Linking Local External HTML Files

[crossmedia webforumsuser@macromedia.com]

Good Afternnon,

Trying to determine if it is possible to use the 'GetNetText' script to access external html files that will be included on the CD......files to be updated on a regular basis and new cd burned, thus needing to use external files to preserve projector, and limit update messes.

1. Limited lingo skills.
2. Can this be accomplished?
3. Proper path?
4. Do i need to use the 'dswmedia' folder?
5. Tutorial available?

Thanks!!
Troy

[Mike Soriano]

Hi Troy,

The getNetText command can only be used with URLs. For local files, you can
use FileIO, getPref or by setting the fileName of a text member to the
external html. FileIO is a scripting Xtra, and can get complicated for Lingo
newbies.
You only need to use a dswmedia folder if your project is in Shockwave
format.
Tutorials? Try searching the help files first. There should be enough
examples to get you started.

Best Regards,

Mike Soriano
Macromedia Technical Support

"crossmedia" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:beki09$eus$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Good Afternnon,
>
> Trying to determine if it is possible to use the 'GetNetText' script to

access external html files that will be included on the CD......files to be
updated on a regular basis and new cd burned, thus needing to use external
files to preserve projector, and limit update messes.

>
> 1. Limited lingo skills.
> 2. Can this be accomplished?
> 3. Proper path?
> 4. Do i need to use the 'dswmedia' folder?
> 5. Tutorial available?
>
> Thanks!!
> Troy
>
>

[Fraggy]

There is HTML Xtra at [url]http://www.mcmm.com/english/pages/xtras/xtrase.html[/url]
that might solve your problems.
It should be possible to 'link to external' text by changing the fileName
property of your cast member, at least the manual of Director says so, but I
didn't have any success with that. My project is online, so I used
getNetText to solve my problems.

Since you're working on CD, changing the fileName property *might* work for
you...

If you are allowed to use PDF instead of HTML, then I would advise you to
use PDF instead, because PDF is perfect for document management: convert
your HTML documents to PDF (PDF documents are created by printing to a
virtual printer that creates PDF files as output (Acrobat "distiller" and
another, that come with the Acrobat CD (not Acrobat Reader, but Acrobat!))

Normally, for best compatibility and ease of use I'd suggest the PDF Xtra
plugin ([url]http://www.integrationnewmedia.com/products/pdfdirector/license/[/url]),
but it's fairly expensive (300$). It does have very usefull features though,
like running Acrobat Reader from CD so that your users do not need to have
Acrobat installed, and you can have the Xtra check the internet for the
latest versions of you PDF files!!!!

You do NOT NEED this plugin however: you can use PDF files if you have
Acrobat Reader installed: just use the ActiveX component:
insert/control/activeX component and point it to the Acrobat ActiveX
component, which is named pdf.ocr if I remember well.
That worked perfectly for me, except that the end user must have Acrobat
Reader installed.

For the rest: lingo programming: with the pdf.ocr you don't need more than
this line: sprite(pdfSprite).open("path&filename")
(I thought it was "open", but it could also be "filename", dunno
anymore...), but I'll help ya out if u decide to go for PDF instead of HTML.

Ah, just reminded: I used some html myself in that same project:
for that, I used the Internet Explorer ActiveX component: this allows you to
use a browser as a sprite onstage, but there were some glitches with screen
refresh when selecting text and stuff, and also there was something with
hyperlinks not working, but the limited functionality it provided for me was
enough: it was just to display a welcome page, and the source was HTML on my
CD.
In your case, I'd look for an Xtra that gives you a browser on stage.

Again, I'd advise the PDF path: the ActiveX component complied to all my
needs, I didn't have to use the PDF Xtra.

Wait, another idea just sprouted in my mind, and this one is going to be
quite usefull for ya:

Microweb (also costs 300$, but the shareware is fully functional and nags
only once with a shareware notice).
Microweb allows you to run a whole website from CD, with all perl, php and
database functionallity enabled through a small apache webserver. This
implies that you will be able to use getNetText("http : //
localhost/point_to_file_on_your_CD") to retreive your documents!!!
Instead of using a projector for your project, you'd better publish your
project as a webproject, put it on CD and access it as a "virtual website"
using MicroWeb. If you want the CD to be an autorun CD it's not a problem
neither...

One last remark: the activeX and Microweb solutions are "windows only"
solutions. For cross platform projects you'll need an Xtra or perhaps some
programming help from someone else ;oP

Hope these tips will get you somewhere...


Good Luck,

Jean Marc.





"crossmedia" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:beki09$eus$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Good Afternnon,
>
> Trying to determine if it is possible to use the 'GetNetText' script to

access external html files that will be included on the CD......files to be
updated on a regular basis and new cd burned, thus needing to use external
files to preserve projector, and limit update messes.

>
> 1. Limited lingo skills.
> 2. Can this be accomplished?
> 3. Proper path?
> 4. Do i need to use the 'dswmedia' folder?
> 5. Tutorial available?
>
> Thanks!!
> Troy
>
>