FAQs

AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits

What is the difference between the Standard and the Power Edition of AllStar Screen Saver Toolkits?
What are the different editions of the AnimateIT Screen Saver Toolkit?
What is the Architect Edition of AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit? How can I purchase it?
Why are AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits so similar? What is the difference between them?
What image file formats are supported in AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits?
What sound file formats are supported?
Where are screen savers installed?
How do I purchase/register for the Standard or Power Edition of AllStar (and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit)?
How do I access the configuration dialog for my screensaver?
How is my order fullfilled?
What is a registration code?
Can I get a registration code based on someone else's name?
Can I get a refund after I purchase and register a product?
How do I install, and un-install, a product?

AllerCalc

Can I print or plot 2D and 3D graphs?
Can I use comma (,) as the decimal separator (European users, please read this)?
How do I do conversions with AllerCalc?
How do I define custom constants, conversions, and functions?
How do I assign values to variables?
The trigonometric functions don't seem to work correctly. What's wrong?
How do I stop AllerCalc from running every time the computer is turned on?
How do I un-install AllerCalc?

AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits

Q: What is the difference between the Standard and the Power Edition of AllStar Screen Saver Toolkit?
A: The Standard Edition allows you to configure the screensaver for personal use on your computer. You can specify an unlimited number of images and sound files, either as individual files or as entire directories. The Power Edition provides all of the functionality of the Standard Edition, and gives you the ability to construct self-installing screensaver(s) -- using your own image and sound files -- that you may give to friends/relatives or sell without any additional royalties. When you purchase the Power Edition of AllStar or AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit, you are authorized to distribute/sell your created screensaver(s) without paying us any additional fee.

Q: What are the different editions of AnimateIT Screen Saver Toolkit?

A: AnimateIT Screen Saver Toolkit comes in four editions: Personal, Family, Corporate and Enterprise Edition. In brief, the Personal Edition lets you configure AnimateIT for personal use on your own computer. With the Family Edition, you can create self-installing screen saver programs that you can give to friends/relatives with no additional royalties. The Corporate and Enterprise Edition let you create screen savers that you can distribute commercially. Click here for more information.

Q: What is the Architect Edition of AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit? How can I purchase it?

A: In a nutshell, the Architect Edition of AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit lets you create distributable screen savers that the users can customize with their own images and sounds, unlike the Corporate or Enterprise Edition, where the created screen savers only use images and sounds that the author include. The Architect Edition is not available to the public at the present time. However, if you wish to be notified of future release of the Architect Edition, please e-mail and let us know.

Q: Why are AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits so similar? What is the difference between them?
A: When AllStar Screen Saver Toolkit was first released, many users asked if it would be possible to display non-rectangular, animated flying images (specifically with animated GIFs). With AllStar Screen Saver Toolkit, the display of transparent, animated images was omitted in order to optimize the graphics display algorithm. In other words, if the display of animated images was incorporated into AllStar Screen Saver Toolkit, the result would be much slower speed and higher use of system resources. AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit was introduced as an alternative to AllStar, in order to meet the needs of users who desire image animation. The graphics display algorithm in AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit is substantially different from that of AllStar, allowing for the display of transparent, animated sprites. AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits are available to meet the different needs of different users. If you do not desire the display of animated sprites, AllStar is your best bet since it can display images at very low processor usage. If you desire the display of animated sprites, you should opt for AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit, which incorporates animation using higher system resources. Both programs allow an unlimited number of image and sound files, supporting popular file formats such as JPEG, GIF, and MP3.

Q: What image file formats are supported in AllStar and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkits?
A: Most popular image file formats are supported, including JPEG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, TGA, and PCX.

Q: What sound file formats are supported?
A: MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), MP1, MP2, MP3, MPP, CD Audio, and WAV formats.

Q: Where are my screen savers installed?

A: Screen savers created with our screen saver authoring toolkits are installed to the Windows directory, which is one of the locations where the operating system searches for screen saver files (files with the .scr extension) to display in the Screen Saver list under the Screen Saver tab of the Windows Display Properties Dialog. The installation program (with the .exe extension) created when you create a screen saver will automatically determine the correct location to install your screen saver. However, if you plan to distribute the .scr file by itself or with a third-party installation program, please read the following:

There are two locations that the Windows operating system searches for screen saver files (.scr files) when the Windows Display Properties dialog is invoked: the Windows directory and the System directory. A common misconception among screen saver authors is that the Windows directory is always located at "C:\Windows" and the System directory is always located at "C:\Windows\System"; this misconception results in installation programs that are "hard-wired" to install to one of these specific paths. However, the location of the Windows or Systems directory can vary with different versions of the Windows OS, or even with different installations of the same OS. Assuming C is the drive where Windows is installed, the Windows directory can be one of the following paths: C:\Windows, C:\WinNT, or C:\WinXP. The System directory is a sub-directory of the Windows directory, under \System or \System32, which means there are six possible paths for the System directory. Fortunately, the exact location of the Windows or System directory is stored in the Windows registry, enabling installation program to determine the proper location to install the screen saver. Note that a third-party installation program needs to be able to make this determination to ensure proper installation on all systems; an installation program that requires the user to specify the installation path will not work for all systems, as the typical computer user will not know the location of the Windows or System directory.

