Superscape Visualiser 3-60B

Welcome to the Superscape Visualiser.  This program enables you to exploit the advantages of virtual reality using a personal computer.  You can "walk around" and interact with high-resolution virtual worlds. Several demonstrations of virtual worlds or environments have been included for this purpose.

This manual contains detailed information on the following topics:

1.	Using the Visualizer
2.	Operating the Visualizer
3.	Setting up devices
4.	Changing the Mouse Movement setup 
5.	Adding a Sound Card
6.	Keyboard controls
7.	Locking a viewpoint to an axis
8.	Changing resolutions
9.	Saving screens
10.	Printing screens
11.	Troubleshooting

See the other manual file for information on the Visualizer Worlds.

But first you need to check to see if you have the necessary computing system requirements. If you require basic instructions on how to load virtual worlds and move around them, refer to the Main Menu that is displayed when you start Visualiser.

Hardware Requirements
Minimum
Processor:  486/33 MHz
Memory: 8 Mb
Disk space: 20 Mb
Graphics card: SVGA
Sound card: Sound Blaster
Input devices: Mouse
Monitor: SVGA
Operating System: MS-DOS 5.0

Recommended
Processor:  486/66 MHz
Operating System: MS-DOS 6.0


1.  Using the Visualiser

The Visualiser uses several easy to use graphical interfaces. These interfaces include: mouse pointer, menus, dialog and alert boxes, buttons and scroll bars.

Moving the mouse changes the position of the mouse pointer on the screen. The click, hold and drag operations apply to any item covered by the tip of the pointer.

The menu is a list of items which lead directly to functions. It is brought up by clicking anywhere on the screen.  The menu appears at the mouse pointer. Pressing Alt-M will also bring up this menu.

To close the menu, click anywhere on the screen outside of the menu or press ESC.
To select a menu item, place the mouse pointer on it and click. Some menu items can be selected using a keyboard shortcut when the menu is not displayed--these are listed next to the menu item. Menu items may also be selected by pressing the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight, then pressing Enter to select the highlighted item.

The menu has a memory: each time it is brought up on screen, the mouse pointer sits on the menu item selected previously. This function may be overridden if the mouse pointer is very close to the edge of the screen.

The menu can be re-positioned anywhere on the screen by dragging its top title bar.

1.1.  Starting the Visualiser

To run a virtual world, you need to run the Visualiser, loaded with the required virtual world file.

After switching the computer on and the DOS prompt appearing, change to the directory containing the virtual world files (these have the extension .VRT). The default location for these files will be C:\VRT3-60B\DATA.

At the DOS prompt, type:   VIS worldfilename

Worldfilename is the name of the file you want loaded (there is no need to include the .VRT extension).

Example:
To load the Visualiser and run the BUMPER.VRT world:

1.	Change to the DEMOS subdirectory.

2.	At the DOS prompt, type: VIS BUMPER, and press Enter.

3.	Press Enter when you see the title screen.

4.	A file information dialog box may appear. If it does, press Enter. The Main Menu will appear.

5.	Click on Visualiser with your mouse.

1.2.  The Main Menu 

The Main Menu is usually displayed after the loading screen. If you are already running a virtual world and want to display the Main Menu, either:

Press the ESC key 
Or,
Right click anywhere with your mouse on the screen to display the Visualiser menu & click on Main Menu.

The Main Menu contains four items:
* Visualiser
* About
* Load
* Exit

Visualiser takes you directly to the Visualiser screen and displays the loaded virtual world.

About displays the version number and date of the Visualiser software being used.  

OK returns you to the Main Menu.

Load displays the Load All dialog box which allows you to load a new world without having to restart from the DOS prompt.

The Load All dialog box displays the current directory and file extensions just below the title bar.  The filename currently selected is displayed on the bottom data line.

The scroll box on the left shows the files available in the selected directory. The right hand line of buttons selects the disk drive and filters all the files for those with the extension VRT.

You can scroll through the fields in the current directory by either clicking on the Up/Down arrows at each end of the vertical scroll bar, or click on the slider, and drag it up or down while holding down the mouse button.

If you want to move from the current directory to its immediate parent either click on the .. in the file list or click on the Parent button.

Change drives by clicking on the relevant drive button. Only the legal drive buttons are active and these are highlighted with black text.

To select a filename to load, either click on it in the file list or enter the name in the filename field, then click on OK.  It must be in the current directory and you must include the extension.
Both of these options will load the relevant world and return you to the Main Menu.

