                        Imagine ReadMe Documentation
                        ============================
                          Imagine 4.0 Installation

                          Rev 1.0 10-15-95 S.Kirvan
                 Copyright 1995 Impulse Inc., Mpls, MN 55444



Notes on Installing Imagine 4.0:
================================

Version 4.0 of Imagine is a full installation, not an incremental one.
What this means is that Version 4.0 is fully stand alone, and does not
require that you already have an older version of imagine installed.
This Installation will, unless you specify otherwise, install into the
directory, C:\IM40.  If you install it into an existing directory, this
install will overwrite the existing files (including you Imagine.cfg
file).  Version 4.0 of Imagine has included with it replacements for
all of Impulse's previously supplied texture and F/X modules.

To install Imagine from floppy:

On the PC, Insert Disk 1 of the Imagine 4.0 installation set into your
floppy drive:

Change your current directory to the A: drive by typing:

        A:\

Then run the installation program by typing:

        install

(this is assuming your floppy drive is A: - if not, use the drive letter
of your floppy device).  This will install the Imagine software to a
directory on your C: drive named C:\IM40.  To customize the installation
so that the software is installed to a different diectory, append the
path you wish to use after the install command line. For example, type:

        install D:\IMAGINE

to install the software in drive D: in a directory called \IMAGINE.

To install the software on the Amiga, just insert the installation floppy,
disk 1, double click the installation icon, and follow the screen prompts
for selecting destination directory and installation options (if
applicable).



This install will put the following files and directories in your IM40
directory:

Imagine.exe     -  Imagine's executable file.
Imagine.cfg     -  Imagine's configuration (preferences) file.
Imagine.pic     -  Imagine's startup screen pic.
Objects\        -  Directory: contains some sample objects.
Attribs\        -  Directory: contains a sample attribute file and Imagine's
                   user definable quick attributes.
Textures\       -  Directory: contains Imagine's texture modules and lighting
                   textures.
Effects\        -  Directory: contains Imagine's Object and Global F/X modules.
Docs\           -  Directory: contains documentation on features not covered
                   in the manual.
Toolkit2\       -  Directory: contains a shareware demo of some 3rd party
                   texturizing tools.


Installed in the Docs directory is the following files:

readme.txt      - a copy of this text for future reference.
manual.txt      - a document explaining all the features outlined below
                  that were add since the printing of the manual.
dof.txt         - a document that explains the use of the camera's action
                  bar to set up Depth of Field and 3D stereo.
globalfx.txt    - this document explains the use of and documents all of
                  the included global F/X (these are installed in the
                  effects\globals directory).
texture.txt     - this is the full texture document explaining the use of
                  all the the included textures.  The textures that have
                  been added since version 3.0 are noted as such.
dxf.txt         - this document explains some of details about DXF files
                  that may help with loading and saving DXF's.
litetex.txt     - this document explains the use of and documents all of
                  the lighting textures install in the textures\lites
                  directory.
freeze.txt      - this document explains the use of Imagine's constraints
                  and freezing used in inverse kinematic state motion.
shredder.txt    - this document explains the use of the Shredder Explosion
                  F/X.

These files should be readable with any text editor or word processor.  If
you need to, you can print them for your own use.  We apologize for any
inconvience this may cause, but we are doing what we can to save some trees
while we work up to a full revision upgrade.


A Note on Memory Managers and Imagine:
======================================

1.  DOS 6's EMM386.EXE, QuarterDeck's QEMM386.SYS and other "advanced"
    memory managers may cause a particular problem for Imagine.

        The symptom is that Imagine seems to load fine, but then it drops
        back out to a DOS prompt -- (possibly) after displaying a "failed
        to enlarge CS/DS" / "init_mem() failed" message.

        If, when you type the MEM command at the DOS prompt, it lists both
        EMS and XMS memory, it is possible that the (two types of) memory
        managers are both managing the same pool of free memory, and each
        reports the full amount as free -- causing Imagine to try to
        allocate twice as much memory as is truly available.

        If you think that is case, try running IMAGINE with the /NOXMS switch

        -- i.e.  IMAGINE /NOXMS

        But note:  if you are having a problem, and it is not caused
        by the situation discussed above, then the switch will prevent
        Imagine from using any XMS memory that really is available.

        The DOS 6 version of EMM386.EXE definitely causes the "problem",
        so if the MEM command displays information about EMS memory, you
        WILL need the /NOXMS switch on the IMAGINE command line.

        QEMM386 causes the "problem", only if it is performing both
        types of memory management -- which is very likely.

2.  EMM386's "/NOEMS" switch will cause Imagine to fail.

        If the /NOEMS switch appears in the EMM386 "DEVICE" line in
        your CONFIG.SYS file, remove it.



