Media Player Index
Contents for Media Player Help

You can use Media Player as a player of several types of media and media files.

To learn how to use Help, press F1.

If the information you seek is not included in Help, see "Using Media Player" in the Media Player module in HyperGuide.

Keyboard

Media Player Keys

Commands

File Menu Commands

Edit Menu Commands

Device Menu Commands

Scale Menu Commands

Procedures

Changing the Scale

Closing a Media Device

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Editing an Embedded Media Clip

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Moving to Another Position

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence

Quitting Media Player

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Setting Media Player Options

Specifying a Media Device

Stopping a Media Sequence

Controls

Eject Button

Mark In Button

Mark Out Button

Next Mark Button

Page Left Button

Page Right Button

Play/Pause Button

Previous Mark Button

Stop Button

Track Bar


Keyboard Index
Media Player Keys

Use the following keys to perform Media Player functions:

Press	To Do

SPACEBAR	To invoke the current control.

TAB	To select the next control button as the current control.

SHIFT+TAB	To select the previous control button as the current control.

ESC	To stop playing the current media sequence. This is identical to choosing Stop.

HOME	To move to the beginning of the media content.

END	To move to the end of the media content.

PAGE DOWN	To move to the next page of the media content.

PAGE UP	To move to the previous page of the media content.

CTRL+PageDown	To move to the beginning of the next track, (available when the Tracks scale is displayed)

CTRL+PageUp	To move to the beginning of the previous track, (available when the Tracks scale is displayed)

CTRL+C or CTRL+INS	To copy information that makes up a Media Player object to the Clipboard. This is identical to the Copy Object command on the Edit menu.

CTRL+D	To edit the Media Player playback device driver configuration. This is identical to the Configure command on the Device menu.

CTRL+F	To select a new file to play with Media Player. This is identical to the Open command on the File menu.

CTRL+L	To edit the current selection. This is identical to the Selection command on the Edit menu.

CTRL+O	To edit the Media Player Options dialog box settings. This is identical to the Options command on the Edit menu.

CTRL+P	To play the media content from the stopped or paused position. Or, to pause the media content during playback.

ALT+P or ALT+CTRL+P	To play the current selection marked in the media content.

CTRL+S	To stop playback of the media content.

CTRL+U	To close the current file or device. This is identical to the Close command on the File menu.

When editing an embedded object, CTRL+U updates the embedded object instead of closing the current file or device.

CTRL+W	To change Media Player from its normal appearance to its abbreviated form and vice-a-versa.

CTRL+1	To zoom the playback image size to the frame size.

CTRL+2	To zoom the playback image size to twice the frame size.

CTRL+3	To zoom the playback image size to 3 times the frame size.

CTRL+4	To zoom the playback image size to 4 times the frame size.

LEFT ARROW	Moves the slider backward (left) in the media content.

RIGHT ARROW	Moves the slider forward (right) in the media content.


Media Player Commands

To get help with a command, choose the appropriate menu.

File Menu Commands

Open

Close

Exit

Edit Menu Commands

Copy Object

Options

Selection

Device Menu Commands

The Device Menu contains a list of the devices installed on your system and a Configure command that is unique for each device. Some device types that Media Player can recognize include the following:

Animation

CD Audio

Video for Windows

MIDI Sequencer

Sound

Configure

Scale Menu Commands

Time

Frames

Tracks


Procedure Index
Media Player Procedures

The Procedure topics give you step-by-step instructions for using Media Player.  Use the scroll bar to see more topics.

To learn how to use Help, press F1 or choose using Help from the Help menu.

Procedures

Specifying a Media Device

Opening a File

Closing a Media Device

Playing a Media Sequence

Stopping a Media Sequence

Changing the Scale

Moving to Another Position

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Editing an Embedded Media Clip

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Setting Media Player Options

Quitting Media Player


Play/Pause Button

Plays the content of the currently loaded device. When a device is playing, the Pause button replaces the Play button.

Pauses the device that is currently playing.


Stop Button

Halts the media sequence or device that is currently playing.


Previous Mark Button

Moves the slider to the closest mark to the left. If both the mark-in and mark-out marks are to the right of the slider, the slider moves to the left edge of the track bar and rewinds the media sequence.

Selecting SHIFT+Previous Mark moves the slider as described above and selects the portion of the video sequence traversed by the slider.


