Copyright: Seascape 3.0 Help © 1995  Alan Walworth


Seascape 3.0 Help ¸ 1995  Alan WalworthSeascape 3.0 DocumentationTRUEyesyesyesyesseascpyesyes04/12/95


Table of Contents

Introduction

Seascape License Agreement

Seascape on Windows 95

Maximizing Image Quality

Using Seascape

Registration

Online Registration

Registration Upgrade

Questions, Comments, and Suggestions

Installation

Network Installation

Uninstallation

How to Make an Unregistered Copy of Seascape

How to Run Seascape from an Icon

How to Order Seascape Products

How to Get the Latest Seascape Update

Seascape on the Internet

Seascape on Compuserve

Seascape on America Online

Support and Refund Policy

Trouble Shooting Guide

Release Numbering and New Release Notification

Shareware Distributor and BBS Information

Site License Information

Association of Shareware Professionals Ombudsman

List of Seascape Files

Release History

Driver Download Sites

Please Copy that Floppy

Thank You Note


Help file produced by  HELLLP! v2.4b , a product of Guy Software, on 12/4/95 for Unregistered User.

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Introduction

Seascape (TM) is a screen saver which displays relatively realistic fish swimming and eating.  Produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP), Seascape 3.0 requires Microsoft Windows 3.1 or 3.11 or Windows 95, and it is recommended that it be run on at least a 486 with 8 Mb of RAM.  On a 386, or on a system with less memory, performance may be unsatisfactory.  Thanks to care taken to minimize program size, Seascape 3.0 occupies less than a megabyte (approximately 600 Kb) of hard disk space.  Since Seascape works with the Windows built-in screen saver subsystem, for configuration, viewing the documentation, or exploring other options,

   in Windows 3.1:  Access the Control Panel (from Main), choose Desktop, and then choose Setup (with Seascape selected as the current screen saver).

   in Windows 95:   Right click on the desktop background, left click on Properties, left click on the Screen Saver tab, and (with Seascape selected as the current screen saver) left click on Settings.


How to Create New Seascape Fish

Creation of new Seascape fish is difficult, to an extent reflected in the still very limited supply of varieties.  But if you're interested in trying to create a fish despite the substantial effort required, we'll be glad to assist by providing detailed instructions, reviewing image drafts, offering suggestions for improvement, and perhaps, once the basic fish image is complete, deriving the additional images needed for animation.  To get started, you need a paint program that can use a 256 color palette; you should also use appropriate pixel dimensions and the standard Seascape palette, which we can supply.  The challenge is to create a realistic fish picture with such limited dimensions that brush strokes must soon give way to pixel by pixel painting.  (More details about fish creation will appear here in the next Seascape update; unfortunately there was not time to prepare them for this release.)


Seascape License Agreement

This software product is copyrighted, and all rights are reserved by the author and publisher.

Installation and use of Seascape requires that you agree to the following conditions:

Trying out Seascape is free, but for continued use registration is required.  Registration of a single copy of Seascape permits you to use it on a single computer, except that if you use one PC at work and another at home, or both a desktop PC and a portable PC, you may use Seascape on both (or even all three) with a single registration.

You are invited to make unregistered copies of Seascape for your friends.  All copies must contain the unaltered complete set of files generated by using the "Make a Copy" button (as described in How to Make an Unregistered Copy of Seascape), or, if you prefer, by using "diskcopy" to duplicate your unaltered installation disk.

Commercial users of Seascape must register and pay for their copies of Seascape within 120 days of first use or their license is withdrawn.  For details regarding registration of multiple copies, please see Site License Information.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.  DUE TO THE VARIETY OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH SEASCAPE MAY BE USED, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS  FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.  THE AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER ASSUME NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ALLEGED OR ACTUAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM USE OF THIS PROGRAM.

If you agree to these conditions, you are invited to try out Seascape, and, if you find the fish to your liking, to support improvement of Seascape by registering.

Following installation, you may read this documentation at any time by selecting "Documentation" from the Seascape Setup dialog box (accessed by choosing Desktop in the Control Panel in Windows 3.1 or 3.11, or by choosing Settings from the Screen Saver tab of the Display Properties dialog in Windows 95).

(Instructions for using Seascape are displayed at the end of the installation process.)