Bug Reporting:
==============

        We have done our best to eliminate known bugs and not to
introduce new ones into the software.  However, we ask that if you do
find any bugs, please report them, in writing, to us as soon as you
can.  Impulse's Tech Support staff can not handle bug reports so we
have to get them by mail.  In your report, include a brief description
of you computer system, including any special hardware, and do the
best you can to explain the steps you took to bring out the bug.  Also,
it may be very helpful if you can include any problematic objects or
project files, on floppy, with the report.

        Send any bug reports to:

                Impulse, Inc. Im4.0 Bugs
                8416 Xerxes Ave. N.
                Brooklyn Park, MN 55444

        Impulse can also be reached via EMail on Compuserve.  Our
Compuserve address is 72662,3330.  Sending bug reports to our EMail
address may not be as reliable as standard mail since the report may
not get properly forwarded to the correct personnel.

        Also available on Compuserve are two good groups where users
can find support for Imagine.  One of the groups is the Animation
Vendors forum (ANVENA) and the other is Graphics User Group A
(GUGRPA).  Both of these forums may help you to find technical
support, example files, and new ideas.


Features Added or Improved Since the Manual was Printed
=======================================================

These features are all explained in the file "manual.txt."

*New in Version 3.1*
        1.  Added an "About" Box.
        2.  Extended "States" to include object attributes.
        3.  Impoved and Extended DXF loading and saving.
        4.  Added FLC and ANIM global brush and backdrop support.
        5.  Added FLC and ANIM brush support.
        6.  Added ability to view Stills and Animations from within Imagine.
        7.  Added Field Rendering.
        8.  Added access to object attributs from Stage Editor.
        9.  Added perspective viewing from objects and lights to Stage Editor.
        10. Added "Smart Bones" to speed up subgroup assignment in objects.

*New in Version 3.2*
        11. Added support for Hi-Res graphics workspace.
        12. Added support for 256 color graphics workspace.
        13. Added "Quick Attributes."
        14. Added "Set/Fill Edge Line" for stitching object together.
        15. Added "Pick More" to aid in picking face groups.
        16. Added "Hide Unpicked", "Unhide All", "Unhide Subgroup".
        17. Added "Smooth Edge Line" for object smoothing.
        18. Added Backdrops in editors for rotoscoping and persp matching.
        19. Added Fracture in Object mode to anti-laticize an object.
        20. Added "Scrub" bar to animation preview controls.

*New in Version 3.3*
        21. Added Smooth fracture.
        22. Added Variable Brightness to object attributes.
        23. Moved Randomize Colors to function menu.
        24. Added Mix/Morph control for intensity on ALL textures and brushes.
        25. Added Specular Mapping.
        26. Added Hardness Mapping.
        27. Added Shininess Mapping.
        28. Added Brightness Mapping.
        29. Added Fog Length Mapping.
        30. Added Index Of Refraction Mapping.
        31. Added Ambient Light Mapping.
        32. Added Roughness Mapping.
        33. Added Previous/Next buttons for traversing texture list quickly.
        34. Added Browse buttons to texture and brush requesters.
        35. Added 256 Color real-time texture preview.
        36. Added 256 color color pickers in texture requester.
        37. View Brush added to previewing brushes.
        38. QuickRender access directly from all attrib/txtr requesters.
        39. User defined Texture/brush labels added for clarifying texture list.
        40. "Dup" Added to attrib req for copying textures/brushes.
        41. "Drop" Added to attrib req for dropping textures/brushes quickly.
        42. "Disable/Enable" button added for turning textures on/off.
        43. Interactive point-and-click support added to text in texture list.
        44. Real time previewing of renders as they happen in 256 col displays.
        45. Support for unfinished FLC's added.
        47. Default object attributes added to preferences.
        48. Shaded View Edge drawing control added to Prefs (PC only).
        49. Replaced "Reflection Mapping" with "Environment Mapping."
        50. Added preferences option for startup editor.
        51. Added preferences option to set number of points in CSG sphere.

*New in Version 4.0*
        52. Soft Shadows added to detail editor shadow casting light sources.
        53. Motion Blur in Project Images.
        54. Blob Modelling with both faceted and animatable soft object output.
        55. Cascade Object Heirarchy Grouping.
        56. Delete File in the Detail Editor for deleting temporary work files.
        57. Stage Effects in Detail Editor.
        58. Smoothing Tool for smoothing objects.
        59. Auto-Load Backdrop Images in Stage (for rotoscoping).
        60. Automatic Picking of Pasted Objects in Detail Editor.
        61. Improved Imagine's Starfield.