Page Left Button

Steps backward through the media sequence loaded in Media Player in approximately 10 percent increments.


Page Right Button

Steps forward through the content loaded in Media Player in approximately 10 percent increments.


Next Mark Button

Moves the slider to the closest mark to the right. If both the mark-in and mark-out marks are to the left of the slider, the slider moves to the right edge of the track bar and reaches the end of the media sequence.

Selecting SHIFT+Next Mark moves the slider as described above and selects the portion of the video sequence traversed by the slider.


Track Bar

Represents the media sequence loaded in the Media Player device. The slider indicates the current playing position of the media sequence.

You can move the current playing position by dragging the slider to another location on the track bar or by selecting one of the arrows at its right edge.


Eject Button

Ejects the media cartridge from the Media Player device. This button is enabled for devices that have programmatic control of their eject buttons.


Mark In Button

Marks the beginning edge of a selection.

Together, the Mark In and Mark Out Buttons let you mark a selection of the current media sequence for playing or for embedding in another application. You can also mark a selection by using the Selection command from the Edit menu.


Mark Out Button

Marks the ending edge of a selection.

Together, the Mark In and Mark Out Buttons let you mark a selection of the current media sequence for playing or for embedding in another application. You can also mark a selection by using the Selection command on the Edit menu.


MPlayer Tool
Media Player

A Microsoft Windows application for playing media sequences and controlling hardware devices. Media Player can play waveform and Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) sounds, video sequences, and control any Media Control Interface (MCI) multimedia device installed in your system. For example, you can use Media Player to control devices such as audio compact discs or videodisks.

Media Player can run as a stand-alone application or as an embedded application in a document belonging to another application, such as a spreadsheet, a presentation, or a word processing document. When inserted in another application, the embedded version of Media Player, its media sequence, and a selection of the media sequence (if it exists), is called a media clip object.

Media Player uses Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology to become part of another document.


Media Player Procedures

The Procedure topics give you step-by-step instructions for using Media Player. Use the scroll bar to see more topics.

To learn how to use Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

Procedures

Changing the Scale

Closing a Media Device

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Editing an Embedded Media Clip

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Moving to Another Position

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence

Quitting Media Player

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Setting Media Player Options

Specifying a Media Device

Stopping a Media Sequence


Specifying a Media Device

Media Player supports two types of devices: simple and compound. When you choose a simple device from the Device menu, Media Player is ready to start playing whatever is currently loaded in the hardware device. Compound devices require, in addition to the device name, a specified media file (such as the synthesizer that plays waveform audio).

The contents of the Device menu varies according to your system configuration. For Media Player to list a device in the Device menu, the device and its software driver must be correctly installed and configured in your system.

To specify a simple device:

From the Device menu, choose the media device you want.

Names of simple devices are not followed by an ellipsis (. . .).

To specify a compound device:

1	From the Device menu, choose the media device you want.

Names of compound devices are followed by an ellipsis (. . .).

The Open dialog box appears.

2	Type or select the name of the file you want to play.

3	Choose OK.

The first time you specify a compound device (such as Sound), Media Player displays the File Open dialog box for you to identify a file you want to play. Once you specify the device, you can use the Open command to open other files available for use by that device. To use a different device, you can choose that device from the Device menu, or you can choose a different file type from the Open dialog box.

Related Topics

Closing a Media Device

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence


Opening a File

If a compound device is already specified, you can open and play files appropriate to play for that device. For example, if you've specified a MIDI Sequencer device, then you can open and play MIDI files. To play another type of file, you can change to another device type using the Open dialog box or the Device menu. Media Player associates the various types of media files with the appropriate devices and automatically allocates the needed playback resources when you select a file.

To open a file to play:

1	From the File menu, choose Open.

The Open dialog box opens.

2	Type or select the name of the file you want to open.

To change the device type, select another entry in the List Files Of Type box.

3	Choose OK.

Related Topics

Closing a Media Device

Playing a Media Sequence

Specifying a Media Device


Closing a Media Device

When you finish using a device with Media Player, you can release control of that device by closing it. You can close simple and compound devices using the Close command from the File menu; however, the effects of closing simple and compound devices differ slightly.

For simple devices, Media Player releases control of the device, allowing other applications to access the device. If a media sequence is playing on a simple device when it is closed, the sequence continues to play.

