Shlomo Perets microtype.com

Integrating web-based videos in your PDFs with FM-to-Acrobat TimeSavers & Multimedia Assistant

1 OverviewEnriching docs with videos applies to: ■ Software documentation

■ Hardware documentation

● User guides ● Reference● Online help ● Tutorials

● Installation ● User tutorials● Service manuals ● Part catalogs● Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals

(IETM)

2 Why use videos?■ Accommodate different learning styles

(visual demo vs. text-intensive)■ “Internet” generation■ International audience;

reduces text translation/localization■ Intuitive knowledge transfer to users■ Processes/products can be difficult to

describe, but easily understood visually

3 Web-based videos■ Pros:

● PDF file size is minimally affected (as videos are not embedded)

● Can update movies anytime (without having to resend PDFs)

■ Cons:● End-users need to have a web connection

Note: Can embed a low-res version of the video, but display a web-based high-res version if a web connection is available

4 Adding videos in Acrobat■ Can add video to PDFs in Acrobat

(or adjust its settings)

■ But… these features “disappear” when you re-distill (after updating FrameMaker source files)

■ It is not practical to re-create features every time the source file is converted to PDF

5 “Native media” MM-Asst shortcuts ■ Require Acrobat / Reader 9 or later ■ FLV/SWF/MP3 (played by built-in Flash

player included in Adobe Acrobat/Reader) ■ Media is web-based or embedded in PDF ■ TimeSavers shortcuts can optionally

include activation/playback parametersalert ~swf (http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/swf/UPI-FINAL-APR.swf) /xi [478 336] (cc_load_policy=1) (unpaidcase)

6 Default video playback location■ Floating Window

● Highly recommended for the optimal display of screen capture demos (floating win dimensions = intrinsic video dimensions)

■ In Document● Fine with “photographic” videos● If you must use “In Document” with screen

capture demos, set the initial zoom for the PDF (by default, 100% zoom = 96 dpi)

7 Video sharing servers■ Embedded SWF is the video player■ Movie parameters (site- and player-

specific) are specified through the FlashVars parameter

Note: If possible, disable advertisements in your video sharing server account settings

8 Examplesalert ~swf (player54-yt-as3) /vi9 [ ] (file=youtube.com/v/1GQ0r-5ufC4&autoplay=0&modestbranding=1&autohide=1&showinfo=0&rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0&hd=1) (PeelTomato) alert ~swf (http://vimeo.com/moogaloop) /xi [ ] (clip_id=31933085&server=vimeo.com&autoplay=1&title=0) (drawappindoc) alert ~swf (flvplayer-sc2) /xi [320 258] (autostart=true&content=http://content.screencast.com/users/ShlomoPerets/folders/Default/media/0319bf51-946b-4397-8714-a6ca6d7225af/CandleCue.FLV) (CandleExperiment)

9 Video activation through… A

■ Clicking in the media area■ “Page action” (through the media

parameters): when the page containing it is opened or visible

10 Video activation through… B

■ Links (implemented via Acrobat JavaScript):alert ~RmPlayLink (LetterParts.swf)

■ Bookmarks (implemented via Acrobat JavaScript):alert ~RmPlayBmk (Video of Experiment) /e3 (Candle.flv)

Note: bookmarks/links can activate a media only if that media is present on current page. When activated by bookmarks, media should be present on all pages, preferably through master pages (this does not increase file size).

11 End-user one-time setup End users need to configure their Adobe Reader preferences to avoid security alerts:1 Edit > Preferences (or Ctrl+K)2 In the Categories panel, select Trust

Manager, then click Change Settings3 In the Manage Internet Access, select

● “Allow PDF files to access all web sites”, or● Custom / “Let me specify…”, indicate site

and select “Allow access”