This chapter contains step-by-step instructions for using the InPerson™ desktop conferencing software. For information on setting up your network properly, see the online InPerson Setup and Administration Guide.
The InPerson desktop conferencing software lets you have face-to-face conversations and working sessions with people in other locations. This section provides an illustrated overview of how it works, with links to more detailed information.
 | Note: This section explains the basics of using InPerson—it does not illustrate all of InPerson's features. |
Figure 1-1 illustrates the InPerson desktop icon, the phone, and some user icons. When you run InPerson, the image of a phone appears on your desktop. It is similar to the phone on your desk—it rings when someone is calling you. To answer a call, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button.
Tip: To make a call, drag a user icon and place it on the phone. See “Making Calls: An Overview” for details and alternative instructions.
Figure 1-2 illustrates the calling window. The calling window is especially useful when you need to find user icons or need to call more than one person. Bring up the calling window by clicking once on the phone. See “Making a Call Using the Calling Window” and “Finding User Icons” for details.
If you want to open the whiteboard ahead of time to prepare for a conference call, use the Authoring button. See “Authoring: Preparing the Whiteboard Before a Conference” for details.
Figure 1-3 gives an overview of the conference window. The conferencing window appears when you answer or make a call. By default, it displays a video image of each person participating in the conference. Participants that don't have a video camera or a system that supports video are represented by a static image.
Note: This figure shows the complete conferencing window—with the whiteboard and the shelf. To open the whiteboard, choose “Whiteboard” from the Call menu. To open the shelf, choose “Shelf” from the Call menu.
Figure 1-4 illustrates how to use the whiteboard. The whiteboard is similar to the whiteboard or chalkboard you might find in a conference room. Each person in the conference has a marker, or piece of chalk. Participants use this marker to sketch and write notes on the board. People can also import 3D models, as well as take screen snapshots and place them on the board.
For example, suppose you want your co-workers to review your design for a new gadget. You can take a snapshot of the object you've designed, then place it on the whiteboard where everyone can annotate it.
Note: You can also save, print, and reopen whiteboard files after creating them. See “Managing Files” for instructions.
Figure 1-5 illustrates how to use the shelf. The shelf makes it easy for you to exchange files with conference participants. When you place an icon on the shelf, all participants can see the icon and drag it into one of their folders to make their own copies of the file. See “Managing Files” for more details.
You can call people in either of two ways:
Place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button. A calling window appears. This window has fields similar to those you see in an electronic mail application. You have an area for listing the people you want to call and a line for specifying the subject. See “Making a Call Using the Calling Window” for details on filling in these fields.
Each login account has an associated icon. As a shortcut, you can drag these user icons and place them on the phone. The phone begins to ring; you're calling the people whose icons you placed on the phone. See “Making a Call by Dragging Icons” for details.
To call a person on the telephone, you need to dial the person's telephone number. To call someone for a desktop conference, you need to enter the person's login name and system name, then press the Call button. This section provides step-by-step instructions for making a call with the calling window:
If the calling window is not already open, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button. Figure 1-6 shows a picture of the phone that appears on your desktop.
Fill the calling list with icons of the people or groups that you want to call.
The calling list is the blue rectangle near the top of the window. By default, it is empty. You add icons to the calling list in one of two ways:
Drag user and group icons into the calling list. It is suggested that you use the PeoplePages. See “Finding User Icons” for more information.
Type names into the pink field next to the label To, then press the <Enter> key. The user icons appear in the calling list.
For each person you want to call, type the login name and system name. For example, if the login name is fred and the system name is bedrock, type:
fred@bedrock
For groups, type the name you gave to the group when you created it. (See “Creating a Group of People” to learn how to create a group.)
If you type a name incorrectly, a message appears telling you the name is unrecognized.
Note: If the system you are calling is in a different domain, you need to specify the domain name. For example, if you are calling a system named bedrock, and it is part of a domain named bldg2, you need to type bedrock.bldg2
Press the Call button.
You call everyone whose icon appears on the calling list and whose name is in the type-in field.
The phone begins to ring. It stops ringing when a person answers the phone. At this point, the person's name appears below the phone and, shortly thereafter, an outline of the conference window appears.
If the person is not running InPerson or doesn't answer the call, a message appears telling you that the call couldn't be completed and giving you the opportunity to leave an electronic mail message.
This section describes a shortcut for making calls. Drag a user icon and place it on the phone. The phone begins to ring; you're calling the person whose icon you placed on the phone. To call several people, select several user icons at once, then drag those onto the phone. See “Finding User Icons” to learn how you can find icons of the people you want to call.
You can find user icons in a couple of ways:
Place the cursor over the phone and click once. The calling window appears. Click on the yellow phonebook icon (see Figure 1-7) to bring up the PeoplePages.
The PeoplePages are a phonebook style of program that stores user icons and allows you to drag any of these icons into the InPerson calling window or onto your desktop. It also has a search mechanism to help you find the user icon for the person you want to call.
See the PeoplePages Help to find out more about using the PeoplePages to create your own personal book for easy access to the people you call the most.
Place the cursor over the phone and click once. The calling window appears. In the pink field next to the label To, type the user name and system name, then press <Enter>. The user's icon appears in the calling list.
By default, the phone rings and flashes when someone calls you. To change the default behavior, place the cursor over the phone, press the right mouse button, and then choose “Ring control panel...” from the menu that appears. Or, in the Calling Window, open the Tools menu and select “Ring control panel...”.
To temporarily disable the ringing and flashing, choose “Take Message” from the popup menu that appears next to Max. Rings. When you are ready to receive calls again, choose a number from the menu.
By default, your phone rings five times when someone calls you. To change this, choose a different number from the popup menu that appears next to Max. Rings.
You can choose a different ringing sound for the incoming and outgoing calls. That is, you can change the sound that you hear when you call someone and the sound you hear when someone calls you.
To change the sound of incoming calls, choose “Office,” “Modern,” or “Old-fashioned” from the popup menu next to Ring Sound. You hear a sample ring when you make a selection. Choose “none” if you want the phone to flash, but not ring, when you receive a call.
To change the ringing sound that you hear when you call people, choose an item from the popup menu next to Ring Sound in the lower portion of the window. You hear a sample ring when you make a selection.
You can call several people in the same way that you call one person. Place the user icons on the calling list, then press the Call button. If you call the same group of people frequently, you can save the collection of icons as a group. To do so:
If the calling window is not already open, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button.
Fill the calling list with the icons of the people that you want to call.
See “Making a Call Using the Calling Window” for instructions.
Choose “Save” from the Group menu.
A new window appears. This is the Group View window.
Name the group by typing in the field next to the label Group Name.
Press the Save button.
The Group View window disappears and the calling window changes. Instead of showing an icon for each member in the group, it shows one icon, labeled with the group name. Figure 1-8 shows an example of the calling window before and after saving a group.
The next time you want to call this group of people, type the group name in the field next to the label To, or choose “List Groups” from the Group menu. You can also edit the group. For example, suppose a person in the group changes jobs and no longer needs to participate in the conferences. You can remove this person from the list. See “Changing a Group” for details.
This section explains how to view and edit groups. It includes:
The List Groups window shows an icon for each group you have created. To open the window, choose “List Groups” from the Group menu on the calling window.
To place a group on the calling list, select the icon, then click the Add to Call button. Your other option: drag the icon from the Group List window into the calling list on the calling window.
To change the group, double-click the group icon or select the icon, and then click the View button.
To delete a group, select the group icon, then click the Delete button.
