3DNA Help

About the 3DNA Desktop

Overview

The 3DNA Desktop is an innovative 3D graphical user interface (GUI) that replaces the static 2D desktop with a more intuitive, productive, and enjoyable 3D interface. The 3DNA Desktop makes it easier, faster, and more fun to use computers and the Internet by seamlessly integrating personal desktop, Web browsing, and portal functions.

3DNA Desktop

Figure 1 - The 3DNA Desktop (Loft)

Features

Minimum System Requirements

Processor: Intel Pentium 3 / AMD Athlon 500 MHz
Memory: 256 MB of RAM
3D Graphics Card: 32 MB of VRAM, DirectX 7 Compliant
Operating System: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP Home and Professional (English)

 

Installing the 3DNA Desktop

Installing from CD

  1. Insert the CD into the CD-ROM drive
  2. Double click on the My Computer icon
  3. Double click on the CD-ROM drive icon (usually D:)
  4. Double click on the 3DNA Desktop installation file d3DNA_XXXX.exe
  5. Follow the installation instructions

Installing from Download

  1. Double click on the My Computer icon
  2. Locate the file d3DNA_XXXX.exe (the location you saved it to)
  3. Double click on the 3DNA Desktop installation file d3DNA_XXXX.exe
  4. Follow the installation instructions

 

Using the 3DNA Desktop

Starting the 3DNA Desktop

To launch the 3DNA Desktop at any time you can:
  1. Click on Start button
  2. Click on Programs
  3. Click on 3DNA
  4. Click on Launch 3DNA Desktop
  5. Right click on the 3DNA System Tray icon which is located in the system tray on the Windows Start bar or on the 3DNA Control which is the floating 3DNA icon
  6. Single click on Start 3DNA

                 or alternatively

  1. Double click on the 3DNA System Tray icon which is located in the system tray on the Windows Start bar or on the 3DNA Control which is the floating 3DNA icon

System Tray with 3DNA Icon

Figure 2 - System Tray with 3DNA Icon

3DNA Control

Figure 3 – 3DNA Control

Launch on Windows Start Up

If you would like the 3DNA Desktop to launch automatically when you start your computer:

  1. Right click on the 3DNA System Tray icon which is located in the system tray on the Windows Start Bar or on the 3DNA Control
  2. Single click on Options
  3. On the Preferences tab, in the Start Up section, check the box beside Launch on Windows start up

Stopping the 3DNA Desktop

To stop the 3DNA Desktop when it is running at any time:

  1. Right click on the 3DNA System Tray icon or the 3DNA Control
  2. Single click on Stop 3DNA

Exiting the 3DNA Desktop

To exit the 3DNA Desktop and the 3DNA System Tray whien it is running:
  1. Right click on the 3DNA System Tray icon or the 3DNA Control
  2. Single click on Exit 3DNA

3DNA System Tray

The 3DNA System Tray is what you use to access many of the different options, menus, and settings for the 3DNA Desktop. The following features are selected by right clicking on the 3DNA System Tray icon, and single clicking on the option of your choice.

3DNA System Tray Summary

Option Description
Stop/Start 3DNA Stops/starts the 3DNA Desktop
Hide/Show Control Hides/shows the floating 3DNA Control icon
Small/Large Control Toggle between two different sizes for the 3DNA Control icon
Theme Chooser Launches the Theme Chooser to change the look and feel of the environment
Sky Chooser Launches the Sky Chooser to change the outdoor sky
World Chooser Launches the World Chooser to switch to alternative Add-on Worlds if any are installed
Options Launches the Options which gives access to Preferences, Navigation, Hot Keys, and Graphics
Help Launches the 3DNA Help file
About 3DNA Displays the version number of the 3DNA Desktop and copyright information
Toggle 2D Desktop Minimizes all windows and shows the Windows 2D Desktop
Exit 3DNA Closes the 3DNA Desktop and the 3DNA System Tray

3DNA Control

The 3DNA Control is the floating 3DNA icon.  Its purpose is to control the position of the 3DNA Desktop.  Clicking on the Control when you can not see the 3DNA Desktop will bring it immediately to the front so you can use it.  If you can see the 3DNA Desktop, single clicking on the Control will minimize the 3DNA Desktop and show you your open applications. 

Right clicking on the Control will bring up the same menu as right clicking on the 3DNA System Tray.  You can also move its location at any time by left clicking and holding down the mouse button and then moving your mouse. You can hide the Control at any time by right clicking and selecting Hide Control.  If the Control is missing, right click on the 3DNA System Tray and select Show Control.

Navigation

To move around the 3DNA Desktop, single click on the desktop, and use the following default keys:

Action
Default Key
Move forward
Up Arrow
Move backward
Down Arrow
Turn left
Left Arrow
Turn right
Right Arrow
Fly
Space
Lock Position
Hold Shift
Look up
Page Up
Look down
Page Down
Center view
End
Strafe left
Z
Strafe right
C
Strafe Modifier*
X + Turn Left = Strafe Left
X + Turn Right = Strafe Right
Drop Gun
G
Mouse Look Toggle
M
Pick Op Objects
Double Click

* Strafe means to move left or right without turning.  

