Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

You may be right, dialyn, I m not sure how things stand over there.. But if I have anything to do with it, let me repeat it here, you nor anybody else will be left out if you want to continue with Poser. A way will be found, Im sure of that at least. Cheers, Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

Hello Dialyn, Ray

NOBODY will be left out if I can help it.
The situation now is as follows:

DAZ sells the full packet - PC and MAC - Poser 4 EC II:
a) UPGRADE for existing users of EC Version1
b) FULL Version EC II for new users

So Poser 4 users (PC and MAC!) are OK, existing users are OK as well.

Poser 5 users: I'm working HARD to find another outlet. I expect no difficulties there, but it will take time- if I'm lucky, perhaps not too much. Of course I would have preferred to continue working with friends (=DAZ), but I will simply have to make new ones, if I want to do things for Poser 5 as well as for Poser 4. Which I do.

Ray: the program for Poser 5 was immense work. I managed to get the exact same functionality in there, but had to program all over to reach that result. I tried to manage a deal with DAZ about those cross- upgrades, but couldn't. The short version: there is no possibility of a price break- but there will be a reduction on introducing ECII for Poser 5.
I'm really sorry, but there is nothing more I can do about it in this situation.

Cheers,

Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

Hello Niles, yes, so do I. I think they broke off business with Curious Labs, or CL with them. I don't know the details. Poser 5 is very different from Poser 4, but not a bad program. I personally prefer Poser 4, since it's renders are better quality, and ten times faster. I trust CL however to come with an update, so that Poser 5 will make better use ofit's FireFly render engine. There is a lot of capability there. Cheers, Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

Hi Circle- yes- that's just one of the things EC2 can do. I wanted this in version 1, 8 months back, but didn't have the experience then to make this a bug-free module. You can do it automated- just load an image, and either create a Light Environment instantly, or save as a universal set for use in other EC modules (ok- universal EC2 only :-) ). But it gets only REALLY interesting when you do it interactively -just like real life. Which is why this module has a SnapShot feature like the others- history lists you can save, paste, delete etcetera. This means you load an image, do things with the interactivity feature, and write each interesting result in a SnapShot (each of which you can give a name, so you know what they hold, rather practical that); and at the end of the session, you can save all your SnapShots to a file. - so you can continue from a given point at ANY time. There's a lot more besides, but I think this more or less answers your question :-) Happy rendering, Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl/Poser_Website/Poser_Web.html

Hello there, couldnt resist answering- came across this subject. Scaling the camera doesnt work- you must put in in the same relational space as your object- that is the only way. And that, of course, is only the beginning. Now I must ask your excuse for what may sound like a blurp, but is nevertheless the plain truth- and my interest in the problem put here made me write this program- and answer you. So bear with me please :-) The PCB ZOOM Tool - a program I wrote, and of which Im really proud, does this " relationally spacing" automatically, and thereafter, if you want it to do so, will stay with the object, wherever it goes, grows or shrinks, whatever pose it takes on. I wrote the program because I got entirely sick of having to waste hours looking for something in Poser, of painfully placing cameras only to loose them the instant anything moved or changed... ;-(( You need Propack for the program- but with SR3, I would never want to go back to the old Poser4. So: yes, what you ask is possible. Theres lots of info etc. on my site if you want to know more- entirely up to you. Enjoy rendering! Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

Hello everybody,

this is to let you know that I finished the MAC version yesterday, and it should be with my friends at DAZ now. Writing for the Mac asks for its own code, which is why it took so long.
But it got so good, I decided I couldnt let the PC side down by keeping them at the level they were at then- so I implemented more or less all the faculties the Mac got.
Which changed the program so much, were now at version 1.1.

Those that already bought the program, will of course be able to get the update- Im working on one, should be finished by the weekend-

New buyers must look at the title, which should read: "the PCB ZOOM Tool- version 1.1"

the manual changed accordingly, you dont have to buy the program to look into it, but can look it in at my website if youre interested.

P.S. Colin Swift asked me some highly interesting things about the use of the ZOOM Tool in the SETUP room- and I think he has touched on something that is really worth investigating. I will come back on that one later.

Enjoy rendering!

