305 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
305 lines
14 KiB
Plaintext
Readme file for the JPEG Component Library version 1.5
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=======================================================
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This file contains documentation for the JPEG Component Library by MWA Software.
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This version is for Borland C++Builder 3.0. Versions for Delphi 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and
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4.0, and C++Builder 1 are also available. For further information please contact
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MWA Software -
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mailto:sales@mwassocs.demon.co.uk.
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http://www.demon.co.uk/mwa-soft
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ONLINE HELP IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE FILE mwjpeg.hlp.
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This file contains the following information:
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1. ABOUT THE COMPONENT LIBRARY
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2. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
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3. USING THE JPEG DEMO APPLICATION
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4. PRELIMINARY SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION
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5. PRICING INFORMATION
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6. HOW TO REGISTRATION
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7. SECURE REGISTRATION
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1. ABOUT THE COMPONENT LIBRARY
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==============================
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The JPEG Component Library provides two additional non-visual components for use
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under either Delphi 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and C++Builder 1 and 3. It also provides a Data
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Aware JPEG Image component which may be used to save and access JPEG encoded
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images in a database blob field. A corresponding printable component is also
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provided so that you may print images from a database using Quick Reports.
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This file contains the C++Builder 3 version. Please access
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http://www.demon.co.uk/mwa-soft for the remaining versions.
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The two non-visual components are TJPEGFileCompressor and TJPEGFileDecompressor.
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These support compression of images to JPEG Format and decompression respectively.
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The data aware component is TDBJPEGImage, and the printable component is
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TQRDBJPEGImage.
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Simply installing these components JPEG enables the Delphi IDE. The components
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register themselves as supporting .jpg files and the JPEG compression format and,
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when you come to load an image into a TImage Picture, the JPEG format will be
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found amongst the list of supported file formats. An image loaded from a JPEG
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source can also be saved back to JPEG. These components support the JPEG File
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Interchange Format (JFIF).
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These two components also support TImage at run-time too. As at design time, if
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TJPEGFileDecompressor is included in your project, then calling
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TImage.Picture.LoadFromFile when the file extension is .jpg will automatically
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invoke the JPEG decompressor. You can also explicitly call TJPEGFileDecompressor
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to load a JPEG image from any file.
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TJPEGFileCompressor can be used to save a TImage.Picture in JPEG format, and can
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handle pictures that are either bitmaps or metafiles. It can also compress a
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device independent bitmap, and change the size of bitmaps before compression.
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TDBJPEGImage is linked to a database blob field and also uses
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TJPEGFileDecompressor and TJPEGFileCompressor to save and load JPEG encoded images
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from the Blob Field. Use of the JPEG compressor and decompressor components can be
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implicit if the default parameter settings are sufficient. On the other hand, the
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reference may be explicit to copies of these components with non-default parameter
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settings. TQRDBJPEGImage can be used to print a JPEG Image using Quick Reports 2.
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This software uses original software for JPEG developed by the Independent JPEG
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Group (see ftp://ftp.uu.net/graphics/jpeg). The IDG have made available a library
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of generic 'C' code supporting JPEG compression and decompression and have
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permitted its free use provided the source is acknowledged. The IDG code has been
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modified for use with Delphi and MS Windows and is provided as compiled object
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files. Optionally, they may be separately compiled into a dll.
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An interface to this software is provided by the unit jpeglib.pas. This is
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encapsulated as a set of Delphi components in the unit mwajpeg.pas, which also
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supports the mapping of the environment independent image format expected by the
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IJG code into MS Windows bitmap and metafile formats.
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When you purchase a licence to this product, you purchase a licence for the source
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code to the mwajpeg and jpeglib units and the right to include binaries derived
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from them in your own products without having to pay additional royalties. You
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also have a right to freely distribute the mwjpeg and mwjpeg32 dlls (if used), and
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copies of the modified 'C' source is also included in the registered version.
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Support is also provided by EMail albeit without a guaranteed response time.
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2. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
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============================
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Installation is straightforward. The JPEG Component Library is distributed in a
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.zip archive; separate versions are provided for use with Delphi 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0,
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and C++Builder 1 and 3. Make sure you have the correct version and then:
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i. Create a new sub-directory in your delphi directory called "jpeg" and copy the
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remaining files contained in the .zip file into this new subdirectory. You should
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aim to preserve the directory names held in the zip - if you are using pkunzip
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them use the -d option when unzipping the files. Note that if you do use a different
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directory from that suggested then you will have to modify the demo programs' .mak
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files to change the search path for the JPEG components.
