Running a Stand-alone Short Trainig Course From CD

[photoworks]

One of the selections on the AMS I am creating runs a short stand-alone exe training course. It will fire up the course but it stays behind the AMS panel and the user can not see it. Is there a way I can minimize the AMS panel while the course is running and once the course is exited the AMS panel will come up again? Thanks in advance.
David Kay

[dallasfreak]

on your actions for clicking for the link to the program, tell ams to minimize window, then run your exe with wait for return, after theat restore window.
It will minimize until the program ends. In case the triaing spawns off another exe and runs it, (like some installers do), you can have it show message that basically says click here to return to the menu.

[photoworks]

Dallas,
Ok that did it. Now here is another complication. I have an MP3 file at startup. Since the stand-alone tutorial has audio, is there a way I can stop the MP3 while the tutorial is running and start it again when the user exits out of it?

While we are at it, I deleted all of the WAV files for mouse over (the whoosh)menu item.
Where is that sound located?

And as long as we are on the subject of audio , is it possible to have a selection of MP3 play while AMS is running?Thanks for your help.
David

[This message has been edited by photoworks (edited 05-11-2001).]

[photoworks]

Dallas,

When I click on the stand-alone item I am able to Minimize Window, Stop MP3, Execute Program...(at this point, because it takes about 20 seconds for the stand-alone tutorial to start running I would love to be able to show a message such as "Tutorial Loading...please be patient"), Execute Program, Restore Window, Play MP3 File (Nothing happens, why?)

David

[dallasfreak]

1. Whern the access help on the list of commands for mouse click first have it stop MP3, then minimize window, run execute (wait for return)restore window, play mp3 file (the menu will play the mp3 from beginning again (have not got the pause to work the way it seems like it should yet **any suggestions mods?****
2. as far as showing message, not really but a workaround would be to create an avi object that says loading or whatever, have the menu execute a windows media player shell command to play it, by the time it gets done playing your helpfile should be loaded. not familiar with media player enough to say how for sure. If it was dos, it would be something to the effect of "mediaplayer.exe wait.avi" -- possible to do with batch file though, and then just turn off wait for return. -- ill figure it out anf post here soon or another user might beat me to it
3. selection -- you mean like a playlist, or a selection that the user can choose from? Fopr the first -- yes and no. I created a 25 minute long mp3 by cropping 4 together nad have the menu play the one long one. As far as a selection to choose from, i created a music page on my menu, with 10 of the long mp3s on there, and when u click on them they execute a play mp3 reference (the mp3 are installed on users computer at inital run time)
Does that clear it up for you or need more explantion? (tried to be brief, dont want to write a web page here http://www.indigorose.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[photoworks]

1. Whern the access help on the list of commands for mouse click first have it stop MP3, then minimize window, run execute (wait for return)restore window, play mp3 file (the menu will play the mp3 from beginning again (have not got the pause to work the way it seems like it should yet **any suggestions mods?****

I was wondering about the pause, I was unable to get it to work either. Ok this works, although the time between closing the tutorial and getting the MP3 file to run is a lot longer than I would like.

2. as far as showing message, not really but a workaround would be to create an avi object that says loading or whatever, have the menu execute a windows media player shell command to play it, by the time it gets done playing your helpfile should be loaded. not familiar with media player enough to say how for sure. If it was dos, it would be something to the effect of "mediaplayer.exe wait.avi" -- possible to do with batch file though, and then just turn off wait for return. -- ill figure it out anf post here soon or another user might beat me to it

Between Minimize Windows and Execute Program I inserted a Show Message: Caption: One Moment Please Message: Loading Tutorial...please be patient. It is the standard Windows message panel where the user has to click on OK. It will serve the purpose of letting the use know the tutorial is loading.

3. selection -- you mean like a playlist, or a selection that the user can choose from? For the first -- yes and no. I created a 25 minute long mp3 by cropping 4 together nad have the menu play the one long one. As far as a selection to choose from, i created a music page on my menu, with 10 of the long mp3s on there, and when u click on them they execute a play mp3 reference (the mp3 are installed on users computer at inital run time) Does that clear it up for you or need more explantion? (tried to be brief, dont want to put a web page here

I was thinking of the former. A playlist. I appreciate your taking the time to give me complete answers. Everything works well except for the VERY long time between exiting the tutorial and getting the MP3 playing again (and for the Window to restore). The tutorial was created by MacroMedia and I'll bet that is why. It is probably loading and unloading a lot in memory.

[photoworks]

Dallas,

After building the AMS the slow loading of the tutorial and then the MP3 file after closing the tutorial dissapered. Very smooth, very quick.The AMS turned out beautifully.

Are you planning on purchasing the CD-ROM training set for AutoPlay Menu Studio 3.0? It sounds like a very good product. I expect to purchase later this month.

David

[dallasfreak]

I saw the trining set, the demo was a simple flash style movie, not bad... possibility.