PhotoPac PlugIn

Table of Contents

Copyright 1999 Simflex Software

11 Sterling Ranch Road North

Haughon, LA 71037 USA

Email vaportrail@worldNet.att.net

Voice 318-949-3425

Introduction

Preparing a Presentation

Developing a Presentation

Saving a Presentation

Using the Buttons

Using the HTML tab

Using the Log tab

Quick Start

License Information


Introduction

PhotoPac PlugIn converts Photo-SideShow SlideShows and Olympus MediaSuite Photo Albums to  presentations you view with a standard internet browser.

Several output packaging options are provided.  You choose the output configuration that best suits your needs.  If platform independence and long term compatibility is your need, you may output the presentation as group of independent files.  Another good choice is packing the presentation as a single ZIP file containing the HTML and the files.  If you know your audience will be using a MS Windows/NT system, you can output a self extracting file (SXF) that automatically launches the resident browser.  The latter two choices build packages that easily to attach to e-mail documents.   Here’s how it works.

Presentations come in two basic types, those created to run on a local machine and those created to run on the internet from a server.  Either presentation can include a JavaScript slideshow along with the standard thumbnail image index.

Locally hosted Presentations

Output media can be divided into two types: removable and  fixed.  The type of media is determined by the location of the output folder you select.

•	Floppy diskettes and zip drives are  examples of removable media.   If you chose removable media, PhotoPac PlugIn will properly size the presentation to fit on the media and automatically copy all necessary files.

•	If you choose fixed media, PhotoPac PlugIn will form a presentation and save it on the output path.  The presentation is ready to browse and manually copy to a write once CD-ROM or other removable mass storage device using either Windows Explorer or the authoring software that came with output device.

Server hosted Presentations

All the capabilities described above apply to server hosted presentations, but, the HTML generated uses syntax tailored for Internet usage.

Packaging Presentations for E-Mail

Presentations may be compressed for transmission or storage. As stated before, if providing platform independence is a priority, choose NONE or ZIP for compression.  If desired, PhotoPac PlugIn will automatically combine the HTML, images, and thumbnails, into a single self extracting file.  The file can be attached to e-mail in the usual way.  The mail recipient simply runs the self extracting file and views the presentation with a web browser.


Preparing a Presentation

PhotoPac PlugIn  packages collections of digital images, sounds, and files, called Albums into HTML presentations.  Albums are constructed, grouped and catalogued using Olympus PhotoAlbum.  PhotoPac builds a web page linking the files with thumbnails. The combination of the HTML, the digital images, and the directory structure holding the them is a presentation. HTML is the language of the Internet and all Internet browsers can read and act on documents conforming to its standards.

 Album Content

File Size  Select images/files appropriate to your intended distribution media.   Images and sound files take up space.  Big images or long sound clips take up a lot of space!  Because of space requirements, distribution of digital photo albums can be a problem, especially for those that don’t have mass storage devices with removable media (CD-ROM writers, and Magneto Optical devices).  Removable means to most of us floppy diskettes.  PhotoPac PlugIn won’t include images in a presentation that can’t fit on the intended distribution media.

Image Format   Internet browsers normally handle images saved using JPEG compression.  These files carry the .JPG file extension.  To handle other types of images your audience’s browser will need special additional plug-in drivers.  So when preparing your Olympus PhotoAlbum, Albums, consider converting all your images to JPEG. If you want to insure your albums will be viewable for years to come, use JPG.

Sound Format and Video Format Internet browsers normally handle WAV sound files and AVI video files.  Remember, AVI and WAV files can be really big, making e-mail transmission impractical.  So you’ll probably only want to include AVI/WAV files in a presentation designed to fit on a CD-ROM or other mass storage device.


Building a Presentation
Developing a Presentation

Before developing a presentation you must select an output path. Click the brows button to launch a standard file dialog.   Using the path you specify, PhotoPac will determine the capacity of  the designated storage device.  The storage capacity determines whether the  files you selected for inclusion are actually copied to the presentation.   You may also enter a page heading that will appear just above the table containing thumbnail representations of the files and images you selected.

PhotoPac DND Output Options

•	Output Type: Choose the presentation host by choosing server (internet ) or local (file). If you choose server the presentation will be placed in the selected output directory awaiting upload.  If you want the HTML to include a slideshow along with the image index, be sure to check JavaScript.

•	Copy Options: There are two copy options: Copy files and Include Presentation

•	Selecting Copy Images causes the presentation to be copied to the designated output media or selected output directory.

•	Selecting Include Presentation causes the HTML presentation to be included in the package.  If you choose not to include the HTML then only files are included in the package.

•	Package Options: To send a presentation via Email, use PhotoPac’s compression options.  There are three compression options: None, Zip, and SFX

•	None causes PhotoPac to copy the presentation to the target media as a group of files with no compression. This option is not suitable for creating Email attachments, but, would be used if you needed an unpacked presentation for upload to a  server.

•	If Zip is selected then the presentation is packed in a zip file and must be unpacked using an unzip program such as PKUnZip.  This is a good option if you want to make your distribution completely platform independent since unzip programs capable of unpacking the resultant zip file are available for most platforms.

•	If SFX is selected then the presentation is compressed into a self extracting Zip file.  SFX files can only be run on MS Windows or MS NT platforms.  While the target audience is limited, the actual unpack is very simple.  The recipient needs nothing  to unpack the presentation and only a browser to view it.