Paul Christiaan

or Mr Christian- wonderful, thanks Hiram

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos,nl

Hello there, Someone pointed me to your questions. You can see, and read, everything about my new ZOOM Tool via my site- I have the manual there for reading through (600 K, all png's). Just follow the "Poser" link on my site, and you'll get there. I'm very proud of this tool, at last we have a zoom for Poser- something I missed badly, especially when working with large models- which is why I wrote it. Mac version is now in the final testing stage, should be released this week. Hope this helps a bit :-) Enjoy rendering! Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

Gentlemen! Dkal explained things great; I'm sorry I was'n't clearer myself. I'm working on implementing an even better fix straight into all the programs I'm writing for the Mac. Right now, I'm incredibly hard at work finishing the PCB ZOOM Tool for the Mac. To write good stuff for the Mac, you have to write most of the system routines yourself. The fix I supplied was meant for other's work: what I'm doing for the Mac will have no need of the fix- but it doesn't hurt either. You can savely apply the fix- things will just be better. P.S. I'm now testing my ZOOM Tool on a very bad, early IMac, the one with the massive problems- and it runs like fire, even though I have to make maasive use of virtual memory (testing 75 Mb pz3's on a 160 Mb Mac...). In other words: the fix helps, and is save. Shortly, I'll release a "Python fixer" via the Pro Pack freebies, here at Renderosity: a sort of medicine to quickly fix python problems that would otherwise hang your computer. This should really do away with any Pyhton problem out there, I should think. By the way: do you know that, as things now stand, Python works much more pleasantly on the Mac than on the PC? On the PC, I have to write whole novella's of code to keep things in order, while on the Mac I only have to write some Quickdraw routines... Great computer, the Mac. Cheers, Paul Christiaan. more info at my site, just follow the Poser link

Hi dkal.. Explain even more?.. Ok, will try a bit. Radiosity is the way light behaves in the real world: coming from everywhere. The Creators simulate that, by allowing you to light the model from all sides: up, down, left, right, and so on. They create the lightset for you (giving you maximum freedom in shaping it, naturally), and allow you to control that lightset (from 20 up to 128 lights max, plus Sun, you choose) with the greatest amount of detail. Sets can be saved, shared with other users etcetera. They render fast- considering the amount of lights-, and the result totally differs from normal Poser lighting. In fact, in a week or so, I plan to release some Freebies for the Creators. Lots of people use them already, Im happy to say. Nice thing about them is that they are so fast, and flexible. But read the manual on my site if youre really interested. Yours, Paul Christiaan

Attached Link: http://www.pcbos.nl

Dear MaCS! Thats a lot of questions- let me see: I try to write some really useful cross-platform tools for Poser, tools that go a bit beyond the normal scope. The Environment Creators are for creating complex lightscapes- like radiosity, but much quicker-, with full interactivity (or as full as I could make it). Other tools are a Zoom Tool for Poser, and so on. If you are really interested, you could take a look at my page, or my page at DAZ. The thing is, that Python isnt well implemented in Poser for Mac- and thats a pity, since I wouldnt care to do without Python myself- makes Poser many times more useful. Therefore, and since I see it as sort of my duty- forgive the serious word, wont you :-)-to treat Mac users the same as my PC users (even though the last are about seven times more in number), Ive been very busy in trying to figure out what exactly was going wrong. What I now did is, of course, only the beginning, but as things stand !AS OF TODAY!, Mac users have *BETTER* Python implementation than PC users (!!!) Which, I think, is absolutely fabulous. And to be honest, something I totally did NOT expect.. :-) Let me tell you, I wish I could work on my PC as I can on the Mac, Poserwise, since today. For now, I implemented my solution only fully in my own programs- Im only human, and have a darling wife-, but its something to build on. I now know I can write things for the Mac that will stand up, and not fail. And I know I will do more things, for the Mac, upon that foundation. So "dkal": let me just say that today a interesting future began for Poser on the Mac.. I cant express it better.. And "Dan": DONt give up on PythonMac! Its incredible, I promise you! In about two or three weeks time, after I first updated all my Mac programs to get the Max out of them, and after a few other new releases both for PC and Mac, I will then do some free stuff for the Macworld, if I can. Any Environment Creator users between you: GET the update right now!! I asked DAZ to place the update right away, but simply couldnt wait, I thought it was that important. And if youre not one of my users: still: GET that update and study it. Dont be afraid to ask help of me if you have to- I really like to help (but I trust youll respect my time a little too) Yours, and happy rendering, Paul Christiaan

