Atmosphere FAQ

This is not a tutorial page - rather, here you'll find links to tutorial pages in response to some commonly asked questions. If you're someone who likes things to be explained to you like a 2 year old (such as myself) then this FAQ is for you. If you're asking What is Atmosphere? then this FAQ is probably not your cup of tea - instead go here.

FAQ assumptions: you've explored what Adobe Atmosphere is about, downloaded the latest Builder and Plugin/Player.

Latest plugin:  version 144 (until further notice)

Note: Sometimes I refer to Web browser Javascript as "JS", and Atmosphere Javascript as "AJS" (there is a distinction)

Pre-Question questions:

Where can I find online users of Atmosphere in Atmosphere worlds?
                               http://atmosphere.adobe.com/stats/statsp.pl - see if anyone is within a world.
                               http://c3dmserver.co.uk/c3dstatshome.htm -
                               http://www.atmostats.com

Where can I find other existing worlds?
                               Adobe forum thread "your new worlds"
                               http://www.qyntrix.com/
                               http://atmosphere.adobe.com/stats/worlds.pl                

Questions

1. Hello World - starting off
         How can I build something simple to get me started?

2. Learning Javascript - (JS and AJS)
        Javascript and Atmosphere - where/how does javascript get involved?
        I haven't got a clue about Javascript at all but I want to learn
        Where can I find good Atmosphere Javascript resources?
        AJS: What are timesteps?

3. Building worlds
        I'm comfortable with Atmosphere now. How do I go about creating things?
        Adding Lighting to my world
        Adding Chat to my world
        Publishing my world     
        Making world public for all to see 

4. Problems - Editing worlds with Atmosphere Builder
       I can't open my world with the Builder - it keeps crashing!
       I changed some settings in my Builder and now I can't get it back! (eg lost palette, window, etc)
       My world opens ok, but my wireframes have strangely disappeared!

5. Problems - Viewing worlds with Atmosphere Plugin
       How can I view my world with the Atmosphere Plugin in my browser?
       What are the browser/system requirements for viewing my world with the Atmosphere Plugin?
       Why are my older files being shown and not my newer ones?
       Can't view my plugin in my browser (and I've passed the minimum requirements)
       Missing textures - not showing up

6. Problems - Atmosphere Javascript errors (includes other errors)
       JavaScript Error -29: Uncaught exception Unknown
       Javascript 21:  "undefined is not an object" <line number>
       JavaScript Error 3: Can not assign value
       JavaScript Error 4: Un terminated string constant
       Error: Too many clipped edges in one frame should dynamically allocate

7. Problems - Chatting
       I've added chat to my world, but I still can't see anyone?

8. Problems -

 

Hello World

How can I build something simple to get me started?

 - Go to the Adobe Atmosphere site and follow the tutorials outlined here. 
 - http://www.roce.org/articles.html - check out Building Related Articles for the basics

Javascript

Javascript and Atmosphere - where/how does javascript get involved?

Basically, there is what is called a javascript engine. Atmosphere extends this engine and includes some unique javascript coding in order to add functionality to the world (such as motion, animations etc). It is primarily similar to your web browser javascript, without the uniqueness of forms/html components/etc. There is an API of the extended atmosphere javascript coding on the Adobe Atmosphere site

 

I haven't got a clue about Javascript at all but I want to learn

There's a nice forum thread on "how to teach yourself javascript". Alternate links:

If you're feeling ok with how to script/code try looking at some examples of Atmosphere Javascript (AJS)

 

Where can I find good Atmosphere resources?

 

AJS: What are timesteps

Check out this Adobe Atmosphere thread follow ups

 

Building Worlds

Doing simple things with Atmosphere

Firstly, most important piece of information you will receive when constructing new worlds is to back up regularly. Constantly make copies of your world, and if your current world gets corrupted, you'll have a nearly new replacement ready.

 

Adding Lighting to my world

 

Adding Chat to my world

 

Publishing my world

 

Problems - Opening worlds with Atmosphere Builder

I can't open my world with the builder - it keeps crashing!

Read this forum thread message and this one. A forum thread on uninstalling Atmosphere on Windows XP can be found here. Try finding the deleting the relevant folders on your computer and reinstalling to see whether it works.

There isn't a cure at the moment for this persistent problem, but we can beat it by regularly saving and backing up our worlds as we build.

 

I changed some settings in my builder and now I can't get it back!

Try deleting a file called "builder.prf" - essentially maintaining the preferences for your builder. This can be found (on a windows machine for example) "C:\program files\adobe\atmosphere builder\builder.prf".

