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OS/2 Help File | 1993-12-06 | 30.1 KB | 366 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. What's New in Builder/2 Version 1.0.1 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Welcome to Builder/2, Version 1.0.1. If you are a Builder/2 1.0 user, please note the following enhancements in Version 1.0.1: Performance Improvements Performance has been enhanced, both in Builder/2 and in the runtime system. For more tips, see Maximizing performance. Replace Editing Now you can easily replace any image, audio, or video frame in your story while maintaining all the settings - dissolve method, source and destination, wait time - that go with the old frame. Change frames with a simple drag and drop or with the new Replace menu choice. New image formats Builder/2's list of supported image formats now includes GIF as well as the previously supported Targa, TIFF (Intel, Motorola, and FAX), PCX, and BMP (Windows and OS/2). 1 and 4-bit images are also now supported in addition to existing 8-bit support. Adobe/PM font support In addition to Builder/2's own fonts, you can now use any font installed on your system when adding text to your Builder/2 images. Any new Adobe fonts you add to your system are automatically available in Builder/2's Text Plane Support font list. Longer file names The maximum file name length for Builder/2 image, audio and video objects is increased from 27 total characters to 137 characters. This means that you can effectively drag and drop image, audio and video files from any location on your system into a Builder/2 story. Samples Builder/2's SAMPLE folder (available on the CD or on your system if you choose to install it with Builder/2) features new business charts, 150 640x480 images, audio files in WAV and MIDI format, and Ultimotion digital files. Also included are new sample stories you can easily customize with your own images and audio. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. A note for Builder/2 1.0 users ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Stories created in Builder/2 1.0 can be opened and played in Builder/2 1.0.1., and stories exported from 1.0 can be imported into 1.0.1 stories. When you play a Builder/2 1.0 story in Builder/2 1.0.1, the story is converted at runtime into 1.0.1 format. This will have a minor impact on performance at the start of the story. To enhance performance of 1.0 stories, open and save them in Builder/2 1.0.1 before playing. Please note that stories created or saved in Builder/2 1.0.1 should not be opened or played in Builder/2 release 1.0, played using a 1.0 runtime system, or imported into 1.0 stories. The new long path name support for media files makes 1.0.1 stories incompatible with the 1.0 program. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Replace editing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Now in Builder/2 1.0.1, when you drag a frame onto another frame, you can also replace the frame you drop on, rather than pushing it over. You can replace an image, audio, or video frame with any other image, audio or video frame. Replace editing is convenient when you want to change an image frame in your story without changing dissolve method, wait time, or any other setting. When you replace a frame, all the information that goes with the original frame stays the same, except the file itself. To replace a frame using drag and drop: 1. Hold down the Alt key with mouse button 2 while dragging the frame. 2. Drop the frame on the frame you want to replace. For image frames, the thumbnail in the frame changes, but all other frame settings remain the same. To replace a frame using the menu: 1. Select the frame you want as the replacement frame. 2. Click on Cut or Copy. 3. Click on the frame you want to replace. 4. Select Replace. Notes o Replace works with image, audio and video frames only. o You must replace like frames with like frames. For example, you can't replace an image frame with an audio frame. o When you replace an image frame, the image thumbnail changes to the new file. All other settings remain the same. o When you replace an audio frame, the audio file being played changes to the new frame. Volume changes, time of play, fade in or fade out effects remain the same as they were with the old frame. o When you replace a video frame, the video file changes, but time of play and placement in the play window remain the same. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. New image formats ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ The following table shows Builder/2's image format support: ΓöîΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö¼ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÉ ΓöéType ΓöéExtension ΓöéDescription Γöé Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ ΓöéBitmap Γöé.BMP, .DIBΓöéOS/2 1.x, OS/2 2.x, WIN 3.x Γöé Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ ΓöéPCX Γöé.PCX ΓöéUsed by draw, paint, image Γöé Γöé Γöé Γöéprocessing, desktop publishingΓöé Γöé Γöé Γöéand scanning software. Γöé Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ ΓöéTIFF Γöé.TIF ΓöéSame as above Γöé Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ ΓöéTARGA** Γöé.TGA ΓöéSame as above Γöé Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ ΓöéGIF Γöé.GIF ΓöéSame as above Γöé Γö£ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö╝ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöñ ΓöéAVC Γöé._IM, .!IMΓöéIBM AVC format Γöé ΓööΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓö┤ΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÇΓöÿ Note: 1 through 8-bit formats are supported where applicable. