posted
I have written a presentation in html for a customer, they want to burn it onto cd's containing other data files that are sent out from the office. I have set up an autorun so that (providing autorun is enabled) the index page will open and they can navigate the html pages in the users browser. Is there a way/syntax/string to add a button to the navigation bar that will open windows explorer so they can view the contents of the disk to access the data files? TIA, David
-------------------- David Fisher D.A. & P.M. Fisher Services Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com Trying out a new tag: "Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth Peter Ustinov Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
HUH????????????? Geez I thought HTML was easy...You are asking TOUGH questions Dave!!!!!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Why not make an Explorer bookmark, and alias it to the desktop, and have them double click on it to launch the site thats resident on the Hard Drive? When we do web presentations to pitch clients we have a Cd with a dozen sites on it, and they are all bookmarked in Explorer, and we just open the bookmark and the site works as if its off the web.
[ November 06, 2001: Message edited by: Dan Antonelli ]
"Some are born to move the world, to live their fantasies. But most of us just dream about the things we'd like to be." - Rush Posts: 1192 | From: Washington, NJ | Registered: Feb 1999
| IP: Logged |
I have my website loaded onto my laptop. If I want to show someone the site I just use Netscape or IE and open the home page from the HD and everything works just like it does on the web...links and everything refer to HD locations instead of WWW locations.
Is that what you guys are talking about?
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
I'm confused. You've written an autorun.inf file with an open=index.html statement, or something similar. So loading the CD takes them to your start page, automatically.
Are you asking if it's possible to auto-create a desktop or taskbar shortcut once the home page is loaded? If so, I don't think that's possible ... that has to be done in an install routine.
There is a Java script that'll automatically Bookmark (or add a Favorite), however, folks usually don't like it when they're added automatically. The Java script can also be written so folks can click a button to add the page to bookmarks/favorites ... e-mail me if this sounds like something you'd like ... I'll send you the script.
If I'm not understanding you correctly, please explain further. I might have a solution ... operative word, "might."
Regards,
Jim
-------------------- Jim Doggett General Manager, USA Yellotools, Ltd www.yellotools.com
Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
David, you want to add a link to Windows Explorer from the nav bar on the HTML page?
Just insert a hyperlink on the page that references back to file://c/windows/explorer.exe or file://c/winnt/explorer so when they click on it they get the option to save it or open it. I'm not sure about any html syntax to make it open explorer automatically or even make it open with the CD directory, unless you put explorer in the autorun.inf too.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks gentlemen & Mike, Jim, I agree its a bit invasive to add a bookmark without consent, I considered it while I was writing the presentation but decided against it. Mike, thanks for the jump start for putting explorer in the autorun.inf. - more experimentation required. To explain further, these cd's usually contain CAD files or construction documentation such as .doc .xls etc usually only 5 meg or less What my customer wishes to do is to utilise the extra available storage on the CD to do several things. Promote the company Make it easier for users with low computer skills to access the data files. Make a modest size firm appear that little bit more professional than the competition.
I'd like to add this function to the navigation buttons on the html pages for the users of low computer literacy. Many users of this calibre are comfortable with web pages though, which make HTML attractive. I guess at worst I could always climb another learning curve and learn macromedia. Thanks, David
-------------------- David Fisher D.A. & P.M. Fisher Services Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com Trying out a new tag: "Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth Peter Ustinov
Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Okay, now I think I understand. You want the bowser page to open automatically ... no sweat with the autorun.inf. Then on the web page, you want thumbnails or links to CAD or Word Docs, that they can click to open. Is this true?
If so, easy as pie ... albeit much is beyond your control. Just create an "a href" with a relative path to the Doc file. When the click it they'll be prompted to Open It or Save It As. You could add a statement right by the links telling them to chose the Open It option. But what it'll open in depends on the user's system registry based on the file extension ... *.doc will open in Word, most likely, if they have MS Office. The Cad drawings would open AutoCad or something similar ... but computer illiterate types seldom use high end Apps ... so, my advice is:
Go with Web-friendly file types. Turn the Word and Excel Docs into PDFs, and Export the Cad drawings as 256-color Indexed GIFs. Since the files reside locally, on the CD, file size isn't issue and you can go with best quality.
For the propeller-heads, you could add additonal links to editable Word, Excel, AutoCad or whatever files.
My $.02,
Jim
-------------------- Jim Doggett General Manager, USA Yellotools, Ltd www.yellotools.com
Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey David, here's a trick I just thought of.. You could export the autocad drawings in that web format that AutoDesk is pushing, then include the browser plug-ins to read those files right on the CD. They can view the CAD drawings through IE, zoom, pan, print, even write comments on it. Wish I remember what that was called... I think the file type is a DWF though.
As far as word and excel go, they also have web browser plug-ins, or at least I think they do because I can view Excel and Word documents right inside of my Internet Explorer.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hey Dave, I'm right in the middle of a web design night class and also dabbling with java script at the moment so I'm no expert. I like the link and anchor solutions offered above. I speak as a graduate of the KISS school (keep it simple stupid) I can't help wondering what your customer is trying to achieve though - if the people who are expected to use the cd don't already have either the software to open the additional data files or possibly are computer illiterate enough to need nursing through it then there would appear to be little point in sending them the additional stuff. If the idea is blind them with the extras then isn't he risking confusing them instead? (Just a thought)
-------------------- Karen Tighe Great Britain Posts: 238 | From: Great Britain | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi Karen, Long time no see/hear. These CD's go out to people of all levels of computer literacy. AND, we're talking architects! These guys are (in general) total numbnuts when it comes to computers but will have a bevvy of rent-a-nerds running their computers for them. Almost always they'll have a computer sitting on their desk to hasten the process of making a complete balls up though, and as all correspondence on projects passes first through their hands the contents of the site on the CD will be put under their respective noses. When tendering on projects, the process also requires sub-consultants to provide a heap of information such as brief CV's of key personnel, Company insurance details, professional associatens/affiliations blah blah blah... All the types of information that needs to be called up often, perfect also when gilded slightly for an infomercial on CD. Besides, they want to pay me to do it, then I'm happy to accept their money. David
-------------------- David Fisher D.A. & P.M. Fisher Services Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com Trying out a new tag: "Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth Peter Ustinov Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic