TkCDLayout

See some snapshots ...

Download links :

tkcdlayout-0.5.tar.gz (includes a small fix and the feature 'show files AND dirs') isn't on sunsite but only on this site. I should put it there some day.

What is TkCDLayout ?

TkCDLayout is GPL : you can use it freely, distribute it, change it, provided that you don't say you made it.

What is a Jewel Case Insert?

A jewel case insert is a cover you can print and insert in the CD's jewel case - the plastic case that holds the CD - to indicate the title and contents of your CD. The cover is printed on one side of a sheet of paper and then folded.

What do I need to make it run ?

• perl, which should be installed on your Unix system anyway.
• LaTeX, the text formatting program (ex: package 'tetex')
• dvips, in order to transform the dvi file, output of latex, to a ps file
• ghostview ('gv') to see the result, and eventually print it.

How do I install it ?

Just copy the three executables to a directory in your PATH. They are :

 tkcdlayout
 NewCDLayout.pl
 GetCDTitle

How do I use it ?

[ X-based ]

Just run tkcdlayout, from any xterm/kvt/rxvt/whatever... (better than running it from a menu or KDE's minicli, because in an xterm you can see its output messages)

[ Text-based ]

Alternatively, you can edit a config file, based on the config.sample file provided. Then run the 'NewCDLayout.pl' script, using '-config=myfile'. Use also -update to prevent it from trying to launching ghostview. If you're sure of what you're doing, you can print the ps file directly, with "lp layoutxxx.ps". This way, you can print cd inserts even away from home, provided that your printer is on...

How does it work ?

TkCDLayout is a tk program which enables you to set some parameters that will be written in a config file ~/.tkcdlayout/config). Then a perl script NewCDLayout.pl is run and produces a latex file and to run the process of making a postscript file : latex, dvips, gv.

Why isn't part of xcdroast ?

I would have like to, but its author answered : "I can offer to make link to it on my xcdroast-page, but because I have a feature-freeze for xcdroast I wont be able to add it to the regular distribution". He also plans a gtk version of xcdroast one day.

What is KCDRoast ?

It's vaporware ! It's just an idea I have about converting tkcdlayout to use the KDE librairies, because I'm a KDE developer. One day I'll do that.

Nice, but now how do I add pictures in my inserts ?

Ok, you can't do that with only TkCdLayout. But I supplied two jpeg files which are empty inserts, so that you can open them with an image editor, gimp for instance, and add whatever you want into it. Under gimp, open the image(s) you want to insert, copy & paste them into the new image, and resize them if necessary. Don't forget to "flatten" the image before you save it (if you don't use the .xcf format). I've done very nice inserts this way (gimp is really excellent) and hope you'll work this out too !

Bug reports are welcome, just email to faure@kde.org

Last question, why is this page so awful ?

Back to my home page...

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