AutoPlay Menu Studio

[Mark]

Hi Everyone,

I have a quick question that hopefully some of you will answer; I am just trying to get a feel for WHY people use AutoPlay, and WHAT they use it for.

My question is very simple: Why do you use AutoPlay and what do you use it for?

I appreciate any and all responses.

mark.

[Jito463]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Well, I personally use it while I'm working on people's computers. I have one CD (lately 2) that I put all the tools and utilities on that I might need to diagnose their computer. I used to simply browse to the folder where the program was, but with AMS I don't have to. I can simply click on the right link in AMS to access any of the programs I need.

Plus, the layout makes my work seem more professional to the customer, as almost all my work is done onsite. When I pop in a CD with my companies name on it, and it pops up a menu with my companies name and it looks professionally done (I think so at least), it just makes the customer feel better about their choice of using me and my company to have their machine fixed. That's my $0.02 worth.

P.S.-> Mark, that would actually be 2 questions

[This message has been edited by Jito463 (edited 02-09-2002).]

[a6106a]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Mark:
AMS works for me as a Demo and Presentation medium. I create instructional and tutorial pieces with audio (former professional radio broadcaster "available for vocing work on AMS projects by the way") from how to build a shed to how to operate in-house created software.
[email protected]

[greven grevs]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

I use it mainly because it was simple. I am a foriegn language instructor for the US Air Force and I wanted to put foriegn language tv programs on cd for my students to view but also I wanted them to be able to click a button and see the transcript for the program in its native language as well as english. Finally , it lets me cut the program up in parts that can be accessed at the click of a button.

ps - it is also so much quicker than authorware 4-6 8)

[njlech]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

I use AMS as a graphical front end menu to our company's business management software suite. It gives me nearly all the features of a Windows style menu, but also has the look and feel of web pages. I use Execute Program, Open Documents, boolean conditions, passwords, GET INFO boxes, Modify INI, and Read from INI commands regularly. What I like best about AMS is that you can be as creative as you want to be with these features. I have constructed 100s of pages in my menu in such a way that it has the appearance of a global navigational folder tree, tool bar, and menu bar. I can set dozens of variables, and call hundreds of exes and help files. I have tried to learn Macromedia Director, Dream Weaver, and others, but AMS by far is the easiest to learn. I would like to see enhancements in the new version that allow me to construct real Windows menu bars, tool bars, drop down lists, functional and dynamic index lists, and folder trees.

Nick

[This message has been edited by njlech (edited 02-19-2002).]

[Michael]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Mark,

I'm an professor at a state university and prepare training programs with video for my students and colleagues. I've also published a interactive training CD thanks to AMS. It is one of the most valuable programs on my computer.

For me, AMS allows for a quick learning curve, and with a little knowledge of graphics and video editing/compression, the sky is the limit, well, except for your own creativity.

I plan many more projects in the future.

M.

[cchian]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

I use AMS to create the front-end for a rating software we write and mail to many agents. I use AMS to make it as easy as possible for our agents to install the software. In other words, our developers write the rating software and I create the CD front-end for it. This works pretty good. The use of variables make it possible to create new projects real fast just by updating some values in an ini file.
AMS was selected in part because it works under any 32-bit Windows version without requiring user to have certain files or plug-ins (We want the menu to run in everyone's PC).

-Carlos

[AGRO]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Hello, I use both AMS and Flash 5 to produce the CD-ROM Interactive Business Cards. Also we use the digital juice which is a great help. I can't wail until version 4 of AMS comes out with Flash .swf support. I would love to help test it for you, I have made quite the amount of projects with AMS and Flash.

AGRO

[Brett]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Please see topic:
http://www.indigorose.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000618.html about the flash issue.

- Brett

[wwwScottRohcom]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

I am a REALTOR and use Autoplay to sell houses and gain buyers who are relocating from out of state. I can put complete avi's of myself and homes, on the CD.

If its easy enough for me to use 3.0, imagine what 4.0 will do!
Scott

[eric_darling]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

If its easy enough for me to use 3.0, imagine what 4.0 will do!

A bit of a learning curve, but you are certainly right about the low learning curve on the product. Just about anyone who can operate a computer can use AMS.

[unknown user]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Well certainly compared to similar tools like Macromedia Director it's much easier to learn... And with the addition of flash objects now, almost as powerful. Yet much less expensive too... [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Corey

[joey]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Well, I personaly use it for fun! Actually for my friends, I love the way it looks, professionaly, and make it easy for my "stupid" pal to figure out my gift for them...most mp3 cd currently...sorta illegal? [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Flash with AMS4? wow, great! easy to handle? I suggest AMS4 will ship with more real nice and creative "Media Library", see? Most the material you provided with 3.0 look awful and I have to search for some nice stuff myself to make my cd perfect....

Whateva, good luck!

[eric_darling]

Re: AutoPlay Menu Studio

Well, I personaly use it for fun! Actually for my friends, I love the way it looks, professionaly, and make it easy for my "stupid" pal to figure out my gift for them...most mp3 cd currently...sorta illegal?

Nothing illegal about distributing an MP3 player that you create with AMS. Distributing MP3 files of copyrighted works, yes, that's illegal.

Flash with AMS4? wow, great! easy to handle? I suggest AMS4 will ship with more real nice and creative "Media Library", see? Most the material you provided with 3.0 look awful and I have to search for some nice stuff myself to make my cd perfect....

Very well implemented, as is the web browser object. There is even a hook built in that will allow Flash to control AMS actions. Powerful is the right word. BTW, I consider the media that comes with the AMS application to be "bonus" material - but it sure would be nice to see a whole bunch more of it, and better quality, too.