ClickBook 2000 is a utility that wedges itself into Windows' print subsystem and enables any printable document (or so they say) to be reformatted to any of dozens of special layouts and then printed on almost any type of modern printer. ClickBook also adds several templates and a "Print Using ClickBook" macro to Word and non-97/2000 versions of Excel and Access, and a macro to AmiPro.

These layouts include two-up, double-sided, shrink to addressbook and organizer sizes, business cards, CD Jewel Box inserts, and tri-folds, among others. A layout wizard lets you create your own layout or you can temporarily modify an existing layout. Layouts are stored externally to the program, thereby inviting the ClickBook community to submit their own creations to a shareable repository at Blue Squirrel's web site.

One thing ClickBook really needs to know is how your printer feeds paper, so part of the installation process is a wizard that steps you through a process (very well done, by the way) of determining the exact nature of your paper path.

To start, it wants to know what printer(s) you have installed on your system. This step has the appearance of wanting to modify your existing printer driver. It actually needs to install its own driver, which ultimately sends the modified print job to the "real" printer, and the "real" printer can be a "share" on another workstation or located independently on a LAN. (Even though you can "share" the ClickBook printer driver, and it appears in the Network Neighborhoods on other workstations, it doesn't work that way at all.)

This reviewer once had the bad habit of printing much of the documentation accompanying computer software and hardware. That habit has been broken for some time now, but with ClickBook, what little documentation finds its way to the hardcopy realm is now a joy to print.

For example, ClickBook's ability to "merge" print jobs is impressive. The experiment involved a custom "outside front cover" for a booklet followed by three pages of the actual booklet. As seen in Figure 1, the cover is a one-page document occupying the first of the four print regions (left and right on the front, then the back).

Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows the first and second pages of the booklet (page two is actually a blank page and page three would be on the back left side). A non-merged print run would use two sheets of paper.

Figure 2.

But merging the print jobs, as seen in Figure 3, shows how the cover page is immediately followed by the booklet pages and thus uses only one sheet of paper.

Figure 3.

ClickBook 2000 is available for Win95/98/ME/NT4 and can be evaluated in two modes: unregistered for five days, and registered, but unlicensed, for an unlimited time (or so I believe). While ClickBook is unregistered, it will consistently present you with the registration dialog window prior to processing any print requests.

The "Connecting to Server" on-line registration step can be cancelled. Registering ClickBook is free, and during the unlicensed evaluation period, "Trial Version" is printed in the header and footer of every page. There are also versions for Macintosh, Win3.1, and a version is in development for Win2K.

ClickBook 2000 also has an "instant update" feature giving users an easy way to make sure that any bug fix patches are applied and new layouts are made available.

ClickBook 2000 is a smart, easy-to-use, easy-to-install utility that adds a high level of functionality to anyone's system. For this reviewer, both in his opinion and in his direct needs, ClickBook's value is greater than its cost.

ClickBook 2000 v4.1
Blue Squirrel Software
$49.95 (Upgrade $29.95)
1-800-403-0925