Frequently Asked Questions

1. Updating to the latest version
2. Retrieving lost serial numbers
3. Installing to a new or second computer
4. Error messages on installation
5. Upgrading from earlier versions
6. Accessing program features
7. Ways to purchase PhiMatrix
8. International language options
9. Tips on using PhiMatrix features that may seem unavailable or difficult
10. Learning more about Phi and the Golden Ratio
11. Other questions

1.  Am I using the most recent version of PhiMatrix 1.618 and how to I update to the latest version?

To check your version of PhiMatrix 1.618, click on Help-About PhiMatrix from the menu.  To the right of the serial number is a four digit build code.  Codes in the most recent version reflect the calendar date, such as 2010.09.04.  Older version have an alpha-numeric code such as JH30, which indicates the year, month and date. 

Owners of PhiMatrix 1.618 can upgrade for free to the latest release.  (Future releases may limit the free upgrade to the first year after purchase.)  To do the upgrade, just go to the download page and click on the appropriate OS icon for your computer to reinstall the software, following the prompts from "Run" to "Finish."  Your software will be automatically updated, with no need to uninstall and no additional registration required.  See item 5 below for upgrades from older versions of PhiMatrix.

2. How do I access my serial number or order information if I've lost it, changed computers or had a hard drive failure?

See the Contact/Support page for instructions on getting immediate access to your information.  See item 3 below for instructions on reinstallation of your software.  If you have any difficulties with the online access send an email with your request.

3.  I purchased a license to use PhiMatrix on two computers or need to reinstall PhiMatrix.  How do I install the software on my second computer or move PhiMatrix to a different computer?  How do I reinstall PhiMatrix on a new computer or new hard drive?

Please note that PhiMatrix registers its serial number automatically when you complete the registration process for your first installation and no manual entry of the serial number is required.  If you need to install a second license copy of PhiMatrix or reinstall it the simple instructions are as follows:

1. 1) Download and install PhiMatrix on the new or second computer,
2. 2) Select "Act-Offline Registration-Enter Serial Number", and then
3. 3) Select "Act-Offline Registration-Activate Serial Number", clicking on the prompts you will see along the way.  The Status Code window that says 0 (Success) indicates a successful installation.

The registration server will track the number of activations for your license.  If you ever need to move PhiMatrix to another computer, click on the Act-Offline Registration-Deactivate Serial Number menu option on the old computer to deactivate it to free up another activation on the new computer, also using the steps below.

Detailed step-by-step instructions for each of the prompts in manual installation as follows:

• Download and install the latest version of PhiMatrix to the second computer from the Download page.  Follow Step 1 as shown on the Download page by clicking on the icon for your computer's operating system and following the prompts presented to complete the installation of the software.
• With PhiMatrix launched and running, click on the Act-Offline Registration-Enter Serial Number menu option.
• Click on the "Proceed to Manual Serial Number Entry" button.  (See screen shots.)
• Enter the serial number from the confirmation email you received upon registration or purchase.  You can also get your serial number from the copy of PhiMatrix installed on your first computer by selecting the Help-About PhiMatrix menu option.
• Click on the "Activate" button.
• When you see the Status Code window that says 0 (Success) click the "OK" button.
• Click on the Act-Offline Registration-Activate Serial Number menu option.
• Click on the "Proceed to Manual Serial Number Entry" button.
• Follow the prompts to get an Activation ID.
• Copy and paste the Activation ID in the Activation Key Window.
• Click the "Activate" Button.
• Click the "Save" button to save your activation information.
• Click the "Done" button to complete the activation.
• When you see the Status Code window that says 0 (Success) click the "OK" button.
• PhiMatrix will then be in full licensed version mode.  Click and drag the grid or just close and re-launch PhiMatrix to display the full licensed version.

4.  PhiMatrix does not function after installation or I received an error message on installation.

4a.  I received an error message that says "PhiMatrix Status Code InstallEngine returned: -2 (NO ENGINE)"

This indicates that a key file did not properly install during the installation process.  This is often caused when security permissions are different on your system than the default settings used by the installation program.  To remedy this, please download and install the appropriate Installation Updater file below.  After running the Installation Updater below then run PhiMatrix again.

