CompuServe Thread

Animator Pro 1.3 & OS/2

11 messages in this thread
#76618From: GREG LEHMANJan 16, 1994 8:20 AM
Well, it's me again <g> Woe is me. I think I've got about 8 hairs left on my head! I think I've tried to do this about upteen times.(run Animator Pro under OS/2 2.2). So any help or (more) suggestions would help. Here is a message I left before; Help! Well, I've read the OS/2 Animator Pro messages, and I still can't get Animator Pro 1.3 to run under OS/2 2.1. I've tried using the default settings, with Animator running in full screen. No go! I've set the DPMI = Enabled, DPMI mem limit to 64 meg (tried 30meg and some other), Interupt during I/O to On; and still No go! I've tried to run it under a DOS window and DOS full screen and I get this error mesage: Abnormal program termination: Memory protection fault CS:EIP = 000Fh:000846F8h I've got a 486 66mghtz, 32 meg of RAM, STB Pegusas (S3928 chip), I've tried using the player for Animator, Aniplay, that does'nt work either. I have my system set up for dual boot, so I dual boot it to Dos. If I want to run Animator, but that gets to be a pain! But I'm thinking of switching over to the HPFS. Could there be something in my config.sys I have set up wrong? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks to all! 🙂 Greg end of message. If I set my DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT to 0 (Disabled) I get this message when I try to run Animator under a DOS full screen window; Phar Lap err 35: The 386 chip is currently executing in virtual 8086 mode under the control of another program. You must turn off this other program in order to use 386/DOS-Extender to run in protected mode. end of message I also have a Soundblaster 16ASP and a Toshiba CD rom, if that makes a difference. I use the Video drivers supplied by STB for the S3 chip. They are 16bit drivers. Whats the difference between 16bit and 32bit drivers. They don't have 32bit drivers. When I use my Dual Boot, (to boot to DOS) if I don't rem out the 5th line and try to run Animator, I get this on my screen: 062d) SYSTEM HALTED Then I have to reboot (DOS config.sys) DEVICE=C:\QEMM\DOSDATA.SYS DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS RAM ARAM=DB80-DBFF R:1 DEVICE=C:\QEMM\DOS-UP.SYS @C:\QEMM\DOS-UP.DAT DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:3 C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE rem DEVICE=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.SYS /R:3 C:\QEMM\QDPMI.SYS SWAPFILE=DPMI.SWP SWAPSIZE=1024 Lastdrive=E DEVICE=c:\qemm\loadhi.sys /r:2 C:\TSCSI\MA13B.SYS DEVICE=c:\qemm\loadhi.sys /r:3 /res=10416 /sqf C:\TSCSI\TSLCDR.SYS /d:TSLCD SHELL=C:\QEMM\LOADHI.COM /R:2 C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM /P DOS=HIGH FILES=30 STACKS=0,0 SHELL=c:\qemm\loadhi.com /r:3 /res=3008 /sqf C:\dos\command.com C:\dos\ /P BUFFERS=10,0 end When I rem this line out, Animator Pro runs just fine (under DOS). Here is my OS/2 config.sys if it will help at all: IFS=C:\OS2\HPFS.IFS /CACHE:64 /CRECL:4 PROTSHELL=C:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE SET USER_INI=C:\OS2\OS2.INI SET SYSTEM_INI=C:\OS2\OS2SYS.INI SET OS2_SHELL=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE SET AUTOSTART=PROGRAMS,TASKLIST,FOLDERS,CONNECTIONS SET RUNWORKPLACE=C:\OS2\PMSHELL.EXE SET COMSPEC=C:\OS2\CMD.EXE LIBPATH=.;C:\OS2\DLL;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\;C:\OS2\APPS\DLL;C:\MMOS2\DLL;C:\OS2\SCRNSV \DLL; SET PATH=C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2;C:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\;C:\OS2\MDOS;C:\ S2\APPS;C:\MMOS2; SET DPATH=C:\OS2;C:\OS2\SYSTEM;C:\OS2\MDOS\WINOS2;C:\OS2\INSTALL;C:\;C:\OS2\BITMAP; :\OS2\MDOS;C:\OS2\APPS;C:\MMOS2;C:\MMOS2\INSTALL; SET PROMPT=$i[$p] SET HELP=C:\OS2\HELP;C:\OS2\HELP\TUTORIAL;C:\MMOS2\HELP; SET GLOSSARY=C:\OS2\HELP\GLOSS; SET IPF_KEYS=SBCS PRIORITY_DISK_IO=YES FILES=20 DEVICE=C:\OS2\TESTCFG.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\DOS.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\PMDD.SYS BUFFERS=30 IOPL=YES DISKCACHE=1024,LW,AC:C MAXWAIT=3 MEMMAN=SWAP,PROTECT SWAPPATH=C:\OS2\SYSTEM 2048 2048 BREAK=OFF THREADS=256 PRINTMONBUFSIZE=134,134,134 COUNTRY=001,C:\OS2\SYSTEM\COUNTRY.SYS SET KEYS=ON REM SET DELDIR=C:\DELETE,512; BASEDEV=PRINT01.SYS BASEDEV=IBM1FLPY.ADD BASEDEV=IBM1S506.ADD BASEDEV=OS2DASD.DMD SET BOOKSHELF=C:\OS2\BOOK;C:\MMOS2; SET EPMPATH=C:\OS2\APPS; REM DEVICE=C:\OS2\APPS\SASYNCDA.SYS PROTECTONLY=NO SHELL=C:\OS2\MDOS\COMMAND.COM C:\OS2\MDOS FCBS=16,8 RMSIZE=640 DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VEMM.SYS DOS=LOW,NOUMB DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VDPX.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VXMS.SYS /UMB DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VDPMI.