Copyright: PowerPlugs: Transitions
Citation: © 1999 CrystalGraphics, Inc.  All rights reserved.


Getting Started

Welcome to PowerPlugsTM: TransitionsTM

PowerPlugs: Transitions is an incredibly easy-to-use 3D software program that adds sophisticated television-style 3D transition effects to Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations.  Now, you can energize your presentations with the excitement of 3D – a sure way to impress an audience and keep their attention!

A wide variety of innovative 3D transition effects can be played by the PowerPlugs: Transitions software.  CrystalGraphics offers a series of unique volumes of 3D transition effects which are designed to suit practically every personal style and taste.  For example, “Transitions I” includes a collection of traditional 3D transition effects such as: turning billboard, revolving doors and cubes, slab tilt, 2-panel turn, tumbling away, and more. And, “Transitions II” includes a set of somewhat more unconventional 3D transition effects such as: power panels, reassembling tiles, twirling circles and diamonds, counter-rotating panels, spring away, and more.  All the 3D effects come with synchronized sound effects that add further realism.

Key Features and Benefits:

It is easy to use! PowerPlugs: Transitions seamlessly installs as an add-in to MS PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 2000.  Anyone who has used the Slide Transition tool in PowerPoint can readily use Transitions. You simply select “Add 3D Transition” from the PowerPoint Slide Show menu or from a floating palette that displays in the PowerPoint window. As you will notice, this dialog is similar to PowerPoint’s Slide Transitions dialog, allowing you to preview each 3D transition effect, as well as change its directions, speed, and related sound effect (or not have any sound effects). You can also select “Random” and “Apply to All”, and the software will automatically apply a unique set of 3D transition effects between each slide. Transitions-enhanced PowerPoint presentations are saved in the same file format as standard PowerPoint presentations (.ppt).  You can add 3D transitions to existing PowerPoint presentations, or mix standard (2D) transitions with 3D transitions, without sacrificing time or effort.  And, using Transitions’ “Pack 3D Effects” command, it’s really easy to take your 3D Slide Shows “on-the-road” or to email them to others!

It will energize your presentations! PowerPlugs: Transitions adds high-quality 3D transitions with synchronized sound effects between your PowerPoint slides. Studies show that the average audience’s minds will start to wander after only 5 to 7 minutes of a typical presentation. Transitions is a fantastic way to wake up those audiences and bring their attention back to your presentation, by using the magic of sensational 3D transitions with synchronized sound effects!

It is incredibly affordable!  In recent years, 3D animated transition effects have been widely used by television broadcasters to keep their audiences’ attention. The reason for this is simple. It works. In the world of television, where each minute can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenues, every second counts. So broadcasters have invested heavily in new technologies designed to keep their audiences’ attention. PowerPlugs: Transitions is the by-product of this investment. It is a third generation 3D effects product. Its original ancestor was a product first developed by CrystalGraphics in 1992 to create real-time 3D transition effects for broadcast television. The product that included those 3D transition effects sold for over $60,000 (each!) and won an Emmy Award in 1994. You are now able to benefit from this technology — and for less than $100!

System Requirements

Before installing PowerPlugs: Transitions, take a hardware and software inventory of your system to ensure that your setup can support the software.

Minimum System Requirements

• 	Pentium™, K6™ or later CPU

• 	Windows 95 with Direct3D 5.0 (or higher) and 32 MB of RAM

or Windows NT 4.0 with OpenGL and 48 MB RAM

• 	Microsoft PowerPoint 97 or PowerPoint 2000

• 	Hard disk with at least 40 MB free disk space

Also Recommended

• 	3D graphics accelerator (and a minimum of 4 MB video memory)

How to Install PowerPlugs: Transitions into PowerPoint

Simply follow the instructions in the Setup program. The Setup program will automatically install the Transitions software and effects into PowerPoint 97 or higher.  If you are running Windows 95 or 98 when you install Transitions, the software will be set up to use Direct3D. Likewise, if you are running Windows NT when you install Transitions, the software will be set up to use OpenGL. If you want to change from one Windows OS version to another, you can do so by running Setup.exe. (Note: In general, Transitions may perform better under Windows 95/98 than under NT, because under NT the 3D transition effects sometimes lag a bit before starting up.)

How to Use PowerPlugs: Transitions

1.	To start with, you can try playing one of the demonstration PowerPoint presentations included with the software.  Go to the Start>Programs>PowerPlugs>Transitions menu and click on one of the Transitions presentations listed in the menu.  PowerPoint will be launched with the demonstration presentation loaded in the desktop area. To play it with the 3D effects, use the "View Show With 3D" command inside PowerPoint. That command appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, the second item from the top. (If you press just "View Show" or "Slide Show", the presentation will play, but without the 3D transition effects.)

2.	To assign a 3D transition effect (in this presentation or any other), use the "Add 3D Transition" command. That command appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, below the (2D) Slide Transition command.  The Add 3D Transition command is similar to the Slide Transition command with which you are probably already familiar.  You can choose a “Random” style and “Apply to All”, and the program will assign a variety of 3D transition effects (and corresponding sound effects) between each slide in your PowerPoint presentation.

3.	You can add sound effects - for best results, use the sound effect with the same name as the 3D transition effect. That sound effect will be assigned by default when you apply a 3D transition effect. But, actually, any WAV file can be used as a sound effect.

4.	You can put 2D effects on some slides and 3D effects on other slides.  Simply select the Add 3D Transition command when you want to add a 3D transition between slides, and, select the Slide Transition command when you want to add a standard (2D) transition between slides.  (Note: Choosing “Random” in either of these commands applies a random selection of the corresponding 2D or 3D transitions effects — but not a random mixture of both 3D and 2D.)

5.	To play the Slide Show with the 3D effects, use the "View Show With 3D" command which appears on the floating palette.  That command is also located in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, the second item from the top.  (If you press just "View Show" or "Slide Show," the presentation will play, but without the 3D transition effects.)  If you have 3D acceleration hardware installed, the Transitions software will automatically detect the 3D acceleration hardware present on your computer and play back your 3D slide show in real-time.

When using Transitions on a computer that does not have 3D acceleration hardware present, you will be given the option to pre-render the effects and store them (as a series of AVI movies) for later real-time use. For further information, please refer to the FAQ: “Can I use PowerPlugs: Transitions without 3D acceleration hardware?”

6.	To play your 3D-enhanced presentation on another computer, first use the “Pack 3D Effects” command  which appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint File menu. The Pack 3D Effects command collects the files and resources that you will need to play a 3D presentation on another computer.  You have the option(s) to include sound files and/or the PowerPlugs Player program  when you are packing up your 3D presentation to “take on the road.” If the destination computer does not have Transitions installed, be sure to include the Transitions player.  The destination computer should ideally also have 3D acceleration hardware present to playback the 3D presentation in real-time.  However, if there is no 3D acceleration hardware present on the destination computer, that is okay.  In this case, the PowerPlugs Player will give you the option to render the effects for later real-time use. (For further details on how to use Pack 3D Effects, please read the FAQs section.)

How to Uninstall PowerPlugs: Transitions

1.	Exit PowerPoint.

2.	Click on the Windows Start menu and go to the Windows Control Panel.  Select the "Add/Remove Programs." Select PowerPlugs to uninstall the Transitions program files from your hard drive.

3.	If you wish to re-install the Transitions software once you have uninstalled it from your hard drive, follow the steps outlined in “How to Install PowerPlugs: Transitions” (see above).

