The FCBV3 utility is available for download from here FCBV3.exe

Sample knot cypher files   OH Knot.cyp     Reef Knot.cyp

The utility has been written in Turbo Delphi by Guild members.  No responsibility is accepted for failure of this utility to work as designed nor for any damage or loss incurred through its use or malfunction.

Warning.  This is an early version of the software and will contain bugs.  Use this software only at your own discretion.

Create a folder on your PC and download the file FCBV3.exe into it.

Right click on the file icon and select 'Create Shortcut'.

Place the shortcut onto your desktop or in some other handy access place.

To run, double click either the shortcut or the .exe icon. and the drawing screen will open up.

If you have downloaded a sample file or have been sent a knot diagram in a .cyp file, click File - Open or Ctrl O to open the file dialogue.  Select the file and click OK.  The supplied OH knot file will open like this:-

The utility will read in the cypher and associated information, place the cypher string in the bottom cypher bar and then draw the diagram from the cypher using Version 3.x protocol.

If you want to create the cypher for your own knot, click File - New, the drawing area and cypher line will be cleared.

Type in the knot name (if known) and any other information known about the knot.

To create a drawing of the knot, first either open up the knot until it is nearly two dimensional and suitable to be copied straight into the drawing area or alternatively, make a pencil line diagram and transfer the line diagram to the drawing area.

To make the drawing, first click on one of the start or working part tiles, choosing the tile which faces in the appropriate direction, then click in one of the cells in the drawing area - the image will be reproduced in that square and the cypher code for it will be added to the cypher line.

using the OH knot example, next clik the horizontal crossing tile to select it, then click next to the WP square to add the crossing element..  Next select the vertical crossing tile and join this to the previous element, tehn use the top LHS curve tile and the bottom LHS tile to make the downward curve.  Add another horizontal crossing element, then finish off by filling in the remaining curves and adding an arrow to denote the SPart.

As you were building the image, the cypher was being constructed in the cypher line.  You have full edit control over this line, so you are able to edit it using the keyboard.  To delete a cell, simply remove its code from the cypher line.

When you have finished your drawing, simply click File - Save As to open the Save dialogue box, give the file a name and click Save.  The utility will create a tiny text file containing the cypher information necessary to send details of this knot to someone else.

If they cannot access the internet to download the utility, then simply attach it and send them a copy, it is only about 500KB so most folks mailboxes can handle it.

If you experience problems, please report them here in the comments section or via the IGKT Forum.