If an entered filename does not exist in the current directory, an alert box will appear. Pressing OK will return you to the Main Menu.

Click on Exit to close down the Visualiser. As with all ‘terminal’ operations where data could be lost, there is an alert box that warns you before committing to the operation. Click on Cancel to cancel the request or click on OK to continue.

1.3.  Visualiser Menu

The Visualiser menu displays the most common functions that can be performed. Some of these can also be reached by pressing keyboard shortcut key combinations.

Right-clicking on the mouse at any time calls up the Visualiser menu.  This menu offers these options: Device select, Control setup, Reset prop dev., Setup and Main Menu.


2.  Operating the Visualiser 

Once in the Visualiser, the virtual world will be displayed. The content of the world and the way in which you interact with it, is set by the world’s designer.

Most worlds adhere to a set of basic control standards. This means that every world should use the same methods for basic operations like controlling objects and selecting viewpoints.

2.1.  Moving in the World

To move around, place your mouse cursor somewhere near the center of the screen and press the Space bar. A small box will appear on the screen at the location where your mouse cursor was located. 

If you move the mouse away from this “home” box, your position in the world will change:

* Moving to the right of the box turns you to the right.
* Moving to the left of the box turns you to the left.
* Moving above the box moves you forward (gives you forward momentum).
* Moving below the box moves you backwards (gives you reverse momentum).

In addition to these basic movements, you can move in other ways by clicking with your right or left mouse button when you move the mouse cursor away from the “home” box:

Left Click and movement away from the box:
* Moving above the box tilts your view upward
* Moving below the box tilts your view downward

Right Click and movement away from the box:
* Moving to the right of the box moves you in a straight line to your right
* Moving to the left of the box moves you in a straight line to your left
* Moving above the box move moves you upwards
* Moving below the box moves moves you downwards

Some worlds and some perspectives in each world may not support some of these Right-click or Left-click movements.

To stop your motion at any time, or to interact with objects, press the Space bar. The “home” box will disappear from the screen.

2.2.  Interacting with Objects

When the “home” box is not displayed on the screen, you can interact with any objects in the world that have been designed to be “live”. See the Visualizer Worlds manual for a list of most objects in the worlds that can be interacted with.

To do something with an object, simply click on it with your mouse (left button). If the interaction has to do with movement, you should click and drag in the direction you want the movement to occur. For example, to open a door handle that turns down, you would click on the door handle, keep holding down the left mouse button, and drag the mouse cursor down.

If you’re unsure about an object, explore it. The worst that could happen is that your position in the world becomes confused. You can press the F12 key at any time to reset the default position for the world.

Some worlds do not have any interaction built in to them. See the Visualizer Worlds manual for details. 

2.3.  The Visualiser Keyboard

The Visualiser can be controlled entirely from the keyboard if necessary.  All the movement controls are duplicated, as well as many other useful functions which are normally accessed only from the menus.

F1	Select viewpoint 1
F2	Select viewpoint 2
F3	Select viewpoint 3
F4	Select viewpoint 4
F5	Select viewpoint 5
F6	Select viewpoint 6
F7	Select viewpoint 7
F8	Select viewpoint 8
F9	Select viewpoint 9
F10	Select viewpoint 10
F11	Revert to last selected viewpoint
F12	Reset world

Print screen	Save screen to disk

ESC	Exit to main menu

1	Select viewpoint 11
2	Select viewpoint 12
3	Select viewpoint 13
4	Select viewpoint 14
5	Select viewpoint 15
6	Select viewpoint 16
7	Select viewpoint 17
8	Select viewpoint 18
9	Select viewpoint 19
0	Select viewpoint 20

=	Center crosshair on/off

Backspace	Pause

A	Revert to automatic control
B	Cycle buffer clear mode
C	Cycle to next console
D	Cycle displayed detail level
E	Display Setup dialog box
F	Move viewpoint down
H	Move viewpoint left
J	Move viewpoint right
K	Move viewpoint backwards
L	Rotate viewpoint down
M	Tilt viewpoint right
N	Tilt viewpoint left
O	Move viewpoint forward
P	Rotate viewpoint up
Q	Rotate viewpoint left
R	Move viewpoint up
S	Cycle through available movement steps
T	Cycle through available turning angles
U	U-turn (y axis)
W	Rotate viewpoint right
X	Viewpoint X lock on/off
Y	Viewpoint Y lock on/off
Z	Viewpoint Z lock on/off

