Note this file is located in the main MediaLab directory for future reference or in case you want to read it after the installation is complete. This file contains important information regarding the installation and running of MediaLab. It is strongly recommended that this file be read before attempting to use the program. Contents 1. System requirements for MediaLab 2. Disabling MediaLab's security 3. Optimizing Windows95 for MediaLab 4. How to get started--the on-line tutorial 5. Where to find answers to your questions ---------------------------------------------- 1. System Requirements for MediaLab MediaLab requires the following in order to run: * Windows95 (NT has not been fully tested) * 16 Mb ram Machines on which Experiments will be created and edited also require: * Microsoft Access97 (Office 97 version) If you do not have Access97, there is a free and legal runtime version available from our download site, www.empirisoft.com. It will work fine. If you do install this version of Access, be sure to read the 'readme!.txt' file that accompanies access97.zip for two critical installation notes. Machines that will simply run experiments and collect data do not require Microsoft Access. They will require Word and/or PowerPoint (Office 95 or 97 versions) if you want to embed Word documents or PowerPoint shows in your experiment or questionnaires. *---------------------------------------------------- Recommended (but optional) System Features * Pentium system (or equivalent) * 32 Mb of RAM * Video cards with at least 2 Mb of video memory. * Good quality sound card * Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel (Office 95 or 97 versions) The Microsoft programs work cooperatively with MediaLab, if installed, to provide some pretty impressive functionality. They are not necessary however. ---------------------------------------------- 2. Disabling MediaLab's security Before MediaLab will run on any machine, an access code for that machine must be obtained from support@empirisoft.com. Before you can get an access code, you must install MediaLab and try to run it. MediaLab will give you a number we will translate into an access code. This number will be unique to the drive on which MediaLab has been installed and will not work for other computers or drives. When you receive the translated security code, re-run MediaLab and enter your four-digit code in the space provided. MediaLab will then be fully functional. ---------------------------------------------- 3. Optimizing Windows95 for MediaLab It is recommended that the following tweaks be made to the Windows95 environment. These are all optional. a) True colors. This one is strongly recommended. To allow for the full range of colors usable by MediaLab, it is recommended that you use 16, 24, or 32 bit color. Most systems are set by default to 8 bit, which provides for only 256 colors (colors or color ranges may appear as dots, patterns, or solid regions). To change this option, right click (i.e., using your right mouse button) anywhere on the desktop and then select 'Properties'. Choose 'Settings', and then select the highest color range possible. 24 and 32 bit color ranges are both capable of displaying close to the full range of colors detectable by the human eye. b) Show file extensions. MediaLab frequently makes use of file extensions. These are the three-letters following the period on file names (e.g., .exe, .doc, .mpg). For this reason, it is useful to be able to see these extensions. To set this as a default, open any folder and select 'View' from the pull down menu. Select 'Options', and then 'View' again. Deselect the option to have Windows 'Hide MS-DOS extensions'. It is also advisable to have Windows 'Display the full MS-DOS file path in the title bar'. c) Browsing folders. This is a personal preference, but it makes hunting down files much easier if you do the following two things: (1) open any folder and select 'View' from the pull down menu. Select 'Options,' and under 'Folder,' select 'Browse folders by using a single window...', and (2) again open any folder and under 'View,' click 'Details.' d) Screen Resolution. Although Medialab was designed to work in all screen resolutions, how things look will depend on the resolution you choose. Certain items may need to be repositioned with the left and top parameters when running in high resolution modes. To resolution settings, again right-click on your desktop, choose 'Properties' and 'Settings'. f) Finally, if your machine has problems displaying video with MediaLab (e.g., you get sound but no video), run the program contained in the utilities\indeo directory to update your multi-media drivers. You probably won't need to do this. ----------------------------------------------- 4. How to get started--the on-line tutorial When you first run MediaLab successfully, press F1 to access the help documentation and an overview of how the program works. Be sure to take advantage of MediaLab's context sensitive help. Highlight any item on a pull-down menu, and press 'F1' while the item is still highlighted. You will get instant help on the highlighted topic. When you are in the experiment and questionnaire editors, put your cursor on any field and press 'F1' to get instant help on that topic as well. It's much easier to learn this way than by trying to read through the entire help file from start to finish (ick!). If you find the help files overwhelming at first, run the 'On-line tutorial' from the 'Help' menu. These tutorial lessons were designed to walk you through the creation and execution of a basic MediaLab experiment. This is a very easy way to get started. There is also a complete user's manual and reference guide located in the MediaLab help directory. This file can be printed if you prefer to have a hard copy of this sort of thing (approx. 100 pages, 8 1/2 x 11). It contains all the information located in the help and on-line tutorial files. It is called MedialabManual.doc and can be read by any good word processor. ----------------------------------------------- 5. Where to find answers to your questions We will be starting to compile a list of frequently asked questions. This file (faq.htm) will be located in the main MediaLab directory. Double click on it to open it in your internet browser. You can also look at the most recent faq at our website (http://www.empirisoft.com). If you have questions you can't find the answers to, please feel free to contact us at support@empirisoft.com.