CrystalGraphics, PowerPlugs, Transitions, PhotoActive FX, and 3D IMPACT! are trademarks of CrystalGraphics, Inc.   Microsoft, PowerPoint, and Direct3D are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.  OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Pentium is a trademark of Intel Corporation. K6 is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.  All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Copyright © 1999 CrystalGraphics, Inc.  All rights reserved.


Welcome to PowerPlugs: Transitions

PowerPlugs: Transitions is an incredibly easy-to-use 3D software program that adds sophisticated television-style 3D transition effects to Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations.  Now, you can energize your presentations with the excitement of 3D – a sure way to impress an audience and keep their attention!

A wide variety of innovative 3D transition effects can be played by the PowerPlugs: Transitions software.  CrystalGraphics offers a series of unique volumes of 3D transition effects which are designed to suit practically every personal style and taste.  For example, “Transitions I” includes a collection of traditional 3D transition effects such as: turning billboard, revolving doors and cubes, slab tilt, 2-panel turn, tumbling away, and more. And, “Transitions II” includes a set of somewhat more unconventional 3D transition effects such as: power panels, reassembling tiles, twirling circles and diamonds, counter-rotating panels, spring away, and more.  All the 3D effects come with synchronized sound effects that add further realism.


Key Features and Benefits

It is easy to use! PowerPlugs: Transitions seamlessly installs as an add-in to MS PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 2000.  Anyone who has used the Slide Transition tool in PowerPoint can readily use Transitions. You simply select “Add 3D Transition” from the PowerPoint Slide Show menu or from a floating palette that displays in the PowerPoint window. As you will notice, this dialog is similar to PowerPoint’s Slide Transitions dialog, allowing you to preview each 3D transition effect, as well as change its directions, speed, and related sound effect (or not have any sound effects). You can also select “Random” and “Apply to All”, and the software will automatically apply a unique set of 3D transition effects between each slide. Transitions-enhanced PowerPoint presentations are saved in the same file format as standard PowerPoint presentations (.ppt).  You can add 3D transitions to existing PowerPoint presentations, or mix standard (2D) transitions with 3D transitions, without sacrificing time or effort.  And, using Transitions’ “Pack 3D Effects” command, it’s really easy to take your 3D Slide Shows “on-the-road” or to email them to others!

It will energize your presentations! PowerPlugs: Transitions adds high-quality 3D transitions with synchronized sound effects between your PowerPoint slides. Studies show that the average audience’s minds will start to wander after only 5 to 7 minutes of a typical presentation. Transitions is a fantastic way to wake up those audiences and bring their attention back to your presentation, by using the magic of sensational 3D transitions with synchronized sound effects!

It is incredibly affordable!  In recent years, 3D animated transition effects have been widely used by television broadcasters to keep their audiences’ attention. The reason for this is simple. It works. In the world of television, where each minute can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenues, every second counts. So broadcasters have invested heavily in new technologies designed to keep their audiences’ attention. PowerPlugs: Transitions is the by-product of this investment. It is a third generation 3D effects product. Its original ancestor was a product first developed by CrystalGraphics in 1992 to create real-time 3D transition effects for broadcast television. The product that included those 3D transition effects sold for over $60,000 (each!) and won an Emmy Award in 1994. You are now able to benefit from this technology — and for less than $100!


System Requirements

Before using PowerPlugs: Transitions, take a hardware and software inventory of your system to ensure that your setup can support the software.

Minimum System Requirements

• 	Pentium™, K6™ or later CPU

• 	Windows 95 with Direct3D 5.0 (or higher) and 32 MB of RAM

or Windows NT 4.0 with OpenGL and 48 MB RAM

• 	Microsoft PowerPoint 97 or PowerPoint 2000

• 	Hard disk with at least 40 MB free disk space

Also Recommended

• 	3D graphics accelerator (and a minimum of 4 MB video memory)


How to Install Transitions into PowerPoint

Simply follow the instructions in the Setup program. The Setup program will automatically install the Transitions software and effects into PowerPoint 97 or higher.  If you are running Windows 95 or 98 when you install Transitions, the software will be set up to use Direct3D. Likewise, if you are running Windows NT when you install Transitions, the software will be set up to use OpenGL. If you want to change from one Windows OS version to another, you can do so by running Setup.exe. (Note: In general, Transitions may perform better under Windows 95/98 than under NT, because under NT the 3D transition effects sometimes lag a bit before starting up.)


How to Use Transitions

1.	To start with, you can try playing one of the demonstration PowerPoint presentations included with the software.  Go to the Start>Programs>PowerPlugs>Transitions menu and click on one of the Transitions presentations listed in the menu.  PowerPoint will be launched with the demonstration presentation loaded in the desktop area. To play it with the 3D effects, use the “View Show With 3D” command inside PowerPoint. That command appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, the second item from the top. (If you press just “View Show” or “Slide Show”, the presentation will play, but without the 3D transition effects.)

2.	To assign a 3D transition effect (in this presentation or any other), use the “Add 3D Transition” command. That command appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, below the (2D) Slide Transition command.  The Add 3D Transition command is similar to the Slide Transition command with which you are probably already familiar.  You can choose a “Random” style and “Apply to All”, and the program will assign a variety of 3D transition effects (and corresponding sound effects) between each slide in your PowerPoint presentation.

3.	You can add sound effects – for best results, use the sound effect with the same name as the 3D transition effect. That sound effect will be assigned by default when you apply a 3D transition effect. But, actually, any WAV file can be used as a sound effect.

1.	You can put 2D effects on some slides and 3D effects on other slides.  Simply select the Add 3D Transition command when you want to add a 3D transition between slides, and, select the Slide Transition command when you want to add a standard (2D) transition between slides.  (Note: Choosing “Random” in either of these commands applies a random selection of the corresponding 2D or 3D transitions effects — but not a random mixture of both 3D and 2D.)

5. 	To play the Slide Show with the 3D effects, use the "View Show With 3D" command which appears on the floating palette.  That command is also located in the PowerPoint Slide Show menu, the second item from the top.  (If you press just "View Show" or "Slide Show," the presentation will play, but without the 3D transition effects.)  If you have 3D acceleration hardware installed, the Transitions software will automatically detect the 3D acceleration hardware present on your computer and play back your 3D slide show in real-time.

When using Transitions on a computer that does not have 3D acceleration hardware present, you will be given the option to pre-render the effects and store them (as a series of AVI movies) for later real-time use. For further information, please refer to the FAQ: “Can I use PowerPlugs: Transitions without 3D acceleration hardware?”

6.	To play your 3D-enhanced presentation on another computer, first use the “Pack 3D Effects” command  which appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint File menu. The Pack 3D Effects command collects the files and resources that you will need to play a 3D presentation on another computer.  You have the option(s) to include sound files and/or the PowerPlugs Player program  when you are packing up your 3D presentation to “take on the road.” If the destination computer does not have Transitions installed, be sure to include the PowerPlugs Player.  The destination computer should ideally also have 3D acceleration hardware present to playback the 3D presentation in real-time.  However, if there is no 3D acceleration hardware present on the destination computer, that is okay.  In this case, the PowerPlugs Player will give you the option to render the effects for later real-time use.  (For further details on how to use Pack 3D Effects, please read the FAQs section.)


