Strata StudioPro Blitz

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Strata StudioPro™ Blitz is the first product available which fully supports QuickDraw™3D. The new features of this product will revolutionize the way you work in 3D. Have fun with real-time textured model manipulation and editing!

In addition to the award-winning rendering and animation options currently available in StudioPro, now you can also render scenes as Apple™ QuickTime VR-ready files to create virtual reality worlds and objects which you can view interactively. Or create 3D worlds for the World Wide Web (WWW) through direct support for Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML).

StudioPro Blitz is also one of the first products to fully support multiprocessor technology - including the Genesis MP™ System from Daystar. Take advantage of two or more 604 chips, and watch your renderings really move. Blitz also supports hardware acceleration boards.

In addition, the Raytracing renderer is now optimized for StudioPro Blitz. With or without hardware acceleration, Raytracing is faster

Thank you for reading this file. Please read it carefully. It contains information about successfully installing the software package, and important operating information. You may wish to print this document so you can have a hard copy to follow during the installation process

Included in this Release:

• The StudioPro Blitz application updater, a new StrataAppKernel, a new Preferences file, and all new extensions.
• In addition, a prerelease Boolean Modeler included with this release allows you to test-drive some of the latest and greatest work of Strata engineers. For more information, please refer to the Boolean Prerelease ReadMe included in this release.
• Remember, the Boolean is a prerelease product. It is faster and more precise, but is not a full release, and you may experience minor problems.

New features in Blitz 1.75+

• Improved handling of Adobe Illustrator files - StudioPro Blitz will now read all Illustrator files Version 3 and above.
• Improved VRML - StudioPro Blitz now handles VRML files more efficiently, and creates smaller files while doing so.
• Improved memory use by the Raytracing renderer - The Raytracing renderer is now more memory efficient, allowing you to render larger models.
• Improved memory handling, new Preferences options: You now have the option of modeling with or without QuickDraw 3D, depending on your modeling needs. You also have new caching and display options in your Preferences dialog. For more information, see Chapter 1 of the Addendum which accompanies this release.
• Improved handling of very large DXF files: A new option in the DXF Import dialog allows you to have meshes extracted as polygons when importing large files. See Chapter 9 of the Addendum for more information.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• A Power Mac.
• A hard-disk drive with a minimum of 20 Mb free.
• 16 Mb of RAM.
• Apple System 7.1.2 or later. System 7.5.1 (or later) is recommended.
• QuickDraw 3D - Version 1.0.3, included in this package, is not required, but is recommended.
• StudioPro Blitz is optimized for the 604 chip, but will run well on the 601 and 603 as well.

INSTALLATION

1. DISABLE VIRUS PROTECTION: Strata Incorporated has stringent antivirus procedures in place throughout its operation. Everything possible is done to maintain the integrity of the StudioPro product up to the point when you open the package. For peace of mind, you should scan the StudioPro installation disks before beginning, then turn off ALL virus protection during the actual installation process. After you have completed the installation, you can turn your anti-viral cdevs and extensions back on.
   If you have the GateKeeper™ virus sentry, it absolutely MUST be disabled before installation of StudioPro. GateKeeper is very aggressive in its protection and has the potential to actually corrupt the application as it is installed, making it unusable. Once the StudioPro application folder is in place, GateKeeper can be used without concern.
2. TO UPDATE the StudioPro Blitz application, double-click "StudioPro™ Blitz v1.75 Update". It will ask you to locate the old StudioPro Blitz application. Find either StudioPro™ Blitz v1.75, StudioPro™ Blitz v1.75+ Beta, or StudioPro™ Blitz v1.75+ Beta 2. Click "Update". After the application has been updated, drag all the remaining files and folders into the Strata StudioPro™ Blitz É. It will ask if you want to replace existing files. Click yes.
3. Apple™'s QuickDraw 3D v1.0.3 can be found on Strata Inc.'s home page at http://www.strata3d.com or from Apple's home page at http://www.info.apple.com/qd3d/QD3D.HTML. It is not necessary to install QuickDraw 3D in order to run StudioPro Blitz, but it is recommended. We also recommend that you upgrade from QD3D 1.0.2 to 1.0.3. Once you have downloaded QD3D, double-click on the icon to start the install process. Don't forget to restart after QD3D is installed.
4. The Dicer and the Navigable Movie Player are available from Apple Computer as part of the QuickTime VR Authoring Tools Suite. The Dicer is needed to transform StudioPro's QTVR Panoramic rendering into a walkthrough panorama that can be viewed interactively. The Navigable Movie Player is needed to transform StudioPro's object rendering into a QTVR Object movie. After these movies have been converted using Apple's tools, they may be viewed with Apple's QTVR Player. To get the QTVR Player, see Strata Inc.'s home page on the Internet at http://www.strata3d.com. Once you have accessed Strata's home page, go to the StudioPro 'Facts' section.

AFTER INSTALLATION: If you have System 7.1.2, a Thread Manager will be installed in the Extension Folder in your active System Folder. You will need to restart your machine before you run StudioPro. The Thread Manager is not required with System 7.5 or later, and will not be installed.

If you are using a Power Mac 9500, be sure you are running with System Enabler v1.1 or higher. If not, you need to update your system to this version.

