Porgan 1800 - F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions
(updated March 19th 2010 for v1.0 (release #4) of the Porgan 1800)
Table of Contents: General: Q: Where can I get a Porgan 1800? How much are they? What comes with it?
Features: Q: What's new and different?
Q: How do I turn the device ON or OFF
Q: How do I set an EXACT value?
Q: Why does the [Scripts] button (on the control book) give me 2 or 3 seperate scripts can't I have one script do everything?
Q: Can I control my particle scripts from OTHER objects?
Q: How do I get my particle effect to TARGET another prim, object or avatar?
Q: Can I customize the console?
Q: How do I figure out what a specific control does?
Q: Can I add my own PRESETS?
Q: Can I add my own TEXTURES?
Q: How do I save and load an effect I worked on?
Q: Is there a HUD version? Or a version with fewer prims?
Q: Where is my Porgan 1800 chair?
Q: Is the chair special in any way?
Permissions: Q: What can other people do with my Porgan 1800?
Q: How do I prevent other residents from using my Porgan 1800?
Q: Can I have a chair that doesn't allow guest users to use my Porgan?
Q: Are there any copyrights or limitations on what I can do with the scripts or chord copies created by the porgan?
Troubleshooting: Q: How do I figure out why I'm not seeing particles?
Q: What is this thing that says OVERLOAD! ?
Q: Why do some controls go invisible?
Q: Why did that control just turn RED?
Q: Why are some controls DARK?
Q: Why did I get a SYNTAX ERROR when I copy'n'pasted one of the scripts?
Support: Q: The console said "A new version is available - Touch me to get one!" ... but I don't get anything!
Q: I think I found a bug! What do I do?
Q: What's planned for the future?
Q: I want a specific custom feature in my Porgan 1800
Q: When is the next update coming?
A: You can find these answers on the About... page, or on Xstreet or at The Porgan 1800 show room attached to The Particle Laboratory in mainland region Teal,
http://slurl.com/secondlife/teal/200/50/23
(ride the hot air balloon up to the lab).
A: Check for the summary of New Features in the Release Notes!
A: Use the Effect Selector control to turn ON and OFF the three particle emitters associated with The Porgan 1800. To reset the display settings, use the control book -> [More...] -> (Clear All).
A: Touch the control you wish to set, then enter the value you want on the Numeric Keypad. To update different parts of a vector value (for example COLOR), touch the numeric display part you wish to update to hilite it and then use the keypad. You can also speak values on channel /7. For example: To set brown as the start color, touch the START COLOR control, then type: /7 <0.5,0.5,0> (avoid spaces in vector values)
A: Soon, yes, once Linden Lab releases the new llLinkParticleSystem() function. For now, each particle effect requires its own prim, and each prim requires a separate script.
A: Absolutely, Yes! Edit the CONTROLLER TEMPLATE script in the rezzed [Copy] of your effect... or use the MASTER SCRIPT option on the [SCRIPTS] generator. You can tell them to listen for spoken commands which will then turn your particles on and off. You can also use any of the free full-perm CONTROLLER or TARGET TEMPLATES from The Particle Laboratory in region Teal. (use the SLurl at the top fo the faq). You'll find the free scripts on the 'green' sandbox level in the middle of the lab.
A: The rezzed copies and SLAVE Scripts created by the Porgan 1800 are completely compatible with the numerous free full-perm TARGET TEMPLATES found at the Particle Laboratory. It is recommended that you explore the targetting tutorial at the laboratory to learn how to set up your first few particle targets.
A: Yes! Set a particle start and end color and use the control book's [Owner's Options] -> (Theme) -> (*TEXTURE*) or (*COLOR*) options. You can also pick one of several pre-defined console textures.
A: When you touch a control its name will appear on the center display. Touch the big (?) question mark on the center of the console to pop up a hint about the control you just used.
A: As of version 1.0, yes! Use the control book's [Preset Library] -> (*SAVE*) option and follow the instructions. You can also use the [IMPORT] option to reload effects you created with the Porgan's [Copy] function.
