Requirements
SetupMenuWriting Messages OptionsCredits

1. Requirements:

In order to run WinpPics you’ll need at least

  • Windows 9*
  • WinPack 6.4
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Virtual Machine 50. (MSVBVM50.DLL)


    2. Setup

    First make sure that the following files reside in the Winppics folder:

  • Winppics.htm
  • Winppics.exe
  • Winppics.gif
  • Logo.gif
  • Winppics.ico
    The programme will (on first start) make empty files of the following (see examples.zip to replace or alter to suit your needs)
  • Header.txt
  • Htmltags.txt
  • Sig.txt

    Make sure you've put the Winppics.xtr file in the WinPack folder.

    To set-up WinpPics choose on first start-up File/Setup/Set Path to WinPack and Personal.


  • Set Path to WinPack. Doubleclick on the WinPack folder and click OK.
  • Personal. Fill in the required fields. Leaving them blank results in strange behaviour of the programme when choosing options like E-Mail or Homepage. At least fill in the AX25 address. The program requires this input to make a correct HTML message.
  • Additional you can choose to edit the Header, signature and HTMLTags textfiles to suit your needs. An example is provided in the Examples.zip.
  • You can also edit Winppics.ini to a certain extend. Don't alter the settings under PROGRAM_DONT_CHANGE
  • You can change the size, color and type of font that you would like to use in the editor by changing the settings under [EDITOR] This will not affect your messages..
  • You can change the settings under [HTML]. This will affect your messages since these are the font-types from which you can choose via the menus.
  • You also can change the settings under [QUOTE]. Before you do this please test the Paste Quoted option first. You'll get a better idea of what settings to change.

    Back to the top


    3. Menu

    Via the WinpPics menu you can almost do everything that you could do with the click of a mouse.. One of the most peculiar things is that WinpPics can't be closed with the X in the upper right corner. This is to make sure that the settings that you provide ar saved (Just don't know how to intercept...) Closing WinpPics can be done via File/Exit.
    When in the editor a popup-menu will appear on right-click. The other options available through the menu are obvious...Well at least I think so. If they are not obvious to you please drop me a line.

    Back to the top


    4. Writing Messages

    To write a message in WinpPics is very easy. Choose either CtrL-M or Edit/Send a Message or right click in the editor field. The write a message window appears.
    Choose an addressee or topic for a bulletin and a title and then click OK.
    Now the editor appears. Choose an appropriate fontsize and fontcolor (use the sliders and then click on the color-tab) Begin typing your message.

    To embed an image simply choose the HTMLIB folder and scroll through the list. Clicking on the thumbnail will import the HTML tag into the editor.

    Remember when using the Center, Bold, Underline or any other HTML-tag for that matter, to end it with the same tag preceeded with a / (e.g. <CENTER> This text will be centered </CENTER> ) In WinpPics this is easy with the pre-defined tags CENTER, BOLD, UNDERLINE & ITALIC. The first time clicked the begin-tag wil be pasted. The color of the tag changes to red to help you remember to close the tag again clicking the same "button".

    Back to the top


    5. Options

    WinpPics allows you to pre-define your own HTML-tags or any other text. See for an example the file HTMLtags.txt in the Examples.zip file. Using Notepad (File/Setup/Edit HTMLtags.txt) this file is easy altered to suit your needs. Remember to use the line feed (Enter/Return) only when finishing your sentence or TAG when editing Htmltags.txt.

    You can alter the files header.txt and Sig.txt to suit your needs also. Remember one thing.....WinpPics will always include header.txt!!!!!!! Sig.txt will only be included when clicked Right-click or CtrL-S or Options/Signature. It is however possible to empty the header.txt. Nothing will be sent.

    To preview the message click Option/Preview or right-click or CtrL-P. The default (system) browser will start and the preview of the message to be sent will appear.

    When you've edited a message but not sent it by clicking the WinpPics icon, the programme will ask you to save the message as Winppics.txt in a folder by your choice. It's possible to recall this message by beginnning to write a message, choosing the addressee and then clicking Edit/Edit a textfile.

    It's possible to copy and paste to and from the clipboard. Try the new function Paste Quoted and read the section about altering WinpPics.ini.

    The tables tag allows you to insert a "simple" table into your message. Clicking on the tags which specify colors will result in a colorpicker-window. Clicking on the selected colortab in this window will paste the appropriate tag to the winppics editor after clicking OK. The same goes for the marquee.

    You can embed background sounds (Midi and Wave) via the menu sounds. Click once on the file you would like to embed it's tag and choose for a pre-hear by clicking the speaker or paste the tag immediately by clicking the pen.

    And last but not least to imbed your E-mail address or homepage URL. (provided in Setup)

    Back to the top


    6. Credits

    OK let's face it. Without the help of other radio-amateurs I would not have been able to write this programme. Thanks to Harm, PD0KOR; Kees, PA3FXI; Jan, PA0OKE ; Allan, G4FJQ and Bas, PE4BAS.

    Thanks to those users who responded and came up with some pretty good suggestions for the programme.

    Have fun using WinpPics Version 1.1.
    73 Rob de PD0RZH

    AX25: PD0RZH@PI8HGL
    The WinpPics home
    E-mail

    Translate this page from