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AltaVista Media Wrangler 2.0
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1995-05-05
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MediaWrangler - The MultiMedia Presentation Design Tool
===============================================================================
Welcome to MediaWrangler, the simplest way to make and view interactive
multimedia documents! MediaWrangler lets you:
* Connect pictures, video, sound and text to create an interactive document.
In MediaWrangler lingo, these new creations are known as "Roundups"!
* Jump between pictures, play video, listen to sounds or read & write text.
* Save your interactive documents to display later.
* Distribute your Roundups to others, including a royalty-free Player!
===============================================================================
Background
===============================================================================
"Easy" and "Fun" were two words we tried to keep in mind during the design
of MediaWrangler. We thought it would be great if "anybody" could just sit
down and quickly and easily put together a professional, dynamic multimedia
presentation, without requiring a degree in computer science!
The name MediaWrangler, as it implies, is a metaphor for the cowboys who
once roamed the Great American West. Information, like wild horses, can
be a very difficult thing to organize. MediaWrangler gives you a unique way
to gather and organize your multimedia information. As you will see, the
concepts are very easy to understand and each action has a real-life
parallel so that they can be quickly understood. Think of your many
bits of multimedia information (such as pictures, sound, text and video) as
wild horses and let MediaWrangler show you how easy it is to "Roundup" this
information and use it to your benefit. After all, a business person in
todayÆs world needs good information just like a cowboy needs a good horse!
===============================================================================
Installing And Running MediaWrangler
===============================================================================
To begin, install MediaWrangler on your hard disk using the Windows
File Manager:
1. Select Run from the file menu.
2. Type: <drive>:\setup.exe (where drive is the letter designation of your
CD-ROM drive, for example, d:\setup.exe).
3. The program will display an introduction. After reading, click on the OK
button.
4. The program prompts you for a path name. Hit OK to use the default
directory, or type in a different installation path at this time.
5. If any Window system files of a newer version are found, the program
will prompt you to replace them. Choose YES to replace or NO to leave
intact. It is recommended to replace all files.
6. The install will now finish. Choose OK after reading the text and you
will be returned to Windows.
7. Now just double click on the MediaWrangler icon and you're ready to
go!
===============================================================================
Installing Microsoft Video for Windows (tm)
===============================================================================
If you do not already have Video for Windows (tm) installed on your computer,
you will need to install it to use video with MediaWrangler.
1. Select Run from the Windows File Manager file menu.
2. Type: <drive>:\vfwsetup\setup.exe (where drive is the letter designation
of your CD-ROM drive, for example,
d:\vfwsetup\setup.exe).
===============================================================================
The Guided Tour
===============================================================================
This CD-ROM contains several examples of "Roundups" that you might create
using MediaWrangler. Lets take a look at HOMETOUR.RDP, an interactive
multimedia tour of a house, put together by a real estate agent to let clients
browse pictures on a computer disk rather than drive through neighborhoods.
To take this guided tour, double click on the MediaWrangler icon to start
the application. After the introductory screen and "Thundering Herd"
audio you will see MediaWrangler's main window. From the top, the window
consists of a title bar, a menu bar, a button bar, a large display area
and a status bar. The menu bar provides access to all of MediaWrangler's
commands while the button bar provides easy access to the most commonly
used commands. The status bar displays important messages as you run the
program.
Begin by moving the mouse over the buttons in the button bar. As you do
so a message is sent to the status bar containing a few words describing
the function of the button under the cursor (The cursor is the arrow
shape that moves as you move the mouse).
Move the cursor over the Roundup button (the second button from the
left, which looks like a lasso). For this button, the status bar reads
"Open an existing Roundup". Click the left mouse button on the Roundup
button.
MediaWrangler displays a list of files. Select "HOMETOUR.RDP" in the left
hand side of the dialog box, then press OK. In a few seconds, you will see
the hypothetical real estate company Akers & Akers, who happen to have
listings all over the United States. As you can see, a map of the United
States is now displayed. For starters, move the mouse over the state of
California. Notice how it changes to a camera. This means there is a
picture underneath it. Double-click the left mouse button and in a few
seconds you will see a picture of a house taken from the street, the same
view prospective buyers would see as they drive up to the house.
Now, move the mouse cursor over the bedroom window and you will see the
arrow shape change to a camera. Whenever the cursorÆs shape changes, it
means that you can see or hear additional information by double clicking
the left mouse button. Try it now: while the cursor is shaped like a
camera, double click the left button of your mouse.
MediaWrangler displays a detailed shot of the interior of the bedroom,
which is what you would see if you looked through the window. You can
get back to the picture of the front of the house by moving the cursor to
any visible portion of that picture and pressing the left button once.
You can also move around using the navigation buttons. These are near
the right end of the button bar - they look like a left-arrow, a House,
and a right-arrow. These buttons will take you to the previous picture,
the 1st or home picture, and the next picture, respectively.
Explore the house: move the cursor over areas you might want to look at if
you were really there. For example, youÆd probably start by going up to
the front door, so move the cursor there and double-click the left button.
Now you will see a view from the inside of the door.
*Hint* Click on the MAP button, near the right edge of the button bar, it
looks like a treasure map with an "X" on it. This will show you
all of the MAPs on the picture. Click it again to hide the MAPs.
===============================================================================
Make Your Own Multimedia Presentation!
===============================================================================
To see how easy it is to make your own multimedia presentations with
MediaWrangler, add a picture to the guided tour of the house. Move the
cursor over the Hitching Post button (third button from the left) and click
the left mouse button once.