You edit a group when you want to add people to or remove people from a group. The technique you use depends on the type of change—a temporary change, such as a change for one call, or a permanent change. The list below describes four scenarios.
The group contains several people. For today's call, you want to invite a visitor to join the group. See “Temporarily Adding Someone to a Group.”
A new person has joined the engineering team. You want to add the person to the group so he can participate in all future conferences. See “Making a Permanent Change to a Group.”
A person in the group has changed jobs. You want to remove that person from the list, permanently. See “Making a Permanent Change to a Group.”
A person in the group is out of town for a week. You want to exclude the person from today's call but keep him as a member of the group. See “Temporarily Removing Someone From a Group.”
Suppose you have a weekly conference with a group of three people. Today, you want to invite a visitor to participate. To do so:
If the calling window is not already open, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button.
Place the group icon on the calling list. You can do so in one of three ways:
If the group icon is visible on your desktop, drag it and drop it onto the calling list.
If you know the group name, type it in the field next to the label To, then press the <Enter> key.
Choose “List Groups” from the Group menu, then use the browser that appears to select the group you want to open.
Add other user icons to the calling list.
Press the Call button when you are ready to make a call.
You call people in the group and the people whose icons you added to the calling list. You have not modified the group; it still contains three people.
Suppose you have created a group of four people. One person in the group is out of town for a week. You want to exclude the person from today's call but keep him as a member of the group. To do so:
If the calling window is not already open, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button.
Place the group icon on the calling list. You can do so in any one of three ways:
If the group icon is visible on your desktop, drag the icon and drop it onto the calling list.
If you know the group name, type it in the field next to the label To, then press the <Enter> key.
Choose “List Groups” from the Group menu, then use the browser that appears to select the group you want to open.
Place the cursor over the group icon, then click the left mouse button to select it.
Click the Expand button.
The calling list changes. The group icon disappears; it's replaced with an icon for each member in the group.
Select the icon for the person you want to exclude from this call, then click the Remove button.
That icon disappears from the calling list.
Press the Call button when you are ready to make the call.
You have not modified the group; it still contains four people.
Suppose a person in the group has changed jobs. You want to remove that person from the list, permanently. Or, suppose a new person has joined the team, and you want to add that person to the group. To do so, select the group icon, then click the View button. Step-by-step instructions follow.
If the calling window is not already open, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button.
Place the group icon on the calling list. You can do so in one of three ways:
If the group icon is visible on your desktop, drag the icon and drop it onto the calling list.
If you know the group name, type it in the field next to the label To, then press the <Enter> key.
Choose “List Groups” from the Group menu, then use the window that appears to select the group you want to open.
Select the group icon, then click the View button.
The Group View window appears. The list of members includes an icon for each person in the group.
Remove or add icons to the list of group members.
For example, suppose the group contains four people and you want to remove one person from the group. Select the person's icon, then click the Remove button. When you press the Save button, you change the group from a four-person group to a three-person group.
Press the Save button.
The Group View window disappears.
When you run InPerson, a phone appears on your desktop. You can use this phone to make and answer calls.
When you are being called, the name of the caller appears below the phone, and the phone begins to ring and flash. You have a choice: you can answer the call directly, or find out more information before you choose whether or not to answer.
To answer a call:
Place the cursor over the phone and click the left mouse button.
The ringing stops; the conference window appears shortly thereafter so that you can communicate with the caller.
To find out the subject of the call before answering:
Place the cursor over the caller's name and click the left mouse button.
A window appears. It shows you the subject of the call and the list of participants.
Click Don't Answer to ignore the call or click Answer to join the call.
| Note: You can disable or change the ringing. To do so, place the cursor over the phone, then press the right mouse button. Choose “Ring control panel...” from the popup menu that appears. See “Programming Your Phone” for more details. |
There are some optional things you can do in preparation for an InPerson conference call. This section contains:
Different network types have different bandwidth ranges. For example, ISDN is a low-bandwidth network and LAN is a higher-bandwidth network. Tell InPerson what kind of network you are using, so it can set the best bandwidth range and compression schemes for your network type.
To select the network bandwidth:
Place the cursor over the phone, then press the right mouse button.
Choose “Call preferences...” from the popup menu that appears.
The Call Preferences Panel appears. See Figure 1-15.
Next to the label Network Bandwidth, click on ISDN, T1/E1, LAN, or Hi-Speed LAN, depending on the type of network you are using (these buttons are listed in order of bandwidth range, with ISDN being the lowest).
A blue triangle indicates your selection. Note: If you are not sure what type of network you are using, ask your network administrator. The network type buttons are listed in order of bandwidth range, from lowest to highest. To save this as the default setting, click Save, then click the OK button.
Prior to an important meeting, you might go to the conference room and write notes on the whiteboard or set up some equipment. The Authoring... button on the calling window lets you prepare a presentation or write a few notes before inviting people to a desktop conference.
If the calling window is not already open, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button.
Click the Authoring... button, as shown in Figure 1-9.
The conference window appears. The whiteboard is open so you can prepare sketches before inviting people to participate in the conference.
Note: To conserve CPU usage while you are preparing for a call, your video is automatically put on hold. When you are ready, click the red Hold button to take yourself off hold. When you are ready to start the conference, choose “Invite” from the Call menu.
See “Inviting Someone to Join a Call” for details.
| Tip: Place the cursor over the phone, then press the right mouse button. Choose “Authoring...” from the menu that appears. |
InPerson allows you to adjust certain video settings for your next call. For instructions, see “Changing Video Settings for Future Calls: Using the Call Preferences Panel.”
While you're participating in a conference, you can switch between calls, place calls on hold, and more. For details, see:
If you receive a telephone call, or need to have a brief conversation with someone who has walked into your office, you can place the desktop conference on hold. This temporarily stops all incoming and outgoing audio and video. You can't see or hear other participants and they can't see or hear you.
To place the call on hold, choose “Hold” from the Call menu or click the Hold button that appears at the top of the toolbar (see Figure 1-10). The Hold button turns red and a blind labeled “Hold” drops over your video display. When you are ready to participate in the call again, click the Hold button again or choose “Hold” from the Call menu.
If you still want to see and hear other participants, see “Preventing Others from Seeing and Hearing You (Turning Audio and Video Off).” It explains how you can temporarily stop people from hearing and seeing you.
| Note: If you answer another conference call while you're participating in a conference, you automatically put the initial conference on hold. This allows you to answer the other call without disrupting the existing conference. If you minimize or stow the main conference window, the call is automatically put on hold. When you open the window again, you are taken off of hold. The same thing happens if you switch from one desk to another. The call is automatically put on hold when you switch to a different desk; it's made active when you return to the desk on which the conference window is open. |
When you call someone, you hear the phone begin to ring. If the person does not answer your call, and you are tired of listening to the phone ring, click the Hang Up button on the calling window.
Once you're in a conference, you can hang up from the call by choosing “Hang up” from the Call menu.
While you're participating in a conference, you can still receive other calls. When this happens, the name of the caller appears below the phone, and the phone begins to ring and flash. You have several options:
To find out the subject of the call before answering, place the cursor over the caller's name, then click the left mouse button. A window appears. It shows you the subject of the call and the list of participants. Click Don't Answer to ignore the call; click Answer to join the call.
To answer the call, place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button. This automatically puts the current conference on hold. People in that call can't see or hear you and you can't see or hear them.
Notice that each call you are participating in is represented by a label below the phone. Each label is a different color; the color matches the background of the video display area. When you want to switch to a different call, click its label. All other calls are automatically placed on hold.
