Copyright: Holographic Screen Saver v2.13  (c) 1999-2000 Virtual-Creations


Introduction
Introduction to the Holographic Screen Saver v2

Introduction to the Holographic Screen Saver

The Holographic Screen Saver is a program that generates designs of waves and swirls of color based on the same techniques used to create real-life holograms. The waves and swirls are technically known as an interference pattern. An interference pattern is created when light waves interact like those from a laser. An actual hologram uses a single laser, which is reflected off the object to be made into the hologram and is mixed with direct light on the hologram itself. The Holographic Screen Saver gives you control of 8 lasers. You can adjust each lasers intensity and wavelength to produce designs that are both beautiful and mesmerizing. The program allows you to create your own unique palette for the design as well as special effects like backgrounds and 3-D.

What you get with the Holographic Screen Saver

Of the 40 available Design Slots, the first 24 designs were created by us to show you the broad range of designs that can be created using the program. The first 8 designs are normal non 3-D designs. The next 8 designs demonstrate the 3-D capability of the program and show good design practices for 3-D. The next 4 designs were created for Music and show a good layout for a Musical design. The last 4 designs are based on version 1's designs and are provided for reference. The Holographic Screen Saver also comes with some Background images that we created to show you some of the cool things you can do with them.

History

The Holographic Screen Saver originally started out as a program to create holograms using a computer. The images created by this early program were so mesmerizing and unlike anything we had ever seen before, that it was decided to make a program that made the designs specifically for viewing. After many years of development, version 1 was released in the fall of 1998. After the release of version 1, we began writing version 2. Originally we were going to simply take version 1, and make it Windows based, but that’s when several new and exciting things were added to make version 2 a truly unique and different program. Version 2 provides all of the functionality of version 1 with many added features. With it's built in Design Editor, you have complete control over all the properties of the design from the intensities and wavelengths of the lasers, to background and 3D effects, and with built in Music support, you can have your designs changing to the beat of your favorite song.

Enjoy the program!

Robert Piontek

Virtual-Creations


Whats New
What's New in Version 2

Version 2 was completely redesigned to provide an intuitive interface with easy to use controls for manipulation of all aspects of the design, as well as many new and exciting features.

New Features-

•	Redesigned windows interface

•	Multiple video modes and resolutions now supported

•	Faster and more efficient hologram calculation algorithms

•	40 design slots with cut, copy and paste capabilities

•	Easier to use palette controls

•	Background effects

•	3D effects

•	Music response

•	Buddy Window

•	Bitmap creation


System Requirements

The minimum requirements for running the Holographic Screen Saver-

•	Pentium II 233MHz or higher

•	32Mb Ram

•	DirectX 5.0 or later and a CD-ROM drive for Music response

•	Windows 95/98/NT4(with service pack 3.0)/2000

•	Mouse

Recommended system requirements (just differences noted)-

•	Pentium II 350MHz

•	64Mb Ram

The programs memory usage and speed is highly dependent on the current display mode that it runs in. If you notice the program running poorly, close the program and switch to a lower video mode. Often this will speed the program up considerably.


Release History

November 07,1999 - Version 2.00 released

November 20,1999 - Version 2.11 released

- Fixed 'Divide by zero' error that occurred on some Windows NT systems

- Improved Music response time

December 05,1999 - Version 2.13 released

-Fixed a minor bug that caused the screen saver to incorrectly report that the program needed to be re-installed.

-Now correctly reports the presence or lack thereof of comctl32.dll


License Agreement

Users of the Holographic Screen Saver must read, and accept this disclaimer of warranty. The Holographic Screen Saver is supplied as is. The authors will not be liable for any damages, direct or consequential, which result from the usage of the Holographic Screen Saver. The authors disclaim any and all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and fitness for any purposes.

The Holographic Screen Saver or designs created using the Holographic Screen Saver may not be used commercially without the expressed written consent of Virtual-Creations. You may freely distribute the Holographic Screen Saver provided it is supplied in the same state as it was received. You may not reverse engineer, or modify in whole, or in part, any part of the program or its contents.

The Holographic Screen Saver is shareware and is provided to you at no charge for an evaluation period, during which time you may evaluate the program and determine its usefulness before making a decision to buy. If you find this program to be useful then you should register the program.

