Welcome to the official zMUD FAQ! This document contains answers to several frequently asked questions that I get email on. Please read this entire list. If you send me a question that is answered in this FAQ I will just delete your email.

This document refers to zMUD versions 7.0 and later.  If you are running an earlier version of zMUD, you should upgrade to the latest public version by downloading it from the Download page.  Upgrades are free.

If you are having trouble with your license or registration code, you might also want to check the License FAQ.

If you have a question that isn't covered in this document, please post your question to the zMUD Discussion Forum to get more help.

Questions

• How do I enter my registration code
• My registration code doesn't work
• When I run zMUD, I see the splash screen, but then get the error "class not registered" or "cannot create database"
• When I install zMUD, it says "Could not initialize installation. CRC error"
• When I run zMUD, I get the error "Invalid Data"
• I am getting the message "You have been BLOCKED by the server"
• I didn't get all 30 of my trial executions
• zMUD hangs as soon as I connect to a MUD character
• The address of xxx MUD in the Connection Wizard is wrong
• xxx MUD has moved
• Please add xxx MUD to your MUD list
• How do I register my Shareware copy of zMUD?
• Do I have to register again for future versions?
• Do I need to register for both my home and work computers?
• Do I have to register for both the 16-bit and 32-bit versions of zMUD?
• Lines containing word xxxx are not displayed on the screen
• I get an error "Cannot run ZMUD.EXE. Missing component"
• I get a Cannot Create Socket (10047) error
• I get an "out of resources" error message
• I get a "canvas" error message
• zMUD gives me a General Protection Fault (GPF) error
• zMUD gives me an access violation error
• How do I keep the mapper window from opening every time
• Is there a printed manual for zMUD?
• Can you email me a copy of zMUD?
• Is zMUD available on CD?
• Can you port zMUD to the Macintosh?
• Is zMUD available on UNIX?

Q: How do I enter my registration code

Follow the instructions given on the Trial screen:  Click the License button, then enter your registration code into the Order ID field.  Be sure you are entering your Registration Code (it looks like a credit card number xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx).  Enter the entire reg code, including the hyphens.  Copying and Pasting this reg code is a good way to avoid making a typo.  After you have entered your reg code, click the Install License button.

Q: My registration code doesn't work

Make sure you are entering your Registration code into the Order ID field.  Try copying and pasting the number from the email you got when you registered.  The 0's in the reg code are zeros, not "Oohs".

Q: When I run zMUD, I see the splash screen, but then get the error "class not registered" or "cannot create database"

This means the Microsoft MDAC or JET database system software is not updated or installed properly on your computer.  Follow the detailed instructions given on the page http://www.zuggsoft.com/data to fix this.

Q: When I install zMUD, it says "Could not initialize installation. CRC error"

This means your web browser downloaded zMUD in text mode instead of binary mode.  This is a common problem for AOL users.  Try using Internet Explorer and then right-click on the download link and select "Save Link As" to force the browser to download the file in binary mode.

Q: When I run zMUD, I get the error "Invalid Data"

This means the ZMUD.EXE file is corrupted.  The most common cause of this is a virus on your computer that has changed the ZMUD.EXE file.  Update the virus definition files for your virus checker (and be sure you *always* are running a virus checker).  Then delete your zMUD files and reinstall.

Q: I am getting the message "You have been BLOCKED by the server"
Q: I didn't get all 30 of my trial executions

If you are using a version of zMUD earlier than 6.0, upgrade to version 7.04 or greater.  That will usually reset your 30-execution trials and unblock you from using zMUD.  If you are already using version 7.0 or later, your 30-day trial cannot be reset and the only way to run zMUD if your trial has expired is to buy it.  If you buy zMUD, you can still get a refund within 30 days if you don't like it.

Q: zMUD hangs as soon as I connect to a MUD character

You probably have a corrupted MUD settings file.  It is actually easy for files to get corrupted, especially in earlier versions of zMUD.  Saving your settings after getting an Access Violation error is the most common way for this to happen.  However, not all is lost. 

1. First, find the *.MUD file for your character.  It is usually in the folder for the MUD you are playing.
2. Rename this MUD file to something else.
3. Run zMUD again and connect to your character Offline.  This allows zMUD to create a new, blank MUD file for your character.
4. Select the Import/Settings command from the Settings menu, and when prompted for a filename, select your old MUD file that you renamed.  You should be able to import your aliases, triggers, etc, from your old file.
5. When you have recovered your settings, don't forget to save them with the Settings/Save menu command.

