Digital Workshop

As I mentioned in my thanks to all, the bwpatric supplied routine has me moving again on my little simulator. However, it has back back to an original problem I am having little luck in solving.

Hide/Show simply doesn't work with video. I presume this is due to Windows very poor method of handling video, but nonetheless it is a problem. "Display only when playing" was good for my previous methodology, but the reverse video routine is far more realistic. The problem is that apparently Opus doesn't consider the backwards looping "Playing" and the video only shows when it is going forward using this option.

Yep, it's always something. I am assuming there is a reason Opus cannot use a "Bring to Front" command during execution, as that would work.

So I am back to parsing this issue trying to figure out a way to do this while maintaining a "freeplay" approach.

Anybody have a thought on this?

Dave

Dave --

Instead of using so many multiple Video Objects like you have in your submitted example project, use just ONE Video Object with a Variable name for the video. You Set the Variable (give it the name of the actual video you want to view including the file extension, eg MPG, AVI, WMV), then Play it.

This will solve many problems for you as you try to Play, Pause, Stop, Review multiple videos. You only need one set of controls, and you don't have to move Objects to the Front/Back.

I predict the next problem you are going to have will be with resources since you are triggering using Mouse Overs/Exits to Play and Pause your videos. When you allow the user to instantly "jerk" from one video to another, you are asking even a powerful computer to load/play videos very quickly which taxes the computer greatly. It will especially tax resources if you try this from a CD-ROM rather than a hard drive.

Thanks Fred. I think I follow you on the single name/variable video but will need to think on it.

As a temporary expedient to smooth things out, I've created a page for every action with only a single video (six instead of twelve now that I have reverse video working). The user clicks on the control in it's neutral position to change to that page and load the correct video and actions. Current imp attached. Only three of the four actions are programmed so far, FWD/BACK, UP/DOWN, and CLAMP/UNCLAMP.

Dave

Fred,

Can you remind me how to do this?

I set a variable, VIDEO_NAME to be intro.mpg

How do I insert the variable into the video object?

Thanks, Linda

Linda --

Take a look at this Attachment. Go to the Properties -> Video tab for your Video Object, then use "<" plus the name of a previously created Variable (e.g. Video), then end with a ">" e.g. <Video>.

As I mentioned in another posting, don't forget to include your videos in your Pub directory. You need to MANUALLY copy them there, unless you ADD them under "Additional Resources", in which case OPUS will copy them there for you. After selecting ADD, then Browse to find the video, then give it an Alias like "Video_1". Then repeat for the second video, and give it an Alias of "Video_2".

When you Publish, OPUS will include your videos using its own naming convention. When you create a Button Object to run your video, you need to have the first Action "Set Variable <Video> equal to Video_1, then repeat for the other Buttons. The second Action would be to Play Video 1 (or whatever name the Object has).