Picture.' Under 'Text to Display,' type in the message you want displayed on your picture. Click the 'Change Font' button to use a different typeface/font/letter design - you can also change the colors of the letters from there. Click on the arrow next to 'Add a shadow to the Text?' and select a cool white or black shadow to add to your text. When you are done making your changes, click the 'Done' button.

If you want to try some interesting visual effects, click on the "Advanced Image Editing" button. You'll then have the chance to click on buttons to modify the image. Clicking on "Gray image" lets you turn your photograph to a grayscale image. You will see a preview of your modifications. Click "OK" to accept the changes or "Cancel" to reject them. Likewise, the other buttons let you modify the image in other ways. Feel free to experiment. Each option will display a preview window so you can confirm or reject the attempted changes. When you are done fooling with these options, just click "Return to the main menu".

6) SAVE YOUR SCREENSAVER PROJECT

Before you create your final screensaver, you should save your modifications (text, picture border, etc.) to your computer in case you want to go back and change something later after you've made your screensaver. We are calling these modifications a project; thus, to save your modifications, you need to save your project.

Look at the bottom of the display area and click the 'Save project, load a project, or make a new project' button. Click it. Now, the buttons change. Click the 'Save the current project to the hard drive' button. A window will pop up. Just type in a name that will represent your screensaver project and press the 'OK' button. 

To bring up this project later - Look at the bottom of the display area and click the 'Save project, load a project, or make a new project' button. Click it. Now, the buttons change. Click the 'Open a project from the hard drive' button. A window will pop up. Just find and double-click the project that you wish to open.

7) MAKE YOUR SCREENSAVER

Now the fun part!. Look at the right of the screensaver creator display window. Click the button labeled 'Make It!' A window will appear. Type in up to eight letters or numbers that you will remember represent your screensaver and press the 'OK' button. (They may be the same numbers and letters that identify your 'project.') After a minute or so, a dialog box will appear, and then your screensaver is done!

{Why only eight letters or numbers? The screensavers you create can run on Win3.1 systems as well as 95, 98, and NT 4.0, so you need to create a name that Win 3.1 will understand).

HELPFUL TIP: In order to distribute your screensaver on disk, skip the text under item eight below and just do this: Look at the right of the screensaver creator display window. Click the button labeled 'Make It!' A window will appear. Place a blank floppy disk in your disk drive. Under 'Folders', navigate to your floppy drive. Type in up to eight letters or numbers that you will remember represent your screensaver and press the 'OK' button. (They may be the same numbers and letters that identify your 'project.') After a minute or so, a dialog box will appear, and then your screensaver is done, and ready to distribute on a floppy disk! Remember, in order to distribute screensavers without the nag text on the bottom of each photograph, you need to register. See item 10 below.

8) RUNNING/DISTRIBUTING YOUR SCREENSAVER

Your screensaver will come in two parts:

name.EXE
name.2

name being the name you gave your screensaver. For example - if you named your screensaver DOGSBARK, then the screensaver will come in two parts:

DOGSBARK.SCR
DOGSBARK.2

Remember, in order to distribute screensavers without the nag text on the bottom of each photograph, you need to register. See item 10 below.

Just run the name.EXE file to run your screensaver setup program and follow the directions. Once it has been installed, it will run after a few minutes of inactivity.

To distribute the screensaver, just give someone the name.EXE and name.2 files and tell them to run the name.EXE program. 

9) NEED HELP?

We probably have already answered your questions, so visit the following website for help.

http://www.envprogramming.com/create/help

If we have not already answered your question, then from that website you'll be able to ask for help.

10) REMOVE THE NAGS

To remove the nags on the screensavers that you create, you need to purchase this software. It only costs $10.95* to do so! When you purchase this software, you will also receive free information on when updates are made.

You can place an order over the phone with Qwerks. You can call Qwerks at 1.888.282.5887 Monday through Friday, from 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. MST. 

Or, register online with a credit card by visiting

http://www.envprogramming.com/create/dogs/register

It's inexpensive, and once you register, you will be notified whenever we update this creator software.

* - Price subject to change without notice.

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DISCLAIMER

DOGSSAVR henceforth refers to this software, the EP Dogs Screensaver Creator, and its documentation.

NEITHER ENVISION PROGRAMMING, ANDREW MALEK, THEIR EMPLOYEES, SUPERVISORS, 
ETC, TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OUTPUT OF THIS PROGRAM.  YOU, THE 
USER, TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USAGE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

The password protection used in DOGSSAVR software is not  100% secure.  Neither Envision Programming, Andrew Malek, their  employees, etc., take any responsibility for using the password protection included in the screensavers created by DOGSSAVR.

You have the license to place DOGSSAVR on bulletin board systems, information systems, shareware compilations, or on CD-ROM compilations, provided that  you distribute the ENTIRE version with file descriptions (FILE_ID.DIZ and DESC.SDI).  Although it is not required, it is appreciated if you let me know that you are distributing DOGSSAVR.

You may not disassemble, decompile, reverse engineer, or in any way tamper DOGSSAVR.  Adding files to the zip archive is allowed (such as those that identify from where the file is downloaded/archived), but other  modifications are prohibited without prior permission from Andrew Malek.

Microsoft, Windows, are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. All trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

Some of the graphics used in DOGSSAVR are copyright www.arttoday.com.