How to Uninstall Transitions

1.	Exit PowerPoint.

2.	Click on the Windows Start menu and go to the Windows Control Panel.  Select the "Add/Remove Programs." Select PowerPlugs to uninstall the Transitions program files from your hard drive.

3.	If you wish to re-install the Transitions software once you have uninstalled it from your hard drive, follow the steps outlined in “How to Install PowerPlugs: Transitions” (see above).


Frequently Asked Questions

How large is the PowerPlugs: Transitions program?

The PowerPlugs Player software requires about 2.5 MB of hard disk space when inactive. An additional 3-4 MB is required for the visual and sound effects that make up each volume of transition effects (e.g. “Transitions I” requires 4 MB and “Transitions II” requires 3.8 MB).  But, to make sure that you have enough Windows swap file space while you are running PowerPoint with PowerPlugs: Transitions, you’ll want at least 40MB of free disk space.

Does PowerPlugs: Transitions run under Windows 98?

Yes.

Will PowerPlugs: Transitions work with new versions of PowerPoint when they are released?

PowerPlugs: Transitions works with PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 2000.  It is our plan to keep the PowerPlugs product line working with the latest versions of PowerPoint when they are released.

Can I use PowerPlugs: Transitions without 3D acceleration hardware?

Yes.  When you select the “View Show with 3D” command, PowerPlugs: Transitions automatically will detect the presence or absence of 3D acceleration hardware on your system.  If there is no 3D acceleration hardware present, the following dialog box will say:  “This computer does not appear to have the 3D graphics acceleration hardware required to generate the 3D effects in real-time.  Would you like to render the effects and store them for later use?”  If you select “Yes,” a new dialog box will display that will allow you to set the resolution and frame rate to render your 3D effects. These rendered AVI movies will be stored in a folder with the same name as your presentation, followed by the word “transitions.”  This folder will be stored within the same folder as your PowerPoint presentation (.ppt) file. Once you have rendered all your 3D effects as AVI movies, you may play back your presentation with the 3D effects by using the “View Show with 3D” command again.

Note: The time required to render and store these effects will vary from 30 seconds per transition to 4 or more minutes per transition, depending upon the following factors:

•	the resolution at which the effects are being rendered;

•	the frame rate selected;

•	the speed of the transitions (i.e. “Slow,” “Medium,” or “Fast”); and

•	the speed of your CPU.

Generally speaking, if you set higher value(s) in the first three factors listed above, this will result in longer rendering times.  However, the output quality may be noticeably better.  One way to offload the dilemma of achieving high quality output vs. minimize the rendering time is to make sure that you render your 3D effects on a fast CPU with enough system RAM.  Also, you may want to use fewer 3D effects.

If you make changes to your PowerPoint slides after rendering the 3D effects, use the Save or Save As… command(s) to save those changes to your presentation (.ppt) file before selecting “View Show with 3D” again.  In this case, the View Show with 3D dialog box will ask if you wish to re-render the effects.  If you choose not to re-render the effects, it will use the same AVI movies that were already rendered.

Which 3D APIs does PowerPlugs: Transitions support?

PowerPlugs: Transitions supports the following industry standard 3D accelerated rendering APIs: Direct3D 5.0 and above and OpenGL.

How much video RAM does PowerPlugs: Transitions require when using 3D acceleration hardware?

PowerPlugs: Transitions’ effects require a 3D graphics accelerator that has a minimum of 4 MB video memory onboard.  You may require more video RAM in your 3D graphics accelerator, depending on the display resolution you want to use.  A general rule of thumb is that the higher the screen resolution, the more video RAM will be required. For example, 640x480 and 800x600x16 can generally be rendered with 4 MB of video RAM, whereas 1024x768x16 will require 8 MB of video RAM.

Does PowerPlugs: Transitions take advantage of AGP-based 3D acceleration hardware?

Yes.

Is my 3D enhanced presentation portable?

Yes.  Using PowerPlugs: Transitions’ “Pack 3D Effects” tool, you can pack up your 3D enhanced presentation and take it “on the road” or send it to some one else for viewing.  Keep in mind that, in order to see the 3D effects, the viewer’s system must have the following software installed: PowerPoint 97 or PowerPoint 2000 and the PowerPlugs Player program -  (or a licensed copy of PowerPlugs: Transitions installed).

How do I use the Pack 3D Effects command?

1. 	Select the “Pack 3D Effects” command which appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint File menu. The Pack 3D Effects command collects the files and resources that you will need to play a 3D presentation on another computer.

The Pack 3D Effects dialog offers options to include sound files and/or the PowerPlugs Player program.  If you choose to pack the sound files and the player program, the sound files will be compressed and saved within the packed 3D effects file, whereas the PowerPlugs Player program, will be saved in the designated folder as a separate file.  If the destination computer does not have PowerPlugs: Transitions installed, be sure to include the PowerPlugs Player.

Note: Pack 3D Effects only packs up Transitions-related items. So, if your presentation includes AVI files, images, Excel charts, Truetype fonts or other similar external files, make sure you transport these files to the destination computer.  (For your convenience, PowerPoint’s “Pack and Go” command located in the PowerPoint File menu, will compress these files plus your PowerPoint presentation file into one transportable file, giving a file extension name of “.ppz.”)

2. 	Select a drive/folder where you want to save the packed 3D effects file.  The saved file will have the same name as your PowerPoint presentation file, and a file extension named “.3dp.”   Make sure you transport the following files to the destination computer:

•	your PowerPoint presentation file (.ppt or .ppz)

•	your packed 3D effects file (.3dp)

•	the PowerPlugs Player program

3.   Once you have the above files copied onto the destination computer (it is recommended that you copy all of the transported files into the same folder on the hard drive of the destination computer), click the application on the destination computer to play your 3D presentation.

Note: Make sure PowerPoint 97 or higher is installed on the destination computer (3D acceleration hardware and corresponding drivers are optional, however, strongly recommended).

Can I display animated 3D artwork on my slide(s) while my 3D enhanced presentation is playing?

Yes. Using PowerPoint’s “Insert Movies and Sounds/Movie from File” command, you can insert animated artwork (for example, an AVI movie of animated 3D text created using Crystal 3D IMPACT!™ Pro software) as an object in your slide(s).  Also, using PowerPlugs’ PhotoActive FXTM animation and image processing software, you can insert dazzling animated photos and enhanced images into your PowerPoint presentation.

Can my 3D enhanced presentation play sound effects other than those that accompany the 3D transition effects?

Yes.

Can I show my 3D enhanced presentation without sound effects?

Yes. The “Add 3D Transitions” dialog box allows you to turn off the sound effects entirely for a selected slide.

Can I adjust the speed of the 3D transitions in my 3D enhanced presentation?

Yes. The “Add 3D Transitions” dialog box allows you to set the speed, and direction, of the 3D transition effects applied to your selected PowerPoint slide(s).

How can I tell if I have the most current version of PowerPlugs software?

There is an “About PowerPlugs” tool which provides this information.  It can be accessed by selecting the Help button within the “Add 3D Transitions” dialog box. Use this to check what version of the PowerPlugs: Transitions application you are using.  And, visit our web site (www.crystalgraphics.com) to verify what version is currently available and to check out our newest volumes of 3D transition effects that may be available.

Are there international language versions of PowerPlugs: Transitions available?

Please visit our web site (www.crystalgraphics.com)  to verify currently available international language versions of PowerPlugs: Transitions software.

How do I contact Technical Support?

