Stage Writing Program

[Yul Lose]

I’ve been asked to write the stages for a upcoming match and have no idea how to import the props, targets, etc.. into my text what program do you stagewriters use?

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

I use Publisher and then convert to PDF for emailing and posting on the internet.

PUB has plenty of differing shapes for targets and you can place text boxes on top of shapes if needed.

 

I attached an example of the PUB created stages in PDF form

2021 August Eldorado.pdf

Edited October 19, 2021 by Creeker, SASS #43022

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Corel

[Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580]

MS Word.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

14 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Corel

I'm not smart enough for Corel.

Tho I used to love their video editing software.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Pencil 

OLG 

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

2 minutes ago, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

I'm not smart enough for Corel.

Yeah...I know better than that.

 

[Clint Steele]

Hi Yul,  I inherited the Cajon stages from Dusty in PowerPoint, and I've kept using that program.  - Clint.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Open Office Presentation software (like power point).  Will import graphics from Power Point or most other graphics software.  And, it's free.  

 

good luck, GJ

[Chief Rick]

PowerPoint

[Dusty Devil Dale]

It's pretty easy in ExCel.  Just insert shapes from the Insert tool, or cut/paste in bmp (MS Paint) images of props, targets, etc.  Type in the narratives in text boxes and place them by dragging.   I drew all of our target shapes in a single MS Paint file and then use the Paint select tool to copy/paste them across onto ExCel. 

 

Publisher is very easy too. 

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

I use Publisher then convert to PDF.  Marauder's site has helpful hints and some icons in Excel that can be copied to Publisher and elsewhere. Good Luck

Cowboy Action Stage Design (homestead.com)

 

JefroRelax-Enjoy

[Go West]

I use Libre Office. It's a free suite program and can be saved in Word or PDF. I typically save first iteration in Word until final editing is done, then save in PDF.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Several programs will work but since Excel comes with almost any Microsoft package, I use it.  Any spreadsheet should work well.

 

Word is terrible because it is much harder to get the graphics to stay where YOU want them to be.  

 

Interestingly, the graphic stays right were you put it with Excel.

 

You can then "print" the file to a PDF file for others - either using Microsoft to PDF or PrimoPDF, a free "print driver."

https://www.gonitro.com/primopdf

 

I find that Microsoft to PDF gives better quality graphics, but is a much larger file.

[Stump Water]

MS Word.

 

Turn off "snap to grid" and "snap objects to other objects" and things will stay where you put them.

[Sixgun Seamus]

I use MS Publisher. I have a file built with all of my targets on it. When I build a stage on a page, I know exactly how many targets are left for the rest of the stages. I drew the target shapes and props myself using some existing program shapes. 

[Frontier Lone Rider]

MS Word.

 

I have a file with the target shapes and figures.  Just copy and paste.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

another MS Word user here

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

An Excel spreadsheet set-up by Marauder and highly modified (adapted) by me.

Thanks Marauder! 

[Chief Rick]

Just for grins, I wrote next months stages using MS Excel; started with a blank spreadsheet.

 

I wrote each of five stages on it's own tab and found it very easy to place everything where I wanted it.  I used the basic square, circle and line shapes to mark target and prop placement.

 

Once done, I selected all active tabs as a group and saved as a pdf.  This saved all five stages to it's each sheet in a single pdf document.

 

I admit that I like the ability to go from tab to tab to view the stages and ensure flow more than having to scroll with MS Word or PowerPoint.

 

I may be an Excel convert from now on...

[Mountain Man Gramps]

Yul,

 

I'm also going to try writing some stages.  DD sent me a file that can be used in PowerPoint.  I'll email it to you.

Edited October 19, 2021 by Mountain Man Gramps

[Mountain Man Gramps]

Here is a correction to my above post.

 

The stage icons are in a Word file  not PowerPoint.  Save an unmodified copy of this file with a new name and then create new stages by copying the master file into a new file.  Since this is a Word file, just add the text you want to this new file and cut and paste the icons as needed into the needed place on the page.  Any icons you don't need, just delete them.  Since you previously saved the original file using a different name, you can use it over and over.

 

Perhaps there may be more efficient ways, but this one is pretty straight forward and simple.

 

Here is a link to the file.  I set it to be accessible to anyone with this link:

 

   https://1drv.ms/w/s!ArV-Sms1C6ePg9IaWaXJLK5aQVxkAw?e=3GDdqR

 

MMG

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Thanks! Always looking for more good graphics.

 

Here are some if you haven't found them yet.  More are included in the example.xls file

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

up-date:  saw that a bunch of folks use Publisher so decided to give it a try.  There is a learning curve but then, knew that gong in.

with Word I have saved each stage in its own file and can easily "insert/object/text from file" and pull the needed stages into the match booklet

Publisher is different in that I needed to have all the stages in one file and then can "Select/select all document" then do a copy and paste.

Neither way is necessarily better, just different

 

do like the way all the targets pictures line up nice and neat in Pub.  

 

Will be using it in 2022 to give it a through work out--always nice to learn something new

 

thanks to all who shared

 

 

 

 

[Mountain Man Gramps]

Thanks Marauder, but I didn't see any attachment or link.  Am I missing something?

 

MMG

[Yul Lose]

Thanks for your help everyone, I believe I’ve got it taken care of.

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Good point, Mountain Man.

http://marauder.homestead.com/files/stages.htm

 

http://www.marauder.homestead.com/files/Example3.xls

 

There is a separate tab for the graphics.

[Snakebite]

On 10/13/2021 at 5:21 PM, Creeker, SASS #43022 said:

I'm not smart enough for Corel.

Tho I used to love their video editing software.

Neither is Phantom... he just said that to sound smart.