Welcome to the VRCreator Learning Edition (Version 2.0). Please carefully read this README
document before installing and using this product. This document contains useful
information about this VRML 2.0 authoring software and includes a list of known problems or
issues.
Begin building your own worlds with VRCreator by simply dragging and dropping objects, colors,
textures and behaviors from the libraries in the VR Binder into the 3D Perspective View
window. Tutorials for learning how to use VRCreator are available in the Online Help in the
Getting Started and Tutorials sections.
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Contents
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* VRCreator Learning Edition (Build 716)
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General Notes
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* Newer versions of the VRCreator Learning Edition may be available by the time you receive
this release. To ensure that you have the latest version, visit the Products section of the
PLATINUM technology, inc. (PLATINUM) web site at http://www.platinum.com.
* VRML is a fast-emerging technology, there may be issues with using VRCreator Learning
Edition. Known issues are listed elsewhere in this document. Your comments and assistance
in reporting problems or issues are greatly valued and will contribute to the next standard
in VRML 2.0 authoring.
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Upgrade Information
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Certain features are not available in the VRCreator Learning Edition but are available in
the VRCreator Personal Edition. PLATINUM offers the Personal Edition for a modest upgrade
fee to owners of the Learning Edition. You can order the Personal Edition by visiting the
Products section of the PLATINUM site (http://www.platinum.com) or by calling
800-890-7528 x. 50131. The Personal Edition greatly expands your VRML 2.0 world-building
powers and includes the following features:
- The Personal Edition includes over 1000 additional drag and drop objects, colors,
textures, sounds and behaviors, allowing you to quickly and easily create VRML 2.0 worlds
of the highest quality.
- The Personal Edition allows an unlimited number of objects in the world and 100 keyframes per animation. The Learning Edition limits you to 300 hierarchical objects in the world and limits you to 20 keyframes per animation (no more than 10 rotation keys and 10 translation keys).
- The Personal Edition includes an easy-to-use, powerful 3D modeler that enables you to
design your own objects from scratch.
- The Personal Edition allows you to import non-VRML 3D file formats to take advantage of
models you've already created and models created by third-party model vendors.
- The Personal Edition includes a freely distributable, installable VRML 2.0 runtime player
so you can easily share your VRML creations with your friends, co-workers, and customers.
- The Personal Edition gets you a complete software package, with software on CD-ROM and a
printed manual. More importantly, you're on track to receive information on future
upgrades and other exciting VRML products from PLATINUM.
- The Personal Edition includes additional technical support options, including the ability
to contact PLATINUM's technical support staff directly. Technical support for the Learning
Edition is limited to the online help and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages on the
PLATINUM technical support web site (http://support.platinum.com).
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Notes Specific to this Release
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* This release of the VRCreator Learning Edition runs only under Windows 95. Specifically,
you must be running the U.S. English language version of Windows 95. This software will not
run on systems using Windows 95 releases that are not the U.S. English language version.
Internationalized, localized versions of VRCreator are currently under development.
* You must have a TEMP directory that is referenced by your TEMP environment variable to
properly install VRCreator from CD-ROM. If you do not have a valid TEMP directory, you
can either create one at the proper location or copy the install .EXE file to any folder
on your C: drive and execute it.
* It is recommended that you uninstall prior releases of VRCreator before installing this
new release. To uninstall, use the Add/Remove Programs feature of Windows 95 (available
in the Windows 95 Control Panel).
* VRCreator Learning Edition is a VRML 2.0 authoring tool. VRML 1.0 and VREAMScript are
no longer supported. VRCreator is able to read in VRML 1.0 files, but will only save
VRML 2.0. Content created in VRCreator can be experienced in VRCreator's embedded VRML 2.0
browser or in any VRML 2.0 compliant browser.
* This release of the VRCreator Learning Edition has support for reading and writing the
VRML 2.0 Specification. There may be incomplete support for parsing and routing to fields
of some VRML 2.0 nodes. More information on the current state of support for the VRML 2.0
specification may be available at the PLATINUM web site (http://www.platinum.com).
* If you received this product on CD-ROM, additional information specific to this release
of the VRCreator Learning Edition may be available on your CD-ROM. Additional information
specific to this release may also be available at the PLATINUM web site
(http://www.platinum.com).