PowerPlugs: Transitions users have unlimited access to Online Technical Support which lists the typical technical support problems that users encounter, along with our best information regarding their solutions. This service is available free of charge.

If you are experiencing a problem using PowerPlugs: Transitions, and you don’t see your problem listed within the online Help, or if the advice given doesn’t solve your problem, we would suggest that you check the latest troubleshooting tips listed on our Web site.  If you have an Internet connection, just click on the “Online Technical Support” command under Transitions’ Help menu for the latest troubleshooting tips. (Inside PowerPoint, go to the Slide Show menu, then click on “Add 3D Transition” command, then on the Help button.)  If you don’t have an active browser on your PC, but you do have access to the Internet (through AOL or some other way), connect to the Internet and enter http://www.crystalgraphics.com/weblink.powerplugs.transitions.techfaq.html.

Due to the high volume of free introductory offers, please note that Transitions users who contact CrystalGraphics’ technical support via telephone, fax, and email are subject to technical support service charges.  For further information, please refer to “CrystalGraphics Technical Support Policies.”

How can I purchase more PowerPlugs effects?

Please visit our web site (www.crystalgraphics.com) to take a look at some of the 3D transition effects that are available now. And more will be coming soon. Plus, check out our PowerPlugs: PhotoActive FXTM add-in for PowerPoint!  Now you can add dazzling still and animated image processing effects to your PowerPoint slides with just a couple of mouse clicks using PhotoActive FX!  You can order more effects in any of the following ways:

WEB SITE:	www.crystalgraphics.com

E-MAIL:	cgisales@crystalgraphics.com

PHONE:	(408) 496-6175

(800) 394-0700 in the contiguous USA only

FAX:	(408) 496-0970

MAIL:	CrystalGraphics, Inc.

Sales Department

3350 Scott Blvd. Bldg. 14

Santa Clara, CA 95054

Troubleshooting

If you are experiencing a problem using PowerPlugs: Transitions, and you don’t see your problem listed here, or if the advice given doesn’t solve your problem, we would suggest that you check the latest troubleshooting tips listed on our Web site.  If you have an Internet connection, just click on the “Online Technical Support” command under Transitions’ Help menu for the latest troubleshooting tips. (Inside PowerPoint, go to the Slide Show menu, then click on “Add 3D Transition” command, then on the Help button.)  If you don’t have an active browser on your PC, but you do have access to the Internet (through AOL or some other way), connect to the Internet and enter http://www.crystalgraphics.com/weblink.powerplugs.transitions.techfaq.html.

Installation and Start-Up Problems

If the Install program does not install PowerPlugs: Transitions into PowerPoint —

 	Make sure you are using PowerPoint 97 or PowerPoint 2000 when installing Transitions (the earlier versions of PowerPoint do not support plug-ins).  Also, make sure there is adequate disk space available on your local hard. If you have enough disk space, check to see if the installer loaded the files onto your hard drive. If they were loaded, but the “View Show with 3D” and “Add 3D Transition” commands were not added into your PowerPoint’s Slide Show menu, then try running the Setup.exe program in your PowerPlugs folder.

If PowerPlugs: Transitions appears to install correctly, but the commands “Add 3D Transition” and “View Show with 3D” do nothing —

Do you have a presentation loaded? If you do, and you still don’t get anything to happen when you click on Add 3D Transition and View Show With 3D, you may have accidentally installed the Transitions software incorrectly. For example, the Installer defaults to C:\Program Files\PowerPlugs. If you changed that path to simply D:, then all the folders will end up in the D drive root directory and Windows will not deal with that correctly. If this happened to you, then simply uninstall the software and reinstall it, being careful to use a good path for the software to be installed into.

General Application Problems Using PowerPlugs: Transitions And 3D Acceleration Hardware Is Present

If the software crashes or gives you an error message when you try to “View Show with 3D”—

The amount of video RAM with your 3D graphics accelerator may be inadequate for the resolution and/or color bit depth settings at which you are playing back your 3D enhanced presentation. Try setting your display to a lower resolution.  Also, try reducing the color depth setting.  With 4 MB of video RAM in your graphics board, a resolution of 800x600 is the highest possible, with a 16-bit color depth. With 8 MB or more of video RAM, a resolution of 1024x768 may be possible. But even if you have enough RAM, these resolutions may not work well with your graphics board. If you are experiencing stability or quality problems, you should try using a resolution of 640x480x16 bits. You can lower your settings by going to the Start button in Windows, then click on the Settings command, then the Control Panel option, then the Display icon, then the Settings tab, then change the “Desktop area” settings and the “Color palette” settings.

It is also possible that there may be a problem with a specific slide in your presentation to which a 3D transition effect has been applied.  If you notice that the “Preparing 3D presentation” dialog of the View Show with 3D command hangs, or the playback of your 3D presentation halts at a particular slide, try removing the 3D transition effect applied to that slide.

Another consideration is that you may be using PowerPlugs: Transitions on a system that has an incompatible 3D product that could also be competing for the 3D graphics accelerator’s limited resources. We are working to do compatibility testing with other new 3D products as they are released. When we find compatibility problems and fix them, we will put new versions of Transitions on our Web site (www.crystalgraphics.com), which you may download for free.

If the 3D transitions do not play back in your presentation —

Be sure you have the appropriate hardware (i.e. a 3D graphics accelerator) installed on your system. (Refer to the “Minimum System Requirements” section of the Transitions online Help.) Once you have confirmed that the appropriate hardware is present, you should also check to make sure that DirectX 5.0 or above and/or OpenGL, and the software driver for your hardware is installed (see the documentation that came with your 3D graphics accelerator card for more information).

If you have verified that you have a working 3D graphics accelerator card, and if the problem persists, try reducing the resolution of your graphics screen display because there might not be enough video RAM available to support the play back. (See “If the software crashes…” above, for more info.)

If it seems to take “too long” for a 3D transition effect to play —

Under Windows 95 there is usually about a 3-second setup time required by the Transitions software to load the necessary data into your graphics board for each slide in your presentation. This setup process for that “next” 3D transition effect begins automatically as soon as the transition before it is completed. Once it is loaded, the 3D transition should be ready to start as soon as you click the mouse, or press the right arrow key or the spacebar.

Under Windows NT, the setup time may take two or three seconds longer. In addition, Windows NT is slower at starting the 3D transition once the setup time is completed, and the mouse is clicked, or the arrow key or spacebar is pressed. Our experience is that Windows NT may introduce a delay of up to 7 seconds to start the 3D transition. This delay can be reduced by making sure you have enough system RAM (at least 48 MB), and by making sure you have a fast PC, with no other applications running concurrently. Optimizing your hard drive may also help. Although undesirable, any delay can be anticipated, taken into account, and compensated for during your presentations.

If using Transitions automatically shifts the display resolution on your 3D-enabled notebook PC to a display resolution that is smaller than full screen dimensions —

The display resolution of your 3D-enabled notebook PC may be set higher than the amount of video RAM can accommodate for the playback of your 3D presentation.  For example, if your 3D-enabled notebook PC includes 4 MB of video RAM and is configured at 1024x768 resolution and 24-bit color depth, there is an inadequate amount of video RAM to play back your Transitions presentation.  So, Transitions will automatically set the next highest resolution possible.  In this example (i.e. having 4 MB video RAM), 800x600 is the highest possible display resolution, with a 16-bit color depth, and thus, Transitions will automatically readjust the screen display to that resolution for the playback of your 3D presentation. If there is less than 4MB video RAM included with your 3D-enabled notebook PC, Transitions may reduce the display resolution to 640x480x16 bits for the playback of your 3D presentation.

