Cyberlink StreamAuthor - 3.0 User’s Guide

CyberLink

StreamAuthor 3

User’s Guide

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of CyberLink Corporation.

To the extent allowed by law, KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY FOR INFORMATION, SERVICES, OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH OR IN CONNECTION WITH

StreamAuthor IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY

STREAMAUTHOR AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A

PARTICULAR PURPOSE, EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

BY USING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE THAT CYBERLINK WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE OR MATERIALS CONTAINED EITHER IN THIS PACKAGE.

The terms and conditions here under shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of Taiwan.

StreamAuthor is a registered trademark along with other company and product names mentioned in this

publication, used for identification purposes and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

International Headquarters

Mailing Address CyberLink Corporation

15F, #100, Min Chuan Road, Hsin Tian City Taipe i C ounty, Ta iwan

Web Site www.cyberlink.com

Telephone 886-2-8667-1298

Fax 886-2-8667-1300

Contents

Introduction.................................................................................... 1

Welcome! ............................................................................................................................. 2

What is StreamAuthor? ......................................................................................................2

What’s New in this Version? ............................................................................................... 3

What is “E-Learning”? ....................................................................................................... 3

The StreamAuthor Program .....................................................................................................4

StreamAuthor Projects ............................................................................................................5

Project Types .................................................................................................................... 5

Presentation Formats ......................................................................................................... 6

Templates ........................................................................................................................ 6

Encoding Profiles ..............................................................................................................6

Preferences ....................................................................................................................... 7

System Requirements .............................................................................................................. 9

Full-Screen Mode.......................................................................... 11

Creating a Full-Screen Presentation File ................................................................................. 12

Create a Full-Screen Presentation in CSS Format ............................................................... 12

Create a Full-Screen Presentation in Multiple Frame Window Format ..................................13

Opening a Full-Screen Presentation ....................................................................................... 14

Saving a Full-Screen Presentation .......................................................................................... 15

Convert a Full-Screen Project to a Studio Project ..................................................................... 16

Presentation Window ............................................................................................................17

Acquire Content in a Full-Screen Presentation ................................................................... 18

Record in the Presentation Window ................................................................................... 19

Author Window .................................................................................................................... 29

Using the Timeline .......................................................................................................... 29

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Editing Clips in the Timeline .............................................................................................33

Using the Supplement Pane ............................................................................................. 37

Preview Window .............................................................................................................47

Publish Window ................................................................................................................... 48

Studio Mode................................................................................. 49

Creating a Studio Presentation File ........................................................................................ 50

Create a Studio Presentation in CSS Format ...................................................................... 50

Create a Studio Presentation in Multiple Frame Window Format .........................................51

Opening a Studio Presentation File ........................................................................................ 52

Saving a Studio Presentation File ........................................................................................... 53

Studio Window .................................................................................................................... 54

Using the Library ............................................................................................................. 54

Inserting Content into the Timeline ...................................................................................60

Editing Clips in the Timeline .............................................................................................67

Capturing in the Studio Window ....................................................................................... 67

Preview Your Production .................................................................................................. 72

Capture Window .................................................................................................................73

Author Window .................................................................................................................... 82

Publish Window ................................................................................................................... 82

Editing CSS Templates................................................................... 83

The Template Editor ............................................................................................................. 84

Opening Templates .............................................................................................................85

Modifying Templates ............................................................................................................86

Modify a Template’s Layout .............................................................................................86

Modify a Template Component’s Settings ......................................................................... 86

Previewing a Template ..........................................................................................................89

Saving a Template ............................................................................................................... 90

Encoding Profiles .......................................................................... 91

What are Encoding Profiles? ................................................................................................. 92

Selecting the Right Encoding Profile ....................................................................................... 93

Creating Encoding Profiles .................................................................................................... 94

Managing Encoding Profiles .................................................................................................94

Content

Publishing Profiles ......................................................................... 95

Creating a Publishing Profile ................................................................................................. 96

Publish as a Presentation ................................................................................................. 96

Publish as an EXE File .................................................................................................... 100

Publish as a ZIP File ...................................................................................................... 104

Modifying Publishing Profiles ...............................................................................................109

Delete a Publishing Profile ............................................................................................. 110

Edit a Publishing Profile ................................................................................................. 111

Technical Support ....................................................................... 113

Web Support ................................................................................................................113

Fax Support ..................................................................................................................113

Telephone Support ........................................................................................................ 114

Index ......................................................................................... 115

iii

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Chapter 1:

Introduction

StreamAuthor combines video, audio, images, HTML, and PowerPoint slides to create richmedia presentations that can be published to your local drive or to a remote server. StreamAuthor offers advanced, yet simple to use tools that can provide the means to train employees more quickly at minimal cost, deliver customized rich-media sales presentations, vivid product demonstrations, and more. Plus, with StreamAuthor's flexible output options, these files can be viewed practically anywhere and at any time.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Welcome! on p.2

• The StreamAuthor Program on p.4

• StreamAuthor Projects on p.5

• System Requirements on p.9

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Welcome!

Welcome to the CyberLink family of e-learning tools! CyberLink is a leading provider of elearning software, including creation of media and management of training content.

What is StreamAuthor?

CyberLink StreamAuthor is an advanced, yet easy to use, authoring tool that enables both professional and general users to incorporate video, audio, images, HTML, and PowerPoint slides to create and edit rich-media presentations that can be published to your local drive or to a remote server. StreamAuthor offers tools that can provide the means to train employees effectively with minimal cost, deliver customized rich-media sales presentations or product demonstrations, and much more. Given StreamAuthor's flexible publishing options, these files can be viewed anywhere, anytime.

StreamAuthor’s main features include the following:

• synchronizes video, audio, images, HTML, and PowerPoint files for publication to

your local drive or to a remote server

• edits your project’s PowerPoint slides without affecting the original files

• records Full-Screen Presentations, including cursor movements and the pen tool

• adds watermarks and background audio

• creates tests

• provides a variety of presentation templates

• exports SCORM 1.2-compliant/SCORM 2004-compliant ZIP files

What’s New in this Version?

New features in StreamAuthor 3.5 include:

• Multiple Format Support for Full-Screen Presentation

• Recording Slides and Monitor Screen in One Presentation

• Inserting Blank Slides Dynamically

• Pen Tools for Screen Capture

• Editing Published Presentations

• Presentation Template Editing Tool

• Voice-Over Narration

• Content Security Enhancement (Encryption, Expiration, Copy Protection)

• Assessment Capabilities with MS Word

• Content Sequencing Rules Support

• Multiple chapters production

• SCORM 2004 support

Introduction

What is “E-Learning”?

“E-Learning,” or “online learning,” is the use of computer-based materials to provide training content over a network, such as a company’s intranet. Many companies provide tests for employment candidates, information for new hires, and training materials for current employees.

How does StreamAuthor fit into e-learning?

StreamAuthor enables you to create rich-media presentations by combining images, video and audio files, documents, and other file types with PowerPoint files or other slides. The final presentation can be viewed in a browser window or as a stand-alone video file.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

The StreamAuthor Program

StreamAuthor can be run in two basic modes: Full-Screen mode or Studio mode. Each of these modes, in turn, has several windows.

Full-Screen mode has the following windows:

• Presentation: record video/audio and slide presentations simultaneously. For more

information, see Presentation Window on p.17.

• Author: compile and organize your presentation. For more information, see Author

Window on p.29.

• Publish: compile your presentation in one of a number of different formats, then save

it to the destination of your choice. For more information, see Publish Window on p.48.

Studio mode has the following windows:

• Studio: import video/audio clips as well as PowerPoint slides for presentation

authoring. For more information, see Studio Window on p.54.

• Capture: acquire video and audio from a wide variety of sources, including a

camcorder, TV, webcam, microphone, Audio CD, as well as on-screen motion. For more information, see Capture Window on p.73.

• Author: compile and organize your presentation. For more information, see Author

Window on p.29.

• Publish: compile your presentation in one of a number of different formats, then save

it to the destination of your choice. For more information, see Publish Window on p.48.

