VRMLWorld.net

[Shaba1]

I went to http://kimballsoftware.com/doc.html and got a blank page. I tired to run the abnet2.exe and I got a dialog box that told me that the client was already installed. I am just about lost as to how to set up my own server. I have perused the post here on the forums and they give some hints but what I need it a step by step setup document with as many screenshots as possible

[griff]

Well run the install ... and you will find a readme in the kimballsoftware directories.

You can also try following my blog ... it covers most(or at least some) of the issues that come up during an install.

http://vrmlworld.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=100

griff

[admin]

Yes, if you have installed the client, you must first uninstall it before
loading the server. Just go to your control panel and uninstall the ABNet
client. When you install the server it will also install the client. You don't need to download both of them.

I'll improve the installer as time goes on. That was the simplest thing
for me to do at this time.

Go to http://kimballsoftware.com/abnet find the server download, at this time it is called abnetserver2_002.exe.



As new releases become available, the name will change to
abnetserver2_003.exe ... and so on

Save the abnetserver2_002.exe to your desktop in a folder called abnetserver



It will take some time to download even on a fast connection. It is about 1.2 mb.



Once it is saved on your computer.



Double click on it or right click and select Open.



abnetserver2_003.exe is just a setup program. You only run this once.
It will install the java server, some html example pages and create
Program Menu items.

You must accept the license by pressing I agree



You will be asked which components you want to install.
At this time you must select all the components. In the
future there will be optional components like documentation : )



Select where you want to install all the files. I would go with
the default folder it provides.



After 30 seconds it should be installed.



You can view the details of the install by pressing the "Show Detail" button



You now have an installed server. It is installed in
"C:\Program Files\KimballSoftware\



You should have a new program group on your start menu
it is called "ABNet2 Server". You should find the "readme" menu item
and open it. It gives quick instructions for this release of the server.



To start your server, select the "Start ABNet 2 Server" menu
item from the list. However, the first few times you use
the server you may want to use the "Start ABNet 2 Server Debug"
so that you can see the messages flowing back and forth.



Once the ABNet2 chat server is running, an icon depicting the head of
the ABNet mascot will appear in your system try



To test your server, open up the install directory and double
click on the index.html page. In the picture note the folder
I opened:



Enter your name and press Enter 3d chat.



You are now connected to the ABNet chat server on your computer.



That is about it. Now you have some decisions to make.
Do you want to run a web server on your local machine?
Do you want to run a web server on a remote machine?
Do you want host your wrl content locally or remotely.


All these questions determine the next step.

-rick

[Mcfly]

Aaah!!! i can see how to do it!! Not sure if its the right place, but, have you considered making ABNet compatible Cortona too? I really like their current browser -- the only thing they should add is PAN ( an excellent bitmanagement function)

[knng]

I've done all the steps above, able to see and navigate the world but I just don't see the avartar, whether I'm using Flux player or Contact....please help.

[admin]

If you are using Flux there isn't a builtin method to view your avatar.
You will only see the other avatars of other users.

If you are using Contact, you just right click on the 3D scene and
select, "View my Avatar". That will toggle the 3rd person view
on and off.

-rick

[zak]

"If you are using Flux there isn't a builtin method to view your avatar."

Does this imply there is a non-builtin method to view your own avatar?

Any hints?

[admin]

BS Contact has avatar support built-in to the viewer.
All we do is tell BS Contact the URL of our Avatar. It
does all the hard work, such as handling the camera
viewpoint, viewing and hiding the avatar.

Unfortunately, Flux, Cortona and the others don't have
built-in avatar support. To get 3rd person view in these
viewers, you would need to change the fluxax.html
page of ABNet. The change is fairly simple, you need
to add some X3D or VRML.

In the fluxax.html page, modify the 'onJoin' function.
Add some javascript that calls the correct Flux API
calls to load your avatar, and create a new viewpoint.

The new viewpoint is going to look at your avatar
from several meters back. You need to route your
movement from the ABNet Proximity Sensor to
your avatar applying the correct transforms.

Does that make sense? Let me know when you have
it working ; )

-rick

[zak]

Rick-
I'm happy that you can even pretend that I might understand what you are talking about. Acually, I sort of do understand- but I doubt I have the "know-how" to make the changes you have so kindly suggested.

I have recently been working on/playing with some of your other suggestions- using msagents for different speech voices, trying to make a chatlog, etc. I have had varying degrees of success, but most of my problems involve javascript and security popups. I have done a bit of reading on .hta's (as you and some others have suggested), but I really don't want to turn the whole html page into an .hta- just certain functions.

Anyway, if I get any of these things to actually work (including the flux third person avatar viewpoint) you will be the first to know (don't hold your breath) and thanks for your continued support and encouragement.