MotionGenesis: F=ma Software, textbooks, training, consulting. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Pricing and purchasing Installation and licensing Using and running MotionGenesis
Generating MATLAB®, C, Fortran Other operating systems MotionGenesis™ Kane is Autolev-compatible
Duplicate receipt / credit card issues Sample End-User License Agreement Release notes
Moving MotionGenesis folder Changing folder where files are read/written Macintosh plotting issues

  • Installing and uninstalling
    • Detailed installation instructions are here.
    • To uninstall, move the files you created under the MotionGenesis folder, then delete the MotionGenesis folder.
    • Contact us (e-mail or call us) for a server license or another operating system.

  • Pricing and purchasing

  • Macintosh Gatekeeper issues
    Macintosh gatekeeper issue:  If you encounter "damaged file" or "cannot open",
    Control-click  or  right-click  on  MotionGenesisStartHere  and choose  Open.

  • Optional: Macintosh plotting issues
    • Ensure you have  Java JDK (not JRE)   installed on your computer.
    • To plot, you may also need to  download/install Quartz X11,  then logout, then re-login.
    • To start MotionGenesis, double-click on  MotionGenesisStartHere.
    • After starting MotionGenesis, type  PlotTest.
    • From within MotionGenesis, type  Plot.
      If the MotionGenesis Plotting Window appears, a Java JDK and/or Java JRE is installed.
      Hopefully, you have installed a Java JDK (not just a Java JRE) or a plot will not ultimately appear.
      Reminder: You may also need to  download/install Quartz X11,  then logout, then re-login.
    • From within the plotting utility, click the  Function  button and try to plot a function.
    • Contact us if the plotting program still does not work.

  • Using and running MotionGenesis
    Installation or licensing problems?  (click here)
    How do I  get started? Is there  easy publication-quality plotting?
    Are there  textbooks? Is there  animation on Windows?
    • Does MotionGenesis run on Windows and Macintosh OSX?  Yes
    • Does MotionGenesis run on Linux, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.?   Yes - depending on the release
    • Is special hardware needed?  No
    • Can the MotionGenesis folder be moved to a USB chip and run off a USB port?
      Yes. However the MGLicense.txt file must correspond to the computer and user on which it runs.
    • Can I make MotionGenesis write files to a specified folder (directory)
      Yes. Use the command   SetWorkingDirectory

  • Efficiency: Running MotionGenesis files from the operating system prompt (PC/Windows)
    • Go to the  MotionGenesis  folder
    • Click on   MotionGenesisTerminal
      The operating system prompt should appear.
      • If the font is too small, exit that screen.  Instead click on  MotionGenesisTerminalBigFont
      • If the font is too big, exit that screen.  Instead click on  MotionGenesisTerminalSmallFont
    • Using a text editor, create a text file, e.g., hope.txt whose context are (for example)
        % File: hope.txt
  y = Dt( sin(t) + cos(t) + tan(t) )
  Quit
    • To start MotionGenesis and run the commands in the file hope.txt,
      type the following at the operating system prompt:
      MotionGenesis   hope.txt
    • Edit/save: Make and save whatever changes are needed to the file hope.txt
    • To re-run the upgraded file hope.txt from the operating system prompt,
      press the  Up-Arrow  key on the keyboard, then press  Enter
  • Efficiency: Running MotionGenesis files from the operating system prompt (Macintosh OSX)
    • Go to the  MotionGenesis  folder  (usually in the applications folder)
    • Click on  MacOperatingSystemShell.terminal
    • Using a text editor, create a text file, e.g., hope.txt whose context are (for example)
        % File: hope.txt
  y = Dt( sin(t) + cos(t) + tan(t) )
  Quit
    • To start MotionGenesis and run the commands in the file hope.txt,
      type the following, at the operating system prompt:
      ./MotionGenesis   hope.txt
    • Edit/save: Make and save whatever changes are needed to the file hope.txt
    • To re-run the upgraded file hope.txt from the operating system prompt,
      press the  Up-Arrow  key on the keyboard, then press  Enter

