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1. |
GENERAL QUESTIONS |
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1a - WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM BOOK SIZE?
The size of the books you can create using the XGBookMax component is virtually unlimited. However, due to Flash related speed problems with large file and animations, we recommend to keep the book within a reasonable size (800x600 pixels at 150 dpi will work fine).
Large books can perform slowly especially on old computers. |
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1b - HOW MANY PAGES CAN I ADD AND WHAT IS THE PRICE?
Once you purchase XGBookMax you can add as many pages as you like and you can create as many e-books as you wish. You don’t need t pay per page or per e-book. You pay for the software only. Than you can host the e-books on your web site/server.
Anyway, we advise to keep the pages within a reasonable number (100 pages). |
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1c - HOW MANY EBOOKS CAN I CREATE AND WHAT IS THE PRICE?
Once you purchase XGBookMax you can create as many books as you wish. You don’t need t pay per page or per book. You pay for the software once. Than you can create as many books as you wish and host them on your web site/server or sell the finished page flip book to your clients. Make sure you give them only the swf file, the xml file, and pages folder.
DO NOT (FOR ANY REASON) GIVE THE FLA FILE - CONTAINING THE XGBOOKMAX COMPONENT - AWAY TO THIRD PARTIES. THAT WILL GO AGAINST THE LICENCE AGREEMENT. IT WILL BE LIKE GIVING THE COMPONENT AWAY FOR FREE. |
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1d - DIFFERENCE BETWEEN XGBOOK2 AND XGBOOKMAX?
The difference is in the features and functions available. Also the page flipping effect is different between the two. XGBookMax is a much more advanced version which can also be customized. It can do many more things than XGBook2, that is why it cost more.
Please check our web site (www.xgem.co.uk ). You can download the trial versions (fully functional but with watermarks) of both products and check the manuals. Try to compare the features (it may take a bit of time but it is worth it) and to check the samples.
Remember that for both products you need to know how to use Adobe Flash and xml files.
When you install the trial, please pay attention to the on-screen instructions. |
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1e - CAN I USE A PDF FILE DIRECTLY?
XGBookMax is not a PDF converter. XBookMax doesn’t take pdf files directly. You have to first convert your pdf into swf files.
To use
PDF files you must converted them either into JPEG or swf
(IMPORTANT: swf pages converted from pdf might have issues related to the page dimension, size, fonts, hyperlinks and morte. This is due to the way they were originally created. We are not responsible for these problems. Please download the fully working free trial and test XGBookMax before buying.
XGBookMax has been developed to be used with pages created directly in Flash or with JPEG/GIF files. |
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1f - CAN I USE SOUND, VIDEO AND/OR INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS ON THE PAGES?
Yes. If you create the pages in Flash then you can embed sounds, videos, buttons, hyperlinks, animations, interactive elements etc like on any other Flash file.
Please remember that the more elements you include on a page, the more work the CPU needs to do to animate the page flipping. If your book seems to turn slowly with some pages its nearly 100% sure that you have placed too many elements (or vector text) on the page. Please delete some elements to improve performance.
You can find samples showing the use of buttons, interactivity, videos and animations in the "Help_XGBookMax" Folder that comes with the package (Trial and Full Version) and in samples included in the TECHNICAL HELP - TROUBLESHOOTING here below.. |
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1g - WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO USE XGBOOKMAX?
To use our Flash Component you need to have one of the followinf Adobe Flash versions installed on your computer:
- Flash MX 2004 /MX Professional 2004
- Flash 8.0 (Actionscript 2)
- Flash 9.0 (can be used with Actionscript 2 not Actionscript 3)
XGBookMax has been tested on the following platforms:
- Win/Mac |
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1h - STANDARD PRINT FUNCTION & "printPath" ATTRIBUTE. HOW DO THEY WORK AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
XGBookMax was developed to print in 2 different ways:
1. Using the standard print dialog box - To print using this method, please do not define the "printPath" in the xml file. This way the file that defines a page will be printed using the standard print function from Flash.
2. Using the "printPath" attribute - To print using this method, define the "printPath" in the xml file for each page you want printed from a different file from the one used as book page (generally one with better quality).
This way the file defined in the "printPath" attribute will be opened in a new browser window or in Acrobat. The user will be able to print it from there. The "printPath" is an addition to the standard print function which is automatically selected when the "printPath" attribute is not defined.
The standard print function and the extra "printPath" attribute can not work in the same way without creating a conflict in Flash. Also to print a pdf file from Flash, Acrobat needs to be opened.
If you want to use the standard print function, please do not define the printPath attribute. |
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1i - WATERMARK - HOW TO REMOVE IT ONCE PURCHASED THE FULL VERSION
The watermark can be removed only if you have purchased a copy of XGBookMax full version.
It can be removed in 2 ways:
1. follow the
instructions inside the "help_XGBookMax" folder and/or in the pdf manual that came with your copy of XGBookMax 8full version).
If you can not find them, do the following:
1. close Flash.
2. double click on the full version mxp extension (make sure you have Adobe Extension Manager installed first).
3. follow the on-screen instructions and re-install XGBookMax
After you have done this use the samples included with the full version, not those from the test version. The XGBookMax component in the samples from the test version has the watermark embedded and can not be removed.
2. if you have already done a lot of the work using a samples from the test version, you can substitute the test component with the full version one directly in Flash.
What you need to do is to replace the component in the library with the component from the full version sample.
If you do not know how to do this, follow the instructions below.
1. Start Flash.
2. Open both the sample fla file that you used for your testing (in one window) and one of the fla samples that came with the full version (in another window).