Hello Diana- of course I wouldnt usually post personal email on a public board. But I thought your questions were of value to more people than just between you and me- and I also edited your mail so that it was as universal as I could make it. But please accept my apologies! As for your concerns versus Posers behaviour in Python mode: I can but agree, but there is nothing to be done about it without rewriting the whole programcode for Poser itself. Just be happy you use a PC, and not a Mac: there I had to rewrite even the most basic systemcode to even be able to open a window... P.S. You will not crash Poser by using the Creators, it simply cannot be done :-) You may slow it down though if you use Posers dials while the Creators are on top, but that is really all.. I want to thank you for teaching me a great deal about what to think about when writing a program, and will include what I learned in the zoom tool that Im writing now for Poser. Enjoy rendering! Paul

Hello everybody. I thought it might be helpful if I posted this publicly as well. Goes into things at a bit more depth. *********** Hi Diana, I got your message from DAZ this morning. I think I gave you, and others, the solutions on poserforum already, but just to recap, I answer your questions here again. Let me know if things now work alright for you, OK? I think they will.. Please feel free to contact me if you still have questions, it will be a real pleasure to help you. ************************ > >From: "diana" -------- > >To: > >Subject: problems with environcreator scripts > >Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 08:55:51 -0600 > >X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 > > > >I had to remove the read only attribute for the mainButtons.py file(again as I did for MK scripts but I had reset the attribute to keep other scripts > >from doing things to it). Plus I had to copy the tcl80.dll (and I copied the other two '80' files with it in case they were support files) to the system > >folder to get it to even install. ************************ 1) OK, so you understood you had to unlock mainbuttons. You dont have to reset the bit,since there is no script, except an installer, that will do things to it. In fact, I wonder why Poser locks it at all.. Dont move your dlls, whatever you do. It is not needed. The "error 13" message, trying to write to a locked file, must have confused you- dont worry, it did the same to others:-) ************************ >A while later I read a message about about putting a "C:Program > >FilesTclbin" path statement (the folder does exist at that path) in the autoexec.bat but I didn't do it right away since I had the scripts installed ************************ 2) If you take the error messages seriously, you will get in trouble. Believe me, I know, since I use them as tracers when writing programs. So no wonder you writing the path in the autoexec.bat made no difference- but Im now wondering what your problems were :-) ************************ >Even after all that, when I run the script it makes my system perform like a > >Pentium 200 with only 3 lights and a bowl prop. Screen updates take forever if they happen at all (it often crashes) if I move a script window so I can > >see behind it. Running the script takes down Poser.exe with a c++ runtime error often, the script window turns white and won't leave till I actually click on it somewhere or CAD and shut it down. It's a mess and I don't dare > >load a big light set (one of the scripts complains none are installed) or a real model. ************************ 4) Ahh! Now I see! You tried to use Posers dials while the Creators had taken over control. So that was your problem. No, Poser doesnt crash, but its slow progress certainly can make it look so. The second part of your statement I at first didnt recognise. Let me think- you might have rendered, or clicked somewhere in the Poser window, so Poser then got back focus, and you didnt think, or werent able to since you allowed Poser to take over the whole screen, of clicking the Creators to draw focus back to them; and when MOVING a script window- I take it now you had it over the model screen, of course screen redraw is almost zero- see above. The manual warned you you had to give the Creators a bit of screen to themselves. But it did not warn you that it might be more practical not to hide the model screen, because I didnt think anybody would- an oversight on my part (the picture in the manual, where it advises you to keep a bit free for the Creators, shows the right position). On the other hand, you STILL could have moved the Creators; any change would have caused immediate screen redrawal in the model screen. Now the c++ runtime error is interesting, and I would love to see a screen shot of it. But I think I already know, since another user send me some shots already, and I was able to solve his problem for him easily. And his was the same as yours. OK- this is what happens: IMPORTANT XP is natively multithreaded, while Poser is NOT. This is the reason why screen redraw is so slow while the Creators are in control. So if things seem to mess up, because you touched Poser while the Creators had all threads, and screen redraw therefore goes down to a crawling pace, and- the ONLY way you might get a blank