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iii. Start the C++Builder IDE and choose the Component|Install Packages menu item.
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Click on the "Add" button and browse for the mwjpegc3.bpl file you just copied to
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the new subdirectory. Click on OK. The package will now be installed. By
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default the JPEG components are placed on the "Additional" tab, TDBJPEGImage is on
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the Data Controls tab, and TQRDBJPEGImage is on the QReports tab.
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iv. You should now add ";$(BCB)\jpeg" to the end of the library path in the
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Tools|Environment Options dialog box (it's on the Library tab). This is so that the
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jpeg components can be automatically found in any project of yours that uses them.
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You should now restart C++Builder before trying to load a JPEG Image at Design
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Time.
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---------------
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The components are now installed. Use the demo application to learn how they are
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used.
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3. USING THE JPEG DEMO APPLICATION
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==================================
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Two demo applications are provided. A JPEG Viewer application demonstrates the
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opening and saving JPEG image files and conversion to and from bitmap files (.bmp)
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and from Windows Metafiles (.wmf). A database application demonstrates use of the
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data aware component.
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The JPEG Viewer application may be found in the Examples\Viewer subdirectory
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created above. To activate, load the jpegdemo.bpr file into the IDE using the
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File|Open Project menu item. This provides a simple application that can open and
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save .jpg (JPEG), .bmp (Windows Bitmap) and .wmf (Windows metfaile) files, and
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copy and paste bitmaps and metafiles to and from the clipboard. To test out,
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simply compile and run the application.
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To load and view a JPEG file, click on the open button and load the test.jpg file
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contained in the subdirectory created above. You can also try saving it to another
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file name (you can save it as either a JPEG or a bitmap). You can also use the
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demo application to convert windows bitmaps and metafiles to jpegs simply by
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opening the file containing them (or pasting from the clipboard) and saving them
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as jpegs. The viewer window can also be resized by simply dragging the bottom
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right hand corner with the mouse. Saving the image will save it at the new size.
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The application also demonstrates a simple method for printing a JPEG Image using
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Quick Reports (even with no database).
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You can also use the Object Inspector to see the properties published by the two
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JPEG components.
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The JPEG database application may also be found in the Examples\db subdirectory
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created above. To activate, load the DBDemo.bpr file into the IDE using the
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File|Open Project menu item. This application is an extension of the Viewer and
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presents images held in an example database. The database records may be perused
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using the DBNavigator bar provided. It is still possible to save images from the
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database record and to replace/insert images from files or the clipboard. The
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application also demonstrates how to print a report including JPEG Images.
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4. SOFTWARE DOCUMENTATION
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=========================
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See the online help file "mwjpeg.hlp"
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5. PRICING INFORMATION
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======================
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JPEG Component Library Source Licence 12 pounds sterling (US$20)
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US dollar prices are for indicative pricing only and assume an exchange rate of
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one pound = $1.66. All prices are VAT exclusive. UK VAT (currently 17.5%) will be
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charged for all UK residents and EC residents that are not VAT registered or do
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provide a VAT number as proof of registration.
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6. HOW TO REGISTER
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==================
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Registration may be made by FAX, Letter Post or EMail. For FAX and Letter Post
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registrations, a Registration Form is provided in the File "regform.txt" for you
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to EMail or print out (FAX or letter post), complete, and send to MWA Software.
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You can also register using the Compuserve Shareware Registration Service (GO
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SWREG). The software is registered under the name "MWA JPEG Component Library".
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Visa, Mastercard, Eurocard and JCB are accepted as payment mechanisms.
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International money orders in pounds sterling and cheques drawn on UK Bank
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Accounts are also accepted. US Dollar denominated checks are also acceptable
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provided that an additional 10% is added to the purchase price to allow for the
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additional Bank Charge. Please make cheques payable to McCallum Whyman Associates
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Ltd.