The cost of registration for the Holographic Screen Saver is $20.00USD

By registering, you are granted one (1) license valid for a single computer. This license is not transferable.

Holographic Screen Saver ©1999-2000  Virtual-Creations


Tab Window

The Tab Window contains the controls used by the currently selected Tab. If the mouse is positioned on an unused portion of the Tab Window, it will turn into a hand (if the contents of the Tab Window do not fit within the Tab Window). When the mouse turns into a hand, left-click and move the mouse up and down to scroll the contents of the Tab Window.


Tab Position

Shows the position within the currently selected Tab Window.


File Menu

Save Design

This will save all changes made to the current design.

Import

Import a design from version 1 of the Holographic Screen Saver to the Design Clipboard. You will need to Paste to a Design slot to complete the Import.

Create Bitmap

Create a bitmap of the current design. The output .bmp file will be 24 bit and have the same dimensions as the current display mode.

Set as Wallpaper

Creates a 24 bit bitmap of the current design, and sets it as the desktop wallpaper. The bitmap will be named 'HoloWallpaper.bmp' and will be located in your Windows directory.

Exit

Exits the program.


Edit Menu

Undo

Undo all changes made to the current design since it was last saved, or selected.

Cut

Copy the current design to the Design Clipboard and then clear the current design contents.

Copy

Copy the current design to the Design Clipboard.

Paste

Copy the contents of the Design Clipboard to the current design


Animation Menu

Start

Start animation for the current design.

Stop

Stop animation for the current design.


Effects Menu

Background Enabled

Enable / disable the background image for the current design.

3-D Enabled

Enable / disable 3-D for the current design.

Music Enabled

Enable / disable music response for the current design.


View Menu

Design Preview

Preview the current design full screen.


Options Menu

Screen Saver as Current

Sets the screen saver to be the design selected upon exiting the design editor.

Screen Saver as Random

Sets the screen saver to be a random non-empty design.


Buddy Menu

Disabled

Disables the Buddy Window

Quick Help

Displays helpful tips and information about controls when the mouse is moved over them.

Analyzer

Displays the frequency response of the music in the Buddy Window.

O-Scope

Displays the music amplitude response in the Buddy Window.

Credits

Displays all of the people who helped this program come to fulfillment.


Help Menu

Help Topics

Displays the Help Topics.

Visit our Website

Hyperlink to our Website. You will need an Internet connection.

About Holographic Screen Saver

Display Program information.

Register the Holographic Screen Saver

Display the Registration Window where you can register this program.


Buddy Window

The Buddy Window takes an otherwise unused piece of screen real estate and puts it to good use. The Buddy Window has several different options depending on what you want to use it for. You can select a buddy window option from the Buddy Menu or by right-clicking the Buddy Window itself.

Buddy Window options-

Quick Help

Context sensitive help that doesn't cover up what you are trying to do, mainly create designs. The Quick Help feature of the Buddy Window provides useful tips and information on all controls as you use them.

Analyzer

The Frequency Analyzer is used in conjunction with the CD player to display the frequency response of music as you listen to it. The Analyzer has 32 frequency points going from low frequencies on the left to high frequencies on the right.

O-Scope

The O-Scope is also used in conjunction with the CD player to display the real-time amplitude response of music as you listen. It is similar to viewing the music through an oscilloscope.

Credits

All the people that contributed blood, sweat, and tears (ok, ok, maybe not tears) to this project. Without them, this program would not have been possible.

Disabled

In case you just don't want to be bothered by anything going on in the Buddy Window, choose this option to disable it.


Current Palette / Palette Selection Window

This Window displays the palette used by the current design. When the Palette Adjust Tab is selected, this window will be enabled allowing it to be used to select palettes by clicking the numbers above the palette. When the Palette Adjust Tab is selected, you may notice some of the numbers are disabled in the Palette Selection Window. This is directly related to how many active palettes are used by the current design.


Preview Window

The Preview Window displays the design as you create it. The Preview Window does not scale the design, rather clips it, and this way, you see the waves, background, and 3-D Effects, as they will appear in full screen mode.


