
WEBANIME

The Animation Utility for the Web
Version 1.2S for Windows


Overview
========

     The WebAnime CGI program let you have a document that contains 
     an image which is getting updated by the HTTPD server on a regular 
     basis. It uses the "multipart/x-mixed-replace" mime to push a series 
     of images to the client. Only NETSCAPE V.1.1 and above, presently 
     support the server push functionality. You don't need any CGI 
     programming skills to make animations on your HTML pages. 
     Just use the WebAmine utility with appropriate options and it will 
     make the animation for you. All you have to do is to let your 
     imagination working.
 

Installation
============

     The following files are included in the archive:

          WEBANIME.EXE - The CGI executable.
          WEBANI12.INI - The WebAnime initialisation file.
          WEBANI12.HTM - This file. HTML format.
          WEBANI12.TXT - This file. Text format.
          FILE_ID.DIZ  - Description file.
          REGISTER.TXT - Registration form.
          LOGO-1.GIF   - WebAnime logo image file demonstration.
          LOGO-2.GIF   - WebAnime logo image file demonstration.
          . . .
          LOGO-15.GIF  - WebAnime logo image file demonstration.
          BOMBE-1.GIF  - Image file demonstration.
          BOMBE-2.GIF  - Image file demonstration.
          . . .
          BOMBE-31.GIF - Image file demonstration.

     You will need the Visual Basic runtime library VBRUN300.DLL in your
     windows\system directory. VBRUN300.DLL can be found on almost any BBS 
     or FTP sites that carries windows programs.
     
     To install the software, copy the WEBANI12.INI file to the WINDOWS 
     directory.  Place the WEBANIME.EXE program in your HTTPD CGI directory. 
     This directory is usually \HTTPD\CGI-WIN.

     Create a directory called WEBANIME under your HTTPD ServerRoot directory. 
     This is usually \HTTPD\. Move all WebAnime files in this directory. 
     You will keep all your animation image files in this directory.
     
     Edit the WEBANI12.INI initialisation file in the WINDOWS directory, 
     fill in the reference to DIRECTORY field. This reference must point to 
     the fully qualified directory where you will keep all your animation 
     image files. For example, you will have DIRECTORY=C:\HTTPD\WEBANIME. 
     Save the file.
     
     After the installation, you can access the 'WebAnime Main Menu' 
     by calling WebAnime with the following URL from your Browser
     command line:

     http://your.server.addr/your-cgi-alias/webanime.exe/Mgr

     That's it for the installation. 


Creating your animation
=======================

     An animation is a series of images that are displayed successively. 
     There is no limitation in the total number of images used neither 
     in the size of these images.  You can create your images with any 
     Windows picture program. Images must be saved or converted to a GIF, 
     JPEG or TIFF format to be compatible with the HTTPD protocol. 
     For WebAnime, you must save your image file with the following
     filename convention: 'aaaaa-xx.ext'. The aaaaa part is called the 
     image base name. The xx part is called the image sequence. 
     The first image of your animation will have '1' for sequence, 
     the second one '2', ect. The ext part is the image filename extention 
     and specifies the image format. For example, the WebAnime logo
     animation demo is built with 15 GIF's images with filenames: logo-1.gif,
     logo-2.gif, logo-3.gif ... logo-14.gif and logo-15.gif . 
     All your animation image files must be located in the directory 
     specified by the reference DIRECTORY in the WEBANI12.INI initialisation 
     file.

     You can test your animation by entering the full URL path in the 
     location field of your browser. For example, to test the WebAnime 
     logo animation demo, you can use the following URL:

     http://your.server.addr/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15

     Take a look at the WebAnime Query Parameters for more information 
     on how you can customize your animation.
     

Insert animation in your HTML documents
=======================================

     WebAnime let you insert an animation anywhere you want in your HTML 
     documents.  You do it by calling the WEBANIME.EXE CGI program inside 
     a traditional <IMG SRC="..."> HTML tag. You only have to build the 
     query string that will represent your animation. The general syntax 
     to insert an animation in your HTML document is the following: 

     <IMG SRC="/your-cgi-alias/webanime.exe?Query-Parameters" Options> 

     Examples:
     <IMG SRC="/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15&ROLLBACK=TRUE" ALT="***">
     <IMG SRC="/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15&LOOP=3" ALIGN=BOTTOM>
     <IMG SRC="/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15&FORMAT=JPEG&LOOP=2">
     <IMG SRC="/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15&LOOP=5&DELAY=50000">
     <IMG SRC="/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15&PATH=C:\ADIR\OFYOUR\CHOICE">


WebAnime Query Parameters
=========================

     With WebAnime you can use the following query parameters:

          IMGNAME: Mandatory.
          This parameter is used to specify the common image base name 
          of your images filename. For the WebAnime logo animation, 
          I use 15 images with filename logo-x.gif. 
          So we will take IMGNAME=logo for that animation.
          
