Overview

Welcome to Microsoft Avatar Wizard, the avatar-creation kit for Microsoft V-Chat.

An avatar is the image that represents you in V-Chat. Twenty images are required to make a fully functional avatar that can gesture and show emotions. Some gestures consist of a single image while others require two images.

Avatar Wizard consists of three areas:

The Avatar area is the collection of avatar gestures you’ll use when publishing your custom avatar to V-Chat.

The Image Library is a collection of images you can store within Avatar Wizard in order to build your custom avatars. There’s space for 64 images.

The Crop Tool helps you to fine-tune your avatar and use special effects before moving it to the Avatar area or the Image Library.

The Avatar area organizes your avatar gestures into groups:

Front  What others in V-Chat will see if they are in front of you.

Back  What others will see if they are behind you.

Idle 1, 2  Occasional animation if no other gesture is used.

Happy  What your avatar will look like when you click the Smile button.

Sad  What your avatar will look like when you click the Sad button.

Angry  What your avatar will look like when you click the Angry button.

Shrug  What your avatar will look like when you click the Shrug button.

Wave A, B  What your avatar will look like when you click the Wave button. The two panels allow you to give some animation to this gesture.

Flirt A, B  What your avatar will look like when you click the Flirt button. The two panels allow you to give some animation to this gesture.

Silly 1A/1B, 2A/2B, 3A/3B, 4A/4B  What your avatar will look like when you click the Silly button. The two panels allow you to give some animation to this gesture, and the four variations ensure that you don’t look silly the same way two times in a row.

For more details and tips and tricks for using Avatar Wizard, see the Avatar Wizard Users’ Guide at http://vchat1.microsoft.com/avatars/help/Avahelp.htm

Related topics

Using the Avatar area

Using the Image Library

Using the Crop Tool

Creating the images for a custom avatar

Creating a custom avatar from scratch

Modifying an avatar image

Creating gesture sequences


Creating the images for a custom avatar

If you are creating an avatar from scratch, you have to first create the 20 images that make up the avatar. You can create the images in almost any drawing program, provided that the files are of these types: *.bmp, *.eps, *gif, *.jpg, *.jif, *.pcd, *.pct, *.psd, *.tga, *.tif, or *.wmf.

Notes

When creating your images, make sure the height and width of the image are both set to 128 pixels.

Pure green (RGB 0, 255, 0) is the color Avatar Wizard uses to render an image’s background transparent in V-Chat. If you use this color in your image (other than the background), others in V-Chat will not be able to see that color.

It’s a good idea to use the same palette in Avatar Wizard that you used in your drawing program to create your image. That way you’ll be assured that all the colors you used in creating your image will be available in Avatar Wizard. See Using a custom palette.

Related topics

Starting a new avatar


Starting a new avatar

When you start a new avatar, it’s like starting a new document: the images in the Avatar area are removed, but all the images in the Image Library remain.

To start a new avatar

1  If you were working on another avatar, save your changes by clicking Save on the File menu.

2  On the File menu, click New.

Related topics

Creating the images for a custom avatar


Creating a custom avatar from scratch

When you create an avatar from scratch, you can use images of these file types: *.bmp, *.eps, *gif, *.jpg, *.jif, *.pcd, *.pct, *.png, *.psd, *.tga, *.tif, or *.wmf.

To create a custom avatar from scratch

1  On the File menu, click New.

2  On the Library menu, click Load Image.

3  Locate and click the image you want to use, and then click Open.

The image is placed in an available pane in the Image Library.

When you have as many images as you want in the Image Library, you can drag them to the Crop Tool to modify them, or to the Avatar area to stage them for publishing.

4  On the File menu, click Save.

5  In the File Name box, type a name for your avatar, choose a folder to save the avatar to, and then click Save.

Related topics

Using the Avatar area

Using the Image Library

Using the Crop Tool

Previewing your avatar

Modifying an avatar image

Loading a private avatar


Creating a custom avatar from an existing avatar

You can either load an avatar’s images into the Image Library, or you can open an avatar in the Avatar area. This second method is useful when you see an avatar you like, but want to place only a few of its images in the Image Library.

