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Re: GW III update
Well...for those Apple IIgs users that can't find info on the Graphic Writer
v2.0 enhancements - for one reason or the other - here's the following in fairt
use quotes exactly as the web page for Seven Hills Software and Graphic Writer
v2.0 update - presents it to the public for their review.
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"New Version 2.0 Available Now!
Following is a detailed list of the differences between
GraphicWriter�III version�1.1 and version�2.0.
General
GraphicWriter�III version 2.0 requires System�6.
The GraphicWriter III application icon now contains everything you
need--the separate "GW.Resources" file can be deleted.
Most of GraphicWriter�III's dialog boxes are now "moveable, modal"
dialog boxes, meaning you can move them around the screen.
Dialog boxes can be navigated using the keyboard. Return or Enter is a
shortcut for clicking the button with the extra ring around it. Escape
or Command-Period is a shortcut for clicking the Cancel button.
The horizontal and vertical rulers now show marks every 1/16th inch
instead of every 1/10th inch.
Dragging out a new guide while the screen is updating used to cause the
guide to be offset from the mouse position; now it stays under the
mouse.
Select portions of code were re-written or optimized, squeaking out some
extra speed for certain operations.
Much of GraphicWriter III was rewritten to use newer System features
(such as the Resource Manager), resulting in a smaller program on disk.
When you double-click a GraphicWriter III document in the Finder,
GraphicWriter�III is launched and the document is opened.
Apple Menu
Help
New feature! Choosing Help from the Apple menu opens a window that
displays help topics for GraphicWriter III. Select a topic from the
popup menu to read more about that topic.
File Menu
Close
This menu item now responds to the standard Command-W shortcut key.
The "save changes" dialog box is redesigned.
Export/Import
When beginning an export or import, GraphicWriter III plays the sound
associated with the "beginning long operation" event. When the process
is complete the "operation complete" event sound is played.
Print
You are now notified if an error occurs while printing.
While printing, GraphicWriter III tells Twilight II to use background
(i.e. friendly) blanking if it decides to blank.
Edit Menu
The standard system clipboard is now supported, so you can Copy and
Paste text and graphics between GraphicWriter�III and other applications
or desk accessories!
Paste
If the system clipboard contains text, Paste lets you paste that text
into any typing frame (just as if you had copied the text from within
GraphicWriter�III).
If the system clipboard contains a IIGS PICTure (e.g. while in Platinum
Paint you copied an image to the clipboard, then you launched
GraphicWriter�III) Paste inserts a new "picture" object into the
document. This picture object can be resized without losing any of its
original quality.
TIP: After copying a picture in Platinum Paint, paste it into
GraphicWriter�III. While the new picture object is selected choose
Object Specs from the Object menu, then click the 1/2 or 1/4 button to
reduce the picture to exactly 1/2 or 1/4 its original size. This will
yield exceptional print quality from high quality printers.
Currently there is no way to directly create or import a Picture object
in GraphicWriter�III. To create a picture object you must copy a picture
from Platinum Paint, then Paste that picture into GraphicWriter�III.
Spelling
The dialog box has been changed to provide a much larger area in which
to display the context of the spelling error.
Most of the spelling code has been rewritten, and we believe the
infamous "Possible Choices" bug has finally been squashed!
Curly apostrophes are handled correctly. Previously don't (with a
straight apostrophe) would not be shown as a suspect word, but don't
(with a curly apostrophe) would be.
The spell checker recognizes foreign characters and special symbols
correctly.
Preferences
The "Show Frames" option (checked by default) now shows dotted lines
around painting frames, as well as typing frames. With this change, new
painting frames now start with the Pen color set to None (i.e. no border
will be visible unless you select the Arrow tool, click on the painting
frame, then choose a Pen color).
Preferences are now stored in the "*:System:Preferences:" folder, or in
the user's folder if using AppleShare.
Font Menu
The Font menu is now "standard" so it will work with utilities such as
our nifty "Super Menu Pack"!
All the fonts available in your system are listed alphabetically on the
Font menu. The menu will be scrollable if you have more fonts than will
fit on the screen.
Choose Font
This option presents the standard Choose Font dialog box, where you can
select a Font, Style, and Size all in one step!
Object Menu
Object Specs
This new feature lets you position and size an object by exact numbers!
Common reductions (1/2 and 1/4) and common enlargements (2x and 4x) are
provided just by clicking a button.
Page Menu
Snap To Guides
The snapping code was greatly improved so that objects will snap to the
same position even if they are slightly left/right or above/below the
guide being snapped to.
Insert Pages
In the document window, clicking "+" in the "-�Page�+" area moves to the
next page (as it did before). What's new: If the last page of the
document is currently being shown, the "Insert Pages" dialog box appears
automatically so you can insert new pages.
Copy Master Guides
This new feature erases all the guides on the current page, and replaces
them with an exact copy of all the guides from the appropriate master
page (see Master Pages in the original manual's index).
Extras Menu
This menu is new, and only appears if there are GraphicWriter�III extras
installed that ask to be added to this menu.
Currently there are no extras available, but the capability now exists
to extend GraphicWriter III's functionality without having to release a
whole new version.
