# | README file for | | GLoria-L | GLoria-L/MX | GLoria-XL | GLoria-XXL | GLoria Synergy | Synergy II | GLoria II | | ELSAview 3D, 3D viewer for AutoCAD R14.01, | Mechanical Desktop 2.0, | Mechanical Desktop 3.0 | und ADT 1.0 | | Version 1.04.11 | | (c) 1999 ELSA AG, Aachen (Germany) | | | ELSA AG Internet : http://www.elsa.de | Sonnenweg 11 | D-52070 Aachen | | ELSA Inc. Internet : http://www.elsa.com | 1630 Zanker Road | San Jose, CA 95112 | USA | | ELSA Asia Inc. Internet : http://www.elsa.com | 7F-11, No. 188, Sec. 5 | Nanking East Road | Taipei 105 | Taiwan, R. O. C. | | ELSA Japan Inc. Internet : http://www.elsa.com | Mita Suzuki Building 3F | 5-20-14 Shiba, Minato-ku | Tokyo 108-0014 | Japan | | 01/12/2000 aschlech --------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents 1. Overview 2. Directory Contents 3. Installation / Deinstallation 4. Notes 5. Support 6. Using Accelerator Keys 6.1 AutoCAD R14 6.2 Connventions For Using Accelerators 7. Caveats / Known Problems --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Overview This disk contains all components of the add-on application ELSAview 3D for AutoCAD R14.01, Mechanical Desktop 2.0, Mechanical Desktop 3.0 and ADT 1.0 Earlier versions of this application are known by the name POWERview 3D. This documentation uses the new name even if referring to the earlier versions. Supported platforms are Windows NT NT 4.0. Supported languages are Englisch, German, French, Spanish and Italian. For detailed information please see the online-help. This includes a section with release notes. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Directory Contents The program's setup directory contains the following files: README.TXT this file LIESMICH.TXT German version of this file Ev3D.hlp ELSAview 3D help file in English Ev3D_de.hlp ELSAview 3D help file in German SETUP.EXE Installation program for Windows (all others) files that will be installed --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Installation / Deinstallation For installation start SETUP.EXE by the menu item File/Run in the Program Manager or double click SETUP.EXE in the File Manager or Windows Explorer. It is possible to run SETUP.EXE in a silent mode to avoid user input. See the ELSAview help for more information about this mode. The installation and the deinstallation can change some files of the original AutoCAD installation. These files are "acad.rx" and "acad.pgp" (in the support-directory). These files are backed up to "acad_rx.bak" and "acad_pgp.bak". --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Notes If you have used a beta version of ELSAview 3D before, do not use data created with that (*.iv, *vrml...) version. Due to special changes, we can not guarantee that it will work with this actual release. If you got this file set in compressed format, make sure to expand it retaining the subdirectory structure. Use the option "-d" for PKUNZIP or an equivalent option, if you use another packer. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Support Please report problems with a detailed description, a description of your system and - if applicable - with a sample data set to our ELSA Support. In the ELSAview help you can see how to reach the support. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Using Accelerator Keys NOTE: You should have experience with AutoCAD menu files, otherwise consult your AutoCAD documentation. To make the switching between AutoCAD and ELSAview 3D more comfortable you can define an accelerator key for AutoCAD. 6.1 AutoCAD R14 Perform the following steps: (0) Close all AutoCAD applications (1) Make a backup of the following files in \win\support or \support: - acad.mnc acadfull.mnc - acad.mns acadfull.mns - acad.mnr acadfull.mnr - acad.mnu acadfull.mnu (2) Delete the following files in the path \win\support or \support: - acad.mnc acadfull.mnc - acad.mns acadfull.mns - acad.mnr acadfull.mnr (3) Open acad.mnu with Notepad or a similar editor. (4) Search for the section : ***ACCELERATORS (5) Append the following line to the end of this section: ["F3"]^C^C_pvfront This command establishes an accelerator on the command key F3 so you will be able to switch to the viewer by simly pressing F3. (6) Save the file. (7) Repeat steps 3 through 6 for acadfull.mnu. (8) Start AutoCAD. 6.2 Conventions for using accelerator keys You can combine several keys by using +, e.g.: [SHIFT+"F3"] control keys CONTROL SHIFT F1-F12 "F1' "F2" ... (except F10) cursor keys "UP" "DOWN" "LEFT" "RIGHT" position keys "HOME" "END" numeric keypad "NUMPAD0" "NUMPAD1" ... other keys "INS" "DEL" "ESC" Please do not use keys that are used by the system, e.g. "F1" for help. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Caveats / Known Problems When used with Mechanical desktop the ELSAview 3D toolbox may be unloaded when you load a new drawing. See section 6 for a workaround. If you have used an earlier version of ELSAview 3D before, please delete the following registry entry to avoid crashes: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ELSA\POWERview3D If you use MS Netmeeting be sure to use the latest NT drivers (v5.26.00.227 or later) for your graphics board. Older drivers could prevent ELSAview 3D to get a valid license to run. Loading drawings generated with versions before AutoCAD R14 into R14 could lead to problems when editing light sources. Autodesk has improved the light sources in AutoCAD R14. These changes are not compatible. If the viewer edits an old light source AutoCAD crashs. To avoid this problem perform the following steps for older drawings: 1) load drawing into AutoCAD R14 2) call the light dialog (AutoCAD!) 3) select one light source 4) click on the 'modify' button 5) click on 'ok' 6) repeat steps 3 - 5 for every light source 7) save drawing Now the light sources have the valid format ELSAview 3D is able to work with. There are some drawings in VRML2 format which can not get saved in VRML format again. Saving a drawing to a *.wrl file can lead to color errors in the saved file. Only entities on layer 0 with color by layer in blocks show this problem. Rendering to the Mechanical Desktop v2.x viewport will only work when the ARx module of ELSAview 3D was loaded by acad.rx (as is default in Setup). When you load the ARx module manually only rendering to a separate window will be available. The problems occurs in connection of AccelVIEW 3D. You can avoid these problems completly by renaming the file "accelvw.arx" for examble in "accelvw_1.arx". You can find the file in the AutoCAD directory. To avoid problems with ELSAview 3D we recommend to update your AutoCAD installation to R14.01. To avoid problems using ELSAview 3D and POWERdraft together rendering to AutoCAD's viewport, you should use the latest version of POWERdraft (V14.02.06 or later) Toggling between Assembly and Scene View can lead to some rendering artefacts. To avoid this problem it is recommended to use the EVALL command after toggling. When using ELSAview 3D together with ACAD-BAU the startup procedure will not execute a command needed for a correct start of ELSAview 3D. You have to call this command manually by entering "evreinit" after ACAD-BAU has started. Sometimes there is a hang up of AutoCAD when rendering with ELSAview 3D in AutoCAD's viewport. This can occur with very small drawings (containing only few objects). If the user uses the interactive mode (EVI) AutoCAD will hang when the user leaves the mode with 'accept'.