3. In Flash go to the full version sample and open the Library window (Ctrl+L).
4. Find the XGBookMax Component. Select and copy it (Ctrl+C).
5. Go to the test version sample, go to the library, find the XGBookMax component, select it and then paste the full version component you just copied on top of it (Ctrl+V). You'll be asked if you want to replace the component. Click "OK".
6. You are done. Publish the movie. You shouldn't have any watermark anymore. |
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2. |
TECHNICAL HELP & TROUBLESHOOTING |
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2a - BUTTONS TO GO TO ANOTHER PAGE OR URL (buttons inside a page)
Q: Can I use a flash button inside the book pages (I'm working with swf for every page) I need a button that takes me to another page in the book or a button that calls a different web page?
A: Yes, you can put buttons in the pages. Open "page_0.fla" and see the scripts attached to the 2 buttons. You’ll understand. Also check the samples included with the XGBookMax package (Trial or Full Version)
- download sample (zip file)
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2b - PAGE SIZE - SCALE PROBLEM
Q: When I run my book, some of the pages are distorted and the page size is changed.
Why is this happening and can you advise me what I am doing wrong?
A: When you use a flash file (swf) as a page, you have to be careful and remember that:
- The component scales the contained page by default.
When scaling, the component uses information on the size of your SWF file it contains.
Now, there are mainly 2 situations you will probably run into:
Situation 1. if your page is empty and has only a small graphic element/text in the center, the component calculates that the page size is equal to the size of this graphic element/text. If this is your case you should set the page size by placing a rectangular shape or an image under the graphic element/text content. The size of this rectangular shape must be equal to the page size. Also make sure all the elements on stage are nested within stage and do not go out of it (if you have elements outside of the stage, go to point number 2 here below and follow the instructions)
- Check sample NO1.fla and relative pages in the page folder.
Situation 2. (Recommend) If you have graphic elements/text fields/images that go outside of the stage, then you should create the page following these instructions:
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In the first frame put only a rectangular shape as big as the stage to define the stage area.
- in the second or third frame place your graphic elements (MovieClip, TextField, masked images etc).
The reason for this is that when the Component loads the pages it calculates the size of the loaded page at the moment when the loading is done and the playback head is in the first frame. This way it will calculate the size of what is on the first frame, that is the rectangular shape you placed earlier which has the same size of the stage. All what is outside will not be calculated but will work.
This is the best way and can be used also in Situation 1.
- Check sample NO2.fla and relative pages in the page folder.
- download sample (zip file) |
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2c - GO NEXT – GO PAGE (buttons on the stage)
Q: Trying to get the book.goNext(); or the book.goPage(); to work. Cannot make it work. What am I doing wrong?
A: Here is a sample file showing how to do it. Also, please read the manual.pdf
- download sample (zip file) |
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2d - HOW TO START BOOK IN ZOOM MODE
To start the book in zoom mode
the actionscript command needs to be placed on the page where you want the action to happen.
I've attached a sample (created with the trial version) that shows how to do this.
Go to the page folder and check the actionscript on page_0.fla
I'm sure you'll understand how these methods can be used.
- download sample (zip file) |
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2e - XML OBJECT IN FLASH (create the book without xml file)
Q: How can I insert the CONFIGURATION NODES (and xml attributes) directly in the SWF and not in the XML file. Is it possible?
A: Yes you can. You need to create an XML OBJECT in actionscript with all the nodes like the original xml file. In the Parameters window you do not need to put the path to the xml file anymore. The xml data is now written in the actionscript on frame 1.
- download sample (zip file) |
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2f - LOAD ALL THE PAGES AT THE START
Q: I am wondering if there is a code or a way to to make XGBookMax load all the pages automatically, once the book is activated, rather than having to wait for the user to visit a certain page. I have notice that the book as it is set now will only load a few pages at a time and not keep previous pages. Is there a way to change that?
A: Basically XGBookMax has been created to distribute the loading time when it has lots of pages so users can see the pages without waiting for a long time.
But your request is opposite.
Anyway, here is the solution to your problem.
1. Make XGBookMax preload all pages before showingthe book. This way the pages are cached in the internet temporary folder.
2. When all the files are loaded, XGBookMax will automatically go to the frame with the book.
Here is a sample file. You can easily understand and apply this model.
- download sample (zip file) |
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2g - REFERENCE XML FILE REMOTELY_crossdomain
Q: The product we are creating is delivered over a number of sites and will be updated periodically. To enable us to update in the easiest way can you tell me if it is possible to reference the .xml file remotely? ie on our web server?
A: Yes you can. But you have to upload the file "crossdomain.xml" to the root folder in your server. It helps other site access your server.
- download sample (zip file) |
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2h - FULL SIZE IN INTERNET EXPLORER
Q: is it possible to have the book in full size in a html page?
A: Yes it is. You need to use javascript in the html file. Here is a sample with a few html files.
When you double-click "start_full_fix.html" and "start_full_resize", you can see the results and differences. Thanks.
- download sample (zip file) |
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2i - SINGLE PAGE MODE ONLY
Q: is it possible to force the swf to only be in single mode? Is this carried out in the XML file? I don't seem to see a variable for this, just the two buttons on the controller.
A: Yes, it can be done. Here is a sample file that shows the single page mode when it's started.
If you want, you can also edit the Control Panel (see customization manuals) and delete the double and single mode buttons
- download sample (zip file) |
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2l - START BOOK FROM PAGE....
Q: is it possible to have the book start from a different page rather than the front cover?
A: Once the book has been loaded, it can be sent to a specific page using the "goPage(page number)" method in actionscript. This script needs to be applied to the first page. Please download and check the available sample.
- download sample (zip file) |