Main Tab Control
Main Tab Control Overview

Using the Tab Control

The Main Tab Control provides all of the controls you need to make designs. Due to the number of controls available, and the need to provide them all in a tight space, the Tab Control implements scrolling. You may have noticed that inside some Tab Windows, not all of the controls are visible. By moving the mouse within the Tab Control Window, you'll notice that it turns into a hand when you are not over a control (e.g., Slider, Button, etc…) When it becomes a hand, hold the left mouse button down, and move the mouse up or down. This will scroll the contents of the Window.

Tab Descriptions

Design Selection - Where you can select a design for viewing or editing and Cut, Copy, and Paste Designs.

Laser Properties - Where you can adjust the Intensities, and Wavelengths of the lasers used to create the design.

Palette Adjust - Where you can create a unique palette for the design.

Design Properties - Where you can control the Speed of animation, Background effects, and 3-D.

Music - Where you can play your CD's and adjust the Music response of the design.


Design Selection

Overview

The Design Selection window is where you select designs for viewing, or modifying. There are 40 design slots for your use, and you may select any design by simply clicking the thumbnail. Design slots with an EMPTY have no design data, and are perfect for 'starting from scratch'.

Right-click a thumbnail to bring up a pop up Edit menu.

Saving Designs

To Save the changes you've made to a design click Save. This will auto-generate a thumbnail and place it in the Design Slot that is currently selected.

Erasing Designs

Select a design to erase and click Cut. This will first copy the design to the Design Clipboard, then erase the design. If you decide that you didn't want to clear the design, simply click Paste to restore the design.

CopyingDesigns

Select a design slot to copy from, and click Copy. This will copy the design to the Design Clipboard. You may then Paste the design to any slot.

Pasting Designs

Select a design slot to paste the design to, and click Paste. This will place the contents of the Design Clipboard into the slot selected.

Undo Changes

Clicking Undo will undo all changes made to the current design since it was last saved, or selected.


Laser Properties

Overview

The Laser Properties window is where you can change all of the various properties of the lasers used to generate the designs.

Adjusting Laser Intensities

8 lasers are used to create the design, and each one has a unique intensity. The Intensity sliders adjust individual laser intensities in a range from 0-100%. Setting a laser intensity to 0% removes its effect on the design. The Min all, Max all buttons will set all laser intensities to 0% or 100% respectively. Check Lock Sliders when you wish to adjust all of the laser intensities together.

Adjusting Laser Wavelengths

Each of the 8 lasers used in creating the designs has a unique wavelength. The Wavelength sliders adjust the laser wavelengths in a range from 1-400.96 (wavelengths are measured in pixels). Small wavelengths move the wave peaks closer together, while large wavelengths move the peaks farther apart. Check Lock Sliders when you wish to adjust all of the laser wavelengths together.


Palette Adjust

Overview

The Palette Adjust window is where you create a palette for the current design. The Palette Adjust window works in conjunction with the Palette Window to make designing a palette easy.

Selecting a Palette

You can select an individual palette entry to modify by choosing it with the Palette Slider or by clicking the number above the palette in the Palette Window. The number of active palettes determines how many palette entries are used to create the palette.

Number of Active Palettes

Determines how many palette entries are used to create the palette for the current design. You may select 3, 5, 7, 9, or 17 active palettes. Less active palettes will make it easier to design a palette, but will result in a less detailed palette. More active palettes will allow for finer detail, but will result in a greater number of palettes to set. If you select a lower number of active palettes, palette entries not included will be removed (e.g., if you go from 17 to 9 active palettes, palette number 16 will no longer be accessible and will be removed).

Picking a color with the Color Picker

The Color Picker allows you to select a color from a range of color choices, and to store your favorites.

Current Palette Color

This shows the color of the current palette entry.

Red, Green, and Blue Sliders

Allows you to fine-tune the red, green, and blue content of the current palette color. You can check the Lock Sliders to move the red, green, and blue sliders together.

Clear Palette Entry

Clears the current palette entry to black.

Clear Entire Palette

Clears the entire palette to black.


Design Properties

Overview

The Design Properties window is where you change the speed of animation, and add special effects like 3-D and Backgrounds.

Setting the Speed of Animation

The Speed slider adjusts how fast the design animates. The [image] Start and [image] Stop buttons allow you to start and stop the animation.

Background Enabled

Enable or disable Background effects for the current design. Without the background, the lasers interact on a flat surface. Adding a background makes this flat surface 3 dimensional. Bright colors in the background are like the peaks, and dark parts of the background are like the valleys.