Teleport Hotkeys

Within the environment there are 5 labeled, colored teleport hotspots attached to the wall. You can left click on any of these to be instantly transferred to the respective bay. They are color-coded to represent other areas of the 3DNA Desktop as follows:

Bay
Color
Teleport Hotkey
Applications Bay
Red
1
Media Bay
Green
2
Browser Bay
Blue
3
Games Area
Silver
4
Options Kiosk
Orange
5

Applications Bay Bay     Browser Bay    Media Bay    Games Area    Options Kiosk

Figure 4- Teleport Hotkeys

Custom Hotkeys

You can also define your own custom Teleport Hotkeys. Move around the 3DNA Desktop until you have found a location that you would like to be able to teleport to. Hold down Ctrl and hit a number on your keyboard (not on the keypad) from the set { 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 }. You can now teleport to that location at any time by hitting the number that you selected.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action
Keyboard Shortcut
Options
Ctrl + O
Theme Chooser
Ctrl + T
Sky Chooser
Ctrl + S
World Chooser
Ctrl + W

Mouse Look

Mouse Look allows you to use the mouse to look around without moving instead of using the keyboard. Hit M by default at any time to change to Mouse Look mode. You can also click and hold down the right mouse button to temporarily change to Mouse Look mode.

Interacting With Objects

You can pick up a moveable object at any time by double clicking on it.  To throw that object once you have picked it up, left click and hold your mouse button, and release the button to release the object. The length of time that you hold the button down relates to the force with which you throw it.

You can also move an object by clicking and holding it, and then moving the mouse. This will move the object on the X – Y plane (horizontal).  To move an object up and down, hold down Shift while moving it.

 

Exploring the 3DNA Desktop

Applications Bay

This bay contains applications that let you work more efficiently with your computer.  This is where you can access the Internet, your email, your files, and various other programs. 

Applications

Figure 5 - Applications Bay

Applications Bay Summary

Option Description
Calculator Launches the standard Windows calculator
Notepad Launches default text editor
Networked Computers Launches Network Neighborhood / My Network Places
Magnifying Glass / File Folder Launches Windows Explorer
Computer Monitor Launches My Computer to enable access to all Windows drives and the Control Panel
Ink Stand / Envelope Enables you to compose an e-mail by taking you directly to your default mail client
Mailbox Launches your default mail client to view your incoming messages
Globe Launches default Web browser
Clock/Calendar Launches the Windows Date/Time Properties
Recycle Bin Launches the Recycle Bin
Choose Shortcuts Launches the Shortcut Chooser
Set Switch Button This feature enables you to double the number of existing shortcuts and Picture Panels by switching between two separate sets.
Help Launches Applications Bay specific help

Creating Shortcuts

There are panels arranged in a grid pattern on the walls on which you can create shortcuts to your favorite folders and applications. Right clicking on any Shortcut Panel on the 3D Desktop will provide the following options:

Option Description
Create Shortcut Creates a new shortcut on any panel
Shortcut Chooser Launches the 3DNA Shortcut Chooser
Drag 'n' Drop Chooser Launches Windows Explorer to allow for Drag 'n' Drop
Cut Selects a shortcut to be moved from one panel to another
Copy Selects a shortcut to be copied from one panel to another
Paste Moves/copies a previously cut/copied shortcut to a new panel
Delete Removes a shortcut from any panel
Rename Customize the name that is displayed on the Shortcut Panel
Set 1 Switch your shortcuts and Picture Panels to Set 1
Set 2 Switch your shortcuts and Picture Panels to Set 2

Create Shortcut

  1. Right click on the Shortcut Panel and select Create Shortcut
  2. Select OK when you have located the file or folder you would like to create a shortcut to
  3. Enter a descriptive name for the shortcut and click on Finish to create the shortcut

Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Figure 6 – Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Shortcut Chooser

The Shorcut Chooser allows you to quickly populate your Shortcut Panels by selecting files from commonly used locations.

Option Description
Desktop Provides access to all applications or folders on your traditional 2D desktop
Start Menu Provides access to all applications or folders in the Program Groups off of the Start Menu
My Documents Provides access to all files in the My Documents folder
Browse Provides access to applications or folders that exist on any drive on your computer

To add a shorcut, choose a file or folder from the left pane and use the green right transfer arrow button to add them to the World. After you have made all of your selections click on the OK button to populate the 3D scene.

If you want to remove a shortcut, select the item from the list of shortcuts in the right pane and click the green left transfer arrow button.

Shortcut Chooser

Figure 7 – Shortcut Chooser

Drag 'n' Drop Chooser

In Windows, if you click on an icon on your desktop, hold the mouse button down and then move the cursor around the screen the icon will follow. This is known as dragging. When you release the mouse button this is known as dropping.

There are two terms associated with the Drag 'n' Drop operation, source and target. For example, if you were dragging a file into the Recycle Bin, the file would be the source and the Recycle Bin would be the target.

When dragging and dropping into the 3DNA Desktop, there are several drop targets that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Files and folders
Picture Panels Image files (.jpg and .bmp only)
Browser Panels Web pages (.url only)
File Cabinets Folders

When you launch the Drag 'n' Drop chooser from within the 3DNA Desktop, it will take you to a different default location depending on what type of panel you clicked on. Launching the Chooser from a Shortcut Panel starts you in your Desktop folder. Launching from a Picture Panel takes you to the last folder you were in when you selected a picture. Launching from a Browser Panel starts you in your Internet Explorer Favorites directory.