Seascape on Windows 95

Seascape 3.0 is fully compatible with Windows 95.  However, there are minor interface differences of which you should be aware.  For screen saver configuration on Windows 95, right click on the desktop background and then left click on "Properties... " to bring up the Display Properties dialog.  Left click on the Screen Saver tab to bring up screen saver properties.  You will see that the Setup button has been renamed "Settings... ".  Use the Settings button to configure Seascape or to view the Seascape documentation.  (After changing settings, click on OK to preserve the changes.)  The "Test" button from Windows 3.1 has been renamed "Preview" in Windows 95, and as the name suggests will bring up the screen saver as currently configured.


Please Copy that Floppy

If you know someone who would enjoy Seascape, please take a moment to make a copy for her or him.  It's easier than you might think:  simply insert a blank formatted diskette in your floppy drive and click the Make a Copy button.


How to Get the Latest Seascape Update

Since minor updates typically contain relatively small improvements that make little difference to most users, keeping up to date with the latest minor release is generally not worth the effort.  However, if you do want the latest Seascape update, the easiest way to get it is to download it from the Seascape World Wide Web page or from Compuserve or America Online.  Alternatively, you can order a diskette containing the latest version by writing DISK ONLY on a copy of the Seascape registration form (or on a note containing your name and address) and sending it with payment of $7.00 for shipping and handling to Advanced Computer Tektonics, P.O. Box 51508, Palo Alto, CA 94303 (there is no charge for the disk itself or the software, and no extra charge for shipping to destinations outside the U.S.).


Seascape on the Internet

Seascape information, a downloadable copy of the latest Seascape version, and links to major shareware-related Web sites are available at:

       http://www.wco.com/~sharenet/seascape.html


Seascape on America Online

To obtain the latest version of Seascape from America Online, from the Main Menu go to Computing, then to Windows, and then to Software Libraries.  Choose Software Search, limit the search to Utilities, and use the keyword SEASCP.


Thank You Note

On behalf of all Seascape users, I wish to thank Shelly Yomano for creating and refining the basic Copperband Butterflyfish image, an effort that contributed significantly to both the quality and the timely completion of Seascape 3.0.

- Alan Walworth


Maximizing Image Quality

Seascape looks best with a 256 (or more) color, relatively high resolution display.  The first step in maximizing the quality of the images shown by Seascape is to understand the nature of your current computer display.  The two key characteristics are the display resolution and the number of colors displayed.

To determine the current display characteristics in Windows 3.1 (or 3.11) double-click on Windows Setup in Main.  You will then see a line such as

   Display:   ProDesigner II Series 1024x768 256 colors

which describes the current display driver. "1024x768" means that the pixel resolution is 1024 by 768, or in other words, that your screen image is 1024 dots of color wide and 768 dots high.  Other standard resolutions include 640x480 and 800x600.  Seascape works well with all these resolutions, but more fish fit on the screen at higher resolutions, which you may find preferable. "256 colors" means that 256 colors can be displayed simultaneously.  The other value you are most likely to see here is 16, indicating that only 16 standard system colors will be displayed.  Although the Indo-Pacific Sergeant looks nearly the same on a 16 color display as on a 256 color one (since its limited colors map closely to the 16 system colors), the Regal Angelfish looks considerably better on a 256 color display, where its rich golden can be shown accurately rather than being replaced by the plain yellow of a 16 color display.  The Copperband Butterflyfish looks quite different than it should on a 16 color display, for the copper bands are shown as red, while the somewhat lighter fins turn to yellow.

To determine the current display characteristics in Windows 95, right click on the desktop background, left click on Properties, and left click on the Settings tab.  On the left of the Settings property sheet, in the "Color palette" section, you should see the number of colors currently used in your display.  To the right, in the "Desktop area" section, you should see the current pixel dimensions of your display.  In each of these areas, you should be able to choose another setting if desired.  To experiment with different display drivers, click on "Change Display Type" on the Settings property sheet.

