Technical support for Media Lab Xtras is provided by e-mail. Please read the FAQ below to find answers to your AlphaMania related questions. If your problems persist, send us e-mail at help@medialab.com

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I install and register the Effector Sets?

   A director movie called Register Effector Set I and another named Register Effector Set II is included with the Effector Sets. It must be placed in your Xtras folder. Run Director and select this movie from the Xtras menu. Once you have read the license agreement click the I Agree button and type in your unlock code in the space provided. Click the Register button and you are done.

2. How do I install?

   You'll find a folder labeled Put in Xtras Folder. Drag the contents of it into your Director Xtras folder and you're done.

3. How do I read the documentation?

   The Effector Set documentation is divided into three parts. The first part is in the AlphaMania documentation and covers how to apply and remove effects generally. The remainin two parts are on the specific effects found in Effector Set I and Effector Set II.

4. Can I apply effects to any castmember in my movie?

   Yes and No. Technically, the Effector Set effects may only be applied to AlphaMania castmembers. However, since those castmembers can be used as 'masks', the effects can be applied to anything on the stage, editable text, QuickTime, Flash Movies, etc. See the DrawMethod page for an introduction.

5. How do I apply effects with the Effector Sets?

   Simply click on the AlphaMania castmember you want to apply the effect to, then go to the Xtras menu and choose SetFX to create the effect you want and apply it. Remember Effector Set effects only work with AlphaMania castmembers, not regular Director internal castmembers.

6. I'm getting error messages when I make my Director projector that it can't find the Effector Set Xtra.

   see next question...

7. When I make a projector none of my effects work. What's wrong?

   If you are using any effects other than scale (included with AlphaMania 2) you will need to explicitly add the Effector Set Xtra to your projector. There are two ways of going about this:

   • Turn off the 'Include Xtras' when making your projector. Then, make a folder named Xtras and place it in the same directory as your projector. In that new 'Xtras' directory copy the Xtras you are using (AlphaMania and the Effector Sets). Then your projector will work fine.
   • Or, you can add the Effector Set Xtra to your projectort in the same way you add movies in the Create Projector dialog. Go to the File menu and choose Create Projector then add the Effector Set Xtra to the file list (it will be located in your Xtras folder).

8. When I run my movie from a Projector, I'm getting an error Handler Not Defined - alphaManiaCheck

   If you are using the Effector Set I behavior library then the first two castmembers in that library (members 1 & 6) need to be copied and pasted into your movie cast.

9. If I upgrade to a new version of Director will my unlock codes still work?

   No. You need to request new unlock codes whenever you upgrade Director.

10. How do I make my Xtras automatically download with Shockwave?

    Click here to go to our shockpack page with instructions and a demonstration. You must be using Director 7 or later

11. What must I include with the distributed version of my project?

    Simply include the same Xtra that you used for authoring. If you author on a Macintosh, for example, but want to play back on a Windows machine, you'll have to download a copy of AlphaMania for Windows and include this with your distributed project. Specifically the AlphaMania and Effector Set Xtras must be placed in a directory named Xtras; that is in the same Directory as your distributed projector.

12. Do AlphaMania and the Effector Sets have a license fee?

    No. There is no license fee for distributing AlphaMania with your products.

13. Do AlphaMania and the Effector Sets work with Director 5/6/7/8/MX/MX2004?

    Yes / Yes / Yes/Yes/yes- make sure you've got the latest version for your platform.

14. Does AlphaMania work with Photoshop 3/4/5/6/7/CS/CS2?

    Yes, if you also have PhotoCaster.

15. What's the difference between AlphaMania and PhotoCaster?

    PhotoCaster conveniently imports Photoshop layers into Director as normal bitmap castmembers. These new castmembers are essentially no different from castmembers you would create in the paint window. AlphaMania, on the other hand, imports graphics that contain transparency (alpha-channel) information and creates a new custom castmember type that will be dynamically transparent allowing for a host of effects like dynamic anti-aliasing, live drop-shadows, etc. To import Photoshop layers as AlphaMania castmembers you must own both AlphaMania and PhotoCaster. Otherwise AlphaMania is limited to PICT and TGA (Targa) files.

16. Where do I enter my unlock code for AlphaMania?

    In the about box for the Xtra, open the Xtra from Director's Insert...Media Lab Media menu. If you choose AlphaMania, simply click on the about box and you will find the field into which you can enter your unlock code. With PhotoCaster you may have to click the Advanced Options button in order to make the About button visible.

