po polsku
Chapter 2
Suggested Tools
CONTENTS
The Essentials: Viewing Shockwave Files
Web Browser
Plug-Ins
Recommendations: Creating Shockwave Files
Macromedia Products
Afterburner
Graphics Creation Software
Audio
From Here…
As always, the more tools you have, the easier your work. But
if you learn to use what you have to its full potential, you can
get by with just a few tools. This chapter mentions only software.
Multimedia for the Internet needs to remain relatively small so
hardware requirements aren't very demanding. A video display in
thousands or millions of colors is good to have, as well as a
sound card. Other than that, you'll need to check with the individual
software package vendors for system requirements.
This chapter covers:
Which Internet browsers currently support Shockwave
Where to get the Shockwave plug-ins and how they are used
What Macromedia Products are needed to create your own original
Shockwave files
A few suggestions about graphics tools for creating graphics
Audio utilities to edit sound for Shockwave
Working with Good Tools
A good tool makes a job easy, as any mechanic will tell you. The same holds true in the computer realm. In one of my first jobs in multimedia, I was hired to create images to be used as supplementary screens for a video production. Assuming the company had
the necessary software to use, I went in on my first day and sat down at a computer. The project was explained to me, and my boss pointed to a clip art book for CorelDRAW! Version 3 (Version 6 had been released already). My heart sank as I thumbed through
corny cartoon drawings and other useless clip art. I had no good tools to create with. In the end, I brought in my own version of Photoshop and scanned in some pictures to use, but I learned to find out ahead of time what tools I would have to work
with.
The Essentials: Viewing Shockwave Files
Some tools are essential for you as the developer and also for
anyone to view your Web site. The Shockwave essentials can be
divided into three categories: the Shockwave file, the
Internet browser, and the Shockwave plug-in. Think
of the Shockwave file as a movie (in fact, this is the term that
Director uses for its files). The browser is like a movie theater,
the place where you are able to load and view items from the Internet.
When the browser receives a Shockwave HTML command, it recognizes
the Shockwave file type and calls the appropriate plug-in.
The plug-in is like a projector that plays the movie from within
the browser.
The Shockwave file itself is not a tool; it is an end product.
Creating and implementing it is the focus of this book. The browser
and plug-ins are the tools used to view the file.
Tip
The success of the Shockwave file depends not only on how it's placed on the Web page, but more importantly how it was created. Because download time is such an important consideration, a good Shockwave movie loads quickly and packs a big performance into
a small file.
Web Browser
A supporting browser is necessary to recognize the Shockwave file
type and HTML code. Currently, Shockwave is best supported using
Netscape Navigator 2.0 or later. Netscape is one of the most popular
Internet browsers, so creating web pages with Netscape viewers
in mind will be ideal.
Another popular browser is Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Support
for Shockwave is currently limited, though installing Shockwave
does give the option of using Internet Explorer by installing
an ActiveX addition (figure 2.1). At the time this book was written,
version 3 of Explorer was not yet released. I have tested Shockwave
with a beta version and it appears to work, though certain network
functions don't seem to be operating correctly (switching Web
pages using Shockwave, retrieving text files from the Internet,
and other network-related commands).
Figure 2.1 : Shockwave's installation menu lets you select
your browser.
Other browsers that Macromedia claims to support Shockwave are
Netmanage's Websurfer and Attachmate's Emissary. Others are sure
to follow, though hopefully we will see more standardization in
Web browsers. If you have designed many Web sites, you know how
difficult it is to predict the appearance of a Web page because
different browsers respond differently to the HTML code. Our suggestion
is to stick to Netscape Navigator due to its popularity.
You can find Netscape and Internet Explorer in stores if you like,
or you can download them from their Web sites. The locations are
listed below for your reference.
Microsoft's Internet address:
http://www.microsoft.com
Netscape's Internet address:
http://www.netscape.com
Note
You must have the appropriate browser and plug-in for your system. Windows 95 users will need a different program than Windows 3.1 users, because Windows 95 supports 32-bit software while Windows 3.1 uses only 16-bit programs. Be sure when you download a
browser or a plug-in that you have chosen the correct one for your system.
Plug-Ins
To view the Shockwave movie, the browser must have a plug-in.
Because Macromedia has developed Shockwave for Director, Authorware,
and Freehand, there are three plug-ins to be installed. All three
are automatically installed in the proper location when you run
the Shockwave installation program.
The plug-ins are available for download at Macromedia's Web site
and are also included on the CD-ROM with this book.
Macromedia's Internet address is:
http://www.macromedia.com
Once the plug-ins are in the correct directory for your browser,
they will automatically be available when you run the browser.
The Shockwave installer will automatically put the plug-ins in
their proper location. To install the plug-ins supplied on the
CD-ROM, run one of the following programs:
For Windows 95 or NT: N32Z0005.EXE, then run the extracted setup
file.
For Windows 3.1: N16Z0005.EXE, then run the extracted setup file.
