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LightWaves
============================
MultiMedia Presentation Tool
for OS/2
Version 1.0
Conceived, Written and Developed by
===================================
James Ullom
Hammer of the Gods Software
Copyright 1993
Revised 12-12-93
Page 1
Table of Contents
=================
What is it?.....................................................2
Caveats in Using LightWaves.....................................3
What LightWaves Will/Won't Do?..................................4
Installing LightWaves...........................................5
Notes on Running a Presentation.................................5
How to Use LightWaves
The Menu Bar...............................................6
Presentation WorkSpace.....................................7
The Image Control Page.....................................8
The Next Image Method Page.................................10
The Sound Control Page.....................................10
The Sound Start Method.....................................11
The Sound Ending Method....................................12
How to Use the Presentation Module..............................13
Future Plans for LightWaves.....................................14
How To/Trouble Shooting.........................................15
How to Contact Me (James Ullom).................................16
General Disclaimer
==================
If anything happens while running this program, I (James Ullom or
Hammer of the Gods Software) am not responsible. This includes your
computer, it's peripherals, your personal life, or the political
realm.
Acknowledgments
===============
The extreme patience of my wife, Chandra.
Thanks to my Bomb Squad of Glenn Frasier and Quintin Boehmisch
for allowing themselves to be my program's guinea pig and their
helpful suggestions.
Kathleen Panov, Larry Salomon, and Arthur Panov for their
excellent OS/2 Programming book:
"The Art of OS/2 2.1 C Programming".
And the folks at MST3K for helping me keep a sense of humor while
writing this program.
Page 2
LightWaves
What is it
==========
LightWaves is a MultiMedia Presentation Tool that allows you to
combine visual images with sound. It is designed to work with
any computer using OS/2 and MMPM/2 v1.1. LightWaves version
(1.X) is FREEWARE. This is to allow anyone with BASIC
multimedia needs to be able to produce a multimedia
presentation. The idea of this software was driven by my own
need in this area. The only thing I ask of you is that
you tell me how you like the software, how you use it, and how
you think it could be better, or even how you don't like it.
Please see the last section on How to Contact Me.
Future versions of LightWaves, 2.0 and on, will not be FREEWARE
but will become SHAREWARE. Any version 1.X released will
contain only bug fixes and not program upgrades from the listing
in the Future of LightWaves Section.
General Program History
=======================
This program became a need for me about a year ago when I
wanted to produce a multimedia presentation for my last Senior
MIS class at Texas Tech University. At the time, I only had
Windows Media player and a graphics program that allowed for
slide shows to pull it off with. By running the two programs at
the same time I produced a time synchronized image and sound
presentation. This was not as easy as it sounds. I started my
sound file off with a timing sound so that I knew when to start
the slide show. If I started the slide show at the wrong time
(give or take a quarter of a second of the timer sound) the
sound file would be trashed due to the poorly synchronized disk
access of Windows. Spurred by the general lack of easy to
use Multimedia programs in the FREEWARE/SHAREWARE area at the
time, I set out to write my own presentation program. Delayed
with school and work came the light at the end of the tunnel,
OS/2 2.1.
Hailed as the best vehicle for multimedia, as well as I was
being fed up with losing Windows in a file download, I made the
switch.
I also purchased Borland's C++ compiler, the IBM Developer's
Connection for OS/2 CD ROM subscription, and any book I could
get a hold of about programming for OS/2 (My Favorite, The Art of
OS/2 2.1 C Programming by Panov, Salomon & Panov).
This program was written and tested on my 386 33MHz PC. That's
right, don't let any one tell you that you have to have at least a
486 to run OS/2 2.1 (by the way I only have 8 meg of RAM).
After reading the books and 4 weeks later LightWaves was
uploaded to the OS/2 Shareware BBS.
Page 3
LightWaves
Caveats on Using LightWaves
===========================
Here I discuss things to be careful of in using LightWaves.
1) LightWaves makes no check to verify that the Image files
you specify are in Windows Bitmap (.BMP) format.
2) LightWaves makes no check to verify that the Sound files
you specify are in actual Wave (.WAV) or MIDI (.MID) format.
3) LightWaves does not check to ensure that you have an audio
device supported by MMPM/2.
4) LightWaves does not produce backups of your presentation
files.
