PRS PRESENTS:
============

Name:	Multimedia Builder v4.6
Date:	06/14/00
Type:	Util
Disks:	01

Info:
====

Object oriented Interface
MMB has modern interface with features common for all major graphics software - multiple
document interface, multiple Undo/Redo, selections, grouping, nested grouping, context
sensitive menus, checking, distributing the files...


Multiple Pages 
You can build your multimedia by creating one or more pages. 
On each page you combine text, buttons, graphics, hot spots, video and actions into
an interactive production. 

Custom Shape Window 
MMB is hip. It allows you to create window on the desktop with custom shape. It means
you don’t have to make your creations inside a standard rectangular window. With MMB
you can create any shape you like ! 

Graphic
MMB supports all popular graphic formats. 

Sound
MMB has the ability to play more than one sound at the same time. This is a huge advantage
and can give your programs the appearance of much more activity. You can play background
music in the loop and on the same time play other sound actions. 


MP3
MMB has full internal support for MP3 format with some feedback to display time codes. 

Digital audio
MMB can play tracks from audio CD or Mixed-mode CD.

Video
You can play video at any speed, and you can provide the user with many controls to
control the video. 

Script language
You don't need to know any scripting to create impressive multimedia application. But
if you want to get more, script language gives you endless possibilities.


New in v4.6:
-----------
Now Players are actually 100kB smaller than in version 4.5. The player.exe is just 318 kB (!) 
E-Card player now doesn't depend on any external dll. It has all the functionality of
normal player (with script and transitions!), exept MP3 and mod, full screen background
and few small things. The runtime size of the E-card is larger than before (250 kB).
But it should work on any computer. 
OBJECTX( Object label) and OBJECTY( Object label) functions added in the script.
These functions return the current position (left, top corner) of the object specified
by the label. Example x= OBJECTX(Text1) 
ISVISIBLE( Object label) function was added
This returns 
-1 if object doesn't exist on the page, 
0 if object is hiden 
1 if object is visible 
OpenFile$ variable was added. This variable will have the path after using OpenFile
script command. 
Updated Help 
VolumeUp can now take a parameter - the volume from 0-100
Example: VolumeUp("50") will set volume to half. 
ReplaceImage can load BMP beside the JPG 
MOUSEX() and MOUSEY() functions added in the script.
These functions return the current position of mouse cursor.

