ReadMe File for

XShop(C) CopyLeft Bill Buckels 1991-1999
All Rights Reversed.

Version 2.0 Last Release

Program Description
-------------------

XShop is a simple "Old PrintShop" Graphics Utility Program that allows
you convert back and forth between "Old PrintShop" ClipArt (.DAT and
.NAM Files), "New PrintShop" ClipArt (.POG and .PNM Files) and "Old
PrintMaster" ClipArt (.SHP and .SDR Files).

The following 6 conversions are provided:

"OLD PRINTSHOP to NEW PRINTSHOP" (.DAT to .POG)
"NEW PRINTSHOP to OLD PRINTSHOP" (.POG to .DAT)
"PRINTMASTER to NEW PRINTSHOP"   (.SHP to .POG)
"NEW PRINTSHOP to PRINTMASTER"   (.POG to .SHP)
"PRINTMASTER to OLD PRINTSHOP"   (.SHP to .DAT)
"OLD PRINTSHOP to PRINTMASTER"   (.DAT to .SHP)

XShop is distributed as FreeWare with Open Source.

Even though XShop is an older DOS program, it is a good companion
utility to the ClipShop Windows program. Old Printshop Graphics
libraries created in ClipShop can be converted to the other two formats
supported by XShop, to be used by their respective DOS programs ("The
New PrintShop" and "PrintMaster").

Installing and Running XShop
----------------------------

Install XShop by "UNZIPPING" XShop.ZIP complete with pathnames to the
drive of your choice. If you decide to install XShop to Drive C:, XShop
will be installed into the directory C:\XShop.

Start XShop in Dos by typing XShop.Exe.
Start XShop in Windows by clicking on XShop.Exe.

Description (Taken From XShop Program Help)
-------------------------------------------

In order to use the DAT files that XSHOP creates with the 1985 IBM
version of Printshop(tm), put the DAT file and its NAM file on-floppy.
When Printshop(tm) gives the user a choice to "SELECT A GRAPHIC", one of
the options is "FROM DISK". This option is selected and Printshop then
prompts the user to put the DATA DISK into the disk drive.

The NEW Printshop(c) works much the same way, and the POG file and its
PNM file are required rather than the DAT file and the NAM file.

The DAT and NAM files and POG and PNM files that are used with this
program must be prefaced with the two letters GR.

Since I am not too familiar with Printmaster(tm) I was able to perform
only the most rudimentary compatibility tests with my samples, which
were limited to SHP files of 88 pixels in width by 52 rasters in length.
The Printmaster(tm) SHP file format allows for variable size graphics.

The same holds true for the new Printshop(tm) Format which I do not
attempt to convert except for files with the POG extension. The Files
That I Handle are The Same Format To Which The NEW Printshop(tm) Convert
Utility Changes the Original Printshop(tm) Graphics.

Additional Files
----------------

XShop comes with an "Old Printshop" Sample Graphics Library called
GRPSCOMP.DAT. The GRPSCOMP.DAT file will be installed into the same
directory as XShop (i.e. C:\XShop).

When you start XShop, use the "OLD PRINTSHOP to NEW PRINTSHOP" or "OLD
PRINTSHOP to PRINTMASTER" Command to convert the the GRPSCOMP.DAT file
to one of the other formats supported. You will need to use an external
viewer (Like Clipshop) to view these, since XShop's only purpose is to
convert rather than to view.

Additional picture libraries in "Old Printshop" format are available for
downloading at "The ClipShop Connection" on the Teacher's Choice
WebSite:

http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels/kidstuff/

Licence Agreement
-----------------
XShop(C) CopyLeft Bill Buckels 1991-1999.
All Rights Reversed.

XShop is distributed as FreeWare with Open Source.

You have a royalty-free right to use, modify, reproduce and distribute
this program and its source code and associated files in any way you
find useful, provided that you agree that Bill Buckels has no warranty
obligations or liability resulting from said distribution in any way
whatsoever. If you don't agree, remove XShop.Exe and all associated
files from your computer now.

Bill Buckels
589 Oxford Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3M 3J2

Email: bbuckels@escape.ca
WebSite: http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels

XShop is not a derivative work of any other author and is the exclusive
property of Bill Buckels (the author). All methods are the product of
work and study by the author. The Sample Graphics were created by the
author from content thought to be in the public domain.

The Following Products are Registered TradeMarks of Their Various
Publishers

Print Master (Now from The Learning Company)
The Print Shop (Now from The Learning Company)

File Formats Etc.
-----------------

ClipArt Library File Formats Revealed

All the Library File Formats supported by XShop are proprietary
unpublished formats, but are very simple to figure-out. These Library
File Formats all contain multiple graphics images, and text descriptions
for each image in seperate matching files.

The 3 - Library File Formats supported by XShop are the 88 pixels wide X
52 rasters high UNCOMPRESSED .DAT, .POG, and .SHP files ("Old
PrintShop", "New PrintShop", and "Old PrintMaster" graphics formats).
There is not much different between these formats, except that the .POG
and .SHP files each have some extra information mixed in with the
graphics, and the .DAT file is raw. Other than that, they are all
identical.

These are really "File Pairs". Each file also has a matching caption
file of descriptions of the graphics that must be kept synchronized with
the graphics file. These files are .NAM (name) , .PNM (printshop name),
and .SDR (shape header) files and correspond with their partner files;
.DAT (data), .POG (printshop old graphics), and .SHP (shape) files.

The technical details of reading these files is already included in the
XShop Source Code, which is distributed with XShop. Please refer to the
source code for additional details if you are so inclined.

Other Technical Drivel
----------------------

If you didn't get a copy of the source code with XShop, visit the
Teacher's Choice Website at http://www.escape.ca/~bbuckels/kidstuff and
get the latest version complete with source.

XShop is written in Mix Power C. Although the code in this program is
sparsely commented, it is quite simple and you shouldn't have much
trouble reading it.

End of ReadMe