If your 3D-enabled notebook PC includes an ATI RagePro 3D accelerator chip, you can easily configure the LCD display on your notebook so that it automatically resizes an image to full screen display.  In other words, even though Transitions may automatically reduce the playback resolution of your presentation to 800x600, this LCD setting, when enabled, will resize the Transitions presentation so that it displays at full screen!  To enable this setting, go to the Start / Settings menu and select Control Panel.  Double click on the Display icon.  Within the Display Properties dialog box, select the “Adjustment” tab and in the “LCD Panel Option” click on the box for “Scale image to resize the screen.”  Then click “Okay” and close the Control Panel menu.

Also, if you want to establish the “LCD Panel / Scale image” option as a permanent default setting (using a notebook PC that has an ATI RagePro 3D accelerator chip), you can do so by editing the display expansion settings within the BIOS set up menu of your notebook PC.  It’s really easy to do this.  Here’s how (note: these instructions assume that your notebook PCs use Phoenix BIOS):

1.  Reboot your notebook PC.

2.  Before the Windows menu displays, press “F2” to access the BIOS set up program.

3.  Select “Advanced / Video Features.”

4.  Enable the feature called “Compensation.”

5.  Save your changes and exit the BIOS setting program.

6.  Reboot your notebook PC again, this time allowing Windows and your desktop to display.

General Application Problems Using PowerPlugs: Transitions And 3D Acceleration Hardware Is NOT Present

If the software crashes or gives you an error message when rendering the effects (as a series of AVI movies) using the “View Show with 3D” command —

Make sure there is adequate disk space to render and store the 3D effects as a series of AVI files on your hard drive.  The amount of hard disk space required for these AVI-based rendered effects may vary from 1MB to 40+MB per presentation, depending on the following factors:

•	the number of 3D transitions applied in your presentation

•	the resolution at which the effects are being rendered

•	the frame rate selected

•	the speed of the transitions (i.e. “Slow,” “Medium,” or “Fast”)

Also, you must allow adequate free disk space for a Windows virtual memory swap file to grow as needed.

If your 3D presentation plays back 3D effects that do not include changes that were applied to the presentation —

You have probably made changes to your PowerPoint slides after the initial rendering the 3D effects.  Use the Save or Save As… command(s) to save those changes to your presentation (.ppt) file before selecting “View Show with 3D” again.  If you save the changes to your presentation using the same name as previously saved, the View Show with 3D dialog box will ask if you wish to re-render the effects. Once the effects are re-rendered, use the View Show with 3D command again to view your updated 3D slide show.

Other General Application Problems

If the "Options" button within "Add 3D Transitions" is disabled (grayed out) —

The ‘Options’ button in the “Add 3D Transitions dialog box is not utilized in PowerPlugs: Transitions I or II.  However, this feature will be available in a future version of PowerPlugs.

If, despite using “Pack3D Effects,” your 3D presentation will not play on another computer —

In order to see the 3D effects of a 3D presentation on another computer (destination computer), the destination computer must have the following software applications installed: PowerPoint 97 or higher and the PowerPlugs Player program -  (or a licensed copy of PowerPlugs: Transitions installed).  In addition to the presence of these software applications, make sure your 3D-enhanced PowerPoint presentation file (.ppt), as well as the packed 3D effects file (.3dp), are present on the destination computer’s hard drive.

You should also check to make sure that DirectX 5.0 or above and/or OpenGL are present on the destination computer.  If you have 3D acceleration hardware, also make sure the software driver for your 3D acceleration hardware is installed (see the documentation that came with your 3D graphics accelerator card for more information).

If, after using “Pack3D Effects,” and upon play back, your 3D presentation is missing objects, images, or other elements that were inserted in the slides of your PowerPoint presentation —

Pack 3D Effects only packs up Transitions-related items. So, if your presentation includes AVI files, images, Excel charts, Truetype fonts or other similar external files, make sure to transport these files to the destination computer (for your convenience, PowerPoint’s “Pack and Go” command located in the PowerPoint File menu, will compress these files plus your PowerPoint presentation file into one transportable file, giving a file extension name of “.ppz.”).

CrystalGraphics Technical Support Policies

PowerPlugs: Transitions users have unlimited access to Online Technical Support which lists the typical technical support problems that users encounter, along with our best information regarding their solutions. This service is available free of charge.

If you should need additional technical support service, CrystalGraphics provides three technical support purchase options:

Option #1:   You can buy technical support on a per incident basis. With the per incident option, you buy telephone-based technical support in 15 minute increments or per individual problem or incident when communicating electronically (i.e. fax and/or e-mail support) .

Option #2:   You can buy a block of technical support time (or number of incidences). The minimum block of time you can purchase is two hours (or the equivalent of 8 incidences if communicating via electronic mechanisms, i.e. fax or e-mail). Technical support purchased in time blocks costs less than technical support purchased on a per incident basis. However, the block of time purchased must be used within a 12 month period.

Option #3:   You can buy a 12-month technical support contract. The technical support contract provides you with unlimited telephone-based technical support or electronic incidences, and free software updates if any updates ship while your contract is active.

How to Register

There are more 3D transition effects available now or coming soon!  Please visit our web site- www.crystalgraphics.com to take a look at some of the innovative 3D transition effects that are available now. And more will be coming soon. So be sure to register so we can keep you informed about all the latest good stuff! You can register in any of the following ways:

WEB SITE:	www.crystalgraphics.com

E-MAIL:	cgisales@crystalgraphics.com

PHONE:	(408) 496-6175

(800) 394-0700 in the contiguous USA only

FAX:	(408) 496-0970

MAIL:	CrystalGraphics, Inc.

Sales Department

3350 Scott Blvd. Bldg. 14

Santa Clara, CA 95054


FAQ: How large is the Transitions program?

The PowerPlugs Player software requires about 2.5 MB of hard disk space when inactive. An additional 3-4 MB is required for the visual and sound effects that make up each volume of transition effects (e.g. “Transitions I” requires 4 MB and “Transitions II” requires 3.8 MB).  But, to make sure that you have enough Windows swap file space while you are running PowerPoint with PowerPlugs: Transitions, you’ll want at least 40MB of free disk space.


FAQ: Does Transitions run under Windows 98?

Yes.


FAQ: Will Transitions work with new versions of PowerPoint when they are released?

PowerPlugs: Transitions works with PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 2000.  It is our plan to keep the PowerPlugs product line working with the latest versions of PowerPoint when they are released.


FAQ: Can I use Transitions without 3D acceleration hardware?

Yes. When you select the “View Show with 3D” command, PowerPlugs: Transitions automatically will detect the presence or absence of 3D acceleration hardware on your system.  If there is no 3D acceleration hardware present, the following dialog box will say:  “This computer does not appear to have the 3D graphics acceleration hardware required to generate the 3D effects in real-time.  Would you like to render the effects and store them for later use?”  If you select “Yes,” a new dialog box will display that will allow you to set the resolution and frame rate to render your 3D effects. These rendered AVI movies will be stored in a folder with the same name as your presentation, followed by the word “transitions.”  This folder will be stored within the same folder as your PowerPoint presentation (.ppt) file. Once you have rendered all your 3D effects as AVI movies, you may play back your presentation with the 3D effects by using the “View Show with 3D” command again.

