launching .xls from projector

[DD666]

Hi everybody,

I am trying to build a standalone presentation on CD which will serve as menu-launcher for Excel files. My first try was to put name of .xls file-to-be-opened in the Url field in Character panel for every item on my list. This actualy worked with two problems:

1. .xls file opens in a weird Explorer-Excel hybrid window (title bar says Internet Explorer, but you can have all the Excel menus-tools and functions-sums keep working too). I only wonder what would happen if the user had only NNavigator or any other browser? Would they merge so succesfully with Excel or Excel Viewer which will be available to install?

2. .xls opens sometime in front, some times behind the projector (I read in this forum that there is "topmost" tool from Northern Codeworks but I still haven't tried it).

Second try was to make buttons instead of plain text and use FSCommand to launch files. I tried virtualy every example of script I found here and on other Flash sites with no success. I am runing Flash 5 on XP, and I am not big expert in Actionscript, but code doesn't seem so complicated. Here is what I tried:

on (release) {
fscommand ("exec", "filename.xls");

and:

fscommand ("exec", "start" add Chr(9) add "filename.xls");
fscommand ("exec", "cmd" add Chr(9) add "/c" add Chr(9) add "filename.xls")

and:

fscommand ("exec", "start\t" + "filename.xls");
fscommand ("exec", "cmd\t/c\t" + "filename.xls");

My .xls file is on the same directory as the proyector so no need for the specific path, no?


Third try was to use 3rd party tools. I started with Flash Command Tools ( http://flashtools.net/ ), but still nothing. I can make it work for .txt or .pdf files but with Excel... no way!!! I am pretty sure I got that code right, otherwise it wouldn't work with .txt or .pdf, right?

fscommand ("exec", "ftoolapp.exe\tfilename.txt"); ... works, but:

fscommand ("exec", "ftoolapp.exe\tfilename.xls"); ... doesn't!!!


Finaly I managed to do it with Flashgeek ( http://www.flashgeek.com ). Excel files open with no delay in proper Excel window as I want them to. The only problem, if I got it right, is that it needs separate flashgeek.exe and .txt for every Excel file I want to launch, and I have almost 30 so it will be pretty chaotic CD...

Well, sorry for making it such a long story... Hope somebody have any suggestion to help me solve this, at least until I can afford to by one of those tools who "do it all". People around this forum speak very well about SWF Studio (Northcode: congrats!), hope to try it one day!

Thanks in advance, this is realy a great place to learn...

DD

[Northcode]

I'm going to assume you're using Flash 5 because none of the things you tried will work with Flash MX

The TOPMOST tool I created will allow you to bring an application window to the front if it opens behind your projector.

What's the catch?

It only works with Flash 5 and you have to know the caption of the file you want to open.

Actually you can make it work with Flash MX but you'd need a BAT file for each file you wanted to open and you get the ugly DOS box popping up every time.

If you need any help figuring out how to use the TOPMOST utility, just give me a shout at [email protected] or check out the archives here, I think I've made a couple posts that were on topic

[Reindero]

To open the xls file in its original window (not in ie) can be done with a third party tool. The only one I know off that has this option is Swiffcanvas (but then again I do not know many third party tools and havn't really looked into it).

http://swifftools.com/stools/

try that one, it might work (swiffexec is the command i believe, but read the manual first

[Northcode]

I believe ALL of the major third party tools have options to do this (I know SWF Studio does). The problem DD666 is having is with WHERE that window appears.

[DD666]

Northcode: As I said on my first post I am using Flash 5 on Win XP, and seems strange nothing I have tried so far is working. As of the present state I have two options:

a) keep simple text links towards my Excel files, bear with the Explorer/Excel hybrid and eventualy use your TOPMOST utility to bring Excel files in front. But since in this case everything is pure text (no buttons/objects to script) I would not know where from to call topmost.exe. How do I make:

fscommand("EXEC", "topmost.exe" + chr(9) + "Excel");

work for the whole movie and not for a specific object action? You'll have to bear with my ignorance, maybe I am missing totaly how it works.

b) make my links into buttons and launch Excel files with flashgeek tool (the only thing that seems to be working in my case). In that case I wouldn't need anything else, since it opens Excel files in front the projector (but I'll still have bunch of extra .exe and .txt files in the same folder which is not particulary elegant solution - I guess that's the price to pay for the free utility).

Anyway, I would like some feedback from The Master about Flash Command Tools not being able to open .xls. Is it known limitation or it's only me being incapable of figuring how it should work?

Reindero: Thanks for the link, but I have serious budget limitation (read: no budget at all), and I'll have to do without any of it for now.

[Justmade]

You can try LPFlashEx. It let you open any files with default program in any folders.

LPFlashEx can let you run any program in any folders with parameters and starting directory, open any file with default program, print any file with default print program, save strings / array / XML into files.

LPFlashEx can also locate window directory and temp directory , make directory, copy file, display load / save / browse / color / fonts dialogs to let user choose and then report the result to your project.

It also let you change your flash window title on the fly as often as you like. It let you move and resize your flash window and can make into special effect like shaking the window. It also has the function to shut down windows.

You dont need to code yourself to test it out. The tutorial automatically generate code and let you test it out. You can copy and paste the code to your own project when it prove to work.

It is only 96K and no need to install. It is free for self use (need keep renewal of licence for free) and only cost US$10 for licenced version (no expire and renewal problem) which you can then create and distriubte your projects with LPFlashEx without any additional cost.

You can also look for the Multimedia version which let you load vedio / audio and PDF file into your flash project and control them in Flash.

Peter Yau
http://www.logicplus.com.hk/LPFlashEx

[Reindero]

if you'd give me your e-mail adress, I might have something for you.....