FontTwister

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FontTwister

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Text effect generator for Windows 9x,ME,NT,2000,XP
Neuber GbR, 1998-2001

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FontTwister

Features of FontTwister
FontTwister is the fastest and easiest way to create dazzling text effects. FontTwister comes with an impressive
selection of templates for graphic styles, color gradients, textures, shapes, letter edges, 3-D bevels, shadows,
buttons and frames. Simple intuitive controls let you interactively real-time view and select your desired effect.
You can reedit text and effects at any time.
The effect generator creates unlimited variations of amazing text effects.
Use high impact, anti-aliased text for logos, 2D and 3D headings in letters, presentations, flyers, invitations,
cards, faxes, posters, web graphics, labels, banners, buttons, covers.

Concept of FontTwister
You can edit all attributes of a text effect on the panel at the bottom of the FontTwister window. Attributes are:
text and font
surface (text, background)
text shape
outline
3D bevel
shadow
frame or button
The attributes are easy to customize in detail if you select the advanced options. A composition of attributes of a
text effect is called Style. Apply a predefined styles comes with FontTwister to your text by clicking it on the
panel
Style.
All changes are instantly displayed on the work sheet. The work sheet (id est the image) can be resized by
dragging one of the handles. If you simultaneously press the Shift key the size of the text effect is not changed.
Save the text effect as FontTwister file (*.ftw) to make it editable. Id est you can edit the text and all effects at
any time. In addition you can save your work as BMP, PNG, JPG, WMF oder EMF file.

To switch Advanced options on

If you switch advanced options on, you can manipulate all text effects in detail. For example you can determine
the color gradient, the bevel profile or the shadow position.
To switch Advanced options on:
1 On toolbar click the Fox button

2 Now you can see the advanced options on all panels.

Note
To switch Advanced options off, please click the pressed Fox button

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FontTwister

To apply a predefined style

FontTwister allows you to edit all attributes of a text effect. A composition of attributes of a text effect is called
Style. Attributes are for example color, shadow and 3D effects. You can choose a predefined graphical style. So
you see how to work every single one of the attributes.
1 Click the tab

Style.

2 Select a style you want to apply.

Note
Click one of the three buttons to display following styles:
Standard FontTwister Styles
Displays all styles contained in FontTwister.
FontTwister files on your computer
Displays a preview of all FontTwister files in the selected directory. Click a preview image to open the
corresponding file.
Random created text effects
Starts a slide show with random created text effects. The slide show will automatically stop when you
click a mouse button or press a key. Then you can click a preview image to load the text effect.

To enter a text and choose a font

Once you have type a text, you can edit the contents, attributes, and effects at any time. To restore the standard
height to width ratio of the text, click the tab
Deform. Then click the sample normal.
To enter a single or multi line text:
1 Click the tab

Text.

2 Enter a text and choose a font.

Note
With advanced options you can change:
opacity
The opacity value controls the degree to which the text surface is opaque. This is the opposite of
transparent. The larger the opacity the better the text color covers. Lower values make the text
transparent.
range kerning
Adjusts the spacing between characters. Positive tracking values move letters apart; negative values
move letters closer together.
leading
Adjusts the spacing between baselines. Positive values move lines apart; negative values move lines
closer together.
baseline shift
The letters are put more highly and more deeply by chance. Larger values increase the effect.
rotation
The letters are tilted to the right and to the left. Larger values increase the effect.

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FontTwister

To fill text surface and background

You can fill the text surface or background with a color, a color gradient, a textur or image.
1 Click the tab

Surface.

2 Choose the object which you want to fill. For this click one of the following buttons:
Text surface
Background
3 If the text-surface button is pressed you can select a color, a color gradient or a texture as new text surface. If
the background button is pressed the selected filling is applied to the background. Following fillings are
available:
Color
Click the Color button to choose any colour you like.
Color gradient
Click the Color gradient button to select two or more colors as gradient. Click <neu> to add a
additional color. Press Del key to delete a color from the gradient. Drag a color to change ist position in
the gradient.
Textur
Click the Texture button to choose a texture or image as filling. You can also ...
search for texturen and image files on your computer
edit textures
Imprint pattern
Select this option to stamp a pattern on the text surface.
Click
to choose a bitmap you want as imprint pattern.

To deform the text shape

You can bend the text out of shape and distort the text. Choose a sample form or draw a own shape.
1 Click the tab

Deform.