If you see a number on the phone, you have been invited to a conference that is still in progress. To join the call:
Place the cursor over the phone, then click the left mouse button to open the calling window.
Notice the list at the bottom of the window. (See Figure 1-11.) The list appears only if you have calls to join.
Place the cursor over the icon representing the call you want to join, then double-click the left mouse button.
The conference window appears, and you join the call.
You can invite someone to join a conference in progress:
Choose “Invite...” from the Call menu.
The Invite window appears. It is identical to the calling window.
Fill the calling list with the icons of the people or groups that you want to invite to join the call, then press the Call button.
For detailed instructions, see “Making a Call Using the Calling Window.”
When the person answers the call, the video or static image of that person appears in the conference window.
| Tip: You can also invite someone to the conference by dragging and dropping a user icon into the participant display area. |
When you place a call on hold, you are temporarily disconnected from the conference. You can't see or hear other participants and they can't see or hear you. If you still want to see and hear other participants, choose one of these options instead.
Choose “Privacy” from the Call menu or click the button shown in Figure 1-12 to temporarily stop all outgoing audio and video. You can see and hear other participants but they can't see or hear you. Click the button again to turn this feature off.
Choose “Freeze Video” from the Call menu or click the button shown in Figure 1-13 to temporarily stop outgoing video. You can see and hear other participants; they can hear you but they can't see you. They see a frozen image of you. Click the button again to turn on live, outgoing video back on.
Pull down the Tools menu and select the “Call control panel...”option. Select Static, next to the Outgoing Video label, to temporarily stop outgoing video. You can see and hear other participants; they can hear you but they cannot see you. They will see a default static image. You can select Live at any time to turn on the live outgoing video again.
Optional: You can create a custom static image. See “Creating a Custom Image.”
This section contains:
Some information and advice on Audio Control Panel settings:
When you open the Audio Control Panel from InPerson, then make adjustments, those settings will become the default settings whenever you are using InPerson—even after you've logged out and in again. InPerson remembers the audio settings you requested. When you are not using InPerson, or have InPerson on hold, the Audio Control Panel uses its previous settings. Important: adjust the settings when InPerson is not on hold.
For best audio performance, set the audio output rate to the input rate:
Pull down the Rate menu.
Choose the Output Rate rollover submenu.
Select Input Rate.
For best performance, do not adjust the Input Rate, which is set by InPerson. Also, do not change the Output Rate after the call has been established.
Note: The input rate is different than the input level, which adjusts the volume.
The Audio Control Panel lets you adjust the volume in two ways:
You can change the input level so your voice sounds louder or softer to others in the conference.
You can and adjust the loudspeaker so other people sound louder or softer to you.
To open the panel, choose “Audio control panel...” from the Tools menu.
The table below describes four scenarios and the type of adjustment you make with the Audio Control Panel.
Table 1-1. Adjusting volume with the Audio Control Panel.
Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|
Everyone says you are speaking too softly or loudly. | Move the sliders under the label Input. Move the slider up if people say you're speaking too softly; move the slider down if people say you're speaking too loudly. You can also move the microphone closer to your mouth. |
One person says you are speaking too softly or loudly. | Ask the person to open the Audio Control Panel and adjust his or her Speaker levels. |
You are having problems hearing everyone in the conference. | Move the sliders under the label Speaker. Move the sliders up if you want to raise the volume; move the slider down if you want to lower the volume. |
No one can hear you. | Check to make sure the microphone is plugged in to the system. Also make sure the Audio Control Panel lists “Microphone” as the input source. |
If you've made adjustments with the Audio Control Panel and the volume is still too low, you might need to adjust the audio input gain. See the file /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/InPerson for instructions.
An echo occurs when you hear your words repeated. You speak into the microphone; your words are broadcast from another participant's speakers; that person's microphone picks up your voice and sends it back to you. To reduce such echoes, try the following:
Have all conference participants use headphones. For example, headphones from a portable cassette player might work with your Silicon Graphics system.
Have all conference participants move their microphones away from the loudspeaker.
Have all conference participants open the Audio Control Panel and try different audio input and output levels.
Consider purchasing the InPerson Option Board, it provides acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) and special audio compression (G.728) in order to optimize audio quality and improve the overall performance of InPerson communication over the network.
Occasionally, you might hear noises while no one is speaking. This happens if someone in the conference has the input levels set too high. To lessen the noise, ask people in the conference to do the following:
Move the microphone closer to their mouth.
Choose “Audio control panel...” from the Tools menu. Adjust the input sliders so the input level is set to approximately seven on the outer right scale.
If you still hear background noise, ask them to try reducing the input levels a bit more. If the audio quality deteriorates and you hear only portions of words, they've reduced the input level too much.
By default, InPerson chooses the microphone as the audio input. If you have another device connected to your system, such as a VCR or CD player, you can play audio from the tape or CD. To do so:
Connect the device to the Line In audio jack.
After the call has started, open the Audio Control Panel, then choose “Line” from the Input menu.
Adjust the input levels as necessary.
| Note: If you have a CD-ROM device from Silicon Graphics, connect the device to the Line In jack on your system, then use the cdplayer(1) utility to play audio compact discs. |
The section describes the ways in which you can change video settings. It includes:
Figure 1-14 is an illustration of how you can access and use the Call Control Panel.
| Tip: Click on this figure to bring up an expanded, printable view of it. |
To jump to step-by-step instructions, click on any of the following titles:
When you need to adjust video settings during a call, use the Call Control Panel, as instructed in most sections on adjusting video settings. However, if you want to change the default video settings for future calls, use the Call Preferences Panel. These two panels look alike and are only different in two ways:
The Call Control Panel has a Network Info button where the Call Preferences Panel has a Save button.
The Call Control Panel affects only your current call, while the Call Preferences Panel affects only future calls.
To change video settings for future calls:
Place the cursor over the phone, then press the right mouse button. Or, if you are in the Calling Window, pull down the Tools menu.
Choose “Call preferences...” from the menu that appears.
The Call Preferences Panel appears. See Figure 1-15.
Make your video setting selections, as instructed in the topics under “Adjusting Video Settings.”
Click OK to use these settings for the next call.
Or, to save these settings as default, click Save, then click the OK button.
| Note: Even after you have set defaults with the Call Preferences Panel, you can override them during any call, by using the Call Control Panel. |
You have two choices for the video setting: small or large. This setting determines the amount of space allocated in your display area for each video image. It does not affect the space allocated on other participants' screens.
By default, the video size is set to large. To change the size:
Choose “Call control panel...” from the Tools menu.
The control panel appears.
Click Small or Large.
The video changes to a new size.
Click OK to use this size for the current call and close the panel.
| Note: The size of the video sent is affected by the Optimize buttons. See “Optimizing Video Quality or Frame Rate.” |
| Note: To save this as the default setting, you must use the Call Preferences Panel. See “Changing Video Settings for Future Calls: Using the Call Preferences Panel.” |
You can choose to use a static image instead of live video. If your system does not support video, you are automatically represented in conferences as a static image.
Choose “Call control panel...” from the Tools menu.
The control panel appears.
Click Static, next to the label Outgoing Video.
A blue triangle appears to indicate it's selected.
Click OK to use this setting for the current call and close the panel.
| Note: To save this as the default setting, you must use the Call Preferences Panel. See “Changing Video Settings for Future Calls: Using the Call Preferences Panel.” |
InPerson has a set of default images that it uses for static images. To create a custom image, see “Creating a Custom Image.”
