FRACTAL DESIGN PAINTER(R) 4.0 WINDOWS * READ ME THANKS! Thank you for purchasing Fractal Design Painter 4. We've worked hard to create this new version. We hope you enjoy it! This READ ME file contains late-breaking information on Painter 4.0. Please read the QuickStart Guide for installation instructions. Be sure to register, fill out and mail your Painter registration card so Fractal Design can let you know about the latest changes and improvements to the program. Registering entitles you to free technical support, our Gallery newsletter, product updates and special offers. IMPORTANT NOTES Windows 95 Issues: Painter 4 includes 2 separate versions of Painter: a 16-bit Windows 3.1 application and a 32-bit native Windows 95 application. We believe creating 2 applications is the best way to optimize the performance of Painter for each environment, and the experience of our users. Painter 4 uses a "smart" installer which automatically installs the appropriate version of Painter depending on the version of Windows you are running. There are some special considerations you should keep in mind when running 3rd party plug-ins under these two environments. Like application programs, all plug-ins must be written to work in a 16-bit or 32-bit operating environment. These plug-ins include acquire and export plug-ins such as scanner plug-ins, and filter plug-ins such as Kai's Power Tools and Adobe Gallery Effects. You must use the appropriate version of these plug-ins with the version of Painter you are running. You should use 16-bit plug-ins with the Windows 3.1 version of Painter and 32-bit plug-ins with the Windows 95 version of Painter. Contact your plug-in vendor to make sure that you are using the appropriate version of their plug-in with the version of Windows that you are running. The 16-bit version supports 16-bit TWAIN plug-ins, but 32-bit TWAIN is not implemented in the 32-bit version. If you need to be able to access 16-bit plug-ins, then you may manually copy the 16-bit Painter executables from your CD-ROM to your Painter 4 directory on your hard drive. From a MS-DOS shell running in your Painter 4 directory invoke the batch file ADD16BIT with the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive. For example, if your Painter 4 directory is C:\PAINTER4 and your CD-ROM is drive D: you would enter as follows... C:>cd C:\PAINTER4 C:\PAINTER4>add16bit D: Next create a shortcut to PAINTER4.EXE. You may alternate between the 16-bit and 32-bit versions as needed, but do not attempt to run them both at once. Net Painter does not work with 16-bit Painter. When accessing the Color Picker from a dialog, be sure to single click the color square. Otherwise the Color Picker will be displayed wrong and you will need to cancel it and try again. Mosaic: The Fill Selection option in the Mosaics dialog works well for circles and ovals, but is often not able to totally fill arbitrary selections. Net Painter: * Net Painter does not work on Windows 3.1 systems. You need Windows 95 in order to use Net Painter. * When sharing files on the network, first copy the file to your Network Folder. When you have the Green Light, then do Send File on Net to put it on everyone else's Network Folder. Then it can be used by everyone, regardless of who has the Green Light. * When receiving files over the network, Net Painter does not display a progress dialog. Be sure to let the receivers know to expect a file before you send it, by using the chat window. * If you are using Net Painter, be sure to set the same number of Undo levels on all machines. Also, when using Shapes with Net Painter, be sure to have the same Shapes preferences set. This will also prevent inconsistencies. * Net Painter does not handle low disk space well. Be sure all sites on the network ring have ample space to receive network transmitted files before starting a Net Painter session. * If you make a gradation edit, save it before using. Otherwise the current script and Net Painter will not work properly. * Frame Stacks don't work at all with Net Painter and can cause fatal errors that abort the network ring. Avoid this feature during Net Painter sessions. * The "Clone Source" Menu in the File Menu isn't supported by Net Painter. The Clone command in the File Menu IS supported by Net Painter. * All users should be using "default" libraries (Patterns, Nozzles, etc.) when a Net Painter session is started. The person with the green light can then change libraries if desired. * Recorded Brush Strokes are not transmitted in Net Painter. * Do not use the Ctrl-D command from the keyboard when digitizing with the Shapes Pen Tool, it is not sent over Net Painter properly. * When sending image files or Painter library files on the Network in a mixed Macintosh and Windows group; the Macintosh users MUST name their files with Windows extensions. Note the filenames may be as long as 27 characters [Mac limit of 31 less 4 for period and extension]. Photoshop 3.0: Imported Photoshop 3.0 files with hidden layers become visible floaters in Painter 4. You must manually hide them again. EPS Clipping Paths: In the EPS Save Options dialog box, the option to save the current selection as a clipping path has been disabled. This option is not available in Painter 4. Extra Brushes: These are three very cool brush libraries that we've included with Painter 4. They are installed when you install Painter 4. The first time you load any one of these brushes, there will be a slight delay while Painter builds the brush variant. The next time you load the brush, it will load much faster. Frame Stacks: * When using Frame Stacks, make sure there is adequate disk space available, especially when importing AVI movies. * Creating a large Frame Stack could take a long time and can't be aborted. Check parameters carefully before you create one. * Shapes do not automatically drop when the frame is advanced in a Frame Stack. * Frame Stack Erase Frame erases to white, not the current paper color. * If two Frame Stacks are set up for clone tracing, advancing the top frame stack does not advance the clone source frame stack. * If using the "Save Frames on Playback" option with scripts and Frame Stacks: Undo doesn't work, and long brush strokes [long enough to span frames] do not work correctly. HOW TO CONTACT TECHNICAL SUPPORT Technical support is free of charge to registered users. Please have your registration number handy when contacting Fractal. When contacting us by phone, it is most helpful to be calling from the computer where you need support. This way we can work with you to solve the problem or demonstrate a particular function of the software. To get support on-line or to just exchange tips, you can use the Internet to contact Fractal Design. (408) 688-8800 Hours: 8am-5pm (PST), Monday-Friday Internet: Macintosh: mac_support@fractal.com Internet: Windows: win_support@fractal.com ------------------------------------- (c) 1995 Fractal Design Corporation, all rights reserved. Painter and Natural Media are registered trademarks and Image Hose is a trademark of Fractal Design Corporation. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Fractal Design Painter is covered by U.S. Patent 5347620. Patent pending. JPEG implementation based on work of the Independent JPEG Group.