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EasyPrint (Version 2.03)                              	   ReadMe
Copyright (c) 2000 Gil Shalit                              July 2000

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                              CONTENTS
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This README file describes EasyPrint version 2.  The following topics are discussed:

 * About EasyPrint 
 * About this version
 * How to use EasyPrint
*  Documentation
 * Installing/Uninstalling EasyPrint
*  Contact  / How to get the final release

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                           ABOUT EasyPrint
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EasyPrint is a lightweight ActiveX control designed to end Visual Basics' "PrintForm Blues".  Put this small control on your form and you will be able to print any size of picture with all the controls, texts, colors and every other graphical element you put on the picture.  This is PrintForm the way it was supposed to work!  No more clipped parts of the picture not printing, no more child controls leaving a blank square on your printer output.  

What if your picture is larger then the printers' page?  Easy!  EasyPrint will give you the option to either print it on the required number of pages or shrink it to any size, with or without it's original proportions!

EasyPrint makes full preview easy to implement.  You have access to the output for each page in the print job, so you can display them any way you like - multi page, one page at a time, zoomed - you're the boss here.

EasyPrint gives you access to every printers' properties dialog, so your users will be able to change orientation, select paper size etc. directly from your application.  And then preview the changes...

Some of the other features EasyPrint will enable YOUR applications to implement include:  
- Set different margins on each side of the page.  Use either inches or centimeters as units.  
- Set captions for headers and / or footers on each page, with full control over alignment, font, color, size and style.  
- Send picture to the printer as one job or as one page  per print job, for those times when the printer chokes on a large job.
- Print individual pages.

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                           About this version
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This is version 2.03 of the EasyPrint ActiveX control.  After downloading this package you will be able to install the shareware version of EasyPrint which is full featured.  You are free to use it for 30 days for evaluation only.  No commercial use is allowed with this version.

To purchase the commercial version of EasyPrint, go to the EasyPrint web site where  you will be guided through the secure online (or offline)  process.  See below in Registering EasyPrint for details.  After completing the purchase process you will receive a registration code which will unlock the time limit and eliminate the "Unregistered" notice EasyPrint displays, allowing you to distribute your projects with the EasyPrint OCX.

New in this version:
* Full Preview capabilities
* Full control over the printer properties
* Margins and header and footer captions
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                           How to use EasyPrint
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For full documentation see the help file available with control.  Here is a primer intended for introductory purposes.

EasyPrint works with PictureBoxes only.  This is not really a constraint as you can draw on a picture, put other graphical controls on it, load a picture as a background etc.  Putting your graphics on a PictureBox has the distinct advantage that PictureBoxes can be larger then the screen, while forms can't.

After creating you graphical application and having a PictureBox which acts as a canvas for all your graphics, there are several ways you can use EasyPrint.  Here are the three main options:
1) Put an EasyPrint control on your form.  Set the EasyPrint.PictureSource property to your PictureBox at runtime (after creating your graphics) and have a MenuItem or button activate the EasyPrint.epPrint procedure.  This is all you need for your (possibly huge and complex) PictureBox to be printed on the default printer, on the correct number of pages required for the job!
2) Put an EasyPrint control on your form.  Add my frmPreview and frmPrintSetup forms to your project and make a tiny code adjustment in each (see the Form_Load event code of each form for details).  Set the EasyPrint.PictureSource property to your PictureBox at runtime and have a MenuItem or button show either the frmPreview or frmPrintSetup forms.  You now have an application with full print preview and printer setup capabilities!
3) Follow the steps in (2)  and then start making changes, improvements and adjustments to the way I've implemented EasyPrint in my demo program.  Make it work for you the way you want it to!  If you like this approach, you might want to put the frmPreview and frmPrintSetup forms in your Template folder so you can click for a new form and get PrintSetup and Preview as options.

IMPORTANT:  You must set the EasyPrint.PictureSource property to your PictureBox at runtime AFTER you have created all your graphics the way you want them to print.  Any changes you make after setting PictureSource will not be reflected in the printed output or in the preview pictures.

Also IMPORTANT :  Some graphical controls will not  show on your preview nor will they be printed (case in point  - Microsoft MSChart).  This is where some of the other printing systems on the market fail - but not EasyPrint!  If you want such a control to be printed  you need to add it with the EasyPrint.AddControls routine, after setting PictureSource.  See the demo for details.

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                           Documentation
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All the properties and procedures of EasyPrint have descriptions you can view with the object browser (press F2).

Read Manual.doc or Manual.htm which the installation file places in the application forlder (default: "c:\Program Files\EasyPrint Demo").  The manual is a full and complete description of the EasyPrint capabilities and methods for implementation, as well as a description of the demo program.

The demo program is well documented and I have made an effort to demonstrate using all of the EasyPrint features, so you should be able to find your way around.  If you are having trouble see the contact section below.

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                           Installing / Uninstalling EasyPrint
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The EasyPrint distribution file (ep203.zip) contains a simple installation program (setup.exe) which will install the EasyP.OCX shareware version in the system directory.  The demo program source code and the documentation will be installed in "C:\Program Files\EasyPrint Demo", or a folder of your choice.  A Start menu group will be added to your system with entries for the demo program, the demo project source files, the manual and the registering utility.

After purchasing EasyPrint you will receive a registration code by Email.  Run the registration utility (make sure Visual Basic is not running and nor is any other program which uses EasyP.ocx).  Enter the registration code when prompted.  This will install the commercial version of EasyPrint which you are free to distribute in your applications.  You may not distribute the distribution file and registration code.

Uninstalling the whole package is easy through the control panel's "Add/Remove Programs" applet.
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                            Contacts / How to get the commercial version
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For information and updates go to the EasyPrint web site at:
http://www.visual-basic-solutions.com/easyprint/

For the commercial version go to:
http://www.visual-basic-solutions.com/easyprint/register.htm

If you have not done so yet, send me an email at:
mailto:EasyPrint@visual-basic-solutions.com so I can let you know of updates and new releases.

The same address can be used for general questions, requests for support and bug reports!

If you rather use the Fax here are the numbers:
	In the US:  603-658-8847
	In the UK: 0870-167-9445

Registering EasyPrint is easy through the web site.  Credit cards are accepted on and offline or you can pay by check.  The commercial version is available for download or you can order CD delivery .  The commercial version sells for under $US 100.
