Hi there,
Originally Posted by: as4000user 
Hello, very long time user, still got the physical copy I picked up at Best Buy maybe 15 years ago?
Actually, I still have my first Punch CD version (Professional V4)
First concept: the fact that the program is very old compromise the results because the current Windows and hardware settings and drives are different from the ones intended for the program. So, although I will provide some solutions, your V8 program won't work as a brand new program.
Originally Posted by: as4000user Is there any way to speed up the applying of materials in the 3d view? It's dismally slow, takes nearly as long as I can hold my breath for the little square to reach the destination click from the materials tab? no matter what material it is if its a single color or how basic and unpopulated the project is
Aside from that, its great. amazing really especially for its time. occasional crash here and there when redrawing walls past the current view where it drags along the current view, etc.
I also notice a few difficulties with the applying materials in 3D. Sometimes i'll clearly click on a wall or item when it's just near the only thing around, and something, basically random gets the material applied to it. either a different wall, something way back in the 3d axis, or the sky, or grass/ground itself even or the material simply does not get applied despite the mouse clearly being on an object. Is there anyway to improve or reduce the incidents of that occurring?
Also with the 3D models. When I double click and open the Object Editor (sp?) it's basically blank. not sure why the default view is not the object wireframe highlighted or at least visible? I have to manually set the view to Birds Eye Top, then get lucky and click and drag select the entire object to even make it appear in wireframe so I can apply a material to it. Problem is it's still invisible not showing at all so I can't really edit it in any specific way other than hoping I get lucky and click on the center of the birds eye view top screen. Is there a reason objects are not visible in the Object Editor until really messing with all the views and getting lucky to manage to highlight it and see the wireframe for a brief second? That doesn't seem right, i must be doing something wrong or missed a setting/button or something?
Another question would be how to apply a single material to an object that has a dozen (insignificant yet present, which I appreciate in general as it allows for endless and true customization) planes/points to color? Like the bench, every surface, leg, etc has several surfaces or planes on top of each. Which again is handy but becomes tedious if I just want to make the whole bench one color instead of clicking each point (compounded by the above problem that even applying one material to one plane takes a rather long time)
Also, the 3D camera speed is basically haywire even on the slowest setting unless the project is very large and populated?
All the issues you describe are related with your video card. So, keeping in mind that old programs don't work well with more updated components or with integrated video cards, try these resources:
- Check the website of your video card manufacturer and update the drivers.
- Go to the video setup on your PC (may be different for different versions of Windows and video cards); for most, click on an empty part of the windows Desktop, click on Settings => Advanced => Troubleshoot. Back the accelerations slider, one level each time and see if the problem disappears.
- Right click on the wallpaper (look for a place without icons) => Properties => Settings => Advanced => Open GL => Compatibility Settings => Force 16 bits => Apply => OK
- Set your video color depth at 24 or 32 bits ("true color").
- Go to
www.microsoft.com/directx, and see what version is current and check if you have this version installed in your computer.
- Some NVidia card users reported additional problems => in this case change the color settings from 32 bit to 16 bit.
Now, if the accelerations controls are not available, this means that you don't have a dedicated memory for video. In this case, go to the control panel of your video chip / adapter => performance => move the control and set down the performance.
Originally Posted by: as4000user Where can I pick up a user guide for AS4000 v8 (or any version, found one on ebay for the 3000 series but no 4000? surely Punch can easily release an online PDF with the source text?)
I don't think that there is a V8 user guide in PDF format, but you can ask Punch directly.
There is a better resource: check this
eBook => it was one of my firsts and includes all the elements (including Power Tools) for all the programs up to V17.5
Hope this helps.