For compound devices, Media Player closes the file, then releases control of the device. If a media sequence is playing on a compound device when it is closed, the Close command halts the sequence

To close a media device:

From the File menu, choose Close.

Related Topics

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence

Quitting Media Player

Specifying a Media Device


Playing a Media Device
Playing a Media Sequence or Device

After specifying a media device and for a compound device, a file, use the following procedures to play the media sequence or device.

To start play or restart a paused media sequence:

Select the [image] Play button.

When playback is started, the title bar displays the word "(Playing)" following the device title.

Or, with Media Player embedded in another application's document, double-click the media clip icon.

To play a marked selection in a media sequence:

With a stand-alone copy of Media Player, press ALT while choosing the Play button.

Or, with Media Player embedded in another application's document, choose Play.

To pause play:

Select the [image] Pause button.

When playback is paused, the title bar displays the word "(Paused)" following the device title.

Related Topics

Changing the Scale

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Moving to Another Position

Opening a File

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Setting Media Player Options

Specifying a Media Device

Stopping a Media Sequence


Stopping a Media Device
Stopping a Media Sequence or Device

After specifying a media device and for a compound device, a file, use the following procedures to play the media sequence or device.

To stop play:

Select the [image] Stop button.

When playback is stopped, the title bar displays the word "(Stopped)" following the device title.

To eject a compact disc or other media element:

Select the [image] Eject button.

The Eject button is available only with devices that include a software-based eject function.

To stop playing a media clip object (in full-screen or in the embedding application):

Press the ESC or ALT key, or the CTRL+S key combination.

To stop playing a media clip object (in the Media Player window):

Press the ALT+F4 key combination, click the right mouse button, or double-click the system menu in the upper-left corner of the Media Player window.

Related Topics

Changing the Scale

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Moving to Another Position

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Setting Media Player Options

Specifying a Media Device


Changing the Scale

Media Player displays one of three scales beneath the track bar. You can use a time scale for any media sequence. But, some media types, such as Video for Windows, can also use another scale to locate specific portions of a media sequence. You can select one of the following reference scales for the current media sequence.

Time scale: shows time intervals

Frames scale: shows frames of a video sequence

Track scale: shows tracks

To change scales:

From the Scale menu, select Time, Frames, or Tracks.

Changing the scale erases any mark you set in the current media sequence.

Related Topics

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence


Moving to Another Position

You can move around within a media sequence to play your favorite songs or view the best portions of a video sequence and not have to play the entire media sequence. To move to another position in a media sequence, move the slider to another location on the track bar; then choose Play to play the media sequence, beginning at the current position.

To change the playback position:

Drag the slider to the desired position on the track bar.

-Or-

Select the scroll arrows at the right edge of the track bar.

-Or-

Use the LEFT ARROW, RIGHT ARROW, PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, HOME, and END keys.

-Or-

Select one or more of the [image] Page Right, [image] Page Left, [image] Next Mark, and [image] Previous Mark buttons.


Selecting Part of a Media Sequence

Media Player allows you to play a media sequence from the current slider location or a selection of a media sequence. To play a selection, mark the beginning and end of the selection, then play the selection. You can use either the Media Player controls or the Selection command to mark a selection of a media sequence for playing.

To mark a selection using Media Player controls:

1	Drag the slider to the beginning of the section you want to mark.

2	Choose the [image] Mark In button.

3	Drag the slider to the end of the section you want to mark.

4	Choose the [image] Mark Out button.

Or, after dragging the slider to the beginning of the selection you want to mark, hold down the SHIFT key as you drag the slider to the end of the selection you want to mark.

To mark a selection using the Selection command:

1	From the Edit menu, choose Selection.

Or, double-click the rule of the scale.

2	Select From and enter the beginning time, frame, or track and time of the section.

3	Set the range of the section using either the To box or the Size box.

Select the To box and enter the last time, frame, or track and time of the selection.

Select the Size box and enter the duration of the selection as elapsed time, frames or tracks and time.

4	Choose OK.

Note Once you've marked a portion of a media sequence you want to play, keep the current scale for the track bar. Changing the scale clears the selection.

Related Topics

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Set Selection Dialog Box


Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

In addition to using Media Player as a stand-alone application, you can embed Media Player as a media clip object into another application. For example, you can embed a sound clip in a spreadsheet. When you select the place marker of the embedded sound clip in the spreadsheet application, the sound clip plays.