  • MotionGenesis-generated   MATLAB®,   C,   and   Fortran   codes

  • Relocating the MotionGenesis folder to another drive or folder on PC/Windows computer
    1. Move the  MotionGenesis folder  to its new location.
    2. Browse to the relocated  MotionGenesis folder
    3. Right-click on  MotionGenesisStartHere
    4. Select the  Shortcut  tab
    5. Change the  "Start in"  text-box  (as shown right)
    6. Press OK
    7. Repeat for  "Start in"  for  MotionGenesisTerminal
    PropertiesShortcutMotionGenesisStartHere.png
    Click to enlarge
    PropertiesShortcutMotionGenesisTerminal.png
    Click to enlarge

  • To change the folder where MotionGenesis reads and writes files (e.g., for the RUN, SAVE, and ODE commands).
    1. Edit the file  MGDefaultPreferences.txt  that is located in the  MotionGenesis\MGToolbox  folder.
    2. Change the line that starts with SetWorkingDirectory
    3. In the examples below, replace   SomePath/SomeFolder   with a valid path and folder on your computer's hard drive.
    SetWorkingDirectory   C:\SomePath\SomeFolder     For PC/Windows.
    SetWorkingDirectory(/SomePath/SomeFolder)     For Macintosh OSX or other Unix-type operating systems.
    SetWorkingDirectory   /SomePath/SomeFolder     For Macintosh OSX or other Unix-type operating systems.
    *Alternatively, to temporarily change the working directory, type these commands at the MotionGenesis line prompt

  • MotionGenesis™ Kane is Autolev-compatibility  (click here)

  • Unable to purchase: Duplicate receipt
    Authorize.net (credit-card authorization company) may deny/reject a credit card purchase due to invalid information. Usually, there is a typo in one of the fields (e.g., a mis-typed name, address, e-mail address, credit-card number, etc.)

    • Wait two minutes before resubmitting the purchase. This is a fraud-prevention mechanism designed to protect consumers.
    • Carefully double-check each field and verify their accuracy.
    • If you do not wait two minutes, Authorize.net may issue a message about the nearly-identical order:
      A duplicate transaction has been submitted.
      A transaction with identical amount and credit card information was submitted two minutes prior.
    Usually what this means is that  neither  order was accepted.
    It is usually best to wait 24 hours and then contact your credit card company.
    Please verify if a charge was made.   If you cannot resolve it with your credit-card company
    after 24 hours, you may want to then  contact Motion Genesis.

    Note: Authorize.net usually e-mails us a notification when a purchase is made.
    Although we cannot rapidly verify credit-card purchases, we can check our e-mail records.
    In our experience, it is highly likely that "duplicate transactions" means no purchase was made.
    We usually recommend that you find where an error was made and then resubmit your order.
  • Declined transactions
    • If you encounter a  declined transaction,  check with the credit-card issuer (probably a bank)
    to ensure your credit-card purchase has not been billed (or it has been refunded).
    Note: There is a difference between a pending transaction and one that has posted to your account.
    Many banks do not allow you to dispute a pending transaction. Instead, you must wait
    until it automatically cancels or has posted to your account (which can take several days).

    There may be a delay in your bank's reissuing your credit.
    Transaction funds may be held for 24-48 hours (depending on card-type).
    However, some cards (e.g., American Express) may be as long as 30 days.
    Why a transaction may be declined:
    1. Transaction Status: Declined (Card declined by issuer - Contact card issuer to determine reason.)
      Reasons: Insufficient funds, exceeded daily limit, declined unrecognized transaction, others.
    2. Authorization with the card issuer was successful but the transaction was declined due to
      an address or zip-code mismatch with the address on file with the card issuing bank.
      Reason: Bank has a different address or zip-code on file (mismatch with the information you entered).
      Note: International cards do not have AVS (Address Verification Setting).

  • Other credit-card issues
    • If you have one e-mail receipt from us, please  do not  ask you credit-card company
    to deny or reverse credit for that one as it as it is the only one that makes sense.

    If you want us to help you locate a credit-card purchase/transaction, please e-mail  us  all the information you
    remember entering for the credit-card purchase  except  for the credit-card number and security code.
    For each MotionGenesis transaction/purchase, please send:
    1. Transaction ID
    2. Date of purchase/transaction
    3. Name of credit card used (e.g., Visa)
    4. Name on credit card
    5. Address for billing for credit card
    6. E-mail address that was designated for receiving receipt

  • Error: The specified security code was invalid. (Authorize.net)
    • When purchasing with a credit card, an invalid security code error means that there is a mismatch between the text that you entered and the captcha that is displayed. MGSecurityCodeCaptchaExample.jpg