<chapter id="introduction" >
  <title>Introduction</title>
  <para>
    &kapp; is a program that lets you create cross stitch patterns and charts.
    Patterns can be created from scratch on a user defined size of grid, which can be
    enlarged or reduced in size as your pattern progresses.  Alternatively you can
    import images from many graphics formats or scan images using any Sane supported
    scanner.   Both of these options allow you to restrict the conversion to full
    stitches or optionally use fractional stitches.  You may also use an image as a
    background.  These imported images can then be modified using the supplied tools
    to produce your final design.
  </para>
  <para>
    There are many tools to aid designing your pattern, from open and filled rectangles
    and ellipses, filled polygons and lines and backstitching.  Additionally cut, copy
    and paste can be used to duplicate selected areas.  Selected areas can also be
    rotated 90, 180 and 270 degrees anti clockwise, or mirrored horizontally or vertically.
  </para>
  <para>
    There is also a pattern library that can be used to store small and not so small
    portions of patterns that can then be reused in other patterns.  The patterns in these
    library are stored in a hierarchial list that makes it easy to sort and navigate them
    to find the ones you want.  These pattern libraries can also be used as alphabets by assigning
    a character to each one.  By using the Alphabet tool, each key press is searched for in the current
    library and if present, the associated pattern will be inserted in the pattern.
  </para>
  <para>
    Please report any problems or feature requests to the &kapp; SourceForge
    mailing lists or forums at <ulink url="http://kxstitch.sourceforge.net" >http://kxstitch.sourceforge.net</ulink>
  </para>
</chapter>