For Macintosh 68K: N68Z0005.SEA
For Power Macintosh: NPPZ0005.SEA
Your browser's preferences menu should give you an option for
cache size, which must be at least 10M. A large cache size is
to your benefit, anyway, because it allows you to leave a Web
page and return to it without having to redownload everything.
You'll soon see how file size and download time are major considerations
with a Shocked Web site.
Recommendations: Creating Shockwave Files
A supporting browser and the plug-ins are all you really need
to get started. You can put Shocked files on your Web site or
view them on someone else's. However, to create original Shockwave
files of your own, you need to use one of Macromedia's products,
as well as a few other tools.
Macromedia Products
Macromedia products are high-end multimedia tools useful in creating
CD-ROMs, kiosks, other interactive media, print, and of course,
Shockwave. They are not free and are usually not available in
your local neighborhood software or computer shop. You can order
them through a Macromedia distributor. Contact Macromedia for
more information on how to order (800-457-1774). You can
also order some products from Macromedia's online store:http://www.macromall.com.
Director
For Internet multimedia, you need Director 4.0 or 5.0 (see figure
2.2). Director is a powerful tool used in creating multimedia
products. You may use it only for animation and sound, but it
also includes a detailed programming language that can perform
a variety of complex tasks. Many CD-ROM and kiosk projects are
authored using Director. Graphics, sound, animation, video, and
other elements are all brought together using an authoring tool
such as Director.
Figure 2.2 : Macromedia Director for Windows.
Multimedia is the most common application of Shockwave on the
Internet. If you want animation and sound on your Web site, this
is the product to use. Note that you can create most Shockwave
movies using Director 4, but you must have version 5 to use the
compressed and streaming audio features.
The retail price of Director 5 is $929, or it's available in a
package called the Director Multimedia Studio that includes other
software packages such as Extreme 3D and SoundEdit 16 for $999.
Director may sometimes be available through mail-order software
catalogs.
Note
Many examples in this book were done in version 4 so that anyone can use them, but certain example files were done in version 5. Anyone can view the movies using a browser with Shockwave, but you will not be able to open version 5 files in Director
4.
Authorware
For large-scale Intranet multimedia projects, Authorware 3.5 is
the choice (figure 2.3). Authorware is a major multimedia production
tool. It offers an easy-to-use interface for creating complex
multimedia products. Authorware performs the same function as
Director: compiling graphics, sound, video, and other pieces into
a final interactive multimedia project. The advantage to Authorware
is that it offers more organization and a faster, easier creation
process for complex productions.
Figure 2.3 : Macromedia Authorware for Windows.
Shockwave for Authorware may be used on the Internet, but due
to large file sizes, it is not as efficient as Director. Because
Intranets have higher speed connections for their users, larger
file sizes can be used. Shockwave for Authorware also supports
streaming, which allows the user to download only certain
parts at a time, as they are needed.
Authorware retails for around $4,800, putting it out of reach
for most home users, though special offers are not uncommon. It
is rarely seen in catalogs or stores, and usually is ordered through
a Macromedia reseller.
FreeHand
For scalable images, use Freehand Version 5.0 or later (figure
2.4). Freehand is a vector graphics program that allows precise
control in drawing an image. It is similar to other drawing programs
such as Illustrator or CorelDRAW!.
Figure 2.4 : Macromedia Freehand for Macintosh.
Shockwave for Freehand is ideal for maps, charts, diagrams, and
other detailed graphics that may be hard to see as a standard
image file (GIF or JPEG). With Shockwave for Freehand, you can
zoom, pan, and link to other Web sites with the Freehand graphics
image.
Freehand sells for around $400, and is also available in package
deals with other graphics programs. It is sometimes seen in mail-order
software catalogs.
SoundEdit 16
SoundEdit 16 is the audio editing tool that is used for streaming
audio using Shockwave (figure 2.5). You may or may not decide
to edit your sounds using this software, but it is essential to
use it for the final step: compressing the audio file. An Xtra
is used with SoundEdit 16 to export a special file type (called
an SWA file) that is used by Shockwave over the web. Unfortunately,
SoundEdit 16 is only available for the Macintosh at this time.
It retails for around $200 or can be found in package deals.
Figure 2.5 : Macromedia ScoundEdit 16 for Macintosh.
Afterburner
Afterburner is the tool created by Macromedia to turn a standard
file into a compressed version to put on the Internet. It is included
on the CD-ROM and is also available from Macromedia's Web site
(http://www.macromedia.com). Using Afterburner is discussed more
thoroughly in chapter 3, "Putting It on the Web." There
are separate Afterburner programs for Director, Authorware, and
Freehand. Director 5 offers support for Afterburner as an Xtra,
so running a separate program is not needed.
Note
Shockwave will still recognize and load standard file types. Afterburner is a benefit to download time because it compresses the file, but it's not necessary. So a normal .DIR file created in Director can be viewed by Shockwave, though the same file might
be half as big after being compressed with Afterburner into the .DCR format.
