This program will update any version of the After Dark engine to version 4.0.3. Even though the After Dark engine version number is 4.03, this updater package has been upgraded to version 4.04. This is due to the Screen Posters extension upgrade from v3.5 to v3.6. If you don't have the After Dark engine installed, then the Updater will install the engine for you. After Dark 4.0.3 is completely compatible with Mac system software versions 7.1 to 8.x.
The new version 3.6 Screen Posters extension is compatable with PowerMacs that have the 603ev processor. The old verison 3.5 Screen Posters extension caused an 'Unimplemented Trap' error with PowerMacs using the 603ev processor. The v3.6 Screen Posters does not have this problem.
Minimum System Requirements
Requires a 68040 processor or better Macintosh or Power PC running System 7.1 or higher
5 MB of free RAM
1 MB of free hard disk space
Minimum display of 256 colors.
Troubleshooting
This section addresses general Mac troubleshooting procedures. If your problem is not answered here, please read the Troubleshooting section of the After Dark Manual. The After Dark Manual can be found within the 'After Dark 4.0' folder found on the root level of your hard drive. If your problem is not answered here or anywhere in the manual, you can contact Sierra Tech Support. Please read the “Before You Call” section in the After Dark Manual first.
Installation Problems:
You may get a memory error when you try to run the updater. If this happens, restart your computer with extensions off and run the updater again.
After Dark Doesn't Function Correctly:
If the program doesn't function correctly after the patch is successfully installed, delete the After Dark preferences and then Rebuild the Desktop. If that doesn't help, try making a custom extensions set that excludes extensions which may conflict with After Dark. Appearance modification extensions and control panels may conflict with After Dark.
Engine Improvements
Fixed a problem where the After Dark extension Screen Posters would cause an Unimplemented Trap error message on startup with PowerMacs using either the 601 or 603 generation microprocessors.
Fixed a problem where After Dark would not work with Mac OS 8.0.
Fixed a problem where the Password on Startup function did not work.
Fixed a problem where After Dark, once invoked, would turn the Computer Speaker Volume in the Monitors and Sound control panel to the maximum setting.
Fixed a potential problem where if the Finder was rebuilding the desktop, and the After Dark function SystemIQ was disabled, then After Dark may invoke itself while the Finder was busy rebuilding the desktop. If a selected animated module such as Flying Toasters uses QuickTime and was running while the Finder was rebuilding the desktop, then it's possible the machine might freeze. Instead of sleeping with the chosen animated module, After Dark now sleeps with the default module Starry Night if the Finder is rebuilding the desktop.
Known Issues
Wallzapper:
Under Mac OS 8.0, a Wallzap image will not appear if you have chosen a picture as your desktop in the 'Desktop Pictures' control panel. There are at least two workarounds for this problem:
1) Open the Zapped Walls folder in the After Dark Preferences folder found in the Preferences folder of your System Folder, and move this image to another folder. Then open the Desktop Pictures control panel and drag the zapped picture onto the control panel.
2) An alternate workaround is to make a wallzap image like you normally would. Next, open the Desktop Pictures control panel and remove the currently selected desktop picture, and the Wallzap image (and all future wallzaps) will appear on your desktop.
Starry Night module appears instead of the selected animated module:
Instead of the chosen animated module, the Starry Night module may run if a modal window appears while After Dark is running (a modal window is a window created by the system software which alerts the user of an important event). The workaround is to wake up the machine and dismiss the modal window. After Dark will then behave as expected.
If After Dark invokes while the Finder is busy, you may see the Starry Night module instead of the selected animated module. This behavior was created to prevent the Finder from being overloaded. For example if you launch a large application like Photoshop or Netscape, and the Finder is busy loading the application and After Dark decides to invoke, it is preferable that After Dark go to the Starry Night module. This will free up resources for the other larger applications.
Aesthetic issue:
There is a 1 pixel width border around the 'ok' button in the Setup dialogue box within the After Dark control panel. This border was not there with previous versions of After Dark. This is an aesthetic anomaly that we did not fix.
Known After Dark Incompatibilities
OneClick conflict
When OneClick and After Dark 4.03 are installed on a PowerMac using a 601 or 603 generation processor and running OS 8.x, After Dark fails to display the correct animated module. After Dark 4.03 will display the default module 'Starry Night' when an animated module or an After Dark Online module has been chosen. There are two possible workarounds. One is to hide OneClick's 'Task Bar' and then launch After Dark. If that doesn't work, make After Dark the active application and After Dark will display the correct module.
GoMac
Go Mac is an extension which adds a Win95 taskbar to your Mac desktop. When After Dark and GoMac are enabled together, the OS slows to a standstill. You must disable the GoMac extension to use After Dark.
Yo-Yo (Telephony software)
After Dark interferes with the data transfer between Apple's serial port and the Yo-Yo telephony device. The result: user's machine will lock-up when receiving a phone call or fax.
General Fax Software
When After Dark is enabled with fax sending/receiving software, your machine
may freeze when receiving a fax.
HoverBar
After Dark's Demo mode is disabled when HoverBar is enabled.
Drag Thing
After Dark's Demo mode is disabled when Drag Thing is enabled.
Other incompatibilities & issues
If you experience other issues or incompatibilities with After Dark, please see the Troubleshooting section at the beginning of this document.
Contact Information
You can email tech support questions to:
support@sierra.com
U.S. Technical Support
Sierra On-Line Technical Support
Main: (425) 644-4343
Fax: (425) 644-7697
P.O. Box 85006
Bellevue, WA 98015-8506
Monday-Friday 8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. PST
U.K. Technical Support
Sierra On-Line Limited
Main: (44) 1-734-303-171 (Mon through Fri, 9:00AM - 5:00PM)
Fax: (44) 1-734-303-362
4 Brewery Court
The Old Brewery,
Theale, Reading, Berkshire
RG7 5AJ United Kingdom
Online Support:
CompuServe: GO SIERRA
America Online: Keyword Sierra
Internet USA: http://www.sierra.com
Internet United Kingdom: http://www.sierra-online.co.uk
Berkeley Systems Support page: http://www.berksys.com/lite/support/index.html
