How do I know what Importer build I can download/install?

The Home page of SpinFire Pro lists the maintenance expiration date and build number.  This build number indicates what version (build) of Actify products you can download and install (without being in trial mode). For example, the message "Maintenance Expired on Wednesday, September 03, 2003 (Build 735)" indicates you can install any SpinFire Pro upgrades or Importers up to Build 735.

If using SpinFire Pro 5.0 or earlier, you can find the build number that indicated maintenance expiration by looking at the last four digits of your Configuration Code. You can find the Configuration Code by selecting Options > Manual Activation.

  

Microsoft Word (Excel, Powerpoint) crashes when attempting to insert a .3D file:

Insert > Actify SpinFire > .3D Data > Application closes with no error message.

Possible problems and actions to be taken:

(1) Graphic Card driver to be updated
Disable "graphic acceleration". If that resolve the problem it is surely a graphic card issue:

   1. Go to Start > [Settings] > Control Panel.
   2. Double-click Display.
   3. Click the Settings tab.
   4. Click Advanced.
   5. Click the Troubleshooting tab.
   6. Disable graphic acceleration

If that does not help, it could still be a graphic card issue:

Check the drivers.
Make sure your graphic card drivers are the very latest available for your graphic card. . Usually drivers from very reputable computer manufacturer are the best bet, but if that does not work it is a good idea to get the latest driver from the graphic card manufacturer

(2) Libraries misalignment during installation
There is a chance that un-installing and reinstalling Actify products has caused some library misalignment. Make sure that you have installed SFP ans SFO in the following order:

   1. SpinFire Professional Build 845 from  http://software.actify.com/SFProfessional/845/SFProEngInst.exe
   2. SpinFire Professional for Office Build 924 from  http://software.actify.com/SFO/924/SFOInst_English.exe
   3. SpinFire Reader Build 924 from http://software.actify.com/SpinFire/924/SFReader.exe

(3) Check Libraries
Capture the following information and send it back to us

   1. Go to C:\Program Files\Actify\Kernel
   2. Select Views > Details
   3. Right-click on the heather of one of the columns (name, file, size etc...) see image attached
   4. You will see a pop-up menu: select "more", see image attached
   5. Scroll the list down
   6. Check the "Product Version" one
   7. Select OK
   8. Now all .dll files in that folder will have a product version in the product version column
   9. Please take a screenshot of this window, capturing all .dll files with their version number
  10. Send it to us

(4) Check if inserting an OLE Object works
Try to insert a .3D file into Office without using the SFO dialog and see if it crashes. This may help narrowing down the problem

From MS Office:
 
1. Inset/Object... menu. You will see the OLE Object dialog
2A. Select the "Create New" tab and choose " "Actify SpinFire .3D WorkSpace" or
2B. Select the "Create from File" tab and choose a .3D file
3. The .3D file should be inserted into the Office document.

(5) Check for incompatible software
There could be some software installed on that machine that may interfere with Actify software. The best way to check this one is to send us the following information

   1. Go to Start > Run
   2. Type "Regedit"
   3. Go to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
   4. Export it (it will create a uninstall.reg file)
   5. Send this file to us

  

In some configurations, this may be caused by multiple concurrent publishing process.

To enable one single publishing process only, open Publisher and go to:

Options > Publisher Engine > Concurrent publishing processes: 1

  

Applies to all options below:

• Intel PC running Microsoft Windows:  2000 SP4 / XP
• Internet Explorer 6.X
• Known brand Graphics Card, such as NVIDIA, ATI etc.
• Updated Graphic Card driver (the latest available)
  

Low End: (Small Parts - in the 5 MB range):

• Intel Pentium PIII 
• 512MB RAM
• OpenGL graphics 
• 32MB Graphics Card

Mid Range: (Medium size Parts and small Assemblies - in the 15 MB range): 

• Intel Pentium PIII-PIV
• 1GB RAM
• OpenGL graphics 
• 64MB Graphics Card 

High End: (Large size Parts and Assemblies - in the 50Mb+ range, up to 100-200Mb):

• Intel Pentium PIV high end
• 2GB RAM (2GB+ Strongly Recommended) 
• OpenGL graphics 
• 128MB Graphics Card

Note: the size of part and assemblies mentioned above is intended to just give an idea of the required hardware and software resources needed. Native CAD files or neutral CAD formats usually vary in complexity even of the same size. Some 2D drawings of a few Mb may be particularly resource intensive.