The frame rate specifies how many frames (images) are transmitted per second. A higher frame rate gives you a fluid image; a lower frame rate gives you less fluid motion. The image quality represents the clarity of your outgoing video. When bandwidth is low, the frame rate and the image quality are diminished. The Performance buttons on the Call Control Panel let you choose which characteristic you want to optimize.
To make your choice:
Pull down the Tools menu and select “Call control panel...”.
Next to the label Performance, click one of the following:
Optimize quality
InPerson maintains the highest possible image quality at the expense of the frame rate. When possible, depending on the bandwidth and network type, the video size sent will be set to large. This is the default setting.Optimize frame rate
InPerson maintains the highest possible frame rate at the expense of the image quality. In this case, the video size sent is always set to small.A blue triangle indicates your selection. Click OK to use this setting for the current call and close the panel.
| Note: To save this as the default setting, you must use the Call Preferences Panel. See “Changing Video Settings for Future Calls: Using the Call Preferences Panel.” |
Transmitting video from one system to another makes significant use of the network. You can reduce the network load in four ways:
By inviting fewer people to participate in a conference.
By choosing “Freeze video” from the Call menu. This stops video data from being sent across the network.
By limiting the amount of information that InPerson can send across the network. See the instructions below.
To limit the amount of network resources that InPerson consumes during a particular call, you can lower the default bandwidth limit:
Choose “Call control panel...” from the Tools menu.
Click the Finer Control button, at the bottom of the window. See Figure 1-16.
This reveals additional controls. See Figure 1-19 for a picture of the entire control panel.
Use the slider above Bandwidth Limit (kbit/sec) to change the amount of information that InPerson sends per second.
As you move the slider, the information below the slider reflects the projected compression schemes, picture quality, audio quality, CPU usage, and network demand for that setting.
Click the OK button to set the change for the current call and close the control panel.
| Note: The amount of information that InPerson sends across the network affects the appearance of your outgoing video. A high setting produces better video; a low setting causes the video to deteriorate. In addition, how the video changes with bandwidth limit depends on whether you have chosen to optimize video quality or frame rate. See “Optimizing Video Quality or Frame Rate.” |
| Note: To save this as the default setting, you must use the Call Preferences Panel. See “Changing Video Settings for Future Calls: Using the Call Preferences Panel.” |
There are two different types of information you can monitor. Choose from:
The Call Control Panel allows you to see the target bandwidth limit's projected effect on audio and video compression schemes, picture and audio quality, CPU usage, and network demand. You can see how these meters change as you alter the bandwidth limit. See Figure 1-17.
It is important to note that the projected effect is not necessarily the actual effect. This is because InPerson is programmed to constantly measure network congestion and respond to it. See “Monitoring Current Video, Audio, and Network Information” for more information.
When the network becomes congested, InPerson responds by lowering the bandwidth. This can involve changing the compression schemes and altering the frame rate.
You can see how congested the network is, and other current information, in either of the following ways:
Select “Network info panel...” from the Tools menu.
Click on the Network Info button in the Call Control Panel.
This will bring up the Network Info Panel. See Figure 1-18.
The network info panel displays current network congestion state, usage, frame rate, and compression schemes. A color code indicates the condition of the network—underloaded, nominal, or overloaded. This panel updates once per second.
Your system contains several utilities for creating images—snapshot and the Capture tool, for example. To find these tools, open the Find toolchest, then choose Media Tools or Desktop Tools.
| Note: If you use the Capture tool, choose “Quarter Size” or “Half Size” for the frame size, and do not crop the image. |
Once you have created an image, you can use it for your login account and InPerson conferences. To do so:
Create a directory named .icons in your home directory.
Name the image file login.icon and place it in the ~/.icons directory.
Quit and restart InPerson.
The next time you make or receive a call, you will use this image.
| Note: This image will also be used as the icon for your login account and will appear on your online business card. See the clogin(1) man page for details. |
This section lists a few tips for improving the quality of your outgoing video (this includes your vanity view video and the video you are sending out to other participants). This section includes:
This section lists a few tips on using the Call Control Panel to improve the quality of your outgoing video.
Make sure that you have selected the appropriate network type with the Network Bandwidth controls. See “Setting the Network Bandwidth Range.”
You can use the Call Control Panel to increase the bandwidth (the amount of information per second transmitted across the network). InPerson is designed to deliver the best possible balance of network use, CPU use, and video quality. If, during a call, video quality becomes more important to you than conserving network use, you can increase the network bandwidth.
Caution: Whenever you increase the bandwidth, keep an eye on the CPU Usage and Network Demand graphs so that you are aware of how much you are using these resources (see “Monitoring Video, Audio, and Network Information”). Too much CPU usage slows down the programs currently running on your system; too much network demand slows communications between all the systems on your network. To do increase the bandwidth:
Choose “Call control panel...” from the Tools menu.
Click on the small button next to the label Finer Control. This expands the window. Figure 1-19 shows the expanded Call Control Panel.
Move the Bandwidth Limit slider bar up, to increase the bandwidth.
Tip: Move the slider up and down to find a setting you like. The video image may look different at different points on the bandwidth scale because InPerson changes compression schemes as you move the slider up and down.
To bring back the default setting, click on the selected Network Bandwidth button.
InPerson will automatically lower bandwidth during network congestion. You can tell InPerson to maintain the best possible video quality (at the expense of the frame rate) when it lowers the bandwidth. To do this:
Choose “Call control panel...” from the Tools menu.
If it is not already selected, click Optimize quality.
InPerson's video compression algorithm is tuned to work best for scenes with very little motion. If you're using InPerson to send video scenes with quite a bit of motion—from a video tape, for example—make sure Optimize quality is selected and increase the Bandwidth Limit setting to improve the image quality. To adjust either of these settings, choose “Call control panel...” from the Tools menu.
This section lists a few tips on improving video quality with camera adjustments.
Many cameras, including the Indy Cam™, can automatically adjust to changes in the amount of light in the picture. This capability is called automatic gain control (AGC).
If you're in an interior office with fairly constant, diffuse lighting, AGC may be unnecessary and even detrimental to the video quality. Instead of spending time updating your image in the video, InPerson will spend time making the background lighter or darker.
To disable AGC:
Choose “Video control panel...” from the Tools menu, or double-click the launch marker in the margin.
If you're using an Indy Cam, open the Pro menu, then choose “Signal Controls” from the Indy Cam rollover submenu.
Click AGC Enable. It is disabled when the red checkmark disappears.
The Indy Cam produces a much higher-quality image in moderate to bright light. If you're using InPerson in an interior office, consider adding small spotlights aimed at the scene.
If the colors of your video image look wrong (maybe too red or too green), you might need to “white balance” the Indy Cam. To do so:
Choose “Video control panel...” from the Tools menu, or double-click the launch marker in the margin.
Hold a white object (such as a sheet of paper) directly in front of the camera.
Press the White Balance button on the Video control panel.
You attach video equipment to your system by plugging it into video connectors on the back of your system. If you have more than one piece of video equipment attached to your system, you can use the Video Control Panel to select the one you want InPerson to use.This is called selecting the input source. See “Choosing Which Video Equipment to Use as Input” for details.
If you have purchased an additional video device, such as an Indy Video™ board, you have several sets of connectors on the back of your system. You can specify which device you want InPerson to use by editing a configuration file. See “Choosing a Video Device” for step-by-step instructions.
If you have more than one piece of video equipment attached to your system, you can use the Video Control Panel to select the one you want InPerson to use.
To select a different input source while you're participating in a conference:
Open the Video Control Panel by choosing “Video control panel...” from the Tools menu on the conference window.
