Home


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Section 1 - Questions people ask before buying

  1. Are your files compatible with Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000/Windows 7 ?
  2. Will they work with Word, Office, Powerpoint, etc ?
  3. Can I use your software on an Apple Mac ?
  4. Do the images comply with current UK legislation ?
  5. I work in the NHS. Do you provide the special HTM65 symbols ?
  6. Can I change the size of an image ?
  7. I have both a laser printer and a colour inkjet. Can I print the colour images on the laser printer ?
  8. Can I use it to make transit labels for chemicals ?
  9. I’m writing a book. Can I use the images as illustrations ?
  10. We put all out data sheets on the Internet. Can we use your illustrations ?
  11. Can I put the files on a network ?
  12. Can I have a copy to try out ?
Section 2: Troubleshooting
  1. I can't open your sample files (1)
  2. I can't open your sample files (2)
  3. I have a modern "for Windows" word processor, but I can’t import the images.
  4. The picture looks OK on the screen, but when I print it looks blotchy and blurred

 

1.  Are your files compatible with Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000/Windows 7 ?

Yes. We supply files in WMF format which is the native file format for this type of graphic in Windows. WMF stands for "Windows Meta File".

Back to Top

2.  Will it work with Word, Office, Powerpoint, etc ?

Almost certainly yes, unless you have very old software, (for example, WordPerfect 5.1 used to be very popular). Old DOS based programmes are unlikely to print graphics, even if you are run them from within Windows. Feedback from our customers shows that the overriding majority now use Word and Powerpoint.

Back to Top

3.  Can I use your images on an Apple Mac ?

Probably. Our CDs are written in ISO or Joliet format, so the Mac should have no problem reading the data. Interpretation is another matter. While most modern Mac software will read, display and print WMF files correctly, limitations are:

(1) you might have to use the "Import" feature of your software rather then the "Open" command

(2) you may not be able to see thumbnail previews of the files when you open folders on the desktop; you’ll have to look in the Rivington Designs manual to find out what each file contains.

Back to Top

 

4.  Do your images comply with current UK legislation ?

We have to give a qualified answer on this. It’s more accurate to say that our aim is to allow YOU to comply.

Despite what we may think, Health & Safety legislation does not change all that quickly. Rivington Designs usually anticipates forthcoming changes and we put the relevant symbols into our products before they become law. However, and this is an important point, WHEN THE DESIGN OF A SYMBOL CHANGES, WE DON’T ALWAYS TAKE THE OLD SYMBOL OUT.

This is because we have lots of customers in the safety training business who need both the old and new versions for the purpose of making visual aids.

In summary, you’ll probably find the image you’re looking for, somewhere in our products, but don’t consider anything you get from Rivington Designs as authoritative information on what is currently compliant and what’s not.

Back to Top

 

5.  I work in the NHS. Do you provide the special HTM65 symbols ?

Yes.

Back to Top

 

6.  Can I change the size of an image ?

A feature of the WMF format files we supply is that they can be enlarged to any size that you can print without significant loss of detail. The Bitmap files we include are intended for website use, and enlargement is not normally an issue.

Back to Top

 

7.  I have both a laser printer and a colour inkjet. Can I print colour images on the laser printer ?

While there’s no technical reason why you shouldn’t print a colour image on a laser printer, the results are sometimes poor; black on a yellow background prints OK, black on a red background is usually unreadable. Other colour combinations fall somewhere in between. However, all Rivington Designs images are supplied in colour AND in optimised grey-scale, where relevant. For best results, use the grey-scale versions on documents that need to be laser printed or photocopied. 

Back to Top

 

8.  Can I use it to make transit labels for chemicals ?

Maybe. From a design point of view, our Hazard Label Symbols package contains hazard markings compliant with international legislation, and you should be able to use these to design the label of your choice. The reason that we give a qualified response to this question is that IMO regulations require a transit label to withstand three months immersion in sea water. Be sure your printing technology is up to this before proceeding.

Back to Top

 

9.  I’m writing a book. Can I use the images as illustrations ?

Yes, provided they appear only in print.

Back to Top

 

10.  We put all out data sheets on the Internet. Can we use your illustrations ?

Starting with Version 6, we now include anti-aliased, full colour bitmap renditions of all our images. These are licenced for use on the internet provided they are used only in reasonable numbers and only in support of intellectual content provided by the licencee, (you, when you’ve bought the package). The web site must contain an acknowledgement of our copyright. With the introduction of this feature, our licence terms now specifically prohibit the use of WMF files for this purpose.

Back to Top

 

11.  Can I put the files on a network ?

Yes, provided your network administrator can limit their use to only one workstation per single-user licence.

Back to Top

 

12.  Will you lend me a copy of your software to try out ?

Rivington Designs has a policy of describing its products exhaustively in promotional material. We do this so that you will know exactly what you are buying, before you place an order. We have placed on this website displays of ALL the symbols in ALL of the products offered by Rivington Designs, so you should be able to satisfy yourself that the content is appropriate for your needs.

To address compatibility issues, we offer a free download of a small number of WMF files taken from our products (Rivington.ZIP). You are invited to try these on your own machine; print them off and assess the quality.

In this way you can satisfy yourself that the content and quality of our products is what you are looking for, every bit as well as if you had the actual product(s) in your possession.

In other words, no. If you want to download the samples, Click Here.

Back to Top

 
Section 2: Troubleshooting

 

13.  I can't open your sample files (1)

"I look at your samples directory in Explorer or My Computer, I double-click one of the files, and nothing happens"

The symbols in Images for Industry products are not really programmes, they do not contain executable code, and you can not "run" them from Explorer. It is more accurate to consider them as DATA, for inclusion into another programme, usually a word-processor or graphics package.

What you have to do is start up Word or PowerPoint, or something similar, then use the command sequence "Import, Picture". More detailed instructions are included in the "Technical" pages of this website.

Back to Top

 

14.  I can't open your sample files (2)

"I start up Word, then I try to open one of the sample files, and I get a screen full of gibberish. What’s wrong?"

What's happening is that your word processor is trying to interpret the file as a Word letter or document, and it isn't, it's a picture. Instead of using the "open" command, start a blank document, then use the commands "Insert, Picture", (in Microsoft Word), or the equivalent command sequence for the word processor you are using. If you don’t know the correct command sequence, load up the word processor, select "Help", then use the "find" facility to find the term "graphics". Read what it says then try again.

If you are using Word, see the "Technical" pages of this website.

Back to Top

 

15.  I have a modern "for Windows" word processor, but I can’t import the images.

"I use the command sequence Import, Picture, From File, I look at the samples directory, I tell Word to look for All Files, and I still can't get your images in."

The most common cause of this is an incomplete installation of the word processing software. When someone installs software in Windows, the installation wizard commonly offers three different types of installation. These might be called "Full, Typical, Minimum" or "Full, Custom, Laptop". If you (or your IT people), selected the "minimum" or "laptop" options, you might not have installed the software modules needed to interpret graphics files. These modules are called "Graphic Import Filters".

Back up your files, find the installation disc for your word processing software and run the Setup programme again. Better still, get the IT people to do it.

Back to Top

 

16.  The picture looks OK on the screen, but when I print it looks blotchy and blurred.

If you want to create a document that will subsequently be printed, use the files in the subdirectories named "Colour" or "Grey". Do not use the files in the Bitmaps subdirectories, since the images may look fine on the screen, but will not print correctly.

Back to Top

Copyright © 1999-2010  Rivington Designs Ltd. All rights reserved.