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Publishing TipsThis page contains answers to common questions about publishing with graphics handled by Horse Feathers Graphics technical support staff, along with some tips and tricks that we have found useful.
I talk to new computer users every day who are really confused about what they need to use graphics in a publication. Yes, if you are using graphics within your word processor document you are publishing. To a new computer user stepping into the world of publishing can seem like a nightmare, or it can be easy if you know a few tricks. First of all let's keep it simple. There is usually a program for everything you want to do with a computer. You just need to know the purpose of each type of program.
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A word processor is used for writing the words you need. Graphics can be used with some limitations. Word processor programs usually make poor publishers. Their job is to make writing fast and easy. If you introduce publishing capabilities you lengthen the learning curve and slow down the writing.
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A paint program makes the art, known as clipart or bitmap graphics or raster art. You have a paint program that comes with Windows so working with bitmap graphics costs you nothing extra. You can edit, color, erase parts, add other parts apply filters for effects and more to graphics that you have purchased. You could also draw your art own with a paint program.
A Draw program like CroelDRAW is for working with vector art for super smooth lines and a different look. A drawing program works with nodes and calculates the curve of a line. The draw programs are very expensive.
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A publisher program is where it all comes together. A good publisher program can save you lots of typing time by importing text from any word processor program and importing graphics in just about any graphic format from any paint program. A publisher program will let you do word wrap, a text box over a graphic border and resize a graphic, then place text and graphics where ever you want them. A publisher program is the easiest program to use with borders, water marks and all kinds of fancy stuff.
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There are complicated publishers and easy publishers. We don't sell programs we only sell clipart. The easiest publisher to learn that, we have found so far is Microsoft Publisher 2.0, Microsoft Publisher 97, or Microsoft Publisher 98. They all have Wizards that just do stuff for you. The first time you use the publisher it will give you an introduction screen that shows you step by step how to work with the program. Publisher 97/98 even does home pages and calendars for your news letters. We recommend getting any Microsoft Publisher to learn on, then if you feel you need an expensive publisher you can get an expensive publisher. Doing that will still save you money in the long run.
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Jack of all trades master of none. The program that claims to do everything is usually so complex that we need to go back to school to make it work, and not very user friendly? The best choice is, to keep it simple and have, a user friendly program for each job.
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Windows comes with a very basic word processor program that you can type text into, called Note Pad, Word Pad or Windows Write depending on the version of Windows you have. If you are really going to have fun with your computer you will need a word processor like Word Perfect, Microsoft Word, Word Star, Lotus Word Pro, or what ever word processor you choose. A word processor is not a publisher program. Even Word Perfect that professes to be the answer to a Secretarie's dream as a sutopublisher, cry's for Ventura Publisher to come take over the real tough publishing and graphics handling jobs.
Publisher 97or 98 even does home pages and calendars for your news letters. We recommend getting Microsoft Publisher to learn on, then if you feel you need one you can get an expensive publisher.
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Each artist has his own style so each package you get from different company's is generally going to have a different style graphics for your publishing needs. Western graphics is considered a niche market as most computer stores don't think cowboys should have computers. So the best place to look for western graphics is in your western magazines or on the Internet.
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If you are an artist you could draw what you need on the computer. That takes a Paint program or a Draw program. You can do your drawings by hand then you scan your drawings into the computer with a scanner and yet another program.
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In most Publishers you will see a blank page with a colored line around the edge of the page. You need to keep the graphic within the colored line that is the printable area. The line may be adjusted closer to the edge with some printers but not closer then 1/4 inch to the edge. When the graphic first comes in it is selected. That means it has little black nodes on all four corners as shown in the diagram below. When you move your cursor over the nodes you need to look for your cursor to change, to resize the graphic. The diagram shows the moving van cursor. When the cursor changes press your finger on the mouse and drag the graphic frame to the size and shape you want.
If you double click on a graphic when you are in Windows 95 Explorer you might launch the Microsoft Imager or Paint. These options are not available in those programs, you need a publisher program to gain control of your graphics.
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When you get an error message write it down. That makes it easier for someone to help you to get to the bottom of the problem faster saving you money.
Check to make sure it is on line and has paper in it. Then check the printer cable connections, make sure there is no dust in the connection, make sure you are not running through a switchbox or network. As a last resort try switching cables with someone else in your office to see if you can find one to print.
I had this error message happen to me even when everything else was printing fine. I swapped my printer cable for another (actually I had to go through 3 cables before I found one that worked) and then printed with no problem.
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The HP DeskWriter 500C or DeskJet 550C or 560C prints dark green color in certain areas that should be black. The driver you are using is only accessing the color cartridge, not the black. A combination of all the colors in the color cartridge forms a composite green? Check with HP for a newer driver.
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Some Windows 95 programs are having problems with black and white Bitmap graphics mainly because the video is set to 256 color mode. We suggest that you leave the video mode as it is and change the graphics to 256 color graphics. The graphic will take up more room on the hard drive but will work fine.
Graphics look fine on the page but part of the graphic is flipped when I print it with Print Shop Deluxe.
Same as above again we suggest that you change the graphic to a 256 color graphic with the Windows Paint program. The graphic will take up more room on the hard drive but it should work fine. Here is how you do it. You will find Paint or Paintbrush in your Accessories Group open the paint program. Select [File], select [Open], find the graphic you are having trouble with. Now select [File], select [Save as] and change the graphic's name (I usually add a c to the name) then look for the [Save as file of type] box in the lower left of that screen. Use the arrow down [V] button to find and select [265 Color BMP or Windows Bitmap]
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My guess is you are using Windows 95 and you have a color printer and you are in 256 color mode. That is where we have seen this anomaly happen. Open your Windows Paint program you will find it in the Accessories Group and it is called Paint find the graphic that is giving you the problem and save it as a BMP 256 color graphic. The graphic will take up more space on the hard drive now but it will look fine and print fine.
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Some programs just don't handle black and white bitmap graphics well. Software, video drivers and printer drivers, that are not keeping up with the new technology, can cause graphic problems. Bitmap Graphic abnormalities can some times be your first clue to an existing problem that you did not know you had or an upcoming hardware problem. Graphics are more memory sensitive then text is. Graphics are also video sensitive. You may have no problems with text, yet you can see video problems with the graphics. Some times both graphics and text are affected
1. We had a noisy CPU cooling fan causing graphic problems our computer.
2. Dust bunnies in the computer can also cause graphic problems.
3. Cigarette smoke can cause problems with the internal workings of your computer showing up in your graphics.
4. Smoke from your fire place can also cause problems with the internal workings of your computer showing up in your graphics and floppy disk drives.
5. An out of date Video Driver can cause graphic anomalies. You can call your monitor manufacture or check their site on the net for the latest drivers.
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