PLEASE NOTE: On Power Macs be sure that the "Modern Memory Manager" option is turned on in the Memory control panel in order to render images in StudioPro. On true Power Macintosh machines, this will need to be done only once. But on older Macintoshes with an upgrade card installed, you will need to remember each time you switch from 680x0 operation to Power Mac mode.

PERSONALIZATION: Upon launching StudioPro for the first time, you will be presented with a personalization dialog. In addition to entering your name and organization, you are REQUIRED to enter a serial number and a name (not a company name). If you don't, a message will appear telling you that the serial number is invalid. StudioPro will not run without the correct serial number. You are provided a unique serial number in the product box, on your quick reference card. Enter it EXACTLY as it is presented. This same serial number is also included on the registration card you return to Strata Incorporated to become a registered owner &emdash; entitling you to technical support access and many other benefits. Please refer to the beginning of Chapter 1 in the User Manual for further information about personalizing your copy of StudioPro and entering the serial number.

MEMORY CONSIDERATIONS

VIRTUAL MEMORY: There is absolutely NO SUBSTITUTE for real RAM. Using any form of disk space to simulate memory (such as Apple's Virtual Memory) will slow all Blitz functions. If you have enough RAM, you should disable Virtual Memory and the image spooling option within StudioPro through the Preferences command. This will improve your performance.

VIRTUAL IMAGE CACHE: If you run out of memory while rendering, you may want to use StudioPro Blitz's virtual image cache. You should have at least ten megabytes of free space on your hard disk drive. Virtual image cache is used when the "Spooling for Rendering" check box is turned on in the Preferences command's dialog box. If you do not have enough RAM to render a particular image, you can use this option. Even if you have enough RAM and even though this may result in additional accessing of the hard disk, turning on the virtual image cache can often improve performance. The size of this cache file on the hard-disk drive varies with the number of objects and texture maps in the 3-D model, the dimensions and resolution of a rendering, and the type of rendering method used. Extremely large projects may require as much as 50-60 megabytes of disk space.

TROUBLE-SHOOTING

1. If the message: "The Application StudioPro v1.75 could not be opened because StrataAppKernal could not be found" appears, it is because not enough RAM is available. To free up more RAM before launching, reduce the partition size in the application's Get Info window, or quit other applications that may be running.
2. Please note that our new features can be memory intensive due to the numerous calculations performed, so be patient. This is especially true with the Boolean modeler. Also be aware that performing Boolean operations will produce polygonal surfaces for the resulting objects. You may wish to smooth them, using the Smooth modeler, if they appear faceted.
3. When editing a skinned object in the 3d Sculpter, selected handles will not automatically deselect when you click on another handle. To deselect one or more handles on skinned objects, simply click away from the object in the window.
4. Occasionally, when you import a model from a different file format, it will appear very small - you will not be able to see the object at all, just the selection handles. This is due to a difference in coordinate systems, and is easily corrected. Make the object larger by using the Transform command or the Resize tool. NOTE: The Raytracer and Raydiosity™ renderers will not function properly with these very small objects until they are resized.
5. On some models, lighting will not appear correctly in Smooth Shading display. If the object doesn't render correctly, you may need to flip the mesh faces. See the User Manual, page 3.116. You can also switch to Quick Shaded, and the model should appear correctly.
6. Some 3DMF files containing objects with holes or NURBs will not import properly in the current version of StudioPro. If the software encounters a hole or a NURB it cannot handle, a warning dialog will appear, giving you the option of stopping the operation or continuing. If you choose to continue importing the 3DMF file, Blitz will ignore the hole or NURB.
7. While using the Wireframe, Quick Shading and Smooth Shading renderers, you will not be able to use the Render Later command.
8. If you have a QuickDraw 3D with a Version 1.0.3 or lower, it may not release all of the memory used for a model until you quit the program. Opening and closing large models can accelerate the resulting memory problems. Turning off QuickDraw 3D in your preferences dialog will allow you to avoid this situation. If you experience memory problems, try quitting StudioPro Blitz, and any other program which utilizes QuickDraw 3D.

Future releases of Apple's QuickDraw 3D should improve these memory situations, as well as improving the speed of the wireframe renderer, and eliminating the occasional inverse polygon you may experience (see No. 5 of this section). New versions of QuickDraw 3D will be made available to StudioPro Blitz users as soon as Apple releases them.

NOTE: If you are working on a model and decide to conserve memory by turning off object caching and/or texture map display, the memory QuickDraw has already used performing these functions in your model will not be released until you quit the program and relaunch.

FURTHER ASSISTANCE

For further information about other Strata products including libraries and accessories, contact your nearest Apple Macintosh software dealer, or telephone Strata Inc. at 1-800-6STRATA. Technical support for registered owners is available at (801) 628-9751. Please DO NOT call the toll-free number for technical support. It is reserved for sales purposes and you cannot be transferred to the technical services group from that number.

COPYRIGHT NOTICES

© by Strata Inc., 1989-95. StudioPro is copyrighted in accordance with provision 17 U.S.C. § 101 and 102. All rights reserved. You have a non-exclusive right to use the included program. You may not modify or translate the program or related documentation. Fraudulent removal from or alteration of a copyright notice appearing on a copyrighted work, and the fraudulent placing of a copyright notice on a distributed copyright work, and/or the willful infringement of a copyrighted work for commercial advantage or private financial gain is prohibited under 17 U.S.C. § 506.

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