Authorware is a

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What is Authorware?

• Authorware is a
• cross-platform (Windows and Macintosh),
• object-oriented,
• icon-based authoring environment
• with
• hypertext and
• media capabilities,
• data measurement functions and
• media integration controls.

2
You can use Authorware to

• create,
• deliver and
• maintain interactive applications,
• such as
• computer-based training
• educational courseware
• on-line documentation
• digital publications
• simulations
• kiosks.

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Authorware uses a flowline on which functional
icons can be placed. If you need text or
graphic or both, place a Display icon onto the
flowline. If you want sound, place a Sound icon
onto the flowline If you want video, place a
Digital Movie icon onto the flowline
etc. Authorware offers a straight-forward
scripting language and allows use of DLLs.
However, many functions are already built into
the icon based architecture.
4
Authorware Design Window
Restart Button
Flowline
Design Window
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Display - displays graphics and text. Motion -
moves text, graphics and digital movies. Erase -
removes text, graphics, etc. Wait - pauses the
application. Navigate - goes to the destination
icon you specify. Framework - provides an easy
way to create navigation structures. Decision -
determines which path to follow. Interaction -
determines which path to follow based on the
user's response.
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Calculation - performs functions, manipulates
variables, programs. Map - places selected icons
in a new window with its own flowline. Digital
Movie - plays back imported digital video
sequences. Sound - plays imported digitised.
Video - plays full-motion and still analogue
video sequences. Start and stop flags - let you
run any part of a file while authoring. Colour -
assigns colour to selected icons to easily
identify and organise logic.
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Multimedia Elements

• Text and Graphics e.g. bmp or gif
• Clipart e.g. Powerpoint
• Sound e.g. wav
• Digital Movies e.g. avi
• Quicktime VR (mov)
• Quicktime Movies (mov)
• Animated Gifs

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Media Formats
Display Icon for Text and Graphics
Motion Icon for limited animation of Display icon
contents
Digital Movies Icon for video and some animation
files
Sound Icon
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Text and Graphics
To type text onto the screen use the toolbox
provided, can change, Font, Size, Colour and can
import text from a Word Processor.
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File gt Import
Import a graphics file onto the screen
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Clipart
Edit gt Copy
Edit gt Paste is pasted into Authorware (needs to
be pasted into a display window)
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• Compatible Graphics File Formats
• PICT, RLE,
• TIFF, JPEG,
• LRG, Photoshop 3.0,
• GIF, TGA,
• PNG, WMF,
• BMP, EMF
• DIB

To import or play back PICT image files on a
Windows computer, you must have QuickTime 4.0 for
Windows installed.
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Sound
Sounds are imported just like graphics.
14
Sound File name
Sound File details
How sound plays
15
Digital Movies
Again need to import the file
Movie File details
16
Quicktime VR
Quicktime is inserted directly onto the flowline.
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Quicktime properties
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Quicktime Movies
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Running the Quicktime movie with controller
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Animated Gifs
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Running the Gif
Can re-position gif by dragging it to its correct
position.
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All of the Multimedia Elements may be inserted
into the template.
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Text and Graphics on the first page
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Some Useful Links
Macromedia User Journal http//www.muj.com The
home page for subscribers of Macromedia User
Journal Media Shoppe http//www.wadezworld.com
Downloads, FAQs, and links to other sites
Successful Multimedia http//www.mrmultimedia.c
om Joe Ganci's web page, with information on his
books, Authorware Intelligence Reports, and user
group information Betsy Bruces Home
Page http//www.mediapros.com/betsy/
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The Author's Page http//www.ix-software.nl/autho
rware/frames.html Excellent information on
Authorwareand lots of example files The AWARE
Page http//www.e-media.nl/aware/ Home of the
AWARE Listserve Stefan van As Home Page
http//www.xs4all.nl/svanas A collection of
UCDs, Shockwave experiments, goodies, and useful
ActiveX controls Information on Macromedia
Authorware http//www.mediapros.com/betsy Review
s of books about Authorware, links to newgroups,
web sites, download sites, magazines,and
newsletters
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Recommended Reading
The Ultimate Authorware Tutorial With CDROM by
Richard Schifman, Stefan van As, Joseph Ganci,
Phillip Kerman, Jeff McGuire and Wade Wells
(Authorware Attain, Multimedia)