Creating Multi-Media CD

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Creating Multi-Media CDs

• John Pearson
• john.pearson_at_eia.doe.gov

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CD DevelopmentDr. John Pearson

• To have the capability to produce and develop CD
  based materials for information dissemination and
  promotion.
• How to organize contents using a browser
  interface that is familiar to users.
• What is the best format to use given the costs
  and benefits associated with alternatives such as
  using Microsoft Office documents versus using
  Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF).
• Production techniques, a look at alternative
  software packages for authoring a CD. A step by
  step example will be given using PDOE data if
  possible.
• Advanced techniques, making a CD interactive with
  web based systems enhancing the ability to update
  contents on line

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Quick Course Outline

• Making a simple CD
• How EIA makes its InfoDisc CD
• How to add Sounds and Movies
• Technical issues

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How Not to make a CD!

• A CD is just a disk, OK?
• Copy the files onto it
• Finish!

But Its a good way to make backup CDs But the
CD will not start automatically it is not
interactive the user feels helpless
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EIAs Initial Start at CD making

• First CD used a custom program to view the menu
  for the CD for the documents and databases.
• For the documents we used Adobe PDF files for
  about 100 documents.
• We trained EIAs staff to generate these.
• We had several MS Access databases.
• We learnt a great deal!

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What a Successful CD Does

• It starts automatically
• Has an interactive interface
• Can open documents
• Can play applications
• It installs all necessary software automatically

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Cost Benefit Tradeoffs-1Web Pages

• Cheapest approach is to use internet html files
  only and an Internet Browser.
• Creating the files is easy using an html editor
  or a word processor.
• Multi-media can be added as in web pages.
• Easy way to deliver complex web pages because
  there is no download problem.
• The Browser is free, but it needs to be installed
  on the users PC

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Cost Benefit Tradeoffs-2Multiple Documents

• With lots of documents, or if a search
  capability is needed then use Adobe PDF files.
• search capability across many documents
• preserves the document format exactly
• This adds 300 for the Adobe Acrobat software
• The Adobe reader is free, but needs to be
  installed on the users PC.
• The Acrobat reader software may need to be
  invoked from the browser -- another complication

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Cost Benefit Tradeoffs-3Adding Applications

• CDs are a good way to distribute databases using
  MS Office or other software.
• Creating the database is easy using the right
  software.
• However databases need care to run from the CD
• The run-time software for the database needs to
  be installed on the users PC
• The database software needs to be invoked from
  the browser -- another installation issue.
• Installation software may be needed at 200

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Cost Benefit Tradeoffs-4Adding Multi-media

• CDs are a good way to distribute multi-media
  applications because these tend to be large.
• Power Point is a good way to generate slides with
  narration
• The Windows Media Toolkit will generate
  synchronized sound and slides.
• PP-97 and Office 2000 will generate streaming
  versions of a narrated slide presentation.
• The multi-media software needs to be installed on
  the users PC.
• Installation software may be needed at 200

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Cost Benefit Tradeoffs-5CD Authoring Software

• There is specialized authoring software for CDs
  and web pages.
• It creates and manages animation, browsing of
  text, sound and video material
• The software is more expensive at 500-2,500
• It handles all creation, installation and
  operation

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The Installation Step

• Generally CDs need supporting software
• a browser to view text and navigate
• a PDF reader for any documents
• database software etc.
• a movie viewer for movies
• These have to be checked and installed if
  necessary on the users PC
• The user can do this himself.
• This process is potentially difficult and needs
  an installation creation package 200

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Using an Internet Browser

• Users are familiar with Internet Browsers
• Both Netscape and MS offer free Browsers
• Browsers provide the functionality of web pages
  at low cost.
• Pages can be generated in most Office packages
  such as MS Office.
• They simply need to be linked together.

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Example of linking CD pages in HTML
Index.html
Page1..html
Page 1
Link1
Link2
Page2.html
Link3
Page 2
Starting Page
More pages...

• Lets look at some examples.

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Starting The CD Automatically

• This is controlled by autorun.inf a text file at
  the CD root.
• autorun
• iconeia.ico
• opensetup.exe
• shell\install\commandsetup.exe
• shell\installInstall the Energy InfoDisc
• When the CD is inserted this file plays
  automatically.

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Summary

• We have looked at alternative methods of creating
  content for a CD
• We have looked at the features necessary for a
  typical technical CD.
• Starting with an economical browser approach we
  can create the front-end for a CD.
• We know how to start them automatically.
• Now what can we put on the CD?