Which directory, Windows or System, is better? There are no significant advantages/disadvantages of one over the other. However, the OS searches the System directory first, so in the (unlikely) event that two screen savers with the same name are installed, with one in the Windows directory and the other in the System directory, only the one in the System directory will be displayed. On the other hand, the System directory may be write-protected on select systems (most home computers do not fall into this category), making it impossible for the installation routine to place the screen saver file into that directory.

Also, if the number of screen savers in your system exceeds a certain maximum, some of them may not appear under the Windows Display Properties Dialog.

Q: How do I purchase/register for the Standard or Power Edition of AllStar (and AnimateIt Screen Saver Toolkit)?
A: The program that you initially download and install has all of the functionalities of the Standard and Power Edition. These functionalities, however, are available for only thirty days in the unregistered version. When you purchase the Standard or Power Edition, you will be sent an "unlock" code that will enable you to use the screensaver beyond the thirty-day trial period, and -- in the Power Edition -- allow you to create freely distributable screensavers.

Q: How do I access the configuration dialog for my screensaver?
A: The configuration dialog for a screensaver is accessed through the Windows Display Properties dialog. It may be accessed as follows:

	Right-click on the desktop and select Properties from the pop-up menu; this should bring up the Display Properties Dialog.
	Click on the Screen Saver tab, then select your screen saver from the Screen Saver drop-down list.
	Click on the Settings button, this should bring up the configuration dialog for the selected screen saver. You may specify various settings for the screensaver in this dialog.

Q: How is my order fulfilled?
A: Once we've received your order, you will be sent a download link to the full version of the program and a personalized registration code, which, once entered into the program, will allow you to use the software beyond the 30-day trial period. Depending on which version of the program you've ordered, the registration code will unlock the features specific to that version. We generally do not physically ship a hard copy of the software in order to keep prices low. The program you've downloaded already has all the functionalities of the full version - made available for the trial period.

Q: What is a registration code?
A: A registration code is a combination of letters and digits that is generated for a specific software and a specific user. Once you've made a purchase, a registration code will be sent to you, allowing you to use the software beyond the trial period. A registration code generally can only be used by the person who has made the purchase. It may not be re-distributed without AllerSoft's express written consent.

Q: Can I get a registration code based on someone else's name?
A: Generally a registration code can only be issued based on the name of the person who has made the purchase. However, if you wish to obtain a registration code based on your company's name, you may e-mail us with that request.

Q: Can I get a refund after I purchase and register a product?
A: Since the software may be tried out for thirty days, your decision to purchase is assumed to mean that you find the product satisfactory and desirable. Therefore we are unable to provide a refund once you have made a purchase.

Q: How do I install, and un-install, a product?
A: To install an AllerSoft product, simply run the executable installation program that you have downloaded (or, if you have downloaded a Zip file, run the Setup program contained in the file) and follow the on-screen instructions. To uninstall the product, you may either run the Uninstall.exe program located in the installation folder or use the Add/Remove Programs icon in the Windows Control Panel.

AllerCalc

Q. Can I print or plot 2D and 3D graphs?
A. Printing and graphing capabilities will be included in a future version of AllerCalc; however, due to the intensive amount of work required to implement graphing capabilities, the newer version may come at a small cost.

Q. Can I use comma (,) as the decimal separator?
A. Depending on the Windows regional settings on your computer (which can be set through the Windows control panel), AllerCalc will use either the dot or the comma as the decimal separator. In the US the dot is used whereas in most European countries the comma is used. Please note that if the comma is used as the decimal separator, arguments to a function (for one which requires multiple arguments) need to be separated by a semicolon (;) and not a comma (,).

Q. How do I do conversions with AllerCalc?
A. The comprehensive unit converter that comes with AllerCalc can convert between virtually any units; it may be accessed through the Options menu. If you prefer to do conversions at the command line, you may use the following syntax:

convert(value, "from unit", "to unit")

For example, to convert 175 pounds to kilograms, you may type:
convert(175, "lb", "kg")
Please consult the help file (press F1) for the supported units.

Q. How do I define custom constants, conversions, and functions?
Q. How do I assign values to variables?
A. Please consult the help file (press F1) for these functionalities.

Q. The trigonometric functions don't seem to work correctly. What's wrong?
A. By default, AllerCalc is set to the "Radian" mode for angle measurements. To set AllerCalc to the "Degree" mode, use the Options menu. In "Degree" mode, sin(30) = 0.5, whereas in "Radian" mode, sin(30) = -0.988. To see which mode you're in, look in the little box (2nd one from the left) below the display windows (RAD = Radian, DEG = Degree, GRAD = Gradient)

Q. How do I stop AllerCalc from running every time the computer is turned on?
A. Uncheck "Run at Startup" in the Options menu.

Q. How do I un-install AllerCalc?
A. Be sure to exit AllerCalc (by selecting Exit from the Options menu) before un-installing the program. You could also un-install AllerCalc manually simply by deleting the program folder.