To embed a media clip in another application:

1	Start Media Player.

2	From the File menu choose Open and select the file or device you want to play.

3	If the embedded media clip is a video clip or animation, move the slider to a frame that best represents the entire clip.

When you paste the video clip or animation into an application, the selected frame will be used as the place marker for the media clip object.

4	From the Edit menu, choose Copy Object.

5	Select the application or document into which you want to insert the media clip object.

6	From the Edit menu, Use the Paste or Paste Special command to embed the media clip.

Note	If using the Paste or Paste Special commands doesn't properly insert the media clip into the application, refer to your application's documentation for additional information about using OLE objects from another application.

The Cardfile application for Windows accepts Media Player objects when the card is in Edit picture mode. For additional information, see the Cardfile module in HyperGuide.

Related Topics

Editing an Embedded Media Clip

Setting Media Player Options


Setting Video-Viewing Characteristics

Media Player uses the Video for Windows device when playing video sequences captured and edited with Video for Windows. The Video for Windows device is an MCI device that has its own set of configuration options. Once you have opened the Video for Windows device or another MCI device, you can set its configuration options using the Configure command from the Media Player Device menu or through the Control Panel Drivers option.

To set video-viewing characteristics:

1	From the Device Menu, choose Configure.

If the Configure command is not accessible or the Video Playback Options dialog box does not appear, you must first select the Video for Windows device type and specify a .AVI file containing a video sequence.

2	Select the viewing mode and other video sequence options you want.

3	Choose OK.

Note	When using Media Player as a stand-alone application, each video sequence initially uses a set of default values for the Video Playback options. The changes you make for a specific video sequence apply only to that sequence. If you want all video sequences to use one or more specific options, change the default settings by choosing the Set Default button.

Note	When using Media Player as an object in another application, you can control the Video Playback options for the media clip object by choosing the Set Default button.

Related Topics

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Setting Media Player Options

Video Playback Options Dialog Box


Setting Media Player Options

Media Player provides several playback and display options that apply to media clips being copied to other applications. Two of these options (Auto Rewind and Auto Repeat) can also be used when Media Player runs as a stand-alone application.

To set Media Player playback options:

1	From the Edit Menu, choose Options.

The Options dialog box appears.

2	Select the presentation and playback options you want to use.

3	Choose OK.

Related Topics

Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Media Player Options Dialog Box


Quitting Media Player

When you close Media Player, simple devices will continue to play (such as audio compact-disc players). Compound devices stop playing when you quit the application.

To quit Media Player:

From the File menu, choose Exit.

To quit from a media clip object:

Select another item or area of the application containing the media clip.

Related Topics

Closing a Media Device


Editing an Embedded Media Clip

You use Media Player to control the playing of a media sequence. However, if you embed a media clip into a document in another application, you do not have to leave that application to edit the clip. Because the media clip is embedded, you can start Media Player from the other application, edit the media clip, and then close Media Player.

To edit an embedded media clip:

1	Open the document in which you have embedded a media clip.

2	Select the embedded clip you want to edit.

3	From the Edit menu, choose Media Clip Object.

The Media Clip menu appears next to the Media Clip Object command.

4	From the Media Clip menu, choose Edit.

Media Player opens with the file open or the device selected.

5	Edit the media clip as needed.

6	From the File menu in Media Player, choose Update.

This updates the embedded media clip in the other application.

7	From the File menu in Media Player, choose Exit.

Media Player closes, and Windows returns you to the document in the other application.

Related Topics

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Setting Media Player Options


Controlling Media Player's Appearance

Media Player provides an abbreviated form of its controls. For devices that do not require a playback window, the abbreviated presentation of Media Player includes the track bar, and the Play/Pause and Stop buttons. For video and animation devices that use a playback window, the playback window is inserted into Media Player above the abbreviated controls.

To switch to the abbreviated form of Media Player:

Press CTRL+W to change from the normal Media Player display to the abbreviated presentation.

Or, double-click the Media Player title bar to change to the abbreviated presentation.

Press CTRL+W again to return to the normal Media Player display.

Or, double-click the Media Player title bar to return to the normal display.

To resize the display window with the abbreviated form of Media Player:

Choose the Maximize button in the upper-right corner of the window to double the size of the display window.

