Quickstart Ahead Software AG Table of Contents 1 Getting Started 3 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 3 1.2 How This Manual is Organized ............................................................ 3 1.2.1 Notes for the User............................................................................. 4 2 About Cover Designer 5 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 5 2.2 Program Structure................................................................................ 5 2.2.1 Cover Elements ................................................................................ 6 2.2.2 Buttons on the Toolbar...................................................................... 6 3 Auxiliary Aids 3.1 3.2 3.3 7 Ruler .................................................................................................... 7 Guidelines ............................................................................................ 7 Grid ...................................................................................................... 8 4 Settings 9 4.1 Default Settings.................................................................................... 9 4.2 Program Settings ................................................................................. 9 4.2.1 Paper Stocks Selection................................................................... 10 4.2.2 Printer Calibration ........................................................................... 11 5 Create Cover 12 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 12 5.2 Select Cover and CD Type ................................................................ 12 5.3 Booklet Design................................................................................... 14 5.3.1 Booklet (Front) ................................................................................ 14 5.3.2 Booklet (Rear)................................................................................. 17 5.4 Add Document Data........................................................................... 20 5.5 Create Inlay........................................................................................ 22 5.6 Label Design ...................................................................................... 25 6 Document Templates 6.1 6.2 29 Create template ................................................................................. 29 Load or Modify Document Template.................................................. 33 7 Image Editing 7.1 7.2 7.3 35 Introduction ........................................................................................ 35 Using Effects...................................................................................... 35 Fitting to the Frame Size.................................................................... 39 8 Text Block Editing 41 Getting Started · i Quickstart Cover Designer 8.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 41 8.2 'Properties' Window ........................................................................... 42 8.2.1 'Textbox Tab'................................................................................... 42 8.2.2 'Pen' Tab ......................................................................................... 43 8.2.3 'Brush' Tab ...................................................................................... 44 8.2.4 'Image' Tab ..................................................................................... 45 9 Editing Artistic Text 47 9.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 47 9.2 'Properties' Window ........................................................................... 48 9.2.1 'Pen' Tab ......................................................................................... 48 9.2.2 'Brush' Tab ...................................................................................... 49 9.2.3 'Text' Tab ........................................................................................ 50 9.2.4 'Font' Tab ........................................................................................ 51 10 Document Datas 52 10.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 52 10.2 Adding Files and Tracks .................................................................. 52 10.3 Files, Folders and Tracks................................................................. 55 10.3.1 Naming Files and Folders ............................................................. 55 10.3.2 Deleting Files and Folders ............................................................ 56 10.3.3 Naming Tracks.............................................................................. 56 10.3.4 Deleting Tracks ............................................................................. 57 11 Adding Fields 11.1 11.2 58 Introduction ...................................................................................... 58 Adding a Field .................................................................................. 59 12 Index 60 Quickstart Cover Designer Getting Started · ii 1 Getting Started 1.1 Introduction These instructions will show you how to quickly create and design your own CD cover. The program is very comprehensive and powerful, so we will only present the most important features. We will omit some parts of the program or will only touch on them briefly. You will find detailed information about Cover Designer in the online help which you can access at any time by pressing the F1 key. You can also look up current information about Cover Designer on the Internet at www.nero.com. 1.2 How This Manual is Organized This manual contains practical examples for creating various cover elements as well as program reference material. The individual chapters present the following information: Chapter 1 gives you an overview of the manual's structure and familiarizes you with the symbols that are used. Chapter 2 introduces Cover Designer and its cover elements and provides a brief description of the program's structure. Chapter 3 shows you where you can define the appearance of the various cover elements by modifying the default and program settings. It also describes how you select paper stocks and calibrate the printer. Chapter 4 presents