Select Image

Choose a graphic file for use as a background. You may select virtually any graphic file type. The image will be stretched to the current display resolution.

3-D Enabled

Enable or disable 3-D effects for the current design. You will need a pair of red-blue glasses to see the 3-D effect. With Towards selected, the design will appear to come out of the monitor towards you. With Away selected, the design will appear to go behind the monitor away from you.

3-D Depth

Adjusts the amount of apparent depth of 3-D. Larger values will cause a greater 3-D effect, whereas smaller values will cause less of a 3-D effect. Intricate designs may require a smaller 3-D depth to be seen without straining.


Music

Overview

The Music window provides you with a CD player, as well as controls for making the design respond to music.

CD player

The CD player gives you all the basic controls for playing CD's. The CD status window displays the current track and the time into the current track.

 Play the current track.

 Pause the CD.

 Stop the CD.

 Go backward one track, or to beginning of song if time index < 4 seconds.

 Go forward one track or to beginning of CD if on last track.

 Eject the CD.

Music Enabled

Enable or disable music response for the current design.

Laser Sensitivity

Determines the lasers sensitivity to music. A large value will cause the lasers to be very sensitive to music, whereas a small value will cause the lasers to respond very little to music.

Laser Response

The intensities and wavelengths of the lasers determine the response characteristics of the design to music. The Laser Response option buttons allow you to set these to certain pre-set values to allow a music response to be generated quickly. If you wish to make your own music response, then adjust the Laser intensities and wavelengths manually.


Creating and Using Backgrounds

Overview

Background images as their name implies act as a sort of backdrop for the designs. Without the background, the design is calculated on a flat surface. When you add a background, this flat surface becomes the background, and becomes three-dimensional. The bright colors in the background become the peaks, and the dark portions, valleys. This has the effect of making the lasers interact in bizarre ways.

How the Program loads Backgrounds

It is important to understand how the program actually loads backgrounds to better understand what makes a good background. The program converts the background to grayscale first, then makes the backgrounds color depth and size the same as the current display mode (e.g., if you are in 16 bit 800x600 mode, the bitmap will be converted to 16 bit, and stretched to 800x600). The ideal background graphic will be a 256-color grayscale image with the dimensions of the display mode you wish to view it in.

Using a Graphic as a Background

You may use any valid graphic file as a background. Some things should be kept in mind when selecting a background for use.

•	If the design is very complicated (lots of small wavelengths), a complicated background may not cause much of an effect.

•	If the Background image is dithered, the design may have a fuzzy appearance.

*Note…If all of the laser wavelengths are the same, you will not be able to see the background. This is due to the way the program calculates backgrounds. You need only one wavelength to be different.

Creating a background

To create your own background, you will need a paint program. After opening your paint program, create a new graphic (the optimal graphic would be a 256-color grayscale in the dimensions of the display mode you normally use). While your drawing, try to imagine that the drawing surface is not 2-dimensional, but that it is 3-dimensional, and that you are looking down into it (like looking down into a canyon). Bright colors or light grays would be the peaks, while the dark colors or dark grays would be the valleys. If your program has a gradient tool, you can use it to make smooth transitions from peaks to valleys.

Adding the Background to your Design

After you have a background image created and saved, run the Holographic Screen Saver Design Editor, and click Select Image. Find the background image you want to use and click OK. You will see a status indicator showing the progress of loading the background. After it loads in, you will see the effect your new background has on the design. If you see a warning message that states that you will not be able to see the background, you will need to make one of the laser wavelengths different from the rest before your background is visible.


3-D In-Depth

Overview

If you have a pair of red and blue glasses, you can experience the designs in true 3-D. When you enable 3-D, the program converts the single design into separate red, and blue parts. By using the depth and direction sliders in conjunction with a good 3-D palette, you can achieve stunning 3-D designs.

How the Program determines 3-D Depth

The program uses the designs palette in conjunction with the 3-D Depth Slider to determine the depth of the various parts of the design. The higher numbered palettes have a high depth, whereas the lower numbered palettes have little depth. In this way you can determine depths of various portions of a design. Therefore, Palette #1 will have little depth, regardless of the setting of the 3-D Depth Slider, whereas Palette #17's depth will be that of the 3-D Depth Slider itself. All palettes between these will be a percentage of the slider value.