If the approaches described above do not make your display characteristics clear, you may be able to find the relevant information in your Seascape Registration Form, where it is encoded to help us make sure that Seascape will work as well as possible with Seascape users' displays.  In Windows 3.1 or 3.11, choose Desktop in the Control Panel, choose Setup (with Seascape selected as the screen saver).  Or in Windows 95, right click on the desktop background, left click on Properties, left click on the Screen Saver tab, and (with Seascape selected as the current screen saver) left click on Settings.  Select "Register or Order... ", and then select "Registration and Order Form".   To the right of your Registration ID, you'll see a number like #12561024768-620107, which encodes what Seascape was able to determine about your system's display characteristics.  In the example just given, after the first digit you can see the current number of colors displayed (256), followed by the pixel dimensions (1024x768).

If you want to experiment with changing your display settings in Windows 3.1 or 3.11, select Options in the Windows Setup window; then select "Change System Settings...".  Click on the down arrow to the right of Display to see a list of display driver options.  Be careful:  choice of an inappropriate setting has been known to result in a fatal Windows error, so make sure you do not have applications running with unsaved data when you do this.  (If you do get a fatal error, you can restore your previous display driver by running Setup in your main Windows directory in DOS.)  Select a display configuration you would like to try, and click on OK.  With luck, a window will appear stating that a driver for the chosen display is already on the system, in which case you can use it by clicking on Current.  If the requested driver is not on your system, you may need to insert the driver diskette that came with your system, or with your video controller card.  (Some system sellers neglect to include these diskettes with the systems they sell; if you do not have a diskette with the necessary driver, you should be able to get one from the provider of your system or from the maker of your display adapter.  The latest drivers for major brand display adapters can usually be downloaded from bulletin boards, Compuserve forums, or World Wide Web sites maintained by the manufacturers.  For a list of key locations, see Driver Download Sites.)  After installing the new driver, depending on your system you may be informed that you will have to restart Windows for the new display settings to take effect.

In choosing a display configuration, bear in mind that more colors and higher resolution place greater demands on your hardware, so performance may suffer.  Also, depending on the quality of your monitor, a high resolution on a small screen may make text difficult to read.  On the other hand, the higher the resolution, the more you can fit on your screen, and increasing effective screen real estate can be very helpful.


Registration

For continued use of Seascape, registration is required.

Your registration fee will help finance improvement of Seascape, and once your copy of Seascape is registered, six additional "fantasy fish" will visit your screen (unless of course you've turned off the "fantasy fish" option in Advanced Fish Configuration).  As a registered user you'll be entitled to a substantial discount on registration of subsequent major releases.

When you're ready to register (or if you just want more details), either click on the "Register" button in the Registration Reminder window that appears when Seascape stops running, or else click on "Register or Order... " in the Seascape Setup dialog box (accessed in Windows 3.1 or 3.11 by choosing Desktop in the Control Panel and then clicking on Setup; accessed in Windows 95 by right clicking on the desktop background, clicking on Properties, clicking on Screen Saver, and clicking on Settings).

Either way, the "How to Register Seascape" window will appear with instructions and a "Registration and Order Form" button that makes it easy to fill out and print the registration form.  (If you're a registered user of Seascape 1.x or 2.x who is upgrading to 3.0, please write "UPGRADE" on your registration form and from the total due deduct $10 if you're registered for 1.x, or $14 if you're registered for 2.x.)

If you prefer, and are a Compuserve member, you can also register online.

We hope you enjoy Seascape, and look forward to improving it with your support.


Online Registration

To register online on Compuserve, GO SWREG, choose "Register Shareware", respond to the multiple choice question about your geographical location, double click on Keywords on the list of search criteria, type in Seascape, and click OK.  Double click on "Display Selected Titles", double click on the Seascape version you wish to register, and finally click on "Register" and fill in the form.  Note that when you register on Compuserve it is assumed that you already have Seascape (or can readily download it from the Windows AudioVisual forum), so there is no option for ordering a diskette with the online registration.  The registration information will be emailed to us, and we will email back a response; the process is sufficiently efficient that ordinarily you will receive your Registration Key within 24 hours.


How to Make an Unregistered Copy of Seascape

1.  Insert a blank formatted diskette in a suitable drive.

2.  Select "Make a Copy" in the Seascape Setup dialog.  (To get to the Seascape Setup dialog in Windows 3.1 or 3.11, open the Control Panel from Main in Program Manager, double click on Desktop, make sure Seascape is shown as the name of your current Screen Saver, and click on Setup; to get to it in Windows 95, right click on the desktop background, left click on Properties, left click on Screen Saver, and left click on Settings.)

