Zeus Productions
zWinVer&#153
Windows OS Version Xtra
Frequently Unanswered Questions

Q. Why do I need zWinVer?

You may need to perform different tasks depending on the Windows OS version under which your projector is running. For example, you may want to provide different information to Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 users, or run a demo that works only under Windows 95. Likewise, you may want to warn your user that the product is not supported under Windows NT. zWinVer allows you to accurately determine the Windows OS version under which your projector is running.

Refer to the TechNote, "Determining the Playback Platform at Run-Time" for more details.

Q. Is zWinVer available for both Mac and Windows?

zWinVer is only required under Windows. On the Macintosh, it is easy to create a Fat Binary projector, from which you can determine whether you are running on a 680x0 Mac or PowerMac, using Lingo's the platform command.

Q. How much does zWinVer cost?

zWinVer is $19.95 US for Windows-only. It is not needed on the Macintosh. Consult the zWinVer Summary Page for details.

Q: Is there a demo version available?

Consult our Download Center for the latest version.

There is not a demo version, because it is a straightforward Xtra that simply returns the Windows OS version information. Zeus offers a Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee, so you can try any of our products, including zWinVer, risk-free.

Q: How do I order zWinVer?

You can order zWinVer direct from Zeus Productions. Consult our Ordering Page for details.

Q. What are the licensing requirements? Is zWinVer Royalty-Free?

zWinVer includes a royalty free distribution license, similar to Macromedia's Projector licensing agreement. You can distribute it with up to five titles if you comply with the Run-Time licensing agreement which requires that you include our logo and copyright notice in your credits screen, and send us two copies of the product. That's less than $4 per title.

Consult the Licensing Information page and Licensing FAQ or download the licensing agreement.

Q. What is the difference between zWinVer and the Lingo `machineType` command?

Lingo's the machineType command just tells you whether you are running on a Macintosh or a PC. It returns the value 256 for all IBM-PC compatible (non-Macintosh) computers. It does not provide any information about the Windows OS version.

Q. What is the difference between zWinVer and the Lingo `platform` command?

Lingo's the platform command does not return the true platform on which a projector is running, it simply returns the type of projector being executed. Via Lingo alone, it is impossible to determine if you are running a 16-bit projector under Windows 3.1 or under Windows 95. Likewise, Lingo can not determine if you are running a 32-bit projector under Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. zWinVer always returns the true platform type regardless of the Director file or other outside distractions.

Q. Why does Director return "Windows,16" as the platform, when running my projector under Windows 95?

Lingo's the platform returns the Projector type and not the true platform. If you build a Windows 3.1 projector, it is 16-bit, even when run under Windows 95. You must build a Windows 95/NT projector is you want a 32-bit projector that returns "Windows,32", or use zWinVer to determine the OS version accurately.

Q. Is zWinVer an Xtra or an XObject?

We have just released an Xtra version of our popular zWinVer XObject! (If for some reason you are still using Director 4, contact us about our older XObject version).

Q. Is there any way I can get away with one projector that will play on both 3.1 and 95 and return the correct platform?

No, you can not make a Fat Windows projector. Refer to the TechNote, "Creating Director Projectors for Mac and Windows" for more details.

Q. How reliable is zWinVer?

zWinVer performs a Windows API call which is built into the Windows OS, so it is very reliable. This is the universal standard for determining the OS version. It is without a doubt many times more reliable than any other method.

Q. Is zWinVer supported with a 16-bit projector under Windows NT?

Windows NT will not run a 16-bit application, including 16-bit projectors. Windows 3.1 can be installed to run under Windows NT to handle 16-bit applications. This is called "Windows on Windows" (WOW). In this case, zWinVer is actually running under Windows 3.1, and it returns "Windows, 3.1" as the Windows version, even though Windows NT is also running on the same CPU. We are currently exploring possible solutions to indicate whether NT is running, even when a 16-bit projector is running using WOW. The easiest solution is to use a 32-bit projector under Windows NT, which will not require WOW in the first place.

Q. Is zWinVer easy to use?

zWinVer is very easy to use. We include a complete Lingo example that you can use in your project. We have added a wrapper that translates the value returned by the Window OS into a string for easy use in Lingo. Instead of returning "3.1", "3.95" or "4.0", which are the internal designations, we return a string such as "Windows, 3.10", "Windows, 95", "Windows, NT 3.5.1" or "Windows, NT 4.0". If you have any questions, we also offer world-class technical support.

Zeus Productions zWinVer&#153 Windows OS Version Xtra Frequently Unanswered Questions