The appearance of the program and the available options depend on the mode, the open window, and the template selected during the project file creation process.

StreamAuthor Projects

Whether you have an entire project planned out in advance, or are experimenting with new styles, StreamAuthor offers a number of options for creating exactly the presentation that suits your specific e-learning requirements.

Project Types

There are a number of different possible presentation styles, requiring a slightly different procedure to create each kind. The two basic styles are Full-Screen presentations and Studio presentations.

Full-Screen presentations display one slide at full-screen, allowing you to project a larger image of your presentation. These presentations are generally used with a live speaker.

Full-Screen Presentations are suitable mostly for:

• public speakers who are making speeches in front of an audience

• company meetings that need to be recorded and used for future training sessions

• sales presentations delivered to clients

Studio presentations display a smaller window - often with supplementary media.

Introduction

Studio Presentations are suitable mostly for:

• presentations or training materials that can be accessed over the Internet or your

company’s intranet and viewed at leisure.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Presentation Formats

StreamAuthor includes two presentation formats: CSS and Multiple Frame Window formats. These are described in the following section.

CSS

Using the CSS format allows you to edit your project’s template as you work on the project file. However, audience will be unable to resize the final presentation window. For more information, see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

Multiple Frame Windows

Using the Multiple Frame Windows format allows your audience to resize the final presentation window. However, you cannot edit the template while you are creating the project file.

Tem p l ates

The project template you use determines the number and position of slide windows and the presence or absence of a table of contents, video file, audio file, etc. There are a number of default templates in the StreamAuthor program, which you can either use as-is or copy and customize to your specific requirements. For more on using templates, see Manage Templates on p.39. For information on editing templates for customized use, see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

Encoding Profiles

An encoding profile determines the video/audio quality of your final presentation. StreamAuthor allows you to select, copy and configure your own encoding profiles. For more information, see Encoding Profiles on p.91.

Preferences

CyberLink StreamAuthor offers a range of choices to set your production environment to better suit the way you work.

Project Preferences

Before you begin working on a presentation, make sure your project preferences are set according to your preferred working methods.

1. To set your general preferences, click Too ls > Preferences.... The Preferences dialog box

opens.

Introduction

2. Click the Project tab, then set your preferences:

• Copy media source files to the directory: Check this option to keep all of your source

files in one location.

Note: Checking this option uses more hard disc space.

• Default directory for opening/saving projects: Specify the working directory where

you want StreamAuthor to save projects to by default. To specify a directory, click Browse..., then locate and open the desired directory.

• Summary Information: Enter the author’s name, email address, and copyright

information in these fields.

3. Click OK.

Presentation Preferences

Presentation preferences allow you to set default options for working in your presentation.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

1. To set your Presentation preferences, click To ol s > Preferences.... The Preferences dialog

box opens.

2. Click the Presentation tab, then set your preferences:

• Action When Playback is Finished: sets the action that StreamAuthor takes when

the published presentation finishes playing back.

• Launch URL When Playback is Finished: opens a website after the published

presentation finishes playing back. To launch a website, enter the URL here.

• View Sequencing Control: select Allow viewers to access all content or Prevent

viewers from jumping to unread content while the published presentation plays.

3. Click OK.

Timeline Preferences

Timeline preferences allow you to set default options for working in the Timeline.

1. To set your Timeline preferences, click To o l s > Preferences.... The Preferences dialog box

opens.

2. Click the Timeline tab, then set your preferences:

• Default Durations: sets the default duration of each file type in the Timeline.

• Automatically insert TOC markers when inserting new slides: adds a TOC marker

for each new slide.

3. Click OK.

Introduction

CyberLink StreamAuthor

System Requirements

The system requirements listed below are recommended as minimums for using this program. To create presentations, your system requirements are as follows:

Minimum System Requirements

OS Windows 2000/XP

Memory 256 MB RAM

CPU Pentium III 700 MHz or above or AMD Athlon

700 or above

Disk Space 100 MB

Audio Sound card/chip, speakers

Video VGA card/chip with 8 MB video RAM or above

PowerPoint Office 2000/XP/2003

Capture (Optional)

Create Tests Microsoft Word 2000/2002/2003

The system requirements for viewing presentations are as follows:

• Windows Media Player 7.0 or above

• Internet Explorer 5.5 or above

• Sound card/chip, speakers

The system requirements for streaming presentations are as follows:

• Windows 2000 Server with 512 MB RAM or above

• Microsoft Media Server 4.0 or above

Video capture device with WDM driver support: PC Camera, Capture Card, TV Tuner, DV Camcorder with IEEE 1394 (Firewire) Interface Audio Capture Device: microphone

Chapter 2:

Full-Screen Mode

Full-Screen mode allows you to record your live delivery of a presentation. These functions, including recording a Full-Screen presentation, are described in this chapter.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Creating a Full-Screen Presentation File on p.12

• Opening a Full-Screen Presentation on p.14

• Saving a Full-Screen Presentation on p.15

• Convert a Full-Screen Project to a Studio Project on p.16

• Presentation Window on p.17

• Author Window on p.29

• Publish Window on p.48

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Creating a Full-Screen Presentation File

You can create a Full-Screen Presentation project in CSS format or multiple frame windows format. The procedures for both are given below.

Create a Full-Screen Presentation in CSS Format

To create a new Full-Screen Presentation in CSS format, do this:

1. Start StreamAuthor, or select the File > New Project... command from within an existing presentation. In the dialog box that opens, select Full-Screen Presentation.

2. Select Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), then click Next.

3. Select the template you would like to use, then click Next.

Full-Screen Mode

• If you have created a custom template, you can select it in the list. For more

information, please see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

4. Add your source media files, then click Finish.

• To enable video capture, select the Video option, then select your video capture

device from the drop-down box (if necessary). You can also select your audio capture device from the Audio drop-down box (if necessary).

• To add slides, click Add, then locate and open the source files of the slides you want

to use.

Full-Screen Mode

Create a Full-Screen Presentation in Multiple Frame Window Format

To create a new Full-Screen Presentation in multiple frame window format, do this:

1. Start StreamAuthor, or select the File > New Project... command from within an existing presentation. In the dialog box that opens, select Full-Screen Presentation.

2. Select Multiple Frame Windows, then click Next.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

3. Select the template you would like to use, then click Next.

• If you have created a custom template, you can select it in the list. For more

information, please see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

4. Add your source media files, then click Finish.

• To enable video capture, select the Video option, then select your video capture

device from the drop-down box (if necessary). You can also select your audio capture device from the Audio drop-down box (if necessary).

• To add slides, click Add, then locate and open the source files of the slides you want

to use.

Full-Screen Mode

Opening a Full-Screen Presentation

You may begin authoring a presentation immediately after creating a new project file, or you may wish to work on an existing project file.

To open an existing project file for authoring, do one of the following:

• Select the File > New Project... command, then click a recent project’s name to open it

directly or click More..., then locate and open a project file.

• Select the File > Open Project... command, then locate and open a project file.

• Select the File > Open Published Project... command, then locate and open a

presentation file that has been previously published. This command allows you to open and edit a previously published presentation whose source file has been lost. When you select this command, StreamAuthor opens and captures the published presentation, recreating the source files for you.

Note: StreamAuthor can only open published projects created in version 2.5 or later.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Saving a Full-Screen Presentation

Saving a Full-Screen presentation file is very straightforward.

To save a Full-Screen presentation file, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen presentation project.

2. Select the File > Save Project or File > Save Project As... command. The standard Project

dialog box opens.

3. Enter a project file name, then set the directory where you want to save the project file.

• To specify a directory, click Browse..., then locate and open the desired directory.

4. Click Finish.

Full-Screen Mode

Convert a Full-Screen Project to a Studio Project

You can convert a Full-Screen Presentation project file to a Studio project file.

To convert a Full-Screen presentation into a Studio presentation, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

2. Select the File > Convert to Studio Project... command. The Project dialog box opens.

3. Enter the directory in which you would like to save the new file.

• Click Browse... to locate the directory.

