==============================
MPDWorkshop 1.5
By JF Software - Joshua Foster
http://www.jfsoftware.net
joshua_70448@ureach.com
June 19, 2002
==============================

TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
* Introduction
* The Main Window
* Making MPD Files
* Reading MPD Files
* How to Contact


INTRODUCTION
============
MPDWorkshop is a convenient utility for creating and reading MPD (Multi-Part DAT)
files for the LDraw 3D modeling suite.


THE MAIN WINDOW
===============
When you start MPDWorkshop from the Start Menu shortcut, you are shown the Main
Window.  Click the "Make an MPD" button to create an MPD file.  Click the "Extract
an MPD" button to read from an MPD file.  Click the "Exit" button to exit the
program.


MAKING MPD FILES
================
You can create an MPD file by either clicking the "Make an MPD" button on the Main
Window or right-clicking any DAT file in Windows Explorer and selecting the
"Convert to MPD" option.  To choose a DAT file to create an MPD from, click the
Browse button next to the "DAT/LDR File" box (skip this step if you right-clicked a
DAT file).  Select where and what to save the MPD file as using the Browse button
next to the "MPD to Create" box (by default, this box will have the same filename
as the DAT file, but with a .MPD extension).  If you select the "Include parts"
option, any DAT dependencies in the /P and /Parts folders will be included.  These
are typically common parts, however, and should usually not be included.  If you
select the "Optional Message" option, you can type a message in the box below to be
displayed when a user opens your MPD file (only if they use MPD Workshop).  Click
the "Create MPD" button to create the MPD file.  The status bar at the bottom of
the window will show what the program is doing, and the green bar will move across
as the program works to find the dependencies, then to write the file.


READING MPD FILES
=================
You can read an MPD file by either clicking the "Extract an MPD" button on the Main
Window or right-clicking any MPD file in Windows Explorer and selecting the
"Extract Files" option.  To choose an MPD file to read, click the Browse button
next to the "MPD File" box (skip this step if you right-clicked an MPD file).
Select the directory to extract to by clicking the Browse button next to the
"Directory to Extract to" box (by default, this box will have the same path as the
MPD file).  If you select the "Show message" option, any message in the MPD file
will appear in a pop-up window.  If you select the "Automatically overwrite"
option, then any existing files in the extract directory will be overwritten
without notifying you.  Click the "Extract MPD" button to extract the MPD into its
DAT files.  The status bar at the bottom of the window will show what the program
is doing, and the green bar will move across as the program works to extract the
individual files.


HOW TO CONTACT
==============
Contact name: Joshua Foster
Email: joshua_70448@ureach.com
Webpage: http://www.jfsoftware.net