<chapter id="creatingpatterns" >
  <title>Creating patterns</title>
  <sect1 id="starting-kxstitch">
    <title>Starting &kapp;</title>
    <para>
      When starting &kapp; you will be presented with a blank canvas of the default
      size. This is also the case when selecting <guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>New</guimenuitem>.
      The default sizes can be set in the pattern properties dialog by enabling the set as default checkbox.
    </para>
    <para>
      If the default size is not suitable for your planned pattern, you can use
      the <guimenu>File</guimenu><guimenuitem>Properties</guimenuitem> dialog to change it.
      Adjust the values as required and after clicking on OK, the pattern will be resized to suit.
    </para>
  </sect1>
  <sect1 id="importing-images">
    <title>Importing Images</title>
    <para>
      &kapp; allows you to import an image. A dialog will be displayed that previews the
      image based on the default import options.
    </para>
    <para>
      The initial size of the pattern will be based on the default pattern size.
    </para>
    <para>
      Options for importing allow you to change the floss scheme used and to limit the
      number of colours. You can also change the scaling to reduce or enlarge the final
      pattern.
    </para>
  </sect1>
  <sect1 id="scanning-images">
    <title>Scanning Images</title>
    <para>
      Scanning is basically the same as importing images, except that the source is different.
      Initially you will be shown the standard KDE scanner dialog. When scanning is complete
      the procedure is then the same as importing images.
    </para>
  </sect1>
  <sect1 id="background-images">
    <title>Background Images</title>
    <para>
      You can insert an image as a background to the editor window. This is useful if importing
      the image is not desirable or gives poor results.
    </para>
    <para>
      The image is normally scaled to cover the entire pattern grid. This may not be suitable, therefore
      you can use the select tool to select an area that you want to cover and then select the
      <guimenu>Pattern</guimenu><guimenuitem>Fit background to selection</guimenuitem>. This will
      rescale the image to fit within the selected area. You can continue doing this until you are happy
      with the result, even after you have started adding stitches.
    </para>
    <para>
      There is no limit to the number of times you change the background. Therefore you are not limited to
      just the one background per pattern.
    </para>
  </sect1>
</chapter>