  

  

This problem has been fixed with Solidworks Importer Build 1019 which customer with current maintenance can download from http://www.actify.com/v2/downloads/Download-now-parts.html

For Solidworks Importer 944 users: In order to open SolidWorks 2006 files you will need Actify SolidWorks Importer Build 944 or higher.

If you get the error "SolidWorks Importer is not available on this computer" there are two possibilities:

1. There is a known defect that has been fixed and made available in Actify Solidworks Importer Build 1019. Try this version (if you are running spinfire 8.0 and your maintenance did no expire before May 19th 2006) http://software.actify.com/importers/SolidWorks/1019/SolidWorksInst.exe

If you are running spinfire 2004v2 please try to use the beta version below:

http://software.actify.com/Importers/SolidWorks/947/SolidWorksInst.exe

2. The file may not have been saved correctly - that is, saved without its display list or  tessellation . If that is the case, the file will not be opened by Solidworks' eDrawings as well. Ask your file supplier to save the file with the following check box checked:

This will resolve the problem

Also: some solidworks 2005 files cannot be imported. This is due to a problem specific to this version. If you can, try to get files from other versions of SolidWorks or re-save SolidWorks 2005 files with version 2006. This has been fixed in Build 1019.

  

You can download and install SpinFire on your new computer, and then Activate SpinFire by entering your SpinFire Seat ID.

If you cannot retrieve your seat ID, you can find it in your email or papers regarding purchases of Actify producs,  or you can ask to your reseller. As a last resort, you can send a request to http://support.actify.com/step_one.asp  with your company info.

1) Download and install Spinfire onto your new computer or Hard Drive

• Go to www.actify.com
• Select "Customer Login" and enter your Seat-ID
• Look for a "Download" or "Upgrade" link to your version of SpinFire Professonal.
• Download the language of your previous installation of SpinFire Pro (a different language will not work)

Once SpinFire Pro is installed, you may activate it. See http://support.actify.com/issue_view.asp?ID=129 for Activation instructions.

  

My Spinfire Reader no longer works - all of a sudden

• KB912945
• KB912812 
• KB905915
• KB917425
• KB925454
  

Resolution
The only way to get SpinFire Reader back up and running, is to uninstall them. However, this problem has been resolved in SpinFire Pro 8.0.

If you are currently running Spinfire Reader build 924 only in your machine, we suggest to uninstall Spinfire Reader and install the new version from http://software.actify.com/SpinFire/1015/SFReader.exe. This resolves the problem completely. NOTE: if you are running Spinfire 2004v2 or Spinfire for Office this is NOT recommended.

If this still does not resolve the problem, here are two solutions that have been proven to resolve the issue in all cases (with a very few exceptions on old computers with old graphic cards no longer in production)

1) Change the colors in your graphic card settings from 16 to 32

2) Update your graphic card driver, even if it is just a few months old

How to uninstall the windows updates that break SpinFire Reader Build 924

• Go to C:\Windows

• Look for the Microsoft patches uninstall folders

• They look like, e.g.  “$NtUninstall912945$”

• If you cannot find these folders, they m ay be hidden. Go to Tools > Folder Options > View and check the "Show Hidden Files and Folders" radio button

• Locate the three folders that include the patch numbers
  • KB912945

  • KB912812

  • KB905915

  • KB917425

• In each of these three folder you will find a “spuninst” folder that contains the uninstall program “spuninst.exe”.

• Run spuninst.exe from each folder to uninstall the 3 patches  -  following closely the prompted directions

 

  

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Question: After installing spinfire 8.0 some of my importers no longer work (failed to open document XML)

After installing Spinfire 8.0 on an older version of spinfire, some of my Importers no longer work. I get the following error.

