FAQ
From Garden Gnome Software
This is the list of frequently asked questions for both Pano2VR and Object2VR.
This is a general list. For specific questions for each software, please use the following pages:
License
How can I upgrade and/or add users to my license?
You only need to upgrade your license if:
- Upgrading from Pano2VR to Pano2VR Pro / Object2VR single user to ObjectVR company
- Upgrading to a major release (i.e., from 3.x to 4.x)
- Adding additional users
- Go to the Buy a License page:
- At the bottom of the page, under the heading, Upgrade, enter your current license.
TIP: If you have lost or misplaced your license key, you can easily retrieve it here: http://ggnome.com/key
- Click, check for upgrade.
If your current license hasn't been upgraded yet, the next page will say, License "License Name" found! and will direct you to a an upgrade path.
NOTE: All major releases are paid upgrades, however, some may be eligible for free upgrades.
NOTE: You can also add additional users to the license here.
- Follow the online instructions for buying/acquiring the new license.
NOTE: You can pay via PayPal or Share-it. You do not need a PayPal account to pay with PayPal - credit cards are accepted.
- Go to Pano2VR or Object2VR on your computer, open the settings or preferences and in the license field, copy and paste your new license here.
NOTE: Your version 2 or version 3 license is still valid for Pano2VR 2.x or Pano2VR 3.x respectively and you may install them on the same machine as the latest version. You can always download previous versions from the following pages. Just click on Show/Hide older versions.
What is Unbranded?
An unbranded license allows the user to hide the About Pano2VR... or the About Object2VR... menu option found within the right-click context menu of the HTML5 or Flash outputs.
How many people can use the software?
One user is required for each person using the software. More users can be added during or after the initial purchase, please see How can I add users to my license?.
Will my license work with all operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux)?
Yes! Your license will work on all platforms. Just download the correct build for your system and enter your license key.
However, if you have purchased our software from the Mac App Store, you are not given a license key, nor do we have one for you. In other words, there is no license for you to use on other platforms when purchasing via the Mac App Store.
Can I sell my output files (.swf, .mov) to my clients?
Yes!
Can I use the output files on more then one domain?
Yes!
I have lost the email with my license key. Can you resend me the key?
Please use the key recovery form to resend all your keys associated to your email address.
Help! My license key no longer works!
This could be the result of one of the following:
- Using a license key intended for a different version, e.g. Pano2VR V2.3.4 key with Pano2VR V3.0
- Using a license key for a different Garden Gnome Software product, e.g. Pano2QTVR key to try and activate Pano2VR.
- A space is added when copy and pasting; look at the start or end of the key and remove any added spaces.
- In some cases it's possible that the incorrect characters were used. I (upper case i), l (lower case L) and 1 (number one) look very similar, the same goes for 0 (number zero) and O (upper case o).
TIP: The best way is to copy & paste the key from the original email. You can also request all your keys at http://ggnome.com/key.
Can I purchase the license in a different name or the name of my company?
Generally, the license will be in the name of the person that has purchased the license key. On the PayPal and Share*It checkout pages, you have the opportunity to add information. Here, you can provide an alternative name; or if you are purchasing more than one user, a company name (but not an e-mail address).
Alternatively, you can send us an e-mail to change the name if you did not do this at point of purchase. Please note that a request can only be authorized from the original purchaser and a license can only be put in a company name if the license is for two or more users.
Can I get a refund?
Generally we do not give refunds. We do, however, offer a fully functionial trial version (albeit watermarks on output) of all of our software. We recommend first trying our software to see if it fits your needs before purchasing a license.
Installation
How do I install an update of Pano2VR / Object2VR?
By default, Pano2VR and Object2VR both check for updates every 7 days. If the update is incremental, it will download and install it automatically. If it is a major release, it will require a manual download and install.
- A major release/update is an increase in the version number. For example, from 1.0 to 2.0; 2.0 to 3.0, etc.
- Inter-version updates are incremental versions. For example, from 4.0 to 4.0.1.
NOTE: You do not have to uninstall older versions!
Updating to a major release
For all major releases you will need to download and install the new version. Also, all major releases require a new license.
- Download the latest version of Pano2VR by doing one of the following:
- In Pano2VR or Object2VR, go to Help > Check for Updates. Select, Yes, in the dialog that appears. A browser window will open to Garden Gnome Software's Pano2VR's download page. Choose your operating system to download.
- Go directly to the download page to download the installer.
- Install:
- Mac: Open the DMG and drag the Pano2VR or Object2VR logo on to the Applications folder.