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Documentation Notes
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* There is no enclosed printed documentation in VRCreator 2.0 Learning Edition.
Documentation is available in Adobe Acrobat format and is accessible from the Window
pull-down menu within this VRCreator 2.0 Learning Edition. This documentation is useful as
a reference for understanding the basic concepts you need to know to properly use this
software to create VRML 2.0 content. However, this documentation may not reflect all of the
features and functions of this VRCreator 2.0 Learning Edition. Revised versions of the
documentation and online help for this release are currently under development and may be
available at the Products section of the PLATINUM Web site (http://www.platinum.com).
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Notes on Features
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* The VR Binder has a Keyframe animator. Select an object and click on the key icon to
start the Animator. Move or rotate objects and set keys within your animation. Save your
animation and experience it in the embedded Runtime or in any VRML 2.0 compliant browser.
* VRCreator will automatically send Library objects, colors and textures to the Preview
window. Files larger than 100K will not be previewed. These settings can be changed in
the Preferences dialog. If you are running on a slower PC, you may want to turn the Auto
Preview off.
* VRCreator will package the world and all its sounds and textures together into a single
directory. This feature is invoked with the "Save Package..." menu item. This feature is
only available in the Personal Edition of VRCreator 2.0. You must create the folder that
you want to contain the component items before saving your world as a package. Once saved,
the contents of your package folder can immediately be uploaded to your World Wide Web site.
* There are two user modes: Expert and Normal (default). When in normal mode, several
features are disabled. Expert mode can be selected under the options menu. It is
recommended that you enter Expert mode only if you have a good understanding of the
VRML 2.0 specification.
* There are editors for Level of Detail (LOD) and Switch nodes. Once you have created an
LOD node, which you can see in the Hierarchy page, you must drag and drop other objects
from within the Hierarchy into the LOD node. Once you have multiple objects in your LOD
node, you can access the LOD Editor to define the distances that are associated with each
object. Similarly, once you have created a Switch node, you must drag and drop another
object from within the Hierarchy into the Switch node. You must then write a custom script
to invoke the Script node.
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Known Issues
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* Most users will experience excellent performance using VRCreator, particularly if they are
running on a fast Pentium with adequate hard drive space, adequate memory, a brand-name
graphics card and the proper Direct3D drivers for the graphics card. Some users of VRCreator
may experience slow performance. If you experience performance problems, we would greatly
appreciate your letting us know what your hardware configuration is and whether you
experienced these problems immediately or only after using certain features of VRCreator.
Please send this information directly to support-vream@platinum.com. Please use this email
address only for support questions that are not answered by the online help or by the
Frequently Asked Questions pages on the PLATINUM technical support web site
(http://support.platinum.com).
* This software's uninstall does NOT completely remove all VRCreator components from your
system. Once you finish running the uninstall script from the add/remove programs from the
Windows 95 control panel, you can purge the remaining files and folders from your system.
This problem will be addressed in a subsequent release.
* Text node is not being properly displayed in the view windows on creation. The text node
will work properly in the runtime however.
* The VRCreator Runtime Window can use only one sensor per object listed in the scene hierarchy.
If multiple sensors are placed on the same object level, only the last sensor listed will become
active in VRCreator Runtime Window.
* Some errors refer the user to the Message Window option in the World pull-down menu for more
information. In some cases, the Message Window option is not active or there is no message
available once the option is executed.
* VRCreator does not render creaseAngle of the IndexFaceSet node. VRCreator writes out
creaseAngle correctly for rendering in all VRML 2.0 browsers that support creaseAngle.
* The Runtime Viewer occasionally will experience degradation in performance. In some cases,
users may need to reboot their machines to restore performance.
Your comments and your assistance in reporting problems or issues are greatly valued. Please
send problems or issues that are not documented in this document, in the online help, or in
the Frequently Asked Questions pages on the PLATINUM technical support web site
(http://support.platinum.com) to support-vream@platinum.com. Please use this email address
only for support questions that are not answered by this document, by the online help, or by
the the Frequently Asked Questions pages on the PLATINUM technical support web site
(http://support.platinum.com).
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Disclaimer
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Product specifications, pricing, and availability are subject to change. This document is for
informational purposes only. PLATINUM MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.