Or, drag the window frame to increase the size of the window.

Or, choose the Restore button in the upper-right corner of the window to restore the window to the default image size.

Related Topics

Setting Media Player Options

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics


Options Dialog Box Description
Media Player Options Dialog Box

The Media Player Options dialog box consists of the following options:

Dialog box options:

Auto Rewind

Rewinds a media sequence, selection, or clip to play again when Media Player reaches the content's end.

You can use Auto Rewind with Media Player as a stand-alone application or as a media clip object.

Auto Repeat

Plays a media sequence selection, or clip as a continuous loop. If this option is set in a media clip object, the media clip will remain open until you select another item or area in the application.

You can use Auto Rewind with Media Player as a stand-alone application or as a media clip object.

Caption

Adds space for a caption at the base of a media clip object. The media clip object uses the text from the box to the right of the Caption option in the Options dialog box. If this option is not selected, the media clip object does not display a caption.

Border Around Object

Inserts a thin border around the window of the media clip object.

Play in Client Document

Plays a media clip within the window of the application containing the media clip object. If this option is not selected and the Control Bar on Playback option is selected, the media clip object opens another window containing the abbreviated controls (and playback window, if necessary) to play the embedded media clip.

Control Bar on Playback

Displays a control bar for playback when the media clip object is selected. The control bar includes a Play/Pause button, a Stop button, and the track bar that you can use to move to another positions in the media clip.

Dither Picture to VGA Colors

With an embedded video clip or animation, the media clip object is marked in an application with a picture instead of an icon. The place marker for the media clip object consists of one frame from the embedded media clip. This option dithers the image of the place marker using the colors from the standard VGA color palette.

If this option is not selected, the place marker uses the color palette of the video clip or animation, creating possible color distortion.

Related Topics

Setting Media Player Options


Video Playback Options Dialog Box

For the Video for Windows device, the configuration options let you adjust viewing characteristics of a video sequence. The Video Playback Options dialog box includes the following options:

Zoom by 2

Doubles the frame size of the playback area in normal and full-screen modes.

Play Only If Waveform Device Available

If a video sequence includes a sound track and the audio resources are already in use, Media Player won't play the video sequence until the audio resources become available. If this option is not selected, Media Player plays the video sequence immediately with or without the soundtrack, depending on the availability of the audio resources.

Seek to Nearest Full Frame

Causes Media Player to choose the nearest full frame when a jump to a non-consecutive frame occurs (always displaying the correct frame image.)

If this option is not selected, media Player chooses the exact frame when a jump to a non-consecutive frame occurs. Media Player displays the current frame data correctly. However, if the frame depends on other frame for some of its data, the frame display might contain inaccuracies.

Skip video Frames If Behind

Prioritizes the sound track of a video sequence above the frame. If Media Player cannot maintain the playback pace, it skips video frames to keep pace with the audio track. If this option is not selected, media Player plays all frames of the video sequence and pauses the audio track as needed.

Don't Buffer Offscreen

Provides a slightly faster playback rate by omitting updates to an off-screen buffer of the playback window. If your system cannot keep pace with the playback rate of a video sequence, but lags only slightly, this option might allow you to play the video sequence at its normal rate without dropping frames.

If you select this option and your system still lags behind the playback rate of the video sequence, the video images might become fuzzy. Also, since a copy of the playback window is not being updated off screen, jumping to another position within a video sequence will probably result in a distorted image until Media Player reaches the next full frame.

Related Topics

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics


Set Selection Dialog Box

The Set Selection Options dialog box allows you mark a selection for playback and consists of the following entries:

All

Select this button entry to mark the entire media sequence in your selection.

None

Select this button entry to erase an existing selection or selection markers.

From

Select this button when you want to make a new selection or edit an existing selection.

Once you select the From button, you can enter or edit the From, To, and Size boxes.

The From box specifies the beginning of the selection. The value you enter into the From box identifies the starting point of the selection from the beginning of the media sequence.

To

Specifies the end of the selection. The value you enter into the To box identifies the ending point of the selection from the beginning of the media sequence.

Size

Specifies the length of the selection. With a value from either the From or the To box, the value you enter into the Size box determines where the other selection marker is placed.

Note	Entries for the From, To, and Size boxes use the same units as those currently used for the reference scale: time, frame number, or track and elapsed time within the track.

