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Set up a simple menu to play 15 audio files

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Bonewell, Perry
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I've thrown the towel in with the manuals, the video tutorials and after playing around with the (crashy) software and have what I hope is a simple request:

I have created a jpeg with a straightforward one column table, each box contains the title of a sound file (15 all together). Using this image as a menu I want visitors to be able to simply touch each box to start playback for the named file, touching another box should interrupt playback and play the next selection.

If I set the image as a background zone and layer an audio zone on top then the audio file that is assigned as having the initial state starts playing automatically and I cannot find a way of stopping this (I cannot seem to interupt playback either).

If I set up a full screen zone for video and images and assign the menu image with an initial state then the screen goes blank when an audio file is selected.

The forest of arrows that results from linking touch and other events to 15 items is pretty unhelpful too.

How do I set this up?

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    Lyndon

    You would setup the main zone with your image, and create touch events that remain on current state. SO, they don't play anything when touched.  But, they do send an advanced command, either the linkzones command or the zone message command. One unique command for each audio file. In the audio only zone, you would listen for the linkzones or zone message command that that would trigger the file to be played. 

     

    I've attached a sample project I built in brightauthro 3.0.0.10. I have an image numbered 1 - 13. I attached touch regions for the firs 4 numbers. I'm including the image. You can substitute the audio files. I added 4 touch regions and each was set to remain on current state, see images. I added a linkzones command under advanced. Button 1 sent the number 1, button 2 sent the nubmer 2, etc. 

     

    In the audio zone, I started with the event handler, so nothing playlist. I listened for link zones values 1 - 4, each one triggering a different file. I hit control A, to select everything in my audio zone. THat way dragged a linkzones connection to the first audio file and entered 1, that 1 would work no matter which audio file I was currently listening to. The only thing it doesn't do is it doesn't allow you to restart the video you're listening to by pressing it's button again. But, you can change that. 

  • 0
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    Bonewell, Perry

    Thanks for taking the time to do this - that actually makes sense to me. I haven't really got my head around the whole event driven structure in Brightauthor and not being able to preview the presentations immediately (I have to go to a separate location to test) has made it hard to iterate quickly.

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    Bonewell, Perry

    Sorry - it's not clear from your instructions at what point and how to add the touch regions.

    See attached screenshot for my progress so far (in your example 4 files looks OK - at 15 things look pretty messy)

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    Lyndon

    On the audio page you're not adding any touch input, just the zone messages. It's in the image zone or video zone where you would add the touch input. You can also go to edit preferences UI and set the display mode to always use a label, then you won't have those lines crossing all over each other and looking like a mess. 

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    Bonewell, Perry

    I have changed the display mode but this has not affected the UI at all. If I select the image zone there are no options available to add any events/touch input.

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    Lyndon

    can you export your project, and upload it so I can publish and see what you're seeing. After you added your image zone, did you click the little radio button on the rightside to make it interactive, the same I did in the video when I did the audio section?

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    Bonewell, Perry

    Zones are set up in Layout right?

    I currently have two zones in my project: Zone 1 which is a Background and Zone 2 which is Audio only.

    If I go back to Playlist and select Zone 1 there is no option on the right to make the background interactive, just "EDIT" which only allows me to change the name of the playlist.

    The Audio only zone has the radio buttons as shown in my previous screen shot.

    Your screen shots don't show where the Add touch event screen is selected from.

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    Lyndon

    Please send your brightauthor project file. You're correct you can't make a background zone interactive. It would have to be an image zone. 

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    Bonewell, Perry

    Project file attached

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    Bonewell, Perry

    Has the attachment helped at all?

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    Bonewell, Perry

    This is my latest attempt. I now only have one zone in my presentation (video and images) - all the event handlers are set up and my background image has touch events linked to each linked zone.

    When I imported the presentation to BrightSign the background appeared. If I touched the screen the cursor appears offset by about 3cm from my finger and no sound is played. The unit goes blank after a couple of attempts and then goes into standby mode.

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    Lyndon

    Can you export your presentation, and zip it up and upload for us to test?

