Zeus Productions
Application-Specific FUQ

Refer to our Needs Analysis FAQ to determine if zLaunch, zOpen, zScript or some other tool is right for you.

Which Zeus utilities work with Netscape Navigator or MIE?

zLaunch for Mac and Windows both allow you to quit your Projector and bring up Netscape Navigator or another browser. When you launch the browser you can specify a particular HTML file to be opened. The user can link to as many local HTML files or web URLs as they like from within the browser. When they exit the browser, the Projector will be relaunched by zLaunch.
zOpen for Windows allows you to locate the user's default browse based on the association with the HTML file extension or the "htmlfile" file type. You can then open an HTML using the user's default browser.
zScript for Macintosh allows you control AppleScriptable browsers via AppleScript. You can issue the "getURL" and "openURL" AppleEvents, among others, to control the browser from Director.

Tips on Working with Netscape Navigator

When testing with Netscape Navigator, be aware of Navigator caching feature. Be sure to delete the cache files or manually reload the document to ensure a valid test.
When using zLaunch for Macintosh to launch Netscape Navigator 3.0 by its Creator Code, the correct code is "MOSS" (all capital letters).
Under Windows 95, starting Navigator via the Lingo open command will start a second copy of Navigator if a copy of Navigator was already running. One solution is to use zLaunch for Windows or zOpen for Windows, which can be used to force the user to quit Navigator in order to return to Director, thus helping to ensure that only one copy of Navigator is run at any given time.
Under Windows, Navigator can accept a URL instead of an HTML document when it is first started. To change URLs via Director, you cannot pass Navigator a URL, but you can pass it a local HTML file which contains a link to the URL of choice.

The following will work on a PC, but not a Mac.

open "http://www.macromedia.com" with "c:\netscape\netscape.exe"
On a Macintosh, Netscape Navigator will not accept a URL as a command-line parameter. If you open it without a document, it will open to the home page defined in the browser's preferences. You can set this "home page" preference if you have control over the user's configuration, such as with a kiosk, or when you are including the browser on a CD.

Instead, you can open a local HTML file, such as a "title page" that tells the user, "Click here to access our remote site."

open "myHardDrive:webpage.html" with "myHardDrive:myBrowser"

You can add a 'Meta-refresh' to the local HTML page, to cause it to jump to another URL, without requiring the user to click.

On the Macintosh, you can also control Netscape, and other AppleScriptable browsers using the "openURL" AppleEvent (see zScript).
On the Macintosh, the Lingo "open...with" command will only open a new document if Navigator is not already running. If Navigator is already running, "open...with" will bring it to the front, but it won't "swap in" the new document. zLaunch for Macintosh solves this problem and can be used to swap in the new document even if Navigator is already running.

Which Zeus utilities work with Adobe Acrobat Reader and PDF files?

zLaunch for Mac and Windows both allow you to quit your Projector and run Adobe Acrobat. When you launch Acrobat you can specify a particular PDF file to be opened. The user can view or print as many PDF files as they like from within Acrobat. When they exit Acrobat, the Projector will be relaunched by zLaunch.
zOpen for Windows allows you to locate Acrobat based on the association with the PDF file extension. You can then open and print PDF files using Acrobat.
zScript for Macintosh allows you control Acrobat via AppleScript, including printing and opening documents.

Can I keep Acrobat running in the background, while the Projector is running, and pass Acrobat the names of PDF files for it to open?

zLaunch for Windows is primarily designed to free up RAM by allowing you to quit Director. If you have sufficient RAM to keep both your projector and Acrobat open, zOpen for Windows is a better choice under Windows. zLaunch for Macintosh, or zScript for Macintosh both could do the job on the Macintosh.

How can I print a document with Acrobat?

There are several ways to print via Acrobat.

You can open a document with Acrobat and allow the user to print it manually from within Acrobat in the typical way.
zLaunch for Windows allows you to print an Acrobat document by specifying the "/P" parameter as a command-line argument when you launch Acrobat with a document
zOpen for Windows includes the zPrintDoc method which causes a document to be printed using the associated application. You can also use the zOpenDoc method's "print" mode or pass the "/P" parameter when opening Acrobat with the zOpenExe method.
zScript for Macintosh allows you control Acrobat via AppleScript, including printinga document.

How do I suppress the Acrobat's splash screen when it is opened?

Under Windows, you can use the "/S" parameter to supress Acrobat's splash screen. This can also be set in Acrobat's preferences. The "/S" is specified as a command line parameter before the document name, such as: ACRORD32.EXE /S MYDOC.PDF

How do I open up Acrobat in a hidden window?

Under Windows, you can use the "/H" parameter to hide the Acrobat application when it is opened. It will remain hidden and until you open another document, or access it manually with Alt-Tab or via the Start Menu bar.

Using zOpen for Windows you can also open it with a window of type "3" which is a hidden window.

How do I open up Acrobat without a document without it bringing up a file open dialog box?

If you specify a document when opening Acrobat, it will not prompt you for a document to open. If opening Acrobat without a document, you can use the "/O" (letter Oh) parameter to suppress the File Open dialog box ordinarily posted Acrobat when it is opened without a document.

How can I open a Macintosh application by its Creator Code without specifying a document name?

You must specify a document name when launching an application by its Creator Code with zLaunch for Macintosh. Create a dummy file, if necessary.

Zeus Productions Application-Specific FUQ

Refer to our Needs Analysis FAQ to determine if zLaunch, zOpen, zScript or some other tool is right for you. Which Zeus utilities work with Netscape Navigator or MIE?