A: By default, textures are set by drag and control-dropping them into the texture dropbox from your personal inventory. While the Porgan will not remember textures you've used previously. Version 1.1 should also have the ability to create 'texture volumes' which can be quickly accessed like presets.
A: Use [Copy] (on the book control) to rez a 'chord'. Rename the chord and take it into your inventory. When you want to load that effect back into the Porgan for further editing, press [RELOAD] (also on the book control), and then drag and CONTROL-DROP the chord onto the vortex that apppears over the book. NOTE: this will only work on chord objects that you created yourself. You can also use the Preset Save option.
A: A HUD version is definitely planned.
A: To rez a chair, look under the control book's [Owner's Options] -> (Rez a Chair)
A: Yes. If you use the [Owner's Options] ->(Access) option to restrict access to your Porgan, only you (the owner) or a guest of yours seated in the chair may use the console. If you want your porgan to be restricted to only you, and you want a chair as well, edit the chair and use Shift-Drag to copy it. Delete the copy of the chair that moved during the copy process. The new chair will not be sync'd to the porgan and people sitting in it won't be able to use your porgan while it's in restricted mode.
A: Guests can use any of the functions EXCEPT the ones listed in red on the right hand side of the control book: [Owner's Options], [Copy] and [Import].
A: On the control book use [Owner's Options] -> (Access) -> (Restrict) to make the device ignore anyone but you... or someone seated in the porgan's operator's chair. (if there is one. See a few questions up about the chair.)
A: Yes. Edit the chair, hold SHIFT and drag it by one of the axis arrows. Delete the chair that moved. The remaining copy and anyone that sits in it will be ignored by the console when it is in restricted mode.
A: Effects you create on the Porgan 1800 are yours, and you may modify and use as you like. There is one small one exception: The particle script in the chords are COPY+TRANS, but no-modify because they are NOT typical particle scripts. They're smart scripts that learn and memorize their particle effects directly from your porgan. The CONTROLLER TEMPLATE in the parent prim of the chord is modifyable and may be removed or altered as you like. You can also add and modify other CONTROLLER and TARGET TEMPLATES to chords, located in The Particle Laboratory's main sandbox. (These will be included in the Porgan 1800 in the future)
A: Look across the console, are any of the controls bright RED? Try adjusting those first!
A: That's the particle counter. By default we can only see 4000 total particles at a time. It's easy for one bad particle emitter to try to create MORE than 4000 particles. Try to adjust AGE, RATE and BURST COUNT to be more efficient with particle use. =)
A: Because you've picked an option that disabled them or made them meaninless. ANGLE controls and the OMEGA cube don't work with the DROP or EXPLODE pattern. TARGET_LINEAR disables MANY controls. FOLLOW_SRC and RADIUS don't mix.
A: Because it's likely causing problems for your display. There are many things that will cause particles to vanish or be hard to see.
A: Because they are set to DEFAULT values, and they currently have no special influence on your particle display.
A: Make sure you pasted into a completely empty script, instead of adding to an existing script.
A: First try rezzing a copy of your old Porgan 1800 in a different region (You can do this in region TEAL where The Particle Laboratory resides if necessary), and try touching the label again. If you still don't receive your updated version, contact Jopsy Pendragon and let him know, he'll hand deliver one to you!
A: You can take a peek at the very long and likely confusing "Release Notes" (see the link up to the left), to see if the bug is included in the KNOWN ISSUES section, and/or you can just contact Jopsy Pendragon directly about it. Please try to be as specific as possible! =)
A: Bugs and New features are mentioned in the Release Notes as they're discovered or nearing completion.
A: Again, contact Jopsy Pendragon to see if this is possible. =)
A: version 1.0 (the 4th major release of the Porgan 1800) recently came out in Feb/March 2010, and has a few *very* minor defects that will be resolved with the next update that will be out in another week or two.