DeBoard II Software How 2's

So, in summary here it is.

The "SFG" file is the project file that contains
1) The file names of the text files used
2) The image list file name "IFG"
3) The audio list file name "AFG"

The "IFG" file contains the actual image file name list and the "AFG" file contains the actual audio file name list. You are encouraged to open these file and have a look, this may help clarify this scenario.

By NOT using a "single file that contains all project components" approach permits DeBoard to have it's parts and pieces changed while running; since DeBoard is meant to run continuously without ever stopping the display.

This is why it is SO important to save the project often. When you click "Save Project" all the above mentioned files are re-written to disk.

Using DX8 for live video feed.
REQUIRES MS DX8.0A/8.1 or higher be installed.

Version 2.1 and greater supports MS DX8 video. To use this feature plug your camera into your firewire port before turning on your computer. Start Deboard, next click the Use [DX8 Video Input] button on the [Project Settings] panel. Then click the [Align] button to size and position the DX8 input box in DeBoard. If your camera is in the VCR mode, DeBoard will turn on the motor control and start playing your prerecorded video in the DX input window. If your camera is in the camera mode the live video and audio will automatically display in the DX input window. THe DX input window can be positioned on any one of the 4 monitors you are using.

Note: The size of the DX window in DeBoard will determine how much re-sizing will be done to the original video frame size. Example: If the original video is 720x480 and your DeBoard DX window is 160x120, the artifacts from the sizing will be visible. More information will be available on this subject at a later time.

Using a TVtuner board.
REQUIRES MS DX8.0A/8.1 or higher be installed.

Most Tvtuner boards work if DirectX Direct Show is installed. If the TvTuner device appears in the [DX8 Video Input]  pull down on the [Project Settings] panel, select the device. Next, make sure the monitor you wish to display the DirectX input/capture display box has been checked on the [Monitors] panel.

A few examples of devices found in [DX8 Video Input]  pull down on the [Project Settings] panel;

ATI TV Wonder Conexant Capture

AVERTV Conexant Capture

Microsoft DV Camera and VCR

Note: Windows ME and XP may seem to pause when starting DeBoard with DirectX devices. This is due to the large overhead of device connections that need to be made internally. Usually this takes about 20-30 seconds. There will be DirectX messages displaying the status of DirectX as connections are being made. Be patient. . .

1. First click on the Configuration and Settings page and check[Use Play colors when editing].
2. Load a text into text object 1, text object 2, and the crawl line object (3) by right clicking on a text box.  When it's popup menu opens, click the  [Read in Text file] option.
3. Assign a font, font color, background color, and font size-type for each of the three text object boxes using the same popup menu after right clicking.
4. Click on the [Size] button on the main menu bar. This option will make default screen boxes for the object boxes.
5. Go to the Align screen by clicking the  [Align] button. Reposition the box objects on the screen by dragging and dropping them.
6. You can re-size the objects by clicking on the edge of an object box and dragging it to the desired size.
7. Press [Esc] to return to the main screen and press Play.
8. When you are satisfied with the results use the [File] [Save Project as]option.

First click on the [Text Composer]  page. Remove any text from the main title, sub title and the time line. Highlight the text with the mouse cursor and press the [Delete] key.

1. Next, remove the text from the text object boxes and/or the crawl box; right click the text object box and select [New text file]. This will remove the text from the box.
2. To turn the time display box off, click the [Clock] button on the main menu.
3. The above three steps cleared all text. Next click the [Image and Audio Control]page.
4. To add images to the image list, right click on the white Image - Avi  list to popup it's menu.
5. Click the [Add files to list] and add a few (or a hundred) graphic files to the list.
6. The files must be BMP(bitmap),  JPG (jpeg) images or AVI(windows avi)  files. The size is not important other than the closer they are to your full screen size, the better they will look when playing.
7. Click the[Stretch Image]Icon below the image list. This will re-size the images while playing.
8.  Drag the [Image play time in Seconds] slider (below the image list) to how many seconds you want each image to be displayed before changing to the next image.
9. Last, click the [Align]button to size and align the single graphic box. If you want to use full screen, stretch the graphic box by dragging the corners of the graphic box to the respective corners of your screen, and releasing the mouse button
10. Press[Esc]to return to the main screen and press Play.  Enjoy your show.
11. When you are satisfied with the results, use the [File] [Save Project as]option.
12. Just a slide show is okay, but you could also add a  text scroll box, time box, narration (wave files), or midi music file.
13. Other image options [Wipe], etc work as well.