Figure 8 – Drag 'n' Drop Example

The 3DNA Desktop also supports in-scene Drag 'n' Drop between like panels. For example, you can drag a populated shorcut panel to another Shortcut Panel, moving that shortcut. The in-scene Drag 'n' Drop mimics the action of cut and paste.

When dragging and dropping within the 3DNA Desktop, there are several combinations that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Shortcut Panels
Picture Panels Picture Panels
Browser Panels Browser Panels
File Cabinets File Cabinets

Cut / Paste

Cut selects a shortcut that you would like to move to another panel. Selecting Paste on the destination panel moves the previously Cut panel to its new location. If there is a shortcut already in the destination, the two pages will swap locations.

Copy / Paste

Copy selects a shortcut that you would like to copy to another panel. Selecting Paste on the destination panel creates a copy of the the source shortcut in the new location. If there is a shortcut already in the destination, it will be replaced by the copy.

Delete

You can eliminate a shortcut by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

Rename

  1. Right click on the Shortcut Panel and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear on the Shortcut Panel

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 9 – Rename Dialog Box

Set 1 / 2

This feature enables you to double the number of existing shortcuts and Picture Panels by switching between two separate sets. Click on either Set 1 or Set 2 to switch your shortcuts and Picture Panels between the two.

File Cabinets

The file cabinets can be linked to any directory on your hard drive. You can also customize the name that is displayed on the front.

Option Description
Create Shortcut Creates a new shortcut for the file cabinet to link to
Cut Selects a shortcut to be moved from one cabinet to another
Copy Selects a shortcut to be copied from one cabinet to another
Paste Moves/copies a previously cut/copied shortcut to a new cabinet
Delete Removes a shortcut from any cabinet
Rename Customize the name that is displayed on the file cabinet

Create Shortcut

  1. Right click on the file cabinet and select Create Shortcut
  2. Browse for folder that you would like to link the file cabinet to
  3. Select OK

Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Figure 10 – Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Rename

  1. Right click on the file cabinet and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear on the file cabinet

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 11 – Rename Dialog Box

Delete

You can eliminate a shortcut by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

Ticker

The Ticker is the blue horizontal stripe located above the Shortcut Panels. 

Option Description
Rename Customize the text that is displayed on the Ticker

Rename

The Ticker displays messages within the environment. It can be customized to display a custom message of your choice by following these steps.
  1. Right click on the Ticker and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear on the Ticker

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 12 – Rename Dialog Box

3D Object Shortcuts

You can modify any of the 3D Objects to link to any file or application on your hard drive. To change the link, simply right click on any of the models and select Create Shortcut.

Option Description
Create Shortcut Creates a new shortcut for any 3D Object
Rename Customize the name that is displayed with the 3D Object
Delete Removes a shortcut from any object

Create Shortcut

  1. Right click on the 3D Object and select Create Shortcut
  2. Browse for file that you would like to link the 3D Object to
  3. Select OK

Figure 13 – Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Rename

  1. Right click on the 3D Object and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear with the 3D Object

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 14 – Rename Dialog Box

Delete

You can eliminate a shortcut by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

 

Picture Panels

The Picture Panels allow you to create shortcuts and associate them with high quality pictures to decorate your space. The supported image formats are .bmp and .jpg.

Picture Shortcut Panels

Figure 15 – Picture Panels

Option Description
Choose Picture Opens a choose file dialog box to select a picture
Choose Hi-Res Icon Opens a choose file dialog box to select a pre-made hi-res icon
Create Shortcut Opens a choose file/directory dialog box to create a shortcut
Drag 'n' Drop Chooser Launches Windows Explorer to allow for Drag 'n' Drop
Cut Selects a picture to be moved from one panel to another
Copy Selects a picture to be copied from one panel to another
Paste Moves/copies a previously cut/copied picture to a new panel
Delete Removes a picture from any panel
Rename Customize the label that is displayed with the Picture Panel
Set 1 Switch your Picture Panels to Set 1
Set 2 Switch your Picture Panels to Set 2

Choose Picture

You can add your favorite photos to the Picture Panels to decorate your space and make it yours. 

  1. Locate the picture that you would like to use for the shortcut
  2. Select OK
Hint
: Click on the ‘View Menu’ icon in the top right of the window and select Thumbnails.Now you can see a preview of your pictures before you make your choice.

Change Image Dialog Box

Figure 16 – Change Image Dialog Box

Choose Hi-Res Icon

We have included several default pictures that you can use as icons for the image wall.  They are located in C:\Program Files\3DNA\Media\PictureIcons\.  This is the default directory and is loaded each time the Choose Hi-Res Icon option is selected.

Sample Default Icons

Figure 17 - Sample Default Icons

Create Shortcut

  1. Locate the file or folder that you would like to create a shortcut to
  2. Select OK

Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Figure 18 – Change Link Dialog Box

Drag 'n' Drop Chooser

In Windows, if you click on an icon on your desktop, hold the mouse button down and then move the cursor around the screen the icon will follow. This is known as dragging. When you release the mouse button this is known as dropping.

There are two terms associated with the Drag 'n' Drop operation, source and target. For example, if you were dragging a file into the Recycle Bin, the file would be the source and the Recycle Bin would be the target.