3.  When production of the copy is complete, put a label on the diskette with instructions, such as:

SEASCAPE 3.0

1. In Win 3.1, in Program Manager

click on "File", then on "Run".  In

Win 95, click "Start", then "Run".

2. Type "A:install" (or "B:install").

3. Insert diskette in drive A (or B).

4. Click on "OK".


Using Seascape

Since Seascape is integrated with the Microsoft Screen Saver utility, it can be configured and tried out in Windows 3.1 and 3.11 by activating the Control Panel (from the Program Manager's "Main" window), choosing "Desktop" to open the Desktop dialog box, and then selecting "Seascape" on the Screen Saver Name list.  In Windows 95, Seascape can be configured and tried out by right clicking on the desktop background, left clicking on Properties, left clicking on the Screen Saver tab, and selecting "Seascape" on the Screen Saver Name list.

Features such as changing the Delay (between the end of user activity and start-up of the screen saver) and setting a password are precisely the same for Seascape as for Microsoft-supplied screen savers.  To set the Delay in Windows 3.1 or 3.11, click on the little up and down triangles to the right of "Delay:" in the Desktop dialog box.  To set the Delay in Windows 95, click on the triangles to the right of "Wait" in the Screen Saver tab of the Display Properties dialog.  To try out the currently selected screen saver, in Windows 3.1 or 3.11 click on the "Test" button in the Desktop dialog box; in Windows 95 click on "Preview" in the Screen Saver tab of the Display Properties dialog.

Additional Seascape options, including password setting, are accessed in Windows 3.1 and 3.11 by clicking on "Setup…" in the Desktop dialog box (with "Seascape" showing in the Screen Saver Name field).  In Windows 95, they are accessed by clicking on "Settings... " in the Screen Saver tab of the Display properties dialog (with "Seascape" showing in the Screen Saver field).


How to Run Seascape from an Icon

To set up an icon from which you can start Seascape in Windows 3.1 or 3.11, first click on the program group in which you want the icon to appear (e.g. Games) to make it active.  Then in the Program Manager select File, choose New, make sure Program Item is selected, and click on OK.  For Description, enter Seascape.  For Command Line enter SSCSCAPE.SCR  /S.  For Working Directory, enter the path of your main Windows directory, e.g. C:\WINDOWS.  If you want, enter a Shortcut Key that will allow you to start Seascape from the keyboard (for instance, if you type Z while the cursor is in the Shortcut Key box, you will later be able to start Seascape by typing Z while holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys.  Finally, click on OK.  (If when you try to use the icon or the shortcut key combination you get a message saying "No application is associated with the specified file", add " scr" to the end of the "Programs=" line in WIN.INI in your main Windows directory, to make it, for instance, "Programs=com exe bat pif scr", and restart Windows, which will now realize that files with ".scr" endings are programs.)

To set up an icon from which you can start Seascape in Windows 95, right click on the desktop background and on the menu that pops up when you put the cursor over New, left click on Shortcut.  When the Create Shortcut dialog appears, click on Browse, and in the "Files of type" field select All Files.  Then find the main Seascape program, typically by double clicking on the Windows folder to open it and then double clicking on Sscscape.scr (not on Seascape, which is a directory).  In the Command line field to the right of Sscscape.scr type a space followed by /S (so you'll typically have "C:\WINDOWS\Sscscape.scr /S", without the quotes).  If you leave out the "/S", the icon will bring up the Seascape configuration dialog rather than the fish.  Left click on Next.  Change the shortcut name to Seascape (or whatever you like).  Left click on Finish.


How to Order Seascape Products

Single Copy Prices

Registration of unregistered copy.............. $18.00

Seascape diskette with registration........... $24.00

"Seascape diskette with registration" means a registered copy of the latest update of Seascape 3.x together with a keyword you'll type in to activate the registration.  (If you wish it registered to a name other than your own, as in the case of a gift, please be sure to specify the name to which you would like it registered in your order.)

If you have a printer, simply fill out and print the Registration and Order Form, and send or fax it to us with your payment or Visa or MasterCard information.  If you do not have a printer, send or fax us a note with the necessary information.