 

My world opens ok, but my wireframes have strangely disappeared!

Check out the forum thread on "missing wireframes". For some reason this problem occurs with the current builder.

 

Problems - Viewing worlds with Atmosphere Plugin
 

How can I view my world with the Atmosphere Plugin in my browser?

Embed your world into a html page - tutorial on Rolu's site here.

 

What are the requirements for viewing the Atmosphere Plugin?

Minimum requirements can be found on the Adobe Atmosphere site. They are the absolute minimum, but discussion on the forums has let to believe that possibly using IE 5.5, or even IE 6.0 will work better for you (that is, will create less problems). Netscape/Mozilla/etc are not supported ("as of yet" we hope!).

Mozilla has not been tested, but forum messages exist about it here.

A discussion on the forum using other browsers/systems (eg Netscape) exists here.


Why are my older files being shown and not my newer ones?

Potentially a caching problem. If you are sure that new files have been uploaded to your website and the world you are looking at is up to date, you might need to clear the Atmosphere cache. When Atmosphere loads worlds, the files loaded are placed in different areas on your hard drive. To view/remove them, check out Rolu's Atmosphere Cache Explorer or Neqium's

 

Can't view my plugin in my browser (and I've passed the minimum requirements)

First step is to try un-installing then re-installing Atmosphere. In order to do this, check out this thread.

 

Missing textures - not showing up

Make sure you're texture is of type jpg or gif. Make sure the jpg/gif uploaded properly to your website - double check it to see whether it comes up in your browser with http://yoursite/yourtexture.jpg. If it doesn't then you might have to upload it correctly. If it does, then perhaps there is a texture URL linking problem. Read the following forum messages to solve this problem.

 

Making worlds public for all to see

You'll need what is called a .ctl file. This file enables your chat/community server to show your worlds to the public. Read about .ctl file on the Atmospherians site. Once your world is public, if anyone enters the world, you will be able to see how many people are within the world by visiting a web page. For example, Adobe's Community Server allows you to see who is public and within a world using this link http://atmosphere.adobe.com/stats/statsp.pl.  A working example of what's within the .ctl file is shown below:

Description = Proof of concept. Chat audibility restriction
MaxPeople = 20
Headroom = 3
DefaultChat = Y
Private = N
Language = English
Contact = superted @ the adobe forums

 

Problem - Atmosphere Javascript errors

Atmosphere Javascript errors always which appear in the chat area

With the current build, the <line number> given actually refers to the line number in your .js file 1 line after than it should. In other words, if <line number> is 10, it refers to the line number in your .js file 11.

JavaScript Error -29: Uncaught exception Unknown

This is a seriously bad error if it's thrown up by Atmosphere Javascript. This means something very bad has gone wrong. A discussion on one situation on the forums was made here. Another one here. If you can repeatedly re-create this problem, submit a bug report to Adobe. Ask about it in the forums just in case.

 

Javascript 21 "undefined is not an object" <line number>

With the current build, the <line number> given actually refers to the line number in your .js file 1 line after than it should. In other words, if <line number> is 10, it refers to the line number in your .js file 11.

Look at the correct line number in the .js file. The error is saying one of the objects use in the line does not exist - in other words, is "undefined". Try using chat.print(<object>) lines to see which object is not defined, then work out why be tracing over the code executed before the line. 

 

JavaScript Error 3: Can not assign value

There was a forum thread about this error here. It was resolved that the error came from attempting to assign a variable with a reserved operator. For example, obj.parent-name is illegal because of the use of "-".

 

JavaScript Error 4: Un terminated string constant <line number>

Means that somewhere on the correct line number in your .js a string is missing a ' or ". Make sure that for every ', there is a closing ', and vice versa for ". Also, make sure that if you embed the same quotation marks within a string, then use an escape character to identify them. For example

chat.print("Monkey said \"Hello\". ");

 

Error: Too many clipped edges in one frame should dynamically allocate

Check out this forum thread.

 

 

 

Problems - Chatting

I've added chat to my world, but I still can't see anyone?

Open up the users box in your plugin window (right click the plugin, select Views->Users). Can you see yourself? If not, then chat isn't working. If you can, there there's no problems :)

Read an article written about it on Rolu's site here. Make sure your ports are open if you have a firewall. Also double check that your ISP isn't blocking these ports too.

Finally, the community server on Adobe's site (the default which most people use) occasionally dies. If this happens, no one using the Adobe community server will be able to see anyone. Check http://atmosphere.adobe.com/stats/statsp.pl to make sure.