birdJam Online Help

How many steps are involved in a download?

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:06:40 +0000

The answer to this varies, depending upon the choices that you select. But, in general, the birdJam Maker download process involves two steps:

1. Downloading the Installer to your computer
2. Running the Installer to complete the installion process on your computer

Once you've downloaded it, the Installer will generally appear as an icon on your Desktop. Then, you click on the Installer to complete final steps in the download process. A birdJam logo will appear on your Desktop once birdJam Maker is installed on your computer.

Now, we highly recommend that you go to the Help Menu and print out the step-by-step installation instructions for fastest results!

I thought I installed the photos but they don't show on my iPod; why not?

Fri, 16 May 2008 02:42:36 +0000

Did you choose "Load Photographs" from the main birdJam Maker screen before you ran Update Track Information? If not, you'll need to select it (just below Option #3 on the main birdJam Maker screen) and then re-run Update Track Information.
If you did select Load Photographs, then can you see the photos in iTunes? Here's how to check: In the lower-left corner of iTunes, there are four icons. The right-most icon (on the left-hand side) is an arrow head. Click it so that the arrow head is pointing down. Then, select any birdJam bird song, and if the photos have been loaded into iTunes, then a photo should appear in the box just above the arrow head.
If the photos do show in iTunes but not on your iPod, then you need to check on the following: With iTunes open, plug your iPod into iTunes. When the Summary Screen opens, click on the Music Tab at the top. Just below the list of playlists is a checkbox for "Show Album Artwork on your iPod." Make sure this box is checked. If it was not, then check it and select "Apply" in the lower right. This will cause the photos to download to your iPod.

Where can I find the Installation Instructions?

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:31:21 +0000

The installation instructions are included with birdJam Maker. You can find them by:

Clicking the Help link in birdJam Maker, either on the main birdJam Maker screen on in the menus.
Navigating to the Documentation folder on your computer's hard drive. The Documentation folder is inside the birdJam Maker folder. (Usually in Program Files on Windows and in the Applications folder on a Mac.) Inside the documentation folder, you'll find several birdJam Maker help documents.

Or, you can view the installation instructions here:

Is it hard to install birdJam myself on an iPod?

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:20:00 +0000

The vast majority of birders who "load their own" iPod indicate that it is a straightforward process: They just follow our installation instructions and things go smoothly. It can take quite a bit of time, however.

For example, if you are loading Eastern and Western bird songs, it can take as long as an hour and a half to go through the installation process simply because it takes a while to load the seven Stokes bird song CDs (3 Eastern and 4 Western) into iTunes.

Once the Stokes CDs are loaded and birdJam Maker is installed, then it's as simple as selecting a few options and pushing two buttons in birdJam Maker. (Easy!)

For fastest results, we strongly urge you to print out and follow our step-by-step installation instructions. You can view the instructions here:

Error: CRC checksum mismatch

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:47:39 +0000

If you get an error something like this:

Error: algorithm::arsenic::decompressor exception:CRC checksum mismatch; output data is invalid

...when trying to install birdJam Maker (after downloading a new copy of birdJam Maker from our web site), this means that you did not get a complete download.

birdJam Maker's file size should be more than 27MB (as of Spring 2008).

Delete the prior bad download and then re-download birdJam Maker. If you have difficulty again, sometimes a different browser works better (for example, FireFox).

I bought an iPod from you. What do I do with the Stokes CDs?

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:33:32 +0000

Problem:

What am I supposed to do with the Stokes CDs that came with my iPod that I bought from you? Am I supposed to update something?

Solution:

You don't have to do anything with the CDs. They are mostly provided for backup in case you lose the bird songs on your iPod. The Stokes CDs are already loaded onto your iPod.

However, you may want to add things to your iPod (music, audio books, more bird songs, etc.) in the future. In this case, you may decide it is simpler to load all the Stokes CDs, and then run birdJam Maker so that you can easily sync your iPod with your computer.

Before doing this, try an easier method: Start by enabling 'Manually manage music [and videos]' for your iPod. You do this with your iPod connected to your computer. (Be careful to say 'No--don't erase and sync' your iPod when asked!)

In iTunes, with your iPod connected, you should see 'birdJam' show up under DEVICES in the left column in iTunes and a white iPod Summary page on the right side of iTunes. Near the bottom of the white summary page, check the 'Manually manage music [and videos]' box.

Now you can safely hook your iPod up to your computer without fear of accidentally erasing all the bird songs on your iPod.

While in manual mode, the only way to get new songs onto your iPod is to drag them onto your birdJam iPod icon in iTunes. So that's the first method to try. For anything that you want to add to your iPod, just drag it to the birdJam iPod icon in iTunes. (It's easiest to drag playlists rather than individual song tracks.)

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Method 2 for managing your iPod is more complicated at first--but simpler later, especially if you want to add many new songs or playlists to your iPod.

This is the method described in the Installation Instructions document which is included in the Documentation folder included with birdJam Maker. This method involves using all the CDs that were included with your birdJam iPod. You'll also want the latest version of birdJam Maker. If you're not sure whether you have the latest version of birdPod Maker, try going to the birdJam Maker Upgrade Page or contact us at support@birdjam.com.

Once you've completed all the steps in the Installation Instructions document, you'll want to set uncheck the 'Manually manage music [and videos]' checkbox in iTunes. Then, whenever you connect your iPod to your computer, your iPod is automatically updated.

How to Install birdJam Maker on Windows Vista

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:32:48 +0000

It appears that the birdJam Maker Setup program doesn't work properly in Vista. The work-around is to run the birdJam Maker Installer instead of the Setup program. To do this, navigate to the Windows folder and then the 'birdjam' folder on your birdJam Maker CD.

Inside the birdjam folder is a Windows Installer file named birdJamMakerSetup.msi. (The '.msi' may not be visible on your computer.) Just double-click this file and birdJam Maker should install properly.

Error: The System Administrator Has Set Policies to Prevent This Installation

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:31:23 +0000

Several users have reported the error "The System Administrator Has Set Policies to Prevent This Installation" when trying to install birdJam Maker on Windows XP or Windows Vista. This error seems to be related to a current or former installation of Norton Utilities or Norton Anti-Virus.

Here are a few things to try in order to get birdJam Maker to install:

* Turn off all anti-virus software, then try the installer again.

* Reboot your computer

* Make sure that you are logged in as the main administrator user for your computer. (That is, assuming that you even have more than one 'user account' on your computer.)

* Re-download the birdJam Maker installer. Delete your old copy of the installer, then try again with the newly downloaded copy.

If those things don't help, then go into the 'Add/Remove Programs' control panel and see if it says the birdJam Maker (or birdPod Maker) is installed. If it is installed, uninstall it. Then run the Installer again.

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Additional info that helped others:

When we do a Google search about the error, it is usually resolved by deleting an entry from the Windows Registry. However, unless you have some experience poking around in the Registry, we don't recommend that.

Here's a related Microsoft support article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322963

Here's another idea, found via a Google search:

"If you open the start menu and select run, then type secpol.msc then press OK. A menu will appear. Select local policies then security options. Scroll down to "user account control" settings of which there are several. Disabling the very first setting is what finally worked for me. Surprisingly enough, I had previously tried turning off User Account Control the normal way but found it did not work. Thankfully it worked this way. Your mileage may vary."