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Dark Tools software

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the development of this tool
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Version 3.5 of this software is available.
The major improvement is the hardware interface that allows to drive the enlarger directly from the computer giving the software its full power.
It is still possible to use it without the interface with some limitations.

Like in the past, this software runs on any 32 bits version of Windows (Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, 2000 & XP) but, the USB interface requires a minimal version of Windows of 98 Second Edition. It is strongly advised to use a more robust version of Windows like 2000 or XP.

This software is freeware, free of use.
It's forbidden to sell or reuse it in any form, partially or totally, in a commercial product.
This program is given as is, without any warranty.
No responsibility is assumed for its use or consequences of its use.

Please, read the "readme.txt" file to install it.

The dry side proposes:

The wet side proposes:

The two applications are multilingual, the texts of the languages are stored in files named xlanguage.txt where x is d for dry side and w for wet side.
French, English and Italian are supplied, documentation included. If you'd like to translate this software into your language, just translate the xlanguage.txt and, if the vocal functions do interest you, record your own vocal countdown in .wav files and replace those I supply.

The processes files are supplied as examples, you'll certainly need to adapt them to your operating mode.

Today's menu:
Agrandissement: software et documentation en français - documentation seule
Dry side: software & documentation in english - documentation only
Ingrandimento: software e documentazione in italiano - solo documentazione
Développement: software et documentation en français - documentation seule
Wet side: software & documentation in english - documentation only
Sviluppo: software e documentazione in italiano - solo documentazione

If the PDF links do not work properly, please right-clic on the link, save the file and re-open it locally: I have actually some difficulties with PDFs generation ...

Warning:

Hardware Interface

The hardware interface connects the software to the real world and gives it its full power:
Interface Description.

Future improvements, version 4

Version 4 will bring following supplementary functions:

The second step, a luxmeter module will be added, which will open several possibilities:

Making the screen inactinic

Nearly all actual monitors (only the old LCD don't do it) emit light that fog the photographic films and papers.
With panchromatic material (B/W and color films, color papers), no light is acceptable but with B/W papers, it's possible to cover the screen with special films called Rubylith (red for orthochromatic material) or Amberlith (amber for material sensitive to blue and green) which let pass only safe light.
These films are pretty fragile and can be found in graphic art shops (they are used in lithography), they are becoming rare as graphic arts have switch to computer technology.

Switching off the screen does of course work but, with CRTs, you must wait a few minutes because, like phosphorescent tubes, the screen continues to emit some light.

It's also possible to hide the screen with a completely opaque cache..

Don't forget to hide all the LEDs you may encounter in your darkroom electronic equipments ...

No computer in the darkroom ?

For those who don't have a computer in their darkroom, here are a pair of Excel spreadsheets and Acrobat files:

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