PRINTING PUZZLES

Puzzle Layout Functions
The Magnum Opus Print function provides you with a very high degree of printout configurability. The controls in this dialog allow you to specify exactly which components of a puzzle will be printed, and the exact sizes and locations of those components. The following options and controls are available:-
  • Select a Puzzle Layout
    The process of printing a puzzle is controlled by means of a Puzzle Layout specification. Several of these specifications are provided with the program, but it is a simple matter for you to create and save as many new ones as you require. The steps involved in doing this are described in later sections of this Help topic. The layout to be used in a printing operation is selected from the Select a Puzzle Layout combo box.

  • Select a Layout Item
    Each puzzle layout consists of a number of Layout Items each of which can be adjusted in terms of its size and its location within the layout. Before you can adjust a layout item you must select it. If the layout item you wish to adjust is already visible on the screen, you can select it by simply clicking anywhere within its area. If it is not yet included in the layout, you can add it to the layout using the Select a Layout Item combo box.

  • Adjust the Layout Item
    After selecting a layout item, that item will be colored blue on the Puzzle Layout. It can be adjusted by either of the following methods:-
    • Drag and Drop: When an item has been selected, it acquires two handles which can be captured by the mouse, and dragged to a new location. The top left handle drags the item to a new location, while the bottom right handle changes the size of the item. This is good for making large and quick adjustments.

    • Spinner control: The control panel contains four spinner controls labeled Left, Top, Width and Height. The Left and Top spinners control the location of the Layout Item, while the Width and Height spinners control its size. This is good for making fine adjustments.

  • Remove the Layout Item
    If you find that one of your Layout Items is no longer required, it can be removed by first selecting it, and then clicking the Remove the Layout Item button.

  • Move the Layout
    It will often happen when designing a new Layout, that all of the Items are the correct size, and are correctly located with respect to each other, but the whole layout is not correctly located on the page. This is easily corrected by using the Left, Right, Up and Down buttons.

  • Save the Layout
    If you have made some minor changes to a Layout design, and you want to keep those changes for future use, then clicking the Save the Layout button will save the layout under its original name.

  • Save Layout As
    If, on the other hand, you have made some significant changes, it is likely that you will want to save the new layout and still retain the original one. This can be achieved by use of the Save Layout As button.

  • Delete this Layout
    The layout currently being displayed can be removed from the system by clicking the Delete this Layout button.

Menu Functions
  • File Menu
    • Quit Printing
      When you have finished all of your printing operations, this option will return you to the screen from which you called the print function.

  • View Menu
    • Display Print Layout
      The right hand side of the screen can display either the Print Layout, or a Preview of the puzzle as it will appear when it is printed. This menu option will redisplay the screen to show the Print Layout.

    • Display Print Preview
      This menu option will redisplay the screen to show a Preview of the Puzzle.

    • Print Options
      A set of Options is available for each of the puzzle types you can print from the Print screen. In every case, color and font options are available, while a few puzzle types include specialized options which are described in the Help available from the Print Options dialog.

    • Language Elements
      Many word puzzles include standard words in the printed output. The most obvious example of this would be the ACROSS and DOWN labels associated with the clues of a crossword. If you are not working in the English language you will probably want to change these labels to something appropriate to your own language. This option will allow you to do that.

  • Tasks Menu
    • Select Solution Puzzle
      If the Layout you have selected includes space for both a Puzzle and a Solution, then normally you would want the solution to apply to a different puzzle (yesterday's or last week's). You can use the Select Solution Puzzle button to nominate the puzzle whose solution will be included in the printout. If you don't select a solution puzzle, the program will print the solution which applies to the current puzzle.

    • Print
      When you are satisfied with the layout you have chosen, and with the appearance of the preview, clicking this button will begin the process of printing the puzzle. If you are operating the program on a Windows computer, and have installed the Primo PDF program you will have the option of sending output either to the printer or to a PDF file located anywhere on your hard drive.

    • Export
      Alternatively you can export the output to the System Clipboard or to a graphics file located anywhere on your hard drive by clicking the  Export  button.

  • Help Menu
    • Print Help
      Displays the Help screen which you are now reading.