World Builder Support Page
If your question is not answered by these resources, email
dallen@senteinc.com
- Why don't you support the XYZ (Macintosh, Windows 3.1, OS/2, etc)
platform?
Answer: I'm not planning to release the source code, and I
don't have access to a XYZ machine. If somebody with an XYZ wants to
volunteer a little time, and has a C compiler, let me know.
- Why don't you rewrite it in Java, so you don't have to support each
platform?
Answer: Good idea. That would be a lot of work, though.
Maybe someday.
- How did you make the spinning globes in the examples?
Answer: You can't do that within the program yet. See known
issue 2. I made them from individual gifs with "giftoppm", "ppmquant" and
"whirlgif", but it was labor-intensive. Cool demo, though.
- Changing the temperature radio buttons in the Climate->Parameters dialog
changes the climate, but does not actually change the temperature shown
in the View->Details dialog.
- When I use File->Export->GIF, and the view is a rendered globe, an
error "Too many colors" appears.
- The View->Details menu is not accessible while the globe view is up.
Response: This involves doing a lot of trigonometry to find
out which point on the globe corresponds to the cursor x/y position.
- (Windows only) The install is complicated. Other installers create the
shortcut for you.
Response: I can't find any free install programs. The majority
of commercial programs use InstallShield, which costs about $250. As
soon as I get 12 registrations, I'll buy it!
- (Windows only) The menu shortcut keys don't work. For example, the "F"
in the File menu is underlined, but pressing Alt-F doesn't invoke the menu.
- (Windows only) When the program is busy, the cursor does not
change, and sometimes I can bring up menus and dialog boxes. The cursor
should change to the system "busy" cursor and prevent interaction with the
application.
Workaround: The status line displays "Working..." while the
program is busy.
- (Windows only) The error and "quick tip" dialog boxes always appear in
the upper left hand corner of the screen; they would be more effective in
the center of the screen.
World Builder home page
Last updated: June 12, 1998
Feedback? email dallen@senteinc.com