Wi-Viewer FAQs
This section tackles some of the more common issues you may encounter when using Wi-Viewer. If you have a problem that can't be answered here, email us:
INSTALLATION and RUNNING WI-VIEWER
Q: What exactly is Wi-Viewer?
Q: Where should I install Wi-Viewer on my system?
Q: When I run Wi-Viewer I get a “Script Error” and am asked if I want to proceed. Why?
Q: I've downloaded and extracted a Wi library. But when I select the expanded folder, during the first part of library installation, Wi-Viewer tells me that this isn't a valid selection. Why?
Q: What exactly are the DEMO libraries available from your product pages?
Q: I’ve installed a library but it says it’s in DEMO mode and I can’t extract anything. Why is this?
Q: What is DEMO mode?
GENERAL OPERATION
Q: How do I find general information about the current library - registration number, assets path etc..?
Q: How do I find out what version of Wi-Viewer I'm currently running?
EXTRACTION / DE-EXTRACTION
Q: Is it possible to accidentally erase non-library files during Extraction?
Q: What is the difference between Extract with Structure and Extract Files Only?
Q: Is there any difference between DeExtraction and Extraction>Undo?
FAVOURITE SETS
Q: Is there any point adding a library Entry to a Set if it doesn't refer to any media files?
LICENSING QUESTIONS
Q: Am I allowed to distribute Wi-Viewer among friends and colleagues?
TROUBLESHOOTING
Q: When I view a library, none of my gallery images appear and all my media icons have red slashes through them. Why?
INSTALLATION AND RUNNING WI-VIEWER
Q: What exactly is Wi-Viewer?
A: Wi-Viewer is a free library management tool designed to make the complex task of dealing with 3D object and scene files an intuitive and graphical process.
The application uses a library metaphor. This means that you can collect and install an ever-growing series of 3D libraries, all managed in the same environment.
Using an easy to follow wizard, the built-in Wi-Viewer installer takes care of locating all files associated with each library. Once installed, Wi-Viewer's powerful file copying features enable you to move all the necessary files associated with each item in a library - anything from a single image to an entire scene - directly to your latest project.
Wi-Viewer libraries also contain gallery images and useful information about the potential use and abuse of the items included, something that's very useful when dealing with complex objects and surfaces created by a third party.
Over time, we hope you'll come to manage your entire 3D library collection in this powerful environment.
Q: Where should I install Wi-Viewer on my system?
A: We recommend that you install Wi-Viewer somewhere on your system that you have read/write access. If you have a drive / partition that you already use for media libraries and projects then this is a great place to install, as Wi-Viewer itself builds up into a repository of re-usable media files.
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Q: When I run Wi-Viewer I get a “Script Error” and am asked if I want to proceed. Why?
A: It’s possible that your operating system is not supported by Wi-Viewer. In order to run Wi-Viewer your system will need to meet the following requirements:
Windows: Win2000 / WinXP
Mac: OSX 10.2.1+
20MB free hard disk space. 32MB of available RAM.
You also need to make sure that you don’t move the application away from its installation folder. Create shortcuts / Aliases if you need access to the application from, say, your desktop.
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Q: I've downloaded and extracted a Wi library. But when I select the expanded folder, during the first part of library installation, Wi-Viewer tells me that this isn't a valid selection. Why?
A: Some unzipper applications create an extra top level folder with the same name as the folder inside. Try selecting the folder inside your uppermost extracted folder. For a Pshelf Collection this inside folder would have a name like "Pshelf Glass Installer".
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Q: What exactly are the DEMO libraries available from your product pages?
A: DEMO only libraries contain no actual media files for management, but they give you a complete guide to what's included in a full library. All the gallery images and information that come with the full library are included, but most management features, such as extraction and de-extraction, are disabled.
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Q: I’ve installed a library but it says it’s in DEMO mode and I can’t extract anything. Why is this?
A: When you first install a Pshelf Collection into Wi-Viewer the library needs to be registered before it becomes fully activated. You can choose REGISTER THIS LIBRARY from the main LIBRARY menu to do this. Your registration information can be found in the Downloads / Purchases area of our website.
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Q: What is DEMO mode?
