DreamDraper G4 Tutorial

To successfully activate the program and gain full unrestricted access to DreamDraper, your computer will access our server via the internet, where we will validate your Activation Key. You are given the option to activate ONLINE or OFFLINE. We recommend that you choose to activate ONLINE, as it is the quickest method. There are generally 2 reasons why the system doesn’t activate.

(1) If your computer says that it attempted to connect to our server, then the problem generally means that your virus protector or firewall is blocking the connection. When you activate the software, your computer must be connected to the internet so that it can access our server, and you must choose the ONLINE option. Make sure of the following:

- Your computer is connected to the internet.

- Turn off your virus protector or any other software that may block a connection.

- You will be presented with an option to activate online or offline. Choose ONLINE.

- Carefully type the Key exactly as given, with no spaces following the last character.

- After the system activates, you may turn your virus protector back on.

(2) If you receive a message about not having a valid key, then that generally means that the key has been typed incorrectly. If you receive this type of a message, then please make sure that the 24 digits/letters are correct. The key must be entered EXACTLY as given to you, with the caps and dashes. Make sure that you haven’t inadvertently typed any spaces after the last digit, as that will be interpreted as part of the key.

(3) If activating ONLINE is not successful, then choose to activate OFFLINE. You will be taken to a screen that says to contact Evan Marsh Designs, and you will be shown a system code (generally 12 to 16 digits in length). Please send an email to us with that code. We will use that code to generate your permanent license (file), which we will email to you. Once you install the license (file) to your computer, you will have full unrestricted access to the program. (This option is not available for use with trial versions of the software.)

	Tips	Click on one of the links below to learn more about the features of DreamDraper.
	Tip 1	Difference between the first and second arrows.
	Tip 2	Using the third arrow.


FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
1.	System Requirements.	For the DreamDraper G5 program, we recommend that your computer have a minimum of 512 MB of RAM (memory). If you are considering purchasing a new computer, we recommend that you get one with a minimum of 1 GB of RAM (memory) for Mac, and a minimum of 2 GB for a PC running the Vista operating system. While DreamDraper does not require that much memory, our customers use the program frequently with photos and fabric swatches, which require the extra memory. The DreamDraper G5 program contains 4,000 design elements and requires slightly over 600 MB of hard drive space. DreamDraper is Vista compatible. Older operating systems not supported included Windows 98 and ME.
2.	I can't install the G5 system on my Mac.	An update that was distributed by Apple for QuickTime on Mac OS X 10.3 has some issues in it that are causing the installation problem. Apple has posted a solution on their website at the link below. The solution is to reinstall QuickTime: www.apple.com/support/downloads/quicktime701reinstallerforquicktime704.html
3.	My Activation Key doesn't work, I can't activate the program.	To successfully activate the program and gain full unrestricted access to DreamDraper, your computer will access our server via the internet, where we will validate your Activation Key. You are given the option to activate ONLINE or OFFLINE. We recommend that you choose to activate ONLINE, as it is the quickest method. There are generally 2 reasons why the system doesn’t activate. (1) If your computer says that it attempted to connect to our server, then the problem generally means that your virus protector or firewall is blocking the connection. When you activate the software, your computer must be connected to the internet so that it can access our server, and you must choose the ONLINE option. Make sure of the following: - Your computer is connected to the internet. - Turn off your virus protector or any other software that may block a connection. - You will be presented with an option to activate online or offline. Choose ONLINE. - Carefully type the Key exactly as given, with no spaces following the last character. - After the system activates, you may turn your virus protector back on. (2) If you receive a message about not having a valid key, then that generally means that the key has been typed incorrectly. If you receive this type of a message, then please make sure that the 24 digits/letters are correct. The key must be entered EXACTLY as given to you, with the caps and dashes. Make sure that you haven’t inadvertently typed any spaces after the last digit, as that will be interpreted as part of the key. (3) If activating ONLINE is not successful, then choose to activate OFFLINE. You will be taken to a screen that says to contact Evan Marsh Designs, and you will be shown a system code (generally 12 to 16 digits in length). Please send an email to us with that code. We will use that code to generate your permanent license (file), which we will email to you. Once you install the license (file) to your computer, you will have full unrestricted access to the program. (This option is not available for use with trial versions of the software.)
4.	I'm trying to view the online tutorial and the lesson doesn't fully download.	With your browser window open, click on TOOLS in your top toolbar, and click on INTERNET OPTIONS. A pop-up window will appear, and make sure you are on the GENERAL tab. In the middle of the pop-up window, you will see the section called Temporary Internet files. Click on the DELETE FILES button. At the bottom of the pop-up window is the section called History. Click on the CLEAR HISTORY button. Then try again to download the lesson.
5.	I'm trying to view the online tutorial and I don't hear any sound.	You may need to update your Flash Player. Go to the Adobe website (www.adobe.com), and click on the DOWNLOADS link at the top, and choose the Get Flash Player option.
6.	Nothing happens when I click on the Insert Image icon.	To design on a photo, after you click on the Insert Image icon, make sure to use your mouse and click on the canvas. This is demonstrated in our Insert Image lesson, which is part of the DreamDraper tutorial.
7.	The program runs slow.	If you experience slowness while running the system, check the amount of memory on your computer. See System Requirements. If you have less than 512 MB of memory, try clicking on View - View Low Quality in your top toolbar. Your designs will be presented onscreen in low quality, which will allow for faster performance on your computer while designing. This will only affect how they appear on the monitor and you can switch to View High Quality at any time. Designing in Low Quality mode does not affect the quality of your designs or printouts. The DreamDraper designs will print beautifully.
8.	Nothing happens when I import a fabric swatch into the Custom Library.	If the fabric image that you are trying to import was created from a digital camera or you scanned the swatch, it is likely that the image that you saved to your computer is a high resolution image. Make sure to import a lower resolution image into the DreamDraper swatch library. High resolution images require more memory, which your computer may not handle well. Click here for a tutorial on how to lower the resolution of your fabric images.
9.	When I import my own fabric swatch into the Custom Library, it does not scale correctly when I apply it to a design.	If the fabric image that you are trying to import was created from a digital camera or you scanned the swatch, it is likely that the image that you saved to your computer is a high resolution image. Make sure to import a lower resolution image into the DreamDraper swatch library. High resolution images require more memory, which your computer may not handle well. Click here for a tutorial on how to lower the resolution of your fabric images.
10.	My design "came apart" when I moved it.	The normal design mode uses the black (Select) arrow. You are in a normal design mode when you are moving your components around the canvas and resizing them. When you want to do detail work to your design and apply color or fabric, or turn them into translucent sheers, then you use the second (Select Direct) arrow or third (Select Direct Group) arrow. If your design "came apart" when you moved it, then you were in the detail mode (second or third arrow), and not the design mode (black arrow).
11.	Can I size my design proportionately?	Yes, by keeping your finger depressed on the Control (CTRL) key on your keyboard, as you pull on one of the corner handles with your mouse.
12.	I clicked on the portfolio icon, but my design file didn't open up.	To open up one of your designs, first open up the DreamDraper program. Then click on FILE - OPEN PORTFOLIO, or FILE - OPEN RECENT FILE.
13.	Can I print my design to a half inch scale or a quarter inch scale?	Yes. When you start your portfolio, first click on EDIT - CANVAS in your top toolbar. For a half inch scale, resize your canvas to a width of 240" and a height of 180". When you go to print, you will see a Print Preview window. Make sure to click on PAGE SETUP and set all four margins to a half inch (.5). To print to a quarter inch scale, when you start your portfolio, first click on EDIT - CANVAS in your top toolbar and resize your canvas to a width of 480" and a height of 360". When you go to print, you will see a Print Preview window. Make sure to click on PAGE SETUP and set all four margins to a half inch (.5). Please note that your printer can cause distortions and you may have to adjust the canvas size accordingly.
14.	When I highlight a design with my mouse, why does the stroke say "0" in the Properties box?	When you select a design with your mouse and you are in the normal design mode (using the black select arrow), the stroke value is indicated as 0 because typically your design is a grouped object, and each object within the group could have a different stroke value. So the program doesn't know which stroke value to display, because the object is grouped and can represent differing stroke values. However, if you use the second (Select Direct) arrow and select a specific portion of the design, then the stroke value will display the actual value of the object that you selected.
15.	When I highlight a design with my mouse, why does the color icon in the Properties box indicate gray, even though the design is filled with color?	When you select a design with your mouse and you are in the normal design mode (using the black select arrow), the color icon in the Properties box is shown as gray (the default color) because typically your design is a grouped object, and each object within the group could have a different color fill. So the program doesn't know which color to display, because the object is grouped and can represent different colors. However, if you use the second (Select Direct) arrow and select a specific portion of the design, then the color icon will display the actual color of the object that you selected.
16.	How do I add or delete edit points?	Click on the POINTS icon in the top toolbar. To add a point, highlight the design and place your mouse directly over the segment of the line to which you want to add the point. Keep the Control (CTRL) key depressed and left-click with the mouse, and a point will be added. To delete a point, place your mouse over the point to be deleted. Keep the Control (CTRL) key depressed and left-click with the mouse, and the point will be deleted.
17.	I can't click on the gold buttons in the Preview window.	When a design is shown in the Preview window, you may see 4 gold buttons displayed. Click on the gold buttons to reveal breakout components that are part of that particular design. The gold buttons apply to full designs, certain hard treatments, and sets of furniture in the Space Planning collection. Individual components do not have breakout components, and therefore their gold buttons are not available. - Full designs will be shown with their breakout components, accessible via the gold buttons. - Certain hard treatments will be shown with variations, accessible via the gold buttons. - Sofa sets will be shown with matching loveseats and chairs, accessible via the gold buttons, in the Space Planning collection.
18.	What is the difference between the Select arrows?	- Use the first arrow to do basic designing, moving your objects on the canvas, resizing and regrouping, etc. - Use the second arrow when you want to fill an object with color or fabric or a texture or a transparency. You will use the second arrow most of the time when filling a design. - The third arrow is only required a fraction of the time. Use it to color the windows (frame or panes). Another place where you can use the third arrow is when filling the lining on a cascade. It allows you to fill multiple areas of a design (such as lining) at a single time, without having to select each individual area one at a time. Make sure to view the tutorials Create Translucent Windows, Add Detail Color - II, and Color Palette.
19.	I've installed the program, and nothing seems to work.	This is usually an indication that you have installed the program on a computer with the Vista operating system, using an older release of DreamDraper. DreamDraper discs that have a release of 4.17 or later are Vista compliant. If in possession of an older disc that has a release lower than 4.17, those discs should not be installed on Vista computers. You can download the very latest release of DreamDraper from the website. For registered customers who have been assigned a key, your key will turn the trial version of the program into the fully registered version.