Related Topics

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence


File Menu Commands

The File Menu contains these commands:

Open

Close

Exit

Scroll down to see descriptions of each command.

Open

Opens a multimedia data file or device to play with Media Player. In addition to loading the selected media file, Media Player allocates, based on the filename extension, an appropriate device to play the file.

Related Topics

Closing a Media Device

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence

Specifying a Media Device

Close

Releases the device allocated by Media Player and, for compound devices, closes the open media file.

Related Topics

Closing a Media Device

Opening a File

Playing a Media Sequence

Specifying a Media Device

Exit

Closes the device and file allocated by Media Player.

Related Topics

Closing a Media Device


Edit Menu Commands

The Edit Menu contains these commands:

Copy Object

Options

Selection

Scroll down to see descriptions of each command.

Copy Object

Copies Media Player and its current media sequence to the Clipboard as a media clip object that can be inserted in another application.

Related Topics

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Setting Media Player Options

Options

Describes how to handle end-of-media conditions of the current media sequence and describes the presentation options of a media clip object when it's copied to the Clipboard.

Related Topics

Embedding a Media Sequence in Another Application

Setting Media Player Options

Selection

Marks a portion of the current media sequence for playback.

Related Topics

Changing the Scale

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence


Device Menu Commands

The Device Menu contains a list of the devices installed on your system and a Configure command that is unique for each device. Some device types that Media Player can recognize include the following:

Animation

CD Audio

Video for Windows

MIDI Sequencer

Sound

Video Cassette Player

Videodisc

Other devices, if properly installed with an MCI device driver, can be used with Media Player and will appear on the Device menu.

Scroll down to see descriptions of each command.

Animation

Specifies a device that plays animations converted to the Microsoft Multimedia Movie file format.

CD Audio

Specifies a device that plays digital audio from an audio CD.

Video for Windows

Specifies a device that plays video sequences from .AVI files. The Video for Windows device supports video sequences made from 8-bit, 16-bit, and 24-bit color images with or without an accompanying sound track.

The Configure command for the Video for Windows device controls the video mode and some of the video playback options for the copy of Media Player that is running.

MIDI Sequencer

Specifies a device that plays MIDI (.MID or .RMI) files. The number of voices and the degree of polyphony depend on the characteristics physically supported by the sequencer.

Sound

Specifies a device that plays digital audio (waveform or .WAV) files. The quality level of sound files supported by the Sound device ranges from a voice-grade recording to Redbook (audio CD) quality sound.

The Configure command for the Sound provides a control to manage the amount of extended memory (RAM) used to buffer the contents of the sound files.

Video Cassette Player

Specifies a device that plays video cassette cartridges.

Videodisk

Specifies a device that plays videodisks.

Related Topics

Setting Video Viewing Characteristics

Specifying a Media Device


Scale Menu Commands

The Scale Menu identifies the following scales to use with different types of media:

Time

Frames

Tracks

Scroll down to see descriptions of each command.

Time Scale

Displays the scale as elapsed time from beginning to end of the content.

Frames Scale

Displays the scale as a sequence of frames from beginning to end of the currently-loaded video sequence.

Track Scale

Displays the scale as one or more tracks from beginning to end of the content.

Related Topics

Changing the Scale

Selecting Part of a Media Sequence


simple device

A device that plays a media sequence without specifying an associated media file. For example, one such simple device would be an audio compact-disc player,


compound device

A device that plays media sequences by accessing data files on disk or CD-ROM. For example, to play a waveform audio device you must specify the device along with the .WAV file you want to play.


Media Control Interface (MCI)

A standard control interface for multimedia devices and files. MCI allows a multimedia application to easily control a variety of multimedia devices and files.


track bar

A bar that appears above the control buttons. The track bar represents the duration of the current media sequence. The left edge represents the beginning of the sequence and the right edge represents the end of the sequence. The track bar also includes a slider that indicates Media Player's current playing position.


slider

A pencil-shaped pointer attached to the track bar that that shows the current playing position of Media Player. You can move the slider to different positions along the track bar.


Product Support

If you purchased Video for Windows directly from Microsoft or through a retail outlet, product support information is listed at the end of the Video for Windows User's Guide (following the index).

If your copy of Video for Windows is part of an OEM product, you should consult the OEM product documentation for addition support information.