3-D Depth

The 3-D Depth Slider is used in conjunction with the Palette to determine the actual depth of the various parts of the design. Basically, the higher the sliders value, the greater the apparent depth. The Depth Slider was added because not everyone has the same eyes (you knew that) and not everyone has the same monitor, and because depending on the design, a little depth may be too much.

Towards or Away?

When the 3-D direction is set to Towards, the design will appear to come towards you, in front of the monitor. When the direction is Away, the design will appear to go into the monitor, away from you. The default setting for 3-D Direction is Away, and this is not by random chance. Although it is possible to see 3-D that extends in front of the monitor, typically it is easier to see 3-D that goes into the monitor.


Musical Designs

Overview

When Music Response is enabled, the lasers that create the design will be under direct control of the music. The laser wavelength settings determine what frequency a particular laser is sensitive to, and the intensity settings determine how responsive that laser is. Option buttons for built-in laser responses are provided for the most widely used settings.

Laser Sensitivity

Since different types of music contain different degrees of sound content, the Laser Sensitivity Slider was added to control how sensitive the lasers are to the music overall. Positive values make the lasers more sensitive, while negative values decrease the sensitivity.

Laser Response

Some of the most widely used settings for the popular music types. By clicking one of the Laser Response buttons, the program will immediately change the intensity and wavelength sliders for the current design to a setting that is good for the particular music type. You may also adjust the Laser Intensities, and Wavelengths manually to make your own custom music response.

If you don't see any changes to Music

If you do not see the design changing to music and you have Music Enabled, first try setting the sensitivity up. If this does not work, you may have to open your Mixer (Volume Control) and adjust the CD Recording Level. The program uses a type of recording to retrieve the sound data, and therefore the Recording Volume, not the Playback Volume determines the input level.


Screen Saver Usage
Usage as a Screen Saver

Setting the Holographic Screen Saver as your Screen Saver

1. In your Control Panel, Open your Display Properties Dialog

2. Click the Screen Saver Tab

3. Scroll down the list of Screen Savers until you find 'Holographic Screen Saver' and click it.

4. Click OK

Selecting a Design for use as a Screen Saver

Run the Holographic Screen Saver Design Editor, and select a design that you want as the screen saver. Click the [image] icon, and exit the program.

Selecting a Random Design for use as the Screen Saver

Run the Holographic Screen Saver Design Editor and click the [image] icon. The program will randomly pick a non-empty design each time it runs.


How to Register

What is Shareware?

The Holographic Screen Saver is shareware and is provided with a trial period of 7 days in which time you are free to use the program and make sure it works as expected. If you feel that the program is not for you for any reason, then don't buy it. If you like the program and would like to keep using it beyond the 7 days then read on.

What does it cost to Register?

The Holographic Screen Saver v2 costs $20.00USD to Register.

Benefits of Registering

•	Free updates. Never pay for another version of the Holographic Screen Saver again!

•	Technical support. We are just an e-mail address away, and are planning to be around for a long, long time.

•	A good feeling that you didn't have to buy something you couldn't try first.

I Registered Version 1; do I have to Register Version 2?

If you registered the Holographic Screen Saver v1 on or before November 7, 1999, then you will receive Version 2 at no charge. Just send your Name, Address, User ID, Password, and e-mail address to us, and we will send you a User Name, and Program Key.

How do I Register?

Version 2 implements a new (and we feel) vastly improved way to register the program called In-Program Registration. You don't have to remember where we are in cyberspace, or worry about whether or not that Secure Site is really secure. Starting with version 2, you can order from within the Program. In-Program Registration requires that you be connected to the Internet.

To Register using In-Program Registration

1. Log on to the Internet, if you aren't already.

2. Open the Help menu inside the Design Editor, and click Register the Holographic Screen Saver.

3. You will see a new window telling you about the benefits of registering. Click Next.

4. You will now be asked to decide how you would like to register, by Visa/MC or by Mail. Check Visa/MC and click Next.

5. You will now be asked to fill in your credit information. We ask you this information for credit verification purposes only. If you would like to fill out your Email so that we may contact you in the event of a new release, please fill this in. Click Next when done.

