WinDirs XObject ------------------ Version 1.0, 7/26/96 Copyright 1996, Glenn M. Picher Dirigo Multimedia Email: gpicher@maine.com Web: http://www.maine.com/shop/gpicher Phone: (207)767-8015 (South Portland, Maine) Distribute freely. No licensing required. Also distributed by: ------------------ g/matter, inc. Email: support@gmatter.com Web: http://www.gmatter.com Phone: (415) 243-0394 Storing user or installation information with WinDirs ----------------------------------------------------- The WinDirs XObject allows you to detect the name of the Windows and System directories. This can be very handy when you need to store information in a standard location on every Windows machine. It's often used to store a small private .INI file which indicates the actual installed location of a Director presentation on the hard drive. If you build installers with Indigo Rose Setup Factory or Stirling InstallSHIELD, to name but two of the many serviceable Windows installation generators, you can create a private .INI file in the Windows directory which contains a section and a keyword value with the user's choice of installation directory. Then your Director code running from a CD can locate the installed software, using the WinDirs XObject. This can also be particularly useful when designing CDs that automatically run when inserted (using Windows 95's AutoRun feature, and QuickTime 2.0 and later's AutoStart feature on the Macintosh). The application that starts automatically can determine whether to run the installer if no private .INI file yet exists, or run the already-installed copy in the location on the hard drive indicated by the private .INI file in the Windows folder. There is no direct equivalent of the Windows directory on the Mac, so the WinDirs XObject only exists for Windows. You can, however, use the PrefsFolder XObject, also from Dirigo Multimedia, and also *free*, to detect the Preferences folder on the startup disk, where preferences files can be stored. Same strategy, but a slightly different XObject implementation. The demo movie accompanying the WinDirs XObject is in Director 4 format, but will open and work without modification under Director 5 (except under Windows NT 32-bit Director 5; see below). There is a sample cut-n-paste Lingo handler script castmember which can get you up and running with the WinDirs XObject immediately. Bugs ---- No known bugs. Quirks ------ Director 5 32-bit projectors, and the 32-bit Director 5 authoring environment itself, are not able to load and use inherently 16-bit XObjects under Windows NT. This is not a problem under Windows 95, and Director 5 16-bit projectors *can* use XObjects under Windows NT. The Director 5 16-bit authoring environment does not operate at all under Windows NT, however. This means that you have to author Windows NT projects under Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 if you need to use XObjects, testing your development efforts under NT. I expect to release a .x32 Xtra version of WinDirs soon to eliminate this restriction under Windows NT. Under Windows NT, 16-bit applications use a different System directory than 32-bit applications. The WinDirs XObject always returns the 16-bit System directory. This may be an issue if your installer is a 32-bit application; it will place system files into a different directory than the one reported by WinDirs' mSystemDirectory method. The Windows directory, however, is the same for 16-bit and 32-bit applications in all current Windows versions. Revision history --------------- 7/26/96: Version 1.0 First public release. Added TestD4.dir demo movie. 6/4/96: Unnumbered private version, not released publically, but shipped on a number of CD-ROM titles. Standard legal disclaimer ------------------------- This software is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The software or its documentation or sample code may include errors or technical inaccuracies. Changes are periodically made to this software, its documentation and sample code, and may be incorporated in new versions. Dirigo Multimedia and g/matter may improve or change their products at any time without notice. Dirigo Multimedia and g/matter assume no responsibility for and disclaim all liability for errors in this software or its documentation and sample code. Neither Dirigo Multimedia nor g/matter will be responsible for any damages of any sort under any conditions. While the WinDirs XObject contains no known bugs, use it at your own risk. As always, you should make frequent backups of important information. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you.