Digital Workshop

Back to Opus now with an upgrade to 5XE and biting off too much. However, I don't think that is the problem. I've created a simple video control action of mouse over a button to play, mouse off to pause. It crashes after one or two actions. The video is a wmv.

Any thoughts?

File attached.

Regards,
Dave

Hi Dave,
could be something to do with a mouseover trigger having to poll continuously and tying up resources in some way -- but I could be wrong of course.
How does it behave using a mouse up trigger?
maybe you could toggle it -- click to play, click to pause.

cheers
Paul

Wouldn't be close enough to make a simulation. I really will need SIX such hotspots with mouse over, and it needs to video as will as appear to toggle six levers. The machine to be simulated is an oilfield pipe torque wrench with forward/back, up/down, clamp/unclamp, torque/spin, make/break, and in/out levers. I need them to work as realistically as possible.

Not an auspicious beginning. Sheesh, this stuff was childs play on an Amiga 20 years ago...

Windows handles video like a word processor.

Dave

Dave --

I downloaded your imp file, then found a 2 minute wmv video on my system. I changed the dimensions to "Fixed". It runs like a dream. I moved the mouse on and off many many times which caused the Video Object to Pause and Play every time. No crashes.

Please add your computer specs to your Signature Profile so we'll have a better idea of your computer's power. Since it works on mine and not on yours, I'm quessing it's your computer. Try a smaller wmv file and see if that helps.

Machine is a Dell Dimension 9150, 2.8 gHz dual core, 4 gig RAM, several terabytes of storage. Video is a near top of the line nVidia card designed for pro video apps (I spec'ed this machine to IT specifically for video editing). Should be able to handle something this simple. The video is 640X480 vbr WMV, which is as low as I want to go in quality.

I tried disabling the second display as some programs don't do well with an extended desktop, no help.

Really frustrating to not even be able to get to square one. We did things far more demanding and sophisticated in the 90's before WinTel monopolized the field and I suppose I am still thinking in those terms. I've a 68040 CPU with 16 MEG(!) of RAM sitting at home that can do this in three windows at onceout with a flicker that hasn't had an OS upgrade since 1997. Sheesh. It constantly amazes me that with CPU's of this magnitude are brought to their knees by such mundane tasks. (end whining)

Soooo...
What about mouse up? I do not see a command to change state by releasing the mouse button.

Thanks for the input.

Dave

Dave --

I doubt changing the Trigger will solve your crash problem. To prove it, use a short, standard MPEG-1 file which is Fixed rather than expanded instead of your wmv file. By the way, how large is the wmv file?

If things work fine with the MPEG-1 file, then you know this isn't a Trigger or OPUS problem. Again, this works perfectly on my system using a small, Fixed size wmv video file. I only use MPEG 1 or 2 files in my presentations, and have not had problems displaying in OPUS.

Thanks Fred!!

You helped me work through it. It had nothing to do with size. AAMOF, I just done it perfectly useing a DV file at 20 times the file size of the mpeg1 file. It was the wmv file or format.

Well, I can move on...but now things REALLY start to get dicey and you can expect me to be back.

Dave

I appreciate your explanation Fred.
I didn't realize that the type of video makes so much difference.
Thanks again.

Paul

Paul --

Glad I could help. It seemed like every question recently was either Flex or Scripting -- neither of which I know. It was nice to get back into something where I have experience.

As an additional note, computers for the last 5 plus years have all been able to play MPEG-1 videos. The newer computers, which can play DVD movies, also can play MPEG-2 files within an OPUS presentation. Both formats appear as "MPG" so you have to be careful and know which you are actually using.

MPEG-2 are 720x540 pixels as their standard size. This looks really nice, clear, smooth, and my high-end preference, BUT if your audience has older computers, or slower DVD drives then it becomes a problem. You'll also have files so large you WON'T want to embed them in your exe file, and you will have to use a DVD-ROM (data) disc because standard CD-ROMs max out at 700 MB (vs 4.7GB). That will bump your replication costs for distribution. Be aware of all these factors so you can guide your client/project in the best direction.

For most projects MPEG-1 will work the best, and still keep you on a CD-ROM.

Paul:
Thanks for your input too. You were a big help when I was up at Fort Lostinthewoods last year.

Fred:
If video for Windows is your specialty, perhaps you can help with the reverse video issue. I've my demo up to six buttons now hiding/revealing/playing, but a search of the web hasn't shed any light on how folks are handling such things these days. Simply pausing, controling speed, and reverseing the same video is by far the most direct approach and is implemented in even sub-hundred dollar video editors. However, I am not seeing any such controls in Opus. That makes simulation difficult.

Any thoughts?

Dave