5) Since the Presentation Module hides the mouse pointer during
a presentation, stopping the presentation through the Task
List may cause you to lose your mouse pointer until you
reboot OS/2.
6) LightWaves makes no check to ensure that you have not
specified a longer Delay time than is possible with an
associated Sound file. (This may become more clear after
using LightWaves.)
All of these caveats will be resolved in LightWaves Version 2.0.
Page 4
LightWaves
What LightWaves Will/Won't Do
=============================
What LightWaves Will Do
=======================
This version will only display Windows Bitmap (.BMP) files and
will only play Wave (.WAV) audio and MIDI (.MID) music files.
This version does stretch bitmaps, if you choose, to completely fill
your display. This means if your display is 800x600 or 1024x768
and your images are 640x480, or vice versa, LightWaves can
stretch or compress the image to fill the screen.
Of course if you chose to use images smaller or larger than your
display and have the Image stretched/compressed, the image may
become grainy or distorted, but by all means try it.
This version will play any length or quality of Wave and MIDI files
on any sound device supported by MMPM/2 v1.1, provided your audio
card can support the wave file format in relation to bits per
sample (8 or 16), samples per second (1 - 44 KHz), and mode
(mono or stereo). Beware, some MIDI files do not play properly under
MMPM/2.
All other features are discussed in the How to Use LightWaves
Sections.
What It Won't Do
================
This version does not incorporate color palette management,
therefore any images with 256 colors or more may lose colors.
Images with less than 256 colors should display properly, such
as normal Graphic Text images.
To transform your 256 or more Color images to a more displayable
form for LightWaves rather than random color assignment, I
suggest you use PMJPEG by Norman and Ken Yee. This is a
SHAREWARE program that can be downloaded from the OS/2 Shareware
BBS. Use the Option to Map the image to System Colors. This produces
a more "palettable" image for viewing, it's also good for
converting .BMPs into background images for OS/2.
Page 5
LightWaves
Installing LightWaves
=====================
To install LightWaves onto your system simply unzip the program
files (you have probably done that since you are reading this).
Then create a directory for it and place all the files into that
directory. That's it; you're done, now just create an icon for
LightWaves on your desktop and your ready to go.
Notes on Running a Presentation
==============================
When running a presentation, each presentation will begin and end
with a black screen. To begin with your first slide simply press
the Spacebar to begin your presentation. The same is true for the
ending black screen. After your last slide has ended, LightWaves
will display another black screen, simply press the Spacebar and
the Presentation will end.
This was done so that you would not have to supply your own first
and last blank screens and you can start and end your
presentations without having your audience introduced to your OS/2
Desktop (as interesting as it may be).
When your presentation is running there are two keys that have
special significance to LightWaves.
The ESC key:
This will end the presentation after the slide that is currently
displayed. If this key is pressed, your computer will beep
once, signifying that the END PRESENTATION key was pressed.
The Presentation will then proceed to the ending black screen.
The BACKSPACE key:
This will end all the sound in your presentation but the images
will continue to be displayed. This was implemented in case
during your presentation it is obvious that your sounds are
not going over as well as expected. Your computer will beep
twice signaling that the END SOUND key was pressed. Again,
the presentation will continue but with no sound.
During a presentation, the program may beep at you, normally followed
by a lack of an Image or Sound. Here are the beeps and their meaning.
Single Low Beep:
This signifies that the presentation could not find the Image
file specified with the slide.
Two High Beeps:
This means that the presentation could not find the Sound file
specified with the Slide. Sometimes this may happen because
you did not want a sound file associated with a slide but did
not uncheck the USE SOUND switch in the IMAGE CONTROL PAGE.
Page 6
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
After double clicking on the icon you made on your desktop,
you will be presented with a small intro screen and then a
relatively blank window. I will now discuss the menu choices
and their meaning.
FILE
====
New:
This will bring up a new and clean Presentation WorkSpace.
To begin adding image and sound files, simply use your
mouse pointer to select the ADD Button.
Open:
This will bring up a file dialog with your presentation
files listed. If your presentation files (.PRS) are in
another directory, use the file dialog to move around to the
appropriate location and select the file name. Doing so will
then bring up the Presentation WorkSpace into the LightWaves
window. If you have a presentation that needs to be saved,
LightWaves will prompt you to do so.
