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The File Menu allows you to access functions related to opening, closing, saving and printing files. Keyboard equivalents vary depending on your platform.
The "New..." command allows you to create a new mandala. MandalaMaker can have only one open mandala at a time. If you have an unsaved mandala open when you choose "New...", MandalaMaker will ask you if you want to save your mandala. If you answer yes, you will be shown the Save dialog. See Save below for details on saving files. If you answer no, MandalaMaker will discard your open mandala.
The "Open..." command allows you to open a mandala which you have previously saved. MandalaMaker can only open files saved in the MandalaMaker format. Exported GIF or JPEG images can not be reopened in MandalaMaker. As with the "New..." command, if you have an unsaved mandala open when you choose "Open...", MandalaMaker will ask you if you want to save your mandala. Unlike many programs, MandalaMaker allows you to Undo any or all of your work from an earlier session.
When you choose the "Save..." command, MandalaMaker presents you with the Save dialog box native to your platform. The dialog allows you to select a destination folder or directory and to name the file. MandalaMaker provides a default name which is something boring like "mandala1.mmk." The extension ".mmk" allows the OS to identify MandalaMaker files. It should be retained. Certainly feel free to name your mandala "Blaze of Glory" or some other more fitting title. If you are unsure of how to use the Save dialog please refer to your operating system documentation. On some platforms the "Save..." command is dimmed if there is no open file or no changes have been made.
The "Save As..." command lets you save a previously saved mandala with a different name. You might want to do this to save two different versions of the same mandala. On some platforms the "Save As..." command is dimmed if the current mandala has not yet been saved.
You can export a mandala as a GIF 87a file using the "Export GIF..." command. GIF, which stands for Graphics Interchange Format, is a cross-platform image format which can be opened in a wide range of graphics programs and is also compatable with the World Wide Web. Exported GIF images are 72 dpi, so they are best for online use. Use "Export JPEG" for higher quality output. The "Export GIF..." command is dimmed on some platforms if no mandala is currently open.
For higher quality output, MandalaMaker can also export mandalas as JPEG images. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. This format is a "lossy" compression algorithm designed for compressing photos. Exported JPEG images have a resolution of 300 dpi, making this the best choice for creating files for import into Adobe Photoshop or other image editors.
The "Print..." command allows you to print the currently open mandala to your printer. The image is automatically scaled to match your paper size and the Mandala is printed centered on the page. If you are running MandalaMaker on Mac OS X you can choose "Save as PDF" from the PDF button in the Print Dialog to save your mandalas. These PDF mandalas can be opened in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and many other programs for further editing.
The "Quit" command appears here on the Windows platform only. On Mac OS X the "Quit" item appears on the Application menu. Choosing "Quit" exits the MandalaMaker program. If you have an unsaved mandala open when you choose "Quit" MandalaMaker asks if you would like to save it before quitting.