PRIMER 4 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This lists a number of common problems experienced with PRIMER 4. Most of these suggestions will also apply to PRIMER 3.

Q. I cannot get any plots to work.

A. There are several possible causes. First check the configuration. Set your default directory to c:\primer\drivers using the CD command. Type CONFIG to start the utility. Check that the Display is set to Hi-res VGA colour. The plots need the CGIPATH DOS environmental variable set. This is normally put in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file by the installation program. You can check if it is set by typing SET at the DOS prompt. If there is more than a screen  full of information then you can type SET|MORE, and press the space bar to get a screen full at a time.

Q. I am running Windows NT, 2000 or XP and the installation program fails.

A. The installation program is not compatible with these versions of Windows, although PRIMER 4 will work fine. You need the manual installation procedure. A copy of this is supplied with the installation notes or e-mail us for a copy.

Q. I cannot get PRIMER to work with my printer even though I have a driver for it.

A. The printer drivers supplied with PRIMER 4 are special graphics drivers. Other drivers will not work. There may be a graphics driver for a more generic or an earlier version of your printer.

Q. How can I get my plots into my word processor for publications.

A. You can export plots in CGI format. Just press the Esc key and you get the option to save the plot. If your word processor cannot import files of this type then you could try grabbing the screen as a bitmap file. There are several Windows photo programs that can do this, such as PaintShopPro (Shareware)and IrfanView(Free). There is also the built in Windows function. You just press the 'Print Scrn' key and the screen is copied to the clipboard as a bitmap. You can then paste it into your favourite photo package and extract the PRIMER window. When you have the plot you must first press Alt+Enter to minimise it. After you have grabbed the window you must press Alt+Enter to make it full screen again or you will not be able to continue.