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VCDROM.SYS REM DEVICE=C:\OS2\PCMCIA.SYS REM DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VPCMCIA.SYS CODEPAGE=437,850 DEVINFO=KBD,US,C:\OS2\KEYBOARD.DCP REM DEVICE AND RUN STATEMENTS FROM YOUR OLDER CONFIG.SYS REM DEVICE=C:\DOS\SETVER.EXE REM DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS REM DOS=HIGH DEVINFO=SCR,BGA,C:\OS2\VIOTBL.DCP SET VIDEO_DEVICES=VIO_VGA DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VMOUSE.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\POINTDD.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MOUSE.SYS SERIAL=COM0 IFS=\OS2\CDFS.IFS /Q BASEDEV=OS2SCSI.DMD BASEDEV=T13BSCSI.ADD DEVICE=C:\OS2\OS2CDROM.DMD /Q DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\SB16D2.SYS 1 1 5 5 220 8 /N:SBAud1$ DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\AUDIOVDD.SYS SBAud1$ SET MMBASE=C:\MMOS2; SET DSPPATH=C:\MMOS2\DSP; SET NCDEBUG=4000 DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\SSMDD.SYS DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\ADSHDD.SYS DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\SMVDD.SYS SET VIO_VGA=DEVICE(BVHVGA,BVHENH) DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VVGA.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VWIN.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VENH.SYS REM DEVICE=C:\OS2\COM.SYS REM DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VCOM.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\COM.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\MDOS\VCOM.SYS end of OS/2config.sys See, I want to switch over to the HPFS, I don't like to Dual boot just to run Animator Pro <pain> Thanks for any suggestions or help Sorry If I'm a pain. I just want to keep these last 8 hairs on my Head! confused:-( Greg
#76967From: ROBERT NORMAN JR.Jan 17, 1994 11:14 PM
Let me try giving you a hand here. First of all, make a boot up disk for your "a drive" and put this config.sys in there DEVICE=C:\QEMM\QEMM386.SYS R:2 X=D000-DFFF RAM ST:M DOS=HIGH FILES=30 BUFFERS=15 SHELL=A:\COMMAND.COM /e:1024 /p make a autoexec.bat bat for the same drive that looks like this: @echo off SET COMSPEC = A:\COMMAND.COM /e:512 /p SET BLASTER=A240 I7 D1 T2 mouse ( what ever your mouse driver is and make sure you path it at it's location.) This BTW is using Qemm 5.1 and MS Dos 5.0 This is a simple boot disk just to see if you can run Animator Pro at all on your system. This is same setup I use if I want to run it under plan Dos. You may consider (noems after "ST:M" option, but I normally don't need it. If you are able to get it work using the boot disk, now we can try getting to work in a Dos session under OS/2. Make sure you exit the Animator in the default display 320X200 mode. If using OS/ 2.1 follow these steps running OS/2 at the WorkPlace Shell. 1. Go to the Dos Full Screen object right click to bring up the setting and select settings. 2. At setting menu select session. 3. You will see the Dos setting. Click on Dos setting and that should bring up the setting menu. 4. Make changes to the following: Value: DOS_FILES 30 DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT 8 ( let's keep it simple and try it with eight for now) EMS_HIGH_OS_MAP_REGION 0 EMS_LOW_OS_MAP_ REGION 0 or low ( you don't need ems of any kind for configuration.) EMS_MEMORY_LIMIT 160 HW_ROM_TO_RAM on HW_TIMER on XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT 8000 ( This is the amount of memory your going to use for now which matches the DPMI setting, earlier.) The rest of the setting leave at default. Now start the Dos full session, change dir c:\Ani and type ani and see what happens. If it works you can change the IDLE_SENSITIVITY to get faster proformances but 75 should work just fine. Providing that it is up and running, you can try different things ,increasing memory, changes resolution etc. Find out what unenabling you from running it before. Your main config for OS/2 ,if at the default level, should not have any problems with running Animator Pro. It is in the Dos setting for that session, where Animator Pro is running in, makes a difference. Try this and see if this work for you. Bob Running Golden Commpass and OS/2 2.1
#77195From: GREG LEHMANJan 18, 1994 7:19 PM
Robert, HA! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you. It works just GREAT! How does one figure out all that stuff. Well, I guess I've only been running OS/2 for about a month and half. Practice, practice. My hair is starting to grow back! What do you think of the HPFS. Should I make the transtion? I've got almost a gig of space. (4 IDE'S). I suppose I could partition part of my hard drive for Boot manager, What do you think? Another ?. The DPMI is that like the RAM in your system, can you trick OS/2 into more RAM than you physically got? I get confused %-) sometimes, when it comes to memory. Again, Thanks P.S. What's the Golden Commpass?