To create a custom avatar from an existing avatar

1  On the File menu, click New.

2  On the Library menu, click Load Avatar.

3  Locate and click the avatar you want to use, and then click Open.

The images that make up the avatar are placed in the available panes in the Image Library.

When you have as many images as you want in the Image Library, you can drag them to the Crop Tool to modify them, or to the Avatar area to stage them for publishing.

4  On the File menu, click Save.

5  In the File Name box, type a name for your avatar, choose a folder to save the avatar to, and then click Save.

To open an avatar

1  On the File menu, click Open.

2  Locate and click the avatar you want to use, and then click Open.

The avatar’s 20 images are displayed in the Avatar area.

Related topics

Using the Avatar area

Using the Image Library

Using the Crop Tool

Previewing your avatar

Modifying an avatar image

Loading a private avatar


Creating a custom avatar from a TWAIN-supported device

You can create avatars from most scanners and digital cameras that can be plugged into your computer.

To create a custom avatar from a TWAIN-supported device

1  On the File menu, click New.

2  On the Library menu, click Capture From TWAIN Device.

3  Choose the scanner, camera, or other TWAIN device you want to use, and then click Select.

4  Choose the image you want, and then click OK.

The image is displayed in an available pane in the Image Library.

Related topics

Using the Avatar area

Using the Image Library

Using the Crop Tool

Previewing your avatar

Modifying an avatar image


Modifying an avatar image

After you open or load an avatar, you might want to change some of its images. For example, if you invert the colors of an image, and then use the Preview Window, you’ll notice that the avatar’s background color is displayed in the window, since its color has been inverted also.

To modify an avatar image and reload the image

1  Right-click an image in any of the panes, and then click Copy on the shortcut menu.

2  Switch to your drawing program, and then paste your avatar into the window.

3  Make your changes, and then save the image.

4  Switch to Avatar Wizard, and then click Load Image on the Library menu.

5  Locate and click the image you want to use, and then click Open.

The image is placed in an available pane in the Image Library.

Related topics

Using the Avatar area

Using the Image Library

Using the Crop Tool

Changing the background color of an avatar

Previewing your avatar

Loading a private avatar


Previewing an avatar

After you’ve finished creating your avatar, you can preview how your avatar will appear to others in V-Chat by using the Preview Window. Do this before publishing your avatar to make sure the gestures are appropriate. You can leave the Preview Window open while you work in the Avatar area, and then preview your avatar as you work.

To preview your avatar before publishing

1  On the View menu, click Preview Window.

Your avatar is initially displayed in the Front, Idle 1, or Idle 2 positions. Although the background appears white, it will be transparent in V-Chat.

2  Click a gesture button to preview your avatar’s various gestures.

3  Click the Close button in the upper-right corner to close the Preview Window.

- Or -

Drag the title bar to move the window to one side.

Related topics

Exporting an avatar as a private avatar


Creating gesture sequences

Most of the gestures in V-Chat are single-image gestures, but three of the gestures involve two images: wave, flirt, and silly. Think of it as very simple two-pane animation: the action in Wave-A will be performed before the action in Wave-B in V-Chat, so place your images accordingly.

V-Chat will cycle through the four pairs of Silly gestures for variety.

Related topics

Using the Avatar area


Exporting an avatar as a private avatar

If you want to make sure that others cannot use your avatar, consider making it a private avatar by protecting it with a password.

To export an avatar as a private avatar

1  On the File menu, click Export.

2  In the File Name box, type a name for your avatar, choose a folder to export the avatar to, and then click Save.

3  Type a password for your private avatar, and then click OK.

Note  Avatar passwords are case-sensitive. Type your password carefully, and then remember it.

Related topics

Loading a private avatar


Loading a private avatar

To load a private avatar

1  On the Library menu, click Load Avatar.

2  Click the Files of Type drop-down arrow, and then click Private Avatars.

3  Locate and click the private avatar you want to use, and then click Open.

4  Type the password for this private avatar, and then click OK.

The images that make up the avatar are placed in the available panes in the Image Library.

