Flash and Video

[boxig]

Hi All

Before going on vacation I want to make a nice free utility for you.

Here are the options, tell me what you like most:

Full screen Flash, Show.

Video (Avi, Mpeg), Show.

Full screen Flash, Video (Avi, Mpeg), Show.

Video (Avi, Mpeg), Full screen Flash, Show.

Neither of the above

All

Thanks

Granot

[Jimbo]

Hi Granot...just video would do me, do you think that including WMV would be possible?

JiminLA

[Guest Techman1]

Granot,

As you are probably aware, I would like all ! Is there a way that we could simply blank out a field or two or three to turn off any of these options in a control type file? Maybe simply a file like the following:

AVI 0/1

MPEG 0/1

SWF 0/1

EXE 0/1

where 0 = no files and 1 = that type of file present

Maybe have this in a text file that your program reads. Could your program also handle mutliples of certain files, maybe run two AVI files and then an PTE.exe show (just as an example).

Anyway, just my 2 cents. I hope you have a fantastic vacation. I know it is well deserved! Thanks so much for all you continue to do for us.

Regards,

Fred

[boxig]

JiminLA

.avi

.mpeg

.mpg

.wmv

.asf

No .mov

first version already uploaded to my site

(He, I'm quick. Don't want to miss my flight)

Fred

Since there are so many combinations.... anyway, if you'll need something specific, I'll be here (I hope) after vacation.

All

Here is from the "Readme" file:

Name of file: FlashVideoExe.exe

For: PicturesToExe and other similar programs users.

Use: On CD or on Hard Drive.

Purpose: Add Flash and/or Video before show.

Sound: Yes.

Screen: Flash and Video will run Full Screen.

Video Files: *.avi,*.mpeg,*.mpg,*.wmv,*.asf

Made by: Granot

Price: Donation.

Date: January 2004

Version: 1.0

How it works

============

When open, the program will look for a Flash file called "Flash.swf"

in the same location as the program, and run it Full Screen. When the

flash will reach its last frame, the program will look for all MPEG,

MPG, WMV, ASF and AVI files in the folder and sort them by name. Then,

after the Flash ends, it will run Full Screen the first file on the

list. When the video will end, it will run the application file called

"Show.exe". If there is no video file, it will run the application

file called "Show.exe".

To make it short, if you have a mix types of video files on your

CD, rename the file you want to run after the flash so it will be

first on the list.

Flash and video files can include sound.

The zip includes "autorun.inf" to make your life easy.

I included a Flash file so if you want to test it just add your video

file to the folder and run "FlashVideoExe.exe".

What you need to have on your CD

================================

"FlashVideoExe.exe"

"autorun.inf"

"Flash.swf"

"Show.exe"

Any video file of *.avi,*.mpeg,*.mpg,*.wmv,*.asf

Have fun

[boxig]

Now you can:

Run Flash Full Screen before Show.

or

Run Video Full Screen before show.

or

Run Flash Full Screen, then Run Video Full Screen then Run Show.

or

Run Show only (well... you don't need this feature, but it's there).

No feedback ????

Fred,

It is almost what you asked. I don't think anyone will run video before flash but if there will be a demand I'll see for it. As for multi files, can be done too but I think the most usefull will be to run one flash or one video before show.

Granot

[Guest Techman1]

Granot,

Once people start using Flash and seeing the benefit of it for a quick title opener and it's cool effects. They will be thanking you for this excellent utility.

I thank you for this and the added flexibility. It really works great and will be incorporated into several of my shows immediately.

Thanks again for all you do for us!!!!

Fred

[nobeefstu]

Boxig,

I thought you would be on vacation by now ...

Is this one of your usuall yearly paradise trips ?

Hope you really enjoy ... you have had a tough past year and well deserve a good relaxation.

Go for it !!!

[boxig]

Hi Stu,

Thanks. It was over a year (and a very bad one). Going to Thailand for one month (anyone here is from this beautiful country ?) Will stay in Chiang Mai with friends and try to visit this forum if I can. And pardon if I will not answer emails of those writting me.

All have fun too,

Granot

[Bubba]

I have a small but annoying problem: there is a very short (about 1 second) gap between my swish file and the P2E file. When the flash/swish file stops, I can see my computer desktop for a second then the P2E slideshow starts. This happens whether it is run from my computer's hard drive or if I burn it to a CD.

I have a reasonably new computer: 1800 AMD, 512 MB ram and Windows XP.

Any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks in advance, Bubba

[nobeefstu]

Bubba,

Boxig may be enjoying his vacation by now

What your experiencing is pretty much the normal loading delay of your PTE Show after your Flash file plays and exits ... therefore your desktop reveals itself untill your PTE Show is loaded and playing.

Other factors :

Large MB file sizes can contribute to longer loading times ... esp from CD since CD is usually slower at reading and loading files. If you have lots of pc background processes running and virus protection active, these also contribute to loading delays ( virus programs check your files before actually loading them.)

Im sure Boxig can easily implement some blank/black full screen background to hide the desktop during this loading transition time or some other means to compensate for the time it takes to load your PTE Show.

* In the meantime, a possible work around that you can do :

Create a PTE show (using Run External Application on first slide) that just launches Boxigs utility. Make this PTE launcher show just a full screen black background color (or whatever color you like) to play for a specific time then exit. If your Flash file plays for 30 seconds ... have your PTE launcher close and exit at 35 seconds as a example. This gives you 5 seconds loading time that will hide the desktop view till your actuall PTE Show plays.

[Guest Techman1]

Bubba,

As Stu says, I believe his solution is the approach that I would take. I spoke with Granot (Boxig) about this and he wasn't sure what he could do programatically to resolve the issue. Also as Stu says, I have had some shows do this and others not show the desktop during loading so I believe it must have something to do with the size of the PTE show and possibly other things going on in the background. Reading from the harddisk is certainly faster than the CD as Stu also said (boy, he knows a lot!!!!) so this may also help some.

Again, taking Stu's approach may be our only solution at this point. Please let us know if this works out for you. I haven't tried it yet, but was going to soon.

Regards,

Fred

[Bubba]

It worked! Thank you NoBeefStu for your idea and Techman1 for your input. Here's what I did to get rid of the pause between the Flash into and the main PTE show:

1. Create PTE show with one black photo (I named it BlackStart). Use Project Options to set "close show after last slide". Use the Customize Slide button to set the time to slightly more than the length of your Flash intro file. Also set Run External Application to start Boxig's FlashVideoExe.

2. Add this black slide PTE show to the same folder as the Autorun, FlashVideoExe, Flash intro file and the main PTE show. Also remember to change the autorun line to the name of your one slide PTE start show (ie BlackStart).