Choose the input source from the popup menu that appears next to the label Default Input.
Figure 1-20 shows an example of the popup menu that appears if you are using the built-in video capabilities of an Indy™ workstation.
Specify any additional settings.
For example, if you choose “Analog Source,” you need to specify whether the source is “Composite” or “Svideo.” Figure 1-21 shows where you make this selection.
If your system contains two video devices, you can specify which device you want InPerson to use by default. Do this by editing a text file:
Look in the file /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults/InPerson to see a list of proper names for the video devices.
Here's a sample of the information the file contains:
! Indy built-in video: “vino”
! Galileo/IndyVideo: “ev1”
! IndigoVideo: “sv1”
Edit the file .desktop-<hostname>/InPerson in your home directory.
Add a new line to the file. The line should begin with *videoDevice and end with the device name.
For example, if you want to make IndyVideo the default device, the line should read:
*videoDevice: ev1
| Note: You can't use the device controls on the Video Control Panel to change this setting. Each time you want to switch devices, edit this file. The change affects all new conferences; it does not affect any conferences underway. |
You can open or close the whiteboard in one of two ways: choose “Whiteboard” from the Call menu, or click the whiteboard icon along the left edge of the window.
Figure 1-22 illustrates how to open the whiteboard by clicking on the whiteboard icon. The conference window expands and shows an empty whiteboard page.
This section contains Figure 1-23 for you to use as a visual key for understanding most of the whiteboard tools and features.
| Tip: Click on this figure to bring up an expanded, printable view of it. |
For detailed information, click on any topic below:
InPerson provides five drawing tools—a tool for drawing freehand and tools for drawing arrows, lines, circles, and squares. This section explains how to use the drawing tools and how to identify drawings. Choose from:
The whiteboard is designed so you can easily draw simple shapes. Place the cursor over the whiteboard, then press the left mouse button and drag the cursor. By default, you are drawing using the pencil tool. Figure 1-24 shows the pencil tool.
The whiteboard has four other drawing tools—a line tool, an arrow tool, a rectangle tool, and a circle tool. To choose one of these tools, click on the icon representing them. The cursor changes to show that drawing tool. For example, click on the icon that looks like a square if you want to draw a square. The cursor will become a small square.
Below are step-by-step instructions for selecting a drawing tool and sketching.
Select the drawing tool that you want to use.
By default, the pencil tool is selected. To select another drawing tool, click on the icon representing the type of item you want to draw.
Place the cursor over the whiteboard, then press the left mouse button and drag.
Notice that the cursor changes when you place it over the whiteboard. It matches the drawing tool you are using.
Release the mouse button when the drawing is the size and shape that you want.
| Note: If you see a thick dotted line when you draw, you are using the selection tool. Click on the pencil tool or choose another drawing tool, then try drawing again. |
You can select different line thicknesses forthe objects you create. Place the cursor in the toolbar, over the icon shown in Figure 1-25. Press the left mouse button, then choose a line thickness from the menu that appears. The icon on the toolbar changes to match the selection. Now all of the drawings you create will use this line thickness.
| Note: You cannot change the line thickness of an object after you create it. |
Each participant in the conference has a different-shaped cursor. For example, one person's cursor might be star-shaped; another's might resemble a bird. The legend of cursor shapes appears in the left portion of the window, next to each user's name.
The cursor next to your name is the cursor that other participants see. You always see a cursor that resembles the drawing tool you are currently using—the pencil tool or selection tool, for example.
You can also find out who created an object on the whiteboard. To do so, place the cursor over the object, then look in the participant display area. The name below the video or image of the person who placed that object on the page is highlighted. You do not receive this information if the person who created the object has left the conference.
This section explains how to create and edit text. Choose from:
Figure 1-26 illustrates some of the basics of working with text on the whiteboard.
| Tip: Click on this figure to bring up an expanded, printable view of it. |
You can add text to a whiteboard page at any time. Place the cursor over the whiteboard and begin typing. The text automatically appears at your cursor location.
Press the <Enter> key to start a new line of text. Each line of text becomes part of the same object; the entire object can be selected and moved around the whiteboard page. A text object is called a text block. When you reach the end of the page, a new whiteboard page is created. Each whiteboard page is an individual text block.
| Note: You can also import an existing text file. See “Importing a Text File into the Whiteboard” for step-by-step instructions. |
You can import an ASCII text file onto a page in the whiteboard. There are two ways to to do so. Choose from:
Pull down the File menu, open the Import rollover submenu and choose “Text File...”.
A file browser appears.
Browse through the directory structure until you find the name of the file you want to open.
Place the cursor over the name of the file that you want to open, then double-click the left mouse button. (If double-click doesn't work, click once to select the file, then press the OK button.)
A text importing window appears.
Choose how you want the text file imported.
Click on Lines to import each line of text as a separate object. In this situation, you can select, move, and edit each line independently.
Tip: For compatibility reasons, choose Lines if someone in the conference is running an 1.x version of InPerson. Click on Blocks to import each page of text as an object that you can select, move, and edit.
If the current page is empty, the text appears on the page. Otherwise, a new page is added to the end of the whiteboard file and the text appears on the new page. If the text file requires multiple pages, InPerson adds pages to the file. If the lines of text are wider than the page, a portion of the line will be hidden.
To import a text file by drag-and-drop:
Find the icon of the file you would like to import and drop it directly onto the whiteboard.
A text importing window appears.
Choose how you want the text file imported.
Click on Lines to import each line of text as a separate object. In this situation, you can select, move, and edit each line independently.
Tip: For compatibility reasons, choose Lines if someone in the conference is running an 1.x version of InPerson. Click on Blocks to import each page of text as an object that you can select, move, and edit.
If the current page is empty, the text appears on the page. Otherwise, a new page is added to the end of the whiteboard file and the text appears on the new page. If the text file requires multiple pages, InPerson adds pages to the file. If the lines of text are wider than the page, a portion of the line will be hidden.
InPerson provides some basic text editing capabilities. You can delete characters, add characters, and paste in selected text using the middle mouse button.
Place the selection cursor over the block of text you want to edit, then double-click the left mouse button.
The text editing cursor appears in the text block, at the cursor location. Also, a very fine outline appears around your text block.
Note: If you only click once you get a thick gray outline, which is selection mode, not edit mode. Double-click to change to edit mode. See Figure 1-26 for examples of edit mode and select mode. Re-position the cursor, if necessary, then begin editing.
To add text, begin typing.
To delete characters, press the <Backspace> key.
To select a portion of text to delete or replace, press the left mouse button and drag the cursor over the text. When the text is highlighted, press the <Backspace> or begin typing.
If you have selected text in another application, click the middle mouse button to paste it in at the cursor location.
When you have finished editing, place the cursor over a blank area on the page, then click the left mouse button.
Tip: Press <Ctrl> and <Enter> to stop editing.
You can copy and paste selected characters as well as entire lines of text. In addition, you can copy and paste text to and from other applications. For instructions, see:
To copy and paste selected characters within text blocks:
Place the cursor over the text block you want to edit, then double-click the left mouse button.
The text editing cursor appears within the text block, at the cursor location.
Select the portion of text to copy by pressing the left mouse button and dragging the cursor over the text.
Selected text is highlighted.
Choose “Copy” from the Edit menu. Position the cursor where you want the text to appear within the text block.
Choose “Paste” from the Edit menu.
A copy of the highlighted text is pasted at that location.
To copy and paste selected characters from a text block to the whiteboard:
Place the cursor over the text block you want to edit, then double-click the left mouse button.