2 Click a sample shape.

Note
With advanced options you can change the text shape by:
moving
You can now move, stretch, rotate or skew the text effect. Shift-drag a side handle to change
only height or width. Click beside the text effect to make the guide lines invisible.
editing points
You can now drag the points of a guide line. Click a guide line with the right mouse button to
add or delete points or to make the opposite line parallel or mirrored.
drawing guides
1 Draw the top guide line.
2 Take your finger off the mouse button.
3 Then draw the bottom guide line.
redrawing line
Move your mouse over one of the four guide lines. That guide line is displayed in red color. Now
you can draw a new line whitch is used instead the old one.
Even if you don't be on the panel
Deform, you can change text size and position. For this click the text
object. Then drag and drop the text to the new position.
Drag any of the corner handle to change the text size. Aspect ratio of the text will be maintained. Drag the
side handles to give the text a dressing down. Shift-drag a side handle to change only height or width.
Using the mouse you can change the size of the entire image.

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To fray letter edges

It's easy to fray or roughen the letters.
1 Click the tab

Outline.

2 Click a sample to alter the letter contours.

Note
With advanced options you can alter the letter edges by:
kind of edge effect
Choose between regular, random, angular or rounded edge effect.
fineness of edge effect
Lower values cause a large ruggedness. Larger values make the ruggedness more finly.
intensity in x direction
Determines how big is the effect in x direction.
intensity in y direction
Determines how big is the effect in x direction.

To create 3-D effects

To make a text three-dimensional then letter edges will be cut on the bias. FontTwister provides different
examples of bevel profiles for this.
1 Click the tab

3D Bevel.

2 Click a bevel sample you want to apply.

Note
With advanced options you can increase the 3D effect by:
bevel height
Adjusts the bevel height. Lower values decrease the 3D effect. Larger values increase the contrast
and make the bevel appear steeper.
inner bevel size
Adjusts the bevel width relative to the letter width. The lower this value the narrower the 3D letter
edge. With 100% there is only the left and the right bevel of the three-dimensional letter. The flat
plateau in the middle fade into insignificance beside the left and the right bevel.
outer bevel size
The letters are widened. By this means the bevel is widened too. That decreases the 3D effect. The
larger the value the wider the letters.
light direction
Determines where the light come from. With an angle of 0 the light come from the top.
Click
to edit the current cross section. Drag the green point
to alter the cross section of the letters.
Click a bevel segment with the right mouse button to change segment camber and color, to delete or add a
segment.
Click the pressed button

, to display the bevel samples instead of the current bevel profile.

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To create shadow
Shadows easily add a 3-D quality to any image. Drop shadow is useful for making a text spring to the
foreground. With FontTwister you can add any shadow you like to a text.
1 Click the tab

Shadow.

2 Click a sample shadow.

Note
With advanced options you can create your own shadow by changing:
shadow color
Determines the color of the shadow.
opacity
The opacity value controls the degree to which the shadow is opaque. This is the opposite of
transparent. The larger the opacity the better the shadow color covers. Lower values make the shadow
transparent.
blur
Adjusts how the outer edges of the shadow is blurred and hazy respectively. Larger values caused a
diffused and soft shadow.
x offset
Adjusts the shift of the shadow to the right (relative to the text).
y offset
Adjusts the shift of the shadow to the top (relative to the text). With negative values the shadow is
shiftet to bottom.
direction
Determines in which direction the shadow is cast. A angle of 0 project the shadow on a wall behind the
text.
shadow lenght
Adjusts the lenght of the shadow. A value of 100% creates a shadow in the correct perspective.

To create frames and buttons

You simple can create a button, a fade out effect or frame the text.
1 Click the tab

Frame.

2 Click a sample frame

Note
Shift-drag a handle of the entire image to adjust the frame to the text.
With advanced options you can change following frame properties:
frame thickness
Adjusts the width of the frame.
frame color
Select the color of the frame.
button height
Adjusts the height of the button. Lower values decrease the 3D effect. Larger values increase the
contrast and make the bevel appear steeper.
number of teeth
Select the number of teeth (points).

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FontTwister

To print the image

You can change the size of the text or of the entire image using the mouse or changing the settings in the print
dialog.
1 On File menu click Print.
2 Click the Print button to print the image. Click Printer setup to change advanced printing options.
Note
Click

to enlarge or reduce the size of the image on the paper. Drag the image to a position you want.

