RoamerWorld FAQ
RoamerWorld for the Valiant Roamer
These are the most up-to-date frequently asked questions for RoamerWorld. RoamerWorld software complements the Roamer floor robot by providing an on-screen environment for children to create projects and complete the supplied lesson activities with or without the floor Roamer as appropriate.
RoamerWorld was developed for Valiant Technology Ltd while I worked there during the 90s. RoamerWorld has had only around 10 bugs reported in the more than 10 years that it has been available. RoamerWorld 2 is a very reliable and trouble-free product.
Latest Version of RoamerWorld?
Version 2.2 available from Valiant Technology Ltd
Does RoamerWorld run on Windows 7 (and Windows Vista)?
Yes. The current RoamerWorld 2.x (for the Classic Valiant Roamer) runs on all versions of Windows up to Windows 7 and it will probably be compatible with the next release of Windows as well (Windows 8). Download a free trial from Valiant's RoamerWorld page.
RoamerWorld 2.x uses a slightly older type of help file which Vista and Windows 7 do not support 'out of the box'. Microsoft have released a free download that fixes Windows so that it can open these help files. RoamerWorld's Help files, and older help files from any other products, will work as normal then. Microsoft do not allow software producers to distribute the fix - it must be downloaded by the end user. A link is given by Windows each time you try to open an old-style helpfile until the update is applied.
Does RoamerWorld run on Linux?
Yes. RoamerWorld runs on Linux under the Wine system. Wine is software that runs on Linux to enable programs designed for Microsoft Windows to run. Please try the free RoamerWorld 30-day demo, available from Valiant Technology Ltd, before purchasing since we cannot guarantee that RoamerWorld will run as well on Linux as it does on Windows. Much depends on the versions of Wine, the flavour of Linux and various other factors beyond our control. If you are purchasing RoamerWorld for Linux, you do not need to state this, since you will be supplied with the Windows version.
When printing the Graphics Window (Floor), the printout is a solid black square that fills one quarter of the page. (The GO Listing prints correctly.)
Try printing at the lowest resolution that you can set for your printer. For example, if you are printing at 600dpi, try setting this to about 150dpi if your printer options allow this.
Try the latest drivers for your printer - available for free download from most printer manufactures' websites. (You may need Administrator privilages to install new drivers on networked or managed systems.)
If you have network printers, try printing to a printer connected to a recent version of Windows, such as Windows 2000, XP or later.
Upgrade to RoamerWorld 2. RoamerWorld 2 is compatible with modern high-resolution inkjet and laser printers.
I can't open the Activities. The error message, "The specified project could not be found. A default project will be created instead" is displayed after selecting an Activity.
Version 2.1 of RoamerWorld does not correctly open Activities if the user's Home Folder (My Documents Folder) is mapped to a single drive letter (e.g. H:).
Version 2.2 fixes this problem.
I'm having problems with the serial interface.
Check that you are using the correct serial lead (it should have a 2-inch square grey box halfway along the lead).
Check that you have selected an available com port. Try selecting a different com port (use the Settings menu).
If you use a whiteboard or other hardware connected to a comm port, check that it is not holding open the comm port when not in use.
Some laptop users have reported that RoamerWorld does not Upload and/or Download to the Floor Roamer. Sometimes the Roamer will beep continuously when connected to the comm port (even if RoamerWorld is not running). This seems to be a problem with a few manufacturers' setting up the uninitialised serial port differently to most other manufacturers.
Does RoamerWorld 2 use the 'My Documents' Folder for each user?
Yes. RoamerWorld 2 copies the supplied activities that the user is working on into their individual 'My Documents' folder. This means that, when used on a network, the user has access to their work from any workstation.
Note: Users with Windows 95 should have Internet Explorer 4 (or above) installed to take advantage of the 'My Documents' folder.
Also see: I can't open the Activities
Will RoamerWorld 2 run over a network?
Yes, RoamerWorld 2 can be installed on a server. Each user's menu can then be set up with a link to the network location. All activities that the student opens will be copied to their 'My Documents' folder.
Also see: I can't open the Activities
My Network Provider won't allow "3rd-party" programs to be installed because "they may interfere with the computer configuration".
When RoamerWorld is installed it performs the following operations:
1. It creates a folder called RoamerWorld2 in the 'Program Files' folder. (You are given the opportunity to change this location if required.)
2. It creates a series of sub-folders below the RoamerWorld2 folder. (Approximately 14 MBytes worth of data).
3. It registers the following file types: '.rwp' "RoamerWorld Project" and '.gop' "RoamerWorld Go Program"
RoamerWorld does not do any of the following:
a. Attempt to install or replace any system files.
b. Attempt to install or replace any files outside of its own installation folder.
c. Attempt to install any 'updated' Microsoft components.
RoamerWorld is a completely self-contained Win32 SDK program. It is not dependent on Visual Basic or MFC for any of its functionality. (RoamerWorld 2 can be 'installed' simply by dragging a copy of the RoamerWorld2 folder from one computer to another - and then manually registering the .rwp and .gop filetypes if necessary).
Should I upgrade to the most recent version for my OS?
It depends on which version you currently have. To take advantage of long filenames, upgrade if you are using version 1.x. If you are not interested in long filenames, use the table below to decide if you should upgrage.
| Your current version | Upgrade / Don't upgrade? |
|---|---|
| V1.0 | Upgrade to the highest version for your OS. The first release of RoamerWorld has a few problems that were fixed in subsequent releases. |
| V1.1 | Upgrade if you use the upload/download features of the floor Roamer. This release contained a bug that read back incorrect data from a floor Roamer's 'T' key command. |
| V1.2 | Upgrade if you have problems with tooltips showing strange numbers. With the release of Windows 98, we found that our tooltips showed odd numbers instead of tips. (Microsoft choose the same name for a tooltip box that we choose for RoamerWorld. This created a small incompatibility. |
| V1.21 | Upgrade if you no longer use Windows 3.1. This is the final version of RoamerWorld 1.x to be made available. |
| V2.1 (2.1.0.8) | Get the latest version (2.2) ONLY if you have problems opening the supplied Activities (this may happen when using particular network setups). |
| V2.2 | This is the latest version. |
What do the S, T and M keys do?
These keys allow the Sense, Two-State Output and Motor features of the floor Roamer to be used when it is fitted with the Roamer Control Box. These keys are ignored by the screen Roamer and correctly sent to the floor Roamer.
How do I create my own projects for the students to use in class?
You will need to make a copy of a supplied activity's project folder structure and then edit the .rwp file with a text editor, e.g. 'Birthday Present' and save it with a different name.
I still have unanswered questions.
If you have an unanswered question relating to RoamerWorld 2 you should contact Valiant Technology who will be able to answer any common problems promptly. If your problem cannot be answered by Valiant, they will forward a copy of your problem to us for resolving.