Close:
This will close the current presentation and clear the
Presentation WorkSpace. If the current presentation has been
changed since it was last saved, LightWaves will prompt you.
Settings:
This will bring up the Default Settings Notebook. These
settings are used to initialize every new slide created by
pressing the ADD Button. These settings can be changed to
fit the presentation you are working on.
Save:
This will save the current presentation with the current
file name.
SaveAs:
This will bring up a File Dialog box to allow you to name a
new presentation or change the name of the current
presentation.
Exit:
This will end the LightWaves program. If the current
presentation has changed since the last time it was saved,
LightWaves will prompt you.
Page 7
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
I shall now discuss the Presentation WorkSpace and it's Buttons.
Add:
This will create a new slide and bring up the settings
notebook for that new slide. The new slide will be placed
as the last slide in the list. If you wish for the slide
to be in a different position, simply change the ORDER number
to it's correct position.
View:
This will open the settings notebook for a selected slide.
First select a slide from the presentation by making it
highlighted and then press the VIEW button.
This can also be accomplished by double clicking on the
slide in the presentation workspace.
Remove:
This will remove the currently selected slide. Just select
the slide you wish to remove from the presentation by making
it highlighted, and press the REMOVE button. LightWaves
will prompt you to be sure that the selected slide is the one
you wish to remove.
Present!:
This will start the Presentation Module using the current
presentation file along with the most recent changes to the
presentation's slides. You do not need to save the
presentation before pressing this button, LightWaves creates
a temporary presentation file for use with the Presentation
Module. After the Presentation is finished, it will return
to LightWaves.
StartAt:
This will start the Presentation Module at a selected slide.
Simply select the slide you wish to start at by making it
highlighted and press the StartAt Button. The Presentation
will begin and end with it's normal black screens.
Page 8
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
I will now discuss the Slide Settings Notebook and each
page's meaning. In all Pages, the OK button will save the
changes and the CANCEL button will not save the changes
leaving the current slide unaffected by any changes made.
Image Control Page
==================
Order:
This is the Numerical Order the selected slide is in the
presentation. If you wish to change the order of the slide,
simply move the order number to the desired position. The
maximum number of slides is 1000.
The Default Settings order number will be 0 which will not be
able to be changed.
File Name:
This will display the fully qualified Image file name. You
can either type in the Image file name yourself or press the
FIND button to use a File Dialog to select the Image file.
The maximum file name length is 256 characters with the path.
The Default Settings will contain the entry PRES.DEF, which will
not be able to be changed.
Description:
This will display the current slides description. This
description is used in the Presentation WorkSpace to identify
the slide in the presentation. You can type anything you
want here but it is limited to 80 characters.
The Default Settings will contain it's own description which
will not be able to be changed.
Fit Image to Screen:
This will determine if the image is to be stretched/compressed
to fill the screen. If an image is the size of the screen, it
is best to have this unchecked for performance purposes. If an
image it smaller than the screen and not stretched, the image
will be centered to the screen.
Image Display Delay:
This specifies how long to delay the display of the Image
after a sound has started playing. If no sound is used,
then the image will simply be delayed for the specified
amount of time.
If the Image Display Delay checkbox is unchecked, the time
values will be unable to be changed and the Image will not
be delayed. When the checkbox is checked, the Time values
will become available to be changed and the Image will be
delayed.
Page 9
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
Image Control Page (continued)
==================
Background:
This is where you can specify if you want a Black or White
background on your image. If your image is the same size as
the screen, then this color will not be seen. This color is
also the color used to clear the screen for the next image.
If the image is smaller than the screen and not stretched,
the centered image will have this color as a border.
Use Sounds:
This checkbox specifies whether or not this slide will have
a sound associated with it. If it is checked, then the image
will be associated with the specified sound. If the
checkbox is unchecked, then the image will not have an
associated sound, even if one is specified in the later
Sound pages.
Page 10
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
Next Image Method Page
======================
Change Image After:
This is where you will select how the current Image will
proceed to the next image in the presentation.
If TIME SET is selected then Image will end after the time
specified in the Time values in the Time Set area. All
other methods will not be used even if they contain valid
entries.
If KEYBOARD is selected then the current Image will end
after the user presses the specified key in the Keyboard
area. The only choices are the Spacebar and the Enter key.