script window, and a c++ error message at the end of the process, -AND: you had not given the Environment Creators a bit of screen space to themselves.. You are now in trouble, since Poser and Creators are ONE, and only ONE, program in the eyes of the system. So clicking in the taskbar on the Creators wouldnt have done anything for you. Poser responds only very slowly, you had allowed it to take over the screen, and now there is no way- unless you are patient- to get the Creators back. In this case, you should have minimised Poser- then, suddenly, the Creators would have sprung back to life. Exit from the Creators- restarting is not necessary at all. Maximise Poser again.Poser now springs back to life! OK, now make it a bit smaller, restart the Creators, move them to where they stuck out a bit from the Poser screen, and create away. Problem solved! Oh yes: the program tells you, indeed, that no lights are there when you load an unadapted lightset: because its the plain truth, and it saves you wasting time. If the program tells you a lightset, or parts of it, simply arent there, its time for you to whip out the Analyser and adapt it (do read the manual though to save your valuable time). To give you an example: if you load a perfectly adapted lightset that holds ALL lights except for reflection lights, the Creators will work happily for you as long as youre not trying to do something to those reflection lights. But the moment you try to, it tells you they arent there- and quite right it is too. You can still continue working with the other lights as usual, but trying to work with non- existing lights will give you the same message. If you tried two or three times, the message on the interface changes to: "Well, they really arent there, you know :-)", which I must admit I thought was sort of neat.. I really hate it when a program isnt aware of its user... By the way: even an Old, Unadapted lightset can still be worked on, but without the detail you would otherwise have: just choose button "ANY" - instead of "Sun", "Sky", "Sun+Sky", or "Bounce". You can now do anything to your lightset, but it will be to all lights at once- from 1 lights to 4096 lights, doesnt matter howmany. Everything you do will happen to them all. With adapted sets, you could change just the small parts you chose to work on- front, left, mid-down-right part, and so on. IMPORTANT ************************* >time I ran Poser afterwards, and the light analyser script, renamed my current 3 light set to something like skymain, it froze, the script window went blank white and sat there over my image. I had to close the script (right click on the task bar button because the script window button was invisible in the white) and doing so crashed Poser.exe with a C++ runtime > >error again. I can't even descr ************************* The problem with the analyser you described, including the error message, comes down to the same thing as I described above: ***** MANTRA ***** 1) dont let Poser take over the whole screen. Keep a bit of the Creators free from Poser. 2) Only work with the Creators GUI, because Poser is taken over as long as you work with the Creators- which is why you can render straight from the Creators. Otherwise, things will suddenly slow down. 3) Click on the Creators to draw focus back to them. Dont use the taskbar. Once finished, maximise Poser again if you wish. AND- only XP: take care not to inadvertently start two python scripts at the same time. Youll get a c++ error. If this happens, dont worry. Click the naggy window away and start the Python script again. Click only once, thats all you have to think about. MAC only- run the Creators straight from the file menu if you get into trouble. This will set things to right again. No restarting or quitting necessary. Might be helpful if you closed the Python button window- that will reset it in one go, while the highly powerful path clauses in the Creators set things straight for you in the heart of the system, and allow you to continue work as normal. I trust this answers all. I will place a FAQ on my website at http://www.pcbos.nl , at the poser page there, where these points will be shared with other users. P.S. There is no way in which I could alter Posers nasty non- multithreaded behaviour without rewriting the program, Im sorry. But with the three points of the "Mantra" above, the Creators will work reliably for you- I have today tested on a XP machine to see if Im right in supposing this, and I can now say it with confidence. Thank you for drawing my attention to your problems, I learned a good deal about how to go about with my new program, a Zoom Tool for Poser. Your mail is invaluable to me- Im only sorry you had such unnecessary problems. I promise once again: I will never write an Installer anymore, and also promise to, in future, always think of being explicit about Posers quirks, and also promise here and now that, in future, I will not take for granted that some behaviours are known to everybody. To write creative tools for the Poser community, of which I myself am proud to be a member, is tremendous fun and one great, big, HUGE learning process. I could never grow and be really useful to it without comments like yours, and thats the plain truth. Thank you. Enjoy rendering! Paul C. Bos