Saving a Presentation

The HTML Document to File button located on the HTML tab, allows you to save the contents of the HTML tab without copying any of the files it references.  Pressing the HTML Document to File button causes presents two choices, Save Current HTML and Save All HTML Pages.  If you choose Save Current HTML only the currently displayed HTML code will be saved.  If you choose Save All HTML Pages then all the pages contained in the HTML Pages List will be saved as a group.  Choosing either selection causes  the standard file dialog menu to appear, allowing selection of a destination path and root file name. If there is more than one page stored in the HTML page stack, the file name specified becomes the first of an ordered set.   The page number is added to the end of the filename just before the extension.  For example, if you were to choose the file name TEST.HTML and there were three pages in the stack the following pages would be saved: TEST0.HTML, TEST1.HTML, TEST2.HTML.


User Interface
PhotoPac PlugIn’s User Interface

PhotoPac PlugIn's user interface is simple: a button bar and a tabbed folder.  The buttons left to right are, Exit, Connect, Build, Save, About and Help.

The Exit  [image]  button brings up the exit conformation dialog where you can change your mind about leaving PhotoPac PlugIn.

The develop [image] button causes a web page to be constructed containing thumbnails representing the objects on the lay-up table. The default web page contains file references created to work on normal desktop computers.  If the server option is selected, the web page contains file references directly usable on the internet. You can sent the resulting presentation to removable media, network, or hard drive.  You may also choose to have the web page (.HTML file) and all associated images, files, and sounds, packed in a single, self extracting file.

The URL [image] button opens the URL dialog and allows you to specify the URL’s that will be used when PhotoPac builds your presentation.

The Help [image] button drops a menu containing the following selections: Index, Register, Password, About.

•	Index launches this help file.

•	About shows a dialog containing PhotoPac’s credits.


HTML Tab
Using the HTML tab

The HTML tab contains the actual HTML code that will be distributed with your images and files.  PhotoPac PlugIn may build multiple pages of HTML so that your presentations can fit on a floppy diskette.  To say it another way, PhotoPac makes small movable photo packages you can conveniently email or distribute on floppy diskettes.

The Choose HTML Page selection allows you to choose the page of HTML code you want to look at in the edit/view  window. The save button allows you to save the currently displayed page to a folder (directory) of your choice.  You can copy and paste the HTML to your web page editor.

HTML is what allows an Internet  browser to display your photographs as a point and click presentation.  PhotoPac PlugIn generated code works.  If you make any changes, you are on your own…  The world of  HTML is a fun world, but like anything really cool, it takes a practice.  If you don’t speak HTML get a book!  PhotoPac PlugIn does the boring part of HTML page development.  You can manually change the standard output to your own personal masterpiece.  Play with it.  A custom presentation will add impact to your photographs. Remember, you can use PhotoPac HTML as a starting point - no limits!


Log Tab
Using the Log tab

The Log Tab provides a minimal debugging capability.  If you don’t get the expected results in your presentation, the Log tab may tell you why.  Errors that occur during presentation build, images that are skipped because of space requirements, and copy actions that successfully completed are examples of  things you will see on the Log Page.


Quick Start

Welcome to PhotoPac PlugIn .  PhotoPac PlugIn packages groups of digital images, sounds, and files so they can be viewed as a point and click presentation from a standard internet browser.

1.  Choose an output path and optionally enter a presentation heading.

2.  Choose output media type, 1.44mb, 2.88mb, 100mb or Test.   This step makes sure PhotoPac knows the size of the output media you intend for final destination and is necessary because, under some circumstances, the size of the finally destination may not be the same as the selected output directory.  Selecting Test results in the construction of  HTML code that is linked with  existing files specified in the file list Olympus PhotoAlbum provides.  Resulting code can be viewed, as is, using your web browser.

3.   Choose presentation type.  Server means you want to build a web page to put on the world wide web.  Local means you want to make a presentation to view either on your computer or a friends computer.  If presentation is to be an e-mail attachment, choose Copy Files and select compression option ZIP of SFX.  In ether case  a single file will be created, ZIP or Self Extracting File.

4.  From the Tool Bar select  the develop [image]  button   to develop the presentation using the options chosen above.

5.  Find the presentation in the folder you specified in step 3 above or as notified by PhotoPac.


License Information

PhotoPac PlugIn, Copyright 1999, Simflex Software

PhotoPac PlugIn is the property of Simflex Software and all rights are reserved.  No one may use, duplicate, copy, or maintain PhotoPac PlugIn except as indicated herein.

License Agreement

Before using PhotoPac PlugIn  you must agree with the contents of this license agreement.

You may make copies of PhotoPac PlugIn for your own personal, non-commercial use.  You may use PhotoPac PlugIn on no more than one individual computer at a time.   You may store PhotoPac PlugIn on a server as long as only one user at a time is allowed to use it.   No other use is authorized.  Contact Simflex Software to secure a distribution license.  Site licenses are available.

PhotoPac PlugIn is provided as is with no guarantee with regard to suitability to a particular purpose.  Simflex Software by providing this software assumes no liability for any losses resulting from the use of PhotoPac PlugIn.

Simflex Software

11 Sterling Ranch Road North

Haughton, LA,

71037-8536

USA

You may contact Simflex Software by phone

318-949-3425 or

E-Mail: VaporTrail@WorldNet.att.Net