4. Click Finish.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Presentation Window

This section describes the functions in the Presentation window of Full-Screen mode. The Presentation window records video/audio and slide presentations simultaneously. You might, for example, wish to record yourself by webcam while your PowerPoint presentation plays in a different window. To enter the Presentation window, click the Presentation tab in Full-Screen mode.

The Presentation window appears as follows:

Full-Screen Mode

Acquire Content in a Full-Screen Presentation

You can acquire content in a Full-Screen presentation by importing slides or zipped HTML files, or taking a snapshot of video playback.

Import Slides into a Full-Screen Presentation

To import slides into a Full-Screen presentation, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

2. Click the Presentation tab.

3. Click . The Import Slides/URL dialog box opens.

4. Click Add Files, then locate and open the files you want to import.

• You can remove a file from the list of files to be imported by selecting it in the list,

then clicking Delete.

• Convert PowerPoint slides to images: Check this option to ensure that PowerPoint

slides appear exactly as in the original PowerPoint presentation. (Animations are not supported when slides are converted to images.)

5. Click OK.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Take a Snapshot of Video Playback

You can capture a single frame from a video clip and save it to the directory you specify as a .bmp file.

To take a snapshot of a video clip, do this:

1. Begin playback or navigate to the frame you want to capture.

2. Click . The current frame of video is captured and a dialog box opens, prompting

you to save the file.

3. Save the file to the desired directory.

Record in the Presentation Window

You can record your presentation or record video in the Presentation window of Full-Screen mode.

Set the Recording Volume

You can set the recording volume level to ensure that the volume of the audio track that accompanies your video plays at a suitable level.

To set the recording volume level, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

2. Click the Presentation tab.

3. Click . The recording volume slider appears.

4. Adjust the volume as desired.

• Drag the slider up to increase the recording volume.

• Drag the slider down to decrease the recording volume.

• Click to mute the recording volume. Click to unmute the recording volume.

5. Click outside the slider area to close the volume slider.

Record Your Presentation

You can record your presentation at full-screen in the Presentation window. After you record your presentation, it is automatically loaded into the Timeline in the Author tab. For more information, see Using the Timeline on p.29.

To record a full-screen presentation, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

Full-Screen Mode

2. Click . A message box opens, reminding you to click the Record icon in order to begin recording. Click OK to enter recording mode. (To prevent this message box from

opening in the future, check the Do not display this message again option before clicking OK.)

3. Click to begin recording.

4. Click to stop recording.

5. Click to exit the recording function.

Navigate Through Presentation Slides

You can navigate through your slides while you are delivering your presentation.

Note: You may prefer to pause your presentation before navigating to a different slide, as the time required to navigate is included in the recording.

To navigate through slide pages while recording, do this:

1. Start recording your presentation.

2. Select a navigation option from the following:

• Click to display the previous slide

• Click to display the next slide

• Select a slide from the drop-down menu to display that slide.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

•

Click to display individual slide pages.

• Click to display thumbnails of all slide pages. Click a slide thumbnail to jump to

that slide.

Insert a Blank Slide While Recording

You can insert a blank slide into your presentation, then use the pen and text tools to add color, shapes, and wording. You can insert and create a blank slide at any point while recording your presentation.

To insert a blank slide into your presentation, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen presentation project.

2. Click . A message box opens, reminding you to click the Record icon in order to begin recording. Click OK to enter recording mode.

3. Click to insert a blank slide.

Full-Screen Mode

4. Use the drawing and text tools to create your slide.

• (Free Draw): draws irregular shapes.

• (Line): draws straight lines.

• (Rectangle): draws rectangular and square outlines.

• (Ellipse): draws elliptical and circular outlines.

• (Tool Wid t h ): controls the size of each of the drawing tools.

• (Tool C o l o r): controls the color of each of the drawing tools.

• (Insert Te x t ): inserts text in a text box. Clicking this tool simultaneously opens a

standard Font toolbar, which allows you to control font attributes, including size and color.

Note: To resize the text box, drag one of its corners. To position the text box, drag one of its edges.

• (Record Cursor): records the cursor movement.

• (Eraser): erases all of the content on the blank slide.

Note: The drawing tools are not supported in PDF, HTML, and Flash files.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Select an Encoding Profile

Before recording your presentation, you may wish to select a different encoding profile in order to record in a specific format.

To select an encoding profile, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

2. Click the Presentation tab.

3. Click . The Profile Configuration dialog box opens.

4. Select an encoding profile, then click OK. For more information, see Encoding Profiles

on p.91.

5. Click OK.

Full-Screen Mode

Configure Your Capture Devices

Before capturing, you may wish to configure your capture devices. Normally, you should not need to modify the default device configuration.

To configure your capture devices, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

2. Click the Presentation tab.

3. Click . The Device Configuration dialog box opens.

4. Configure your devices as necessary:

• Video: Select your video capture device from the Video Capture Device drop-down

menu. Select the source of video input from among the available Video Source options. (Available options vary from computer to computer.) Select a video option from the Video Option drop-down menu.

• Audio: Check Audio only at the top of the dialog box to record audio without video.

Select your audio capture device from the Audio Capture Device drop-down menu. Select the source of audio input from among the available Audio Source options. (Available options vary from computer to computer.) Select an audio option from the

Audio Option drop-down menu.

5. Click OK.

Record Video in the Presentation Window

To record a full-screen presentation, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen Presentation project.

2. Click . A message box opens, reminding you to click the Record icon in order to

begin recording. Click OK to enter recording mode. (To prevent this message box from opening in the future, check the Do not display this message again option before clicking OK.)

CyberLink StreamAuthor

3. Click . The video capture window opens.

• Click to set the recording volume.

• Click to take a snapshot of the current video frame.

• Click to configure your capture device. See Configure Your Capture Devices on

p.23.

4. Click to begin recording.

5. Click to stop recording.

6. Click to exit the video capture window.

7. Click to exit the recording function.

Full-Screen Mode

Screen Capture

You can capture on-screen motion, such as cursor movement or the addition of text or drawings, as your presentation plays. You can specify the on-screen area to capture, then (depending on your settings) capture as video with or without audio. Each of these methods is presented in this section.

When you enter the Screen Capture function, the following toolbar appears:

If you minimize the toolbar during capture, you can still access its function using the following hotkeys:

Hotkey Function

F11 Start/Pause capture

F12 Stop capture

F Free Draw tool

E Ellipse tool

L Line tool

R Rectangle tool

AArrow tool

UUndo

Esc Stop drawing

Note: The Arrow tool and the Undo function are available only by using hotkeys.

Configure Your Screen Capture Settings

To configure your screen capture settings, do this:

1. Open the screen capture function.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

2. In the toolbar that opens, click . The Screen Capture Configuration dialog box opens.

3. Configure your screen capture settings:

• Capture Audio: check to enable audio capture.

• Audio source: select the source of audio input from among the available options.

• Audio device: select the audio hardware on your system. (Many systems have only

one audio hardware device.)

• Frames/second: check Auto-select by system to let StreamAuthor select the most

appropriate setting. If you require a specific fps count, uncheck the automatic option and select a number from the drop-down list.

• Screen Setting: select the area that you want to capture. Full-screen captures

everything that is visible on the desktop. Region allows you to draw the capture area yourself. When you select Region, the coordinate fields on the right also become active. You can enter values in these fields to define the region you capture, or even drag the capture frame that appears when you capture a region. Window allows you to capture the active window.

• Minimize toolbar to system tray while capturing: check this option to minimize the

screen capture interface while capturing.

• Output directory: specify the directory where you want StreamAuthor to save screen

capture files by default. To specify a directory, click Browse..., then locate and open the desired directory.

• Disk Information: a read-only field that displays information about the current disk

drive.

• Current Cursor Position: a read-only field that displays the current coordinates of

the cursor.

4. Click OK.

Capture On-Screen Motion as Video

To capture on-screen motion as video, do this:

1. Open the screen capture function.

2. Click to begin recording.

3. Use the drawing and text tools to draw and write while capturing. For more

information, see Insert a Blank Slide While Recording on p.20.

