How to do StarCAVE demos

General Startup

Log in as user "demo".

Open terminal window and type command "cave_on". This starts up the projectors. Wait a bit for everything to start up.

Tracking

Normally, the tracking system should just work. If it doesn't, use the commands

 trackd stop
 trackd start

to restart the tracking software. If that still doesn't help set the KVM switch to the tracker PC (device #2) and close and re-open the DTrack software. Then run the above trackd stop/start sequence one more time.

Earth Demo

To run the Earth demo:

• make sure you are in directory /home/covise
• type the command "./RUN_EARTH"

To quit click on black window and hit ESC key.

COVISE Demos

Open the editor by typing the command "gedit /home/covise/covise/config/starcave.xml"

In the editor, make sure all plugins that are under the list "not ready for demos" are off.

When turning a demo on, save the file, and go back to terminal. Type command "opencover".

To quit the demo, press escape. In the terminal, press the arrow up key to repeat last command, e.g., to restart the demo.

Visible Human

• make sure 'Volume' plugin is 'on' in config file
• open volume plugin submenu
• open Files submenu
• load a file, e.g., FCTSkull or Newton
• adjust transfer function in TFE window

Structural Engineering and Visual Arts Building

• 'cd data/falko'
• 'opencover se_building.obj'
• resize model to 1:1 scale

Baybridge

• set 'StructView' plugin to 'on' in config file
• check layer boxes in StructView submenu
• resize data set to be closer to 1:1 scale (size of part is 80x60x20 foot)

360 Degree Panorama Images

• cd /home/covise/dan/StereoViewer
• Depending on the application run:
  • 'RUN_stereoViewer_MarsPans' for the Mars panoramas (or RUN_MARS_PANS)
  • 'RUN_stereoViewer_AnsIm' for Dick Ainsworth's images (4th image takes 120 sec to load)
  • 'RUN_stereoViewer_StarCaveIMlocal' for Milwaukee Art Museum (only first image runs stable)
• 'n' key cycles through panoramas
• Joystick left/right on wand rotates the image

Particle Dreams

Sound Server

The piece uses the sound server on the PC to the right of the Starcave.

If you don't hear sound:

Check the text window on the StarCAVE head node's main console. If it says something like "audio disabled", the sound server is not operating. Check the audio PC and see if AudioServerDX is running. If it is not, start it by double clicking on its icon. If it is running, kill and restart it.

Run Demo

Restart “RUN_DREAMS”, or if it is running, kill and restart RUN_DREAMS. To kill RUN_DREAMS press escape while the graphics window is selected. You can select the graphics window by clicking the mouse in that window.

The application will run ok without audio if necessary.

Buttons and Interaction

Reflector and injector: on trigger.
Home: Center-left button navigates to origin of coordinate system.
Navigate: hold down center right button and move wand in direction of travel.
Move to next scene: hold down leftmost button and press rightmost button. This is designed to prevent accidental moves between scenes. It is always active, but must be used to move from the first scene. After that the scene changes automatically until last scene (water and sky). The buttons must be used again to move from the last scene to the first scene.

Joystick: moves the sun around in water and sky scene, after the sunrise.

When Leaving

• press escape and close the editor
• in the terminal, type "cave_off"
• log off the computer and turn off the monitor

Remember:

• Make sure that all projectors are off completely when you leave.
• Be smart about where you place the joystick, so that it cannot slide off the table. It is quite fragile.