Web Screen Saver - Properties dialog

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Web Screen Saver 2008SE

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Web Screen Saver 2008SE

Properties dialog box

Using the Properties dialog box, you can define which page you want to display and how much time this page should remain on screen.

Display a HTML page

In the Address text box, type the URL of the page you want to display. Use a basic URL notation for this page. For instance:

http://www.web-screen-saver.com

You can also display a web page stored on a local or network drive. In this case, you can use the "Browse file" button located on the right side of the dialog box to select the page:

s:\intranet\quarter-results.html

Also, you are able to display a password protected page if this page is protected with a htaccess password. For instance:

http://test:pass@www.web-screen-saver.com/secure/

However, if authentication on a web site is not based on htaccess security, check with the web site provider if there is a way to provide login information in the URL.

Here is a sample of a login URL including login information handled by a dynamic script:

http://www.vaugouin.com/solutions/ index.php?login=test&password=pass

As long as you provide a valid URL in the address field, you should leave the "Variable type" field in the "Single page or file (No variable)" state. However, you can let Web Screen Saver build addresses using a given base address and a variable. This is explained below.

Display a PowerPoint file

When the address points to a PowerPoint file, check the "Create a local copy of this page or file" check box. Doing this, a copy of the file will be stored locally and will be used to minimize network traffic. When a new version is available on the server, it will be automatically retrieved and used by Web Screen Saver.

Display a video file

The URL can also link to a video file. In this case, you need to install a video player software. In the Properties dialog, check the "Create a local copy of this page or file" option to create an updated copy of the video file in the local cache.

Check also the "Run as a separate process" and "Display until separate process ends" check boxes. Click here to know more about videos in Web Screen Saver.

Set a display time

For the display time of the page, you can either use the default display time or a specific time. A display time is always given in seconds.

If you want to use the default display time, just check the "Use default time" check box. The default value is located on the General tab of the Configuration dialog box.

You can also set a specific time for a given page. In this case, don't check the "Use default time" check box and type a value in the "Time" entry box.

When a file is displayed using a separate process like PowerPoint or a video player, you can also check the "Display until separate process ends". Web Screen Saver will wait for the end of the file before displaying the next page or file in the page list. In this case, make sure the separate process ends at the end of the file.

Advanced page types

You can let Web Screen Saver build addresses using a given base address and a variable using the "Type" field. Several ways to build addresses are available:

List of pages in a range (Value range)
Addresses are built with a base address and a counter iterating from a start value to an end value.
List of pages (Value list)
Addresses are built using a base address and a value taken in a value list given in this dialog box.
List of pages or files from a start URL (Value file)
Addresses are built using a base address and values taken from a file. This file may be a local file, a network file or a file read though HTTP protocol. Also, the values can be found in the file using different search patterns.
List of pages in a RSS feed
The list of pages displayed in screensaver mode can be fed by a RSS file. This RSS file can be hosted anywhere on the web or on your own network.
Internet Explorer favorites (standard)
The address list is taken from Internet Explorer favorites. This is a very easy way to use Web Screen Saver, because your internet favorites are automatically displayed using this option.
Main window invisible
The browser window becomes invisible, so the Windows screensaver desktop appears.

List of pages in a range (value range)

Use a "Value range" variable type when the addresses you want to display have a structure like this:

http://server/path/file$$.html

Where $$ is a value that is picked in a given range, from a begin value to an end value. In this sample, we will get a range from 1 to 9 for the $$ variable:

Using these parameters, nine addresses will be created in the result list. We can view the result list by clicking OK in the Properties dialog box, and calling the "Display page list..." option in the Edit menu:

Click on this link to run this sample.

List of pages (value list)

Use a "Value list" variable type when the addresses you need in your presentation look like:

http://server/path/file$$.html

Where $$ is a value that is picked in a list of values that you type in that dialog box, with a value on each line. For instance, use this feature to query a web site that can display price of stock quotes:

Here, the first addresses that will be generated are:

This dialog box may be displayed by calling the "Display page list..." option of the Edit menu, after validation of the Properties dialog box.

Click on this link to run this sample.

List of pages from a start URL (Value file)

Use a "Value file" variable type if the pages that you want to display are all included as links in a single page. For instance, to display all the BBC News pages that can be reached from the BBC News home page, set these parameters:

In this sample, the value file will be first downloaded on the BBC News home page:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Then, the program will search the values included in this file using the different search patterns:

href="/$$" href='/$$'

Using these patterns, every string found in the file will be taken as a different value. Each value will create a different address using the base address.

To preview the result addresses, click on the "Display page list" button to get the page list found with current settings:

Click on this link to run this sample.

For an easy configuration of Page properties if you want do display all linked pages from a start URL, use the "Page Wizard": . Follow this procedure:

Select the "List of pages or files from a start URL (Value file)" page type in the drop-down listbox.
Type the address of the web page that should be read to find the page list.
Click on the "Page Wizard" button to make Web Screen Saver computes all other settings.

Then, you can click on the "Display page list" button to get the page list found at the given URL:

List of files from a start URL (Value file)

Using the same technique, you can also download all files listed from a start URL and display these files using a separate process.

Select the "List of pages or files from a start URL (Value file)" page type in the drop-down listbox.

Type the URL of the web folder containing the files to display in the "Value file" entry field and click the "Page wizard" button: .

The page properties are computed by Web Screen Saver based on the content of the start URL. For instance, with the following URL:

http://www.vaugouin.com/pps/

Properties will be defined like this:

With these settings, Web Screen Saver will automatically retrieve the list of files stored in the given folder of the web server.

Each file will be downloaded and displayed using the default application based on file extension.

Read this page to know more about handling of PowerPoint files that should be downloaded and displayed as a separate process.

List of pages in a RSS feed

Configuration of Page properties for a RSS feed news source is easy:

Select the "List of pages in a RSS feed" page type in the drop-down listbox.
Type the address of the RSS feed file provided by your news provider.
Click on the "Page Wizard" button to make Web Screen Saver computes all other settings.

Then, you can click on the "Display page list" button to get the page list found in the RSS feed:

Click here to know more about RSS feeds in Web Screen Saver.

Internet Explorer favorites (standard)

Finally, use a "Internet Explorer Favorites (standard)" variable type if you want to display your internet favorites. You can either display the content of the Favorites menu of Microsoft Internet Explorer or all the favorites located in all sub-menus of the Favorites menu.

Here, because we checked the sub-directories check box, Web Screen Saver will use all your internet favorites.

To preview the result addresses, click OK in the Properties dialog and invoke the "Display page list..." option of the Edit menu:

Click on this link to run a sample using all your internet favorites.

Main window invisible

The last page type is "Main window invisible". This page type is useful if you need the software to become invisible to let the user see the Windows desktop.

Update delay

When pages are computed from a start URL (value file) or a RSS feed, it is necessary not to overwhelm the web server hosting this file with too many queries.

You can set a minimum delay between two queries through entry boxes: "Days", "Hours" and "Minutes".

The page list will be refreshed only when the delay you set has expired.

Default delay is 2 hours.