17. When I use a transition to move an AlphaMania cast member off of the screen it loses its transparency. Why?

    Transitions in Director work by taking a static picture of the initial frame and copying all or part of a static picture of the next frame to it. This means that sprites which change dynamically, like digitial video, AlphaMania, or translucent bitmaps, cannot update as they move. Rather than using a transition, in-between the sprite off of the stage.

18. When I use a transition with Changing Area Only my AlphaMania sprites transition even if they aren't moving. Why?

    There is a bug in Director where Xtra castmembers are incorporated into the changing area regardless of their motion.

19. Does AlphaMania support linked cast members?

    No. We may try to support this in the future.

20. Can I assign a palette to an AlphaMania cast member?

    No. AlphaMania uses the best colors available in the current palette for 8-bit playback. Choosing this palette carefully can drastically improve how AlphaMania cast members look in 8-bit.

21. Why are blue lines appearing in AlphaMania cast members that I import from PhotoCaster?

    The blue lines appear because you are using an unregistered copy of PhotoCaster. Once you purchase and register PhotoCaster, you will be able to import Photoshop layers without getting blue lines. PhotoCaster also serializes itself to a single copy of Director. (See next entry)

22. Why are red lines appearing in my AlphaMania castmembers?

    You are using an unregistered version of AlphaMania. Once you purchase and register AlphaMania, it will stop importing with red lines. Unregistered AlphaMania puts in red lines only at import. You can distribute your projects with AlphaMania, and not worry about your customers suddenly seeing red lines. Remember, AlphaMania serializes itself to ONE COPY OF DIRECTOR. If you register AlphaMania and try to use it with a copy of Director that has a different serial number, the blue lines will appear on import.

23. Hey, I moved my registered copy of AlphaMania to this other machine and I'm getting red lines when I import and an Unregistered message. What gives?

    When you register AlphaMania it locks itself to the serial # of the copy of Director you are running it under. Running it with a different copy of Director reverts it to demo mode. You can always re-register it if you have to move machines, re-install Director, etc. but it must be running with the same Director serial # that it was originally registered for. Simply re-enter your unlock code.

24. Can I give AlphaMania to a friend?

    Yes, please do. Just don't give them your unlock code.

25. How do I import Photoshop layers as AlphaMania castmembers?

    You need PhotoCaster, another Media Lab product. PhotoCaster specializes at importing Photoshop files into Director. AlphaMania will use PhotoCaster to provide this service.

26. Where can I get PhotoCaster?

    The same place you got AlphaMania - from Media Lab! Click here!.

27. I've got PhotoCaster, but Photoshop files don't show up in the import dialog when I'm using AlphaMania. What should I do?

    You may have an older version of PhotoCaster. Be sure you are using the latest version. Also if you have brought Photoshop files from a Windows machine, make sure the file name ends with .psd. Example: WINPSFIL.PSD

28. When I change the sprite rectangle of my AlphaMania sprites they float in the middle, rather than stretching. How do I stretch them?
    

    To stretch them, use AlphaMania's scale effect. This effect can be applied to the castmember or the sprite. If applying to the castmember, select it in the cast window and from the Xtras menu choose Set FX. From the Set FX dialog, select Add and add the scale effect. Click OK. (the default scale options will make it follow the sprite rectangle). Or, you can use the following lingo:
    scale(sprite x) --or
    scale(member y)

29. I'm trying to make a projector from a Director movie that uses AlphaMania castmembers. When I create the projector, I get an error message that says, Can't find the Xtra file AlphaMania.x32. Continue creating projector?

    First, check to see if the version of AlphaMania in your Director Xtras folder is the same version with which you originally created the movie. In Director, go to Modify...Movie...Xtras and it will show you the AlphaMania Xtra that was originally used. If you've upgraded or updated, remove that file and add the new one that resides in your Xtras folder.

30. I created a Director movie on the Mac and am now making a projector on a Windows machine. I get the following error durring the Windows projector creation: There is no entry in the file Xtrainfo.txt that matches the Xtra AlphaMania. Continue creating the projector?

    This error message normally doesn't cause a problem if you create your projector, but can be annoying. You can get rid of it by adding the following three lines to the bottom of your Xtrainfo.txt file in your Director 6 folder:
    ; AlphaMania Xtra from Media Lab, Inc.
[#nameFAT:"AlphaMania", #nameW32:"AlphaMania.x32" ,#type:#asset]
; It is very important that these file names are actual file names of the Xtras that you have.

31. If I upgrade toa new version of Director will my unlock codes still work?

    No, you must request new unlock codes whenever you upgrade Director.