SOME UPDATED TEXT FOR 1997: Please note that I (Andy Gibson) can no longer be contacted via snail mail :( I am moving address soon and do not have full confirmation of my new house address, so please contact me via e-mail only at: andy@agasinc.demon.co.uk (correct as of Aug 97) All references made to F1 Software/Steve Bye at 31 Wellington Rd, Exeter, Devon EX2 9DU (Phone 01392 493580) should be ignored! As of Aug '97, F1 Software will be run by Phil Wilkinson at F1 Software, 1 Lower Mill Close, Goldthorpe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire. S63 9BY Phone/Fax 01709 888127 e-mail phil@ware5d.demon.co.uk You should only use this new address to contact F1 Software/5D Licenseware from now on. Don't forget that F1 Software is now running from the above address as of Aug 1997. If you require more details, please contact Phil at the above address. (Phil will also be told my new home (snail mail) address when I get it confirmed. So please, do NOT write to me at 19 Hilton Terrace Cambuslang Glasgow G72 8PD Anymore...I will NOT get my mail if you do :( If you cannot contact me via e-mail, please drop a line to Phil and he'll pass the message on when he e-mails me ;^) That's the best I can do for now until I get my address sorted out. I would like to wish Steve Bye all the best in his new ventures and would also like to wish Phil good luck with taking over/running F1 Software in 1997. Andy Gibson (AGAS Productions) Now back to the original text..... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Hello there! Bet you are wondering what I'm doing here? Well, before you attempt to create your own DMC production(s), you should note the following points: 1) You will need two floppy disks handy! They do not need to be formatted. They can even be full of data, but be warned, ALL data will be destroyed! 2) You should read your DMC manual before using DMC. 3) Have a little patience! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- When you have read the manaual and feel confident enough to begin: o Make sure you have booted with the `DMC_CREATOR_DISK' in DF0: o Have one of your spare floppy disks ready. o Click on the Icon which says `Examples_Disk' and follow the on-screen instructions. o Have your other spare floppy disk ready (don't get mixed up now!) o Click on the icon which says `Boot_Disk' and follow the on-screen instructions. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- All going well, you should have two new disks in your hand. The `Examples_Disk' and the `Boot_Disk'. It's a good idea to stick a label on them just now so you know which each one is! Load up your favourite paint package and load up the example pictures from the `Examples_Disk'. You'll find examples in most drawers of this disk. Draw your own pictures and save them to your `Boot_Disk' Your DMC manual will tell you where to save them to. (Mainly inside the DATA Directory) /^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/ SO WHAT IS THE `Examples_Disk' ANYWAY? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ On the `Examples_Disk' you will find.... EXAMPLE PICS FOR YOU TO MAKE USE OF: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Load these pics into DPaint (or any other paint package) to edit and create your own customised versions. You no longer have to save them as a BRUSH. Simply draw your own Panel and ClipArt at the positions shown and save as a picture. DMC will now cut them out for you which saves you grabbing brushes and hoping you have done it right! DPaint users, please remember to press F10 to toggle the munu and tools bar so you can see and draw on the full screen :) Please use C-Mania to crunch all your pics (in fact, use it to crunch all your text, loading pics, anim, clipart and panel etc.) You'll save yourself a load (no pun) of disk space in the long run. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- SOME TEXT FOR YOU TO ADD TO YOUR PRODUCTION(S): ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Also on this disk, you will find the file named `AG_DMC_Help.asc' which MUST be copied to your own DMC Productions. This text article has been set out to let people know how to use DMC. Without it, your production will probably be harder for the user to get to grips with! Simply copy the file to any of your disks and use the Config Maker so that your DMC.Config can find it. You can alter the text in the file if you want to. It's up to you. I haven't crunched it, so you can easily load it into any text editor. It has been set out as a `Scrolly-Type' article. These are new to this version of DMC and are far easier to create due to no codes used. (Well, only one code which is ^^) If you don't want to use it, PLEASE write your own Help File so users of your mag know how to use it. Some people are thick ya know! :^) Oh yeah, you can rename the file to whatever you want also ;^) /^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/^\/ SO WHAT IS THE `Boot_Disk' ANYWAY? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ The `Boot_Disk' is a skeleton of your production's first disk. (i.e. Disk 1) It holds all the usual LIBS, DEVS, C, S, L, DATA directories. It also has the DMC.exe file on there too. What you need to do is create a directory where you want your articles saved to. If you don't know how to do this, contact Phil at F1 Software for a copy of his `Beginners Guide' series of disk tutorials. (01709 - 888127) My guess is that most of you will be using DOpus and know exactly what you're doing. So sorry if this lot is patronising :( When you type up your articles and draw your pics, anims, clipart and the panel etc. It's then time to see if the `Boot_Disk' can hold all files. If you run out of space, either crunch your files using CMania or add another disk to your production instead if that is beyond you!! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Only when all your files are on your disk(s), then it's time to load up your CONFIG MAKER. Read your manual on how to use the CONFIG MAKER. There is a text file included on this disk for experienced DMC users only. If you're new to DMC, please stick to the DMC manual. Experienced (previous) DMC users please read the `ExPeRiEnCeD_uSeRs' doc for further information. Good luck everyone and please let me know what you think of this release. So far I've been sent loads of disk mags created with DMC and I have to say that if you want to see how it should be done, either buy copies of: BEYOND SANIT-E or AMIGA FRONTIER from any PD Library. BEYOND SANIT-E and AMIGA FRONTIER are joining forces to become a new group called AREA 51 and their new disk mag will be called BEYOND THE FRONTIER. (Good luck guys and no hard feelings about you not using DMC for the first issue!!! Barsts! hehehehe :^) Thanx for your time and I hope your productions are many. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Andy Gibson (AGAS Productions) - August 1997