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EMail registrations should be sent to:
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Internet: sales@mwassocs.demon.co.uk, or
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Compuserve: 100041,315
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FAX:
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UK: 01962 735581
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Int: +44 1962 735581
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MWA Software,
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P.O.Box 37,
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Alresford,
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Hants,
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SO24 9ZF,
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ENGLAND
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All registrations are accepted on the basis that the registered user will be
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deemed to have accepted and be bound by the licence conditions for the registered
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versions of JPEG component library as recorded in the file reg-lnce.txt supplied
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with the evaluation version of the software.
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7. Secure Registration by EMail
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================================
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There are two routes by which you can EMail your credit card details to MWA
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Software without incurring the risk of sending a credit card number in clear
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across the Internet. One route is to use the encryption mechanism provided by
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pkzip. The other is to use PGP.
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pkzip encryption will generally be good enough to avoid detection by the so called
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"sniffer" programs that are understood to monitor EMail communications, looking
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for numbers that look like credit cards. However, it is not believe to be good
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enough to resist a determined attack by someone who has access to the necessary
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skills in cryptography and a powerful enough computer. On the other hand PGP is
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understood to offer a very strong level of protection. MWA Software makes no
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recommendations as to which is the better approach. It is for you to decide based
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on your own location and concerns.
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Secure Transmission using pkzip.
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================================
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pkzip can encrypt files in a .zip archive using a simple password. To register for
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the JPEG Component Library by EMail when using pkzip as your encryption engine:
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1. Using the file "regform.txt" as a template, complete a registration form for
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the JPEG Component Library. Remember to include your credit card details, billing
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address and your name as it appears on your credit card.
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2. Choose a password. Opening a dictionary at some random page is often a good way
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to do this. For example, let's assume that you choose NERVOUS as your password.
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3. Compress and encrypt the modified regform.txt using pkzip and the -s option to
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encrypt. For example, with NERVOUS as your password, use the command line:
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pkzip -sNERVOUS regform regform.txt
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This will create regform.zip containing your compressed and encryted registration
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details.
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4. EMail regform.zip to MWA Software. Your own EMail utility will usually have a
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way to send binary attachments to an EMail message. If you do not have such a
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capability then you can use the J-Write Text Editor (also available from MWA
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Software) to uuencode a binary file into a text form suitable for attaching to an
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EMAil message. This feature is available from the File|Merge menu item.
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The MWA Software EMail address is sales@mwassocs.demon.co.uk.
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Set the subject to "JPEG Registration"
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5. Send the password you choose at step 2 in a separate EMail to MWA Software. For
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best protection, use our Compuserve EMail address:
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100041.315@compuserve.com
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Set the subject to "re: JPEG Registration"
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Secure Transmission using PGP
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=============================
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PGP is a powerful data encryption tool that has been made publicly available by
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its author "Phillip Zimmermann". It is sufficiently good to attract the attentions
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of various government's agency's and you should be aware that in certain countries
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the use of such encryption software is a criminal offence. MWA Software only uses
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PGP to decrypt registrations and does not send encrypted EMail. Having said that,
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the international version of PGP can be obtained from:
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http://www.ifi.uio.no/pgp/
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The following URL is also a good source of information about PGP, including
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information on how to get the more limited US version.
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http://www.arc.unm.edu/~drosoff/pgp/pgp.html
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To encrypt a registration using PGP, do the following:
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1. Using the file "regform.txt" as a template, complete a registration form for
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the JPEG Component Library. Remember to include your credit card details, billing
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address and your name as it appears on your credit card.
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2. Encrypt regform.txt using PGP and the MWA public key. This is provided in the
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file "mwakey.asc", which should be in the same archive as this file. This will
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typically be performed by the following commands (the ; indicates the start of a
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comment):
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pgp -ka mwakey.asc ;add MWA key to your public keyring
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pgp -ea regform.txt "MWA Software" ;encrypt and encode for EMail
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pgp -kr "MWA Software" ;remove the MWA key from your keyring
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The above will have created the encrypted file "regform.pgp". This is a text file
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and may be sent as part of a normal EMail to MWA Software:
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sales@mwassocs.demon.co.uk
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Set the subject to "JPEG Registration"
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If you have any reason to doubt the validity of the MWA key, request an up-to-date
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version by EMail to the above address, with a subject of "Key Verification
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Request".
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Thank you for registering forthe JPEG Component Library.
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