Note: The time required to render and store these effects will vary from 30 seconds per transition to 4 or more minutes per transition, depending upon the following factors:

•	the resolution at which the effects are being rendered;

•	the frame rate selected;

•	the speed of the transitions (i.e. “Slow,” “Medium,” or “Fast”); and

•	the speed of your CPU.

Generally speaking, if you set higher value(s) in the first three factors listed above, this will result in longer rendering times.  However, the output quality may be noticeably better.  One way to offload the dilemma of achieving high quality output vs. minimize the rendering time is to make sure that you render your 3D effects on a fast CPU with enough system RAM.  Also, you may want to use fewer 3D effects.

If you make changes to your PowerPoint slides after rendering the 3D effects, use the Save or Save As… command(s) to save those changes to your presentation (.ppt) file before selecting “View Show with 3D” again.  In this case, the View Show with 3D dialog box will ask if you wish to re-render the effects.  If you choose not to re-render the effects, it will use the same AVI movies that were already rendered.


FAQ: Which 3D APIs does Transitions support?

PowerPlugs: Transitions supports the following industry standard 3D accelerated rendering APIs: Direct3D 5.0 and above and OpenGL.


FAQ: How much video RAM does Transitions require?

Transitions’ effects require a 3D graphics accelerator that has a minimum of 4 MB video memory onboard.  You may require more video RAM in your 3D graphics accelerator, depending on the display resolution you want to use.  A general rule of thumb is that the higher the screen resolution, the more video RAM will be required. For example, 640x480 and 800x600x16 can generally be rendered with 4 MB of video RAM, whereas 1024x768x16 will require 8 MB of video RAM.


FAQ: Does Transitions take advantage of AGP-based 3D acceleration hardware?

Yes.


FAQ: Is my 3D enhanced presentation portable?

Yes.  Using Transitions’ “Pack 3D Effects” tool, you can pack up your 3D enhanced presentation and take it “on the road” or send it to some one else for viewing.  Keep in mind that, in order to see the 3D effects, the viewer’s system must have the following software installed: PowerPoint 97or higher and the PowerPlugs player program -  (or a licensed copy of PowerPlugs: Transitions installed).


FAQ: How do I use the Pack 3D Effects command?

1. 	Select the “Pack 3D Effects” command which appears on the floating palette, as well as in the PowerPoint File menu. The Pack 3D Effects command collects the files and resources that you will need to play a 3D presentation on another computer.

The Pack 3D Effects dialog offers options to include sound files and/or the PowerPlugs Player program .  If you choose to pack the sound files and the player program, the sound files will be compressed and saved within the packed 3D effects file, whereas the player program, , will be saved in the designated folder as a separate file, .  If the destination computer does not have Transitions installed, be sure to include the PowerPlugs Player.

Note: Pack 3D Effects only packs up Transitions-related items. So, if your presentation includes AVI files, images, Excel charts, Truetype fonts or other similar external files, make sure you transport these files to the destination computer.  (For your convenience, PowerPoint’s “Pack and Go” command located in the PowerPoint File menu, will compress these files plus your PowerPoint presentation file into one transportable file, giving a file extension name of “.ppz.”)

2. 	Select a drive/folder where you want to save the packed 3D effects file.  The saved file will have the same name as your PowerPoint presentation file, and a file extension named “.3dp.”   Make sure you transport the following files to the destination computer:

•	your PowerPoint presentation file (.ppt or .ppz)

•	your packed 3D effects file (.3dp)

•	the Transitions player program

3.   Once you have the above files copied onto the destination computer (it is recommended that you copy all of the transported files into the same folder on the hard drive of the destination computer), click the  application on the destination computer to play your 3D presentation.

Note: Make sure PowerPoint 97 or higher is installed on the destination computer (3D acceleration hardware and corresponding drivers are optional, however, strongly recommended).


FAQ: Can I display animated 3D artwork on my slide(s) with my 3D slide show?

Yes. Using PowerPoint’s “Insert Movies and Sounds/Movie from File” command, you can insert animated artwork (for example, an AVI movie of animated 3D text created using Crystal 3D IMPACT!™ Pro software) as an object in your slide(s). Also, using PowerPlugs’ PhotoActive FXTM animation and image processing software, you can insert dazzling animated photos and enhanced images into your PowerPoint presentation.


FAQ: Can I use other sound effects with my 3D slide show?

Yes.


FAQ: Can I show my 3D enhanced presentation without sound effects?

Yes. The “Add 3D Transitions” dialog box allows you to turn off the sound effects entirely for a selected slide.


FAQ: Can I adjust the speed of the 3D transitions in my 3D enhanced presentation?

Yes. The “Add 3D Transitions” dialog box allows you to set the speed, and direction, of the 3D transition effects applied to your selected PowerPoint slide(s).


FAQ: How can I tell if I have the most current version of Transitions?

There is an “About PowerPlugs” tool which provides this information.  It can be accessed by selecting the Help button within the “Add 3D Transitions” dialog box.  Use this to check what version of the PowerPlugs: Transitions application you are using.  And, visit our web site (www.crystalgraphics.com) to verify what version is currently available and to check out our newest volumes of 3D transition effects that may be available.


FAQ: Are there international language versions of Transitions available?

Please visit our web site www.crystalgraphics.com to verify currently available international language versions of PowerPlugs: Transitions software.


FAQ: How do I contact Technical Support?

PowerPlugs: Transitions users have unlimited access to Online Technical Support which lists the typical technical support problems that users encounter, along with our best information regarding their solutions. This service is available free of charge.

If you are experiencing a problem using PowerPlugs: Transitions, and you don’t see your problem listed within the online Help, or if the advice given doesn’t solve your problem, we would suggest that you check the latest troubleshooting tips listed on our Web site.  If you have an Internet connection, just click on the “Online Technical Support” command under Transitions’ Help menu for the latest troubleshooting tips. (Inside PowerPoint, go to the Slide Show menu, then click on “Add 3D Transition” command, then on the Help button.)  If you don’t have an active browser on your PC, but you do have access to the Internet (through AOL or some other way), connect to the Internet and enter http://www.crystalgraphics.com/weblink.powerplugs.transitions.techfaq.html.

Due to the high volume of free introductory offers, please note that Transitions users who contact CrystalGraphics’ technical support via telephone, fax, and email are subject to technical support service charges.  For further information, please refer to “CrystalGraphics Technical Support Policies.”


FAQ: How can I purchase more Transitions effects?

Please visit our web site (www.crystalgraphics.com) to take a look at some of the 3D transition effects that are available now. And more will be coming soon.  Plus, check out our PowerPlugs: PhotoActive FXTM add-in for PowerPoint!  Now you can add dazzling still and animated image processing effects to your PowerPoint slides with just a couple of mouse clicks using PhotoActive FX!  You can order more effects in any of the following ways:

WEB SITE:	www.crystalgraphics.com

E-MAIL:	cgisales@crystalgraphics.com

PHONE:	(408) 496-6175

(800) 394-0700 in the contiguous USA only

FAX:	(408) 496-0970

MAIL:	CrystalGraphics, Inc.