PhiMatrix Installation Updater
Windows 2000 / XP	Windows Vista / 7	Mac OS X

4b.  The grid does not display when I register for the free trial or purchase.  What do I do?

The software activation process requires a brief confirmation from our registration server. Certain security software (virus protection, spyware protection, firewalls, Little Snitch-Mac) may require that you register PhiMatrix as an accepted program to complete the activation.  If PhiMatrix does not activate and display the grid or if you get any kind of a network error message, do one of the following:

• Temporarily disable the security/protection and then restart PhiMatrix and select the Act-Begin Free Trial or Act-Purchase option again.
• Use the Act-Offline Registration-Manual Activation menu option to activate the software and follow the prompts.  Detail steps for manual activation are also shown in Item 3 above.

5.  If I own PhiMatrix 1.0 or 1.1 can I use my serial number with the latest version of PhiMatrix 1.618?

No.  You can use the old version on Windows XP/2000 or upgrade to the new version at a discount.  Changes by Microsoft resulted in PhiMatrix 1.0 and 1.1 not being fully compatible with Windows Vista.  PhiMatrix 1.618 was completely rewritten in a new development platform to provide compatibility with Windows Vista and 7, as well as Mac OS X, and to provide many new features and improvements.  Accordingly, the serial numbers from prior versions cannot be used with PhiMatrix 1.618.  Owners of PhiMatrix 1.0 and 1.1 can still download a copy of PhiMatrix 1.1 below at no charge for use on Windows XP or 2000 and use their original serial numbers to activate it.  Purchasers of previous versions also qualify for a discount on the purchase of the new version.  Upgrade details to owners of previous versions were emailed to your original email address on file so if you didn't receive your notification and upgrade details please contact us for more information.

• Look up lost serial numbers / registration codes and other order information for PhiMatrix Version 1.0 or 1.1 by clicking here: Lookup
• For information on an upgrade discount please send a request via e-mail to: 
• Owners of PhiMatrix 1.0 and 1.1 can still download a copy of version 1.1 by clicking here:   Download
• Purchase a copy of the PhiMatrix 1.1 for Windows XP and 2000 only and have the serial number sent to you automatically by clicking here:  Purchase

6.  I can't find certain features, such as the Levin Dental Grid or phi-based ovals.  Where are they?

The View menu provides an easy way to automatically adjust the control window options to display the most popular grid options.  More detailed control is available from the Control Window.  The Control Window  has three modes, Basic, Advanced and Expert, that can be accessed by clicking on the Up/Down arrow in the upper left of the Control Window.  The Dental Grid and phi-based ovals, for instance, are in the Expert Mode section of the Control Window. Click on the up/down mode arrows to reveal the Expect Mode, which shows the Gridline Ratios section. On the dropdown box that says "Line Ratio" select Levin Dental and you'll be ready to go. There's more documentation on the User Guide page and on the Dental Grid at  http://www.phimatrix.com/dental/userguide.htm.

7.  How can I purchase PhiMatrix?

Place your order through the embedded purchase option (see "Act" menu in the PhiMatrix 1.618 software) or online at eSellerate.net.  In both cases you'll find several payment options, including all major credit cards including VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and JCB as well as active PayPal accounts.  We currently DO NOT accept payments using checks, purchase orders, cash or money orders.  Select the one that works best for you and complete your order of PhiMatrix.

If you have any difficulty activating the software using the steps above you can also get an activation code by going to the PhiMatrix Online Store.  Once you have your serial number, select Act-Offline Registration-Enter Serial Number from the menu to enter the serial number and then select Act-Offline Registration-Activate Serial Number to activate your software.

8a.  How do I convert my PhiMatrix program from English to another language?

• Download and install the most recent version of PhiMatrix from www.phimatrix.com/update.htm. No additional registration is required.
• Go to the “Act” menu and select the language option you want to use.
• Then go to the “File” menu and select the “Save Setting as Default” option so that it loads in your language every time you open the program.

8b. How do I request another language to be added to PhiMatrix?

Send your request for translation by clicking .  Translations will be based upon Google translation services, as shown on the PhiMatrix Dictionary page, where you can change the language option to your own language to see what the translated language will contain.  Google translation services are not always 100% accurate so you can submit changes by saving the Dictionary page to your computer, making corrections in an HTML, Word or Excel document and sending it to the .

