Document

Title :	Launcher Specification
Project :	Xnfo (http://xnfo.sf.net)
Reference :	xnfo-spec-launcher
Version :	0.03
Date :	15/02/2003
Author(s) :	Sanx, Gruiiik

Changes

Date	Version	Author	Description
15/02/2003	0.03	Sanx	Updated feature list Made a selection of next feature list Prerelease
07/02/2003	0.02	Sanx	Details on scenarios More options on the Setup Dialog Behavior paragraph added
01/02/2003	0.01	Sanx, Gruiiik	Initialisation Feature priority list

Subject

This document presents the specification of the example tool called Launcher. This tool presents the information contained in an Xnfo file, or a set of Xnfo files, plus the production. It presents it in a demostyle.

Technologies

C# : (todo) Infos, runtime, downloads etc. Download runtime.
Direct X 9.0 + Managed : (todo) Infos, downloads,... Download runtime.

Demo show scenarios

If you want to run one demo with the launcher (almost useless), set the Xnfo File field as an existing file. If you want to run a whole show, with multiple demos, set the Xnfo File as a directory. The launcher will browse for all possible xnfo/archives in the directory.

First shown

When first shown the sequence of action is :

Display "Compo" infos :
- name
- authors
- category
- compo audience message
Fade the screen to black.
Run the demo
Fade the screen to the screen.
Display "Complete" infos :
- Infos :
  - name
  - authors
  - category
  - compo audience message
  - credits
  - greetings
  - messages
- Screenshots.

This mode is the one that should be used for party compos. During the first step it show enough information without breaking the surprise effect, then it runs the demo, and only after you have full information, and even screenshots.

Replayed

When during the party the compo list is replayed, the list of information displayed is :

name
authors
category
credits
screenshots

In a party, the replayed mode should be running on the big screen when there is nothing to see, so that people will see screenshots and information about the production. So it is a good support, for discussing about the demo, with other sceners.

Demoshow

When ever you want, the list of information displayed is :

name
authors
category
credits

Then you can Run, Go to the previous or the next prod.

Results

At the end of a party the results are displayed, with a .result.xnfo file.

Behaviors

Some input parameters make vary the behavior of the Launcher. The most important parameter is the type of Xnfo file you open :

demo (large meaning) : It shows a 3d scene (1), with text layers exposing information. Run command, runs the demo on the computer. Screenshots are presented in TV screens.
graphic : It shows a 3d scene (2), with a big billboard on the middle of the scene. With the info written on. Then it zooms and stick on borders. it displays the graphic during a while. and then zooms out displays steps, and additionnal information available.
music : It shows a 3d scene (1), and a spectrum analysis of the music played. Plus basic information, at the end it shows full information about the music.
video : It runs like demo behavior, but runs a media file instead of an executable.
results : It runs a 3d scene (3), with the podium, and the screenshots in tv screens appears from 3 to 1, and follows the general classement for the competition. Next and prev commands changes the category, and Run gives the display of the results.

On all change of prod the launcher will fade the scene, from and to, white or black.
Next and prev changes the prod. Run permit the forward to the Show step of a scenario.

User Interface

Setup dialog

(combobox) Playmode : First Shown/Replayed/Demoshow/Results : permits to change the format of the information displayed.
(checkbox) Fullscreen : do a fake fullscreen.
(filename *.xnfo or directory) Xnfo file/dir : The file to use a root for information display. If a directory, enumerates all files.
(directory) Archive directory : The directory from which the productions are browse or run. This directory may contain Zip files, in which you have xnfos.
(directory) Temporary directory : Where to extract demos (removed, should reappear later).

Screen

Interactive commands

[R] Freeze rendering and Run prod on local machine.
[F] Fade to black toggle
[Space] Next

Features

Reads Xnfo Information : Reads all production information, and display it on the screen.
Display Run away - Air Tunnel scene : As we have no time/ideas for new art in this project, so we reused the scene from Run Away.
Display screenshots : Displays the screenshots extracted from the archive.
Unpacking Zip file : At loading screenshots are extracted, and when you press run the file is extracted in temp directory, in the sub directory xnfo - authors - production_name/.
Program execution : Launchs the run command line in its default config, if no default found takes the first.
Device Restoring : It has been well tested, when you run a fullscreen production with the launcher, it trashes the device, but it is restored.

Next Features priority list

More esthetic scene, plus effects.
Strict Prods sequencing : respecting demoshow scenarios.
Xnfo Graphic, Music, Video support.
Xnfo Results support.
Xnfo Results prods show.

Bug report ?

This document belongs to xnfo project.