I'm not sure why we would want to do that, but it gives some indication of the simpler powers of the program. For example, we can type ''Sharkbait'' and shape the text like a fish, then give it a three-dimensional zoom effect, then place it on a star-shaped panel with a wave pattern. Panels can be virtually any shape or design. While Type Align works with text only, Typestyler also adds objects called panels, which can be used as backdrops for text. Text can be placed along paths and distorted, as with Type Align, but it can also be embellished with patterns, shades, fades, perspectives, sunbursts and many other tricks. This program is more useful for creating complex graphic designs, like fancy restaurant menus, company logotypes, magazine covers or commercial-quality signs using it to dress up a simple letter would be overkill. While Emerald City's Type Align lets the user distort and manipulate text in several relatively simple ways, Broderbund's Typestyler offers dozens of special effects that even professional graphic artists will find impressive. An even more powerful special effects program for Macintosh computers is Typestyler ($199.95) from Broderbund Software Inc., (415) 492-3200. It will work with Imagewriter, Laser Writer, Paintjet and Deskwriter printers, as well as with any laser printer using the Postscript language from Adobe Systems Inc. It works with Macs equipped with at least one megabyte of memory and a hard disk (or two 800-kilobyte disk drives). Type Align is a desk accessory, which means it can be summoned while the user is working with another program, typically a word processor, a desktop publishing or presentations program, or a graphics program. Only special kinds of type, called Type One fonts, are improved by ATM or, by extension, Type Align for ATM. The Adobe program smooths the appearance of text displayed on the Mac screen or printed on an Apple Imagewriter. As the name suggests, it works with another program called ATM, for Adobe Type Manager, which costs $99. Type Align for ATM ($99.95) is a new program from Emerald City Software of Menlo Park, Calif., (415) 324-8080. Type Align makes it easy to create special effects with text. Of course, not every letter to Mom needs a curved, wavy or distorted headline, but departing from the norm can be fun on some occasions. We can then print the document in the normal way, but with a dramatic flourish. We would use Type Align's pointing tool to select the text, the ''copy'' command to copy it to the Mac clipboard, and the ''paste'' command to place it into our document. When we type ''Headline,'' the text automatically wraps itself around the arc. We would then use the arc tool to draw a curve in the Type Align window. Wrapping letters along a curve takes technical and artistic skill, which they have in abundance, but it also takes a lot of time, which they lack.īut to print our own curved headline using a personal computer, we could simply open our Apple Macintosh word-processing program and select Type Align from the Apple menu. IF we wanted the headline on this column to curve in a graceful arc, the printers in the newspaper composing room would have a fit.
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