A Dot Mess 3.0 for Windows 9*

(Copyright 2003 A.Blume, all rights reserved)
Homepage: http://www.ablume.com
Email:    ablume@ablume.com

A picture viewer (jpg- or bmp)
and  a picture scrambler/assembler

Features:

* Picture preview
* Pasting of bmp-files
* Saving with conversion bmp- to jpg-files and vice versa
* Change of size and clipping
* Autoview with a timer
* Autosize and Autoassemble
* Scrambled saving and reassembling up to 1280*1024 pixels
* Scrambling or reassembling of a set of pictures in a folder
* Producing of thumbnails for a set of pictures with autonaming

To select more than one picture hold down the <SHIFT> or the
<CTRL> key while clicking or using the arrow up/down keys!
Try it out!

Attention: The demoversion allows to select only up to six
pictures at a time for scrambling, reassembling, making thumbnails
or for a slideshow. The full version has no built in limit.

Before you scramble a picture you have to give a password.
This password is not stored in the picture.
It is case sensitive (A or a makes a difference).
The size of the scrambled picture is important for reassembling.
So do not change that after scrambling or you cannot recover it.

You can use "Unscramble (Assemble)" after "Save Scrambled As.."
to be sure that the scrambling can be reversed.

If you used a wrong password for the assembling or you used
"Unscramble (Assemble)" with a picture that was not scrambled
you have to reload it.

Do not get confused: scrambling and reassembling a picture with
different passwords results in a mess.
The difference between scrambling and assembling rows and columns
of a picture is just the direction. Don't mix it up.

Avoid to asssemble a picture that had not been scrambled.
It will look like a mess. Reload it if it is not overwritten yet
or use "Scramble" in that case to restore it.

Make backups of your pictures until you get familiar with the
procedure. There is no warranty whatsoever!

Clipping (Cropping)
Use the mouse to draw a rectangle within the picture

Enlarge
Limited to 4*1280*1024 pixels

Error reports and suggestions are welcome.

About passwords: A good password that cannot be found in a
dictionary is essential. E.g. keep this sentence in your mind:
"Better safe now than sorry later" and combine the initials of
this sentence with some numbers, ready:
Bsn03tsl04
(This is the password for my scrambled examples)

Disclaimer:
IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT,
DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THIS SOFTWARE!

1. The demo program is shareware and freely distributable as
   long as the files are not changed.
2. You are allowed to use it for up to 3 weeks. After that period
   please delete it and buy the full version for a modest fee.
3. You are not allowed to modify, reverse compile, translate
   or disassemble this software in whole or in part.
4. The software is owned by the author.
5. The software is supplied as is. The author does not warrant
   that it is free of errors.
6. THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR
IMPLIED,
   INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE WARRANTIES OF
   MERCHANTABILITY AND OF FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
   THE AUTHOR ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES, DIRECT OR
   CONSEQUENTIAL, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE USE OF THIS
   SOFTWARE.

The program is written in Object Pascal using Delphi 3.

Don't hesitate to contact me if you want to distribute a program
like this for your customers!