For additional details on how to register, and to access the Registration and Order Form, click on Register in the reminder window that appears after using Seascape, or else click on the Register or Order button in the Seascape Setup dialog..  (To reach the Seascape Setup dialog in Windows 3.1, in Main double click on Control Panel, then double click on Desktop, and finally click on "Setup..." in the Desktop dialog box (with "Seascape" showing as the Screen Saver Name).  To reach the Seascape Setup dialog in Windows 95, right click on the desktop background, left click on Properties, left click on the Screen Saver tab, and left clicking on Settings.)

If you're interested in registration of multiple copies of Seascape, please see Site License Information.


Site License Information

Site license prices for Seascape 3.0 for various numbers of PC's are shown below.  To purchase a site license, use the regular registration form, but indicate on it the number of PC's the license should cover and enclose payment calculated from the table below.  We will send you a single copy on diskette and a single Registration Key that can be used throughout your site.  If you want more diskettes, please let us know how many you want and add $3.00 per extra diskette.  If you'd like extra diskette labels for use in making your own copies, we'll be glad to supply them at the time of registration for $1.00 per sheet of 9.  If you have questions or special requests, please call (415-424-1401), fax (415-424-1403), or write (Advanced Computer Tektonics, P.O. Box 51508, Palo Alto, CA 94303).

Number of PC's	License Price
3 -  10	$ 50.00
11 -  20	$ 75.00
21 -  40	$ 95.00
41 -  60	$115.00
61 -  80	$135.00
81 - 100	$155.00
101 - 200	$195.00
201 - 500	$295.00
501 -1000	$395.00
over 1000	$495.00


Installation

1. In Windows 3.1 (or 3.11), on the Program Manager menu bar click on "File"; then click on "Run...".  In Windows 95, click on the task bar "Start" button; then click on "Run".

2. If you're installing from a diskette, insert your Seascape diskette into drive A or B.  Then enter A:install in the Command Line field (or B:install if you're using drive B) and select OK.

If you're installing after downloading Seascape to your hard disk, you have probably already extracted files, e.g. with PKUNZIP SEASCP.ZIP; if not, do so now.  Then enter <PATH>\install in the Command Line field, where <PATH> is the path of the directory containing your Seascape files (for instance, c:\inbox\seascape\install if they're in c:\inbox\seascape), and select OK.

4. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.  When asked to confirm that you want to install Seascape in your Windows startup directory, select OK unless you are installing on a network (in which case, see Network Installation).  Since this is the directory in which the Control Panel's Screen Saver utility searches for screen savers, it's normally the only proper place to install Seascape.  In general, Seascape cannot be expected to work if it is installed anywhere other than a Windows startup directory.

Note:  If you have an earlier version of Seascape, simply follow the instructions above to replace it with this version.  Upgrades to new minor versions (for instance, an upgrade from 2.0 to 2.3) do not require a new registration key -- the old key should be re-entered to activate registration for the upgrade. If you are upgrading to a new major release, on the other hand (for instance if you are replacing a registered 2.0 with 3.0), keeping your registration current requires a Registration Upgrade.


Registration Upgrade

A registration upgrade is needed when the version for which you are registered is replaced by a new major release, for instance when a registered copy of Seascape 2.1 is replaced with Seascape 3.0.  Registrations are usually upgraded by mailing back the upgrade invitation sent to registered users of earlier releases, but if for any reason you do not have an upgrade invitation, you can use the regular registration form.  Write "UPGRADE" on the form to make clear it's being used for an upgrade, and from the total that would otherwise be due deduct $10 if you're already registered for 1.x, or $14 if you're already registered for 2.x.


Network Installation

If you are installing Seascape on a network, and wish it to end up in a common Windows directory rather than a personal Windows directory, enter NETWORK when asked to specify the directory into which you want Seascape installed.  This will turn off the checking that normally prevents installation into an arbitrary directory.  When you are again asked to confirm the destination directory, enter the path of the desired common Windows directory.


Uninstallation

Should you wish to remove Seascape from your computer, run the Seascape installation program with the uninstallation option:   install  /u.

For instance, if you installed from a diskette in drive A, put your Seascape diskette in the drive, choose Run from the Win 3.1 Program Manager or the Win 95 Start menu, type in A:install /u in the text box, and click on OK.  If you installed from the hard drive directory C:\inbox\seascape, run "C:\inbox\seascape\install  /u" to uninstall.