The text editing cursor appears within the text block, at the cursor location.
Select the portion of text to copy by pressing the left mouse button and dragging the cursor over the text.
Selected text is highlighted.
Choose “Copy” from the Edit menu, then choose “Paste” from the Edit menu. Position the cursor where you want the text to appear on the whiteboard, and click the left mouse button.
A copy of the highlighted text is pasted at that location, as a new text block.
To copy and paste selected blocks of text, use the “Copy” and “Paste” commands on the Edit menu.
Select the block of text that you want to copy.
See “Selecting Objects” for instructions.
Choose “Copy” from the Edit menu.
Choose “Paste” from the Edit menu.
A rectangle representing the text appears.
Position the rectangle where you want the text to appear, then click the left mouse button.
| Tip: Instead of using the “Copy” and “Paste” commands, you can select the block of text, then click the middle mouse button to paste a copy on the page. The line of text appears at the cursor location. |
You can copy and paste text to and from other applications. For example, if you want to copy a paragraph from a text file onto a page in the whiteboard:
Select the text that you want to copy.
The text is selected when it's highlighted.
Place the cursor over the whiteboard, then click the middle mouse button.
The text appears at the cursor location. It inherits the current color and text style.
If the selection is large, place the cursor in the upper left corner of the page so it has a better chance of fitting on the page. Any text that doesn't fit on the page is hidden below the bottom edge of the page.
| Note: Tab settings and font characteristics are lost when you copy and paste text in this way. |
InPerson provides four different text styles. The default style is sans serif bold. Your other choices are normal, bold italics, and a large serif bold. To choose a text style, place the cursor over the “A” in the toolbar, then press the left mouse button. Choose a style from the menu that appears. See Figure 1-27. The letter “A” on the toolbar changes to match the selection. All text that you type will be of this style.
This section describes the ways in which you can manipulate objects on the whiteboard. It contains:
The whiteboard is designed so that you can easily sketch drawings, type notes, and import images and 3D models. If you want to move, delete, or change the appearance of any of these objects, you need to select it first. This section describes how to do so.
Click the selection tool at the top of the toolbar, then move the cursor over the whiteboard.
Figure 1-28 shows the selection tool. Notice that the cursor changes to resemble the selection arrow.
Select objects in either of two ways:
Place the cursor over the object, then click the left mouse button. To select multiple objects, press the <Shift> key while clicking on the objects.
Press the left mouse button and drag the cursor. A dotted selection line appears (see Figure 1-29). Drag the cursor through or around the objects you want to select. Any object that's touched by the selection line or enclosed by the shape is selected When you release the mouse button, the objects are selected. A thick gray outline indicates the selected objects.
Note: The gray outline is invisible to other participants.
| Tip: To use the selection tool temporarily, press the <Alt> key. The cursor changes into the selection arrow. Continue pressing the <Alt> key while you select the objects. To quickly select all objects on the page, choose “Select All” from the Edit menu; to quickly select the objects you've placed on the page, choose “Select Mine” from the Edit menu. |
To move an object on the page:
Select the object you want to move.
See “Selecting Objects” for instructions.
Place the cursor over the selected object, then press the left mouse button and drag the cursor.
Release the mouse button when the object is positioned correctly.
| Tip: You can select and move an object in one step. Place the cursor over the object, then press the left mouse button and drag. The object moves. If you accidentally draw a sketch when you press the left mouse button and drag, you aren't using the selection tool. See “Selecting Objects” for details. |
To copy an object, select the object, then use the “Copy” and “Paste” commands on the Edit menu. To learn how to copy and paste objects from InPerson to another application, or vice versa, see “Copying and Pasting Objects to and from Other Applications.”
Select the objects you want to copy.
See “Selecting Objects” for instructions.
Choose “Copy” from the Edit menu.
Choose “Paste” from the Edit menu.
An outline of the objects appears.
Position the rectangle where you want the object to appear, then click the left mouse button.
| Tip: Instead of using the “Copy” and “Paste” commands, you can select an object, then click the middle mouse button to paste a copy on the page. The object appears at the cursor location. |
You can copy text, and in some cases, images and 3D models from one application to another. “Copying and Pasting Text to and from Other Applications” describes how to copy and paste text. Follow the same steps to copy an image or 3D model.
For example, to copy an image from an IRIS Showcase™ file to the InPerson whiteboard:
Select the image that you want to copy and choose “Copy” from the Showcase Edit menu.
Go to the InPerson Edit menu and select “Paste.”
An outline appears.
Place the cursor over the whiteboard, then click the left mouse button.
The image appears at the cursor location.
| Tip: Instead of using the “Copy” and “Paste” commands, you can select an object, then click the middle mouse button to paste a copy on the page. The object appears at the cursor location. Note that this shortcut may not work with some applications or data types. |
There are two ways you can delete objects on the whiteboard:
Select the objects you want to delete, then press the <BackSpace> or <Delete> key, or choose “Delete” from the Edit menu. For instructions on selecting objects, see “Selecting Objects.”
Make sure the cursor is over the whiteboard page when you press the <BackSpace> or <Delete> key.
Select the objects you want to delete, then choose “Cut” from the Edit menu. The objects disappear from the page. To retrieve the objects, choose “Paste” from the Edit menu.
You can create new text or drawings in one of nine colors—black, blue, green, orange, red, magenta, yellow, white, or gray.
| Note: You cannot change the color of text or objects already placed on the whiteboard. |
To select a color for new text or drawing:
Place the cursor over the palette icon in the toolbar.
See Figure 1-30.
Press the left mouse button, then choose a color from the menu that appears.
The icon on the toolbar changes to match the selection. This becomes the active color; any new sketches you make or text you type will be in this color.
InPerson lets you import images as well as create new images using three screen snapshot utilities. For step-by-step instructions, see:
InPerson lets you import Silicon Graphics image files. If you have image files in another format, such as TIFF, you can use the program Image Works (imgworks) to convert the file to the Silicon Graphics image file format. See “Saving an Image” in the Image Vision™ User's Guide for details.
You can import an image file in either of the following ways:
“Importing an Image File by Drag and Drop”
“Importing an Image File by File Browser”
To import an image file by drag and drop:
Find the image file icon and drop it directly onto the whiteboard.
While InPerson loads the file, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, the outline of a rectangle appears.
Move the cursor until the rectangle is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
The image appears on your whiteboard momentarily. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
Note: You can change the size of an image when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the outline reaches desired size, release the mouse button.
To import an image file:
Choose “Image File...” from the Import rollover submenu on the File menu.
A file browser appears.
Browse through the directory structure until you find the name of the image you want to open.
Place the cursor over the filename, then double-click the left mouse button.
The file browser disappears. (If double-click doesn't work, click once to select the file, then press the OK button.)
Place the cursor over the whiteboard.
While InPerson loads the file, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, the outline of a rectangle appears.
Move the cursor until the rectangle is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
The image appears on your whiteboard momentarily. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
Note: You can change the size of an image when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the outline reaches desired size, release the mouse button.
The whiteboard provides three tools for taking snapshots.
Choose from the following:
A tool for selecting an area of the screen to snap. Figure 1-31 shows an example: the red outline is area that will be “snapped.” See “Snapping an Area of the Screen” for instructions.
A tool for taking a snapshot of windows on your screen. Figure 1-32 gives an example of how Snap Window works. The snapshot is taken of a window, then pasted on the whiteboard. See “Snapping a Window” for instructions.
A tool for taking a full-size, color snapshot of your video. Figure 1-33 shows an example of the how Snap Video can work. See “Taking a Full-Size, Color Video Snapshot” for instructions.