Added Default cursor listbox into the Page Properties. The last item there is a dot
cursor - great for touch screens. 
Plug-In's loading code
Plugin's are now loaded before the window and they don't require to be visible. 
MoveObject("Object","x,y,w,h")
Move (and/or resize) the object (or group) to the x,y position. The w and h parameters
are not required and if they are defined the object is resized - However it wont resize
any bitmap object or text - it resize only its active boundaries. But it works fine for
rectangle, buttons, hotspots...etc..
Yu can make a code:
for i=0 to 100
MoveObject("Bitmap","i,20") 
Refresh()
Pause("30")
next i
and it will move the object form left to right! 
MoveTo("Object","x,y,steps,type")
This simple command moves object (or group) from current position to the x,y using #
of steps. The type can be EASYTO, EASYFROM or none to define the linearity in time.
It basically does the same as code above, however you can specify slowing or accelerating
with the TYPE. 
Refresh() command
This command will force to redraw the changes. It also works like a pump, if you use
Refresh() in a loop the program reminds active and in fact you can still interact with
the active objects (while the loop is continuing). 
Pause("ms") command
Pause command in the script, takes a number of ms to pause before continuing the script 
CBK_Time and CBK_Total can be addressed as an integer variables
Example: a=CBK_Total 
This always returns the number of seconds (equivalent to what would be displayed in
these objects. 
Ability to insert Contents Copyright into the project executable
This allows you to insert your text in the Comments field of executable properties.
For example you can put your copyright for the contents you created or comments about
used materials. You can put up to 60 characters. That doesn't replace the other MMB
player properties, but it resolves some legal issues if your custommer doesn't want
to put your copyright on the project pages but you still want to have your copyright
or name there. Many other authoring tools didn't allow you to do this. You can access
this option in the Check & Distribute dialog box. 
Dynamic Changes of Display Resolution
You can tell the project before the start to change (or at least to try) the Display
Resolution to one of few typical resolutions. You can set this option in the Project
-General Settings. You can make a project which will play always on a full screen.
Note: Some video cards (very old ones) don't allow to dynamically change the resolution
so the project will continue in its standard size. The most common sizes are 640 x
480 and 800 x 600 and should work on most of the cards. The resolution will be returned
to the original settings after you exit the project. Checking this option will uncheck
"Standard Window" and "Movable" from the default values - because it makes little or
no sense, however you can turn them back on if you making a "special" project. 
Control over Process Priority
This new version allows you to control the priority of the process. You can change the
priority in the Project-General Settings. If you select High, the application you create
will steal more CPU for itself from other windows application, making the transitions
and FX running smoother. This is great for presentation type of applications where you
don't expect user to be often switching between applications. The Normal settings is
good for most of the application (it is the default setting) and the Low priority
setting can be used for special (background) application which shouldn't use much
CPU (launch bars etc..) 
Masking Video
In 4.6 you can use B/W mask for Video Masking. With the Mask, video doesn't have to
play in rectangular square anymore and it can have any shape you want. You need to
prepare an image mask with size of the video. The video will be played through this
mask where the black pixels will be video and white transparent. The mask could have
any shape or image (for example black text on white background). You can load the mask
in the Video Properties. (Two buttons were added - Load and Clear Mask) You can create
a very interesting effects because finally you don't have to be stuck with the boring
rectangular video found in many authoring tools... 
MCI object was added
This makes easier to play video or audio using MCI without doing much scripting. Let's
say you want to play ASF so instead of bunch of messy MCICommand script lines you simply
draw a MCI object which could play your asf automatically on page start or you can
control basic functions (play, stop, close) with new script command MCIObject. 
3 additional script timers were added
TimerA, TimerB and TimerC were added to the ScriptTimer command, making that four
timers for script. You can use ScriptTimer command as before - then it uses the
standard timer or you can use syntax:
ScriptTimer("TimerA=Script","500")
(You can use TimerB and TimerC the same way) These are independent timers. The same
rules apply for them like for the standard timer: After the script is executed the
attached timer is killed as well as if you go to another page. 
The Secure Layer
In the Check and Distribute a Secure layer option was added. This will process the
mbd data in such way that no Text or Script would be visible if you look at it in
the Hex editor. Also the file can't be loaded back to the designer (no password will
help!) so it can only be played. However, note that the loading of file with Secure
layer would need more time and memory that without this layer so you should use it
only on necessary files. The same option was added to Compress and Export to easy
create mbd files which can't be viewed in Hex editors and loaded in designer. 

Fixes in 4.6

Full screen background fixed. There was a small problem that you could actually put
another window in between background and the mmb screen with Alt-TAB. Now the mmb window
and background are glued. 
Script from On Move cursor fixed 
String arrays now works in designer and in the player the same way:
toon$[0]='O'
toon$[1]='k'
string$ = toon$[1] + toon$[2] 
You can add backslash at the end of a string by using \\ 
path$ = 'c:\mydir\\'
will be displayed as c:\mydir\
There was a conflict because in 4.5 we used \' to enter ' into the string:
string$ = 'That\'s great!' 
which will be displayed as That's great! and there was no way to add backslash at the
end of the string then. Now you just use double backslash to ad a backslash at the end
of a string. Complicated? Hope not that much!. 
You can now exit from th For - Next loop by using Return() command 
Removed: 


OctaMed support was removed (files *.med) since not many people were using it and there
are almost no files and free editors for it. The standard MOD file is of course still there. 



Setup:
=====
Unpack and run setup.exe. Run the program, and input the following reginfo:
Name: HBK@heartbreak.net
Code: 1-274983-415

Enjoy.