This is a very brief introduction to IRIS Showcase for the Indys, concentrating on the basics of image development and text. The objective is to allow you an easy start with Showcase to create images to be published on the Web. Version 0.5, created on March 19, 1996.
The drawing window is where the images will be developed. The Master Gizmo (and other Gizmos) are the tools to allow you to develop the images. There are two main Gizmos: (a) the Master Gizmo that has the tools for 2D text and images, and (b) the 3D Gizmo, that has the tools for 3D text and images. The other Gizmos are not included in this tutorial.
You will be able to learn to how use Showcase in details by using the Help menu on the showcase drawing window. I suggest you begin by selecting Creating and Editing 2D graphics, then select the item Drawing 2D objects, as shown below and read how to create rectangles, circles, etc.
A thing that seems to confuse beginners is that 2D objects are normally created unfilled (do not have a color or pattern connected to the inside of the drawing). In order to make it filled select Edit, Make filled in the Master Gizmo. Then you can change the color and pattern of the fill. Of course from the master Gizmo you can change color, style and thickness of the lines, too.
Note: Those of you intending to use the images created in Showcase on the Web should save the images created as EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), for Showcase does not allow direct conversion to gif. You should use, later, xv to crop, edit, and convert the images to gif (see item 4 of this tutorial).
. Create a 3D Container (a wireframe to draw the 3D) for the text by clicking on the wireframe after Create (on the topmost, rightmost area of the 3D Gizmo). Move your mouse to the drawing window click where you want to start the text, drag the mouse to define the end of the area for text, and release the mouse -- the wireframe will appear in the drawing window. Click on the big L at the right, bottom side of the 3D Gizmo. Click inside the wireframe you just created, and start typing text, click again out of the wireframe to end entering text. After you create the text you can drag it inside the wireframe at your will, to move it . If the text falls outside of the wireframe it will not be seen. This is an example of text inside the wireframe:
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Create a 3D Container (a wireframe to draw the 3D) for the image clicking on the wireframe after Create , and move your mouse to the drawing window click where you want to start the text, drag the mouse to define the end of the area for the image, and release the mouse -- the wireframe will appear in the drawing window, just like you did for text.
You can now select any of the models at the right, bottom side of the 3D Gizmo to place in the drawing window, by clicking and draging. You should read from Help Working with 3DModels: A sample Session and proceed from there. More advanced knowledge is introduced in Creating a Container to Hold the 3D Models, and from there you can learn how to make simple (cubes, cylinders,spheres and cones), tube-shaped and beveled models. What you see below is an example of 3D text and sphere poorly renderized (finished).
Left click on the topmost, leftmost point of the area of the image you want to keep and drag to enclose the area you want to keep. Select crop in the xvcontrols, then select save, and select gif. You are done.
This page is maintained by Al Bento who can be reached at abento@ubmail.ubalt.edu. This page was last updated on March 19, 1996. Although we will attempt to keep this information accurate, we can not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.