Introduction

Up to this point, you have been turning in competencies in the native file format of your authoring program. However, when you are actually ready to distribute the final product you will need to export your program in a format that is deliverable to others. In most cases this means saving the project in a format other than the program's native file format.

For example, the Flash project file has the extension "fla". This is the format you use to save the project as you are working on it. However, a native Flash file is only viewable on machines that have Flash installed on them. And you certainly don't want to make everyone buy Flash just to view your finished product, do you? That's why Flash and other authoring programs allow you to save the finished program in formats that are viewable on any computer. These are generally compiled executable files that cannot be loaded back into the authoring program to make changes. If you need to make changes then you need to go back to the original project file. Below are notes for each of the programs.


Flash

Flash has several options for saving a project, but the most common are the "projector" version and the "Flash" version. Both formats package all of the required elements (except video clips) into one executable file. A projector can be run on any computer, while a Flash movie is designed to be run on a web page, and requires the user to have the Flash Player installed on their machine.


HTML

With HTML there's not much choice to make. Once you create the web pages you have your deliverable format. There is not a separate project file as with the other authoring programs. Even so, there's no law that says that web pages have to be used on the Web. You can just as easily deliver HTML pages on a computer or CD-ROM. If you've taken the Digital Video course, the CD that was sent to you was created with HTML, even though the pages were never used on the Web.

For this competency we'd like for you to explore your authoring program's various methods of creating a deliverable program. Depending on the authoring software you are using, here are some LinkedIn Learning tutorials we recommend that you go through. Once again, keep in mind that the names of the tutorials may differ slightly depending on which set of tutorials you are using.

PowerPoint Introduction: Slide Shows and Presentation Options
Advanced: Exploring Slide Show Options
Dreamweaver Checking and Uploading the Site
Testing Browser Compatibility
Flash Publishing Your Movie
Optimizing, Exporting and Publishing Movies
Other programs Exporting projects to various formats

Exporting Activity

We'd like you to demonstrate your ability to export a finished project from your authoring program in a format that can be delivered to another computer as a single file, and then run without having the authoring program installed on the user's machine. How you accomplish this will differ depending on the program you are using.

For this activity you should use the project from the last competency. You do not need to add anything to it, just export it from the authoring program in a deliverable format. Unlike previous activities, you will not submit your project in the program's native file format. Instead, use these guidelines:


Flash

If you are using Flash, create a projector file. This should have the extension "exe".


HTML

As stated earlier, with HTML the deliverable file is the same as the native project file. However, since this competency party deals with the ability to move an entire program from one computer to another, we would like you to create a single archived file containing all of the HTML files necessary to run your program. This is accomplished through the use of an archive/compression program. An archive program allows you to create a single file that acts as a storage container for other files. You can add as many files as you want to the archive, then close it up and send the file to someone else. When the archive is reopened all the files are again accessible. Files that are archived are usually also compressed to make the archive smaller.

On Windows machines, archived files generally have the extension ".zip". On the Macintosh, archived (or stuffed) files generally have the extension ".sit".

On the Macintosh, archived files that are to be sent over the Internet are usually also "encoded" to prevent corruption. This is because of the way Macintosh files are structured. If a file is encoded then it must be decoded in order to be viewed again. The most common encoding formats are BinHex and MacBinary. When files are encoded with BinHex they have the extension ".hqx" added to them, and when they are encoded with MacBinary they have the extension ".bin" added to them. Most Macintosh archive programs will encode and decode files; in addition, several mail and FTP programs will encode or decode files as they send or receive them.

If you do not already have a program to create archives, there are many available. Here are several of the more popular ones (all of them have demo versions available):

Windows

  • WinZip
  • Stuffit Expander Windows
    • Direct download from cnet
    • Download from SmithMicro (requires an email to download)

Macintosh

  • Stuffit Expander Mac
    • Direct download from cnet
    • Download from SmithMicro (requires an email to download)

Since your activity includes a main menu page and three linked pages, you will have four pages to put together. In addition, you will have to include all of the image files that appear on your pages (backgrounds, buttons, animations, etc.). When you are finished you should have a single archived file that you can upload to your Filebox. When that file is uncompressed your web pages should load and run normally.

Submitting your Activity

Save this activity as instructed earlier. Name the file "export". Depending on the program you are using, you will end up with one of the following types of files:


Flash
You should end up with a projector named "export.exe".


PowerPoint
Name the project file "export.ppt/pptx". Before you submit the URL of the assignment, please upload the whole package into your filebox and enter the URL for the project file (PresentationPackage.html) from the "PresentationPackage" folder.


HTML
Name the first page in the program "export.htm". When you archive all of the files, name the archive "export" also. If you are a Windows user, the file you submit should have the "zip" extension. If you are a Mac user the file will have either the "sit", "hqx", "bin", or "zip" extension. If you choose not to encode the file using BinHex or MacBinary you will need to make sure that it will download and run properly from your Filebox.

After you have saved the file, go to the student interface and submit your assignment for grading. Click here if you need additional information regarding submission of your assignment.

Assignment:Export Activity
Points:
5

Grading Criteria:

  • Flash program saved as a projector file. PowerPoint program saved as a Pack and Go file. HTML program saved as HTML files and combined into a single archive.
  • Program loads and runs properly. All the elements appear without trouble.
  • Program should contain a main menu with three menu options. Each option leads to a new screen. Each screen includes a button that leads back to the main screen.
  • If using PowerPoint, the show does not advance except through the use of the buttons.
  • Student's name included somewhere on the main screen.