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Adobe/PM font support ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Any Adobe font installed on your system is now available in Builder/2's Text Plane Support when you want to add text to your images. In the Text Style Definition window, Builder/2 fonts and system fonts appear together in the Font Name drop-down list. Builder/2 fonts are marked with an asterisk (*). Use Builder/2 fonts when you want to anti-alias your text against the background image. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Longer file names ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Builder/2 now supports image, audio and video file names up to 137 characters in length. When you switch to Text view to view or edit your story, the file name still appears in the left hand column of the story table. The path information for the file is now placed in a separate field at the end of the same line. To move the path information to the left for easier viewing, click on the + sign at the right of the image or audio file name. You can change path information by typing over the characters in the field. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Samples ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ After you install Builder/2 1.0.1, your Ultimedia Tools folder contains a Samples folder. The Samples folder contains several sub-folders with clip media you can use in your Builder/2 stories, as well as template stories you can modify with your own images and text. The Samples folder includes: o An IMAGES folder with 150 640x480 images in different formats. o A CHARTS folder containing template charts (business and general) that you can customize using Builder/2's Text Plane Support. o An AUDIOVID folder containing sound files in WAVE and MIDI format and Ultimotion video clips (no additional hardware needed for video playback). Use the samples when you need actual media files when building Builder/2 stories. Or you may want to look at the more complex Builder/2 stories in the ADVANCED APPLICATIONS folder for ideas about creating your own applications. The Samples folder contains it own online documentation. Click on the Samples Information icon to view it. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Creating a runtime system ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ After creating a presentation you can distribute it for other non-Builder/2 owners to play on their systems. They don't need Builder/2 to run your presentation, but they do need the runtime system, a subset of the Builder/2 program that makes it possible to play, although not to edit, a story. There are three components to consider when creating a runtime system: 1. The files that make up the presentation - story files, image, audio, and video files. 2. The runtime system files 3. Extra files - dissolves, fonts, and I/O procedures Preparing presentation and runtime directories 1. If your Builder presentation uses images, audio or video files from several directories, collect the files in one directory before moving the presentation to the runtime computer. When you do this, make sure to also go into all stories, switch to Text view, and remove any path information from the file names used in your SHOW, PLAY, and VPLAY statements. Path information appears in the last column in the story table. 2. Use the OS/2 BACKUP command to put the directory onto floppy disks. The syntax of this command is as follows: BACKUP drive:\directory\*.* a: /s 3. Run the TELLCOPY program to create the runtime system. To run the program: a. Open the Drives folder (in your OS/2 System folder). b. Open the drive where you installed Builder/2. c. Open the BUILDER folder (if you chose a different directory name when you installed Builder/2, open that folder). d. Open the BIN folder. e. Double-click on the TELLCOPY.EXE icon. You are prompted for a source directory and a target directory. For a source directory, enter <drive>:\BUILDER where <drive> is the drive where you installed Builder/2 (if you chose a non-default directory name, enter that instead of BUILDER). If you are copying the runtime system onto a floppy disk for distribution, enter your diskette drive as a target, and a directory name. For the rest of this example, we will assume a target directory of RUNTIME. 