Q139162: Encarta World Atlas, 1996: README.WRI Contents
Article: Q139162
Product(s): Microsoft Home Multimedia Titles
Version(s): WINDOWS:
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s):
Last Modified: 13-DEC-1999
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Encarta 96 World Atlas for Windows
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SUMMARY
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The following article contains a copy of the complete text of the Readme.wri file
located in the root folder on the Microsoft Encarta 96 World Atlas compact disc.
MORE INFORMATION
================
Microsoft Encarta 96 World Atlas Information
Most of your questions will be answered in the manual, Your
Passport to World Atlas. This document contains late-breaking
news about World Atlas and solutions for problems that may crop
up.
To read this document on your screen, press the PAGE DOWN and
PAGE UP keys on your keyboard.
To get to specific information quickly on your screen, click
Edit and then click Find. Then type the topic title exactly as it
appears in the Table of Contents and click Find Next to go right
to the topic. For example, if you don't hear sounds, type You
don't hear any sound in the Find box.
To print the entire document, simply click File and then click
Print. Go ahead and click OK.
Table of Contents
-----------------
Getting World Atlas to run at its best
Make sure your CD-ROM drive gives you peak performance
You need free disk space to run World Atlas
Suggestions, please!
Map suggestions
Other suggestions
Running World Atlas with NT
Solving World Atlas problems
Register as a World Atlas user
Display of maps, pictures, and video
Pictures and video don't look their best
You don't see the place you're looking for on the map
Sound
You don't hear any sound
Sound is distorted, skips, or cuts off
World Atlas stops running suddenly
You may be having problems with your video display
You may be having problems with your CD-ROM drive
You may be having problems with a ReelMagic(tm) sound card
If you're using Intellipoint software with your Microsoft mouse
Getting statistics in World Atlas
Compare world statistics
About the statistical values World Atlas displays
Problems with the Statistic Sensor
Finding your license number
Getting more information about multimedia
Getting World Atlas to run at its best
NOTE: Do not remove the World Atlas disc from your CD-ROM drive
while you run World Atlas.
Make sure your CD-ROM drive gives you peak performance:
To make sure that Windows is set to run your CD-ROM drive at its
best, follow these steps:
1. Click My Computer with the right mouse-button.
2. Click Properties and lick the Performance tab with the left
mouse button.
3. Click the File System button and then click the CD-ROM tab.
Make sure that the Supplemental cache size is set to Large and
that the Optimize access pattern for is correctly set for the
type of CD-ROM drive your system has. Look in your computer or
CD-ROM manual to find out what this setting should be.
You need free disk space to run World Atlas:
World Atlas requires a certain amount of free disk space for it
to function properly with the operating system. The amount
required is dependent on the operating system used (Windows 95
or Windows NT), the amount of memory (or RAM) your computer has,
and the memory settings for the computer.
In general, the more RAM you have the less free disk space you
need. World Atlas works best with at least 32 megabytes (MB) of
free disk space if you use Windows with the default settings
and have Windows manage the memory. However, these are the
minimum requirements, based on the amount of RAM your computer
has:
- 8 MB or less of RAM: you must have 24 MB of free disk space.
- 9 to 16 MB of RAM: you must have 16 MB of free disk space.
- Greater than 16 MB of RAM: you must have 8 MB of free disk
space.
Suggestions, please!
Map suggestions:
World Atlas provides the most extensive world atlas database ever
compiled in print or on CD-ROM. The lowest display altitudes in
World Atlas give you an incredibly detailed view of the world,
where you will find many small features. Some of these small
features have been drawn from comprehensive databases of
geographic locations that have been built by various government
agencies. Some of these databases were never intended to be
viewed at such a close range, and you may see some anomalies in
their positioning and naming. Despite these issues, our
cartographers decided to include them so that you can, for the
first time, have access to the rich data that is available from
these agencies. You will find these places identified in World
Atlas with a special symbol.
We value your feedback on map features. If you have suggestions
for helping us improve the World Atlas map, please send them to:
Map Editor
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
FAX: (206) 936-7329
Internet: mapedit@microsoft.com
Other suggestions:
If there are features you would like to see in future editions of
World Atlas or if you have any comments about the current
version, please send them to:
Cosmo Globe
c/o Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
FAX: (206) 936-7329
Internet: mswish@microsoft.com
Running World Atlas with NT:
As an NT user and a computer expert, you'll notice that many of
the procedures in this document won't work for you. Please check
your NT manual for comparable information.