Note that you cannot uninstall Seascape by running the copy of "install" in your Seascape directory, because that would require the program you are running to delete itself while it is still running, which is not feasible.  Similarly, if you try to uninstall Seascape while viewing a window containing these instructions, you will probably be requesting the prohibited removal of a file that is being used (exactly what will happen depends on the version of Windows and on whether the Seascape Setup dialog is running, but you will probably get a message like "Failed to remove C:\WINDOWS\<XXX> because it is a read-only file.", in which case you should exit from any Seascape-related windows and run "install  /u" again).

If you have lost your installation diskette, or removed the hard drive directory from which you installed Seascape, it is recommended that you create a Seascape diskette using the "Make a Copy" button in the Seascape Setup dialog (for details, see How to Make an Unregistered Copy of Seascape) and then run "install  /u" from that diskette.  If you are certain you will not want to reinstall Seascape later, an alternative is to copy the install program from your Seascape directory (typically C:\windows\seascape) to another location and run it from the new location.

Network Uninstallation:  If you are uninstalling a copy of Seascape which was installed into a common Windows directory on a network rather than into a personal Windows directory, follow the instructions above and when asked, enter NETWORK as the directory from which you want Seascape uninstalled.  This will turn off the checking that normally prevents uninstallation from an arbitrary directory.  When you are again asked to confirm the uninstallation directory, enter the path of the common Windows directory.


Support and Refund Policy

Advanced Computer Tektonics offers free support to registered users for a minimum of one year from the date of registration.  Before reporting a problem, please check for relevant information in the Trouble Shooting Guide.  Problems may be reported in the following ways.

Write to:

Advanced Computer Tektonics

P. O. Box 51508

Palo Alto, CA 94303

Send electronic mail to one of these addresses:

From Compuserve:    Alan Walworth at 71204,2226

From America Online:  71204.2226@compuserve.com

From the Internet:    71204.2226@compuserve.com

From 9AM to 6PM Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday, you are welcome to call us at (415)-424-1401 (usually answered by a machine; please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible) or to fax us at (415)-424-1403.

In the event we are unable to resolve a significant problem reported within a year of registration, we will gladly refund your registration fee.


Questions, Comments, and Suggestions

Your comments are always welcome.  If you have suggestions about how we can improve Seascape, or criticisms, or questions of any kind, please send them along, or fax or phone us, using one of the following addresses or phone numbers:

Write to:

Advanced Computer Tektonics

P. O. Box 51508

Palo Alto, CA 94303

Send electronic mail to one of these addresses:

From Compuserve:    Alan Walworth at 71204,2226

From America Online:  71204.2226@compuserve.com

From the Internet:    71204.2226@compuserve.com

From 9AM to 6PM Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday, you are welcome to call us at (415)-424-1401 (usually answered by a machine; please leave a message) or to fax us at (415)-424-1403.


Shareware Distributor and BBS Information

All copies distributed must include the complete set of Seascape files without alteration.  (For a list of the files, see List of Seascape Files.)

Distributors should make clear that Seascape is shareware.  Distribution of Seascape 3.0 in any manner that conceals the fact that Seascape is shareware or discourages users from registering is prohibited.

If Seascape is compressed into a single file with a utility such as PKZIP or LHA, the distributed file should have a name which makes it readily recognizable as Seascape.  The preferred name for zipped Seascape 3.0 is SEAS30.ZIP (or for locations such as Compuserve libraries where the version number should not be in the name, SEASCP.ZIP).

Provided the above conditions are satisfied, vendors of shareware on diskettes or CD-ROMs, bulletin board operators, user groups, and software archives are permitted to distribute unregistered copies of Seascape 3.0 and to make unregistered Seascape 3.0 available for downloading.  Notification to Advanced Computer Tektonics is welcome, but is not required.

No other commercial distribution of Seascape is permitted without prior written permission from Advanced Computer Tektonics.  (Distribution methods subject to this restriction include rack vending of software not requiring registration, bundling with other products, and all other forms of distribution not covered by the previous paragraph.)


Trouble Shooting Guide

Though excellent quality is our top priority, non-trivial software always has imperfections.  If you have any trouble with Seascape, we want to know about it (for problem reporting instructions, see Support and Refund Policy).  However, before reporting a problem, please check below for relevant information.

