#New PAR software?
23 messages in this thread
Hello all you PAR people out there…
I saw the note from Dave White about the new PAR software being
uploaded here and went to look at it, but noticed that it was a new Dos
version, 1.25. I was thinking it was going to be the 2.0 software that would
run under windows with the ability to sync with WAV files on playback. Could
anyone tell me what's new in the 1.25 version, or is it just a maintenence
update? And does anybody know when 2.0 will be available?
Thanks,
David
Take a closer look, David. I believe the Windows software is included.
-Alan
I just downloaded the new PAR update and I can't get it to install. I keep
getting an error message when it starts to copy the second set of TBC files and
it then returns to system. I tried copying to files to a floppy since it asks
which drive I'm installing from, A or B. I cant believe the are no
installation instructions includes. Has anybody successfully installed this
update? Am i missing someting? Thanks for any help.
-Mitch
I'm looking for this update as well. What library did you fid it in and
what is its name?
I'll see if I'll have the same problems and let you know what happens…
The DPS bbs seems dow for the count at this moment.
Kurt
Just do a search in the files library with PAR as your keyword. I just tried
to copy all the unzipped files to a new directory and running the new software.
The parinit and pardrv seemed to go OK, but when I ran PAR the 286 dos extender
started and the 1st frame of one of my anims came up on my NTSC signal but my
monitor was just a blank screen. I had to reboot. I have tried running EMM386
about 4 different ways (noems,auto,off) but no luck. Good luck to you. Let me
know what you find out.
-Mitch
Be careful with this Betaware. I lost all my animations on my Par drive.
Rich…. 🙁
As I mentioned in an earlier reply, just un-zip the files in your PAR directory
and you should be fine, Mitch.
Although I have no idea what caused this, I think it should be mentioned here.
Getting the software to run properly (the dead give-away is a blank screen
instead of PAR.exe coming up) required a complete format of the disk using
PARTEST.exe. So I would advise backing up any critical data on your PAR disk
before trying to run the new software. I have no idea if this is a real
problem, but I'd like to hear if anyone else noticed it yet. I'm planning on
calling DPS on Monday to talk about it.
The software is working wonderfully for me, and the new features are saving
ALOT of time!
Editing .ANIs is way faster and easier, and DOS file management is greatly
improved. There are lots more new features, too! I can't wait to thoroughly
check out the new Windows stuff.
-Alan
I'm having the same problem. A blank screen and trash from the Par to my NTSC
monitor. Also somewhere along the line my Par drive got trashed and I had to
reformat.
I put the old software back in!
Rich..
Are saying that, even after the re-format of the PAR drive, the new software
still didn't boot?
-Alan
Yes, after a complete shutdown and reload of the new software, I reformated
the drive with partest.exe and was able to load and run v1.25. I sure wish my
backup Conner 250 was working. I lost alot in this crash. Anyone have any
experience in backing up the Par.
Rich…
You should have no problems backing the PAR files up to a DOS drive or back-up
device, Rich.
-Alan
Your right! The problem is trying to restore the files back to the Par Drive.
I'm using a Conner 250 with Norton Desktop for Windows, the Norton Backup
software and compression is off. By the way I got a
FATAL ERROR 286.3330:General Protection Fault Detected
from the Par v1.25 software today. I addition most of the stills I put in
last night can't be recalled in 3DS, the lower half of the screen ends up
garbage.
Don't know if I have time for this. May reinstall the old stuff!! : (
Rich…
I have heard mixed reports regarding restoring directly to the PAR drive for
some time, now, Rich.
I *always* restore to a DOS drive first, and then copy to the PAR drive. When
there are no critical files involved, then maybe I'll try restoring directly to
the PAR drive.
-Alan
Well, I spoke too soon. After saving the first new anim directly from 3DS to
the PAR I'm back to the old blank screen again. None of the hot keys do
anything so I have to reboot. Since I have to dump some stuff for a client
tommorrow morning I reinstalled V 1.09 and I'm up and running once again. I
guess I'll stick to old trusty for now. Too bad, since 1.25 had some great
added features.
-Mitch
Alan,
I had no troubles bringing up the 1.25 version without using partest and
reformatting the par disk. I checked many of the animations that were
pre-existing on the disk, and they all seemed to playback fine. Let me know
more of the details of Partest.exe, is it maditory to run with the 1.25
version? I also install the windows software for the TBC and the PARSET.exe,
but I still dont see where the link to the .WAV files occurs. PARSET seems to
be just a windows version of the .PXP initilization routine for the PAR.
CT.
Great. It looks as though the re-formatting problems may be isolated incidents.
I think I'd still back up any critical files, though, just in case.
I only mentioned PARTEST.exe as a relatively simple way of reformatting the PAR
drive, while checking PAR-related systems.
I really don't know anything about the Windows software, yet, as I'm trying to
get a video job out the door tomorrow. Maybe it isn't the full suite we saw at
Siggraph…
-Alan
I guess I shoud have downloaded it first and then checked. The file description
in the lib just says "version 1.25 dos software", which made me wonder. (I
thought the new software was supposed to be 2.0)
Thanks,
David
I'm not sure about the rev numbers, David. But the Windows stuff seems to be
included.
-Alan
We also put the new version of the software into our system and were pleasantly
surprised to find that after checking out all the nifty new features the join
command fragged the drive and we had to reformat. Also when we put the software
back on and placed a couple of backed up (whew!) animations back on the system
the optimize command made alphabet soup out of the directory structure. Ah well
I guess I'll just have to try for 1.26 revision.
Kolby Kappes
Dimensional Imaging
The new software that was uploaded here is an upgrade to the DOS software.
The software that synchrnizes audio playback (through Windows MCI device) is
still a _little_ ways away. It is looking tighter every day.
Thanks for the clarification. I haven't downloaded it yet because of
the apparent problems people have been having with it, so I'll wait for the
next one. Also, you mentioned that this was a beta release. Please state that
in the file description in the library here, because there is no mention of it
there (just says "latest release") nor do I remember Dave White saying anything
about beta software when he said that the new PAR software had been uploaded. I
don't mind downloading and using beta software, but only if I KNOW it's beta.
(I don't think I'm alone in thinking this was the final shipping version)
Thank you for jumping in here and helping out. Do you have an idea when
the final (1.5) release will be ready, and any guesses on 2.0?
Thanks,
David
While the "beta" version of the software had some surprises for us
"experienced" PAR users, most of the surprises were from improper installation.
Brick has kindly posted some of the procedures and known problems with the
"beta" version. I, too, had to reformat my PAR drive and lost one file that
was not backed up. Since that one reformat session I have been doing a bunch
of splits and join functions with no more problems. I copied Brick's message
for my manual as it had a lot of good information and was very well written. I
have not followed his install procedure to the letter but there are
similarities. I might be instore for some more surprises until I reinstall per
his instructions. <g>
If you don't need the new features I'd stick with the old time proven software
but I was eager to use the new file handling capabilities.
Yes, it was great of Brick to log on here and help clear things up. I
think I'll wait a little bit before trying out the new software as I really
don't feel like running into surprises, like rendering a whole project directly
to the PAR drive and then losing it later because of some new problem. (But…
I'm not really working right now so it probably wouldn't be a bad time for me
to mess with it… <g>). Are the new file handling capabilities like Win file
selecting (like CTRL, Shift, etc options)?
David