JavE - Java ASCII Editor Documentation
Author: Markus Gebhard

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# JavE - Documentation

[Online version of this document]

You can use this software free of charge.
However if you find this tool useful you can make me happy by sending a nice postcard (no virtual ones please!):

    .--------------------------------------.
    |  ._                       /\/\/\/\   |
    |    `--..                 <50c     >  |
    |  -..__                   <  O  O  >  |
    |..        .               <   ()   >  |
    |_   '--._  `'-..          < `.__.' >  |
    | `-.__   `-                \/\/\/\/   |
    | .    ' ..    -..  |                  |
    |  `-.  _  `-.      | Markus Gebhard   |
    | --._   `-.    `-- | Ackerstrasse 8   |
    | _  '' .._  ''' ,  | D-92708 Mantel   |
    |  `.      `      ' | GERMANY          |
    `--------------------------------------'

The more postcards I receive the more often I will bring out new releases :-)

NOTE: At the moment there is no documentation available for all the tools in JavE. After you have managed to start the program I recommend going through the tutorial to figure out how to use the program.

## Documentation on demand

You need explanation for a specific feature or tool in JavE? - Just ask me: markus@jave.de - I will write detailed documentation about that part and add it here.

## Table of contents

- Detailed Installation instructions
- FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
- The first tutorial - creating Ascii Art with JavE
- A tutorial from Joris Bellenger: The Grayscale Girl
- FIGlet font export assistant
- JavE image2ascii commandline utility NEW!
- Syntax for the Mathematical Expressions Editor
- Uninstallation
- JavE files and folders
- version history
- Warranty Disclaimer/License (End User License Agreement)
- Misc. Additional information

## Contact

For questions, comments and bug reports feel free to write to:

markus@jave.de

Further informations, updates, etc.:

http://www.jave.de

Markus Gebhard, December 2001

## Installation instructions

1. As you can read this documentation you already should have downloaded the JavE ZIP-File from http://www.jave.de and unziped it to a new folder (you can use separate folders to install different versions of JavE).
2. If there is no Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed to your system, download it from http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/jre/ and follow the installation instructions.

   Any JRE Java version 1.1 or greater should work.

   You only have to do that once and will be able to run any Java application from then on.

   (If you are not sure whether you already have the JRE or not, just follow the next steps. If you can not start JavE then just install the JRE as described above and try it again)

3. What comes next depends on the operating system you are using:
   - Windows 95/98/ME/NT...:
     You should now be able to launch JavE by double clicking onto the jave2.jar-File in the JavE folder.

     You can add a link to your desktop or the start menu (drag and drop the jar file with the right mouse button). There is also I nice icon available in the JavE folder: icon.ico

   - Linux, Solaris:
     (Note: On Linux it is sometimes recommended to rather install IBMs JRE from http://www.ibm.com/java/jdk )

     jave4.jar is an executable Java Archive. With an up to date JRE you should be able to start the application from the command line using this command: `java -jar jave4.jar`

     However if this does not work you have to put jave4.jar on your java class path and start JavE by calling: `java de.jave.jave.Jave`

   - Mac with Mac OS 8.1 or later:
     If there is no Macintosh Runtime Environment for Java (MRJ) installed to your system, download it from http://developer.apple.com/java/download.html and follow the installation instructions. Current release is Mac OS Runtime for Java (MRJ) 2.2.5

     For some versions of JavE there is a launcher available for download. Check the download site at http://www.jave.de. If there is none available for the current version, you will have to do the following:

     You will need JBindery. It is not included in MRJ but contained in a separate piece of Software called MRJ Software Development Kit ("SDK") which must be downloaded and installed separately. SDK can as well be found at http://developer.apple.com/java/download.html. Current release is MRJ Software Development Kit (SDK) 2.2

     Drop the file `jave4.jar` onto JBindery In the classname field type "`de.jave.jave.Jave`" with precisely that case.

     Choose Save Settings... When the save dialog box appears, name the file JavEApp (or any other name you want) and save it. Make sure the Save as Application checkbox is checked. The resulting file is the packaged Java application.

     You can double-click on the icon to launch it.

     Note: I do not have access to a Mac, so I am not able to check if it all works. If you have more information, bug reports etc. feel free to post them to markus@jave.de.

   - Other operating systems:
     JavE should work on any system with a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.1 or greater installed.

     For launching JavE have a look at the platform specific documentation for you JRE. This information should help you:

     - The application is in the JAR-File jave4.jar.
     - The main class is de.jave.jave.Jave
     - There should be no other options needed to start it

If you have further information for the installation on a particular operating system please post it to markus@jave.de.

## Uninstallation

Uninstallation of JavE is simple: Just delete the contents of the folder you installed JavE to and all its subfolders - that's all.

There are no other files modified on your system (except for the ones you have edited with JavE).

For uninstallation of the Java Runtime Environment have a look at the documentation that came with it.

## JavE files and folders

      /jave4.jar                Jave Executable JAR
      /readme.txt
      /docs/*.*                 documentation
      /demos/*.*                a few demonstration files
      /icon.ico                 icon
      /icon.bmp                 icon
      /icon.gif                 icon
      /clipart/*.jcf            Clipart Files
      /fonts/*.flf              Figlet fonts
      /fonts/categories.txt     categorisation file for figlet fonts
      /pattern/pattern.jcf      Patterns for fill tool
      /config/gradients.txt     Gradients for fill tool, image2ascii, etc.
      /config/convert.txt       Rules for the generic algorithms
      /config/convert_thick.txt Rules for the generic algorithms
      /config/repair.txt        Rules for repair tool
      /config/mix.txt           Rules for mixing characters
      /config/general.txt       Rules and options for misc algorithms
      /config/fonts.cgf         List of all fonts that have been tested with JavE
      /tmp/*.*                  Logfiles for crash recovery, other temporary files

## Additional information

- There is an icon available (for links to the jar-file on the desktop). It is included with this archive: icon.gif (icon.ico, icon.bmp)
- On some systems (Linux, Solaris) you will discover some debug messages on the shell, e.g.:

      Font specified in font.properties not found [-urw-itc
      zapfdingbats-medium-r-normal--*-%d-*-*-p-*-sun-fontspecific]
        ...
      Warning: Cannot convert string "Escape,_Key_Cancel" to type
      VirtualBinding
        ...

  Those messages are warnings by the Java Virtual Machine. Please ignore them. Unfortunately I do not know how to turn them off.

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