#77268From: ROBERT NORMAN JR.Jan 19, 1994 1:21 AM
Greg: GREAT! I glad to hear that it works for you. Just remember that for every 1000 of XMS_ Memory_LIMIT you must set your DPMI_Memory_LIMIT BY 1. In other words. if you set the XMS_Memory_Limit to 14000 than the DPMI_Memory_Limit_ should be set at 14. As far as HPFS, I highly recommend it if your going to use the hard drive for a lot of simple Animation and titling. HPFS not only is it best known for it's long file name ability but also it's defagmenting capability. This is one advantage you will have in using HPFS while rendering your frames. The flc files will be defrag when laid in on the drive. When using HPFS I notices an increase in throughput which you get faster load ups and animation runs off the drive ,depending apon detail images or type of drive your using. However, you will be limited to the 8.3 character file name since Animator Pro is a Dos base app. So if your thinking on using HPFS, try it. You have the resources to run it and plenty of room. If you don't like it, you can always go back to using fat. You must remember that running under straight Dos can only access fat partitions. HPFS in not accessible by running under Dos only. However the Dos session or a Dos boot image all under OS/2 can access both FAT and HPFS partition. So in other words run Animator Pro under the Dos session in OS/2 will have access to both drives ,with the different partition, where running Animator Pro under plain Dos with a memory manager only get you access to one I have my Animator Pro in the D drive when in a Fat partition so that both OS/2 Dos session and regular Dos and run Animator Pro. Under OS/2 Dos session, if I want improve proformace on files that I create on the hard drives, I set my temp files for the C: drive HPFS. So that that the Animator uses HPFS even though it resides in the D: using fat. I just remember to move everything to D: FAT partition if I going to use regular Dos. But you don't have to go back and forth this way. I only do this if I am going to use all of the memory loaded in my system because I only have 16 meg memory. If I had 32 meg like you have, the trip back to using regular Dos will be like a trip to the museum for me; which the trip is made very seldom for this purpose. Don't get me wrong , I enjoy museum, I just make going there part of my daily routine. As for DPMI memory, I will have to refer you to the Master help will give you an explanation of the DPMI memory settings and the proper definition. For what I understand, to make it a little simpler, it is a Dos extender support specification that was put in the Dos session and it give you the ability to set the amount of memory a program uses that are built using the supported Dos entender implementation. Animator Pro uses a Dos entender in its program to gain access to larger amounts of memory that Dos alone will not allow. The DPMI setting is just an option allocate the extended memory for programs that require this support. A program can have access to more memory that is loaded on your system because OS/2 will virtualize memory to the hard disk when you run out of room. So the support is there. I hope I have answer most of your question to the best of knowledge but i'm glad I was able to help out in getting you going. BTW Golden CommPass is a OS/2 navigation software to use with Compuserve. It is 32 bit multitreaded apps. that can automated you online session. One of things it allows me to do is to selected the topic I want to read off line pre mark message threads for the previous session. Once done I select to continue session and it will down load all of the messages I selected including premarks messages This way I can continue to follow the threads of interested without loosing track of which topic that was previous selected. Also, since it is multitreaded, I can read forum messages from one area already download while the other still in the download process. When it is done it log off all one it's own. The are number of other feature which you find in the Golden Commpass Forum. GO GCP to find out more and the is a Demo disk available. Well that all I have for now. Best of luck Bob (Using Golden CommPass and OS/2)
#77785From: Richard BlalockJan 20, 1994 6:46 PM
Hi Bob! I see you've become an old pro at this OS/2 stuff. Just started lurking here while I try to find some general information on rendering. Are you doing any 3D rendering or illustrating, or just using Animator Pro? I'm trying to decide what programs I should update or change now that I'm getting basc into this for a while. I'm using an older version of Topas and RIO and they both run great under 2.x. Richard (Fellow GCP user…great CIS navigator.)
