Digital Workshop

Please tell me that it is me!
One of my clients want a e-book to be done to be used in macs. Obviously the choice is to use Opus Flex, as part of Pro XE 4.0
The only condition is that my clients wants the user to be able to bookmark the page and come back later if they want.
I have checked the unsupported features of Opus Flex and bookmark is not one of them so I went happy to produce my pub.

WRONG!
I just create the master page with the forward page, back page, bookmark this page and go to bookmark buttons.
I then create 5 pages just to test.

Render the publication as a swf and then execute it.
Well, no problem with back and forward buttons.

No problem with bookmark and go to bookmark IF I am using the pub but the instant I close it and call it again you would expect the pub to remember the bookmark. Well, this is not happening!

I have tried using the multiple bookmark option, I have clicked the multiple bookmark option on the pub general properties and still there is no way for the pub to remember the bookmark after I have closed the pub and re-open it.

PLEASE, tell me that this is not another bug!

German

Now I am really worried!

The same happens when you select to render the pub as a Opus Pro XE instead of Flex!

It records the bookmark while you are looking the pub but if you close it and go back, does not retain the bookmark placement!

Help please!!

I have some large pubs made in Pro 04 where this works perfectly, so perhaps the problem might be related to something in XE?

For example, I have a classroom pub which allows every member of the class / school to log on with a different username & password. As they progress through the pub the current page is recorded. When a user returns later and uses the same log in parameters, they automatically go to the last page.

Please note: this technique was developed by Steve Henson with a little input from me.

HTH

Hi, thanks for your reply.
have you tested the pub I uploaded?
The pub you created...was it Opus Flex or normal Opus Pro 04 test? Because I even tried Opus Pro 04 normal Professional pub and still is not working but I tried on Opus XE 2.8 version and work without problems.

Regards
German

1. No I did not test the pub you uploaded. I do not use XE.

2. I created it in Opus Pro 04.21. I do not use Flex although I have had it for years. I find there are too many restrictions with it. I create standalone pubs only. Anyone who wants anything different will have to find another developer. I'm just not interested in taking the time to become proficient with techniques and skills that I use infrequently.

Hi,

Thank you for your enquiry.

I have replicated this issue and am currently working with our development team to determine a solution.

In the meantime, please find below a link to download a publication which demonstrates another method of bookmarking pages which should work in Opus Pro 04 and Opus Pro XE 04 without problems. This sample publication also allows you to specify the location to which the bookmark file is stored.

I will keep you updated with developments.

Kind regards,

Robin,
Thank you for trying to help us but perhaps you did not read all the messages. My client want me to produce a pub that can be seen in a Mac. Your solutions only work on a normal Pro 04 or Pro XE 4.0 publication but do not work if you use Opus Flex.
I really start getting very frustrated that everytime I try to use Opus Pro XE 4.0 to do something I hit a brick wall with bugs. Can I ask you respectfully, why you guys release a software that still has so many bugs??
It is like we are doing the beta testing for you. Finding bugs and you repairing them.
I really getting very frustrated. I'll have to use Macromedia Flash to produce this for my client since your development team is trying to work on a solution. Please advise them that this solution should involve Opus Flex as well since there is nothing on the list of things you can't do on Flex that telling you can't use bookmarks.

German

As Flex publications are unable to create files on the client machine, it is not possible to bookmark pages across sessions. Bookmarks in Flex publications are therefore only active during the current session.

In order to save and retrieve the bookmarked page across multiple sessions, you will need to store the information to a database or text file using Post Web Data actions in conjunction with PHP or ASP script.

I hope this helps. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further queries.

Kind regards,

Thank you Robin, perhaps you should include this vital information on the list of things that Opus Flex can't do.

Regards
German

Hi,

Thank you for your enquiry.

The Help file currently states that 'Storage actions' are not permitted in Opus Flex, but I agree that this does not clearly suggest that Bookmark actions will be unable to work across sessions. I will ensure that our help author is notified of this and this will be clarified in the next revision.

Many thanks,