When dragging and dropping into the 3DNA Desktop, there are several drop targets that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Files and folders
Picture Panels Image files (.jpg and .bmp only)
Browser Panels Web pages (.url only)
File Cabinets Folders

When you launch the Drag 'n' Drop chooser from within the 3DNA Desktop, it will take you to a different default location depending on what type of panel you clicked on. Launching the Chooser from a Shortcut Panel starts you in your Desktop folder. Launching from a Picture Panel takes you to the last folder you were in when you selected a picture. Launching from a Browser Panel starts you in your Internet Explorer Favorites directory.

Figure 19 – Drag 'n' Drop Example

The 3DNA Desktop also supports in-scene Drag 'n' Drop between like panels. For example, you can drag a populated shorcut panel to another Shortcut Panel, moving that shortcut. The in-scene Drag 'n' Drop mimics the action of cut and paste.

When dragging and dropping within the 3DNA Desktop, there are several combinations that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Shortcut Panels
Picture Panels Picture Panels
Browser Panels Browser Panels
File Cabinets File Cabinets

Cut/Paste

Cut selects a picture that you would like to move to another panel. Selecting Paste on the destination panel moves the previously Cut panel to its new location.If there is a shortcut already in the destination, the two pages will swap locations.

Copy / Paste

Copy selects a picture that you would like to copy to another panel. Selecting Paste on the destination panel creates a copy of the the source picture in the new location. If there is a picture already in the destination, it will be replaced by the copy.

Delete

You can eliminate a picture by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

Rename

  1. Right click on the Picture Panel and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear with the Picture Panel

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 20 – Rename Dialog Box

Set 1 / 2

This feature enables you to double the number of existing Picture Panels by switching between two separate sets. Click on either Set 1 or Set 2 to switch your Picture Panels between the two.

 

Media Bay

This bay contains applications and functionality that lets you organize and enjoy your media and game related files and content.  The 3DNA Audio Controller allows you to control your popular media players from within the 3DNA Desktop. The arcade cabinets provide you with regularly updated online games, while the TV monitors link to up-to-date gaming downloads and trailers.

Media Bay

Figure 21- Media Bay (Loft)

Option Description
Arcade Cabinet (x2) Launches an online game, with the content dynamically updated from the Internet
Speaker (x2) Double click launches the Windows Volume Control
Single click mutes all 3DNA audio
Game Controller Launches the Windows Game Controllers control panel
Mixer Launches the Windows Volume Control
Stereo Component: CD Player Launches your default .mp3 player
Stereo Component: Movies Launches your default .avi player
Stereo Component: Media Launches your default .wav player
Microphone Launches the Windows Sound Recorder
3DNA Audio Controller Controls Winamp 2.x, 3, and Windows Media Player 6.4, 7, 8, 9
3DNA Game Teleports you to the Game Area to launch the in-World game (if available)
TV (x5) Launches online gaming articles, with the content dynamically updated from the Internet
Choose Shortcuts Launches the Shortcut Chooser
Set Switch Button This feature enables you to double the number of existing shortcuts and Picture Panels by switching between two separate sets.
Help Launches Media Bay specific help

Creating Shortcuts

There are panels arranged in a grid pattern on the walls on which you can create shortcuts to your favorite folders and applications. Right clicking on any Shortcut Panel on the 3D Desktop will provide the following options:

Option Description
Create Shortcut Creates a new shortcut on any panel
Shortcut Chooser Launches the 3DNA Shortcut Chooser
Drag 'n' Drop Chooser Launches Windows Explorer to allow for Drag 'n' Drop
Cut Selects a shortcut to be moved from one panel to another
Copy Selects a shortcut to be copied from one panel to another
Paste Moves/copies a previously cut/copied shortcut to a new panel
Delete Removes a shortcut from any panel
Rename Customize the name that is displayed on the Shortcut Panel
Set 1 Switch your shortcuts and Picture Panels to Set 1
Set 2 Switch your shortcuts and Picture Panels to Set 2

Create Shortcut

  1. Right click on the Shortcut Panel and select Create Shortcut
  2. Select OK when you have located the file or folder you would like to create a shortcut to
  3. Enter a descriptive name for the shortcut and click on Finish to create the shortcut

Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Figure 22 – Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Shortcut Chooser

The shorcut chooser allows you to quickly populate your Shortcut Panels by selecting files from commonly used locations.

Option Description
Desktop Provides access to all applications or folders on your traditional 2D desktop
Start Menu Provides access to all applications or folders in the Program Groups off of the Start Menu
My Documents Provides access to all files in the My Documents folder
Browse Provides access to applications or folders that exist on any drive on your computer

To add a shorcut, choose a file or folder from the left pane and use the green right transfer arrow button to add them to the World. After you have made all of your selections click on the OK button to populate the 3D scene.

If you want to remove a shortcut, select the item from the list of shortcuts in the right pane and click the green left transfer arrow button.

Shortcut Chooser

Figure 23 – Shortcut Chooser

Drag 'n' Drop Chooser

In Windows, if you click on an icon on your desktop, hold the mouse button down and then move the cursor around the screen the icon will follow. This is known as dragging. When you release the mouse button this is known as dropping.

There are two terms associated with the Drag 'n' Drop operation, source and target. For example, if you were dragging a file into the Recycle Bin, the file would be the source and the Recycle Bin would be the target.