A: Wi-Viewer allows you to view libraries in two modes: Locked and Demo mode. Locked libraries can be fully managed by Wi-Viewer but you can't add to, remove from, or otherwise change the actual contents of a library. Demo libraries will only allow you to view the gallery and information relating to a library; extraction and de-extraction are unavailable in Demo mode. Paid for Pshelf Collections will run in Demo mode until you enter your registration details. This can be done in Library > Register this Library.
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GENERAL OPERATION
Q: How do I find general information about the current library - registration number, assets path etc..?
A: The Library Information dialog will show useful information about the current library: media assets path, author, version, registration number and creation date etc...
You can view the Library Information dialog by choosing Library > Library Info, or by pressing Ctrl+I (Cmd+I on Mac).
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Q: How do I find out what version of Wi-Viewer I'm currently running?
A: If you choose About Wi-Viewer from the main Help menu, a dialog box will appear which, among other things, will display the version of Wi-Viewer you're running. The main Wi-Viewer support page will always tell you which is the latest available version of the application.
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EXTRACTION / DE-EXTRACTION
Q: Is it possible to accidentally erase non-library files during Extraction?
A: Yes. Extraction will only look at file structures / names while operating. So, if you happened to use an identical file path in a project, for a file that had nothing to do with a particular Wi Library, then Extraction could potentially overwrite it.
However, each Extraction popup menu gives you access to a PREFERENCES submenu, where you can modify Wi-Viewer’s behaviour when encountering existing files. You can set it to “Replace Existing Files – Never” if you need to ensure that previously created files aren’t overwritten.
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Q: What is the difference between Extract with Structure and Extract Files Only?
A: Extract with Structure will copy library files to a content directory and place them inside any sub-folders they need in order to load correctly. This is an extremely useful function for 3D application files, as automatically creating folder structures eradicates the dreaded "Missing File!" alerts that arise when image maps go missing from their original folders.
Extract Files Only is a much simpler form of extraction that moves the selected files directly to the chosen content directory, without the addition of any sub-folders. This can be useful when you want to move individual media files directly to a particular folder for editing.
See the example below for the kinds of results that both extraction types yield.
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Q: Is there any difference between DeExtraction and Extraction>Undo?
A: Yes. There might be! When you Undo an Extraction operation, Wi-Viewer will automatically remove only those files that actually got copied. Based on your extraction preferences, certain relevant files may not have been copied because, say, they were identical to ones already in the content directory.
With DeExtraction, all relevant files will be removed from the content directory if they're found to reside there, regardless of your extraction preferences. So, potentially, DeExtraction might remove files that Extraction>Undo would leave alone.
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FAVOURITE SETS
Q: Is there any point adding a library Entry to a Set if it doesn't refer to any media files?
A: The only point in adding an Entry to a Set that doesn't refer to media files (so doesn't need Extracting to your current project) is that you can quickly navigate between libraries using the Favourite Sets list.
If you have a series of Entries that you need regular access to, for their information and images, you can add them to a Set and use the mouse menu in the Set list to instantly select each Entry. This can be quicker than manually changing Library and selecting the Entry you require each time.
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LICENSING QUESTIONS
Q: Am I allowed to distribute Wi-Viewer among friends and colleagues?
A: Yes. Wi-Viewer can be freely distributed and installed as many times as you like, on it's own as part of non-commercial products. For inclusion as part of a commercial product, please contact us: business@the-worms-of-art.com
TROUBLESHOOTING
Q: When I view a library, none of my gallery images appear and all my media icons have red slashes through them. Why?
A: This happens when Wi-Viewer can't find any of the media files in the directory designated as its "assets path". This path is stored centrally as an "absolute" link to your assets directory and so the location may become confused if you move your Wi-Viewer installation around, or you rename a drive / partition.
To find out the designated path for your assets, choose from the main menu Library > Library Info or press Ctrl+I (Cmd+I on Mac).
If the saved path is wrong, then the problem is easily cured by selecting from the main menu Media > Find Assets. This will let you browse to the location of your top level assets folder (which will have the same name as your library). Wi-Viewer will do some basic checks on your selection before beeping and refreshing the display. Your gallery images and media should then appear correctly.
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