4. When the runtime system is created, it contains one default font (BOOKB) and one default dissolve method (REPLACE). If the presentation you are distributing uses other dissolve methods, you must identify what those are by looking through the stories in the presentation, then locate the corresponding dissolve files (*._DS) in the BUILDER\DATA directory on your system. Copy those dissolve files into the RUNTIME directory (this may require additional diskettes). Note: If you have input and output fields in your presentation that use fonts other than BOOKB, you must also copy those fonts into the RUNTIME directory. Builder/2 fonts are located in the BUILDER\DATA directory. Your presentation can run without the fonts, but text will default to BOOKB in the input and output fields. 5. Copy the RUNTIME directory to the target system. 6. Use the RESTORE command to place the presentation directory on the target system. Choose a different directory than the RUNTIME directory. The syntax for the command is: RESTORE a: <target directory>: /s 7. Add the following path anywhere in the LIBPATH statement of the runtime computer's CONFIG.SYS file, where <drive> is the directory where you copied the RUNTIME directory: <drive>:\RUNTIME; 8. If your presentation uses PCX, TIFF, TARGA, or GIF images, run the MMIOINI program to register the I/O procs for these image formats. MMIOINI is placed in the RUNTIME directory (on diskette #2, if copying to diskettes) when you create the runtime system. To run the program, change to the RUNTIME directory on the runtime computer and type: MMIOINI In the window that appears on the screen, check the media file formats used in your presentation. For example, if your application uses GIF and PCX files, check the GIF proc and the PCX proc. After running MMIOINI, reboot the runtime system. 9. Create a program object for the runtime system. In the Settings notebook for the object, enter the following information in the 'file name and path' field, where <target drive> is the drive where you installed the RUNTIME directory on the runtime computer: <target drive>:\RUNTIME\TELLPM.EXE In the 'parameters' field, enter the following information, where <target drive> and <target directory> are the drive and directory where your presentation files are, and <story name> is the name of the main story in the presentation: <target drive>:\<target directory>\<story name> Note: An '._ST' is not required after the story name. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Maximizing performance ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Performance is affected by several factors: the speed of your computer's processor, the amount of memory you have, the access speed of your hard drive or CD drive, and the size of the image, audio and video files you use in your stories. Regardless of your system setup, the following recommendations will help maximize Builder/2's performance: o Minimize the use of audio and image I/O procedures. I/O procs let your system recognize and process different image formats (PCX, TARGA, etc.) and audio formats (WAVE, MIDI, etc.). When you use an image or audio file in a story, Builder/2 automatically searches all the I/O procs until it finds the right one to use. If you know you will only be using certain image and audio formats in your stories, you can deregister the I/O procs you don't need: this will reduce search time and increase performance. To deregister an I/O proc: 1. Run the MMIOINI program. To run the program: a. Open an OS/2 window. b. Change to the BUILDER\INSTALL directory. c. Type MMIOINI and press Enter. A window opens listing all the image and audio formats that Builder/2 supports. All formats are checked. 2. Click on the checkbox next to the formats you don't need. The checkmark is removed. 3. Close the MMIOINI window. 4. Reboot your system. If you need to use a deregistered I/O proc in the future, run MMIOINI again, check the format, and reboot your system. o Use just a few, efficient dissolve methods. Dissolve methods can take considerable processing time to load and execute. Some dissolve methods are faster and easier for the system to execute than others: FASTEST SLOWER CRUSH RADAR REPLACE ELLIPSE SHUTTER SPIRAL SLIDE WAVE STRIPES BEACON For complete information on dissolve method performance, refer to the file DISSOLVE.DOC, located in the \BUILDER\DATA directory on the drive where you installed Builder/2. o Defragment your hard disk(s) for more efficient file input and output. There are many popular defragmentation utility programs. o Carefully choose values for the following CONFIG.SYS file statements to match your particular PC: DISKCACHE BUFFERS IFS Check the OS/2 2.1 Command Reference (online or hard copy) for information on correct settings for your system. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ runtime system. A subset of the Builder/2 program that allows non-Builder/2 owners to play your presentations. See Creating a runtime system for instructions. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ path. The drive and directory where an image, audio, or video file is located. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ anti-aliasing. Adjustments to a curved line to make it appear less jagged. Achieved by using several intensities of color between the line color and the background color.