4. Click to stop recording.

5. Click to exit the screen capture function.

Full-Screen Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Capture the Full Screen

To capture your full screen, do this:

1. Open the screen capture function.

2. In the toolbar that opens, click . The Screen Capture Configuration dialog box opens.

3. Select Full-screen, then click OK.

4. Click to begin recording.

5. Use the drawing and text tools to draw and write while capturing. For more

information, see Insert a Blank Slide While Recording on p.20.

6. Click to stop recording.

7. Click to exit the screen capture function.

Full-Screen Mode

Capture a Region

To capture a region, do this:

1. Open the screen capture function.

2. In the toolbar that opens, click . The Screen Capture Configuration dialog box opens.

3. Select Region, then set the size and position of the capture box by doing one of the

following:

• Drag the cursor to create a capture region.

• Drag one of the corners to freely resize the capture region.

• Enter values in the coordinate fields to set a specific capture region size.

• Drag one of the sides to position the capture region.

4. Click OK to close the dialog box.

5. Click to begin recording.

6. Click to stop recording.

7. Click to exit the screen capture function.

Capture a Window

To capture a window, do this:

1. Open the screen capture function.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

2. In the toolbar that opens, click . The Screen Capture Configuration dialog box opens.

3. Select Window, then select the window you want to capture by doing one of the

following:

• Select a window in the Screen Setting pane.

• Click Other Window, then drag the Windows Finder icon onto the window you want

to capture.

4. Click OK to close the dialog box.

5. Click to begin recording.

6. Click to stop recording.

7. Click to exit the screen capture function.

Full-Screen Mode

Author Window

The Author window, available in both Full-Screen and Studio modes, allows you to compile and organize your presentation. You can import slides, add supplementary items into the Timeline, preview your presentation, and edit Timeline clips. To enter the Author window, click the Author tab in Full-Screen mode.

The Author window (in Full-Screen mode) appears as follows:

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Using the Timeline

The Author window contains a Timeline in which you can insert and organize media clips, tests, and even pause markers.

Timeline sli der.

Begins playback from the current Timeline slider position.

Pauses playback.

Jumps to the previous clip edge.

Jumps to the next clip edge.

Splits a video/audio clip at the current Timeline slider position.

Trims video to the left of the current Timeline slider position.

Trims video to the right of the current Timeline slider position.

Adds a Pause marker into the Timeline at the current Timeline slider position.

To lock a track in the Timeline, click at the extreme left of the track. When a track is locked, you cannot add new clips to the track, nor move or edit the clips it contains. To unlock a track in the Timeline, click at the extreme left of the track. When a track is unlocked, you can freely add, move, and edit clips.

Navigating in the Timeline

You can navigate to different positions in the Timeline.

To navigate in the Timeline, do one of the following:

• Click anywhere on the Timeline ruler to place the slider at that position.

• Click to jump to the previous clip edge.

• Click to jump to the next clip edge.

• Drag the Timeline slider to zoom in or zoom out on the Timeline. Zooming out allows

you to take in your entire presentation, while zooming in allows you to view more detail.

Delete a Clip in the Timeline

To delete a clip in the Timeline, do one of the following:

• Right-click the clip, then select Delete.

• Select the clip, then press the Delete key.

• To clear the Timeline of all clips, choose the Edit > Clear Timeline command or right-

click on any track and choose Clear Timeline.

Full-Screen Mode

Move a Clip in the Timeline Quickly

To move a clip in the Timeline quickly, drag and drop it to a new location. Moving a clip in a track also moves all of the following clips in the same track in the Timeline, as well as all clips in tracks below it that have been inserted within that clip’s duration. This allows you to synchronize all of your clips automatically.

Move a Clip in the Timeline Precisely

This is the most precise way to move a clip in the Timeline.

To move a clip in the Timeline precisely, do this:

1. Right-click the clip, then select Time Adjustment. The Clip Timeline Position dialog box opens.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

2. Enter a new time position, then press OK.

Rename a Clip in the Timeline

To rename a clip in the Timeline, do this:

1. Right-click the clip, then select Rename.

2. Enter a new name, then press the Enter key.

Insert a Pause Marker in the Timeline

Inserting a pause marker in the Timeline pauses your presentation during playback when the Timeline slider reaches the pause marker position. You may wish to insert a pause marker at a certain point to initiate a discussion, or for a question and answer session or an intermission. When you are ready to resume playback of the presentation, simply press OK in the message that appears.

To insert a pause marker in the Timeline, do this:

1. Drag the Timeline slider to the point at which you want to insert a pause marker.

2. Click . The Pause Marker Settings dialog box opens.

3. Enter the text you would like to display.

• If necessary, you can enter a precise Timeline position in the entry boxes.

4. Click OK.

Insert a TOC Marker in the Timeline

To insert a TOC marker in the Timeline, do this:

1. Click the TOC tab in the Supplement pane.

Full-Screen Mode

2. Click Add. The Add TOC Marker dialog box opens.

3. Enter a name and (if necessary) a precise position in the Timeline, then click OK. The

new TOC marker is added to your presentation at the position of the Timeline slider (or at the position you have specified).

For more information on TOC markers, see Manage TOC Markers on p.38.

Add a Watermark

A watermark is an image that appears on top of your presentation. Often it is a company logo or copyright information. You can use any image file in .bmp, .gif, .jpg, or .jpeg formats

To add a watermark, do this:

1. Right-click the media clip in the Timeline, then select Watermark.... The Watermark

dialog box opens.

2. Click Browse... to locate the image you would like to use as a watermark.

• Drag the watermark to the desired position.

• Drag one of the corners to freely resize the watermark.

• To modify the opacity of the image, drag the Opacity slider.

3. Click OK.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Remove a Watermark

To remove a watermark, do this:

1. Right-click the media clip in the Timeline, then select Watermark.... The Watermark

dialog box opens.

2. Click Remove Watermark, then click OK.

Full-Screen Mode

Editing Clips in the Timeline

‘Editing clips’ is a broad term that encompasses a number of different functions: you can, for example, trim unwanted sections from video or audio clips, adjust the color of a video clip, and more. Since your presentation may contain audio portions as part of the imported video clips as well as independent audio files in the Audio track - all of which have probably been recorded at different levels - StreamAuthor also allows you to mix the audio levels of these different clips to produce a more harmonious sound track for your presentation. All of the editing processes that you can perform on the different types of media clips are described in this section.

Split a Video/Audio Clip

You can split a video/audio clip into two clips at the current position of the Timeline slider. Splitting a video/audio clip does not delete any portion of the content. Both halves of a split clip can be stretched back to any length up to the original duration.

To split a video/audio clip, do this:

1. Select a clip in the Timeline.

2. Drag the Timeline slider to the point at which you want to split the clip.

3. Click . The clip is split into two independent clips that can be moved or modified

separately in the Timeline.

Trim a Video/Audio Clip

Video/audio clips captured from external capture devices often contain unwanted portions that can easily be removed using the Trim function.

To trim a video/audio clip, do this:

1. Select the clip in the Timeline.

2. Drag the Timeline slider to the point at which you want to perform the trim, then do one

of the following:

• Click to trim video to the left of the current Timeline slider position.

• Click to trim video to the right of the current Timeline slider position.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Adjust a Video Clip’s Color Attributes

You may wish to adjust the color attributes of a video or image clip in order to brighten or clarify the image. You can easily correct or enhance a clip’s color using the Adjust Video function.

To adjust video, do this:

1. Right-click on the media clip in the Timeline, then select Adjust Video.... The Adjust

Video dialog box opens.

2. Drag the sliders to adjust the brightness, contrast, hue, and saturations levels to your satisfaction.

• To undo all of the adjustments you have made, click Reset, then begin again.

3. Click OK.

Add Background Audio to Your Presentation

To add background audio to your presentation, do this:

1. Right-click anywhere in the Video or Audio track in the Timeline, then select

Background Audio.... The Background Audio dialog box opens.

2. Click Browse to locate the audio file you would like to use.

• To modify the volume of the audio file, drag the Volume slider.

