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2. If there is a lot of white in the background of the picture, you may want to crop out the white using your digital camera software.

3. With 3.0 software for VG, you are limited to 265 imported icons. With 4.0 software, you have up to 2000 imported icons.
4. Below is are the instructions found in the MTI manual

Importing Graphics into a PRC device Windows '95 MTI Only

If you have the Windows '95 MTI, you can import almost any graphic to use in the Pathfinder. You can import photographs that you have scanned, clip art from various web sites, graphics you have drawn using a graphics program, etc.

If you do not have a graphics program on your computer, one is included with the MTI disk. This is a demonstration of Image Viewer/32™ and can only be used for a limited amount of time (30 days). [Irfanview, a graphics program available as a free download from Tucows, is included on this CD.]

To import graphics, you need to remember two important rules:
Graphics must be in the BMP format.
Graphics must be in 256 colors.

If the MTI will not import a graphic, open a graphics program (either your own or the one included with the MTI), open the graphic you want to import and check the file format and number of colors for the graphic. If the graphic is not listed as a BMP file in 256 colors, save it using the BMP format and 256 colors.

An Example:

Let's say you have found a graphic on the web that you want to import to the Pathfinder.

1. Point to the graphic with your mouse and click on the right mouse button.

2. Click on "Save as" in the menu that pops up.

3. Select the drive and/or file where you want to save the graphic.

4. If the graphic is not in "BMP" form, click on "BMP" in the "Save as type" box. (If "BMP" is not an option in your menu save the graphic as it is.)

5. Change the title of the graphic if you want.

Use up to 8 characters to name a graphic. Do not name your imported graphic with the same name as an original icon from the Pathfinder default icons. You will not be able to find your graphic once it is imported because the Pathfinder will only acknowledge the original icon.

6. Click on "Save".

You can do one of two things now:

If you saved the graphic as a "BMP" file: You can go ahead and open the MTI and try to import the graphic. See below for instructions. If the graphic was not in 256 colors, the MTI will not let you import it.

If you could not save the graphic as a BMP file or if you have to check the colors:

1. Open your graphics program. Open the graphic that you just saved.

2. Open the menu that allows you to select color depth. In a graphics program like PaintShop Pro© this is the "Colors" menu. In other programs it might be under a different menu.

3. Set the color to 256. In PaintShop Pro© look at the "Increase Color Depth" and "Decrease Color Depth" options. If "256" is highlighted in either option, select it. If it isn't highlighted in either menu, the graphic was originally done in 256 colors and will transfer.

4. Go to the "File" menu and click on "Save as".

5. Select the drive and/or file where you want to save the graphic.

6. Select "BMP" from the "Save As Type" menu.

7. Change the title of the graphic if you want.

8. Click on "Save".

To Import the Graphic to the Pathfinder:

1. All memory transfers should be made with the battery charger plugged in. Connect one end of the battery charger that came with your Pathfinder to the connector labeled CHARGER on the top of the Pathfinder. Plug the other end into a wall outlet.

2. All memory transfers should be made with the PF-IBM cable, not the Pathfinder's infrared capability. Plug one end of this cable into Serial Port 1 on your computer. Plug the other end into the connector labeled SERIAL PORT on the top of the Pathfinder.

3. Turn the computer On and insert the MTI-IBM '95 disk into the appropriate drive. Use "Windows Explorer" to go to the drive that contains the '95 MTI disk or right click on "My Computer" then click on "Explore" to go to the drive that has the disk in it.

4. Double click on the "MTI-EXE" icon. The MTI screen is visible on your computer monitor.

5. In the MTI "Options" menu, click on the device you are using (e.g., Pathfinder).

6. Go to the Pathfinder's Toolbox and open the TRANSFER MEMORY MENU.

7. Activate "Import Icons". If everything is connected correctly, you will see the "Select one or more bitmap files to load" menu on your computer screen.

8. Go to the drive/open the folder where the graphic(s) you want to import is saved.

9. Click on the graphic you want to import.

10. Click on "Open".

11. If you want to change the name of the graphic, do it here. If you want the graphic to have different proportions, remove the "check" from the box.

12. Click "OK".

13. The transfer takes place. When it is finished, click on "OK".

To Check that the Graphic Transferred:

1. Go to the Pathfinder Toolbox.

2. Open the ACTIVITY menu.

3. Select Create Activity.

4. Type "Test" for a name.

5. Activate More Items.

6. You see a new key, "IMPORTS" in the Icon Category menu. Activate this key.

7. The graphic you imported should be visible and ready for use.

8. Activate Cancel to back your way out of the different ACTIVITY menu.

Pathfinder places all imported graphics under the IMPORTS key in the Icon Category menu. Activate Modify Item in Activity, then activate Change Icon to get to the IMPORTS menu.

To delete a graphic from the Imports menu: open the MAINTENANCE menu. Activate Delete Imported Graphic. Activate the graphic you want to delete. Answer Yes. Continue to delete graphics or Exit the menu.