Solution:

This problem is likely caused by to the presence of old Importers -- whose build number is 6XX, 7XX or 8XX. We always strongly recommend to use the most updated importers.

You can get updated importers from http://www.actify.com/v2/downloads/Download-now-parts.html

If you are not on maintenance and do not know what importer to download:

The Home page of SpinFire Pro lists the maintenance expiration date and build number.  This build number indicates what version (build) of Actify products you can download and install (without being in trial mode). For example, the message "Maintenance Expired on Wednesday, September 03, 2003 (Build 735)" indicates you can install any SpinFire Pro upgrades or importers up to Build 735.

  

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Question: Can I use in PUBLISHER all new importers released with or after SPINFIRE PRO 8.0?
I am running Publisher and would like to use the latest Importers released with or after the release of SpinFire Pro 8.0. I cannot see these in my importers list. But I see many new importers available: http://www.actify.com/v2/downloads/Download-now-parts.html

Solution:

You can use these Importers (build number > 1002) with Publisher under the following conditions:

1. Spinfire Pro 2004v2 (build 845) or earlier versions are NOT installed on the machine when Publisher is installed

2. You have installed the latest Spinfire Reader Beta build 1015 from http://software.actify.com/SpinFire/1015/SFReader.exe. This beta reader is provided only to enable you installing and using the newest importers. PLease read the release notes very carefully

3. Your maintenance is current for that importer (just like any other importer)

Important note: at the time of writing this article, Spinfire Reader build 1015 is beta code and you should be aware of our standard disclaimer about beta code at the bottom of this page.

The latest importers are available at http://www.actify.com/v2/downloads/Download-now-parts.html

Disclaimer: Our BETA products have not gone through the exhaustive testing that the release versions of our products have. We post BETA versions of our products to give customers a chance to try new features, benefit from recent bug fixes, and provide Actify with feedback. If you are not comfortable using BETA software that has not gone through our normal testing process, then we recommend that you do not install them.

  

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Question: Spinfire 8.0 or Reader crashes when I launch it. I have just installed it
I have just installed Spinfire 8.0 and it crashes when I launch it.  Spinfire 2004v2 used to work fine and so other applications.

Solution:

This may happen in a few cases,  because of the new interface controls and graphic elements introduced in 8.0 for new functionalities (as an example, PMI). However, with updated drivers all recent graphic card always seem to work perfectly. Look at the following suggestions

1. Check the color depth of your graphic card settings. If it is 16 , please change it to 32.

2. Check the date of your card graphic driver. If it is several months old, you may consider to update it to the latest available either from the computer manufacturer or from the graphic card manufacturer.

3. If you ant you can send us the details of graphic card and drivers so we can take a look at it for you, PLease do the following to gather this information:

• Go to Start > Run
• Type "dxdiag" > OK
• A window will appear. Let it finish preparing the report and then save the report by using the "Save All information" button.
• Send us the resulting file (dxdiag.txt)

  

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Question: Wrong Volume Calculation with IGES
I get the wrong volume calculation after importing an IGES files. It is about double of what it should be. This happens when I select the root structure and calculate that volume.

Solution: SFP currently treats layers as a part, which is unfortunate as it gets figured in the volume/surface computations.  IGES is one of the few Importers where this problems occurs.  To get around this problem, you have two options:
1)  Do not import layers.  This is an option that you can disable in the importer options.
2)  Go in the Assembly Tree and select Model only.  Then perform your volume/surface computation.  It should be correct.

  

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Question: Performance/display issues running on laptops with ATI graphics card

Hello,

I am having display issues and sometimes performance problems when I run SpinFire on my laptop running a ATI graphics cards. I notice this happens more often when the laptop has an FireGL card. What can I do? Is there a resolution?

Solution:

Hi,

This particular issue were previously reported to us by other customers. We have since contacted ATI regarding this issue and was told that a new driver has been released to resolved the problem.

Please visite your manufacturer's or ATI's web site to obtain the latest graphics driver.

Thank you,

Actify Support Team

  

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