Related topics

Exporting an avatar as a private avatar


Using the Avatar area

The Avatar area is the staging area for your finished avatar. The images you put in each of the 20 panes constitute your avatar as others will see it in V-Chat.

When you publish your avatar to V-Chat, your avatar’s gesture corresponds to the images in the Avatar area. Double-check the panes to make sure the images represent what you want. For example, if you put an image of a knowing wink (flirt) in the Angry pane, you’d be sending a mixed message.

To add an image to the Avatar area

Drag an image to the Avatar area until the cursor displays a plus sign.

You can drag images between panes of Avatar Wizard.

Caution  When you drag an image to a pane that already has an image in it, the new image replaces the old image.

To remove an image from the Avatar area

1  In the Avatar area, click the image you want to remove.

2  On the Edit menu, click Cut.

Note  You can also right-click in the Avatar area to use the shortcut menu.


Using the Image Library

The Image Library is the storage area for your images, with panes to hold up to 64 images. When you load an image or an avatar into Avatar Wizard, it goes into the Image Library. The images stay in the Image Library until you remove them, even between sessions of Avatar Wizard. Use the scroll bars to see more images.

You can drag images between panes of Avatar Wizard.

Caution  When you drag an image to a pane that already has an image in it, the new image replaces the old image.

To add an image to the Image Library

1  On the Library menu, click Load Image.

2  Locate and click the image you want to use, and then click Open.

The image is displayed in an available pane in the Image Library.

To add several images from the same folder

1  On the Library menu, click Load Directory Of Images.

2  Locate and click the folder that contains the images you want, and then click OK.

All the images in the folder are displayed in the available panes in the Image Library.

Note  If you see compressed images filling up the Image Library, it’s because you loaded a folder of avatars (.png files) rather than a folder of individual images. Each of the avatar’s 20 panes were loaded into one pane of the Image Library. If you want to load an avatar, see the next procedure.

To load an avatar into the Image Library

Follow this procedure if you want a complete set of an avatar’s images into the Image Library.

1  On the Library menu, click Load Avatar.

2  Locate and click the avatar you want to use, and then click Open.

The images that make up the avatar are placed in the available panes in the Image Library.

To remove an image from the Image Library

Caution  Removing an image is a permanent action. If you change your mind, you will need to reload the image from its folder using the Load Image command.

1  In the Image Library, click the image you want to remove.

2  On the Edit menu, click Cut.

To remove all images from the Image Library

1  On the Library menu, click Clear.

2  If you’re sure you want to remove all images from the Image Library, click Yes.

Note  You can also right-click in the Image Library to use the shortcut menu.


Using the Crop Tool

The Crop Tool is the preparation area for your images. You can drag an image from the Image Library or the Avatar area to the Crop Tool, make your changes, and then drag the finished image to another pane.

The Crop Tool is actually four tools in one. You can do this to an image:

Flip it

Magnify it

Invert its colors

Blur it

To flip an image

1  Drag an image to the Crop Tool.

2  On the Crop menu, click Flip Vertical or Flip Horizontal

Flip Vertical turns your image upside-down.

Flip Horizontal gives a mirror image of its original position.

To magnify an image

1  Drag an image to the Crop Tool.

2  Use the slider below the image to decrease or increase the magnification. Dragging the slider to the left makes the image smaller; dragging the slider to the right makes it larger.

To blur an image

1  Drag an image to the Crop Tool.

2  On the Crop menu, point to Mosaic, and then choose an option: 2 Pixel blurs the image slightly, 5 Pixel blurs the image greatly.

To invert the colors of an image

1  Drag an image to the Crop Tool.

2  On the Crop menu, click Invert Colors.

Note  The green background color of your image has been inverted also, and will be displayed as a pink square behind your avatar. See Changing the background color of an avatar.

To move an image within the Crop Tool

Use the scroll bars to move the image vertically or horizontally.