9.  How do I resolve difficulties with various program functions?

9a. Problems with moving or resizing the grid.  Clicking the mouse on the grid results in conflicts with the underlying application.

• PhiMatrix was designed to be moved by clicking and dragging the large part of the top border.  It was designed to be resized by clicking and dragging the four perimeter borders.  You can resize two borders at once by clicking and dragging on the four corners of the grid.  While it's possible to move the grid by clicking on an interior grid line this is not recommended because it requires very precise mouse movement to click on a grid line that is only 1 pixel in width.  If you have difficulty knowing where to click and drag, open up the Advanced mode of the Control Window and select the Border Type option of "Line/Dark" or "Dark."  Another option is to increase the Line Width in the Advanced mode to make the grid easier to click and drag and then use the Transparency slider to minimize its obstruction of the underlying application.
• When using a Border Size of greater than 0 pixels resize the Grid by clicking and dragging on the outside Border and not on the Grid itself.

• If you have difficulties in using the mouse functions of an underlying program with the PhiMatrix grid overlay, turn off the PhiMatrix grid mouse functions by clicking on the lock/unlock icon next to the H Width and V Height controls or select the Lock/Unlock Grid option (Ctrl-L) from the View menu.

9b. Problems with resizing the grid or expanding the grid to sizes larger than the desktop.

• The grid can be enlarged to sizes larger than the desktop by expanding the dimensions, dragging and moving the grid corner back on the screen and then expanding again. It can also be set directly to any size by keying in the desired dimension size in the H Width and V Height controls of the Control Window, or by using the arrow controls as well.

• When the top border is off the screen you can move the grid by clicking and dragging on one of the interior grid lines or by selecting the Keys tab of the Control Window and then using Shift with a Cursor Arrow key to move the grid.

• Note per the instructions on the Keys tab that you can also use the keyboard to make the grid larger or smaller in any direction or change the number of grid lines.

9c.  The grid seems stretched or distorted and doesn't have proper proportions on my screen.

• The PhiMatrix grid dimensions are exact and based on pixel counts of your monitor.  If the proportions of the grid seem elongated or distorted it is because your monitor has a different number of horizontal pixels per inch (or centimeter) than vertical pixels per inch.

• On LCD monitors this occurs when you choose a resolution other than the native resolution of the monitor.  In other words, a monitor with a native resolution of 1680x1050 pixels can be set to display 1280x960 pixels, but the 1680x1050 resolution has a aspect ratio of width to height of 1.6 while the 1280x960 resolution has an aspect ratio of 1.333.  In order for PhiMatrix to be perfectly proportioned you must use the monitor in its native resolution or at least use a resolution with an identical aspect ratio as the native resolution, which in this case would be 1280x800.

• On older CRT monitors, the same issues as above can apply but in addition the monitor may require that the vertical and horizontal display controls be adjusted to result in an identical number of pixels per inch vertically and horizontally.

9d.  I need to use more than one grid at a time.

• Launch multiple instances of PhiMatrix to create multiple grids and control each of them with a separate Control Window.

9e.  I need to be able to see the grid size without going to the Control Window.

• Open the Data Window (XY icon) and set the Border Size to 20 pixels or greater. PhiMatrix will then display the grid size and positions of the grid lines. You will need to move and resize from outer border but can change the Border Type to Light Only, Line/Light or other settings to suit your needs.

9f.  How do I keep PhiMatrix 'always on top' regardless of what application I am using? Is there a way to do this?

This is now a user selectable option in the Windows version of PhiMatrix from the File menu.  For Mac users, here are free utilities to keep any program always on top are as follows:

• Windows - Vitrite, a free Windows XP utility by Ryan VanMiddlesworth available at the site of its developer or HERE.
• Mac OS X - Afloat, a free Mac utility by Infinite Labs available at the site of the developer or HERE.

10.  Where can I learn more about phi, the golden ratio?

See an overview HERE or visit the site of the developer of PhiMatrix at http://www.goldennumber.net.

11.  What if I have other questions?

Answers to a variety of other questions on licenses and registration can be found at eSellerate.  eSellerate does not provide support on the PhiMatrix application itself but is the third party ecommerce provider used to provide payment, serial number and product activation services.  Other questions can be sent to: