Sorcerer Software Users Newsletter Issue 0502 Happy New Year!!! Welcome to our users newsletter, covering the latest updates, tips and user questions about our software programs. If you have an issue or question you would like to see addressed in a future newsletter, either by me or by your fellow users, please email me and I'll include it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January-February, 2005 CONTENTS: 1. Bugs and Program Errors 1. The Abacus 2. Envelope Printer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Occasionally I get an urgent message from a user telling me that something went wrong with the program. sometimes I receive a detailed description of the problem, such as: Other times I get an email of totally useless "information" along the lines of: "The program crashed and left a smelly object on my desk." Obivously the first response is much more helpful if I am to figure out what is wrong and how we can fix it. In a nutshell, here are the basics (the Big Three) of what I need to know: 1. Steps to reproduce, 2. What you expected to see, and 3. What you saw instead. And of course, I need to know which of our software products you are using. Thanks for your help! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Abacus http://www.TheAbacus.biz Judi from the OC writes: "My computer crashed when SBC lost connection and I lost my Abacus program. Do I have to re-purchase this program from you or can I get it replaced gratis?" Our policy on this question applies not just to Abacus (and in fact both versions of Abacus), but to all of our software programs. Here is the policy: If you lose your copy of Abacus, such as due to a computer crash, virus, etc., you can download a new copy of the program from our web site and install it on your computer free of charge. All you need to do is download the free trial version from our web site (just as you probably did originally), and email me with your name or email address and the year you bought the Abacus. I will then look up your unlock code and email it back to you. Then you enter it into your copy of Abacus (I will include instructions in my email) and you're back in business. Yes, we are in the business of selling the Abacus, but we want to have satisfied customers. To do this we try to offer as much personal support as you need and by guaranteeing that your Abacus (at least the version you buy) is good for life or until I retire to some island in the south Pacific. In return, we ask that you: - pay for all versions of Abacus that you use; - refer to the Abacus help files on your computer, which are located in your Abacus folder ("c:\abacus") when you have questions; and - utilize online help at the MT Daily web site message board: http://www.mtdaily/mb38. And of course, we are always available by email. The current version 3.0 Abacus build is 040915. If you have an earlier build of version 3.0, you may want to download and upgrade to this build. This is the Word "add-in" version. To get your Abacus version and build number, start Abacus and click on the copyright message at the bottom of the main screen. The current Abacus SE build is 040623. If you have an earlier build of Abacus SE, you may want to download and upgrade to this build. This is the freestanding version. To get your build number, start Abacus and click on "Help->About". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Envelope Printer http://www.sorcerersoftware.com/envelope.htm I have been asked to review the technique of putting a bitmap image (*.bmp file) on an envelope. I described this in an earlier newsletter, so for the benefit of our newer readers I have repeated it here: To place a BMP image on your envelope, you must first select an image using the Envelope Options screen ("Options->Envelope"). In the lower right section of this screen, select the image you want to use by clicking on the "Add Image" button. Then check the "Display image" box so the program knows that it's supposed to show the image on your envelope. Click on "OK". Now if you click on the Print Preview button ("Print->Print Preview"), you will see your image next to the return address. To move it just grab it with the mouse, hold the left mouse button down, and drag it to its new location. Then release the mouse button. To resize the image, place the mouse cursor over the right or the bottom margin of the image, press the left mouse button, and drag again. Release the mouse button when the image is resized to meet your needs. You're now ready to print. If you want to save the image, its size and its position, click on the image "Save" selection. You will find this in gray text underneath the stamp on the Print Preview screen. If you move the mouse down from the stamp toward the bottom of the Print Preview screen, you will highlight the "Print", "Save", "Refresh", and "Reset" options. The Print option will print the envelope as you have it configured. (The Refresh option will update the screen. The Reset option places the image back to its original position and size next to the return address.) To then save this reset image position, click on "Save". If you do elect to "Save", the image, its size and its position will apply the next time you start the program. The current Envelope Printer build is 041026 of version 7.0. If you have an earlier build or version, you may want to download and upgrade to this build. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's all, folks. Look for our next newsletter in about a month. Or maybe two... -- Bill bill@sorcerersoftware.com Sorcerer Software http://www.sorcerersoftware.com To read all the old newsletters, go to: http://www.sorcerersoftware.com/archives.htm To be removed from our mailing list, send me an email with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.