Digital Workshop

Hi

In some projects, I need to create a few to several separate executible files (they have separate trial evaluations). Apparently, file size is increased by inclusion of Opus players (these have become larger in XE 05 than in XE 4.5). The same file, if included in another pub, would add much less file size. Since these are installed by download, reducing download overhead is important.

Is there a way, when publishing several Opus exe's in a single project, to have only one set of players that all exe's can access? This could save alot of overhead (in the few to several MB range).

Thanks for any suggestions.

Kind Regards,
Stephen

The best solution would be to publish as Plugin based stand alone executables. You can then distribute those and a single copy of the web plugin installer (for anyone without an internet connection).

Thanks Duncan for your reply.

I've been using a Windows installer/set-up program that packages the few to several executible files plus, sometimes, additional resource files (Word, PDF).

(1) could I still use the Windows installer/set-up with the Plug-In executible files (i.e package the Plug-In files in the setup program/installer)?

(2) Is the Opus Plug-In installer freely distributable (can I include it in the set-up/installer package without additional/special permissions)?

Kind Regards,

Stephen

Hi

I've been using a Windows installer/set-up program that packages the few to several executible files plus, sometimes, additional resource files (Word, PDF).

(1) could I still use the Windows installer/set-up with the Plug-In executible files (i.e package the Plug-In files in the setup program/installer)?

(2) Is the Opus Plug-In installer freely distributable (can I include it in the set-up/installer package without additional/special permissions)?

and a third question:
(3) If (1) and (2) above are OK: is there a way to specify the path to the Opus Plug-In executible file included in the set-up package in the advanced publishing options/settings tab? I tried file://<SYSTEM_PUBLICATION_DIR and it didn't work. Could you specify the path?

Kind Regards,
Stephen

Yes - it's just a normal executable.


Yes.


Not sure what you mean here. Plugin powered executables will utilise the Plexus plugin if it is installed, or attempt to download it automatically if it is not. If the end user's PC is not on the internet or they don;t want to let the web player download, they can install it manually by using the web plugin setup which is available from our website and you can distribute on your CD if you want to.

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I am trying to include the Opus Plug-In (downloaded the executable file from DW) as part of the CD on which the publications would be distributed. I can't figure out how to specify the path name to it on the CD.

In publication settings, if you check a box to load the Plug-In from an alternate source, rather than the website, you require a pathname. This is where I'm stuck. I've tried various pathnames like SYSTEM_PUBLICATION_DIR AND SYSTEM_CD_DRIVE, adding forward or backslash and the Plug-In file's name (or left blank). Nothing works when I try it out to launch the Plug-In on a computer which doesn't have it.

Please help.

Kind Regards,
Stephen

You are confusing the web player with the installer. You can leave those fields alone - they are for specifying where the player will be downloaded from via the net, not a local path.

If the computer has internet access the player will be downloaded automatically the first time a web powered publication is run and they don't need to do anything.

Simply provide the installer on the CD as an manual option for people who do not have web access.

Hi Duncan

Thank you for your reply.

I am trying to avoid the end-user's needing to download the Opus Plug-In from a website altogether. I would prefer to include the Opus Plug-In (1) in the setup installer package I create or (2) in a CD containing the pub (also uses the setup package, but for CD).

Opus, under publishing, allows to check a box to have the Plug-In installed, if needed by the end-user, from an alternate source, like a file on a CD. Where I'm stuck is specifying the precise path in the advanced setting box in Opus publishing where the Plug-In would be available in the CD or setup package. Since different computers use different letters (D, E, etc.) for the CD drive, etc, I was hoping for a pathname applicable to any, like SYSTEM_CD_DRIVE, if part of a setup package, SYSTEM_PUBLICATION_DIRECTORY.

If would be immensely helpful if you could suggest a pathname to place in the Opus publishing, advanced settings pathname box as a substitute source for the web download of the Opus Plug-In.

Again, thank you for your help.
Kind Regards,
Stephen

You cannot use variables in that setting - it is processed long before Opus proper is running and the variables do not exist. It is primarily intended for network admins who want to use Opus on an intranet, from a known fixed location.

In your case the simplest solution is to have a Opus menu as the auto-run on the CD, with a link to the plugin installer on the CD and tell the users to install it before installing your publications.

Thanks, Duncan.

I'll give it a try.

Kind Regards,

Stephen

Stephen,

I notice you say you are using cd. The size of the Opus player is about 2mb are you really this tight on space. If you are not totaly filling the CD I would not use the IO method, I would stick to a single EXE. If you are very tight for space you coule set Nero to slightly overburn the CD which would give you a bit of extra space.


Regards

Brenden Knifton

Thanks Brenden for your thoughtful reply. Actually, I use both CD's and Windows installer/setup's to download pubs. It's the download overhead that I am concerned about, since, as you point out, the CD has "room." However, when I have developed projects, I generally create the same files for either delivery. (So, I could create separate files for the CD's.)

Interestingly, the Windows installer/setup has the capacity to check if the IO Plug-In is already installed, and if not, can offer the viewer its installation from a copy included in the setup download (or CD).

The advantage of including a single 3 MB IO Plug-In for the download is that for multiple Opus pubs, it saves overall space. For example, one of my projects involves a main and two additional versions of the same diagram maker, all with separate evaluations. (I may even later choose to have five versions.) I suspect that I can save about 2+ MB in using the IO method, instead of three regular pubs with players in each.

Again, thank you for your suggestions.

Kind Regards,
Stephen