Graphics Creation Software
Creating graphics is a big part of multimedia and Shockwave. You
could just use clip-art and other pre-created graphics all of
the time, but you would be missing out on customizing your Shockwave
graphics (and missing out on a lot of fun, too).
Computer graphics can be divided into two categories: bit-map
and vector graphics, and it's essential to know the difference.
If you buy a program that creates one type of graphic, you will
be disappointed if you try to use it for a different purpose.
Bit-Map versus Vector Graphics
Bit map means just what it sounds like: a map of bits. Figure 2.6 shows a magnified view of a bit-map graphic. A bit-map image is divided into fragments, or single bits, each with color information. Each bit is called a pixel, from the term
"picture element." The pixels are mapped horizontally and vertically. A bit map that is 400 pixels wide by 300 pixels high will contain 120,000 pixels, and each one has a color value. Color depth may vary for a bit-map image. An "8-bit"
image contains 256 colors, so any particular pixel may be one of 256 colors. A 24-bit image contains over 16.7 million colors that each pixel may be. Obviously, the higher the color depth, the larger the file size. Scanned photographs are bit-map images.
Most images intended to be viewed on a computer screen are bit-map images. Director and Authorware use mostly bit-map images.
Vector graphics, on the other hand, are a series of computer commands to "draw" an image. Vector graphics are broken down into circles, lines, arcs, boxes, color "fills," and other instructions (figure 2.7). The file size of a
vector graphic is usually much smaller than a bit-map graphic because it does not keep track of thousands or millions of bits of information. Most vector graphics are intended to be used in printing because they are scalable. Shown large or small, the
angles and measurements the computer uses are the same. If a bit-map image were blown up too large, it would become blurry or "pixelated" due to the pixel data being spread out too far. Vector
graphics are best used for crisp, hard-edged images, such as logos or diagrams. Shockwave for Freehand uses vector graphics.
Figure 2.6 : A Magnified view of a bit map.
Figure 2.7 : Vector graphics use curves, lines, and other
geometry.
Bit-Map Graphics
A good image editing program is strongly recommended for creating
or editing graphics. While Director has a paint window built into
its interface that allows you to create and edit images, it is
very limited compared to other products made with a focus on high
quality graphics.
Adobe Photoshop is currently an industry standard in computer
graphics. It sells for approximately $600, which is not too expensive
considering its versatility and power. It's useful for everything
from retouching scanned photos to creating completely original
graphics. Various third party developers create filter plug-ins
that work with Photoshop. Kai's Power Tools is an example of this.
The CD-ROM with this book contains a few public domain graphics
programs that you may use in creating your Shockwave graphics.
Paint Shop Pro and Graphics Workshop are two that you can try.
Vector Graphics
Photoshop is ideal for bit-map image editing (see note on Bit-Map
versus Vector Graphics). You may also want a vector graphics program,
such as Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand, or CorelDRAW!.
Usually, vector graphics programs are used for images intended
for print, but they can also be useful for on-screen graphics,
designing logos, maps, diagrams, and other precise drawings. You
could even create a complex path in a vector graphics program,
then import the path to a bit-map editor where detailed selections
may be more difficult.
3-D Graphics
A 3-D graphics package can also be very useful, particularly if
you want to animate an object moving or changing three-dimensionally.
Kinetix 3D Studio Max, Macromedia Extreme 3D, and Caligari TrueSpace2
are a few examples. Animating three-dimensionally will increase
file size because multiple angles are needed for an image; however,
keeping physical size small can still offer reasonable file sizes
for 3-D animation. Popularity of 3-D graphics is increasing rapidly,
particularly in multimedia and video production.
Audio
To include sound in your multimedia, you may wish to have a sound
editing utility. This will let you crop and reformat audio to
fit your needs. Most audio cards come with some sort of sound
utility, though some are more useful than others. To do intense
sound editing, you'll want a good program, although this book
doesn't go into detail on sound programs. Macromedia's multimedia
bundle offers SoundEdit 16 and Deck II for the Macintosh, and
SoundForge for Windows. Sound effects and music are available
on various Web sites or from CD-ROM collections, or you may choose
to record your own.
MIDI is not directly supported by Shockwave, though you may decide
to create your own music using either built in MIDI instruments
or an attached MIDI instrument. The audio will need to be recorded
as a digital audio file. Several formats can be used, such as
WAV or AIFF. For streaming audio, it will need to be compressed
using a Shockwave Xtra for Macromedia's Sound-Edit 16.
From Here…
The software listed here can add up quickly to a big bill. You
may decide to purchase only Director and use public domain software
for graphics and sound. And while it's true that the more resources
you have the better your end product will be, there is really
no tool to substitute for your own creativity and adaptability.
The following chapters offer more on how to use these tools:
Chapter 3 "Putting It on the Web,": A look at how
to set up your movie.
Chapter 4 Considerations for the Internet: What you should
know about decreasing download time.
Chapter 5 "Limitations of Shockwave and the Web":
Tempo channels, what carries over from Director to Shockwave.
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