You can change following settings in addition to image size, format and margins of the page:
- maintain aspect ratio
Select this to maintain image proportions (ratio height to width). If you enter a new value for Width, the
Height will automatically be updated. So the image cannot be distorted.
- use full page
The image is stretched. So the whole page will be uses. Select the option Maintain aspect ratio so the
image will be not distorted.
- center on page
The image is printed in the middle of the page.

To use Copy and Paste

To insert a text effect you created into an other program or to use the current clipboard image as background
please do the following:
1 Click Edit menu.
2 Click Copy to copy the current image into the clipboard. Click Paste to insert the current clipboard image as
the new background of the FontTwister image.
Note
To overlap two or more effect texts on Edit menu click Copy. Then click Paste on Edit menu. Now drag the
effect text to a new position. The effect text you copied remains behind as new background.

To change hue, brigthness, saturation and sharpness

You can change the brightness, contrast, saturation, or tint of colors. If you want you can also sharpen, blur,
rotate or reflect the entire image.
1 On Edit menu click Modify image....
2 Or on FontTwister toolbar you can click the symbol

3 Now change the desired settings. The alteration have an effect on the entire image, on the text and on the
background.
Note
Please click the tab
background.

Oberflche to change brightness, hue and saturation only of the text or of the

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To change the image size

You can change the size of the text or of the entire image using the mouse or changing the settings in the
following dialog.
1 On Edit menu click Image size....
2 Enter new values for height and width of the entire image in pixels.
Note
Following options are available:
- Maintain aspect ratio
Select this to maintain image proportions (ratio height to width).
If you enter a new value for Width, the Height is automatically updated.
- Scale text
Changes the text size proportional to the new image size.
If you double the image width so the text effect width will be doubled.
The text effect won't be distorted if this option isn't selected.
Minimize image size
Height and width of the entire image (background) are adapted to the text
effect size. The image size is the equivalent of text effect size. The size of
the text won't be changed.
Maximize text
The text effect size are adapted to the image size. While doing this the
text effect can be distorted. The image size won't be changed.

The current height and width of the image are displayed on the statusbar.

To start the effect generator

FontTwister can automatically create random text effects and displays these as a slide show. So you run the
effect generator:
1 On View menu click Effekt generator.
2 Stop the slide show by pressing a key or clicking a mouse button.
3 Click a generated preview image to load the corresponding text effect.
Note
Click the tab
Click the button

Style. Then click the button

to simply start the effect generator.

to see the standard styles instead of the random created styles.

On View menu click SlideShow (full screen) to run the slide show in full screen mode like a screensaver.

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To open and save your work

The FontTwister file format saves your work so that you can edit the text and all effects at any time. The file
extension of a FontTwister file is .ftw. Please save the graphics as JPG, PNG, BMP, WMF or EMF file in order
to use these in other programs.
Before saving the image you can adjust the image size and determine an optimum rendering quality. With
saving as JPG file the JPEG Optimizer is started. The JPEG Optimizer helps you to find the best ratio between
file size and quality. Rule: the smaller the file size (id est the better the compression) the worse the quality.
On File menu click Open or Save / Save as... to open or save files.
Note
Click the tab

Style and then click the button

to see a preview of FontTwister files on your computer.

FontTwister supports following formats:

File format
FTW
(FontTwister)
PNG
BMP
JPG
WMF
EMF

Characteristic
vector format, text and effects always
changeable
GIF successor with 256 transparency
levels and HiColor
Windows bitmap, compatible with all
Windows programs
Internet standard, smallest file size
through compression
vectorformat (Windows Meta File)
only outlines are saved
vectorformat (Enchance Meta File)
incl. bezier curves
only outlines are saved

Furthermore settings like color gradient, shapes, bevel profile and shadow can be saved. These settings can
be applyed to other texts.