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GraphicWriter�III / AppleWorks�GS Comparison
Owners of AppleWorks GS face different issues in dealing with the
presence of GW�III�v2.0. The decision to purchase the new program may
hinge on whether the new features have significantly improved GW III to
the point that it does everything the AWGS page-layout module does, plus
offer more features, power, greater flexibility and potential for
further development.
This challenge for GW�III is significant. The page-layout module in AWGS
is quite powerful, flexible and relatively easy to use once it is
learned.
But GW�III�v2.0 offers excellent tools as well. And the program has an
attractive interface that takes full advantage of the latest system
software features.
Here are a few things AWGS desktop publishers should consider in their
assessment of GW III v2.0.
GW�III eliminates the hassle of manually checking the vertical condense
button in an AWGS page-layout document. The set-up is automatic. In
addition, the user can select from three views of the GW III page (Tall
Text, Actual Size and Fit in Window). In AWGS, only two views are
available (Actual size and Fit in Window), Of those, the AWGS Fit in
Window view is virtually useless in vertical condense mode.
GW�III supports text sizes larger than 48 point, the AWGS limit without
either patching the program file or using undocumented keyboard
commands. Overall, working with text is easier with GW�III because more
menu options (font sizes, character styling, etc.) are available from
the desktop.
Several text translators exist for GW�III, allowing for direct
importation of Teach, AppleWorks Classic, ASCII, and other
word-processing formats. A third-party developer, EGO Systems, has also
released a commercial Rich Text Format (RTF) translator and an AWGS
word-processing translator as well. Meanwhile, an AWGS page-layout
document can only import files created with the AWGS word-processing
module.
The process of flowing of text into a document is more advanced in
GW�III. Text boxes can be created and linked so that an entire text file
spanning several pages can be flowed automatically. In AWGS, text links
from column to column and page to page must be executed manually.
Graphics in GW�III can be precisely manipulated using several of the
commands under the Object pull-down menu. The Object specs command
allows for precise reduction or enlargement of graphics on the page,
although there is some lessening of print quality in a manipulated
object. No such precision handling of graphics is available within AWGS
itself. Also, Apple Preferred Format graphics, as well as MacPaint and
Print Shop�GS graphics, can be imported into GW�III. Graphics imported
into GW�III are automatically scaled for vertical condense. In AWGS,
scaling must be done manually, or by using an undocumented keystroke
qualifier when importing.
Furthermore, there are more options in GW�III for the creation of object
shapes and colors than in AWGS.
The Text Wrap command allows text to flow automatically around objects
in a number of ways, something that can only be accomplished manually in
AWGS.
The GW�III page scrolls automatically when the mouse cursor or pointer
comes into contact with a screen's border. This is a major advantage
over AWGS, which has no autoscrolling capability whatsoever in the
page-layout module.
As usual, Seven Hills offers outstanding documentation. GW�III's
"Getting Started" manual contains a tutorial that takes the new user
through every function of the program. An addendum listing new features
in version�2.0 comes with the upgrade and new program. The AWGS manuals,
on the other hand, are cumbersome, incomplete and often cryptic.
Although the list is short, AppleWorks�GS still has some desirable
features not contained in GW�III.
In AWGS, page guides can be pulled down or in from anywhere on the
rulers and moved by pointing at them and holding down the mouse button
on the page. Page guides in GW�III are pulled only from the top lefthand
corner of the document window, and can only be moved from within the
rulers at top and left side of page screen. A little loss of flexibility
in GW�III.
AWGS default settings are different, and in some cases better, for line
and character space settings. To duplicate AWGS settings, a user must
make manual adjustments periodically during the work session after
importing or creating text. For example, the default character spacing
within GW�III is wider than in any other popular text-creation program
for the IIGS. It must be manually changed by using kerning options in
the Character command under the Style pull-down menu.
AWGS adjusts its palette for proper viewing of color or grayscale
graphics. GW�III does not.
If you're serious about desktop publishing, GW�III�v2.0 surpasses AWGS
in terms of features and workability. Skilled and experienced desktop
publishers won't be handicapped by staying with AWGS. On the other hand,
it's difficult to imagine skilled and experienced desktop publishers not
being tempted to change over to GW�III. They would not be disappointed.
But what about someone just starting out in desktop publishing on the II
GS? Are they better off getting GW III or diving into AWGS.
No contest here. A new user should find GW�III�v2.0 easier to learn and
use because it provides superior documentation, more automated
processes, greater control over graphics, and it uses features of the
most recent system software.
Seven Hills is offering GW�III�v2.0 to new users at an introductory
price of $65 [see the "Special Upgrade Offer" above]. Considering the
potential uses of this power-packed program, it is well worth the price.
(Reprinted with permission from Juiced.GS, a quarterly, printed, IIGS
-specific magazine.)
For more information about Juiced.GS, contact:
Juiced.GS / Max Jones
2217 Lakeview Drive
Sullivan, IN 47882
Email m.jones145@genie.com or juicedgs@delphi.com
For more information about Juiced.GS visit
http://users.ids.net/~kerwood/juiced.gs"; <-end of fair use quote!
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I guess that should give most Apple IIgs users all the information they might
need, concerning the updates and enhancements for Graphic Writer III v2.0.
Hope this info proves usefull to the needs of ALL IIgs users and doesn't ruffle
to many A2 vogon's that it was presented as such on this newsgroup.
Cheers,
Tom