Quick View Plus box

"The Utility Program That You Should Not Be Without"


Click on a thumbnail to enlarge it. Use your browser's "BACK" button to return to this review when done.
     
Quick View Plus 5.1, by Inso Corporation, is a file viewing utility that lets you view, copy, paste, edit, and print documents--fully formatted--even if you don't have the originating application. It provides access to information regardless of the source and works across applications and operating systems. This new version of the software was designed to meet the needs of users looking for tight Windows integration, and it supports over 200 Windows, UNIX, Mac, and DOS file formats from word processor, spreadsheet, database, graphics, presentation, and compression applications. You can also use it to view attachments within e-mail and Web browsers. It works with Windows NT 4.0, 98, 95 and 3.1. The price is $59.00 and $29.00 for upgrades. The package is distributed by Jasc Software. More information can be obtained at either the Jasc or Inso Web sites: http://www.jasc.com or http://www.inso.com

Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced PC users. Quick View Plus is easy to install and use and is appropriate for all level users.

  • Allows you to easily view a wide variety of file formats even if you don't have the application: text, spreadsheet, graphic, database, presentation, compressed files, and html;
  • Lets you view files and attachments with true display of formatting features such as fonts, styles, columns, tables, headers, footers, page numbers, footnotes, embedded graphics, and OLE objects;
  • Manages all your documents: copy and paste to create new files; make old docs in old apps into new documents; rename or remove old documents; print all or part of any file;
  • Provides support for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint 2000 documents;
  • Integrates into all major e-mail and groupware programs, including Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape Communicator, Microsoft Exchange, Eudora, Netscape Messenger and Lotus Notes;
  • Allows you to open e-mail attachments, including photos and graphics;
  • Overcomes Mac and PC incompatibilities;
  • Includes a text-search function that lets you search for words in a file and highlights the matches;
  • Helps bridge the gap between old and new software.

Installation & User's Guide
The installation process is quick and easy. You can install Quick View Plus with the options users most commonly use, with the minimum required options, or customize Quick View Plus by choosing only the options you want to install. You can also install Acrobat Reader 3.01, which is included on the CD, at this time if you do not already have it. There is an excellent 74 page User's Guide with information on installing the program and a quick tour of Quick View Plus, with sample documents, that shows you how to work with files of various types.

Interface
Files are viewed within a Quick View window that can be opened from: a desktop icon; theInterface Program Select a FileMenu; Explorer; the Taskbar; the Find command, Exchange; the desktop using the Context Menu; a Windows program; or browsers, e-mail programs, and groupware. Once you have opened a view window, you can display files by dragging them into it, and you can view objects embedded in them. The view window has all the features of a standard Windows program (title bar and sizing buttons, main menu, and scroll bars). It dE-Mail Attachmentsisplays the current file and, depending on the view you're looking at some combination of toolbar buttons. From this view window you can view multiple files; print multiple files without viewing them; save a copy of a viewed file or embedded object; print a viewed file; copy all or part of a viewed file to the Clipboard; open a viewed file for editing; send a viewed file as a mail attachment; find specific text in a viewed file; and create Windows wallpaper from a graphics file. Sending a file displayed in the view window as an e-mail attachment with Exchange and other e-mail programs, is fast and efficient. On the File menu, you click Send (Filename) and an e-mail session opens with the file inserted as an attachment. The image to the right is a dialog box from Microsoft Outlook.

Using Quick View Plus as Shield Against Macro Viruses
Quick View Plus can be used as a shield against macro viruses like Melissa if used with e-mail attachments. With Melissa and other macro viruses, the native application must be run in order for the infected file to harm the computer system. Because Quick View Plus allows users to vieNetscape Vieww, copy, and print files without opening the native application, it acts as a shield against macro viruses. With the Melissa virus, Quick View Plus can be used to safely view the content of the infected e-mail attachment. Upon inspection of the infected Melissa attachment, users will see an irrelevant list of Web sites rather than any "important" content as the subject line of the e-mail. The e-mail could then be harmlessly deleted. To the right is a view of an attachment opened in Netscape with Quick View Plus.You can see the Quick View Plus toolbar displayed at the top of the browser screen. Of course, there are many different types of viruses so you still need a virus protection program, but nowadays any additional help from applications like Quick View Plus are invaluable.

Working with Specific File Types

Quick View Plus displays a file-type-specific menu with a different name and different options for each type of file you display. You can also choose any file-type-specific command from the view window's context menu, which can be opened by clicking the right mouse button anywhere in the view window. Specific file types file-type-commands are:

  • Word-Processing Files--you can view word-processing files in three modes (draft, normal, or preview). In preview mode, you can view word-processing files in three sizes (full size, window size, and window width).
  • Spreadsheet, Presentation, and Database Files--you can view spreadsheets iSpreadsheet File Typen draft mode; show or hide the gridlines (in spreadsheet or database files); and display any sheet in a multiple-sheet file.
  • Bitmap Files--you can adjust the display by: using the entire screen; changing the display size; rotating the bitmap; zooming in or out; and dithering the colors.
  • Drawing Files--you can adjust the display by: using the entire screen; changing the display size; and zooming in or out.
  • Archives--when you view an archive (compressed file or directory) in the view window,Archive File Type Quick View Plus displays a tree-like representation of the archive's directory structure with a list of the files. You can view any file in the archive and decompress and save one or more files from the archive.
  • Internet Files--for UUE files, a text document indicates technical information about the encoded file, and the name of the file appears as a hyperlink in red print. Clicking on the hyperlink opens with the file in a view window. With Internet files, the View menu option Encoding allows you to pick the character set used when viewing a file as text or html.
  • Embedded Objects--you can display embedded objects in Quick View Plus, or if the program that created them is on your computer, you can start that program.

Customizing Quick View Plus

There are a variety of ways to customize the program:

  • View Window--show or hide the toolbar and status bar; attach each new window to another window.
  • Display--specify the default font for text, the character set for files whose format isOptions unknown to Quick View Plus, and specify how to display spreadsheets, databases, and archive files.
  • View Format--specify the format in which to view files: file-type-specific format, text (Standard, Windows, DOS, or Unicode), or hexadecimal.
  • Printing--specify the Quick View Plus font, headers, and margins (for all file types); gridlines, row names, column names, and field names (for spreadsheets and databases); borders and aspect ration (for bitmaps and drawings).
  • Clipboard Format--specify file formats and fonts (for all file types); table or tab format (for spreadsheets and databases).
  • Integrations--add Quick View Plus to or remove it from other programs.

Configure Quick View Plus with Other Programs
Quick View Plus can be configured to work with other applications. You can do this durinConfigure Plug-insgConfigure for Applications installation or later. You can integrate Quick View Plus with other programs by using the Configure Quick View Plus dialog box. You can also have Quick View Plus use a variety of plug-ins to view files using the Configure dialog box.

Quick View Plus Version 5.1 is a "must have program." I have used earlier versions and it keeps on getting better and better.

 Quick View Plus works on any system running Windows 98, Windows 95, or Windows NT 4.x. A minimum installation requires approximately 13.5 MB of disk space; a full installation requires approximately 15 MB of disk space.

Graphics: Adobe ImageStyler
Web Page Editor: IBM NetObjects TopPage
Scanner: Hewlett Packard ScanJet 6250C Professional Series