Discussion: DeBoard's text and graphic objects include a frame option. This option builds a frame inside of a text or graphic box, not on the outside of the box. Therefore, when sizing or aligning boxes on the align screen, the box dimensions include the frame width you specify on the Project Settings page.

The [Object Margins] are used as automatic spacer between the text and outer edge of the text boxes when using [Static text] or [Page flip] text boxes. Margins and frames are applied to all objects on the play screen if you have checked these options on the Project Settings page and set their value appropriately. Having said that, let's try it!

Follow these steps.

1. First click on the DeBoard Configuration page and check [Use Play colors when editing].
2. Back to the Text Composer page and load a text into text object 1, text object 2, and/or the crawl line object (3). Right click on a text box to open it's popup menu,  then use the [Read in Text file] option.
3. Next select one of the color schemes from the Project Settings page using the [Project Color Setups] pull down menu. Click on the [Decco] preset. (Note: Some of the presets have frames and margins settings, Decco does not.)
4. Using the popup menu, change the background colors so that all object box  backgrounds are a different color. This will make aligning the boxes easier. Make sure the  frame width is set to zero.
5. Next click the [Size] button on the main menu. This will maximize the dimensions on each object before aligning.  Next Click the [Align] button, this will align all objects automatically.
6. Notice that there is no space between the objects on the align screen.
7. Press [Esc] to close the align screen and then change the [Frame Width] on the Project Settings page to 20 and set the [Frame Selection] option to [No Frame].  Click the [Size] then the [Align] buttons and notice the spacing between all objects. Explanation; This will add a 20 pixel open space between all objects. This can be used with an image background to show the background between the objects when playing.
8. Press [Esc] to close the align screen and then change the [Frame Width] to 36, then click the [Frame Selection] option to [Gradient]..
9. Change the frame color to any color you wish, then click the  [Size] [Align] buttons and notice the gradient frames are inside of each text object. You can also click the Solid radio button for a solid color frame

Follow these steps.
1) This option requires that you have access to the folder that contains the current text documents being scrolled. This option can be used via modem (if your modem software permits uploads in the background) or over a network and you have enough memory.

2) While DeBoard is running, simply copy the modified text file of the same name into the directory where the original document was loaded. E.g. Copy it to the current DeBoard directory. This new file will be played next time it is looped.

3) When a document has finished scrolling it will re-load the new document (of the same file name) and start from the beginning again.

If you get a remote File Access Error generated by W98/Nt. Try the copy again.
Remark: This is suggested for documents of a minute or greater in scroll time.

Also, Most S3 chip set video cards install easily. You may have to install one card at a time however.

SPECIAL NOTE:
A problem may occur when adjusting the speed of a scroll box while DeBoard is running. A scroll box object may jump to your control console(DeBoard) and start playing on the console. This seems to occur on some win98 machines when changing the speed rapidy or clicking various page tabs in rapid succession.
FIX:Stop play by clicking on one of the remote (this may be hard to do) computer playscreens (if you have one) to stop play. Then start play again with out adjusting the scroll box speeds. We are working on a patch.

Follow these steps.

1. To use the second monitor as the play monitor, do this: Click the [Monitors] tab. Click the object you want to associate with which monitor. Click [Align] and line-um up. If you do not have a second monitor registered with the windows operating system, there will be only one monitor radio button on the [Monitors] page.
2. The speed of individual scroll and crawl boxes can not be changed while DeBoard is running. To change the speed of an individual scroll box or crawl line go to the [Configurations and Setting] page and drag the appropriate speed slider.

To change the display play time go to the [Images] page and adjust the [Image Play Time in Seconds] slider. This controls the play time of all image boxes and all monitors. There is an internal 1/2 second delay between each image playing. This is necessary of the file I/O.
You can use the [Read in Text File] option  while DeBoard is running. This feature will let you change a text object's contents without stopping DeBoard. This works well for cable TV systems and closed circuit video systems. Network connections make this an easy approach. Deboard will work across a Lan or Wan. TOP
3. 
   

1) First, Assume Deboard is install in directory "C:\XX" and the project's name is "Test"
2) After starting DeBoard, create and save  project "Test" in directory C:\XX.
3) Make sure the project runs the way you want, then exit the program.
4) From the Desktop or where ever, go to and open the C:\XX folder.
    (C:\XX could be the desktop also)
5) Drag the "test" icon  (it may look like a text document icon) onto the DeBoard Icon and drop.
6) 3 seconds later it will start after setting itself up.