-Or-

Click and hold down the right mouse button while you drag the image within the Crop Tool.

Note  You can also right-click in the Crop Tool to use the shortcut menu.


Changing the background color of an avatar

Avatar Wizard uses a pure green background for avatars to be displayed on because this color becomes transparent in V-Chat. If you invert an image’s colors, the background color inverts also, and others in V-Chat will see your avatar within a pink square. Unless that’s what you really want, you’ll need to change the background color back to pure green.

To change the background color of an avatar.

1  Right-click the image in the Crop Tool, and then click Copy on the shortcut menu.

2  Switch to your drawing program.

3  On your drawing program’s Edit menu, click Paste.

4  Select the background of the image, and then set the color settings to RGB 0, 255, 0.

5  Save the image with a different name than the original.

6  Switch to Avatar Wizard, and then click Load Image on the Library menu.

7  Locate and click the image you want to use, and then click Open.

The image is placed in an available pane in the Image Library.


Using a custom palette

If you have a custom palette, you can use it in Avatar Wizard.

To use a custom palette

1  On the Edit menu, point to Palette, and then click Load Custom.

2  Locate and click the palette you want to use, and then click Open.

To use Avatar Wizard’s palette

On the Edit menu, point to Palette, and the click Use Default.


Closing Avatar Wizard

On the File menu, click Exit.


File menu commands

The File menu offers the following commands:

New	Creates a new avatar.
Open	Opens an existing avatar.
Save	Saves an opened avatar using the same file name.
Save As	Saves an opened avatar to a specified file name.
Export	Exports your avatar to another file format.
Exit	Exits Avatar Wizard.


Edit menu commands

The Edit menu offers the following commands:

Cut	Deletes data from the document and moves it to the clipboard.
Copy	Copies data from the document to the clipboard.
Paste	Pastes data from the clipboard into the document.
Palette	Allows you to specify a custom palette for your avatar.


Crop menu commands

The Crop menu offers the following commands:

Flip Vertical	Turns the image upside-down in the Crop Tool.
Flip Horizontal	Gives the mirrored image of the image in the Crop Tool.
Invert Colors	Inverts the colors of the image in the Crop Tool.
Mosaic	Blurs the image in the Crop Tool, in gradations.


Library menu commands

The Library menu offers the following commands:

Load Image	Opens the Load Image dialog box, where you can place a single image in an available pane in the Image Library.
Load Directory of Images	Opens the Browse For Folder dialog box, where you can place several images from the same folder in the available panes in the Image Library.
Load Avatar	Opens the Open dialog box, where you can load all the images that make up an avatar in the available panes in the Image Library.
Capture From TWAIN Device	Opens the Select Source dialog box, where you can choose which TWAIN device you want to use.
Clear	Removes all the images from the Image Library.


View menu commands

The View menu offers the following commands:

Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.
Preview Window	Shows or hides the Preview Window


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with Avatar Wizard:

Introduction	Shows the Avatar Wizard introduction screen.
Help Topics	Shows the table of contents for help on Avatar Wizard.
About Avatar Wizard	Shows the version number and copyright information for Avatar  Wizard.


File New command
New command (File menu)

Use this command to create a new Avatar.

You can open an existing Avatar with the Open command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+N


File Open command
Open command (File menu)

Use this command to open an existing avatar. See 1,2, 3, 4 command

You can create new avatars with the New command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+O


File Save command
Save command (File menu)

Use this command to save the avatar to its current name and directory. When you save an avatar for the first time, Avatar Wizard displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your avatar. If you want to change the name and directory of an existing avatar before you save it, choose the Save As command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+S


File Save As command
Save As command (File menu)

Use this command to save and name the active avatar. Avatar Wizard displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your avatar.

To save an avatar with its existing name and directory, use the Save command.


File 1, 2, 3, 4 command
Export (File menu)

Use this command to export your avatar as a private avatar file (.vwp). You’ll be asked to supply a password for this private avatar.

To save an avatar without making it private, choose the Save As command.