3. Click OK.

Remove Background Audio from Your Presentation

To remove background audio from your presentation, do this:

Full-Screen Mode

1. Right-click anywhere in the Video or Audio track in the Timeline, then select

Background Audio.... The Background Audio dialog box opens.

2. Click Remove Background Audio, then click OK.

Adjust Audio at Any Point

You can change the level of volume of any clip in the Timeline using audio keys, which you can place at any point inside the clip.

To change the volume level of a clip at any point, do this:

1. Select the clip you want to modify.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

2. Click on the audio level line at the point where you want to change the audio level to set a volume key. Drag the volume key up to increase the volume or down to decrease the volume.

Adjust a Clip’s Overall Volume

You can adjust the overall volume of an audio clip or the audio portion of a video clip.

To adjust a clip’s overall volume, do this:

1. Right-click the clip in the Timeline, then select Adjust Audio.... The Adjust Audio dialog

box opens.

2. Drag the slider to adjust volume level to your satisfaction.

3. Click OK.

Full-Screen Mode

Add an Audio Fade In/Fade Out Effect

You can add a fade in or fade out effect to an audio clip or the audio portion of a video clip.

To add a fade in/fade out effect, do this:

1. Right-click the clip in the Timeline, then select Adjust Audio.... The Adjust Audio dialog

box opens.

2. Select one or both fade options and enter the duration of the fade (in seconds):

• Check Fade In to start an audio track with a fade-in from silence.

• Check Fade Out to end an audio track with a fade-out to silence.

3. Click OK.

Mute a Clip

You may wish to mute the audio output of an entire clip.

To mute a clip, do this:

1. Right-click on the clip in the Timeline, then select Adjust Audio.... The Adjust Audio

dialog box opens.

2. Drag the slider to 0.

3. Click OK.

Unmute a Clip

You may wish to unmute a previously muted clip.

To unmute a clip, do this:

CyberLink StreamAuthor

1. Right-click on the clip in the Timeline, then select Adjust Audio.... The Adjust Audio

dialog box opens.

2. Drag the slider to adjust volume level to your satisfaction.

3. Click OK.

Restore an Audio Clip’s Volume Levels

If you are dissatisfied with the volume level of any audio clip after adjusting it, you can easily restore the clip’s original volume level.

To restore a clip’s original volume level, right-click the clip, then select Restore original volume level. Any audio volume keys you have added are removed.

Full-Screen Mode

Using the Supplement Pane

The Supplement pane has several tabs across the top that allow you to access diverse options. Each of these options allows you to add supplementary materials to your presentation.

Manage Chapters

You can add or change chapters in your presentation. To manage chapters, click the Chapters tab in the Supplement pane.

Chapters allow for ease of navigation on a presentation. If you set chapters on your presentation, viewers can jump to different chapters in order to skip previous content. However, you may choose not to include chapters. If you do not set chapters, your presentation will start from the beginning.

Insert Chapters Automatically

To set chapters automatically, do this:

1. Click the Chapter tab in the Supplement pane.

2. Set chapter markers by doing one of the following:

• To set a chapter at the beginning of each slide, click .

• To set a chapter at the beginning of each video clip, click .

• To set chapters at fixed intervals, enter an interval (in minutes), then click .

• To specify the number of chapters in your presentation, enter the number of chapters

in the entry box, then click .

Insert Chapters Manually

To manually insert a chapter marker into the Timeline, do this:

CyberLink StreamAuthor

1. Click the Chapter tab in the Supplement pane.

2. Navigate to a location on the Timeline with the slider, then click Add. The Add Chapter

Marker dialog box opens.

3. Enter a chapter name and (if necessary) a precise position in the Timeline, then click OK. The new chapter marker is added to your presentation at the position of the Timeline slider (or at the position you have specified).

Delete a Chapter Marker

To delete a chapter marker, do this:

1. Click the Chapter tab in the Supplement pane.

2. Select the chapter you want to delete from the chapter list and click Delete. A message

box opens.

3. Click Yes. The chapter marker is removed.

Note: You can also delete all the chapter markers by clicking Delete All.

Manage TOC Markers

TOC markers appear in the TOC pane below the Preview window.

Clicking a TOC marker jumps to the beginning of the associated clip in the Timeline.

To manage TOC markers, click the TOC tab in the Supplement pane.

Full-Screen Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Insert a TOC Marker

To insert a TOC marker into the Timeline, do this:

1. Click the TOC tab in the Supplement pane.

2. Click Add. The Add TOC Marker dialog box opens.

3. Enter a name and (if necessary) a precise position in the Timeline, then click OK. The

new TOC marker is added to your presentation at the position of the Timeline slider (or at the position you have specified).

Edit a TOC Marker

To edit a TOC marker, do this:

1. Click the TOC tab in the Supplement pane.

2. Select a TOC marker, then click Edit. The Add TOC Marker dialog box opens.

3. Modify the TOC marker as necessary, then click Yes. The TOC marker is modified in

your presentation.

Delete a TOC Marker

To delete a TOC marker, do this:

1. Click the TOC tab in the Supplement pane.

2. Click Delete. A message box opens.

3. Click Yes. The TOC marker is removed.

Full-Screen Mode

Manage Templates

You can add or change templates in your presentation. To manage templates, click the Te mp la t e s tab in the Supplement pane.

Note: To change display options, click to switch to large slide view or to switch to thumbnail view.

The template you select controls the appearance of your presentation. Since you can insert more than one template in the Timeline, you can change the look of your presentation at different points in time. For example, you might begin with a template containing a slide window and TOC, then change to a template containing video/audio only at a point when you play a video file.

Insert a Template Anywhere in the Timeline Using Drag-and-Drop

This is the arguably the most natural way to insert a template in the Timeline.

To insert a template anywhere in the Timeline, drag it from the Supplement pane to the desired position in the Timeline. The dropped template overwrites any template (or portion of a template) that may happen to lie at the point of insertion.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Insert a Template in the Timeline at the Timeline Slider Position

This is the quickest way to insert a template in the Timeline.

To insert a template in the Timeline at the Timeline slider position, do this:

1. Position the Timeline slider to the point at which you want to insert the new template.

2. Double-click the template you want to use. The template is inserted in the Timeline at

the position of the Timeline slider.

Insert a Template in the Timeline Precisely

This is the most precise way to insert a template in the Timeline.

To insert a template in the Timeline precisely, do this:

1. Right-click the template you want to insert, then click Insert in Timeline. The Clip Timeline Position dialog box opens.

2. Enter a precise position in the Timeline, then click OK. The template is added to your presentation at the position you have specified.

Delete a Template

To delete a template do this:

1. Right-click the template you want to delete, then click Delete. A message box appears.

2. Click OK to delete the template.

Note: You can only delete custom templates.

Rename a Template

To rename a template, do this:

Full-Screen Mode

1. Right-click the template you want to rename, then click Rename. The Rename Template dialog box opens.

2. Enter a new name, then click OK. The template is renamed.

Edit a CSS Template

Editing an existing CSS template allows you to create customized templates for your specific needs.

To edit a CSS template, do this:

1. Right-click the CSS template you want to edit, then click Edit. The Template Editor opens.

2. Modify the template as desired:

• For information on specific procedures, see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

3. Save the template under a new name. The new template is now available to be imported.

Import a Template

To import a template, do this:

CyberLink StreamAuthor

1. Click . The Import New Template dialog box opens.

2. Select the directory to which you want to import the template.

3. Enter the template’s name, then click Finish. The template is imported into the

Supplement pane.

View a Template’s Properties

To view a template’s properties, do this:

1. Right-click the template whose properties you want to view, then click Properties. The Template Properties dialog box opens.

2. Click OK to close the dialog box.

Full-Screen Mode

Manage Project Properties

You can add or edit a presentation project file’s properties. To manage project properties, click the Properties tab in the Supplement pane.

Note: If your presentation is a part of a large database, adding keywords can aid your target audience in locating your presentation quickly.