Note: You should not move the "Test" icon to another directory because the file locations (the other *,sfg, *.ifg, *.afg) are all relative to "C:\XX", and doing so, will prevent this automated startup from working. TOP

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Using Image wipes and air brakes.
The [Graphic Images] box on the [Images] page contains direction buttons, a stretch button and a square blue natural size button. Image boxes can display an image either by wiping the image in, or just drawing the image in. To use a wipe, click the stretch button. The stretch button contains a large "X" and is used to stretch the image to fit the image box it is being displayed in. Next, click a  direction button. If you do NOT click a direction button, but do click the stretch button, all four directions will be randomly used for wipes.

The natural size button (blue square) will display the image in it's natural size if the Stretch button
is not selected or down. This will display the image in it's native size at the image box's left top corner.

If the stretch button is down or selected, AND the natural size button is also down, the image will not be stretched but will be placed in the center of the image box and clipped to fix the image box. TOP
 
 

Using Transparent text titles
The [Main] and [Sub Titles] can be transparent. This is useful if you are using an image for
the background of a monitor display. To use this option check the [Transparent Titles] option on the
[Project Settings] page. To use a graphic image for the background of your display, go to the [Monitors] page and click the open folder icon on the Monitor you wish to use. This will show you an open graphic dialog box where you would choose the graphic image to use.

Note: Using [Anti alias]  with [Transparent Titles] may produce a slight outline of the title's transparent color around the text. We are working on this problem.TOP
 

Using Page flip
Note: This feature is included as a free option.
The demo version of this product does not inhibit or alter the display with a demo logo.
This option is considered FREEware but is not supported for non registered users.
Page Flip will display a single page of text in scroll box 1, if [Page Flip] is checked on the
[Project Settings] page. Using this option will display the entire text file in scroll box 1 one page at a time until the end of the text file is reached, then start from the beginning of the text file. The numbers of lines displayed in scroll box 1 before flipping will depend on the margins (using the scroll box 1 text slider), font size, scroll box 1's height, [Object Margins] and [Frame width].

The time between page flips is set using scroll box 1's [Speed Delay] in seconds. Normally, this speed delay adjusts the Msecs (1 second divided 1000) when scrolling text object one.TOP
 

Using Temptrax temperature files:
DeBoard  can now be read Temptrax temperature files. This can be used to 'play' the temperature
box on any monitor being run by DeBoard. There are two edit boxes used to add text
to the temperature display. They are located on the [Text Composer] page next to the time/date text box. They will only appear when [Read Temperature File] is checked on the [Project Settings] page. The first temperature edit text displayed before the temperature and the second will be displayed after the temperature. NOTE: This process deletes the temperature file each time it is read-in every 1.5 minutes, thus preventing historical temperature stats. This option will only work in W95/98 version of TempTrax thus far. TOP
 

Using Anti alias fonts.
If you use true type fonts in a non 256 color mode all text will be anti-aliased using the windows operating system anti alias function. This will provide a much smoother looking text. It will not work in any video mode other that 24/32 bit true color. To use this option go to the [Project Settings] page and click [Use anti alias]. TOP
 

How to start DeBoard automatically after windows boot-up.

To start DeBoard automatically do the following.

Step 1
First, you need to make a Short cut on your desktop. You will move/drag
the shortcut to the startup programs | startup folder later.

The target line of the shortcut should read something like this.
Note the "sample.sfg" at the end of this line. This is the configuration file to start up DeBoard with.
The configuration file name can not have spaces in it, example: "my deboard settings.sfg" should be changed to
"my_deboard_settings.sfg".
Target:
"C:\Program Files\DRS-Digitrax Services\DeBoard\deboard.exe" sample.sfg

Step 2
Next, add the "Start In: " in the short cut as follows (this will be done automatically when you make this short cut).

 This is the folder where the "sample.sfg"  file (step 1)  must reside.
Start In:
"C:\Program Files\DRS-Digitrax Services\DeBoard"

Step 3
Next, right click on the "Start" icon on your task bar and left click "Open".

 Left click on the "Programs" folder.

 Left click on the "Startup" folder.

Drag the short cut you made in Step 1 into this "Startup" folder.

Step 4
Now start DeBoard and load the actual text file(sample.sfg, etc). Set the color, font and Window Size
options.

Click the [Save Configuration] option. The current configuration will be used when starting automatcally.

Now reboot your machine to test the shortcut. If all went well, DeBoard will startup after windows finishes it's
startup. Note: You should make sure that user logins etc. will not take place. This will prevent the shortcut from
being run, unless the login is automated as well. TOP

There are two ways to do this.