File 1, 2, 3, 4 command
1, 2, 3, 4 command (File menu)

Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last four avatars you closed. Choose the number that corresponds with the avatar you want to open.


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to end your Avatar Wizard session. You can also click the Close button in the upper-right corner of the title bar. Avatar Wizard prompts you to save avatars with unsaved changes.


Cut command (Edit menu)

Use this command to remove the currently selected image from a pane and put it on the clipboard. This command is unavailable if no image is currently selected.

Moving an image to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+X


Copy command (Edit menu)

Use this command to copy the currently selected image and put it on the clipboard. This command is unavailable if no image is currently selected.

Copying an image to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+C


Paste command (Edit menu)

Use this command to insert a copy of the clipboard contents in the selected pane. This command is unavailable if the clipboard is empty.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+V


Palette menu (Edit menu)

The Palette menu offers the following commands:

Use Default	Uses the default palette option. When this is selected, Avatar Wizard will create an optimized palette for your avatar when you save it.
Use Custom	After loading a palette, select this option to force Avatar Wizard to use this palette when it saves your avatar. This command will change to the active palette after you load the palette
Load Custom	Select this option to load a custom palette file (*.pal) to use for your avatar.


Toobar
Toolbar

The toolbar is displayed across the top of the Avatar Wizard window, below the menu bar. The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Avatar Wizard.

To hide the Toolbar, click Toolbar on the View menu.

Click	To

Open a new avatar.

Open an existing avatar. Avatar Wizard displays the Open dialog box, in which you can locate and open an avatar.

Save the active avatar with its current name. If you have not yet named the avatar, Avatar Wizard displays the Save As dialog box.

Remove selected image from Avatar Wizard and stores it on the clipboard.

Copy the selected image to the clipboard.

Insert the contents of the clipboard in the selected pane.


Help Topics command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


About Avatar Wizard command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the copyright notice and version number of your copy of Avatar Wizard.


Modifying the Document

<< Write application-specific help here that provides an overview of how the user should modify a document using your application.

If your application supports multiple document types and you want to have a distinct help topic for each, then use the help context i.d. generated by running the MAKEHELP.BAT file produced by AppWizard. Alternatively, run MAKEHM as follows:

makehm IDR_HIDR_,0x2000 resource.h

If the IDR_ symbol for one of your document types is, for example, IDR_CHARTTYPE, then the help context i.d. generated by MAKEHM will be HIDR_CHARTTYPE.

Note, AppWizard defines the HIDR_DOC1TYPE help context i.d. used by this help topic for the first document type supported by your application. AppWizard produces an alias in the .HPJ file for your application, mapping HIDR_DOC1TYPE to the HIDR_ produced by MAKEHM for that document type. >>


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.

<< If you wish to author help specific to each message box prompt, then remove the AFX_HIDP_xxx values from the [ALIAS] section of your .HPJ file, and author a topic for each AFX_HIDP_xxx value. For example, AFX_HIDP_INVALID_FILENAME is the help topic for the Invalid Filename message box. >>


HELP FOR INTRODUCTION DIALOG

You don’t need context-sensitive Help for this. Not even sure if this dialog is going to stay around.


Avatar Preview Window

Shows how your avatar will look in V-Chat. Pause your pointer briefly over each of the buttons to see what gesture it will show when clicked. When no button has been clicked, the Preview Window will show the Front and Idle gestures.


Set Password

Type a password for your private avatar. You will need this password whenever you load this avatar into the Image Library.


Supply Password

Type your password exactly as you typed it when you exported your avatar as a private avatar. The password is case-sensitive.


Crop Tool

Acts as the preparation area for images. Drag an image from the Avatar area or the Image Library to resize it, magnify it, flip it, blur it, or invert the colors of it


Image Library

Acts as the storage area for images. Load images into the Image Library from a drawing program or a scanned graphic, and then use them as the basis for creating a custom avatar.


Avatar area

Acts as the staging area for the 20 images that make up an avatar. When you publish your avatar in V-Chat, these are the gestures that others will see. To create a custom avatar, drag images from the Crop Tool or the Image Library.