spinControl:VR update (NEW easier to use Javascript embedding workaround)
There are many new things in the works for spinControl:VR and spinControl:Linguist, some of which I'll outline below, but first and foremost...
Microsoft/ActiveX workarounds
If you aren't using a Javascript embedding technique for your QTVR and QuickTime media, you should be. Using Javascript to embed your media (not just QuickTime media, BTW) will help avoid the "Activate ActiveX" prompt for your Windows-based visitors, whereby they need to click on each embedded item before they can interact with it.
Some time ago, I started making sure that users of spinControl:VR were provided an optional set of pages/scripts as an example of this Javascript workaround. Because of the nature of Javascript and the syntax necessary to have the browser play nicely while embedding the QT media (spinControl:VR, QTVR, optional QT Audio file), I'm afraid the spinControl:VR parameters became a little obscure, obfuscated, hard to find and fill out. :-(
I want to get things forms-driven and online at spinControl:HQ, but many other things have recently had to be in focus. While we're waiting for little old me to get more dynamic things done, folks can download this example which makes further use of Javascript to (gasp!) make our spinControlled lives easier. Included in the download are:
- An example HTML file, with appropriate Javascripting as necessary.
- - All spinControl:Linguist parameters in one place, at top of page
- - QTVR & optional Audio information likewise at top of page
- Apple Computer's freely available Javascript file (necessary for this workaround example)
I include Apple's Javascript function(s) in the download with permission, according to their terms. I hope the spinControl:Linguist Javascript workaround for full screen display helps folks out! There is also a download for users of spinControl:Harmony or spinControl:DIY.
Other things
I'd hoped to have a publicly available version of spinControl:Linguist which would include the Finnish language (cool!), but it got lost in the shuffle of the QuickTime 7.1.3 update debacle. Look for the Finnish version soon!
For folks worried about spinControl:VR and QuickTime 7.1.3, I have a private version which I can customize upon request. This version doesn't make use of Flash, so it will work everywhere regardless of the user's QuickTime preferences. That's great! So why don't I just have this new version available? Well, using Flash inside of QuickTime allows you to do many many things QuickTime can't do by itself -- specifically for spinControl:VR, it allows us to change the colors of the controller "on the fly". Another similar (yet not as fully featured) controller out there operates on the same premise and is in the same boat.
Being able to customize spinControl yourself is a big part of the reasoning behind spinControl:VR's existence, and having to offer a generic unchangeable QTVR controller doesn't appeal to me. ...So, I can customize spinControl's colors from client-to-client. But since this isn't a spinControl:VR originated issue -- that is, I'm not fixing a problem with spinControl:VR but, rather, working around Apple's poorly implemented security fix which disables Flash content -- I'll need to charge folks for my time. Interested folks can contact me; Never fear, I think I'm reasonable enough. :-).
Along with changing-colors-on-the-fly, we also lose the slick fade in / fade out of the text on the control bar, so we'll be limited to one line of custom text, and (for now) we don't have the full language set. sigh... Here's hoping Apple reverses direction with the next release of QuickTime.
(see updated offerings at the spinControl:VR Web site)
Also not yet publicly available, but upon request -- Full screen "tour" templates (PHP-based), including spinControl:Linguist, :Harmony or :DIY, which allow you to simply and dynamically create virtual tours of any number of QTVR. Contact me for an example or more info, or check the marquis for a change from "coming soon". :-)
Cheers!