CompuServe Thread

No .FLC drivers on syst

10 messages in this thread
#105466From: Lee MayfieldJun 2, 1994 7:55 PM
Our company recently created an interactive presentation using Compell (Asymetrix). We "packaged" the program into a runtime form and gave it to someone to try. Everything ran OK except some flying type we created in Typestry (Pixar) and saved as .FLC files. The Compell tech guy said our user didn't have the Autodesk MCI driver. Is there an easy way for us to give our user the necessary driver. The three people that want to use this have 486 windows machines, but are not computer jocks and I want to spare them having to edit their .ini files, etc. Much thanks in advance. Lee Mayfield
#105579From: Nik Grant [adesk]Jun 3, 1994 9:39 AM
"Is there an easy way for us to give our user the necessary driver" -uhh.. Well, take a look at the readme which comes with the MCIAAP.DRV file (search for MCIAAP.ZIP in this forum): The MCIAAP.DRV file is a windows MCI driver that adds Animation Player capability to your Windows 3.1 MCI interface. Once the driver is properly installed, you should be able to bring up the Media Player and see 'Animation1' as an additional option under the Device menu. This will verify that the driver is properly installed and now available for any application that can make use of MCI commands. To install: 1) Copy the file MCIAAP.DRV to your \windows\system subdirectory. 2) Load the file SYSTEM.INI into an editor, such as notepad under Windows, or Edit under DOS 5.0. 3) Locate the line '[mci]' (without the apostrphe's). If this section does not exist, you may add it to the end of the file by adding a line that says '[mci]'. 3) Add the following line to this section: Animation1=mciaap.drv 4) If you are in windows, you will need to exit out and restart windows for this change to take effect. 5) Test the installation by bringing up the Media Player (part of the accessories group) and looking at the Device Menu. Animation1 should now be an option on that list.
#105662From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Jun 3, 1994 6:04 PM
NIK, NIK, NIK…. You have described perfectly what an end user has to do in order to install the MCI driver on his machine, including the edits he needs to make to the win.ini file. His question was " Is there an easy way for us to give our user the necessary driver. The three people that want to use this have 486 windows machines, but are not computer jocks and I want to spare them having to edit their .ini files, etc." The answer is no. You MUST edit the win.ini in order to properly install the MCI driver. The only way to make it easier would be to write an installation routine that edits the win.ini for you. However, I am not aware of one that already exists. The developer would have to write it. -Brian
#105677From: Lee MayfieldJun 3, 1994 7:36 PM
Thanks Brian. Looks like it's .ini time. – Lee
#105697From: Kurt McKeeverJun 3, 1994 10:29 PM
PMJI, but aren't most DRV files installed using the /Control Panel / Drivers / Add / Unlisted Driver/ insert disk with OEMSETUP.INF in A:? When I worked developing a sound card and drivers we woud just create the oemsetup.inf to modify the system.ini. Kurt
#106023From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Jun 6, 1994 10:10 AM
<<PMJI, but aren't most DRV files installed using the /Control Panel / Drivers / Add / Unlisted Driver/ insert disk with OEMSETUP.INF in A:?>> Yes, many are. However not all users of the player utility need the MCI driver, so rather than have it installed automatically, and always use the extra overhead the driver takes on your system, we show you how to install it manually. This way, only those who actually need to use the driver wind up using the extra memory. -Brian
#105733From: charles jamesonJun 4, 1994 10:21 AM
Some install programs give you the ability to edit the INI files as part of the installation. I use HPI's Instalit, and it does. It has a command (procedure) called ModifyTextFiles. It takes care of things like offering the user a choice, saving a backup file or making the change in a sample file, etc. Of course, messing with folk's INI files is still a touchy subject – but that _is_ what they are there for. Chuck Jameson Silver Tongue Software
#105678From: Lee MayfieldJun 3, 1994 7:38 PM
Thanks Nik. I was hoping for an easy Program Manager "Run Install", but since that's not possible your notes will be forwarded to our user. Thanks again.
#105692From: Chris HowardJun 3, 1994 9:31 PM
Does MCIAAP.DRV require AAPLAY.DLL? And if not, are there distribution limits on this driver? I assume not, since you need to send it to your clients to run flic files under Compel. In other words, can you include it with your commercial application? — Chris
#106024From: Brian Rudolph [Adesk]Jun 6, 1994 10:17 AM
<<Does MCIAAP.DRV require AAPLAY.DLL? And if not, are there distribution limits on this driver? I assume not, since you need to send it to your clients to run flic files under Compel. In other words, can you include it with your commercial application>> Yes, the MCIAAP.DRV file requires AAPLAY.DLL to be of any use. It is the MCI driver for the Windows Player .DLL. Yes there are distribution limitations for commercial applications. If you are redistributing these files as part of a commercial application you MUST have a license agreement with Autodesk. The person to talk to about licence agreements is Max Hoffman, at 415-332-2344. You may freely distribute these files, so people can see your animations, in any non-commercial application. -Brian