Topicsin this appendix include
What You'll Find on the CD
System Requirements
Using the CD
Troubleshooting
If you need help with installing the software provided on the CD, refer to the installation instructions in the "Using the CD" section of this appendix. Note that trial, demo, or evaluation versions of software are usually limited either by time or functionality (for example, not letting you save a project after you create it).
Tutorial Files
For Windows
The CD is organized into folders for the major tutorials in the book, such as Alien Model, Hand, etc. Each folder contains all the files and support materials for that project. The CD also contains several .zip files, which contain scene files for the following: Biped Scene Files, Dynamics Scene Files, Lighting Scene Files, Rendering Scene Files, and Texture Scene Files. You will need to copy the .zip files onto your hard drive and unZip them to reveal the respective scene files, which are referenced throughout the book. If you do not have software to unzip the .zip files you can go to http://www.winzip.com/.
Before you load a scene file, make sure you set the project folder through the File menu to that exercise's project, as directed in the book. As you work through the exercises in the book and load the required scene files, if 3ds Max gives you the Missing External Files dialog (telling you it cannot find a path to the texture images) you can browse for the texture files' path manually by clicking Browse. You will be able to find all the texture images inside that particular project's sceneassetsimages folder.
3ds Max Trial Version
Trial version. For Windows.
The Autodesk 3ds Max 2008 30-day trial provides free access to the software for noncommercial use. Animation and 3D graphics students, industry professionals, or anyone interested in breaking into the world of computer graphics (CG) now has the opportunity to explore all aspects of the 3ds Max software. This product is subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies the software.
Autodesk and 3ds Max are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and other countries. For more information and software updates, visit www.autodesk.com/3dsmax.
Make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements shown here. If your computer doesn't match up to most of these requirements, you may have problems using the software and files on the companion CD. For the latest information, please refer to the ReadMe file located at the root of the CD-ROM.
At a minimum, for the 32-bit version of 3ds Max, you'll need a laptop or desktop PC running Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista with at least 512MB of RAM, 500MB swap space, and an Intel Pentium IV or AMD Athlon XP or higher processor. You'll also need a hardware-accelerated OpenGL or Direct3D video card. The requirements for the 64-bit version are higher. See the Autodesk website for the most up-to-date requirements: http://usa.autodesk.com/3dsmax.
To install the items from the CD to your hard drive, follow these steps:
Insert the CD into your computer's CD-ROM drive. The license agreement appears.
Read through the license agreement, and then click the Accept button if you want touse the CD.
Note
Windows users: The interface won't launch if you have autorun disabled. In that case, click Start → Run (for Windows Vista, click Start → All Programs → Accessories → Run). In the dialog box that appears, type D:Start.exe. (Replace D with the proper letter if your CD drive uses a different letter. If you don't know the letter, see how your CD drive is listed under My Computer.) Click OK.
The CD interface appears. The interface allows you to access the content with just one or two clicks.
Wiley has attempted to provide programs that work on most computers with the minimum system requirements. Alas, your computer may differ, and some programs may not work properly for some reason.
The two likeliest problems are that you don't have enough memory (RAM) for the programs you want to use, or you have other programs running that are affecting installation or running of a program. If you get an error message such as "Not enough memory" or "Setup cannot continue," try one or more of the following suggestions and then try using the software again:
Turn off any antivirus software running on your computer. Installation programs sometimes mimic virus activity and may make your computer incorrectly believe that it's being infected by a virus.
Close all running programs. The more programs you have running, the less memory is available to other programs. Installation programs typically update files and programs; so if you keep other programs running, installation may not work properly.
Have your local computer store add more RAM to your computer. This is, admittedly, a drastic and somewhat expensive step. However, adding more memory can really help the speed of your computer and allow more programs to run at the same time.
Customer Care
If you have trouble with the book's companion CD-ROM, please call the Wiley Product Technical Support phone number at (800) 762-2974. Outside the United States, call +1(317) 572-3994. You can also contact Wiley Product Technical Support at http://sybex.custhelp.com. John Wiley & Sons will provide technical support only for installation and other general quality control items. For technical support on the applications themselves, consult the program's vendor or author.
To place additional orders or to request information about other Wiley products, please call (877) 762-2974.