various aids that help you create and align objects, for example guidelines. Chapter 5 guides you step by step through the process of creating a CD cover. By following the instructions, you can modify the design of each cover element and compare your results with the illustrations. You will be surprised how easy it is to achieve the results you want. Chapter 6 shows you how to give a uniform appearance to your CD covers by creating and loading document templates and modifying them again as needed. Chapter 7 introduces you to the world of graphics design. You can choose among a seemingly endless range of effects. To round off the topic, we give you examples and information for adapting the image size to the document. Quickstart Cover Designer Getting Started · 3 Chapter 8 presents editing features for text blocks and gives a detailed description of the corresponding 'Textbox', 'Pen', 'Brush' and 'Image' tabs. Chapter 9 presents artistic text design features and provides a detailed description of the corresponding 'Pen', 'Brush', 'Text' and 'Font' tabs. The 'Bent' function is emphasized, which allows you to fit artistic text to the curvature of the CD. Chapter 10 shows you how to add, name or delete files, folders and tracks for you document data. Chapter 11 lets you quickly find the information you want using the index created here. 1.2.1 Notes for the User The following symbols are used in this manual: This symbol means 'warning' or 'caution'. It identifies very important information. Failure to comply with the information leads to undesirable program behavior. This symbol stands for 'useful tip' or 'nice to know'. It indicates important or informative items. Quickstart Cover Designer Getting Started · 4 2 About Cover Designer 2.1 Introduction The Cover Designer was specially created to allow the design and production of CD covers via a userfriendly interface. It is included in some of Ahead software's products and can be initiated by clicking on the respective icon. One of the advantages of integrating the Cover Designer into some of Ahead's products is the ability to automatically create playlists and/or filename lists, thus saving you the annoyance of having to manually type them in. In addition, playlists from external sources (such as FreeDB) can queried/used. When a document is created, the CD type and the number of disks included is defined. All corresponding cover elements appear at the lower frame of the screen. You can activate them by clicking on the appropriate tab. If all cover elements have been processed, the cover is finished and can be printed. A variety of functions is available to the user: Create new graphics Import graphics using a scanner Add existing graphics Define graphics as background images Edit graphics Deform graphics using special effects Add text Format text Add fields 2.2 Program Structure The structure of Cover Designer conforms to standard Windows conventions: a menu bar, various icon bars and a status bar. The workspace of Cover Designer displays the cover element selected, which you can format using text and/or image elements. The most important aid to use when designing cover elements is the toolbar at the lower frame of the screen. Quickstart Cover Designer About Cover Designer · 5 2.2.1 Cover Elements A CD cover includes the following elements: Booklet (front): front side of the title insert Booklet (Rear): back side of the title insert Inlay: back side of the CD as inlay in the CD case Disk: designation of a sticker (label) in the shape of a CD 2.2.2 Buttons on the Toolbar The table below provides you with a quick overview of the most important buttons in Cover Designer. The buttons on the toolbar have the following functions: Selection tool to mark objects Line tool to draw lines Rectangle tool to draw rectangles and squares Oval tool to draw ellipses and circles Text box tool to insert a text box. Double click to open a window for text entry (block of text) Artistic text tool to insert artistic text Track list tool to insert a track list for audio CDs Directory tool to insert a directory for data CDs Image tool to insert saved images Field tool to insert fields, such as title, artist, number of tracks, playing time. Quickstart Cover Designer About Cover Designer · 6 3 Auxiliary Aids 3.1 Ruler The ruler, which appears at the left upper side of the application window, makes it easier to set the size and position of objects. The ruler is displayed by default. If it is not displayed, you can make it visible using the 'Ruler' item on the 'View' menu. 3.2 Guidelines Guidelines are lines that help you align objects. They can be either horizontal or vertical. 1. Select 'Guidelines' from the 'View' menu. 2. Enter the desired (horizontal or vertical) position and click on the 'Add' button. 3. Repeat the entry for each additional reference line. Quickstart Cover Designer Auxiliary Aids · 7 4. Click on the 'OK' button to close the window. The reference lines you have created are identified by a dotted red line. If 'Snap to guidelines' is active, objects are automatically aligned to the guidelines when they are moved or drawn near the lines. 3.3 Grid In a way similar to guidelines, the grid helps you align objects. The grid is a row of dots with uniform horizontal and vertical spacing. 1. Select the 'Set grid' command on the 'View' menu. 2. Enter the horizontal and vertical grid spacing you want. 3. Click on the 'OK' button to close the window. The grid is then displayed. If 'Snap to grid' is active, objects are automatically aligned to the grid when they are moved or drawn near the lines. Quickstart Cover Designer Auxiliary Aids · 8 4 Settings 4.1 Default Settings Default settings define the appearance of various elements of Cover Designer. Use 'Default settings' on the 'File' menu to display and modify default settings. Pen: Defines the width and color of the pen. Brush: Defines the style and the selection of foreground and background colors. Font: Defines the font, style, size and display type. Field: Defines various field functions, such as alignment and number format. Directory: Defines the appearance of the directory tool. Tracks: Defines the appearance of the track tool. 4.2 Program Settings Program settings define the appearance of various Cover ...