,	Zoom out (< key)
.	Zoom in (> key)	

Shift H	Proportional device on/off
Shift P	Select devices
Shift S	Edit proportional device setup

Ctrl P				Choose printer
Ctrl ESC				Exit from program
Ctrl Print Screen	Print screen to printer

Alt-M	Display menu
Alt-N	Set saved screen name
Alt-P	Print screen

Numeric Keypad:

0	Stop controlled object’s movement
2	Decrease controlled object’s forward velocity
3	Rotate controlled object up
4	Rotate controlled object left
6	Rotate controlled object right
7	Face forward
8	Increase controlled object’s forward velocity
9	Rotate controlled object down

+	Decrease controlled object’s upward velocity
-	Increase controlled object’s upward velocity

Shift +	Increase resolution
Shift -	Decrease resolution
Ctrl +	Increase texture resolution
Ctrl -	Decrease texture resolution

2.4. Viewing the World

Positions in the three-dimensional or virtual world are specified using three perpendicular axes, X, Y and Z. By convention, the X axis runs from west to east, the Y axis runs up and down, and the Z axis runs from south to north. These compass directions are often used in addition to referring to the axes directly.

Rotations are specified around these axes, so a Y rotation is a rotation in a vertical axis, like a spinning top for example. A positive rotation appears to go clockwise when looking down the axis in questions (e.g. looking down on the object for Y axis).

For objects that can move, the positive Z axis (North on an unrotated object) is defined as being “forward.”  All the control features that move objects about use this convention.


3.  Setting up devices

The default installation assumes that you have no devices other than the keyboard and mouse connected to the Visualiser.  If you have an additional device (a sound card or a Spacemouse) or you change a device (a graphics card), you must configure the Visualiser software before you can use it.

You may need to set up some parameters, such as which serial port a device is attached to, which port address your sound card is using, or what resolution you want your graphics card to run in.  Therefore you may find it useful to have any documentation supplied with the device available. 

3.1. Configuring the Visualiser software

1.	Start Visualiser by typing VIS at the DOS prompt and pressing Enter. The Visualiser title screen is displayed.

2.	Press any key to continue. The Main Menu is displayed.

3.	Click on Visualiser. The Visualiser window is displayed, with a flat cube in the middle of the screen.  This is the default (empty) world.

4.	Click the right mouse button in the viewing area. The Visualiser menu is displayed.

5.	Choose Device Select. The Device Select dialog box is displayed.

6.	Scroll through the list of devices, using the up and down arrow buttons to the right of the list, until you find your device.

7.	Click on the empty box to the immediate right of the device name to enable it (a tick is displayed in the box when the device is enabled). If you select the wrong one, click again to deselect the device.

8.	Click on the Setup button to the right of the device tick box. A device configuration dialog box is displayed.

9.	Enter the details required referring to the documentation supplied with the device as necessary, and choose OK. The Device Select dialog box is displayed again.

10.	Repeat Steps 6 to 9 for each additional device that you want to set up.

11.	When you have set up each device, choose OK to return to the Visualiser window. Some devices, such as sound cards, are activated immediately. Others, such as graphics cards, are only set up when Visualiser is started; in this case you are warned that you must save your Preferences and restart Visualiser.

3.2. Saving a new device configuration

If you change the configuration of a device, Visualiser prompts you to save the new configuration when you exit the application.

1.	Press ESC to return to the Main Menu.

2.	Choose Exit. An alert box warns you that you may lose your changes.

3.	Choose Save. The Save Preferences dialog box is displayed.

4.	Choose OK.  An alert box warns you that the file you are about to save (called VIS.CFG) already exists and that you are about to overwrite it.

5.	Choose OK to save the new configuration.  (Choose Cancel if you do not want to save the configuration.)  The new device configuration is saved in Visualiser's Preferences file.  An alert box warns you that you are about to leave Visualiser.

6.	Choose OK.  You are returned to the DOS prompt. 


4.  Changing the Mouse Movement setup

You can adjust the Mouse Movement setup using the Mouse Movement dialog box.

1.	Click the right mouse button once in the viewing area. The Visualiser menu is displayed.

2.	Choose Device Select from the Visualiser menu. The Device Select dialog box is displayed.

3.	Click on the Prop: Mouse Movement Setup button. The Mouse Movement dialog box is displayed.

4.	Make any changes that you want to the Home Position, sensitivity, mode transition method, or axes of movement (see below for further details).