All other methods will not be used even if they contain
valid entries.
If MOUSE is selected then the current image will end after
the user has pressed the selected mouse button specified in
the Mouse area. The current choices are the LEFT, RIGHT, and
CENTER (if you have a three button mouse) mouse buttons.
All other methods will not be used even if they contain
valid entries.
If END OF SOUND is selected then the image will end after
the end of its associated sound. If there is not an
associated sound with the current image then this selection
will cause the Image to change almost instantly.
Sound Control Page:
===================
Sound File:
This will display the fully qualified file name of the sound
file that is to be associated with the Image. You can
either type in the fully qualified file name or press the
FIND button to locate the file. The maximum number of
characters is 256 including the path.
For the Default Settings this will be blank and will not be
able to be changed.
Volume:
This will specify the volume level the current sound file is
to be played at. The range is from 0 to 100 percent.
Page 11
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
Sound Start Methods Page
========================
Start the Sound:
This is where the method for starting the current sound file
is specified.
If AT IMAGE DISPLAY is selected then the associated sound
will begin playing at the moment the Image is displayed.
When this is selected, the Start Delay Time area will not be
available to be changed and the Delay Time will not be used
even if it contains valid values.
If AFTER TIME DELAY is selected then the sound will begin
after Image is displayed with the time specified in the
Start Delay Time area. When this selection is selected,
then the Start Delay Time area will become available to be
changed.
Fade In Sound:
This is where you can specify the amount of time at the
start of the sound which will be faded in. The fading
effect will start at a volume of 0 and end at the specified
time at the Volume specified in the Sound Control Page.
If the checkbox is not checked then the Time values will be
unavailable to be changed and the sound will not be faded in
even if it contains valid time values.
Page 12
LightWaves
How to Use LightWaves
=====================
Sound Ending Methods Page
=========================
Sound Exit:
This is where you can specify how the sound file will end.
If END WITH IMAGE is selected then the sound will end when
the sound associated Image ends.
If this is selected then the Fade Out area is available to
be changed.
If PLAY ON is selected then the sound will play on after the
sounds associated image had ended. The sound will continue
to play until a new sound is set to play.
If this is selected then the Fade Out area will be
unavailable to be changed and will not be used even if it is
checked and contains valid time values.
Fade Out Sound:
This is where you can specify the amount of time at the end
of the sound that will fade out. The fade out effect goes
from the specified Volume on the Sound Control Page to a
volume of 0.
If the Checkbox is checked then the sound will be faded out.
If the checkbox is unchecked then the sound will not be
faded out and the time values will be unavailable from changes.
The whole Fade Out area is made unavailable if the PLAY ON
method is selected.
Page 13
LightWaves
How to Use the Presentation Module
==================================
The Presentation Module is a separate program that actually runs
all the presentations. You can run the module by:
1) Pressing the PRESENT! or START AT buttons in the
Presentation Workspace
2) A separate icon on the desktop.
3) It can be run from the command line
I will be discussing the last two methods.
Starting from an Icon
=====================
You can start the presentation module this way by creating an
icon on your desktop for the presentation program file. You
must specify a fully qualified presentation file in the object's
Settings-Optional Parameters.
Starting from the Command Line
==============================
You can start the presentation module from the command line by
specifying the fully qualified presentation file after the
program name.
Example: C:\present C:\directory\filename.prs
Where 'C:\' is the system prompt, 'present' is the presentation
module's program name, 'C:\directory' is the directory where the
presentation file is stored, '\filename.prs' is the presentation
filename.
You can also specify which slide to start at by placing the
slide's number after the presentation file name in the above
example. The same holds true for an Icon Object of the
presentation module as described above.
Page 14
LightWaves
The Future of LightWaves
========================
I will now list the current changes planned for Version 2.0 of
LightWaves. However, when version 2.0 is released it will not
be as FREEWARE but as SHAREWARE due to the increased time spent
and functionality of the program. Please review this list before
submitting any suggestions to me.
