Visual3D Installation

Summary

Visual3D is a Windows PC based application for Win 7, 8, 10, or 11 (not XP). It is not installed on a server. When you purchase Visual3D you are e-mailed information about downloading the software, including a userid and password to access the customer section of the C-Motion web site. You download the installation file and the license key file from the web, and then install them on your PC. You can use the same installation file and license file on different PC's until your purchased license count is used up. When you start Visual3D for the first time, the license will automatically activate over the Internet. (Manual options exist for PC's without Internet access.) Licenses are stored on the PC, so to unlock the license (deactivate it) you do Help->Deactivate in Visual3D. NOTE: For markerless motion capture systems, Visual3D was updated in early 2021 to handle the rotation matrices needed to automatically build models. Customers who have not maintained Visual3D software support may need to contact C-Motion and restart the software support in order to get newer versions of Visual3D. Visual3D Version Release Notes

Visual3D Hardware Requirements

• Visual3D runs under Microsoft Windows Win7/Win8/Win10/Win11. While it is provided in both 64-bit and 32-bit application format, a 64-bit processor is better. Windows XP and earlier versions are not supported and won't run modern code.
• It runs best with lots of memory (16GB recommended, more is better).
• Visual3D needs OpenGL for graphics (all cards support it). It does not use GPU processing.

• Visual3D will run on a Mac ONLY where Windows is installed in a VM such as Parallels, VirtualBox, or VMWare (or dual boot to Windows with Bootcamp).

BEWARE: The new Mac M1 chip does not support Windows on a VM.

• There is no iPad or dedicated MAC or Linux version of Visual3D.

• Visual3D does not run from network drives and the licensing is PC-centric, meaning it can't be installed for shared use on a server.

• The license activates over the Internet.

(You select Help -> Deactivate in Visual3D to free up the license.)

• There have not been any reported problems when running Visual3D on a PC via a remote desktop application (Microsoft or Citrix).

• For file storage, most mocap system create C3D files, and Visual3D opens several of them at a time and stores a consolidated copy in its own .cmz compressed format. Multiple cmz files saved in a directory make up a library, and another product, Inspect3D, can be used for data mining the data.

Legal Info

• We do not recommend storing patient identifying data in mocap files, but if it happens, you can encrypt sections of the CMZ file for HIPPA compliance.

• C-Motion is not a data provider, per GDPR. We do not not provide services related to processing personal data.

• C-Motion products, by their nature, provide graphics and graphing capabilities that do not lend themselves well to operation by the blind. However, these are Microsoft Windows applications and they fully support Windows Accessibility functions. A VPAT form is available if required.

Downloading and Access

• All HAS-Motion software is downloaded over the Internet. The software is digitally signed and verified as HAS-Motion products.

1. When a customer purchases the software an account is created on the HAS-Motion web site.  The userid and password are sent to the customer contact administrator’s e-mail address (as provided by the customer) at the time of purchase.

2. Log into the HAS-Motion web site and you will be taken to the downloads page.  There are links to download the software, license keys, and any plug-ins that may be available.  Any software purchased from HAS-Motion will be on this web page.

3. Download the software installation file and the license key file.

• Also on the downloads page is a list of which computers have Visual3D installed. This is for IT license tracking and support.

• Save the installation file and license key file. Web downloads for updates and new versions are enabled only for customers under support. Support is free for the first year and is optional after that, but it must be paid for in following years. Visual3D will run forever, even without support, unless it is a temporary (i.e. Student, Evaluation, or Training) version.

• Note: The same installation file and license file may be used for every PC at a customer location. The number of licenses purchased is stored on the HAS-Motion server, and each available license is activated (used up) and locked to a PC.

Installing Visual3D

• Launch the downloaded installer: You can do this from the browser download result, or from Windows Explorer you can double-click on the installation file. It has a file name similar to: Visual3D_Setup_x64_2021.11.01.exe

• Save the installation file and license key file. Web downloads for updates and new versions are enabled only for customers who maintain software support.

• The installer will ask some questions:

1. Accept the EULA;

2. What Matlab version do you want to support (if any);

3. Where is the License Key file (a Browse button) so that it can be placed in the proper location on the PC

• If there are plug-ins available that you want to install (such as real-time streaming from a mocap system) they are installed from their own installation files.

• When launched for the first time, Visual3D will automatically try to activate the license it installed. (see the next section)

• VERSIONS: Visual3D Professional comes with a permanent license (departmental) that will work forever. There are also temporary versions of Visual3D that will expire.

- Student versions expire in one year

- Evaluation versions expire in 30-60 days

- Training versions expire in one month

• The newer versions of Visual3D (2020.03.01 and later) install to the "C:\Program Files\Visual3D" directory. The older version 6 files went to "C:\Program Files\Visual3D v6" so this will let you keep the older version around if needed (they share the same license key).

Software Support Policies

• Visual3D comes with one year of technical support services included for free when Visual3D is purchased. Visual3D will run forever, so having support is optional.

• A paid support agreement provides continued: 1) Access to expert level technical support advice about using Visual3D, and 2) Access to the web site downloads for updates and new versions of Visual3D.

• The best way to get support is to e-mail support@has-motion.ca and attach the pipelines, cmz, or c3d file causing the problem. Support questions are answered by the engineers and programmers who develop Visual3D.

• If you need to send a .cmz file to support@has-motion.ca, please follow the guidelines here.

• Visual3D annual support is $1250 USD per year for academic customers and is for the entire lab, regardless of how many licenses were purchased.

• If support expires, it has no effect on Visual3D. You can reactivate expired support for an additional fee.

• The support agreement is renewed every year based on the original purchase date.

• Maintaining support is a requirement for getting the temporary Student version licenses.

Student Versions for Existing Customers

Many universities teach biomechanics using Visual3D. To make it easier for classroom use C-Motion created a special Student Version account that provides temporary copies of Visual3D for use by students, collaborators, or university teaching labs.

• If you are an existing Visual3D customer (or buying new Visual3D licenses) and you maintain the yearly technical support ($1250 USD per year), then you may purchase a set of 5 temporary licenses for student use that will expire in one year.

• The Student Version is a fully functional copy of Visual3D, but it is accessible only from a separate download account that is linked to a primary Visual3D account.

• If the support on the primary account expires, then the student account is disabled too.

• The minimum number of student licenses is 5, but more can be purchased.

• You must buy a new set of licenses each year because they are temporary licenses.

• You cannot get a student version if you are not a customer. You must buy Visual3D first. You cannot get less than 5, but you don't have to use them all.

If you have problems with Visual3D, see if your issue is covered on the general troubleshooting page here.