When dragging and dropping into the 3DNA Desktop, there are several drop targets that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Files and folders
Picture Panels Image files (.jpg and .bmp only)
Browser Panels Web pages (.url only)
File Cabinets Folders

When you launch the Drag 'n' Drop chooser from within the 3DNA Desktop, it will take you to a different default location depending on what type of panel you clicked on. Launching the Chooser from a Shortcut Panel starts you in your Desktop folder. Launching from a Picture Panel takes you to the last folder you were in when you selected a picture. Launching from a Browser Panel starts you in your Internet Explorer Favorites directory.

Figure 24 – Drag 'n' Drop Example

The 3DNA Desktop also supports in-scene Drag 'n' Drop between like panels. For example, you can drag a populated shorcut panel to another Shortcut Panel, moving that shortcut. The in-scene Drag 'n' Drop mimics the action of cut and paste.

When dragging and dropping within the 3DNA Desktop, there are several combinations that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Shortcut Panels
Picture Panels Picture Panels
Browser Panels Browser Panels
File Cabinets File Cabinets

Cut / Paste

Cut selects a shortcut that you would like to move to another panel. Selecting Paste on the destination panel moves the previously Cut panel to its new location. If there is a shortcut already in the destination, the two pages will swap locations.

Copy / Paste

Copy selects a shortcut that you would like to copy to another panel. Selecting Paste on the destination panel creates a copy of the the source shortcut in the new location. If there is a shortcut already in the destination, it will be replaced by the copy.

Delete

You can eliminate a shortcut by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

Rename

  1. Right click on the Shortcut Panel and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear on the Shortcut Panel

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 25 – Rename Dialog Box

Set 1 / 2

This feature enables you to double the number of existing shortcuts and Picture Panels by switching between two separate sets. Click on either Set 1 or Set 2 to switch your shortcuts and Picture Panels between the two.

File Cabinets

The file cabinets can be linked to any directory on your hard drive. You can also customize the name that is displayed on the front.

Option Description
Create Shortcut Creates a new shortcut for the file cabinet to link to
Cut Selects a shortcut to be moved from one cabinet to another
Copy Selects a shortcut to be copied from one cabinet to another
Paste Moves/copies a previously cut/copied shortcut to a new cabinet
Delete Removes a shortcut from any cabinet
Rename Customize the name that is displayed on the file cabinet

Create Shortcut

  1. Right click on the file cabinet and select Create Shortcut
  2. Browse for folder that you would like to link the file cabinet to
  3. Select OK

Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Figure 26 – Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Rename

  1. Right click on the file cabinet and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear on the file cabinet

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 27 – Rename Dialog Box

Delete

You can eliminate a shortcut by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

3D Object Shortcuts

You can modify any of the 3D Objects to link to any file or application on your hard drive. To change the link, simply right click on any of the models and select Create Shortcut.

Option Description
Create Shortcut Creates a new shortcut for any 3D Object
Rename Customize the name that is displayed with the 3D Object
Delete Removes a shortcut from any object

Create Shortcut

  1. Right click on the 3D Object and select Create Shortcut
  2. Browse for file that you would like to link the 3D Object to
  3. Select OK

Figure 28 – Create Shortcut Dialog Box

Rename

  1. Right click on the 3D Object and select Rename
  2. Enter the new label in the space available
  3. Select OK when you are done and this label will now appear with the 3D Object

Rename Dialog Box

Figure 29 – Rename Dialog Box

Delete

You can eliminate a shortcut by right-clicking on it and selecting the Delete option.

 

Browser Bay

The Browser Bay provides you with immediate access to 24 different Web sites at one time. Each Browser panel is fully customizable, and the entire bay can be automatically populated by importing your Favorite Web pages from Internet Explorer.

When you want to visit a specific site, you simply double click on the picture of the site. You can also glance at a site to determine if you want to visit it by single clicking and holding the mouse button on the picture of the site. This will zoom into a picture of the site without going out to the Internet, allowing you to quickly visit many sites in a short amount of time.

You can update the content for each site at any time by either updating the current page or all pages at once.

Browser Bay

Figure 30 - Browser Bay (Loft)

You can access many of the Browser Bay Options by clicking on the in-scene buttons. The following options are available:

Option Description
Choose Favorites Allows you to add your favorite Websites to the 3D scene
Update All Refreshes all of the Browser Panels with the most current version of each Website
Stop Update Allows the user to stop the Update process
Help Launches Browser Bay specific help
Set Switch Button This feature enables you to double the number of existing browser panes by switching between two separate sets.

Browser Bay Summary

Right clicking on any panel in the Browser Bay will provide the following options:

Option Description
Choose Web Page Adds a new URL to a panel
Favorites Chooser Allows you to add your favorite Websites to the 3D scene
Drag 'n' Drop Chooser Launches Windows Explorer in your Favorites directory to allow for Drag 'n' Drop
Update Current Page Will refresh a single panel with its most current Web page
Update Interval Set the interval for scheduled updates for any Browser Panel to update automatically
Update All Pages Will refresh all browser panes with their most current Web pages
Stop Update Allows the user to stop the Scan/Update process
Cut Selects a Web page to be moved from one panel to another
Copy Selects a Web page to be copied from one panel to another
Paste Moves/copies a previously cut/copied Web page to a new cabinet
Delete Removes an URL from the panel
Set 1 Switch your Browser Panels to Set 1
Set 2 Switch your Browser Panels to Set 2

Choose Web Page

There are two options for adding a new Web page to the Browser Bay. After selecting Choose Web Page you can either enter an address manually or select Browse to surf the Internet.

