OVER 2 YOU 188 (13/07/04)

DOLL’S HOUSE WALLPAPER

My hobby is restoring old and antique dolls houses. In the course of restoration, fragments of original, beautiful wallpapers may be revealed. These are invariably incomplete or damaged.  I would like to be able to scan these wallpaper fragments, in-situ, on dolls house walls, so that I can use an application such as PhotoShop to be able to print copies for missing sections and repair. My difficulty is that I can’t use my scanner due to working in a confined space.  A typical dolls house room might be only 8 - 9 inch high and 10 - 12 inch deep.  I’ve tried using a digital camera, but I can only focus the camera towards the back wall of the dolls house, which typically has a chimney breast and fireplace breaking up that wallpaper section.  I’d prefer to be able to take images from the flat walls at the sides.  I’m aware that there are some pen-type scanners available, but these seem to be geared up to inputting text rather than images. Any suggestions?

Jan Moring, via email

I suggest that you take two photographs, one focussed on the detail on the rear wall and the other on the chimney breast. Cut and crop the two fragments, stitch them together in PhotoShop to create one section of the pattern then repeat this using copy and paste to create a full size sheet.

Mark Bentley, via email 

One solution to manoeuvring a camera inside a doll’s house may be to use a small mirror.

Ian Gibson, via email

Your correspondent might not have to go to the trouble of trying to scan a fragment of original wallpaper, several web sites on the Internet sell reproduction Victorian and Georgian dolls house wallpapers and maybe the pattern is already available. Have a look at the Dollhouseclub at: www.dollshouseclub.com/uk/ minidiy/wallpaper.htm and Jackson’s Miniatures at: www.jacksonsminiatures.com/

Millie Cross, via email

There’s a good selection of reproduction antique wallpapers for doll’s houses on the following web page: www.dollshouse.com/

John Taylor, via email

Several companies market antique style wallpapers and there are some useful links and discussion forums, where you might be able to find a source of possible designs at: www.dollshouse-info.co.uk/

Theresa Mulley, via email

DATABASE CONVERSION

I wish to copy my parish records from dBaseIII to Excel 2003 but as usual with Excel date prior to 1900 come out reversed.  I have downloaded a couple of programs from the Internet, which are supposed to rectify this but do not seem to work. I am probably doing something wrong. Can anyone help?

Harold Gregory, via email

You might try the free download 'Extended Date Functions' on: www.j-walk.com/ss/excel/files/general.htm. I have not used this particular add-on, but have used several others from John Walkenbach.
Barbara Wiseman, via email

The best way around this is to store dates as numbers in the form YYYYMMDD and then use a formula to display the date in any required format.  I have explained this in more detail on a web page at:http://home.clara.net/daibevan/

nottshelp/ExcelDates.htm
Dai Bevan, via email

STAR GAZER

As a budding astronomer with a very small telescope my attempts at stargazing are continually frustrated by cloud cover and light pollution. I remember reading somewhere that members of the public would one day be able to access live images from large telescopes around the world, via the web, does anyone have any more information?

Chris Miller. Via email

Individual instruments or surveys usually have their own associated websites that give you access to some of their archived data, such as the SuperCOSMOS Sky Survey (www-wfau.roe.ac.uk/sss/) or the Hubble Space Telescope, which serves both research-level data (http://archive.stsci.edu/hst/search.php) and some excellent pretty pictures (www.seds.org/hst/hst.html).  However some data is 'proprietary' until the observers have finished their research, and won't be made public until (typically) a year after the observation. There is also an international effort (www.ivoa.net) to provide a common set of tools to all astronomers world wide, but this is still in the design stage.  It includes search engines and straightforward common tools to access and process images and data.  While our target customers are research astronomers, members of the public should also find it useful.  AstroGrid (www.astrogrid.org) is the UK contribution, and expect to provide a Grid-like network of UK astronomical datasets and tools by the end of this year.Martin Hill, Software Engineer AstroGrid (ROE), via email

CD LABEL DESIGNER

Can anyone suggest a program that can design and print CD labels and jewel case inserts? In particular I want one that will print information on the spine of the insert card so they can be differentiated in a storage rack.

Paul Mangan, via email

I use Avery's AfterBurner labelling device to design and apply labels on CDs.  Its pretty good - it has CD software with funky designs that you can use to print out onto CD labels.  It also comes with labels and an applicator so you get the label on without any wrinkles.  I bought mine from PC World for about a tenner.  You can also use their software to design insert cards as well.
Tim Jeffrey, via email

CD CATALOGUE

I would like to put my company’s products onto a CD-ROM catalogue. I want to be able simply to put in the product data and pictures and then have a program turn it into an easily browsed catalogue that will auto-start when inserted into a CD player. I expect to have to do some layout and graphic design, but I would prefer to avoid having to create the structure, produce a search engine and work out how to auto-start the CD. Is there such an application or possibly a plug-in for a web-authoring program that would do the job?

Colin Bignell, via email

Catalogue Builder from Bemax is a sophisticated compilation program that produces a fully interactive CD-ROM catalogue of your products and services, quickly and easily. Catalogue Builder automatically converts your images and text files into a structured, easy to use catalogue, providing your customers with fast and convenient access to your product portfolio. Further information can be obtained from: www.bemax.co.uk.
Arthur Smith, via email

CAN YOU HELP

I want to use my digital camera to take photos of framed prints, with clear glass in front. Can anyone suggest how I can avoid, or remove reflections of the camera in the photograph?

John Lyon-Maris, via email

I am doing ICT for GCSE and for my coursework I am organising old photographs and postcards for my Parish Museum. I need to create a searchable database of the digital images of the photographs. I want to be able to associate key words and information with each image, and search on a combination of key words and text content. I have been working with MSAccess, but I do not find it very easy to use. I wonder if your readers have any suggestions for software that would help me. The Museum does not have a large budget so they cannot afford to buy expensive software.
Lizzie Rowse (age 14), via email