How do I use wandsimserver?
Wandsimserver, (and most of the software that runs the CANVAS) is the invention of Ben Schaeffer at the Integrated Systems Laboratory of the Beckman Institute. Wandsimserver is a software joystick that you can use to maneuver around a CANVAS application, so you don't need your own joystick. It's good for testing stuff.
Wandsimserver's real docs are here.
But if you want a quickstart, here you go:
When you have wandsimserver activated (i.e., top on your desktop) you can type the numbers 1-7 on your keyboard to get different modes.
The modes (numbers) that are most useful are 5 and 6.
If you type 5, and then move your mouse around, you will be aiming the joystick. You can point it up, forwards, to the left, right, down, or back towards you. You can tell which way the joystick is by looking at the little cross in the lower left-hand side, and there's a little purple ball on the direction where it's pointing.
Helpful tip: if you press "5" a couple of times, with no mouse movement, it will reset the joystick to point exactly forward.
When you have the joystick pointing where you want it, type "6" on your keyboard and that will set it. Now you can click down and drag away from you with mouse, or towards you with mouse. Away from you will move your body through space in the direction that the joystick is pointing.
For example, if you hit 5 a couple of times, then 6, then click down and push forward (away from you) with mouse, you'll be going forward.
CANVASObject. You have 3D models? Put them in our special folder and run CANVASObject - choose which model to look at on the CANVAS or on your own Mac or Windows laptop or desktop. You can navigate around in space using your own joystick or our automatically embedded joystick program.