5.	Choose OK.

4.1. Adjusting the Home Position

1.	Click on the Home Position button to set it to Floating or Centre.  
	   *	Floating sets the Home Position to the point where the mouse is clicked 
		in the viewing area.
	   *	Centre sets the centre of the screen as the Home Position. 

2.	Click on the Home Icon button to set Visible or Invisible.
	   *	Visible marks the Home Position with a small square to aid navigation.
	   *	If Invisible is set the Home Position is not visible.

4.2. Adjusting the sensitivity of the mouse

1.	Drag the Mov Response slider (or click on the slider scale) to adjust the sensitivity of the mouse in a linear direction.  The further the slider handle is to the right, the more sensitive the mouse will be to any movement.

2.	Drag the Rot Response slider (or click on the slider scale) to adjust the sensitivity of the mouse in a rotational direction.  The further the slider handle is to the right, the more sensitive the mouse will be to any movement.

4.3. Setting the transition method

Click on the Mode selection button to select the method that you want to use. The transition between Selection mode and Movement mode can be made in one of three ways.
*	Pressing spacebar
*	On a three button mouse, using the centre mouse button. 
*	The centre mouse button can be set so that holding it down switches into movement mode. When released, the mouse returns to selection mode.

The keyboard method may be used in conjunction with either of the centre mouse button methods.

(For further information on setting up and using the centre mouse button refer to the documentation supplied with your mouse.)

4.4. Setting the axes for mouse movement 

1.	Choose the More button in the Mouse Movement dialog box to move to the second page of the dialog box.

2.	Click on the +Left button and the +Right button to set Move or Select.
   *	When Move is set, pressing the mouse button moves your position or rotates the viewpoint in one of the axes.
   *	When Select is set, the mouse acts as it does in Selection mode. 

3.	Click on the six Move and Rotate axis buttons to set the movement option for each axis and mouse button combination. The button cycles between the following options:
   *	Move X, Move Y, Move Z moves your position in each axis.
   *	Rotate X, Rotate Y, Rotate Z rotates the viewpoint in each axis.

These options are only effective if the mouse button is in Move mode.

4.	Click on the movement type button next to the Move and Rotate axis buttons to switch between Relative and Absolute.

*	In Relative mode, the distance of the mouse pointer from the home position determines the speed of rotation of movement.
*	In Absolute mode, the distance of the mouse from the home position determines the absolute orientation or position of the viewpoint.

For example, holding the mouse stationary in Relative mode might rotate at a constant speed, while in Absolute mode it would keep the viewpoint at a constant orientation.


5. Adding a Sound Card

A sound card enables you to enjoy additional realism of the virtual worlds. Some of the worlds have been programmed with sounds. The following information covers some of the cards supported.

5.1.  Sound Blaster

The Sound Blaster driver supports both the Sound Blaster 2 and Sound Blaster 16 ASP.

The Sound Blaster 2 board offers 8-bit sampled sound at 11 kHz sample rate, and up to 4 samples may be played at any one time, although each sample does have a slight effect on the speed of the system.

The Sound Blaster 16 ASP offers 16-bit sampled sound, also at the same rate. Up to 16 samples may be played at any one time.

If more than the maximum allowed number of sounds are played at once, the sound with the shortest time left to go is stopped and the new one replaces it. The Sound Blaster sound device is sensitive to all 16 channels of sound information.

Sound Blaster Setup

The Sound Blaster dialogue box contains four IRQ buttons, three DMA channel select buttons and two Port Address buttons. The setup depends on which Sound Blaster card has been installed.

To set up a Sound Blaster 2:

1.	Note the settings for IRQ number, DMA channel and Port Address as selected by the jumpers when installing the board.  See the Sound Blaster 2 manual on how to install the board in your machine, and how to set and read the IRQ and Port Address.

2.	Click on the appropriate numbered IRQ button (2, 5, 7 or 10).

3.	Click on the appropriate numbered DMA button (0, 1 or 3).

4.	Click on the appropriate Port Address button (220h or 240h).

5.	Click on OK.

To set up a Sound Blaster 16.   

1.	Note the setting for Port Address as selected by the jumpers when installing the board. See the Sound Blaster 16 manual on how to install the board in your machine, and how to set and read the Port Address.

2.	Click on the appropriate Port Address button (220h or 240h).

3.	Click on OK.

The IRQ and DMA settings are set up automatically.