Sales Department

3350 Scott Blvd. Bldg. 14

Santa Clara, CA 95054


Troubleshooting

If you are experiencing a problem using PowerPlugs: Transitions, and you don’t see your problem listed here, or if the advice given doesn’t solve your problem, we would suggest that you check the latest troubleshooting tips listed on our Web site.  If you have an Internet connection, just click on the “Online Technical Support” command under Transitions’ Help menu for the latest troubleshooting tips. (Inside PowerPoint, go to the Slide Show menu, then click on “Add 3D Transition” command, then on the Help button.)  If you don’t have an active browser on your PC, but you do have access to the Internet (through AOL or some other way), connect to the Internet and enter http://www.crystalgraphics.com/weblink.powerplugs.transitions.techfaq.html.


If the Install program does not install Transitions into PowerPoint -

Make sure you are using PowerPoint 97 or higher when installing PowerPlugs: Transitions (the earlier versions of PowerPoint do not support plug-ins).  Also, make sure there is adequate disk space available on your local hard. If you have enough disk space, check to see if the installer loaded the files onto your hard drive. If they were loaded, but the “View Show with 3D” and “Add 3D Transition” commands were not added into your PowerPoint’s Slide Show menu, then try running the Setup.exe program in your PowerPlugs folder.


If the commands "Add 3D Transition" and "View Show with 3D" do nothing -

Do you have a presentation loaded? If you do, and you still don’t get anything to happen when you click on Add 3D Transition and View Show With 3D, you may have accidentally installed the Transitions software incorrectly. For example, the Installer defaults to C:\Program Files\PowerPlugs. If you changed that path to simply D:, then all the folders will end up in the D drive root directory and Windows will not deal with that correctly. If this happened to you, then simply uninstall the software and reinstall it, being careful to use a good path for the software to be installed into.


If the software crashes or gives an error message when using "View Show with 3D" -
If the software crashes or gives an error message when using "View Show with 3D" and 3D acceleration hardware is present -

The amount of video RAM with your 3D graphics accelerator may be inadequate for the resolution and/or color bit depth settings at which you are playing back your 3D enhanced presentation. Try setting your display to a lower resolution.  Also, try reducing the color depth setting.  With 4 MB of video RAM in your graphics board, a resolution of 800x600 is the highest possible, with a 16-bit color depth. With 8 MB or more of video RAM, a resolution of 1024x768 may be possible. But even if you have enough RAM, these resolutions may not work well with your graphics board. If you are experiencing stability or quality problems, you should try using a resolution of 640x480x16 bits. You can lower your settings by going to the Start button in Windows, then click on the Settings command, then the Control Panel option, then the Display icon, then the Settings tab, then change the “Desktop area” settings and the “Color palette” settings.

It is also possible that there may be a problem with a specific slide in your presentation to which a 3D transition effect has been applied.  If you notice that the “Preparing 3D presentation” dialog of the View Show with 3D command, or the play back of your 3D presentation halts at a particular slide number, try removing the 3D transition effect applied to that particular slide.

Another consideration is that you may be using PowerPlugs: Transitions on a system that has an incompatible 3D product that could also be competing for the 3D graphics accelerator’s limited resources. We are working to do compatibility testing with other new 3D products as they are released. When we find compatibility problems and fix them, we will put new versions of PowerPlugs: Transitions on our Web site (www.crystalgraphics.com), which you may download for free.


If the 3D transitions do not play back in your presentation -
If the 3D transitions do not play back in your presentation and 3D acceleration hardware is present -

Be sure you have the appropriate hardware (i.e. a 3D graphics accelerator) installed on your system. (Refer to the “Minimum System Requirements” section of the Transitions online Help.) Once you have confirmed that the appropriate hardware is present, you should also check to make sure that DirectX 5.0 or above and/or OpenGL, and the software driver for your hardware is installed (see the documentation that came with your 3D graphics accelerator card for more information).

If you have verified that you have a working 3D graphics accelerator card, and if the problem persists, try reducing the resolution of your graphics screen display because there might not be enough video RAM available to support the play back. (See “If the software crashes…”, for more info.)


If it seems to take "too long" for a 3D transition effect to play -
If it seems to take "too long" for a 3D transition effect to play and 3D acceleration hardware is present -

Under Windows 95 there is usually about a 3-second setup time required by the Transitions software to load the necessary data into your graphics board for each slide in your presentation. This setup process for that “next” 3D transition effect begins automatically as soon as the transition before it is completed. Once it is loaded, the 3D transition should be ready to start as soon as you click the mouse, or press the right arrow key or the spacebar.

Under Windows NT, the setup time may take two or three seconds longer. In addition, Windows NT is slower at starting the 3D transition once the setup time is completed, and the mouse is clicked, or the arrow key or spacebar is pressed. Our experience is that Windows NT may introduce a delay of up to 7 seconds to start the 3D transition. This delay can be reduced by making sure you have enough system RAM (at least 48 MB), and by making sure you have a fast PC, with no other applications running concurrently. Optimizing your hard drive may also help. Although undesirable, any delay can be anticipated, taken into account, and compensated for during your presentations.


If Transitions automatically resizes the display on your 3D-enabled notebook PC -

The display resolution of your 3D-enabled notebook PC may be set higher than the amount of video RAM can accommodate for the playback of your 3D presentation.  For example, if your 3D-enabled notebook PC includes 4 MB of video RAM and is configured at 1024x768 resolution and 24-bit color depth, there is an inadequate amount of video RAM to play back your 3D presentation.  So, Transitions will automatically set the next highest resolution possible.  In this example (i.e. having 4 MB video RAM), 800x600 is the highest possible display resolution, with a 16-bit color depth, and thus, Transitions will automatically readjust the screen display to that resolution for the playback of your 3D presentation. If there is less than 4MB video RAM included with your 3D-enabled notebook PC, Transitions may reduce the display resolution to 640x480x16 bits for the playback of your 3D presentation.

If your 3D-enabled notebook PC includes an ATI RagePro 3D accelerator chip, you can easily configure the LCD display on your notebook so that it automatically resizes an image to full screen display.  In other words, even though Transitions may automatically reduce the playback resolution of your presentation to 800x600, this LCD setting, when enabled, will resize the Transitions presentation so that it displays at full screen!  To enable this setting, go to the Start / Settings menu and select Control Panel.  Double click on the Display icon.  Within the Display Properties dialog box, select the “Adjustment” tab and in the “LCD Panel Option” click on the box for “Scale image to resize the screen.”  Then click “Okay” and close the Control Panel menu.

Also, if you want to establish the “LCD Panel / Scale image” option as a permanent default setting (using a notebook PC that has an ATI RagePro 3D accelerator chip), you can do so by editing the display expansion settings within the BIOS set up menu of your notebook PC.  It’s really easy to do this.  Here’s how (note: these instructions assume that your notebook PCs use Phoenix BIOS):

1.  Reboot your notebook PC.

2.  Before the Windows menu displays, press “F2” to access the BIOS set up program.

3.  Select “Advanced / Video Features.”

4.  Enable the feature called “Compensation.”

5.  Save your changes and exit the BIOS setting program.

6.  Reboot your notebook PC again, this time allowing Windows and your desktop to display.


If the software encounters problems when rendering the effects as a series of AVI movies
If the software encounters problems when rendering the effects as a series of AVI movies -

Make sure there is adequate disk space to render and store the 3D effects as a series of AVI files on your hard drive.  The amount of hard disk space required for these AVI-based rendered effects may vary from 1MB to 40+MB per presentation, depending on the following factors:

•	the number of 3D transitions applied in your presentation

•	the resolution at which the effects are being rendered

•	the frame rate selected

•	the speed of the transitions (i.e. “Slow,” “Medium,” or “Fast”)

Also, you must allow adequate free disk space for a Windows virtual memory swap file to grow as needed.