Dear Martin, I tested on MANY different computers. I would never release anything that wouldnt work, just like you and your own wonderful programs. Please dear Martin, try out my programs. If they dont work for you, give them back, they wont cost you a penny. Tryout my QuickRotator for Mac first, its gratis http://www.pcbos.nl/Poser_Website/Poser_Web.html Believe me, PPP works update Poser to 4.0.3, then update to Pro Pack SP3. THEN run my programs- preferably straight from the Poser menu, giving mainbuttons a miss the first time- after having read "Remarks.html", which you can also find in the Mac manual at the above place, and which you also get, including a full manual, with my programs at DAZ. Brother mine, we seldom have disagreed in the past, so this is fun... Give it a serious try, OK? By the way: the Environment Creators will also be released in a German Version- and Poser German is a TRUE nightmare, you wouldnt believe how badly some of the tcls are written there; which simply means I will have to write a few of my own, what? Yours, Paul P.S. Of COURSE I remember our IE correspondence... I still prefer to work with Netscape under Windows, by the way- I HATE viruses and sniffers... Cheerio :-)

Hi Martin, me old buddy I KNOW youre not that fond of Pro Pack, but youre wrong, my dear Martin, believe me. There was a time I agreed with you, but not anymore, not since SP3 for the Pro Pack has come out. We had quite a correspondence about this subject, but let me tell you this: if you have Poser 4.03 (latest update) AND latest update for Pro Pack (SP3, I believe), things will work- Mac and PC! I have made some dirty hacks into the system to make it behave, admittedly- but they work: and BETTER even, in certain aspects, than they run under PC. QuickDraw routines seem to be much nicer to Poser than WMManager stuff in Windows. My Creators, for instance, WILL run faultlessly under almost any circumstance- when you run them straight from the Poser menu, and dont use the Mainbutton foolery. This is the one and only weak point of Python implementation for the Mac, which you can nullify by using this route. What my programs do, is that they take Poser by the scruff of its neck, and force it (! I put some mighty powerful code here!) to face the right way again. Of course you can run them from mainbuttons, but be prepared for some nonsense on the screen from time to time; but when this happens, just close the Python buttons, run one of my programs straight from the menu, and voila- Poser is suddenly back to normal again. Tested: 8.6,9.2,10.01 Anyway, my programs totally take over Poser, and work much faster than Poser. There is no need to go back to Poser till you finished, since you can render all the while, so you can clearly see what youre doing- plus you can save what you are doing, and/or save the starting point, so its just sheer luxury- INPOSSIBLE without PPP. No, PPP is about the best thing since sliced bread, especially, or better: SINCE PPP update 3 has come out. I work with standard Poser from time to time, and have grown to dislike it more and more. Its large, not-very-clever bums for bumps, its slow screen redrawals, and lastly it not having Python abilities, make it just not professional enough. PPP is flexible, and worth a second look- you can take my word for it. Personally, I wouldnt like to be without: it works faster. A LOT faster. Ever yours, Paul C. Bos By the way: if you plan to buy the Mac PPP mainly for Python scripts, you make the right decision for your banknotes- its now worth every penny. Go to http://www.pcbos.nl/Poser_Website/Poser_Web.html and see a few possibilities

Hi Martin, hi guys! You know- I posted QuickRotator for Mac a few days ago.. You find it at http:www.pcbos.nl/Poser_Website/Poser_Web.html If I did typos, go to www. pcbos.nl, youll find links to my Poser page there. I take immense pains to deliver equal quality to both PC and Mac alike, by the way. Pro Pack for Mac is a bit painful, but I put some forceful pathPatcher- clausules in the code. They even run under Mac OS X :-) Yours, Paul C. Bos