5.2.  Music Quest MIDI

The Music Quest Midi (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) card is not a sound card in its own right but simply an interface card to external musical equipment fitted with the standard MIDI interface. As such, the Visualiser has no control over what sounds the actual devices will play when given particular note, channel and program change information. This  must be set by the external equipment.  

When driving MIDI devices, connect the MIDI out socket from the board to the MIDI in socket on the first instrument attached. Then, for any other MIDI instruments, connect the MIDI out from the previous instrument to the MIDI in on the next one. This gives the effect of a “daisy chain” of MIDI instruments.

The 16 different channels are merely relayed to the attached instruments. Whether they respond to individual channel settings or not is down to the configuration of the instruments themselves. This device does not require setup information. 

5.3.  Ad Lib Gold 1000

The Ad Lib Gold 1000 board offers 12-bit sampled sound at 11 kHz sample rate. Up to 16 samples may be played at any one time, although each sample does have a slight effect on the speed of the system.

If more than 16 sounds are played at once, the sound with the shortest time left to go is stopped and the new one replaces it.

The Ad Lib Gold sound device is sensitive to all 16 channels of sound information.

Ad Lib Gold Setup

The Ad Lib Gold sound card has several different sound sources on one card which can be mixed together and an overall volume applied. The relative strengths of the different sound sources and the total volume can be set up using the Ad Lib Setup dialogue box. To set up the Ad Lib Gold:

1.	Drag the Tot volume slider to set the total volume of the sound output.  The volume is at a maximum when the slider is at the top and completely off when at the bottom.

2.	Drag the various sound source sliders (Sam, FM, Aux, Mic and Tel) to set the relative strengths of the sampler, FM synthesis chip, auxiliary input, microphone input and telephone input respectively.  Maximum volume is at the top of the slider.

3.	Click on OK. The respective volumes are then set.


6.   Keyboard controls

You can adjust the keyboard setup using the Setup dialog box. To display the Setup dialog box:

1.	Click the right mouse button in the viewing area.  The Visualiser menu is displayed.

2.	Choose Setup.  The Setup dialog box is displayed.

6.1. Adjusting the distance you move each time you press a key  

1.	Drag the Movement Step slider (or click on the slider scale) to adjust the amount you move in a linear direction each time you press a movement key.  Movement Step has a range of 0-100000.  A low value means that you move slowly, and a high value very quickly.

2.	Drag the Angular Step slider (or click on the slider scale) to adjust the amount you move in a rotational direction each time you press a rotation key.  Angular Step has a range of 0-90.


7. Locking a viewpoint to an axis

The Viewpoint Locks buttons in the Setup dialog box allow you to lock an object's rotation relative to the viewpoint in each of the three axes. Normally all locks are off, and a viewpoint attached to a rotating object rotates with it.  In this case the object is always seen in the same orientation.  If the object is rotated in an axis where the lock in on, the viewpoint remains stationary and the object is seen to rotate in that axis.  You can lock as many of the axes as you want.

1.	Click the right mouse button in the viewing area. The Visualiser menu is displayed.

2.	Click on Setup. The Setup dialog box is displayed.

3.	Select the corresponding Viewpoint Lock button, and choose OK.


8.   Changing resolution

With some graphics cards, you can use Visualiser in several screen resolutions.  These differ according to the graphics card you are using and its configuration.  To change the screen resolution press SHIFT and + or SHIFT and - on the keypad to change to a higher or lower resolution if one is available. 

At each end, the resolution changes wrap around.  For example, changing down from the lowest available resolution switches to the highest resolution.


9.   Saving screenshots

You can save the currently displayed screen to disk within the Visualiser by pressing PRINT SCREEN on your keyboard. The screen is saved to disk as a 256 colour .PCX format file.  By default, the screen file is saved into the current directory, and its name is the first five characters of the configuration file name (usually the same as the VRT file name) padded with underscores if necessary, followed by a unique three digit number, and an extension of .PCX.  

For example, if you start Visualiser from the command line C:\VIS3-60B, load the world OFFICE.VRT and take three screenshots, the files are saved in the C:\VIS3-60B directory as OFFIC001.PCX, OFFIC002.PCX, OFFIC003.PCX.  If you take the screenshots from the file GO.VRT the files are GO___001.PCX, GO___002.PCX, GO___003.PCX.

Sometimes when you try to capture the current screen file of a dialog box, the screen is saved but the dialog box is not.  In this case, display the dialog box again and press ESC once before you press PRINT SCREEN.


