WHAT IS THIS?

This website will help you install and run the VS118 sketchpad program, so that you can view the sketch files Dr. Banks will be using to help you understand the geometry of binocular vision. The software runs on most PC's running a Windows operating system as well as most Macintosh computers. PC specific instructions will be coded with a BLUE font and Macintosh specific instructions will be coded in a YELLOW font. The basic procedure you will follow is:

1. Download the appropriate archive file.
2. Extract the files in the archive to your computers hard disk.
3. Run an installer program (PC ONLY) or set the date (MAC ONLY)

WHAT ARE ARCHIVE FILES?

The files we have put online are archive files. That means we've taken a bunch of files and wrapped and compressed them into a package that you can treat as a single file. This makes it easier to download everything you need at once because you are downloading two files instead of 20 or 30 or 50.

The catch is that you need some way to unpackage these archive files. Chances are that you already have the program you need. If you discover that you dont have it, however, these programs are free, and useful, and dont take up a lot of space at all, so its a good idea anyway to download and install them on your home computer.

You should only follow these instructions if you can't extract the files from the archive because you dont have the appropriate program.

If you have trouble opening an archive file after you download it, and contact a GSI.

DOWNLOADING THE FILES

You need to download two archives files . One contains the PROGRAM and the other contains the DATA FILES that make up the sketches. 

PC ---> 1. Download GeometersSketchpad.zip by clicking here
        2. Download GeometersFiles.zip by clicking here
  
MAC --> 1. Download OptometersSketchpad.sit by clicking here    
        2. Download OptometersFiles.sit by clicking here

ONCE YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED THE FILES

Each file should be extracted to a separate folder on your hard disk. 

PC ---> 1. Double click on the files or 
	   open them with the winzip program.
	2. If you are using Winzip, once you open 
	   the file, a dialog box will appear with 
           the file names in it.
	3. You want to select all of the files in 
           the archive you can run a command from the 
           menu bar to do this) and then press the 
           EXTRACT button and the archive will extract
           to a new folder on your computer (make sure 
           this folder is somewhere where you can access 
           it conveniently - such as your Desktop). 
Mac --> 1. Run the stuffit expander, and then select 
           expand from the menu bar and indicate the 
           name of the file to expand and where to 
           expand it to.

ADDITIONAL STEPS TO GET THE SOFTWARE RUNNING

For PC you have an additional step to get running. You have to INSTALL the program. 

PC ---> 1. Open up the Geometers Sketchpad folder
	2. Run the setup program (setup.exe) and 
    	   follow the instructions.

For MAC, you do NOT have to install anything, but you may have difficulty running the program. If a license warning pops up, just change the date on your Mac (dont worry, you can always change it back). 

MAC --> 1. Click the apple icon in the upper left 
  	   corner of the menu
	2. Select "Control Panels" and then "Date and Time".
	3. Change the year on the computer to 1994
 	4. (Optional) Change the date back after you run 
	   the program.  If you leave the date as 1994 
           you will not have to repeat this procedure.

THE FUN BEGINS

By now you should have the program running, and you should be able to open any of the data files and begin exploring the wonders of the geometry of binocular vision. If you have any problems please report them to us as soon as possible.

Remember - you are encouraged to use this program as part of your study regime as it will help you understand the concepts in the class.