Once upon a time LetteringDelights use a program called "The Creative Companion" and the file format we used with it was sold as .exe files.;
Now we package our files in .zip files, as is the standard for most downloadable product on the web. A .zip file is a commonly used file format that compresses files to make them easier to download. There are many programs available online that allow you to unzip/extract these files, some are trial based or require a purchase and others are free. Most every device comes with a free way to access your files that are "zipped". In Windows, right mouse click over the .zip file and you should have options to "extract" the file. On a Mac, doubleclick over the .zip file.Take care where you are extracting the file. As you "unzip" a file, you will be given an option of where you want to store it. We suggest you keep all your LD product in one location on your computer. If you save your .zip files to that location, when you unzip the files, the products will organize themselves by product name.
Creative Companion is old software that LD used to have so users could easily access their product. As time has gone on, we've found that much better software exists throughout the web for free that gives you much better options than the Creative Companion ever did. We suggest using anyone of these tools that are easily at your disposal throughout the web.
LD does not endorse any of these products but you may want to try one of the following programs:
- Microsoft Word is a very common word processing program. It however, is ready to handle imagery as well. You cannot do much manipulation of imagery, but you can place it into the documents, rotate, flip, and move the images around.
- Open Office Writer is a lot like Microsoft Word. Its a fully equipped word processor. It however, is free. There are several other Open Office programs that are free as well.
- Gimp (the GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a very powerful program with many tools to correct photos, manipulate and place items into one file, and add text. It may take a little while to learn the program but it is very powerful and free.
- Paint.net does not have as many options as Gimp but it is easier to use. It supports layers, so it is a great tool for use with LD product.
- Chasys Draw IES is a newer free program. It offers plenty of tools and layer support as well.
- Inkscape is a power and professional vector graphics editor. It is free. It is strictly for vector editing (LD vector files include our cut sets, fonts, and doodlebats). You can manipulate photos in Inkscape and it's a bit of a challenge to learn, but you will be able to do anything you want with a vector file.
- CraftArtist is an easy to use program that is free. You will need to sign up for a DaisyTrail Account to be able to download the free Craft Artist program. After signing up for the DaisyTrail account, download Craft Artist here. There are many helpful videos to explain how to use CraftArtist. If you are impressed with the program, you might want to upgrade to the paid version. Take note of the product key on the download page. You will need it.
- You do not need any programs to print the images from LD. You can print the images straight from your computer following these directions, substituting LD imagery for photos.