Installing World Atlas. You may have problems installing World
Atlas if you're logged on as a user because World Atlas requires
some changes to your system. If installing is a problem, log on
as an administrator and run Setup again.
Shell support. World Atlas does not support the Shell Technology
Preview on Windows NT 3.51.
Solving World Atlas problems
Register as a World Atlas user:
Right after you set up World Atlas on your computer, the Setup
program gives you the choice of registering on-line if you have a
modem. If this on-line registration doesn't work, you can run the
Setup program again to register or mail in the registration card
that comes in the World Atlas box.
Display of maps, pictures, and video:
You'll find some suggestions for improving the quality of maps,
pictures, and video on page 25 of the manual, Your Passport to
World Atlas.
Pictures and video don't look their best:
Here are a couple of things to try if pictures look grainy or
flawed, or if videos are garbled:
- You can fix most problems by updating the driver that lets
Windows and your video card communicate. Look for the
manufacturer's phone number in the manual that came with your
computer or video card and request a new driver. Or, you might
get an updated video driver from the Microsoft Download
Service, an electronic bulletin board that you can access via
modem at (206) 936-6735.
- You can improve video quality by changing the video display
mode. Keep in mind, however, that the quality of the maps both
on screen and in print will suffer.
1. In Windows, click Start and point to Settings.
2. Click Control Panel and double-click Display.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Click 256 Color under Color palette and move the slider to 640
by 480 pixels for Desktop area.
5. Click OK.
You don't see the place you're looking for on the map:
With a million place names, World Atlas can show only a limited
number at one time without making the map too crowded. Follow
these steps if you want to find a place you don't see:
1. Click Find under Cosmo's feet and then click Places.
2. Type the name of the place you want to visit. Notice the list
move as you type.
3. If the place name is highlighted, press ENTER. Or, click the
place name on the list to go there. World Atlas will draw the
map again, and the place you're looking for will almost always
appear.
Sound
-----
If you're uncomfortable trying any of the following suggestions
on your own, you may want to ask your dealer or a more
experienced friend to help.
You don't hear any sound:
You'll find solutions to the problem of no sound on pages 26 and
27 of the manual, Your Passport to World Atlas. If those
suggestions don't solve the problem, read on.
<B7>- Make sure the sound card is pressed securely into its slot.
<B7>- Make sure the sound card switches and settings are correct-
that is, the sound card was installed properly. Refer to the
manual of your computer system or the sound card manual for
help.
<B7>- Make sure the sound card doesn't conflict with other hardware
by using the Hardware Conflict Troubleshooter that was
designed specifically to help with hardware conflicts in
Windows.
1. In Windows, click Start and then click Help.
2. Double-click Troubleshooting.
3. Double-click If you have a hardware conflict and follow the
directions on your screen.
Sound is distorted, skips, or cuts off:
Start with the solutions (and a brief explanation of the problem)
on pages 27 and 28 of the manual, Your Passport to World Atlas.
If those suggestions don't solve the problem, try these:
- If the sound is distorted, try adjusting the sound card volume
with a program that is often called a "mixer." To get to the
mixer, double-click the Volume Control (it's a little speaker
in the lower-right corner of your screen). Turn down the
volume with the volume slider under Volume Control and then
close the Volume Control box.
- If the sound occasionally skips or cuts off, the CD-ROM drive
probably isn't fast enough-World Atlas requires a double-
speed drive. You can keep using your CD-ROM drive, but you
will continue to hear the sound break up or skip. Or you can
upgrade your CD-ROM drive.
- Most sound cards can play only one sound at a time. Some
sound-producing programs, like a screen saver or any program
that makes a sound in the background, may take over the
sound capability of your computer and interrupt World Atlas
sounds. If you suspect you have such a program, do not run it
at the same time as World Atlas.
- If you have a Media Vision(tm) Pro Audio 16 sound card and the
sound is scratchy, the Direct Memory Access (DMA) may be set
too low. A DMA setting of 7 will correct any scratchy sounds.
For instructions on how to change the DMA settings, refer to your
sound card manual.
World Atlas stops running suddenly:
- You may find that sometimes World Atlas freezes up, the screen
goes blank, or World Atlas tells you it can't find data.
- You may be having problems with your video display. See
"Pictures and video don't look their best" in this document
for two possible solutions.
- You may be having problems with your CD-ROM drive. Check the
drive itself. Here are three things to try.
Make sure the World Atlas CD-ROM disc is inserted into the
CD-ROM drive. (World Atlas won't run at all unless the disc
is in the drive.