Edit a Project’s Properties

To edit a project’s properties, enter or modify information in the different fields. The updated information is saved automatically.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

View a Template’s SCORM Properties

To view or modify a template’s SCORM properties, do this:

1. Click . The SCORM 1.2 Metadata dialog box opens.

2. Enter or modify information in the fields, then click OK.

Full-Screen Mode

Manage Attachments

You may add reference files and URLs to your presentation. To manage attachments, click the Attachments tab in the Supplement pane.

Add an Attachment

Attachments can include any kind of supplementary files or URLs that you would like to attach to your presentation. To add an attachment, do this:

1. Click Add. The Add a Reference File/URL dialog box opens.

2. Select a file or enter a URL for viewers to download/view.

3. Enter the text link that points to the above file/URL. (This text will appear in the

viewer's browser.)

• To stop the presentation in order to allow viewers time to view or download your

attachment, select the Pause video when the viewer clicks on this file/URL option.

4. Click OK. The new attachment is added to your presentation.

Edit an Attachment

To edit an attachment, do this:

CyberLink StreamAuthor

1. Select an attachment, then click Edit. The Edit a Reference File/URL dialog box opens.

2. Modify the attachment as necessary, then click OK. The attachment is modified in your

presentation.

Delete an Attachment

To delete an attachment, do this:

1. select the attachment, then click Delete.

2. When the warning message appears, click Yes.

Manage Tests

To manage tests, click the Te s t s tab in the Supplement pane.

Create a Test

To create a test, do this:

Full-Screen Mode

1. Click Create. The Create Test dialog box appears.

2. Click to add a question.

• To remove a question, select it, then click .

• To move a question up, select it, then click .

• To move a question down, select it, then click .

3. Select the question type.

• Single Answer: a multiple-choice question that has only one correct answer.

• Multiple Answer: a multiple-choice question that has two or more possible correct

answers.

• Tr u e/ F a ls e : an either/or-type question that has one possible correct answer.

• Short Answer: a descriptive question that requires the learner to supply an answer.

4. Select the number of selections from which the test-taker can choose the correct answer.

Note: This option does not apply to True/False and Short Answer-type questions.

5. Enter the weight of the question.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

6. Click OK. StreamAuthor generates the test in Microsoft Word.

7. Enter the test title, the question wording and support files (if required), and the correct

answer in the appropriate table cells.

Note: Enter the correct answer(s) in the Answer cell.

8. Save the test. You may now import the test for use in StreamAuthor.

Import a Test

After creating or editing a test, you must import it in order to make the test available in your presentation.

To import a test, do this:

1. Click Import. The Import Test dialog box opens.

Full-Screen Mode

2. Enter the location of the Word file.

3. Modify the test’s settings.

• Enter the directory where the Word file you created for the test is located. Click

Browse... to locate and open the file.

• Enter the test’s weight. If there is only one test in your presentation, leave the weight

at 100%

• Enter the number of questions you would like to appear on each page of the test

when if opens in your presentation.

• Specify whether or not learners must pass the test in order to proceed on to the rest of

the presentation - and if so, what the test’s passing score is. If you would like to allow learners to continue on with the presentation even after failing the test a number of times, enter that number here.

• Select the Shuffle the question order each time the test is opened option if you

would like the questions to appear in a different order each time the test opens.

• Select the Allow learners to view correct answers after testing option if you would

like to display the test answers after learners have taken the test.

• Select the Ask learners to send their answers by email option if you would like

learners to send their answers by email after taking the test. If so, enter the email address you would like them to send their test answers to.

4. Click Import. The test appears in the Supplement pane and the preview area.

Edit a Test

After you have created a test, you can go back and edit the content as required. Note that you must re-import an edited test in order for it to be available in your presentation.

To edit a test, do this:

1. Click Edit. The test opens in Microsoft Word.

2. Edit the test as necessary, then save it. (The options available when editing a test are the

same as those available when creating a test. For more information, see Create a Test on p.44.)

3. Import the test in order to make it available in your presentation. For more information, see Import a Test on p.44.

Delete a Test

To delete a test, do this:

1. Select the test, then click Delete. A message box opens.

2. Click Yes. The test is removed.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Edit a Test’s Settings

To edit a test’s settings, do this:

1. Select the test, then click Settings. The Test Settings dialog box opens.

2. Modify the test’s settings as necessary, then click OK.

Note: The settings are the same as in the test importing process. For more information, see Import a Test on p.44.

Edit a Test’s Passing Score

To edit a test’s passing score, do this:

1. Select the test.

2. Enter a new passing score in the Passing Score entry box.

Manage Second Slides

If you use a second slide in your presentation, you can manage it here. To manage second slides, click the Slide 2 tab in the Supplement pane.

Note: To change display options, click to switch to large slide view or to switch to thumbnail view.

Clicking the Slide 2 tab in the Supplement pane displays the Slide 2 track in the Timeline. Once you have imported slides into the Slide 2 tab of the Supplement pane, you can add them to the Slide 2 track (but not the Slide 1 track) of the Timeline.

Full-Screen Mode

Note: In order to display the second slide, your project’s template must support two slides. If the original template does not support two slides, you must insert a template that supports two slides over the entire duration of the second slide.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Import Slides for Use as Second Slides

To import slides for use as second slides, do this:

1. Click . The Import Slides/URL dialog box opens.

2. Click Add Files, then locate and open the files you want to import.

• You can remove a file from the list of files to be imported by selecting it in the list,

then clicking Delete.

• Convert PowerPoint slides to images: Check this option to ensure that PowerPoint

slides appear exactly as in the original PowerPoint presentation. (Animations are not supported when slides are converted to images.)

3. Click OK.

Preview Window

You can preview your presentation at any time during the authoring process in order to ensure that your editing is going smoothly. Using the Timeline slider, you can start your preview from any point within the presentation.

1. Locate the point at which you want to begin your preview.

2. Click Play. The preview starts in the Preview window from the point you have specified.

3. Use the playback buttons to control the preview.

Full-Screen Mode

Publish Window

The Publish window (in both Full-Screen and Studio modes) allows you to compile your presentation in one of a number of different formats, then save it to the destination of your choice. To enter the Publish window, click the Publish tab in either Full-Screen or Studio mode.

The Publish window appears as follows:

To publish your presentation, do this:

1. Create or open a Full-Screen or Studio presentation project.

2. Click the Publish tab.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

3. Select an encoding profile

• For information on configuring encoding profiles, see Creating Encoding Profiles on

p.94.

4. Select a publishing destination.

• For information on publishing destinations, see Publishing Profiles on p.95.

5. Enter a subfolder name, if desired. Doing so creates a subfolder under the publication destination that you set in the above step.

6. Click Publish to publish your files to the selected folder. StreamAuthor compiles your presentation and saves it to your selected publication destination.

7. Click View to view the final result.

Chapter 3:

Studio Mode

Working in Studio mode is similar to editing a movie in a video editing suite. Because you work “offline” in Studio mode, you can add video, audio, images, and transition effects to create a multimedia presentation that plays like a video file. The various kinds of media are stored in the Library, which is described first in this chapter.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Creating a Studio Presentation File on p.50

• Opening a Studio Presentation File on p.52

• Saving a Studio Presentation File on p.53

• Studio Window on p.54

• Capture Window on p.73

• Author Window on p.82

• Publish Window on p.82

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Creating a Studio Presentation File

You can create a Studio Presentation project in CSS format or multiple frame windows format. The procedures for both are given below.

Create a Studio Presentation in CSS Format

To create a new Studio presentation in CSS format, do this:

1. Start StreamAuthor, or select the File > New Project... command from within an existing presentation. In the dialog box that opens, select Studio Presentation.

2. Select Cascading Style Sheet (CSS), then click Next.

3. Select the template you would like to use, then click Next.

• If you have created a custom template, you can select it in the list. For more

information, please see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

4. Add your source media files, then click Finish.

Studio Mode

• To enable video capture, select the Video option, then select your video capture

device from the drop-down box (if necessary). You can also select your audio capture device from the Audio drop-down box (if necessary).