#78180From: ROBERT NORMAN JR.Jan 22, 1994 2:23 AM
Hi Rich! Nice hearing from you! Yes Rich I have been able to utilize OS/2 abilities in so many different ways. I have been able to find ways to tweak OS/2 to make it just a little more snappier environment and just having alot of fun. You probably saw my earlier notes on the setting to make the Animator Pro run. There are so many different ways you can run it that it's mind boggleing. The best thing is that you don't have to reboot to try different settings. What I like best is the way I can have a Targa drive loading in one single Dos session, then run Animator Pro, do some animating of all the effects that I want. If I have a number of flc flies that needs to be join together to become one big huge file, that's when I selected the Targa screen from the Animator resolution setting and the Animator Pro will display from my separate monitor from the Targa card. There I will render the all the join flc file together. While rendering, I can control esc and bring to Workplace shell back on the main VGA display to do something like run Prodigy,edit a scrip file for the animating of events etc. , while the background rendering takes place. Maybe even do a image conversion with the convert utility program while waiting to the render to finish. There nothing like being able to get two or things done at once. Most of the rendering I done, have been with Animator Pro. However I have experimented with POV 2.0 retracing for 3D rendering. I am planning to get 3D Studio to have full 3D rendering and Animating capability for the things that I want to do later on this year. Integrate well with Animator Pro, DPMI compliment and Autodesk throws everything but the kitchen sink in there with a CD rom disk full many textures images and other goodies. I saw Topas at NCGA show here a few years ago. I was really impress with the wine bottle demo they gave, really nice. This is a powerful package with modeling feature that was pretty easy to use. I know this kind of off the topic but I have switch to Golden Commpass and i'll tell you this program is great. I really flies and it has save me on online charges. So, are you considering on switching your 3D packages? I thought, with the packages you have which are pretty nice, you would have upgraded them.But it's nice to try something different too since there are more package that are coming from newer player, who are joining the PC arena. Well i'm glad you stop by. I'm just here offering a helping hand. Take care Bob (Using Goden Commpass and OS/2 2.1)
#78259From: Richard BlalockJan 22, 1994 1:00 PM
Bob, Thanks for the info! Sounds like you've been very busy. I've been away from rendering for awhile due to other office duties, but now I'm ready to step back into it. (Cleaning shoe) I couldn't live without OS/2 multitasking. You get so use to it and really don't know how hooked you are until you're stuck with a DOS or DOS+Win machine (my worst mightmare <g>). Right now I'm looking at just upgrading my current programs because that's the most economical route. One day I hope to get 3DS, but for now, I'll just have to wait for the price to drop. Upgrading Topas will cost only about $150 compared to switching to 3DS for around $500 (last time I checked). maybe later this year. I'm checking into the RIO upgrade price..I've really enjoy that program. Take care and I'll see you around here. Are you off of *P now? Richard
#78308From: Alex KolJan 22, 1994 6:03 PM
I'd like to learn more about OS2's multitasking in terms of sound syncing. Would OS2 enable me to to animate directly to music or dialogue by simultaneously running audio software in a small pop-up window in Animator Pro. If so, would the smooth motion be maintained?
#78584From: ROBERT NORMAN JR.Jan 24, 1994 3:11 AM
Al That is a very interesting concept, however I have never tried it where I can really give you a concrete answer as to how well the results would be. OS/2 comes with the Multimedia Presentation Manager that has sound support that can record and play back through your sound card. You may want to check with IBM ask about the Ultimedia tools one of the Ultimedia forums or give them a call. Tell them what you want to do and ask if and of there product tools are compatible to the FLC file format. That can be one area to consider. Bob Using Golden Commpass and OS2 2.1
#78674From: Alex KolJan 24, 1994 2:14 PM
I think I'll look into this some more. Sound syncing has always been a problem. In the meantime, I'd like to hear from anyone with experience combining OS/2, Ani Pro and audio syncing. Is what I described earlier possible? The ability to animate to audio and to choreograph images precisely to a beat would open up fascinating possibilities.
#78765From: ROBERT NORMAN JR.Jan 24, 1994 10:09 PM
Al The possibility is definitely there is why many are taking a second look at OS/2. It is just a matter of finding the right tools to implement what you want done that can utilize the feature in OS/2. What you may want do is see if you can find a OS/2 utility that can play back Animator files an than run the sound from MMMPM sound support which is a and OS/2 I believe it can be done. OS/2 is capable of playing back full motion video with full sound synchronization at near 30 fps without specialize hardware. I have read on various forums when this was demo with two video display running at the same time. NOT TV but image off the hard drive. I have seen a demo of movies run on a IBM model 95 ant the 1992 Comdex with excellent quality. What's needed is a native multitreaded FLC file playback app with sound support. I think that would do the trick. I may try somthing just to see for myself what can be done with what is avalible. Keep me post if you learn anything thing new this. This is very interesting. Bob Using Golden Commpass and OS/2.