OpenHaptics™ Toolkit for Mac OS® X software - FAQs

• What versions of Mac OS X are supported?
• What Macintosh® models are supported?
• What PHANTOM® models are supported?
• Are there any differences in functionality between OpenHaptics for Windows® or Linux®?
• What development environment is supported?
• Is there a development license?
• Is there a deployment license?
• What documentation is provided?
• If I already have the OpenHaptics toolkit for Windows or Linux, how can I get a copy of the OpenHaptics toolkit for Mac OS X?

What versions of Mac OS X are supported?
OpenHaptics will support Mac OS X 10.3.x. It has been tested with Mac OS X 10.3.8. Sometime after general availability of Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger), Tiger will be supported in 32 bit mode. Future support is anticipated for 64 bit mode on the G5 under Tiger. Tiger availability from Apple® is assumed to be in mid 2005.

What Macintosh® models are supported?
Minimum requirement: 1.5 GHz G4, 512MB. Recommended requirement: dual processor G5, 512MB or more, depending on application.
IEEE-1394a FireWire connector (standard on all shipping Macintosh models) is required.

What PHANTOM® models are supported?
Consistent with typical Macintosh® configurations featuring FireWire® connectivity but lacking parallel ports, OpenHaptics for Mac OS X supports only FireWire devices. Currently, this includes the PHANTOM Omni device.

Are there any differences in functionality from the OpenHaptics toolkit for Microsoft® Windows® or Linux?Although most of the functionality is the same, there are several small differences. Specifically, relative to OpenHaptics for Windows:

• The haptic mouse utility is not supported on Mac OS X.
• The Haptic Materials source example, which uses the haptic mouse, is not supported on Mac OS X.
• The Windows MFC based HapticViewer source example is not supported.
• The Windows Control Panel is replaced by a different way of handling configuration information. Since only one Omni is currently supported, no configuration is necessary.
• The PHANTOM Device Driver (PDD) is bundled, and is not separately installed.
• The PHANTOM Device Driver (PDD) does not ship with the Dice demo or PHANTOM Test
• Dual Omni devices are not yet supported, so source examples using two devices (HelloSphereDual, CoulombForceDual) are not supported.
• Variable servo loop rate is not supported.
  Subject to the notes above, it is expected that OpenHaptics functionality should port easily between Windows, Linux, and now Mac OS X.

What development environment is supported?
OpenHaptics for Mac OS X is shipped with Xcode (version 1.5) compatible projects and compiled with gcc. As of Mac OS X 10.3, this is gcc 3.3. The HDAPI and HLAPI are packaged as Mac OS X frameworks.

Currently, CodeWarrior is not supported.

Is there a development license?
Yes. OpenHaptics for Mac OS X is licensed to a single workstation, in accordance with the SensAble license agreement.

Is there a deployment license?
Yes. In accordance with the SensAble license agreement, a deployment license (which is separate from the development license) is required in order to distribute copies of an application using the OpenHaptics toolkit.

What documentation is provided?
The API is the same as the API for the Windows version of the OpenHaptics toolkit. Consequently, the Reference Manual is the same. There are small differences in the Programmer's Guide, such as the installation procedure and the location of installed files. The Windows versions of the PDF files are included with the product.

If I already have the OpenHaptics toolkit for Windows or Linux, how can I get a copy of the OpenHaptics toolkit for Mac OS X?
Please contact your local SensAble Sales Manager or Reseller to purchase a copy of the OpenHaptics toolkit for Mac OS X, which is licensed separately from the OpenHaptics toolkit for Windows and the OpenHaptics toolkit for Linux, for an additional fee.

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