You can access these three different snapshot tools by using the photo icon on the toolbar or by choosing commands from the Snap rollover on the File menu. See Figure 1-34.
To take a snapshot of a particular area of the screen:
Choose “Snap From Screen” from one of two places:
Choose “Snap From Screen” from the Snap rollover submenu on the File menu.
Place the cursor over the photo icon in the toolbar, then press the left mouse button. Choose “Snap From Screen” from the menu that appears. Figure 1-34 shows the camera icon and the popup menu.
A message appears next to the cursor. It provides brief instructions for taking the snapshot.
Move the cursor to the area of the screen that displays the graphics you want to capture as an image.
Notice that the cursor resembles a camera.
Press the left mouse button and drag.
A red rectangle outlines the area you are going to capture. See Figure 1-31.
Release the mouse button when the rectangle is the right size.
Place the cursor over the whiteboard.
While InPerson snaps the image, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, the outline of a rectangle appears.
Move the cursor until the rectangle is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
The image appears momentarily. It is placed below any text and drawings on the page.
Tip: You can change the size of an image when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the outline reaches desired size, release the mouse button. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
You can quickly take a picture of any window that is open on your screen, then paste it onto the InPerson whiteboard to share or annotate during a conference. To take a snapshot of the contents of a particular window:
Choose “Snap Window” from one of two places:
Choose “Snap Window” from the Snap rollover submenu on the File menu.
Place the cursor over the camera icon in the toolbar, then press the left mouse button. Choose “Snap Window” from the menu that appears. Figure 1-34 shows the camera icon and the popup menu.
A message appears next to the cursor. It provides brief instructions for taking the snapshot.
Place the cursor over the window that you want to capture, then click the left mouse button.
Notice that the cursor resembles a miniature window.
Place the cursor over the whiteboard.
While InPerson snaps the image, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, the outline of a rectangle appears.
Move the cursor until the rectangle is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
The image appears momentarily. It is placed below any text and drawings on the page. Figure 1-32 shows an example.
Tip: You can change the size of an image when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the outline reaches desired size, release the mouse button. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
| Note: The image shows the contents of the window, not the border around the window. If you want a snapshot that includes the border, follow the instructions in “Snapping an Area of the Screen.” |
Suppose you want others in the conference to see a close-up view of a gadget that you are holding. The video display is too small to show much detail. You can take a full-size, color snapshot and paste this onto the whiteboard. To do so:
Pose for the video snapshot.
Choose “Snap Video” from one of two places:
Choose “Snap Video” from the Snap rollover submenu on the File menu.
Place the cursor over the camera icon in the toolbar, then press the left mouse button. Choose “Snap Video” from the menu that appears. Figure 1-33 shows the camera icon and the popup menu.
The cursor resembles a camera while InPerson is taking the snapshot.
Continue posing until the cursor switches back to its default shape.
Place the cursor over the whiteboard.
While InPerson snaps the image, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, the outline of a rectangle appears.
Move the cursor until the rectangle is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
The image appears momentarily. It is placed below any text and drawings on the page. Figure 1-33 shows an example.
Tip: You can resize an image when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the outline reaches desired size, release the mouse button. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
| Note: If the “Snap Video” command is gray and inaccessible, your system does not support this feature. |
Inperson allows you to import 3D models and manipulate them on the whiteboard. For step-by-step instructions, see:
You can import a 3D model in one of two ways:
“Importing a 3D model by Drag and Drop”
“Importing a 3D model by File Browser”
To import a 3D model file by drag and drop:
Find the 3D model icon and drop it directly onto the whiteboard.
While InPerson loads the file, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, a red wire frame of the model appears.
Move the cursor until the model outline is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
Tip: You can change the size of a model when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the wire frame reaches desired size, release the mouse button. The 3D model appears on your whiteboard momentarily. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
To import an 3D model file:
Pull down the File menu and choose “3D Model File...” from the Import rollover submenu.
A file browser appears.
Browse through the directory structure until you find the name of the 3D model you want to open.
Place the cursor over the name of the file that you want to open, then double-click the left mouse button.
The file browser disappears. (If double-click doesn't work, click once to select the file, then press the OK button.)
Place the cursor over the whiteboard.
While InPerson loads the file, the cursor resembles a stop watch. When the stop watch disappears, a red wire frame of the model appears.
Move the cursor until the model outline is positioned where you want it, then click the left mouse button.
Tip: You can change the size of a model when you initially place it by clicking the left mouse button and dragging the cursor. When the wire frame reaches desired size, release the mouse button. The 3D model appears on your whiteboard momentarily. You may see a delay between the time the image appears on your whiteboard and the time that it appears on other participants' whiteboards.
| Caution: If someone in the conference is running an earlier version of InPerson (before version 2.0), they will not be able to view 3D models in InPerson. If someone running a pre-2.0 version started the conference, you will not be able to import 3D objects at all. |
In general, 3D models can be manipulated like other whiteboard objects (see “Manipulating Whiteboard Objects”). You can also rotate a 3D model to display it from any perspective. What follows are the step-by-step instructions for the four different types of 3D model rotation.
Choose from:
Free model rotation is the default rotation. To rotate a model in any direction:
Click once on the model to the select it (you must use the selection tool).
An editing rectangle appears around the object. See Figure 1-35.
Place the cursor on any of the four handles (not corners), and hold down the mouse button.
Three orientation circles appear around the object. See Figure 1-36.
Tip: If you are working with a complex 3D model, it may be slow to rotate. To speed up manipulation, hold down the <Ctrl> key. This switches the model to wire frame mode while you rotate it. Move the cursor in any direction you would like the model to move (as shown in Figure 1-36).
The model will follow the direction of the cursor.
Tip: Press the <Shift> key at anytime to switch to specific rotation mode, which allows you to constrain movement to one axis. Release the mouse button when the model is positioned correctly.
To rotate the model along a horizontal axis:
Click once on the model to the select it (you must use the selection tool).
An editing rectangle appears around the object.
Hold down the <Shift> key for the remaining steps.
This allows you to constrain movement to one axis.
Click on the left or right handle, and hold down the mouse button. See Figure 1-37.
After you click on a handle, two circles appear. One encircles the model horizontally; the other is drawn around the outside perimeter of the model.
Move the cursor left or right along the horizontal circle. See Figure 1-38.
The 3D model will rotate in the direction you move the cursor. As you begin to move the cursor, the other circle disappears.
Tip: If you are working with a complex 3D model, it may be slow to rotate. To speed up manipulation, hold down the <Ctrl> key. This switches the model to wire frame mode while you rotate it. Release the mouse button and the <Shift> key when the model is positioned correctly.
To rotate the model along a vertical axis:
Click once on the model to the select it (you must use the selection tool).
An editing rectangle appears around the object.
Hold down the <Shift> key for the remaining steps.
This allows you to constrain movement to one axis.
Click on the top or bottom handle, and hold down the mouse button. See Figure 1-39.
After you click on a handle, two circles appear. One encircles the model vertically, down the middle front; the other is drawn around the outside perimeter of the model.
Move your cursor up or down along the middle vertical circle. See Figure 1-40.
The 3D model rotates in the direction you move the cursor. As you begin to move the cursor, the other circle disappears.
Tip: If you are working with a complex 3D model, it may be slow to rotate. To speed up manipulation, hold down the <Ctrl> key. This switches the model to wire frame mode while you rotate it. Release the mouse button and the <Shift> key when the model is positioned correctly.