If the playback of 3D effects don't include changes applied to the presentation
If the playback of 3D effects don't include changes applied to the presentation –

You have probably made changes to your PowerPoint slides after the initial rendering the 3D effects.  Use the Save or Save As… command(s) to save those changes to your presentation (.ppt) file before selecting “View Show with 3D” again.  If you save the changes to your presentation using the same name as previously saved, the View Show with 3D dialog box will ask if you wish to re-render the effects. Once the effects are re-rendered, use the View Show with 3D command again to view your updated 3D slide show.


If the "Options" button within "Add 3D Transitions" is disabled (grayed out)
If the "Options" button within "Add 3D Transitions" is disabled (grayed out) -

The ‘Options’ button in the “Add 3D Transitions dialog box is not utilized in PowerPlugs: Transitions I or II.  However, this feature will be available in a future version of PowerPlugs.


If after using Pack 3D Effects, your 3D slide show will not play on another computer -
If, despite using Pack 3D Effects, your 3D slide show will not play on another computer -

In order to see the 3D effects of a 3D presentation on another computer (destination computer), the destination computer must have the following software applications installed: PowerPoint 97 or higher and the PowerPlugs Player program -  (or a licensed copy of PowerPlugs: Transitions installed).  In addition to the presence of these software applications, make sure your 3D-enhanced PowerPoint presentation file (.ppt), as well as the packed 3D effects file (.3dp), are present on the destination computer’s hard drive.

You should also check to make sure that DirectX 5.0 or above and/or OpenGL are present on the destination computer.  If you have 3D acceleration hardware, also make sure the software driver for your 3D acceleration hardware is installed (see the documentation that came with your 3D graphics accelerator card for more information).


If after using Pack 3D Effects, your 3D slide show is missing objects or other elements -

Pack 3D Effects only packs up Transitions-related items. So, if your presentation includes AVI files, images, Excel charts, Truetype fonts or other similar external files, make sure to transport these files to the destination computer (for your convenience, PowerPoint’s “Pack and Go” command located in the PowerPoint File menu, will compress these files plus your PowerPoint presentation file into one transportable file, giving a file extension name of “.ppz.”).


CrystalGraphics Technical Support Policies

PowerPlugs: Transitions users have unlimited access to Online Technical Support which lists the typical technical support problems that users encounter, along with our best information regarding their solutions. This service is available free of charge.

If you should need additional technical support service, CrystalGraphics provides three technical support purchase options:

Option #1:   You can buy technical support on a per incident basis. With the per incident option, you buy telephone-based technical support in 15 minute increments or per individual problem or incident when communicating electronically (i.e. fax and/or e-mail support) .

Option #2:   You can buy a block of technical support time (or number of incidences). The minimum block of time you can purchase is two hours (or the equivalent of 8 incidences if communicating via electronic mechanisms, i.e. fax or e-mail). Technical support purchased in time blocks costs less than technical support purchased on a per incident basis. However, the block of time purchased must be used within a 12 month period.

Option #3:   You can buy a 12-month technical support contract. The technical support contract provides you with unlimited telephone-based technical support or electronic incidences, and free software updates if any updates ship while your contract is active.


How to Register

There are more 3D transition effects available now or coming soon!  Please visit our web site at www.crystalgraphics.com to take a look at some of the innovative 3D transition effects that are available now. And more will be coming soon. So be sure to register so we can keep you informed about all the latest good stuff! You can register in any of the following ways:

WEB SITE:	www.crystalgraphics.com

E-MAIL:	cgisales@crystalgraphics.com

PHONE:	(408) 496-6175

(800) 394-0700 in the contiguous USA only

FAX:	(408) 496-0970

MAIL:	CrystalGraphics, Inc.

Sales Department

3350 Scott Blvd. Bldg. 14

Santa Clara, CA 95054


Other CrystalGraphics Products

PowerPlugs: PhotoActive FX

PowerPlugs: PhotoActive FX is an easy-to-use add-in for PowerPoint!  Now you can add impressive animated and image processing effects to your presentation imagery with just a couple of mouse clicks. The stunning visual effects of PhotoActive FX are sure to grab your audience’s attention and make your presentations more memorable!  There are more than 140 unique effects to choose from such as:

•	Still Photo Effects —  Coloring, Cookie Cutters, Edges, Frames, Fine Arts, Lights & Shadows, Rotations, Text, Texture Arts, and Transformations

•	Animated Photo Effects — Full-image animated effects, Overlay Text animations, Image Transitions In, and Image Transitions Out

“The effects and animations [of PhotoActive FX] are superb.  It’s an amazing collection of effects that will simply astound my audience…”

-- John Clemons

Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pro

Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pro is the world's easiest to use 3D animation software.  Now it's a snap for anyone to add the impact of impressive 3D titles, logos, objects, buttons, and pictures to presentations, web pages, banner ads, and videos.  Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pro (Win95/98 and NT 4.0) sports many innovative features such as:

•	Visual Wizards  - A friendly AutoContent wizard guides you through the 5 steps of lighting, text entry, beveling, assigning materials and adding motion.

•	3D Objects Catalog  - Enhance your productions with over 145 royalty-free, highly-detailed, pre-built 3D clipart objects, organized in a customizable object gallery.

•	Automatic Highlights and Sparkles Placement - With just a couple mouse clicks, you can easily and automatically create unique highlights and sparkles to your 3D objects.

•	Automatically Converts 2D Artwork Into 3D - Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pro is the only 3D program that can import images as 2D objects and automatically convert them to 3D with a single click.

•	Powerful Lighting Tools - Create and manipulate light bulbs, spotlights, sunlight and ambient lighting.  You have complete control to achieve many kinds of lighting effects.

•	Soft-Edged Shadows - Creates incredible looking drop shadows and object shadows with a shadow edge softness that you can select.

•	Object-to-Object Reflections - Selectively adds realistic mirror effects to your 3D objects using automatically generated environment maps.

•	Ray-Traced Refractions - Produces breathtaking glass effects by using true light-bending (ray-tracing) techniques. You can even control the amount of light bending to simulate anything from glass to diamonds.

•	Bump Mapping - Dramatically simulates the bumpy effect of real-world surfaces, with a bump height that you control.

…And More!

"The awesome speed, quality, and power are the best I've seen in any product in its class."

-- Mark Wacholtz

Crystal 3D CD

The easy and inexpensive way to enhance your presentations, web sites, videos and animations!  With over 75 ready-to-load and ready-to-render 3D models, this is the first 3D model library designed specifically for Crystal 3D IMPACT! Pro users.

For More Information

For more detailed information and examples, please visit www.crystalgraphics.com. You can order product or contact us in any of the following ways:

WEB SITE:	www.crystalgraphics.com

E-MAIL:	cgisales@crystalgraphics.com

PHONE:	(408) 496-6175

(800) 394-0700 in the contiguous USA only

FAX:	(408) 496-0970

MAIL:	CrystalGraphics, Inc.

Sales Department

3350 Scott Blvd. Bldg. 14

Santa Clara, CA 95054

CrystalGraphics, PowerPlugs, Transitions, PhotoActive FX, 3D IMPACT, and 3D CD are trademarks of CrystalGraphics, Inc.   All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 1999 CrystalGraphics, Inc.  All rights reserved.