Beginners FAQ:Applications (changes)

Showing changes from revision #8 to #9: Added | Removed | Changed

Image Handling

Q: How do I make screenshots?
A: If you have the RISC OS Pi distribution, you’ll find !Snapper in the ‘$.Utilities’ directory ($ is the root of the main filing system of RISC OS). It allows you to create screenshots of a window, the whole screen or a region on the screen and save it as a variety of image file formats.
If you don’t have Snapper, !Paint (in the Apps directory) has a “Snapshot” facility that allows you to capture the whole screen or a region of the screen. The image can only be saved as a sprite file (but see next question).

Q: How do I convert Image Format X to [JPEG/PNG/etc]
A: Double click on !ChangeFSI in the ‘$.Utilities’ directory ($ is the root of the main filing system of RISC OS) and then drag the file you wish to convert to the ChangeFSI icon on the icon bar.
The latest version of ChangeFSI (which can generate JPEG and PNG files) is available here.

Q: What are Sprites? / What is the native RISC OS image Format?
A: A sprite is to RISC OS what a BMP is to Windows. Sprites are the RISC OS native image format. One sprite file can contain multiple sprites. This can be completely different sprites which can be different sizes, colour depths, etc.

Q: .jpgs sometimes give an error when using !SwiftJPEG.
A: Either switch off the error detection in the choices, or use !PrivatEye to open and save them.

Q: Can I convert image formats in batch?
A: !FSI_Batch does a grand job as a front end to !ChangeFSI

Document Handling

Q: Can I read PDF files?
A: Yes. !PDF is bundled with the RISC OS Pi distribution, or can be downloaded using !PackMan.

Q: Can I create PDF files?
A: Yes. !PrintPDF is bundled with the RISC OS Pi distribution, and uses !GhostScript (also bundled) as a backend to produce any printed output as a .pdf file.

Q: Can I use .doc format files?
A: Yes. EasiWriter offers both .DOC and .DOCX file import. Writer+ (in the NutPi ePic collection) can import the older .DOC format but not the newer .DOCX format.

Q: What spreadsheet programs are there? Can they use .xls files?
A: Free versions of FireWorkz and PipeDream are available, but neither of them can handle .XLS files directly.
ViewXLS can load .XLS files (and some .XLSX files) and will allow you to save the cell contents in a CSV file which can then be loaded into FireWorkz or PipeDream.
FireWorkz Pro 2 can be purchased via PlingStore – it offers .XLS file import but does not handle .XLSX files at present.

Personal Organisers

Q: Is there a personal organiser available?
A: Yes. !Organiser, from NutPi ePic. Be aware though, it’s standalone. It will import various formats, but the problem with RISC OS is getting the file exported in the first place. For example, Google Calendars can’t be accessed from !NetSurf.