Applet Widget kit Overview and Help
What this program does
The Applet Widget Kit allows non-programmers to make some pretty strange java applets without having to do any coding.
You can make applets ranging from a psychedelic slide show that would make any dead-head proud to a boring scrolling banner that will put folks to sleep.
Important!
Do to current limitations of java, the image must be on the same server as the applet. The best way to deal with this is to place all images used for an applet in the same directory as the applet and HTML file. The Applet Widget Kit does this as you create the applet. This lets you test the applet while its still on your hard drive and not have to make any changes to the HTML code when you place it on the web.If you wish to use a "http://" path to the image, the applet won't work until it is placed on the web, and when it is the image must be on the same server as the applet.
When you put your page on the web, copy all of the files from the directory of your applet to your WWW directory.
Every applet you make has several properties, click on the 'settings' tab in the program to adjust these.
The properties are:
1)Width- The width in pixels of the applet.
2 Height- The height of the applet in pixels.
3)Slides- Every applet has at least one 'slide'. You can have up to 254 slides each having its own background image, background effect, background color and frame rate. But having many of slides is not recommended because it will take forever to load and use tons of ram.
4)Slide Rate- the number of milliseconds (1000= 1 second) before slides change.
5)Link- Where the users browser will be directed when the applet is clicked. Leave this blank if you don't want it to go anywhere.
6)Title of Page- The Widget Kit generates a HTML file whenever you make an applet. Change this to change the name of it.
7)Align Applet- Where on the HTML page do you want the applet to appear... left, right or center.
8)Text Scrolling Speed- The number of pixels you want the text to move with every screen refresh. This number can be negative (to scroll left) or positive (to scroll right).
Every slide have several Properties. Click on the 'slide' tab to adjust the properties.
1)Frame Rate- The number of milliseconds before a new frame is displayed.
2)Number of Frames- The number of frames for this slide- 7-20 usually works well, over 50 is definitely overkill.The more frames you have the longer it takes to start the applet and the more memory it takes to run it. You can have up to 32767 frames, but this is insanity and will not work on most computers.
3)Path to Background Image- Every slide must have a background image. This can be a .gif or .jpg image. Do to current limitations of java, the image must be on the same server as the applet. The best way to deal with this is to place all images used for an applet in the same directory as the applet and HTML file. The Applet Widget Kit does this as you create the applet. This lets you test the applet while its still on your hard drive and not have to make any changes to the HTML code when you place it on the web.If you wish to use a hyperlink path to the image, the applet won't work until it is placed on the web, and when it is the image must be on the same server as the applet.
When you put your page on the web, copy all of the files from the directory of your applet to your WWW directory.
4)Background Color- The background color is used to fill in empty spaces used by certain effects. Click on the color you want to use to change this.
5)Effect- This is the effect uses on the background image.
6)Parameters- These are different values used to customize effects.
Other
The HTML tab displays the current HTML parameters for the applet. Click on copy to copy them to the clipboard, or save it as a text file.
Clicking on the 'Make HTML' button rewrites the HTML code.
Clicking on 'Test Applet' rewrites the HTML and launches the applet in your default browser.
Clicking on 'Reset All' sets all of the applet values to the defaults.