Choose Web Page Dialog Box

Figure 31 – Choose Web Page Dialog Box

Selecting Browse will launch a Web browser that you locate your desired Web page with. Once you have found the page that you would like to add, click on the Capture Page icon in the top right of the tool bar in the browser. The picture of that Web page will now be available in the Browser Bay.

Capture Page Icon

Figure 32 - Capture Page Icon

Favorites Chooser

The Favorites Chooser allows you to add your favorite Websites to the 3D scene. When selected, all of your Favorites will be displayed in the panel on the left. To select any of these Web pages, choose the site you want to move into the 3D scene and use the right green transfer arrow to move the item into the 3D Shortcut Panel. To remove a site which you have added, select the site from the right and click on the left green transfer arrow. After you have made all of your selections, click on the OK button to populate the 3D scene.

Favorites Chooser

Figure 33 – Favorites Chooser

Drag 'n' Drop Chooser

In Windows, if you click on an icon on your desktop, hold the mouse button down and then move the cursor around the screen the icon will follow. This is known as dragging. When you release the mouse button this is known as dropping.

There are two terms associated with the Drag 'n' Drop operation, source and target. For example, if you were dragging a file into the Recycle Bin, the file would be the source and the Recycle Bin would be the target.

When dragging and dropping into the 3DNA Desktop, there are several drop targets that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Files and folders
Picture Panels Image files (.jpg and .bmp only)
Browser Panels Web pages (.url only)
File Cabinets Folders

When you launch the Drag 'n' Drop chooser from within the 3DNA Desktop, it will take you to a different default location depending on what type of panel you clicked on. Launching the Chooser from a Shortcut Panel starts you in your Desktop folder. Launching from a Picture Panel takes you to the last folder you were in when you selected a picture. Launching from a Browser Panel starts you in your Internet Explorer Favorites directory.

Figure 34 – Drag 'n' Drop Example

The 3DNA Desktop also supports in-scene Drag 'n' Drop between like panels. For example, you can drag a populated shorcut panel to another Shortcut Panel, moving that shortcut. The in-scene Drag 'n' Drop mimics the action of cut and paste.

When dragging and dropping within the 3DNA Desktop, there are several combinations that are available.

Target Allowable Source Content
Shortcut Panels Shortcut Panels
Picture Panels Picture Panels
Browser Panels Browser Panels
File Cabinets File Cabinets

Update Current Page

Selecting this option will update the image of the Web page in the Browser Bay with the most up to date content from the Internet. The panel will change so that it says Loading during the update process.

Update Interval

Set the interval for scheduled updates for any browser panel to update automatically

Update All Pages

Selecting this option will update all of the images of the Web pages in the Browser Bay with the most up to date content from the Internet.

Stop Update

Selecting this option will cancel the update process. The Browser Bay will not stop updating until after the panel that is currently being updated has finished.

Cut / Paste

Cut selects a Web page that you would like to move to another panel in the Browser Bay. Selecting Paste on the destination panel moves the previously Cut panel to its new location. If there is a Web page already in the destination, the two pages will swap locations.

Copy / Paste

Copy selects a Web page that you would like to copy to another panel in the Browser Bay. Selecting Paste on the destination panel creates a copy of the the source panel in the new location. If there is a Web page already in the destination, it will be replaced by the copy.

Delete

Selecting this option will remove the current Web page from the Browser Bay. A blank panel will be left behind.

Set 1 / 2

This feature enables you to double the number of existing Browser Panels by switching between two separate sets. Click on either Set 1 or Set 2 to switch your Browser Panels between the two.

 

Games Area

The Games Area is where you can find the in-World 3DNA game. To learn about the game and how to play click on the Instructions button. To start the game at any time, click on the Start Game button. For the games that are played within the World, you can quit at anytime by clicking on the Stop Game button.

Figure 35 – Games Area Images

Toys

The 3DNA Desktop includes a collection of toys that are there for your amusement.

You can pick up any toy by double clicking on it.To throw the toy once you have picked it up, click and hold your mouse button, and release the button to launch it. The length of time that you hold the button down relates to the force with which you throw it.

You can also move certain toys by clicking and holding the mouse button, and then moving the mouse. This will move the object on the X – Y plane (horizontal). To move an object up and down, hold down Shift while moving it.

Reset Toys

Click on Reset Toys at any time to return all of the toys to their original positions.

 

Configuring the 3DNA Desktop

Options Kiosk

The Options Kiosk is your access to the various options and help related to the 3DNA Desktop. The Kiosk can be activated at any time by clicking on the Options circle on the middle of the main floor.

