************************************************************************
* Project:   AERO
* Filename:  FAQ
* Date:      Sat Aug 31 19:28:51 1996
* Author:    Hartmut Keller
*
* Description:
* ------------
* This is a list of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ).
************************************************************************


Q:	Is there also a version of AERO for Microsoft Windows?


A:	No, there isn't at the moment. There are versions available
A:	for different machine platforms, but they all have to be Unix
A:	compatible and must support the X-Window System. Each of these
A:	versions can be generated by simply recompiling AERO on the
A:	target machine.
A:
A:	A version for MS-Windows would not only imply to recompile
A:	under Windows, but also to modify or even rewrite large parts
A:	of the display and editor routines. As we all are involved in
A:	new projects now, we don't have enough time to provide this
A:	service. And (believe it or not) we don't have a Windows
A:	computer at hand to do the development.
A:
A:	However, if someone else does the conversion, we'll be glad to
A:	include this to our "official" AERO release.
A:
A:	So at the moment the only way to get AERO run on a PC is to
A:	install Linux. There is a precompiled Linux version of AERO on
A:	our ftp server.


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Q:      I've recently down-loaded the xaero package and seem to be having
Q:	some difficulty getting it to run. I keep on getting the following
Q:	message:
Q:		Error: Widget EM_Darstellung3D has zero width and/or height


A:	xaero uses heavily so called application defaults, a set of
A:	X-Windows resources supplied with the progam in a separate
A:	file named `XAero'. This separation makes modifications on the
A:	appearance of xaero a lot easier, primarily because we need
A:	not recompile AERO all the time. This strategy even allows
A:	users to modify some settings individually by adding some
A:	resource definitions to their .Xdefaults file.
A:
A:	However, the X-Window System must find this XAero file or else
A:	it misses some definitions. So you have to put this file in
A:	one of a list of special places. How this is done is discussed
A:	in detail in the INSTALL instructions of the AERO source
A:	distribution. Here is a short summary:
A:
A:	a) You want to install xaero in a global path:
A:	   Move XAero to one of the global resource paths. This is
A:	   usually /usr/local/X11R[56]/lib/X11/app-defaults. Or
A:	   set/augment the $XFILESEARCHPATH environment variable to
A:	   also point to somewhere else (this is a little more
A:	   complicated).
A:	b) You want to install xaero locally somewhere under $HOME:
A:	   Move XAero to your $HOME directory. Or if this annoys you,
A:	   create a directory $HOME/app-defaults and set the
A:	   environment variable $XAPPLRESDIR to $HOME/app-defaults. Or
A:	   set/augment the $XUSERFILESEARCHPATH environment variable
A:	   to scan also the directory in question (this is somehow
A:	   more complex).
A:	c) None of the above works:
A:	   Add all resources to your X server resource database via 
A:		xrdb -merge XAero
A:	   This can be done during session startup, for example during
A:	   execution of .xsession or .xinitrc (or however your session
A:	   startup file is called). Or you can do it once in a session
A:	   by giving the above command by hand.
A:
A:	xaero will work if the command
A:		appres XAero
A:	lists all XAero symbols.


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Q:	I'd like to contribute something to AERO, but I don't
Q:	understand the German comments and identifiers in the source
Q:	code. Is there also a version of AERO with comments and
Q:	documentation in English? 


A:	Yes, we are aware of this problem, and no we don't have a
A:	version fully in English. When we started the AERO project as
A:	a student work, we did not have the faintest idea that this
A:	will be such a great success someday. Or even that it will be
A:	put on an ftp server. So we started our work in German, our
A:	native language.
A:	
A:	As soon as we had put AERO on our local ftp server, we got
A:	some very interested reactions. From then on we tried to use
A:	English wherever possible. For an example, the whole
A:	documentation (READMEs, ...) included with AERO is in English
A:	now. But again we don't have enough time to translate every
A:	single comment to English. We always thought there would be
A:	some kind soul on the Internet to help us with this task, but
A:	no luck yet.
A:
A:	Nevertheless we'd appreciate every input on AERO and we'd
A:	include improvements in forthcoming AERO releases.


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Q:	I'd like to use AERO in my research work. Is there any
Q:	information of how AERO works? Is there a description for the
Q:	algorithms used?


A:	Yes, there is. We have some documents dealing exactly with
A:	this, the calculation model of AERO. You can find them on our
A:	anonymous ftp server
A:
A:		ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de
A:
A:	in the directory
A:
A:		pub/AERO
A:
A:	There are also some sample images and animation sequences.
A:	This is also the place where you can get the newest version of
A:	AERO.
A:
A:	Please note that there are some ftp servers that don't carry
A:	the full AERO package. They often miss exactly these additional
A:	documents.


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Q:	Is there a WWW site on the Internet where I can get
Q:	information about the development of AERO?


A:	Yes, we've put up some WWW pages dealing with AERO. We call
A:	this the "official" AERO site. It is updated from time to time
A:	to reflect the current state of development. The address of
A:	this "official" AERO homepage is:
A:
A:		http://www.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ipvr/bv/aero/
A:
A:	Here you've also a link to our anonymous ftp server where you
A:	can download a lot of AERO related and other stuff.


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Q:	I've rendered some nice animations. Are you interested in
Q:	getting these?


A:	Definitely yes! We are always interested in how people use
A:	AERO for their purposes. And we also like to see nice
A:	animations. If they are good, we will put them on our server
A:	together with a courtesy message.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Q:	Where can I send suggestions or bug reports to?


A:	You can send them by email to
A:
A:		keller@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de   (Hartmut Keller)
A:		braunl@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de   (Thomas Braeunl)
A:		stolz@isa.de                         (Horst Stolz)
A:
A:	or by snail mail to
A:
A:		Thomas Braeunl
A:		Abt. Bildverstehen, IPVR
A:		Universitaet Stuttgart
A:		Breitwiesenstr. 20-22
A:		D-70565 Stuttgart
A:		GERMANY
A:
A:	We're always pleased to get feedback of any kind.