10.   Printing screens

You can print a screen on a connected printer without saving it to disk by pressing CTRL-PRINT SCREEN.  This does not work if you have a dialog box displayed.

If this is the first screen to be printed, the Choose Printer dialog box is displayed, with a list of available printer types.  Follow the dialog boxes to set up your printer and print the screen.

If you want to select a different printer press CTRL-P to display the Printer dialog box.  This allows you to choose another printer.


11.   Troubleshooting

This section identifies some of the most common problems that can occur with the Visualiser software. If you have a problem running the program the first time that you use Visualiser, check first that the hardware is operating correctly and that the software is correctly installed.

Bad command or file name

For Visualiser to run correctly, the following statement must have been added to the SET PATH line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file (assuming that C:\VIS3-60B is the directory specified during installation):

;C:\VIS3-60B\PROGRAMS

This is added automatically during installation.  If it is not in the SET PATH statement, you need to add it using a text editor and then reboot your computer.  Refer to your DOS documentation for details on editing your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

No system message data specified

This is due to the Visualiser not knowing where to find its own data. Check that the following line has been added to your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

SET VIS=C:\VIS3-60B\PROGRAMS

This line is added automatically during installation.  If it is not in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, you need to use a text editor to add the line and then reboot your computer.  Refer to your DOS documentation for details on editing your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.

Visualiser runs in low resolution (320 x 200)

To run in a higher resolution, your graphics card must be VESA compatible. Most cards come with a small driver to do this. On one of the disks supplied with the graphics card there should be a file supporting this, probably called VVESA.COM or VVESA.EXE. If you cannot find a file with this name, consult the documentation included with the graphics card.

The VESA driver is a small memory resident program that converts the SVGA card into a truly standard VESA SVGA.  Copy this to your hard disk, following the instructions supplied with the graphics card.  (It may also be necessary to copy some other files.)

To test this, run the driver by typing VVESA (or equivalent) from the DOS prompt.  You should get a short message informing you that the driver has been installed.  Now run the Visualiser.  If the title screen is displayed, then all is well and the VESA configuration has been recognised.
To make this change permanent, use a text editor to add the following line to the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to run the VVESA program:

VVESA

When you reboot, the VVESA program should run automatically.

Blank Screen

Some mouse drivers may cause problems with the SVGA leading to a blank screen.  Try removing the mouse driver from memory (usually this means removing it from your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS file and rebooting the machine), and running Visualiser without a mouse.  If this cures the problem, try using a different mouse driver.
Mouse drivers are usually called MOUSE.COM, and be in a directory called MOUSE, or UTILS.

The view moves by itself

If the control device creeps (the viewpoint moves without the device being touched) release the device and press SHIFT-H to toggle it off and then on again to reset it.

The control device does not work

The keyboard is a standard product and should always operate correctly. If you have any problems refer to the documentation supplied with it. If you are using a proportional device that does not work, check first that its power supply (if any) is connected, of the correct polarity and voltage, and turned on.  Also check that any other cables are correctly connected to the right sockets on the computer.

Confirm that the device is active in the world.  Choose Device Setup from the Visualiser menu and check that the device is enabled and correctly set up (See "Setting up devices" above).
Run another virtual world.  If the device works with this world the device configuration on the world which it did not run may not be set up correctly.

Playing sounds hangs the system

The Ad Lib Gold 1000, Sound Blaster 2 and Sound Blaster 16 ASP cards all require a certain amount of processor time to process the sound data. Several other devices, most notably the mouse, work in a similar way.

Some mouse drivers contain a bug which causes them to lock up when using the interrupt driven sound in this way.  Those that most often cause problems are:

   *	DFI Mouse driver v3.2
   *	Z-Nix Mouse driver v6.11
   *	Systems Mouse driver v3.03

Try another mouse driver.

Mouse does not work

First, check that the mouse is connected to the correct port , and that the mouse driver supplied is installed correctly.  Instructions on how to do this are contained in the documentation that accompanies the mouse.

For three button mice, a different mouse driver may be required if the third button is enabled.  Check with the mouse documentation to see if this is the case.

Error screen

Very occasionally a combination of keystrokes and operations may highlight an unreported problem.  If Visualiser is the cause, the screen is likely to contain some form of data and an error message, usually as a red, white and blue error screen.

Reset your computer, load Visualiser and try the same sequence again to see if it is directly related to Visualiser's operation. If the problem does not re-occur, it may have been due to an environmental problem affecting the hardware, such as an electrical spike.