To rotate the model this way:
Click once on the 3D model to the select it (you must use the selection tool).
An editing rectangle appears around the object. See Figure 1-35.
Hold down the <Shift> key for the remaining steps.
This allows you to constrain movement to one axis.
Click any of the four handles (not corners) of the editing rectangle, and hold down the mouse button.
Two circles appear. One is a circle drawn around the outside perimeter of the model.
Move your cursor clockwise or counterclockwise along the outside circle. See Figure 1-41.
The 3D model rotates in the direction you move the cursor. As you begin to move the cursor, the other circle disappears.
Release the mouse button and the <Shift> key when the model is positioned correctly.
You can also change the size of 3D models after they are imported onto the whiteboard.
To do this:
Click once on the 3D model to select it (you must use the selection tool).
A editing rectangle appears around the object.
Click any of the four corners of the rectangle, and hold down the mouse button. See Figure 1-42.
The rectangle is replaced by sizing arrows.
Move your cursor away from the model to enlarge it or toward the model to reduce it. See Figure 1-43.
Release the mouse button when the model is resized correctly.
By default, the whiteboard has one page. You can add additional pages and delete unnecessary pages. For details, see the sections below:
The whiteboard page is a fixed size; you cannot resize it. If you need additional space for sketching or typing, you can add a new page. (See “Adding Pages” for details.)
| Note: The page dimension differs depending on the type of monitor you have—low resolution or high resolution. If there is a 1.x-version user with a low-resolution monitor in the conference, a dotted line appears along the edges of the page. This marks the area of the page that is visible on their monitor. |
If you run out of room on one page, you can add another page by clicking the New Page button at the bottom of the toolbar. Figure 1-44 shows the New Page button. A new page appears at the end of the file and you automatically turn to it. (You can't insert pages in the middle of the whiteboard document.) Other participants remain on their current page.
Each whiteboard page is marked by a numbered tab along the left edge of the whiteboard. The tab for the page you are viewing is light gray; the other tabs are a darker gray.
There are a few different ways to turn to a page:
Click a tab to turn to that page.
Double-click a tab to bring everyone to that page.
To move to the next or previous page, press the <Page Up> or <Page Down> keys on your keyboard.
If a file contains many pages, some of the tabs might not fit in the space provided. When this happens, a stack of unnumbered tabs appears at the top or bottom of the tab display area. To turn to a page whose tab is hidden:
Place the cursor over the stack of unnumbered tabs, then press the left mouse button. See Figure 1-45.
Choose a page number from the menu that appears.
Each participant in the conference can be on a different page. To see which page another participant is viewing, look at the stack of tabs. The person's cursor appears on the tab of the page she is viewing.
The tab only shows one cursor; if multiple people are on a page, you will not see all of their cursors.
You can delete pages from the whiteboard. Be careful when doing so. You cannot retrieve the page once you have deleted it. If another participant is drawing or typing on the page, that participant might lose a portion of the text or drawing when you delete the page.
Turn to the page that you want to delete.
Choose “Delete Page” from the Edit menu.
That page and all of the sketches on it disappear. All succeeding pages are renumbered.
This section describes ways in which you can manipulate whiteboard files—open, print, and save them, for example. It contains:
You can save a whiteboard file and open it during another conference. To do so, use the “Append” command on the File menu. When you append a file, you add it to the whiteboard. You don't replace the contents of the whiteboard. For example, suppose you have created three pages in the whiteboard. You decide that you want to open a six-page file named DesignSpec. To open the file:
Choose “Append” from the File menu. A file browser appears.
Use the file browser to select the file you want to open.
In this example, the file is named DesignSpec. The contents of DesignSpec are added to the end of the file. Instead of three pages, the file now contains nine pages.
| Note: If you want to get rid of the existing contents before appending a file, turn to each page, then choose “Delete Page” from the Edit menu. |
You can save a whiteboard file as one of three file formats: as a whiteboard file, so you can open it in a future conference; as an Encapsulated PostScript™ (EPS) file, so you can import it into another application, such as IRIS Showcase™, or as standard PostScript file.
Open the File menu and choose one of the following:
“Save as...Whiteboard File” to save it for use in a future desktop conference.
“Save As...Encapsulated PostScript” to save the current page as an EPS file.
“Save As...PostScript” to save the current page as a PostScript file.
Choose the directory into which you want to save the file, then type the file name.
Click the OK button.
InPerson saves the file.
If you edit the file and want to save it again, choose “Save” from the File menu.
This saves the whiteboard file without asking you for a location and file name. To save a page as an EPS file, you need to use the “Save As...” command again.
The print dialog box appears when you choose the “Print” command. It has controls for specifying the pages you want to print, the number of copies to print, and the printer to which you want to send the file. By default, one copy of each page is printed at your default printer.
If you have a file or directory that you want to share with other people in the conference, you can place its icon on the blue shelf. Everyone participating in the conference sees the icons that are placed there. See Figure 1-46.
By default, the shelf is hidden. There are two different ways you can open the shelf:
Choose “Shelf” from the Call menu.
Click the Shelf button along the left edge of the window. Figure 1-47 shows this button.
Once an icon is on the shelf, other users can open and make copies of it. See “Using Icons on the Shelf” for details. Also see “Removing Icons from the Shelf.”
| Note: If participants are running NFS™ and have automount enabled, icons placed on the shelf are preceded by the name of the system on which the icons are located. For example, if a user on a system named bedrock places DesignSpec on the shelf. The icon is named bedrock:DesignSpec. If participants are not running NFS or they have automount disabled, the icon is copied onto the participants' systems. Consequently, the icon name isn't preceded by the system name. |
| Note: If other people don't see an icon that you've placed on the shelf, you probably haven't marked it as a “shared” icon in the Indigo Magic desktop. To share an icon, select the folder that contains the icon you want to place on the shelf, then choose “Share” from the Selected menu. For details, see “Sharing a Directory So Others Can View and Change its Contents” in IRIS Essentials. When a new person joins the conference, you need to make icons on the shelf available to him or her. Select the icon on the shelf, then press the right mouse button and choose “Send” from the popup menu that appears. Otherwise, the new participant won't see the icon. |
“Placing Icons on a Shared Shelf” explains how to open the shelf and place icons on it. Once an icon is on the shelf, participants can do the following:
Double-click the icon on the shelf. This gives you a chance to open the file or folder and display it on your screen. A notifier appears telling you that you will open the file on your system; other participants won't see it.
To make a copy of icons on the shelf, drag them onto a folder icon or into an open Directory View window.
Drag the icon off of the shelf and onto the desktop so that you can access it conveniently. This does not make a copy of the file. The desktop icon is only a link to the original file on the remote system, so the icon will disappear when you quit the conference.
Note: This behavior is different if the systems involved are not running NFS and do not have automount enabled. When the icon is placed on the shelf initially, a message appears telling you that the icon is being copied. The copy is temporarily placed in your home directory, in a directory with the prefix .InPerson.shelf. This directory is deleted when you quit the call. When you drag such an icon onto your desktop, you make a link to the .InPerson.shelf directory. By default, when you quit the conference, the temporary shelf directory is deleted; the associated icon disappears from the desktop. See the inperson reference (man) page for information on changing this default behavior.
You can remove an icon from the shelf by choosing “Put Away” from the Shelf popup menu.
Select the icon you want to remove from the shelf.
The icon highlights yellow when it's selected.
Place the cursor over the shelf, then press the right mouse button to reveal a popup menu.
Choose “Put Away” from the menu.
The icon disappears from the shelf but is not deleted.