Colors are inaccurate; in particular, the Copperband Butterflyfish is red and yellow rather than copper or orange, and the Regal Angelfish is plain yellow rather than golden.  It appears you are displaying only 16 colors, rather than 256 or more, with the result that Seascape has only a very limited selection of colors to work with.  If your system allows it, you can considerably improve the appearance of your fish by switching to 256 colors.  See Maximizing Image Quality for details.

Colors do not revert properly when Seascape exits.  We've had a few reports of title bars not reverting to their proper colors when Seascape exits.  In such cases, iconizing and de-iconizing the affected windows restores the proper title bar color.  This problem appears to result from display driver bugs.  If it occurs on your system, you may want to try using a different driver (see instructions in Maximizing Image Quality).  If you do not already have a suitable replacement driver, you may be able to obtain an updated driver from the manufacturer of your video display adapter.  Typically the adapter manufacturers make their latest driver updates freely available for downloading on bulletin boards, Compuserve support sections, and Internet sites.  See Driver Download Sites for details.

Disk drive light flashes a lot for an extended time while Seascape is starting up, and the flashing resumes each time a new kind of fish enters the screen.  Repeated disk drive activity while Seascape is running could be due to system activity unrelated to Seascape, especially if the computer is on a network, but more likely results from insufficient available memory to contain all the Seascape code and images simultaneously.  If Seascape cannot entirely fit in the available memory, unused parts will be kept on the disk until needed, at which time they will be brought into the memory, replacing parts not currently in use.  The repeated disk access involved in bringing in code and data as needed is most likely to be seen on a system with only 8 Mb of memory.  Such disk activity need not be considered a problem, though like any disk activity it adds a bit to wear on the disk mechanism.  If you want to avoid disk activity while Seascape runs, it may be possible to free up memory by a variety of methods, such as running fewer TSR's (Terminate and Stay Resident programs) and not loading unnecessary drivers.  A simpler technique is to turn off the display of fantasy fish, or to reduce the number of basic fish varieties displayed.

Fish suddenly disappear sometimes.  As a perceptive user pointed out, Seascape's collision avoidance mechanism could use refinement.  The fish try to avoid running into one another, but when those efforts fail and a collision is imminent (typically when a fish is boxed in by others), the last resort is sudden disappearance.

Start-up of Seascape is slow.  Seascape startup requires a lot of processor activity as fish images are decompressed and reconstructed from basic image information stored on disk.  There's a trade-off between the amount of disk space needed to store images and the amount of processing needed to reassemble them from what is stored, and our choice has been to minimize the amount of storage space required.  Consequently, in a recent test on a 33 MHz 486, with all fish varieties including fantasy fish requested, Seascape start-up took around 45 seconds (on a 133 MHz Pentium, the same start-up took under 3 seconds).  In normal operation, with the system sitting unused while the screen saver starts up, it makes little difference how long the starting takes.  The delay could be annoying, however, if you happen to want to use the system just when Seascape start-up has begun, and must wait for it to finish coming up before proceeding, or if you have to wait for the fish to appear after clicking on the Preview or Test button.  Recommended solutions are:  1) get a faster computer; 2) be patient; or 3) turn off display of fantasy fish (in the 33 MHz 486 test, turning off the fantasy fish option reduced start-up time to about 12 seconds).

Uninstall reports "Failed to remove... because it is a read-only file".  This error message, which goes on to advise that you "Fix permission... and try again", results from attempting to uninstall Seascape while running the Seascape Setup dialog or viewing the Seascape documentation.  The problem is that you are trying to remove a Seascape-related file while it is being used, which is not permitted.  If you see such a message, ignore the advice about fixing the read-only file's permission:  the solution is to simply exit from any remaining Seascape windows and then run "install  /u" again to complete the uninstallation.


