| Java required |
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Absolutely *NO* special plug-in software (or other download) is needed
to view our
Cayman Panoramas.
The *only* thing you need is a normal
"Java-enabled"
browser such Netscape Navigator or MS Explorer.
Almost all normal browsers, at version level 4.x or above,
should have this option installed/enabled and should work just fine.
Note: You can change your settings for Java
(and for Javascript - which we do NOT use )
through the "Preferences" menu for Netscape Navigator
or "Internet Options" menu for Microsoft Internet Explorer.
If your browser is properly setup, any one of our panoramas should work just fine
when the page loads. If you don't see the panorama at all, check your browser's Java setting.
| Loading time |
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All our panoramic images are designed to load fast and display quickly.
Of course, as with all things on the Internet, download times are dependant on the speed of
your own individual connection to the Internet. Average image sizes are generally under 100k each
and should load fast (no more than twenty seconds or so for a 33.6 type dial-up modem connection
and much quicker for faster connections).
You should see a steadily running progress indicator in the middle of your viewing window
indicating percentage complete. At 100%, the image should display in your window
and start to slowly spin automatically to the right.
| It's spinning |
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When the image first loads, it slowly rotates your view to the right. If you select
the optional "Fast Pan" link at the bottom of the viewing area,
the image will reload and rotate (auto-spin) much more quickly after the reload,
but with a somewhat lower display quality.
When loaded, the "Fast Pan" option will speed up all panning for that
image (see below).
Click anywhere within the image to stop the auto-spin;
reload the page to start the auto-spin again.
Caution: depending on your computer, auto-spin can take up a
considerable amount of CPU resource (this is true of all panorama display software,
not just ours) and auto-spin only rotates at that fixed rate,
so you may want to click on the image right after it loads and then
rotate it yourself by hand (see "Panning and Tilting" below).
| Panning and Tilting |
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There are several ways to move the image around you
(to the side is called "panning"). The easiest is to
click on the image and then drag your cursor across the image (with the mouse button held down)
in the direction you wish to move. The farther you drag the cursor across the image
(staying always within the image window), the faster the pan will move.
You may also use the little "Arrow" keys on your keyboard to move in fixed amounts
with each key press, left and right, up and down.
Zooming
In/Out |
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Just as with panning (above), there are several ways to "zoom" in and out of the image.
Pick the key set which works best for you:
Pressing your
"+", "A", "<", or "_"
keys will zoom into the image in small steps; pressing your
"-", "Z", ">", or "="
keys will zoom out from the image in small steps.
If you're panning with the mouse at the same time, you will zoom as you pan
using these keys.
While pressing the mouse button, you may also use the "Shift" and "Ctrl" keys to
zoom in or out smoothly.
If you're stationary, you will pan in or out on your present view.
| Speed/Quality Options |
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There may be three "Speed/Quality" levels for viewing our panorama images:
- "Fast Pan": When optionally loaded for each new image, this setting will trade off
display quality for display speed and so increase panning speed for that image as well as
speed up the auto-spin rate.
- "Standard Quality": Good display quality (normal default setting)
- "High Quality": Trades off speed for higher quality image display.
You may select one of the other two options (if available for this image)
from the bottom of the panorama viewing window. Note that not all panoramas have these options.
Selecting another option will force a reload of the page to restart the display.
Performance under these three levels will depend on the speed and quality of
the CPU and video board in your computer and vary from one machine to another.
Display performance may also be affected by other programs other than your browser
whcih might be running on your computer at the same time.
| Pop-up Tips |
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We've also provided a few basic "Tips and Tricks" on a pop-up select list
box at the bottom of the viewing window. Please note that these are for information only.
Clicking on the tips in the pop-up box will *not* actually do anything for the image.
... click here to go back to your panorama.