          SEQUENCE: Mandatory.
          This parameter specifies the total number of images that will 
          be used for the animation. For the WebAnime logo animation 
          I use logo-1.gif, logo-2.gif ... logo-15.gif, I will then 
          take SEQUENCE=15.
          
          FORMAT: Optional.
          Use this parameter to specify the format of your animation image file.
          WebAnime support the GIF, JPEG and TIFF format. When used, the FORMAT
          parameter must be set to the image filename extension. For example, 
          if you are using JPEG image format, you will use FORMAT=JPG. 
          If not specified, WebAnime will use FORMAT=GIF by default.

          LOOP: Optional.
          Use the LOOP option to make your animation start over automatically 
          LOOP's time. For example, use LOOP=3 to make your animation looping 
          three times.  If not specified, WebAnime will use LOOP=1 by default.
          
          ROLLBACK: Optional.
          The ROLLBACK parameter can be used to make the animation rolling 
          back to the image sequence 1. You enable this feature by using 
          ROLLBACK=TRUE on the query string. For the logo demonstration, 
          if ROLLBACK=TRUE, WebAnime will display the following sequence: 
          logo-1.gif, logo-2.gif, ..., logo-14.gif, logo-15.gif, logo-14.gif, 
          ..., logo-2.gif, logo-1.gif. 
          If not specified, WebAnime will use ROLLBACK=FALSE by default.

          DELAY: Optional.
          (No effects for Windows Platforms)
          You can use this parameter to specify a delay between each image of 
          your animation. Due to a various network speed, you will probably 
          need to make your animation slower or faster. But take in consideration 
          that clients will load your animation at different network speed. 
          Animation that seems too fast for you can run slowly for a client. 
          If not specified, WebAnime will use DELAY=0 by default.

          PATH: Optional.
          By defaut, WebAnime uses the GetPrivateProfileString API to extract 
          from the WEBANI12.INI initialisation file the location directory of 
          your animation image files.  You can bypass this by specifying a 
          PATH option on the Query String.  For example, you can use 
          PATH=C:\HTTPD\HTDOCS\IMAGES to force WebAnime to point to 
          the C:\HTTPD\HTDOCS\IMAGES directory.
          
          ONLY: Optional.
          The ONLY parameter let you display a specific image of your animation 
          sequence.  To enable this feature, use ONLY=TRUE on the query string.
          If this parameter is used, then the SEQUENCE parameter will be 
          used to specify the image to display.  For example, if I want to 
          display the third image of the demo animation, Then I will use:
          <IMG SRC="/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=3&ONLY=TRUE"> 
          from a HTML document or
          http://your.server.addr/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=3&ONLY=TRUE 
          from the browser command line.

          DEBUG: Optional.
          You can use this argument to ask WebAnime to generate a debug 
          output that can be use to solved animation problems. This option 
          must be use only from the browser command line and not within 
          a <IMG SRC> HTLM tag. To enable this feature, use DEBUG=TRUE 
          on the Query String. 
          By default, WebAnime always assumed DEBUG=FALSE. 
          Example:
          http://your.server.addr/cgi-win/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=15&DEBUG=TRUE


Troubleshooting
===============

     Here's some things you can do if you cannot run WebAnime properly:

        - Can you run another Visual Basic CGI program that comes with 
          the server? Try for example to run the cgitest.exe CGI sample.
        
        - Have you look to your HTTPD error.log file for a pertinent 
          information?

        - Have you try to run WebAnime with the DEBUG query parameter?

        - Is the WEBANI12.INI file have been properly copied to the windows 
          directory and the DIRECTORY point to your animation image directory?
          
        - Use the PATH parameter to make WebAnime point directly to the 
          animation image directory.

        - Do you have a "TEMP" dos environment variable set? 
          (Reboot your PC with a 'SET TEMP=\ADIRECTORY' in your AUTOEXEC.BAT. 
          Be sure that \ADIRECTORY exist!)
          
        - Try to run WebAnime from the browser command line with a URL like:
          http://your.server.addr/your-cgi-alias/webanime.exe?IMGNAME=logo&SEQUENCE=1
          If it works, increase SEQUENCE one by one... 



Registration
============

     This program is Shareware, you may evaluate it for a period of no more 
     than 30 days. After this time you must either register 
     (read REGISTER.TXT) or remove it from your system. Failure to comply 
     with this condition is a violation of the law. As you are aware, 
     authors spend numerous hours to create such programs, and this, 
     to reach your requirements.  Therefore, they need all your support. 
     
     Please register if you use this program for longer than the trial period. 

     Registration is $12 (US) or $15 (Canadian). 
     To register, please send your name, address, a check or money order to:

               Sylvain Senechal
               284 Coulonge Street, Apt. 6
               Longueuil, Quebec (Canada)
               J4G 1V4

               Phone: (514) 646-7710 

     WebAnime is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, 
     expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties 
     of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes 
     no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result 
     from the use of WebAnime.
     

WebAnime V.1.2S for Windows
Copyright (C) August 1995, by Sylvain Snchal, Montral, Canada.
All rights reserved.
