Hide Screen behind AutoPlay Window

[Waldo]

I am a newbie to AutoPlay. I am working on my first application and need the autoplay window at a resolution of 750 by 550. This works fine. What I would like to do is "hide" the edges of the desktop screen around my autoplay window either with a image file or color so that the windows desktop is not visible around my application.

The application is for a school system and most classrooms still have older CRT 15" monitors set at an 800 by 600 resolution. At this resolution, only the small edges of the windows desktop are visible. But a handful of classrooms have 19" LCD monitors set at 1024 by 768. On these desktops, the Autoplay window is small and too much of the windows desktop is exposed--so that, to me, it is a distraction.

I know that I can use a autoplay window size to fit the desktop approach, but when I tried this alternative the sharpness in the enlarged AutoPlay window is not what I would want...so I want to stay with my 750 by 550 autoplay window, but "hide" the edges of the desktop--whether it is small [800 by 600 resolution] or large [on a 1024 by 768 resolution].

I just can't seem to find how to do this in the help file...sorry if this is stupid question. THANKS.

[longedge]

If you look in Project/Settings the appearance tab gives you the option to choose several different 'styles' of window. Try choosing the "Kiosk" option. You can also choose the background colour. It sounds as if this will fit the bill for you. Your project window size is unaffected, it effectively adds a background to the rest of the screen.

I find it's best to make sure that your users have a button to exit the application. Alt-F4 works but not everyone knows that.

[Waldo]

I tried this, but it also removes the traditional window buttons on the top left [red X and blue -]...which would be expected in kiosk mode. The target audience is 8-11 years old...so I didn't want to remove the traditional windows close or minimize buttons. Any other ideas?

[longedge]

You can easily reproduce the windows minimize and exit buttons and put them onto your page.

There are other ways that you might do what you want (isn't there always) but this is the easiest/quickest option.

Have a look at the attached example.

[FoxLeader]

Just my opinion on that last point.

Yes, it works. But at some places I know, sometimes it's the Luna or the Classic theme that's enabled and it can "destabilize" some people if it's different. And it doesn't have rollovers, so even if it's not important, it shows (as well as the "hand" cursor) that it's active. It's just something that helps a bit.

But Waldo, thanks to Longedge, you see that it's pretty easy to have those buttons show like it would normally be.

[longedge]

Rollovers are just as easy and you can specify the pointer you want :)

It's just a way of showing that you can achieve a faked effect easily and that it meets the spec :).

[Waldo]

Thank you for your feedback...and the example..

[Waldo]

Rollovers are just as easy and you can specify the pointer you want :)

It's just a way of showing that you can achieve a faked effect easily and that it meets the spec :).

Longedge,
Thanks again for this example...can you provide me a little more explanation on how you achieved the "rollover" effect....through the button maker? :huh I really have tried to figure this out since it is suppose to be "easy"...but I can't...thanks for your patience. ;)

[longedge]

can you provide me a little more explanation on how you achieved the "rollover" effect

Yes of course Waldo. In the first example I took a screen shot of a window and used that image (Image.jpg) with hot spots over the two buttons. To achieve the fake rollover I hovered first over a minimize button and took a screen shot (the ordinary windows 'print screen' doesn't capture your pointer) and then cut and pasted the highlighted button ove the normal button on the first image and renamed it Imagemin.jpg) the same with the pointer over the exit button (Imageex.jpg). Now there are 3 images so in each hotspot's On Enter event a different image is loaded and On Leave the original image is loaded back in. Same thing happens for the exit button. Just an extra 2 or 3 minutes.

[Waldo]

Longedge,
Wow...thanks for sharing the "secret"...I need to think outside the box... I can honestly say that I would have NEVER figured your solution out...thanks again for sharing. Most awesome advice. Take care.

[longedge]

You are very welcome. Can I just add a note to this though.

This is a "quick and dirty" option and doesn't in any way replace using the Button Maker built into AMS which is the tool for the job and very well worth familiarising yourself with :yes

[Waldo]

You are very welcome. Can I just add a note to this though.

This is a "quick and dirty" option and doesn't in any way replace using the Button Maker built into AMS which is the tool for the job and very well worth familiarising yourself with :yes

Longedge,
I actually started with the button maker...my experience didn't go well...It seemed that I could only choose from pre-made buttons in the gallery. None of them were the small blue or red square box. I did manage to change colors, change the text, change the button states, etc. when starting with a button from the gallery.

Can one actually "draw" or select various sized objects [squares, rectangles, etc.] to start the process in the button maker & then re-size, re-color, etc. as needed? The tool only seems to work with "pre-made" templates in the gallery.

I would guess I am missing something obvious. Thanks again for your willingness to help those still "new" to the AutoPlay environment.

[longedge]

Thanks again for your willingness to help those still "new" to the AutoPlay environment.

:lol That was me a while back.

Creating your image is the difficult part - save out an image for each of the states. The preferred format with afficionados is .png which allows for transparency, but there's a whole lot of formats supported.

I right click a pane and select load image. The first time, all the panes load the same image but then go through them and right click load image in each one for all the different states. The properties panel lets you set various options.

Takes a while to get used to it but it's worth it in the end.

[Waldo]

:lol That was me a while back.

Creating your image is the difficult part - save out an image for each of the states. The preferred format with afficionados is .png which allows for transparency, but there's a whole lot of formats supported.

I right click a pane and select load image. The first time, all the panes load the same image but then go through them and right click load image in each one for all the different states. The properties panel lets you set various options.

Takes a while to get used to it but it's worth it in the end.

Do you use a drawing software to "create" your initial image and save it as png file? I just can't seem to figure out how to create the shape I want if it is not already in the gallery. I don't really need anything fancy--at this point I would only need the red and blue small square to simulate what you have provided [i.e., this forces me to start to learn the button manager and not just run with your solution]. I am artistically challenged anyway, so all I am after is way to "size" pre-defined shapes for use as buttons.

If you have a drawing program, can you recommend it?

[longedge]

Do you use a drawing software to "create" your initial image and save it as png file?If you have a drawing program, can you recommend it?

Yes.

I've used Paintshop Pro since I can't remember when. It's what I'm used to but the power users mostly use Photoshop. I could have it but I just can't be bothered with the learning curve :rolleyes.

MSPaint would do a basic job for you, although I don't think .png is an option. It can save jpegs though.

[Waldo]

Yes.

I've used Paintshop Pro since I can't remember when. It's what I'm used to but the power users mostly use Photoshop. I could have it but I just can't be bothered with the learining curve :rolleyes.

MSPaint would do a basic job for you, although I don't think .png is an option. It can save jpegs though.

Thanks for the additional advice....this will certainly get me started with the button maker.....take care.