The first method is to Check the [Run Current Project On Start] from the DeBoard Configuration page. After checking this option you must save the current DeBoard settings using the [Save Default Configuration] option. Make sure that all option are set accordingly before using the [Save Default Configuration] option. This option can also be used with the How to start DeBoard automatically after windows boot-up option as described above.

The second method uses the drag and drop windows feature. With the Deboard programs folder open, drag a project name (file) and drop it on the deboard.exe program name. The project name ends with the .sfg extension. THis will start deboard then start the project playing.
TOP

Static text boxes will display as much text that will fit into a text object's box. Static text boxes require that you decide where the line break should be by setting the box width in the Text editor. The  Static text boxes will not use movement during play, but can reload text files based on a timer (using DeBoard's FIle Transfer Utility).

Discussion: If text object 1 is set to be a Static Text object,  and it contained a few paragraphs of text, and, say the font was set to Arial 36, only the first sentence or part of it would show in text object 1 display box when playing. DeBoard will not display a Static Text unless it fits entirely in it's display box. To show all of the text, you will need to make the text object's display box larger (using the Align option), use a much smaller font or re-size the width of the text in the text editor..

Page Flip boxes will play variable length text files. When a text object is set to Page Flip, it will only play as much text as will fit into the text object's display box at one time, for each flip through the file.. The text is formatted as it is being played. The Text Object's [Speed Delay] is used as a pause (in seconds) between page flips.

The [Object Margins] are only used as spacers between the outer edge of the box and the text contained in the box. The  [Object Margins] are used only in Static Text and Page Flip text boxes. TOP

Description:
Starting with version 1.8.2, FileExfer.exe is include in the distributed version of DeBoard. The program, a simple timer file copy manager, will copy local files or user entered text(as a file) to DeBoard while DeBoard is running. FileExfer assumes you have the RELOAD option set in the remote version of DeBoard. This program uses timers to send the files to DeBoard's file folders. FileExfer time ranges from 1 second to 4 hours. It will replace the current text files running in DeBoard. You should make backups of all text files before using this program. FileExfer uses the Window's copy command and does not send content to an IP address. It assumes you have the remote DeBoard's file folder's drive mapped to the computer running FileExfer.

FileExfer options are are explained below.

•  Exit - Close the File Transfer utility.

• Save File Locations and Times - This option will save all current entries for your next session

• Toggle Timer 1,2,3 - This option will turn the timer on and off or off. If you do not want to send files make sure the timers are toggled to "Stopped".

• DeBoard File Location for Text 1,2,3 - Use this option to locate the current files that DeBoard is playing. You made need to stop or check DeBoard to find out which files are currently being played. These files will be replaced.

• Send local file for Text 1,2,3 - This option will copy a local file of a different or same name to DeBoard. It will rename the local file as it is being copied. It Will not rename the local file when copying.

• Send This text for Text 1,2,3 -  This option will copy the current user entered text to the DeBoard machine using the Location and names used in item (4) above.

• TEST : Send date and time - this option when checked will send the date and time in a file to DeBoard. It will use the location and names from item (4) above.

• Use Minutes not Seconds - When checked, the timing is set to minutes. (max. is 240 minutes)
• See Also

TOP

Using Temptrax temperature files.

DeBoard can read the origianl Temptrax temperature files. The "TempTrax" program must be started prior to starting DeBoard to activate its use in DeBoard. This can be used to 'play' the temperature box on any monitor being run by DeBoard. There are two edit boxes used to add text to the temperature display. They are located on the  [Text Composer] page next to the time/date text box. They will only appear when [Read Temperature File] is checked on the [Project Settings] page. The first temperature edit text is displayed before the temperature is shown, and the second edit text will be displayed after the temperature (i.e. "The temperature is:" [temperature] "Fahrenheit").  Because the internal timer for reading the outdoor.dat file is set to 1.5 minutes it may take 3 minutes for the correct reading to first appear when starting DeBoard.

NOTE: This process deletes the temperature file each time it is read in every 1.5 minutes, thus preventing historical temperature stats. This option will only work in W95/98 versions of TempTrax thus far.  We will be in contact with TempTrax for an attempted upgrade to NT.

Warning:   Although TempTrax can be run with other programs, we have found it is extremely memory intensive and causes a "jerky" play quality in DeBoard.  We are attempting to find a solution to this problem.  In the meantime, by limiting yourself to one scroll box, the "jerkiness" is kept to a minimum.

The Info-Cast revision of DeBoard will read from the probe directly instead of reading the temptrax data file.