Rendering quality
To determine the quality of the text effect click on the FontTwister toolbar one of the following buttons:
Draft
Displays the outlines. This vector graphic can be saved as WMF or EMF file
Standard
Standard quality for fast rendering
Best Quality
text effect including smoothness and antialiasing

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To contact the FontTwister Team

Technical Contact:
address:

fax:
Internet:
WWW:
FTP:
email:

Neuber GbR
Postfach 11 05 25
D-06019 Halle
Germany
+49-700-11 777 000
www.neuber.com/twister
ftp.neuber.com
info@neuber.com

FontTwister on the web

On the web you can inform about
FontTwister
newest information about the program, download the most recent shareware version
Updates
details of the current version, what's new, how to update
FontTwister resources on the web
gallery: take part in the competition of the most exciting text effects
free download of fonts, textures, styles and documentation
update information service by email
For the access to the Typograf resources on the internet go to
http://www.neuber.com/typograph/reguser.html and login as
User Name: twister
Password: style
To switch the shareware version to a registered version
1 On REGISTER click Unlock the shareware version.
2 Enter the Name and Code in the registration dialog exactly as shown in the information sent to you.
3 Click Unlock.
Note
Martin JR. is the same as Martin j r
If you have question please ask us.
Enter the Name and Code in the registration dialog exactly as shown in the information sent to you.
Then click Unlock to switch the shareware version to a registered version.

To uninstall FontTwister
1 Click Start-Settings-Control panel.
2 Click Software.
3 Click the Remove button to delete FontTwister from your Computer.
Note
You can also run uninstal.exe in the FontTwister directory

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Tip and Tricks

Text effect assistant

This assistant introduces you to key features of FontTwister and takes about ten minutes to complete. You learn
step by step how to create a professional text effect. To run the assistant on help menu click
Text effect assistant.
Filling text and background
Text and background can be filled with a color gradient or a texture. It's simple to edit color gradient and
texture.
Click the tab
Surface and then the corresponding buttons to choose a color gradient or a texture for
the text surface or the background.
Making a text three-dimensional
Click the tab
3D Bevel to add a 3D effect to the letters. Select a predefined bevel and drag the
following sliders to optimizing the 3D effect:
bevel height: larger values = higher contrast
inner bevel width: 100% = half letter width
outer bevel width: Increases the "fatness" of the letters
Changing the order of colors
The drag-and-drop feature lets you easily change any color position in a color gradient. Click the tab
Surface and then the Color gradient button. Now drag a color from the old position to the new position.
Restore the original Height to Width ratio of text
If the text is stretched or squeezed a lot, you can restore the the standard Height to Width ratio. For this
click the tab
Deform. Then click the sample normal.
Drawing the text shape
Click the tab

Deform to draw the text shap with your mouse.

Click the button

Draw guides. Then draw the top guide line of the text shape. Afterwards draw the
bottom guide line or press a key. If you press a key the bottom guide line is automatically drawn parallel
to the bottom line.
Dragging and dropping to open a file
Drag and drop a FontTwister file (.ftw) into FontTwister to open it.
You can use FontTwister as browser if you want to preview your file collection on hard disk. For this click
the tab
Style and then the button
.
Resizinge, rotating and skewing the text
You can move the text effect and change the its size any time. Click the text effect to see the guide lines.
Drag a corner handle to change the text size. Drag a side handles to squeeze the text. Shift-drag a side
handle to change only height or width.
Click beside the text effect to make the guide lines invisible.
Editing the bevel profile
Click the tab
3D Bevel and then the button
to edit the current bevel profile. Click a bevel
segment with the right mouse button to change segment camber and color, to delete or add a segment.
No tips please
To switch the Tip of the day and the Short help off, please click Help menu.

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Applying additional text shapes

To bend the text out of shape and distort the text click the tab
Deform. You can Shift-click some sample
shapes to get a shape variant. For example the wave and elliptical shapes.
Editing points of text shape
Click the tab
Deform to edit the guide lines of the text shape point by point. For this click
Edit
Points.
Click a guide line with the right mouse button to add or delete points or to make the opposite line parallel
or mirrored.
Overlaping effect texts
To overlap two or more effect texts on Edit menu click Copy. Then click Paste on Edit menu. Now drag
the effect text to a new position. The effect text you copied remains behind as new background.
Creating random effects
FontTwister can automatically create random text effects.
Click the tab

Style. Then click the button

to start the effect generator.

FontTwister on the web

To check whether you have the most recent version of FontTwister, please check
http://www.neuber.com. There you can inform about newest versions.
Switching advanced options on
On toolbar click the Fox button
text effects in detail.

. Then advanced options are available and you can manipulate all

Making text transparent

Click the tab
Text and then click the button
to adjust the opacity. A value of 0 makes the text completely
transparent; a value of 100 makes it completely opaque.

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