• To add slides, click Add under the Slide Files heading, then locate and open the

source files of the slides you want to use.

• To add media files, click Add under the Media Files heading, then locate and open

the files you want to use. You can remove a file from the list of files to be opened by selecting it in the list, then clicking Delete.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Create a Studio Presentation in Multiple Frame Window Format

To create a new Studio presentation in multiple frame window format, do this:

1. Start StreamAuthor, or select the File > New Project... command from within an existing presentation. In the dialog box that opens, select Studio Presentation.

2. Select Multiple Frame Windows, then click Next.

3. Select the template you would like to use, then click Next.

• If you have created a custom template, you can select it in the list. For more

information, please see Editing CSS Templates on p.83.

4. Add your source media files, then click Finish.

Studio Mode

• To enable video capture, select the Video option, then select your video capture

device from the drop-down box (if necessary). You can also select your audio capture device from the Audio drop-down box (if necessary).

• To add slides, click Add under the Slide Files heading, then locate and open the

source files of the slides you want to use.

• To add media files, click Add under the Media Files heading, then locate and open

the files you want to use. You can remove a file from the list of files to be opened by selecting it in the list, then clicking Delete.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Opening a Studio Presentation File

You may begin authoring a presentation immediately after creating a new project file, or you may wish to work on an existing project file.

To open an existing project file for authoring, do one of the following:

• Select the File > New Project... command, then click a recent project’s name to open it

directly or click More..., then locate and open a project file.

• Select the File > Open Project... command, then locate and open a project file.

• Select the File > Open Published Project... command, then locate and open a

Studio Mode

Saving a Studio Presentation File

Saving a Studio presentation file is very straightforward. The only exception of note is an option to save your media files in your project directory.

To save a Studio presentation file, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Select the File > Save Project or File > Save Project As... command. A message box

opens.

3. Select a save option.

• To copy all of your original media files to your project directory, click Yes . This option

keeps all of your source files in one location, but uses more hard disc space.

• To leave your source files in their original locations without copying them to your

project folder, click No. This option saves hard disc space, but you may spend more time looking for your media files.

• To set your selected option as the default and avoid seeing the message box in the

future, check the Set this option as default and do not display this message again option.

4. Click OK. The standard Project dialog box opens.

5. Enter a project file name, then set the directory where you want to save the project file.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

• To specify a directory, click Browse..., then locate and open the desired directory.

6. Click Finish.

Studio Window

This section describes the functions available in the Studio window of Studio mode. The Studio window allows you to import video/audio clips as well as PowerPoint slides for presentation authoring. To enter the Studio window, click the Studio tab in Studio mode.

The Studio window appears as follows:

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Using the Library

The Library in the Studio window allows you to import slides and media files (where they become “clips”) in order to make them available in your presentation.

Note: To change display options, click to switch to large slide view or to switch to thumbnail view.

Import Media Files into the Library

You can import the following types of files as media files:

• Video files: .avi, .asf, .dat, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, .m1v, .mwv formats

• Audio files: .aif, .aiff, .au, .mp3, .snd, .wav, .wma formats

• Image files: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg formats

Note: Some formats can be imported as either media files or slides. Importing a file as one or the other type allows you to take advantage of different functions. For example, the Video track offers the Adjust Video and Watermark options for media files, while the Slide 1 track offers the drawing tools for slides.

To import media files into the Library, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Click the Studio tab.

3. Click the tab in the Library.

4. Click . The standard Open dialog box opens.

5. Locate and open the files you want to import.

Import Slides into the Library

You can import the following types of files as slides:

• PowerPoint files (.ppt format)

• Excel files (.xls format)

• Word files (.doc format)

• Image files (.bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png formats)

• HTML files (.htm, .html, .zip formats)

• PDF files (.pdf format)

• Flash files (.swf format)

• Text files (.txt format)

Note: Only PowerPoint and Excel files are divided into multiple slides when imported (provided that the original file contains multiple pages). Other files are imported as a single slide.

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Click the Studio tab.

3. Click the tab in the Library.

4. Click . The Import Slides/URL dialog box opens.

Studio Mode

5. Click Add Files, then locate and open the files you want to import.

• You can remove a file from the list of files to be imported by selecting it in the list,

then clicking Delete.

• Convert PowerPoint slides to images: Check this option to ensure that PowerPoint

slides appear exactly as in the original PowerPoint presentation. (Animations are not supported when slides are converted to images.)

• Home page of the zipped web pages: Enter the home page of the zipped website.

(This file is often named “Index.html”.)

• To add a URL, enter the URL, then click Add URL.

Note: Make sure your URL begins with the proper prefix (such as “http://”).

CyberLink StreamAuthor

6. Click OK.

Manage Clips in the Library

Once clips are imported into the Library, there are a number of ways that you can manage them.

Re-Order Slides in Your Presentation

Once you have imported slides into the Library, you can re-order them before you insert them into the Library, to ensure that your presentation is ordered correctly.

To re-order slides in the Library, drag a slide to a new position.

Delete a Clip from the Library

To delete a clip from the Library, do this:

1. Click the tab or the tab in the Library.

2. Right-click a clip, then select Delete.

Insert a Clip from the Library into the Timeline

To insert a clip from the Library in the Timeline, do this:

1. Click the tab or the tab in the Library.

2. Right-click the clip you want to insert, then click Insert in Timeline. The Clip Timeline

Position dialog box opens.

3. Enter a precise position in the Timeline, then click OK. The clip is added to your presentation at the position you have specified.

Edit a Slide in the Library

To edit a slide in the Library, do this:

1. Click the tab in the Library.

2. Right-click the slide, then select Edit....

3. The slide appears in a PowerPoint window.

4. Edit then save the slide. The slide is updated in the Library to reflect your edits.

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

View the Properties of a Clip in the Library

To view the properties of a clip in the Library, do this:

1. Click the tab or the tab.

1. Right-click the clip, then select Properties.

• If you select a media clip, the Media Properties dialog box opens.

• If you select a slide, the Slide Properties dialog box opens.

2. Click OK.

Convert an Audio/Video Clip to WMV Format

To convert an audio/video clip to WMV format, do this:

1. Click the tab in the Library.

2. Right-click the clip, then select Convert to WMV. The Convert Clip dialog box opens.

3. Select en encoding profile from the list.

4. Enter the directory in which you would like to save the new file.

• Click Browse... to locate the directory.

• To import the converted file into the Library after conversion, check the Import the

converted clip into the Library option.

5. Click Convert. The file is converted to WMV format.

• To play the converted file, click Play Converted File.

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Inserting Content into the Timeline

The Studio window contains a Timeline, in which you can organize your presentation. This section describes the functions available using the Timeline in the Studio window.

Note: This Timeline is somewhat simpler than the Timeline in the Author window, though some of the functions are shared. For more information on Timeline functions, see Using the Timeline on p.29.

Insert Your Entire Presentation into the Timeline

To insert your entire presentation into the Timeline, do this:

1. Click the tab in the Library.

2. Press Ctrl + A inside the Slides pane to select your entire presentation.

3. Drag your entire presentation from the Library into the Timeline.

Insert a Clip Anywhere in the Timeline Using Drag-and-Drop

This is the arguably the most natural way to insert a clip in the Timeline.

To insert a clip anywhere in the Timeline, drag it from the Library to the desired position in the Timeline. The dropped clip overwrites any clip (or portion of a clip) that may happen to lie at the point of insertion.

Insert a Clip in the Timeline at the Timeline Slider Position

This is the quickest way to insert a clip in the Timeline.

Note: You can only insert single clips using this method.

To insert a clip in the Timeline at the Timeline slider position, do this:

1. Position the Timeline slider to the point at which you want to insert the new clip.

2. Double-click the clip you want to use. The clip is inserted in the Timeline at the position

of the Timeline slider.

• You can also insert a slide at the current Timeline slider position by selecting the slide,

then clicking . To insert the following slide, click .

Insert a Clip in the Timeline Precisely

This is the most precise way to insert a clip in the Timeline.