6. You will now be shown the information you just entered, and how it will be sent. If there are any corrections that need to be made, click Back, otherwise click Submit to send it to our Secure Server.

7. That’s it! Once the transaction has completed, you will be informed of the results of the transaction. If the transaction was successful, you will receive a User Name and Program Key that you can print out or write down for your records.

To Register by Mail

Send a check or money order in the amount of $20US, made out to Virtual-Creations, to the following address-

Virtual-Creations

749 Colorado Court

Carol Stream, IL 60188-9214

After you receive your User Name and Program Key, do the following to register the program-

1. Open the Help menu within the Design Editor and click Register the Holographic Screen Saver.

2. You will see a new window telling you the benefits of registering. Click Next

3. Underneath the Payment types, Click the button that labeled 'If you have already registered…'

4. Now enter your User First Name, User Last Name, and Program Key in the provided fields. All entries are case sensitive ('a' not same as 'A'). Click Register, and the program will register itself.


Lost your Program Key
Lost your Program Key?

If you ever misplace, or forget your Program Key, please send us your Name, Address, and e-mail (if applicable) in one of the following ways-

By Email

LostKey@virtual-creations.com

Or by Mail

Virtual-Creations

749 Colorado Court

Carol Stream, IL 60188-9214


Technical Support
Getting Technical Support

If you ever experience problems with the Holographic Screen Saver, we want to know.

Send your User Name, Program Key, a description of the problem you are experiencing, and a brief description of your system (e.g. Windows version, Processor, Speed, etc…) to-

Support@virtual-creations.com

Or if you do not have access to the Internet, you may contact us by mail at-

Virtual-Creations

749 Colorado Court

Carol Stream, IL 60188-9214

We want you to have a good experience and your problems are our problems. When bugs or problems are reported to us, we will update the software with the corrections. Even if you never experience a problem, make sure to visit for the latest updates.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do I have to pay for this program, and if so how much is it?

A. The Holographic Screen Saver is shareware, and if you like the program, and wish to use it after the 7-day trial period, you will need to register it. The cost of Registration is $20.

Q. I have a Pentium 133, will the program work on my system?

A. Yes it will, but it will be very slow, and some of the effects like music will not respond well at all.

Q. I started the Design Editor, but it said 'Must be in 16, 24, or 32 bit mode to run the program'. I don't understand.

A. The program makes heavy usage of colors for its palette creation. It was decided to abandon 256-color mode support, as the designs would not look nearly as good.

Q. I got a warning message that said 'You need DirectX 5.0 or higher installed to enable the Music Controls', do I have to pay for this and where do I get it?

A. DirectX is available from Microsoft as a download, or on CD, and is free of charge. Visit out Links page for the latest link at http://www.virtual-creations.com/links.html

Q. It said I need version 4.71 or higher of Comctl32.dll, where do I get this?

A. Visit our Links page for the latest link at http://www.virtual-creations.com/links.html

Q. It said 'If all Laser Wavelengths are equal, Background will not be visible', what's going on?

A. The program uses some shortcuts when it comes to backgrounds to keep the program running fast. One drawback to this is that at least one laser wavelength must be different from the others for the background to be visible.

Q. I registered the program but had to re-install it. Now it says I need to register, what gives?

A. When the program is re-installed, it removes the registration information. Just open your Help menu, and click Register. Click Next to get to the Payment Type screen. Click the button that says 'I have already registered…' Type your User Name, and Program Key in, and click Register, and the program will be registered again.

Q. I made a design, but when I play a CD, and click Music Enabled, the design disappears and nothing happens, it didn't tell me any thing was wrong with music, what's happening?

A. The program uses a type of Recording to get sound information. Open your Mixer (e.g. Volume Control) and find the Recording Controls. Make sure that CD Recording is not muted and that the volume slider is set above its minimum setting.

Q. I was registering, and in the middle of the Registration process, I got a pop-up box telling me 'Could not connect to Server'. Was my Credit Card charged?

A. No. That is one advantage to In-Program Registration. Unlike being on a Website, the program only sends information when both the card-processing server and your computer are ready. If for any reason the Registration fails, which is usually due to heavy traffic on the Internet, the program will just inform you that it could not connect to the server and no information is sent. If this happens, try registering at another time, when the traffic on the Internet has decreased.