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    Lyndon

    You presentation isn't setup properly. The image with the touch points is supposed to be in one zone, and the audio files in another. So, delete the image menu from the main zone, and click on the layout link under edit, and add an image zone, then put your image, and touch points in the image zone. 

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    Bonewell, Perry

    OK I tried a separate zone for the background image. The Brightsign unit has stop shutting down, but still no audio and the touchscreen cursor still has the offset.

    I've attached the latest project file (hospice-final2.bpf) and a zipped presentation folder showing the project as published

    Thank you for your continuing patience over this BTW.

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    Bonewell, Perry

    Sorry to bump - are the attached files any help?

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    Bonewell, Perry

    Bumping one more time - I appreciate the time taken to deal with this query but am I to take it that there is not a usable solution to this problem?

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    Bonewell, Perry

    OK I'm guessing this isn't possible. Rather disappointed that the help offered on this forum seems to have been withdrawn. Not my idea of customer service.

  • 0
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    Lyndon

    Sorry, I haven't followed up..I'll test the project you sent...

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    Brian2

    Have you calibrated your touch screen with the Brightsign calibration program ?

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    Doug Connell

    Has anybody succeeded in doing this?  We are trying to do the same thing. 

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    Alex K.

    1) Please view the tutorial video on how to use Link Zones commands: http://www.brightsign.biz/tutorials/tutorials/#LinkedZones

    2) This demo plays 2 zones of Travel-themed content in which the main Video Zone is linked to the Image Zone via Zone Messaging. When the Video Zone plays videos of particular city, the Image Zone plays images of that same city.

    http://brightsignbiz.s3.amazonaws.com/demos/ZoneMessage_TravelDemo.zip

    If you still have questions after that, please create a support ticket, send your presentation file (*.bpf file) along with the description of what are you trying to do.

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    Brian2

    If he creates a support ticket, the problem moves off forum and so does the solution.

    How then are we the followers of this interesting topic, notified as to the solution ?

    Do we all take a ticket requesting info ?

     

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    Romeo

    Does the previous demo help at all?

    http://brightsignbiz.s3.amazonaws.com/demos/ZoneMessage_TravelDemo.zip

    Or is this, still unclear?

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    Doug Connell

    There could be something to this demo, but it doesn't work with our BrightAuthor.  Not sure why; just a lot of complications with files.  I did unzip the demo of course.  Somehow it just can't quite seem to find itself.  

    On the Bright side, we were given a perfect solution from someone here in answer to our own support request.  It completely solved the entire mystery.  We have our project up and running and it's terrific.  Hopefully the same outcome can be achieved for all users.  Here is what they sent us:

    http://www.brightsignnetwork.com/download/touch-audio.wmv
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    Doug Connell

    Here is another complete and perfect solution:

     

    http://support.brightsign.biz/attachments/token/5nxadwcgfrhishf/?name=jpg%2Bmp3.pdf

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    Brian2

    Thanks Sid,

    A good example of why we need to keep this forum alive despite Brightsigns attempt to move all support to a ticket system.

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    Dattola Mauro

    Hi everybody,

    sorry for resurrecting such an old topic, but I'm trying to create a presentation quite similiar to Perry's one.
    We want a touchable grid/menu wich includes images and titles; clicking on an image (a CD cover) should trigger and play an audio file.

    We started using the sample "audiomenu.bpf" presentation attached at the beginning of the discussion, editing the background image and replacing the mp3s, but we're still failing on adding more files.

    Seems impossible to repeat the same settings for any new element:

    - in the Image zone (Slide1.jpg), after adding the Touch Event, I have an error message trying to add the command Link > Zone (""Remain on current state is not valid for en event...etc.etc."). The weird thig is this happen even if "Remain on current state" is unchecked. The workaround explained before, in this discussion, does not work.

    - In the Audio Only zone,  I have another error ad adding the Link Zones Event to the Event Handler element, in order to link it to the new audio file I want to add. ("This event is only supported when the target is an Image or a Video").

     

    Why can't re-do from scratch the same presentation "audiomenu.bpf" ?? How did you make it?

    Please help!

    Thanks

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    Alex K.

    I would recommend you to replace the "Link - Zones" commands and events with the "Zone Message" commands and events. Take a look at the attached project.

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