CompuServe Thread

Recording Windows

3 messages in this thread
#196058From: Jonathan RichardsonOct 19, 1995 3:08 AM
I'm trying to find a method of recording an applications output and putting it in some form of video/movie format . The idea being to add demos of 'HOW TOO' into a help application. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Cheers Jonathan Richardson
#196537From: Robert C. RitgerOct 22, 1995 9:22 PM
Jonathan: I don't know if you've gotten any responses to your querry about saving an applications output in some form of video format. Which application do you have in mind? Do you want to record the mouse moves and what actually transpires on the screen? There are scan converters which will get your output to video tape and capture boards to get that video back into your computer for editing. This sounds a bit contrived but it would work. Provide more info and maybe we can come up with a better answer. – Bob Ritger
#196587From: Chris NormanOct 23, 1995 4:30 AM
Two solutions, Microsoft Video for Windows or Lotus ScreenCam. Lotus ScreenCam has better capture and playback, but uses a proprietary format. It's player is liscense free and with something like RoboHelp, you can integrate them easily into a windows help-file. VFW's capture is lacking, but it records them in an AVI format, which allows you to edit the audio and kick out frames into 3DS or something like that. If you are doing an "online" multimedia help system, I'd recommend ScreenCam. I did this same thing for training, tutoring, and help, and ScreenCam was the solution. Lotus may have more utilities out now, I don't know. IDEA: Build a CD with ScreenCam movies of every screen in a multiuser client server app. The help always points at the server (NT of course) and was context sensitive (In other words, you hit F1, and a sexy voice over said something like "The Widget inventory screen … blah blah blah." then, depending on what you clicked, went more and more indepth. I _highly_ recomment something like robohelp for a project like this. (Robohelp: you make all your help screens in MS Word, and it converts them. very cool)