Audio files to accompany index or slide image pages

(http://bppdocs.camner.net/html/including_audio.htm)

To have an audio file play when an index page is opened, a meta.properties file must be used.

There are two ways to have an audio file play when a slide image page is opened:

    * Use a meta.properties file to reference an audio file that is hidden from JAlbum processing (the audio file is processed only by BluPlusPlus)
    * Place the audio file alongside its corresponding image file in an image folder (the audio file is processed by both JAlbum and BluPlusPlus)

The meta.properties File
(example meta.properties file) (list of meta.properties variables)

Meta.properties files are used by both JAlbum and BluPlusPlus. JAlbum generates a meta.properties file whenever a user enters either a folder title or a folder comment via the JAlbum main window. BluPlusPlus does not generate a meta.properties file, but there are BPP-specific properties that can be added to a pre-existing meta.properties file or entered into a new meta.properties file. A meta.properties file allows one to provide the following in one convenient location:

    * individual comments to accompany any or all slide images
    * a header and/or footer to appear on all image slide pages within a given folder
    * audio (usually voice annotations or music) to accompany slide images or index pages
    * a thumbnail image to replace the generic movie icon
    * a custom title for a folder
    * custom titles for individual slide images
    * a custom icon for a folder to replace the generic folder icon provided by BPP
    * a custom background index pages and for slide pages (to serve as ‘wallpaper’)

Note that the first four items can also be accomplished by other methods.
The format of a meta.properties file

A meta.properties file is a text file that consists of lines of text that end with a carriage return. The format of each line is ‘keyword=value’. Each keyword is described below (spaces before or after the ‘=’ are not permitted):

folderTitle=a title for current folder
 folderHeader=a header information for current folder
folderFooter=a footer information for current folder
folderIcon=name of icon file to be used
folderVoice=name of audio file to be played when the index page for this folder is opened
indexBackgroundImage=name of background image file to serve as ‘wallpaper’ for index pages of the current folder
slideBackgroundImage=name of background image file to serve as ‘wallpaper’ for slide pages of the current folder
Please see below for extended explanation of how to correctly provide a path for files

title.imagefilename1.extension=slide title 1 <--this means put ‘title.’ in front of the name of the image file
description.imagefilename1.extension=some slide descriptions 1 <--put ‘description.’ in front of the name of the image file
voice.imagefilename1.extension=name of voice file<--put ‘voice.’ in front of the name of the image file

title.imagefilename2.extension=slide title 2
description.imagefilename2extension=some slide descriptions 2
voice.imagefilename2.extension=name of voice file

title.imagefilename3.extension=slide title 3
description.imagefilename3.extension=some slide descriptions 3
voice.imagefilename3.extension=name of voice file

etc.

‘extension’ is a three-letter file extension, typically ‘jpg’ for image files.

All of the individual items are optional and may be omitted.

Beispiele
Specifying a path to a desired file (NOT in the same folder as the meta.properties file)
olderTitle=The Wide Missouri
folderFooter=Andrew took these pictures!
title.river.jpg=Missouri River
description.river.jpg=We're bound away across the wide Missouri
voice.river.jpg=../_audio_files/_river.mp3 (note C)
title.bridge.jpg=Bridge Across the Wide Missouri
slideBackgroundImage=_slide_bkgrnd.jpg
indexBackgroundImage=_index_bkgrnd.jpg

Including Movie Files in Generated Albums

(http://bppdocs.camner.net/html/including_video.htm)

The following movie formats are supportedby default : asf, asx, avi, divx, mov, mp4, mpe, mpeg, mpeg4,mpg, mpg4, wmv, wvx, xvid, 3gp.
BluPlusPlus will process any video file type listed in the supported-video.txt file. Simply edit that file and add the desired audio file type to the end of the list.


Movies copied to slides folder
(http://jalbum.net/forum/thread.jspa;jsessionid=NJEAPGJDIODE?messageID=99566&#99566)
Q:
Why do movie files get copied into the 'slides' folder instead of just the much smaller htmls and jpegs.
Movies are already much larger than photos and for them to take up double space on the harddrive is reducing my free space exponentially.
Can there just be a link to the source of the video files instead of copying them into the 'slides' folder. This should also speed up the process of the album making.
A:
It's necessary because Windows Media Player will not allow media to be played that is not at or below the directory from which it is invoked. Basically its a security issue that BPP takes into account when the album is generated.
It's not ideal that two copies of the movie result but thats the way it has to be.
Q:
> How about have an option for the file to be moved to the slides folder rather than copied?
A:
There is a principle that JAlbum adheres to that "original" files are not altered. Think of the mayhem that could occur if for movies only, the original file were moved to a different location (the output folder). If folks didn't keep track of that, they could lose their original files when they deleted the output folder and didn't remember that ONLY movie files behave that way.
Q:
> Alternatively, have the option for the html files to be generated in the original folder instead of in a separate slides folder.
A:
My understanding (which may be incomplete) is that JA, not BPP, creates the html files. BPP may not have the option of generating the files into a different, nonstandard location.
Q:
> Third alternative, have an option for quicktime only to be used instead of wmp. This option can be chosen if there are no files that requires wmp for playback.
A:
Neither BPP nor JA "use" WMP. It is the end-user's (viewer's, not album generator's) system that determines what player is used. JA/BPP just "presents" the movies to the viewer's browser, which, in turn, determines which player to use depending on how the system is set up. Moreover, it is IE, not WMP, that has the security setting that require the movie files to be in a specific location. My understanding is that no matter what player a viewer's system uses, if IE is the browser (and it is, still, alas, overwhelmingly the "browser of choice" for most folk), the security issue will rear its ugly head.
A:
Correct. However, please note that other skins may behave slighly differently. Chameleon, for instance, associates certain file extensions with certains applications (.mov & qt with Quick Time, others with WMP etc etc), so the default order for movies is pre-defined (if a movie thumbnail is clicked). If the relevant application is not available, then the users default app associated with the file extension is used.

As a matter of interest, this latter behaviour (users default app associated with the file extension) is also the case when the text below the movie thumbnail is clicked ...