Step 1: Run the Flat Display

Flat Display takes two arguments: an environment file and a port number. These can be in any order: 
  java flat.Flat /u/robot/flat-root/flat5/env/taylor-4.env 4500
If it starts correctly, you will see a window like this:

Picture of a Flat environment

and the following messages: 

Loading environment from file:/u/robot/flat-root/flat5/env/taylor-4.env

Welcome to Flat Display of 8 Aug 2000

Flat Display is now accepting clients on Port 4500
Once the display has started, you should not need to restart it unless something catastrophic happens. Flat and other clients can connect and disconnect from the display without any problem.

Possible problems

  1. Flat Display can't find the environment file
    When Flat starts it sends a filename to the display anyway, so it doesn't matter. Flat will start with a blank screen. You can always load an environment file from a file or URL, using the File menu in the Flat Display.

  2. The specified port number is unavailable
    Flat Display will search forward for an available port number. Be sure to watch its messages to see which port it actually uses.

  3. Class not found
    If the class is ...AffineTransform..., you are using Java 1 when you should be using Java 2. The Flat Display contains two different simulated robots. The Tinman wheelchair robot class requires Java 2. If you must run Java 1, use the RWI robot class.

    If the error message mentions another class, it means that you don't have your CLASSPATH variable set correctly.