Version 2.0 Planned Changes
===========================
AVI support
Bitmap Animation
CD ROM audio support
Color Palette Management (might show up in an earlier version)
Drag and Drop Program Activation
Drag and Drop Slide Ordering
Graphic Slide Table (small versions of the image in a table like
metaphor rather than only having the
Presentation WorkSpace to work in)
Image Entry/Exit Effects (Fade In/Out, Blinds, Wipe Directions,
Palette Rotation)
Image Preview during Slide Settings
More Graphic Image Support (PCX, GIF, OS/2 BMP, TIFF, JPEG)
Overlaying Images
Slide Creation Utility
Smaller Slide Settings Notebook
Sound Preview during Slide Settings
Way off in the future
=====================
Network presentation ability
Pen Compatibility
Touch Screen Ability
Workplace OS version
Page 15
LightWaves
How To/Trouble Shooting
=======================
HOW DO I ASSOCIATE MANY SOUND FILES WITH A SINGLE IMAGE?
This only requires simply placing the same image file in the
proceeding slide settings of the new sound. Failure to put an
image file in a slide will cause the Presentation to beep at you
at every slide without an Image file.
HOW DO I ASSOCIATE MANY IMAGES WITH A SINGLE SOUND?
Be sure that the USE SOUND checkbox is unchecked on the
slides proceeding the first image. Also be sure that PLAY ON
in the Sound Exit Method page of the first slide is set.
This will cause the sound associated with the first image to not
be interrupted by the following images. Now simply use the timers
available to synchronize the images to the various sound events.
HOW DO I USE LIGHTWAVES AS JUST A SLIDESHOW WITH NO SOUND?
Be sure to set USE SOUND in the IMAGE CONTROL page to unchecked.
To make it easier, you might want to set the Default Settings
so that USE SOUNDS is initially off in all slides.
DURING THE PRESENTATION MY COMPUTER BEEPED AT ME ONCE (medium tone)
This is caused by the fact that the Presentation Module could
not load the Image file specified in the slide being loaded,
not the current Image on the display. Check the Slide in
question to ensure it contains the correct file name or that
the file exists.
DURING THE PRESENTATION MY COMPUTER BEEPED AT ME TWICE (high tones)
This is caused by the fact that the Presentation Module could
not load the Sound file specified in the Slide being loaded.
The beeping will occur just before the slide's Image is displayed.
Check the Slide in question to ensure it contains the current
sound file, the sound file exists, and is either Wave or MIDI
format.
MY MIDI SOUND PLAYS SLOWLY OR NOT AT ALL
Some MIDI files are not compatible with MMPM/2. Use the MIDI
player that came with MMPM/2 to check that the MIDI file plays
in the same manor.
WHEN I START LIGHTWAVES I GET THE OPENING PICTURE AND THEN A DIALOG
MESSAGE SAYING THAT IT COULD NOT OPEN THE "PRES.DEF" FILE
This is caused when the program is starting and can not find the
file PRES.DEF. If you are starting from an Icon, then you might
want to set the Working Directory parameter in the program object
to the directory where LightWaves is contained. If that does
not work copy the file PRES.BAK and rename it PRES.DEF.
WHEN I START LIGHTWAVES I GET A "SYS3175 ERROR" MESSAGE
This is caused when the PRES.DEF file is corrupt. Simply
copy the file PRES.BAK and rename it to PRES.DEF. This
should solve the problem.
Page 16
LightWaves
How to Contact Me (James Ullom)
===============================
I would really appreciate it if anyone using this program would
let me know how you are using it and so on. I have some general
questions I'd like to know but you don't have to answer them if
you have something to say to me. REMEMBER all submissions
to me (James Ullom) become property of James Ullom and Hammer of
the Gods Software.
1) How do you plan to use LightWaves?
2) Do you like how LightWaves works? Any part you feel could
be made better?
3) Are there any formats you feel should be supported (Image,
Sound or Hardware)?
That's it. Just some general stuff there, but I'd like to know it.
Now the real information, where I am so that you can reach me.
COMPUSERVE:
Name: James Ullom
UserID: 71044,3432
INTERNET:
You'll actually be sending to my compuserve account.
Address: 71044.3432@compuserve.com
Mailing Address:
James Ullom
Hammer of the Gods Software
2425 Cromwell Circle #1110
Austin TX, 78741
Phone Number (Please, no Collect calls):
If you are going to call you stand a your best chance of
getting me after 6:00pm and until 1am on the Weekdays,
otherwise leave a message but I can not call you back.
Phone #: (512) 389-2501