To insert a clip in the Timeline precisely, do this:

1. Right-click the clip you want to insert, then click Insert in Timeline. The Clip Timeline Position dialog box opens.

Enter a precise position in the Timeline, then click OK. The clip is added to your presentation at the position you have specified.

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Insert a Blank Slide into the Timeline

You can insert a blank slide into your presentation, then use the pen and text tools to add color, shapes, and wording. You can insert and create a blank slide at any point in the Timeline.

To insert a blank slide into the Timeline, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Click . The Slides pane displays a blank slide.

3. Use the drawing and text tools to create your slide. For more information, see Insert a

Blank Slide While Recording on p.20.

Add a Watermark

A watermark is an image that appears on top of your presentation. Often it is a company logo or copyright information. You can use any image file in .bmp, .gif, .jpg, or .jpeg formats

To add a watermark, do this:

1. Right-click the media clip in the Timeline, then select Watermark.... The Watermark

dialog box opens.

2. Click Browse... to locate the image you would like to use as a watermark.

• Drag the watermark to the desired position.

• Drag one of the corners to freely resize the watermark.

• To modify the opacity of the image, drag the Opacity slider.

3. Click OK.

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Remove a Watermark

To remove a watermark, do this:

1. Right-click the media clip in the Timeline, then select Watermark.... The Watermark

dialog box opens.

2. Click Remove Watermark, then click OK.

Navigating in the Timeline

You can navigate to different positions in the Timeline.

To navigate in the Timeline, do one of the following:

• Click anywhere on the Timeline ruler to place the slider at that position.

• Click to jump to the previous clip edge.

• Click to jump to the next clip edge.

• Drag the Timeline slider to zoom in or zoom out on the Timeline. Zooming out allows

you to take in your entire presentation, while zooming in allows you to view more detail.

Delete a Clip in the Timeline

To delete a clip in the Timeline, do one of the following:

• Right-click the clip, then select Delete.

• Select the clip, then press the Delete key.

• To clear the Timeline of all clips, choose the Edit > Clear Timeline command or right-

click on any track and choose Clear Timeline.

Move a Clip in the Timeline Quickly

Move a Clip in the Timeline Precisely

This is the most precise way to move a clip in the Timeline.

To move a clip in the Timeline precisely, do this:

1. Right-click the clip, then select Time Adjustment. The Clip Timeline Position dialog box opens.

2. Enter a new time position, then click OK.

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Rename a Clip in the Timeline

To rename a clip in the Timeline, do this:

1. Right-click the clip, then select Rename.

2. Enter a new name, then press the Enter key.

Insert a Pause Marker in the Timeline

To insert a pause marker in the Timeline, do this:

1. Drag the Timeline slider to the point at which you want to insert a pause marker.

2. Click . The Pause Marker Settings dialog box opens.

3. Enter the text you would like to display.

• If necessary, you can enter a precise Timeline position in the entry boxes.

4. Click OK.

Insert a Transition into the Timeline

Transition effects add a touch of professionalism to your presentation as you progress from one slide to the next. You can insert a transition effect between two adjacent video or image clips in the Video track in the Timeline.

To insert a transition into the Timeline, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project, then click the tab.

2. Drag the transition between two clips in the Video track.

• To extend the length of the transition effect, drag one of its edges.

Add Notes to a Slide

The notes you add to your PowerPoint presentation automatically appear in StreamAuthor’s Notes pane. You can also add notes to accompany a slide in your presentation.

To add notes to a slide in the Timeline, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project, and add a slide to the Timeline.

2. Select the slide in the Timeline or position the Timeline slider within the slide.

3. Enter your notes in the Notes pane.

Studio Mode

Editing Clips in the Timeline

The same editing functions are available in the Timeline in the Studio window that are available in the Timeline in the Author window. For more information, see Editing Clips in the Timeline on p.33.

Capturing in the Studio Window

You can capture video and audio in Studio mode. You mostly likely may wish to use this function to record video or audio while watching your presentation, in order to ensure that your media synchronizes with your presentation.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Capture Video in the Studio Window

You can capture video from a variety of sources.

To capture video in the Studio window, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Click .

3. Click . The Device Configuration dialog box opens.

4. Uncheck the Audio only option.

5. Modify your capture configuration if necessary, then click OK. For more information,

see Configure Your Capture Devices on p.23.

Note: Make sure that your capture device is connected, turned on, and ready to record.

6. Click to begin recording.

• To modify the recording volume, click (next to the Record button), then drag the

slider up to increase recording volume or down to decrease recording volume. Click

to mute the recording volume. Click to unmute the recording volume.

7. Click to stop recording.

Take a Snapshot of Video Playback

You can capture a single frame from a video clip as a .bmp file.

To take a snapshot of a video clip, do this:

1. Begin playback or navigate to the frame you want to capture.

2. Click . The current frame of video is captured.

Note: To use this image in your presentation, you must import it into the Library. For more information, see Import Media Files into the Library on p.54.

Insert a Display Image

If you have no video to accompany your presentation, you can insert a display image that appears during your entire presentation.

Note: If any content is inserted into the Video track in the Timeline, the display image will not appear in your final presentation.

To insert a display image, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Click in the Preview pane.

Studio Mode

3. Locate and open the image file you want to use as a display image.

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Capture Audio from a Capture Device in the Studio Window

To capture audio from a capture device in the Studio window, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Click .

3. Click . The Device Configuration dialog box opens.

Note: Make sure that your capture device is connected, turned on, and ready to record.

4. Check the Audio only option.

5. Modify your capture configuration if necessary, then click OK. For more information,

see Configure Your Capture Devices on p.23.

6. Click to begin recording.

• To modify the recording volume, click , then drag the slider up to increase

recording volume or down to decrease recording volume. Click to mute the recording volume. Click to unmute the recording volume.

7. Play your audio source.

8. Click to stop recording.

Record a Voice-Over Narration in the Studio Window

To record a voice-over narration in the Studio window, do this:

1. Create or open a Studio presentation project.

2. Navigate to a section of the Timeline in which there is no audio clip in the Audio track.

3. Click in the Audio track. A three-second countdown appears in the Preview window

to allow you to prepare for recording.

4. Recite your narration into your microphone.

5. Click in the Audio track to stop recording.

Studio Mode

CyberLink StreamAuthor

Preview Your Production

1. Locate the point at which you want to begin your preview.

2. Click Play. The preview starts in the Preview window from the point you have specified.

• To preview the entire presentation, use the playback controls.

• To maximize the current slide in the Preview pane, click . The video window

disappears.

• To switch panes that display the test and the video preview, click . The video and

slide previews exchange panes.

• If your presentation contains a test, you can preview the test in the Preview window.

To simulate taking the test, answer the questions accordingly. After you have responded to all of the questions, click Finish. A message box appears. Click OK. Your simulated test results appear in the Preview pane. Click Continue. The

presentation continues playing in the Preview pane. To view the test results, click . A window opens, displaying the test results.

Cyberlink StreamAuthor - 3.0 User’s Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

Welcome!

What is StreamAuthor?

What’s New in this Version?

What is “E-Learning”?

The StreamAuthor Program

StreamAuthor Projects

Project Types

Presentation Formats

Tem p l ates

Encoding Profiles

Preferences

System Requirements

Full-Screen Mode

Creating a Full-Screen Presentation File

Create a Full-Screen Presentation in CSS Format

Create a Full-Screen Presentation in Multiple Frame Window Format

Opening a Full-Screen Presentation

Saving a Full-Screen Presentation

Convert a Full-Screen Project to a Studio Project

Presentation Window

Acquire Content in a Full-Screen Presentation

Record in the Presentation Window

Author Window

Using the Timeline

Editing Clips in the Timeline

Using the Supplement Pane

Preview Window

Publish Window

Studio Mode

Creating a Studio Presentation File

Create a Studio Presentation in CSS Format

Create a Studio Presentation in Multiple Frame Window Format

Opening a Studio Presentation File

Saving a Studio Presentation File

Studio Window

Using the Library

Inserting Content into the Timeline

Editing Clips in the Timeline

Capturing in the Studio Window

Preview Your Production