Q: The address of xxx MUD in the Connection Wizard is wrong
Q: xxx MUD has moved
Q: Please add xxx MUD to your MUD list

The list of MUDs used in the zMUD Connection Wizard are taken from the MUD Connector on the Internet. Three MUD lists can be used:

• Scott Geiger's MUD list (file: mudlist.txt) which hasn't been updated in a while
• The Small MUD Connector list (file: mudlist.db)
• The Big MUD Connector list (file: mudlist.doc)

To update these lists, click the Update List button in the upper right corner of the Connection Wizard in zMUD. This will load your Web Browser (does not work on Win 3.x systems). Make sure you download these lists in ASCII text format, and not binary (or else you will get a UNIX file that won't load into zMUD).

If the information in these files is incorrect, please contact the MUD Connector and update your information there. I am not responsible for information in these files.

Q: How do I register my Shareware copy of zMUD

zMUD is Shareware. You may evaluate zMUD for 30-days, but then must register or else you are in violation of the licensing agreement. Version 3.62a is the frozen Freeware version and can be used without registering, although no support can be provided.

Registration cost is $25. You may register in several different ways.  For details, see the Order page.

Q: Do I have to register again for future versions
Q: Do I have to register for both the 16-bit and 32-bit versions of zMUD
Q: Do I need to register for both my home and work systems

No. A single registration is good for all future versions of zMUD and is good for both the 16-bit and 32-bit versions.  Also, your registration is for you as a user and is not tied to your computer.  You can use your registration on up to 3 different computers.  To use zMUD on more than 3 computers, you need to buy additional licenses.

Q: Lines containing word xxxx are not displayed on the screen

Lines containing your password are automatically gagged from the screen. You should always select passwords that are not real words. Thus, good passwords will not be displayed as regular text from your MUD. However, if you really want to use a bad password, you can disable the zMUD gag password option in the General Preferences dialog.

Q: I get an error "Cannot run ZMUD.EXE. Missing component"

This message (or anything similar to it) occurs on some Windows 3.1 or Windows For Workgroups 3.11 systems with certain network software (Microsoft TCP/IP, Novell Winsock, and possibly others). This is an obscure error message from Windows indicating that it cannot load your WINSOCK.DLL file. The work around is to load some other network program (Netscape, PING, FTP, almost anything will do), then run zMUD. This problem does not occur with Trumpet Winsock or with AOL Winsock.

This problem in zMUD was fixed in v4.40 

Q: I get a Cannot Create Socket (10047) error

This usually occurs when you are trying to use the 32-bit version of zMUD in Windows 95, but are only using a 16-bit network stack (like Trumpet, or AOL). To use the 32-bit version of zMUD, you must have both 1) a 32-bit operating system (like Windows 95 or Windows NT), and 2) a 32-bit network stack (wsock32.dll) like the networking software built into Windows 95. If you only have 16-bit network software, you can only use the 16-bit version of zMUD.

Q: I get an "out of resources" error message
Q: I get a "Canvas" error message

This is a problem with Windows 95/98/ME systems. zMUD uses between 30 and 60% of your system resources, depending upon how many windows you have opened.  Windows 95/98/ME systems are limited to only 128k bytes (yes, K bytes) of resources, no matter how much RAM you have installed.  So, if you are running zMUD at the same time as other large applications, your system will run out of resources and start behaving very strangely, eventually giving error messages and crashing.

So, either quit the other applications and just run zMUD by itself, or upgrade to Windows 2000 or Windows XP, which removes the resource limit.

Q: zMUD gives me a General Protection Fault (GPF) error
Q: zMUD gives me an access violation error

This is probably a bug in zMUD. It's Window's general way of saying that zMUD just messed with memory it shouldn't have. For me to fix this, you must send me the location of the GPF or access violation that is displayed in the error box, a general description of what you were doing that lead to the error, and the version of zMUD you are using.  Please be as specific and as detailed as possible.

Or, you may have a corrupted settings file.

Q: How do I keep the mapper window from opening every time

Close the mapper window (using the File/Close menu in the mapper window). Then, save your settings back in the main window using the Settings/Save menu option. This will prevent zMUD from opening the mapper window when you start again.

Q: Is there a printed manual for zMUD?

Not directly.  However, you can download a printable copy of the help files and then print it yourself on your printer.  If you have trouble with the link given above, right-click on it and select the option in the popup menu to save the file to your local hard disk.

Q: Can you email me a copy of zMUD
Q: Is zMUD available on CD

I will not email zMUD to anyone. zMUD is only available via downloading the Zuggsoft.com Web site. With a new version every month, its too hard to keep FTP sites up to date. The only official source of zmud is http://www.zuggsoft.com/. You can FTP zMUD from TUCOWS at ftp.tucows.com.

Q: Can you port zMUD to the Macintosh
Q: Is zMUD available on UNIX

No. zMUD is written using the Delphi environment from Borland International (visual object-oriented Pascal), which is only available on the Windows operating system.

Borland did port Delphi to linux (it's called Kylix).  However, this version of Delphi still does not provide enough compatibility to port zMUD.  zMUD is optimized for Windows and is very Windows specific.  There are no plans for any linux version of zMUD.

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