Select the file calhome.hpf in the left hand side of the dialog box and press
OK.
This opens a Hitching Post, a collection of media you can use in your
presentation, shown in miniature at the right-hand side of the screen.
Think of a Hitching Post as a "box" that organizes and holds your multimedia
files, allowing you to easily find them later for use in your Roundups.
For this demonstration, modify the house tour Roundup by connecting a
picture of the back yard to the sliding glass door in the living room.
Simply follow these five steps:
1. Use the mouse to move through the guided tour of the house until you
come to the living room. If the picture of the living room is partly
visible from behind another image, click on any visible portion to
display it.
2. Press the right mouse button once to enter MAP draw mode. Note the
cursor has turned into a pencil. Put the pencil cursor over any corner
of the sliding glass door and press and hold the left mouse button.
Now move the mouse to the opposite corner of the sliding door. A
rectangle will follow the mouse. When the rectangle outlines the
sliding glass door, release the left mouse button. Click the right
mouse button once to exit MAP draw mode. Now that you have drawn a
MAP, it is time to associate a picture with it.
3. Look at the pictures on the Hitching Post and scroll up or down until
you find the image that shows a view of the back yard. Put the cursor
over that picture, then press the left mouse button but donÆt let go.
Keep holding the mouse button down while you drag the cursor over to
the MAP you just drew in Step 2. Note that you are now "lassoing"
another image into the Roundup. When the cursor is inside that region,
release the mouse button to complete the connection.
To try it out, move the cursor over the new MAP and double click the left
button. MediaWrangler displays the view of the backyard that you
dragged in from the Hitching Post. ThatÆs all there is to it!
You can continue to add other pictures to other parts of the house by
drawing MAPS and dragging pictures from the Hitching Post into the
screen. Try adding the stove, dishwasher and sink to the kitchen (You
can reach the kitchen from the living room). Making your own multimedia
presentations with MediaWrangler is as simple as that!
*Hint* You may also drag and drop files from the Windows File Manager!
Alternativly, you can use one of the 4 Import Buttons to connect media to
a Roundup. The Import Buttons are designated by a Camera, a Scroll, a
Speaker and a Video Camera. Use these to import images, text, audios
and videos respectively. Start by drawing a MAP as in Step 2 above.
Then you must "select" the MAP by positioning the mouse inside it
and clicking the left mouse button once. The MAP will change color
indicating it has been selected. Use one of the 4 Import Buttons to
bring up a File Dialog Box and select the media file to be connected.
Press OK and the connection is made.
*Note* Using the Import Buuttons when no MAP is selcted allows you to
browse your media without connecting it to a Roundup.
===============================================================================
Using The Tree View Button To Get A More Meaningful Overview
===============================================================================
To get an overview of the Roundup you are creating, press the Tree View
Button (it looks like a pine tree!) and you will see a new window appear
on the right hand side of the screen. This window contains the "Tree
View" of the Roundup, letting you see how images are connected to one
another in the Roundup. Toggling this button will cause the Tree View to
disappear and reappear.
===============================================================================
Exiting The Roundup
===============================================================================
There are two ways to exit a Roundup. The first way is to close each
picture individually by clicking the close button (the first button on the
left). This will individually close each object in the Roundup, so repeat this
process until all objects are closed. MediaWrangler will prompt you to
save any objects that have been modified.
The second way to exit a Roundup is to close all the pictures at once by
displaying the Tree View, making sure it is the active window, and clicking the
close button. This will close all open objects, prompting you once to save if
necessary.
===============================================================================
Additional Features to Try
===============================================================================
Also included on the demo disk is a tour of a house in Texas. Bring up the
screen with the map of the USA (home object of HOMETOUR.RDP) and click on
the biggest state you can find (Texas, that is!).
There is another Roundup on the disk that gives you an example of how
MediaWrangler can be used to create multimedia catalogs. To see this,
first close HOMETOUR.RDP (to conserve memory), press the Roundup button,
and select the Roundup titled "SYQUEST.RDP". This Roundup will take you
on an interactive tour through the SyQuest Product Catalog.
SyQuest is a company which provides a multitude of removeable media products
that are ideal for storing and distributing Roundup files.
===============================================================================
What Can You Do With MediaWrangler?
===============================================================================
YouÆve seen how easy it is to connect pictures to create interactive
presentations with MediaWrangler. Your MediaWrangler UserÆs Guide or the
on-line Help will give your more information, such as:
* How to add audio clips such as narration, music, or sound effects.
* How to add video sequences.
* How to add pictures taken by a digital camera or loaded from a Photo-CD.
* How to add illustrations created by a drawing program.
MediaWrangler provides a simple and inexpensive way to put together catalogs,
directories, self-paced training manuals, marketing or sales presentations,
classroom materials, or anything else you can think of using multimedia.
If youÆre looking for the easiest way to bring the power of multimedia into
your business or academic career, MediaWrangler is the product youÆve been
waiting for!
===============================================================================
How to Contact AltaVista Technology
===============================================================================
Thanks again for purchasing MediaWrangler!
AltaVista Technology is committed to customer satisfaction: If you
should have any problems (or suggestions for improving MediaWrangler),
please contact us by phone, FAX, or BBS, and we will do our best to
resolve your MediaWrangler questions as soon as possible.
Have Fun Pardner!
AltaVista Technology Inc.
1671 Dell Avenue Suite #209
San Jose, CA 95008
Telephone: (408) 364-8777
Fax: (408) 364-8778
BBS: (408) 364-8771