Control Kiosk

Figure 36 - Options Kiosk (Loft)

Option Description
Red Down Arrow Closes Options Kiosk
Blue Left Arrow Rotates the Options Kiosk counter clockwise
Blue Right Arrow Rotates the Options Kiosk clockwise

World Options

Option Description
Theme Chooser Launches the Theme Chooser to change the look and feel of the environment
Sky Chooser Launches the Sky Chooser to change the outdoor sky
World Chooser Launches the World Chooser to switch to alternative 3D Worlds if any are installed
Unlock / Lock Objects Unlock or lock the decorative objects in the World (eg. furniture) so that you can move them around to your liking
Reset Objects Moves the decorative objects in the World to their default positions
Reset Toys Moves all of the toys back to their original positions
Switch Posters Switch between the two sets of user customized posters. This feature is not enabled unless you have turned off advertising. Click here to learn how to turn off advertising.
Switch Pictures Switch between the two sets of user customized Picture Panels

Theme Chooser

The Theme Chooser allows you to change the look and feel of each World by changing all of the textures. To change your theme, click on the drop down arrow, select from one of the installed themes and click OK.

Option Description
Random Theme Automatically change to a Random Theme on start up.

Figure 37 - Theme Chooser

Sky Chooser

The Sky Chooser allows you to change the sky that is displayed in each World. There are two different types of skies to choose from, static and dynamic. Static skies do not change, but they take up less system resources, so using them results in better performance.

To change your static sky, click on the Static tab, click on the drop down arrow, select from one of the installed static skies and click OK.

Option Description
Random Static Sky Automatically change to a Random Static Sky on start up.

Figure 38 - Static Sky Chooser

Dynamic skies have moving clouds, sun, moon, and stars. The sky will smoothly transition from day to night as the time on your computer changes. You can control the wind speed and mix and match all of the different clouds and landscapes. To change your dynamic sky, click on the Dynamic tab, click on the drop down arrow for the Theme Name, select from one of the installed dynamic skies and click OK.

Option Description
Wind speed Control the wind speed from 1 (slowest) to 10 (fastest).
Sunrise Select what time the sunrise happens.
Sunset Select what time the sunset happens.
Time scale Change the amount of times a full sunrise/sunset happens in a day with 1 being once a day (every 24 hours), and 4 being 4 times a day (every six hours).
Random Dynamic Sky Automatically change to a Dynamic Static Sky on start up.

Figure 39 - Dynamic Sky Chooser

World Chooser

The World Chooser allows you to switch to another installed World. You can also copy your settings for your Applications Bay. Media Bay, Browser Bay, and Picture Panels from the World that you are currently in, to the World the you are switching to. To do this, check the boxes beside the things would like to have copied. To change your World, click on the drop down arrow, select from one of the installed Worlds and click OK.

Figure 40- World Chooser

User Options

This panel allows you to access the various Options.

Option Description
Preferences Customize walking speed and turning speed, audio options, mouse options
Navigation Customize key mappings for navigation
Hotkeys Customize hotkeys for teleport hotspots
Graphics Customize the graphics quality settings to improve performance
Screensaver Launches the options to control the 3DNA Screensaver mode
Stop 3DNA Stops the 3DNA Desktop

Help Options

This panel gives you access to all of the different Help and Support documents. Clicking on any of the options will bring up the appropriate document.

Option Description
Help Index Loads the 3DNA Desktop Help
F.A.Q. Loads the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Tutorial Launches the 3DNA Interactive Tutorial
About Displays the version information for the 3DNA Desktop
Quick Help Loads the 3DNA Quick Help

Options

The Preferences tab displays customization options for configuring Poster Ads, Start Up, Hover Effects, Audio Movement, and Run 3DNA Desktop in a Window.

The Navigation tab displays the main movement keys for navigating within the 3D environment. You can customize the Primary and Alternate keys for each movement.

The Hotkeys tab allows you to customize the hotkeys to teleport from bay to bay.

The Graphics tab allows you to customize the graphics quality settings to improve performance.

Preferences

Option Description
Display Poster ads Turn off the advertising posters and switch them to Picture Panels that you can customize yourself
Display Media Bay content Turn off the Media Bay content and switch them to Picture Panels that you can customize yourself
Launch on Windows start up Have the 3DNA Desktop automatically load when Windows starts
Display Tip of the Day Display a Tip of the Day on start up
Tool tips Toggle on or off the text that is displayed when you move your mouse over a populated object in the World
Info tips Toggle on or off the text that is displayed when you move your mouse over an unpopulated object in the World
Hover glow Toggle on or off the glow effect that is displayed on objects in the World when you move your mouse over them
Pop out Toggle on or off the pop out effect that occurs when you move your mouse over a panel.
3D Sound Effects Toggle 3D sound effects on or off, controlling the environmental sounds that play when you are in a specific location in the World (eg. bird noises when you are outside)
Interface Sounds Toggle the interface sounds on or off, controlling the sounds that are played when you interact with the environment (eg. launch noise when you start an application from within the space)
Background audio Select the background audio track
Audio volume Control the in scene audio volume
Walking Speed Adjust the walking speed
Turning Speed Adjust the turning speed
Mouse Look Sensitivity Adjust the sensitivity of the mouse
Invert Mouse This option changes the way you navigate using mouse look mode so that up is down and down is up
Auto open doors Select whether doors open automatically when you walk up to them verus double clicking on them
Run 3DNA Desktop in a Window Select whether the 3DNA Desktop should run in a Window or in 'full screen' mode
Relative to Desktop size Select the size of the window that the 3DNA Desktop runs in
X Size Manually set the width of the window that the 3DNA Desktop runs in
Y Size Manually set the height of the window that the 3DNA Desktop runs in

Control Pad Options

Figure 41 – Preferences

Navigation

To customize the navigation keys for the 3DNA Desktop, single click in the corresponding field of either the primary or alternate key, and select the key of your choice.  You can select between the two schemes by clicking the appropriate checkbox. Strafe means to move left or right without turning. 