Driver Download Sites

ATI Technologies

     Bulletin Board:	905-764-9404

     Compuserve:	GO ATITECH

     Web Site:	http://www.atitech.ca

Diamond Multimedia

     Bulletin Board:	408-325-7080 (2400 baud)  408-325-7175 (9600 baud)

     Compuserve:	GO DMNDONLINE

     Web Site:	http://diamondmm.com

Elsa

     Bulletin Board:	408-565-9630

     Compuserve:	GO ELSA

     Web Site:	http://www.elsa.com

Genoa Systems

     Bulletin Board:	408-362-2999

     Compuserve:	GO GENOA

Hercules

     Bulletin Board:	510-623-7449

     Compuserve:	GO HERCULES

     Web Site:	http://www.hercules.com

Matrox

     Bulletin Board:	514-685-6008

     Compuserve:	GO MATROX

     Web Site:	http://www.matrox.com

Number Nine

     Bulletin Board:	617-862-7502

     Compuserve:	GO NINE

     Web Site:	http://www.nine.com

Orchid Technology

     Compuserve:	GO ORCHID

     Web Site:	http://www.orchid.com

STB Systems

     Bulletin Board:	214-437-9615

     Compuserve:	GO STBSYS

     Web Site:	http://www.stb.com

VideoLogic

     Bulletin Board:	415-875-7748

     Compuserve:	GO VIDEOLOGIC


Seascape on Compuserve

To obtain the latest version of Seascape from Compuserve, go to the Windows AudioVisual forum (GO WINAV), and search for the keyword Seascape (or the file name SEASCP) in the Screen Savers library section.  Seascape can also be found in the Win Screen Savers library section of the PC Fun form (GO PCFUN) and various other Compuserve locations, but copies outside of the Windows AudioVisual forum are not certain to be the very latest release.

If you have a Compuserve account, you may find it most convenient to register online.


Association of Shareware Professionals Ombudsman

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help.  The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products.  Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.


List Seascape Files
List of Seascape Files

Your Seascape installation diskette (or downloaded Seascape) should contain the following files:

SEA_READ.ME

INSTALL.EXE

SEAF0001.DLL

SEAF0002.DLL

SEAS_SSL.DLL

SEAS_SST.DLL

SEAS_STA.RCS

SEAS_TNL.RCS

SEAS_VJN.RCS

SEAS_WWL.RCS

SEASCAPE EX_

or

SEASCAPE EXE

Depending on how you obtained Seascape, you will have either seascape.exe or the compressed version of it, seascape.ex_.  If you have the compressed version, it will be expanded automatically during installation.

SEASCP.HLP

SEASFISH.EXE

FILE_ID.DIZ

A description of Seascape suitable for use on Bulletin Board Systems is provided in a file with the name file_id.diz, enabling this description to be automatically presented to users by PCBoard based and compatible BBSes.

VENDINFO.DIZ

Information for vendors, BBS operators, and others is provided in a standard vendinfo.diz file.

VENDOR.DOC

Information for vendors and bulletin board operators is provided in a file with the standard name vendor.doc.


Release Numbering and New Release Notification

Release Numbering and New Release Notification

As a rule, minor ("dot") releases contain incremental improvements that make little difference to most users.  Hence upgrading to the latest dot release is generally not recommended, except in the unlikely event that a significant problem is encountered with use of an earlier version (in which case we will gladly send a free update when notified of the problem).

Major releases, on the other hand, contain significant, obvious improvements; for example, Seascape 2.0 added Regal Angelfish to the Indo-Pacific Sergeants of earlier releases; Seascape 3.0 added Copperband Butterflyfish and fantasy fish.  As soon as practical after a new major release is ready, we will notify all registered users of versions of the previous major release.

To check on the latest release, visit our Web site or one of the other recommended Seascape download sites.


Release History

11/95  Version 3.0  - Copperband and fantasy fish added

09/95  Version 2.3  - documentation and uninstallation refinements

04/95  Version 2.2  - assorted minor enhancements

03/95  Version 2.1  - Vendinfo.diz added

11/94  Version 2.0  - Regal Angelfish added

09/94  Version 1.9  - network capabilities refined

08/94  Version 1.8  - compression improved

07/94  Version 1.7  - vendor.doc and file_id.diz revised

06/94  Version 1.6  - documentation improved

05/94  Version 1.5  - registration form improved

11/93  Version 1.4  - registration reminder refined

03/93  Version 1.3  - standard files for vendors and BBSes added

01/93  Version 1.2  - minor changes to reflect ASP membership

01/93  Version 1.1  - user interface and documentation improved

11/92  Version 1.0  - initial release