- Windows: Open the EXE and follow the installer's directions.
- Linux: Unzip/extract the tar.gz file. And then follow the instructions provided by one of our users for installing on Ubuntu.
- Open the new version. When it opens it will ask you for a license key.
- Enter your new license key or use one of the trial versions.
NOTE: The trial is fully functional and does not time out. All outputs will have distinct watermarks added to them.
Updating to an incremental version
All incremental updates are free (included with your license) and are simple to install:
- Go to Help > Check for Updates. Select, Yes, in the dialog that appears.
Pano2VR or Object2VR will download the update and will automatically install the new version.
NOTE: If "Check for updates" is selected in the Settings or Preferences, a dialog will pop up on opening alerting you of the update.
- Reopen the software and continue working.
Can I install Pano2VR, Object2VR and Pano2QTVR on the same computer?
Yes! All programs work completely independent from each other!
You can even install different versions of the same program. Just make sure the programs are in different directories during installation and later you can change the name of the programs to reflect their version, i.e. Pano2VR 2.3.4, Pano2VR 3.1.0 and Object2VR 2.0.
General Questions
Why can't my operating system open the SWF file?
To display a SWF file you need the Flash standalone player from the Adobe Flash player site. You can also open the file directly within your browser; the easiest way is to create an HTML file (you only need to enable it on the HTML tab) with your panorama.
The Flash player window only shows a white screen. What is wrong?
Your Flash standalone player is too old. Download the latest version from the Adobe Flash player site.
Flash export: Why is the fullscreen button not working?
This is a security issue of Flash. You need to change your Flash embedding code and set the parameter "allowFullScreen" to "true" in your HTML file. The HTML export function already produces a proper file. For more information see this this page.
Why are certain keys not working in the fullscreen mode?
This is a security feature of Flash.
In Flash 9 only the ESC key will work. In Flash Player 10 and later, certain non-printing keys (specifically the arrow keys, space, and Tab key) are supported. Find out more in this article.
Why are the links not working?
The Flash security settings don't allow local access to files or links to external website. You need to upload the panoramas to a web server or change the local security settings and allow Flash to access your files.
Our tutorial will show you how this is done.
Also check out this article from Adobe.
What are the recommended settings for sound files?
Only MP3 files can be used. We suggest encoding your audio with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz and a bit rate of at least 192 kbps. For more information on this subject, please refer to the documentation.
How do I post my panorama (or any Flash-based output) on Facebook?
We suggest checking out Patrick Cheatum's tutorial.
How do I report software problems?
If you are experiencing problems with our software and want to report the issue, please see if we are already aware of the problem by checking our Bug Tracker.
The Bug Tracker may give a solution or an indication when the issue will be resolved. Use the Project menu to select your software to refine the search.
If you cannot find the problem you are experiencing, the next step is to visit the forum and ask other forum members if they are experiencing the same issue. This will give you an indication of whether it is a problem with your system and/or setup or if others are also experiencing the same issue.
When reporting an issue either in the forum or by e-mail support, please make sure you give the following information:
- Software: Object2VR or Pano2VR; 32 bit or 64 bit
- Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux; OS version
- Browser
- Detailed description of the issue and the steps to reproduce
We monitor the forum and provide answers to questions there so everyone can see the solutions. However, if you would rather not report in the forum, you can send an e-mail to: Garden Gnome Support please remember to include the above information.
Pano Creation
How can I create an equirectangular input image?
There are a lot of programs to create panoramas for example PtGui, AutoPano Pro, and Hugin just to name a few.
How can I create a partial cylindrical panorama? or How can I set the left and right limit of a cylindrical panorama?
You need to change the input type in the "Select Input" dialog from "auto" to "cylindrical". Then you can enter the horizontal field of view that is covered by the panorama. You need to remove any borders on the left or right side before you import the image into Pano2VR. Check out the tutorial on creating partial panoramas.
QTVR export
After clicking the hotspot with target <myself> the controller disappears/the movie isn't fullscreen
The plugin initializes all embed tags to it's defaults after changing the movie. You have to add all embed parameter to the URL which are different from the default values like:
A<next.mov> T<myself> E<pan=17 tilt=5 fov=5 scale=tofit controller=true>
This works only in the browser, not in the quicktime player.
Pano2QTVR
How can I create my own sprites/vrcontroller?
The only software I know is LiveStage Pro from totally hip. The sprites that are included with the Pano2QTVR installer are from the Book QuickTime for the Web. The complete list of all sprites can be found here.