Control Pad Navigation Options

Figure 42 – Navigation Options

Note: To use the keypad cursor keys, Num Lock must be Off.

The following keys are protected and cannot be used for navigation:

F1 through F12
Ins
Esc
Print Screen
Scroll Lock
Pause
Num Lock
Enter (Keypad)
Control
Alt
Shift
Windows keys
Caps Lock
` ~
- _
= +
\ |
[ {
] }
; :
' “
, <
. >
/ ?

Hotkeys

To check the teleport hotkeys for the 3DNA Desktop, view this page in the user options.

Option Description
Use custom start position Start in a custom position when the 3DNA Desktop loads. This position is set by creating a Hotkey by pressing Ctrl + 0 (zero).

Control Pad Hotkeys Options

Figure 43 – Hotkeys Options

Graphics

The Graphics options allow you to customize your graphics settings to find the best balance between performance and graphics quality.

Control Pad Hotkeys Options

Figure 44 – Control Pad Graphics Options

Graphics Quality

You can select between five predefined settings for graphics quality ranging from Best Performance (for lower end computers) to Best Quality (for high end computers). If you would like to customize your settings instead of using any of these defaults, click on Customize Configuration.

Image Resolution

You can select what resolution the image thumbnails for the browser and Picture Panels are initially created at within the World. Changing the resolution after the initial creation will have no effect on the existings images. The lower the resolution, the better the performance, but the lower the quality of the image is.

Bit Depth

You can select what bit depth the images for the browser and Picture Panels are displayed at within the World. The lower the bit depth, the better the performance, but the lower the quality of the image is.

Special Effects

You can turn off various special effects in the scene to help improve performance. You can turn off the light maps which removes the shadows from the World, particle effects which turns off effects such as fire, smoke and steam, multitexturing which turns off reflections and detailed textures, and decorative objects which removes the non-functional objects such as furniture from the World.

Frame Rate Cap

You can set the maximum frame rate that the World will attempt to display at. The lower you set your frame rate, the less of an impact the 3DNA Desktop will have on system performance while the desktop is active.

Mipmapping

You can select what level of mipmapping occurs within the World. The lower the mipmapping, the better the performance, but the lower the quality of the image is. Setting this to Low forces bilinear mipmapping, while the Normal setting uses trilinear mipmapping.

 

Uninstalling the 3DNA Desktop

Before uninstalling the 3DNA Desktop it is critical that you make sure that the software is not running. This can be done by:

  1. Right click on the 3DNA icon in your system tray
  2. Select Exit

To properly complete the uninstall process follow these steps:

  1. Click on the Start button
  2. Click on Programs
  3. Click on 3DNA
  4. Click on Uninstall 3DNA Desktop
  5. Follow the uninstall instructions

Or alternatively…

  1. Click on the Start button
  2. Click on Settings
  3. Click on Control Panel
  4. Click on Add/Remove Programs
  5. Click on 3DNA Package
  6. Click on Change/Remove
  7. Follow the uninstall instructions

Troubleshooting

Performance Optimization

The performance of the 3DNA Desktop depends on how well your computer can run 3D applications and games in general.  There are some very basic things that you can do to improve the general performance of your PC system regardless of how you use it.

Make sure that your Windows installation is up to date.

  1. Launch Microsoft Internet Explorer
  2. Click on Tools
  3. Select Windows Update
  4. Click on Product Updates
  5. Follow the instructions to update your system. You should select all updates available under the heading ‘Critical Updates And Service Packs’.
Make sure your DirectX drivers are up to date.
  1. Launch Microsoft Internet Explorer
  2. Click on Tools
  3. Select Windows Update
  4. Click on Product Updates
  5. If your DirectX drivers need updating, the option for DirectX 8.1 will be available.  Select this option and follow the download instructions.

Make sure your 3D graphics card drivers are up to date.

The most common cause of problems when running new 3D applications is due to using graphics card drivers that are not up to date.  It is very important that you obtain the latest drivers for your system.

To determine which 3D graphics card you have, follow these steps:

  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on Run
  3. Type dxdiag and click on OK
  4. Click on the tab labeled Display
  5. The name of your card and the manufacturer should be listed.

You can obtain the most up to date drivers from your card manufacturer’s Website.

There are also several performance gains that are specific to the 3DNA Desktop if you feel that the desktop seems to be moving slowly, in addition to changing your Graphics Options. These are especially important if your system is only marginally better than the minimum system requirements.

Reduce your screen resolution
  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on Settings
  3. Click on Control Panel
  4. Click on Display
  5. Click on Settings
  6. Change your screen resolution to a lower resolution (the minimum resolution to maintain quality is 800 x 600 pixels).
Reduce your color depth
  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on Settings
  3. Click on Control Panel
  4. Click on Display
  5. Click on Settings
  6. Change your color depth to 16 bit. 

Note: Changing your color depth to 16 bit mode may introduce unusual 'zebra stripes' to appear on the textures in the World. We recommend that you try to run the desktop in 32 bit mode.

 

End User License Agreement (EULA)


For the 3DNA Corp. End User License Agreement, please see license.txt in the 3DNA installation directory ( typically c:\Program Files\3DNA )