Make sure that the drive is connected to your computer
correctly and is functioning from Windows. To find out,
double-click My Computer on the desktop and then double-
click the drive with a picture of the CD-ROM disc (usually
drive D). Windows will tell you if it's "not available."
If you have an external CD-ROM drive, make sure the power
is turned on.
If, after you try these three things, World Atlas still tells you
it can't find data, check to see if your CD-ROM drive is
installed properly. Refer to the manual that came with your
computer system or CD-ROM drive for help, or contact the company
that supplied the drive.
Look for a hardware conflict. Make sure the CD-ROM drive doesn't
conflict with other hardware by using the Hardware Conflict
Troubleshooter.
1. In Windows, click Start and then click Help.
2. Double-click Troubleshooting.
3. Double-click If you have a hardware conflict and follow the
directions on your screen.
You may be having problems with a ReelMagic(tm) sound card:
With this sound card, the sounds the program makes when you click
the mouse button freeze World Atlas; this also happens with the
media player. Call Sigma Designs(r), the sound card manufacturer,
for a new sound card driver (the program that lets Windows and
your sound card communicate).
If you're using Intellipoint software with your Microsoft mouse:
The Snap to feature can cause the mouse cursor to jump around on
the screen when you do certain things in the World Atlas. To fix
the cursor problem, turn off the Snap to feature following these
steps:
1. In Windows, click Start and point to Settings.
2. Click Control Panel and double-click Mouse. In the lower right
corner of the Mouse Properties box, you'll see Microsoft
Intellipoint mentioned.
3. Click the Activity tab and click Snap to so there's no "x" in
the box.
4. Click OK.
Getting statistics in World Atlas:
World Atlas gives you an instant report of statistics in hundreds
of categories-from the number of airports in a country to the
volume of zinc production. You'll find basic advice about how to
get statistics on pages 19 through 21 in the manual, Your
Passport to World Atlas.
Compare world statistics:
Any time you choose a Statistic Sensor, World Atlas displays the
world-wide range right beneath the statistic. The number on the
left is the minimum in the world; the number on the right is the
maximum.
For example, the illustration on page 19 of Your Passport to
World Atlas shows that Saudi Arabia has 472,000 camels. Look just
beneath that statistic to see that the smallest reported number
of camels in any country is one and the largest is 6,098,000.
About the statistical values World Atlas displays:
Just to the right of the Reset button in the Statistic Sensor,
World Atlas tells you how it calculates the statistic with these
terms:
Estimated: Estimated values are based on historical data and
knowledge of relevant political, social, or economic trends and
events.
Projected: Projected values extend the time series of
observations to years before or after the last actual value for
the statistic. Sometimes a simple linear model is used. In other
cases, projections are based on the more complex models that
demographers use to forecast important indicators such as
population.
Aggregated: Aggregated data are used to express statistics for a
country that used to be two countries. A recent example is the
unification of Germany. In this case, the Statistic Sensor
displays values calculated for the unified country based on
values of the formerly separate countries.
n/a: Data are not available for this place and year.
Blank: The value is an actual reported value for the country and
year selected.
Problems with the Statistic Sensor:
If there is no statistic displayed, the Sensor may be hovering
over black outer space, over an ocean, or over the North or South
poles. Also, the Statistic Sensor can't "see" through a picture
or other window.
If the list of statistics is slow to show up on your screen, your
CD-ROM drive may not be running as fast as it can. Refer to "Make
sure your CD-ROM drive gives you peak performance" in this
document to solve the problem.
Finding your license number:
To find the license number for the product (also known as the
product ID, PID, or serial number), click Options under Cosmo's
feet and then click About World.
Getting more information about multimedia:
For information on other Microsoft multimedia programs, call
(800) 426-9400. Or follow these steps to browse the Microsoft
Multimedia Catalog right on your computer:
1. In Windows, click Start and point to Programs.
2. Point to Microsoft Reference and then to Microsoft Multimedia
Catalog.
3. Click to open the catalog.
Media Vision is a trademark of Media Vision, Inc.
ReelMagic is a trademark of Sigma Designs.
Sigma Designs is a registered trademark of Sigma Designs.
Additional query words: kbhowto 1996 multi media multimedia multi- mmtitles kbmm readme.txt readme
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Keywords :
Technology : kbHomeProdSearch kbHomeMMsearch kbEncartaSearch kbEncartaWorldAtlas1996
Version : WINDOWS:
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