Kiosk Version of MiniCat

Introduction

This version of the MiniCat Builder program contains a Kiosk 
version, KIOSKCAT.EXE, of the standard MiniCat viewer, 
MINICAT.EXE.  It is to be used with a previously installed 
MiniCat catalog or one built with the MiniCat Builder program.  

The Kiosk version is best used with a touch screen.  A mouse is 
the next most preferable option.  A keyboard may be used but is 
by default not enabled for this program (see Usage section). 

There are two main differences between the Kiosk viewer and the 
MiniCat viewer: 

    - after a user has used the Kiosk viewer it may have been 
    left with a dialog open or in the slide show for example.  
    The viewer after a set period of inactivity will 
    automatically return to the main screen. 

    - only a single full screen image may be loaded at a time 
    when in the thumbnail screen

Usage

The Kiosk viewer may be controlled via several options.  These 
options are found in the standard Windows CONTROL.INI file in 
your Windows directory.  Use NOTEPAD to edit this file.  Find the 
Screen Saver.Minicat section: 

[Screen Saver.Minicat]
Current=PHOT02
Kiosk Delay=60
Keyboard=0
AutoClose=0  

The last three entries, Kiosk Delay, Keyboard and AutoClose 
affect the running of the Kiosk viewer.  Normally these entries 
will not be found and you will have to add them manually using 
NOTEPAD if you wish to alter the defaults.  The Kiosk viewer 
defaults to an inactivity delay (Kiosk Delay) of  60 seconds 
before automatically returning to its main screen.  Keyboard 
usage is by default turned off (Keyboard=0).  To turn on keyboard 
usage set Keyboard=1.  The AutoClose feature normally off (0) 
will if turned on (1) exit the Kiosk viewer program if there has 
been no user activity at the main screen for the Kiosk Delay time 
period. 

The Kiosk viewer will also accept the name of a MiniCat catalog 
file to use when it is loaded, ignoring the current setting 
(Current=) in the MINICAT.INI file (found in your Windows 
directory): 

[Minicat Catalogs]
PDA01-=Photo Diskette~C:\TEST\
PHOT01=Example~C:\MINICAT\

[Minicat]
Current=PDA01

[General]
InstallDrive=A:\
InstallDir=C:\MINICAT\

[PDA01]
PDA02=Untitled~C:\TEST\

[PHOT01]
PHOT02=Example Test~C:\MINICAT\

The above example MINICAT.INI file contains two catalogs.  The 
current catalog is PDA01.  If the Kiosk viewer is started with 
PHOT01 as a command line parameter this catalog will be displayed 
instead of the configured current one, for example: 

KIOSKCAT    PHOT01

This feature is useful when the Kiosk viewer program is being 
loaded by another controlling program. 

Installation
                                
The Kiosk viewer program, KIOSKCAT.EXE, is already installed in 
the directory that you installed the MiniCat Builder program.  If 
you wish to install the Kiosk viewer by itself on a different 
computer, copy the three files, KIOSKCAT.EXE, PSCMN6.DLL and 
PSDATA.DLL to a new directory on the Kiosk machine.  The latter 
two files will be found in your Windows directory after the 
MiniCat Builder has been installed. Use Windows Program Manager 
to create a new icon for KIOSKCAT.EXE or run the program using 
the Program Manager File Run command. 

A MiniCat catalog must have been previously installed for the 
Kiosk viewer program to successfully execute. 

NOTE: To close KIOSKCAT.EXE (since there is no system menu or 
close button) you must press the key combination, Alt-F4. 

NOTE: If you have the Private Label version of the MiniCat 
Builder then please read the PLABEL.TXT file by clicking on it's 
icon to see how to create a private label version of the 
KIOSKCAT.EXE viewer program. 


