Sliding Headlines

Required Class Files: prslideh.class, ocwordw.class, ocparamr.class, ocfontc.class, occcolor.class

Notes Regarding Java

Note: Some versions of Internet Explorer (primarily the pre beta 4.0) will not be able to view this and most other image based applets locally. If this is the case you must place the applet on a web server in order to view it. This bug will not be present for viewers of the applet once the program is on the internet, it is a local issue only.

Note: When uploading your class files and HTML document to the sever make certain that the class files are uploaded in binary format and the codebase value in the applet tag appropriately point to the location of the class file (If the class file is in the same folder as the HTML document containing the applet leave the codebase command out of the applet tag).

Required Class Files

This applet uses multiple class files (included with the download), the main class file: prslideh.class must be referenced by the applet tag. The other support class files must be located in the same folder as the main class file in order for the applet to run. The required class files are: prslideh.class, ocwordw.class, ocparamr.class, occcolor.class, ocfontc.class

Online Documentation at www.opencube.com

Information about the applet and its parameters

About the Parameters

This applet uses a separate file for defining most of the parameters used in defining the look and functionality of the applet. Essential parameters such as the location of the file containing the file parameters must be defining in the HTML parameters for the applet itself. Both the HTML and file parameters may be defined using the same layout specifications. This document outlines all the information required to customize both the applet using both the HTML and file parameters.

Required Parameters

Parameter 1 (the "notice" tag) must be included in the applet tag in order for the applet to work. Most of the parameters will default if you fail to define them, at a minimum you must include the notice tag and a parameter file location tag was well as an associated file with the neccessary parameter definitions for defining the applet.

Defining Colors

This applet uses a simple RGB or Hexadecimal color definition scheme. On most systems (depending on the software being used to choose a color) its easier to define a color using RGB, however since most web pages define colors using a HEX value we have allowed for both methods of color definition. To define a color using RGB use commas to separate the values such as 255,255,255 (White). To define a color using a hexadecimal value use a pound sign ('#') followed by a 6 digit hex value in the rage of 000000 - FFFFFF (e.g. #FFFFFF is equal to the color White).

Color Definition with RGB: To define a color in one of the color parameters using RGB choose a value between 0 - 255 for the red, green, and blue components separated by commas and typed out in the correct r,g,b order. Below is a sample of how a color parameter using RGB should look, the example specifies several different sample colors for the "bgcolor" parameter.

WHITE: <param name="bgcolor" value="255,255,255">
GREEN: <param name="bgcolor" value="0,255,0">
BLACK: <param name="bgcolor" value="0,0,0">
YELLOW: <param name="bgcolor" value="255,255,0">
OFF WHITE: <param name="bgcolor" value="240,239,234">

The best way to choose the exact color you are looking for without having to guess the numbers is to access your systems Color Picker. Color Pickers usually allow you to drag the mouse over a rainbow type color grid to select a color, and show you the appropriate RGB values. In windows the Color Picker is accessible through MS Paint as well as a majority of the popular Imaging and HTML Authoring Software.

Defining Multiple Attributes with the same parameter name

Parameters used to customize a specific message are indicated using a range, such as "desc0" - "descN". To define a parameter for a specific message (available when noted as above), use "textcolor0" to define, in this case, the text color for the first message - "textcolor3" would define the text color for the fourth message, etc., etc.

Creating The Parameter File

The parameter file is an external configuration file for further defining the applet. By reading the parameters from a seperate file multiple applet implementations may pool from the same configuration settings. The only HTML paraters the applet requires is the notice tag and paramfile tag which points to the paramter file to use with the applet.

The parameter layout file may be configured similar to the way in which the standard applet tag parameter values are arranged within an HTML document. The only restrictions are that all values must be enclosed within double or single quotes, The beginning <applet... and ending </applet> must not be included, and all comment lines should start with a pound sign ('#'). Below is a sample parameter file (note: sample may not reflect parameters used with this applet)...

------------------File Starts Below This Line---------------------

#Note: Begin all comments with a pound sign.
#Note: Enclose all values within quotes.

#
<param name="bgcolor" value="#000000">
<param name="linejump" value="15">
<param name="slidecolor" value="177,168,143">

#
<param name="fontstyle" value="bold">
<param name="size" value="12">

#
<param name="desc0" value="My first message">
<param name="desc1" value="My second message">

------------------File Ends Above This Line---------------------

Note: The minimum text required to customize a parameter is name="??" and value="??". The value option must be placed after its associated name value. For convenience only we have included the <param and ending ">" mark to help simplify matters when using similar parameters within HTML applet tags.

HTML Applet Parameters

Parameter 1
Attribute: Copyright notice.
param name="Notice"
value="Sliding Messages, Copyright (c) 1997 OpenCube Technologies, Registered (Unique Key ID#)"
Note: This must be included for the applet to work.

Parameter 2
Attribute: Param File Location
param name="paramfile"
value = X, Where X is the name and relative location of the parameter file to use with the applet relative to the location of the document containing the applet.
Note: This must be included for the applet to work.

Parameter 3
Attribute: Initial Loading parameter File Message
param name="lpmessage"
value = X, Where X is the message to appear in the status bar when the applet is initially loading the parameter file.
DEFAULT: Loading Configuration File...

Parameter 4
Attribute: File Refresh File Message
param name="loadmsg"
value = X, Where X is the message to appear in the status bar when the applet is re-loading the parameter file.
DEFAULT: Loading Configuration File...

Parameter 5
Attribute: Re-Load Parameter File Time Interval
param name="timerefresh"
value = X, Where X the time interval in seconds at which to re-load the parameter file, a value of 0 or the absence of this parameter causes this option to be ignored.
DEFAULT: 0

Parameter 6
Attribute: Show Paramer File Update while paused
param name="showonpause"
value = true or false, If true the new messages read from the parameter file on the time interval starts even if the current message is paused, if false the new message waits for the current message to end its delay time.
DEFAULT: false

File Applet Parameters

Message Definition

Parameter 1
Attribute: Message
param name="desc0" - "descN"
value=X, where X is the specifc message and optional title to be displayed with. To define the message text and title text separate them with a vertical bar ('|'). e.g. My Title|this is the message associated with my title. You may also force a paragraph break in the body text with a vertical bar. To force a paragraph break in a description with no headline text start the message with a vertical bar, then subsequent vertical bars are recognized as paragraph breaks. Note: Messages longer than the width of the applet are automatically put in a multi-line format. The title section of the message must be able to fit on one line.

Parameter 2
Attribute: Default Background Color
param name= "bgcolor"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.
DEFAULT: WHITE

Parameter 3
Attribute: Specific Background Color
param name="bgcolor0" - "bgcolorN"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.

Parameter 4
Attribute: Default Paragraph Text Color
param name= "textcolor"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.
DEFAULT: BLACK

Parameter 5
Attribute: Specific Paragraph Text Color
param name= "textcolor0" - "textcolorN"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.

Parameter 6
Attribute: Default Title Text Color
param name= "titlecolor"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.
DEFAULT: red

Parameter 7
Attribute: Specific Title Text Color
param name= "titlecolor0" - "titlecolorN"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.
DEFAULT: red

Parameter 8
Attribute: Default Border Thickness
param name= "borderthickness"
Value=X, where X is the default thickness of the border for all messages.
DEFAULT: 0

Parameter 9
Attribute: Specific Border Thickness
param name= "borderthickness0" - "borderthicknessN"
Value=X, where X is the thickness of a specific border for any message.

Parameter 10
Attribute: Default Border Color
param name= "bordercolor"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.
DEFAULT: BLACK

Parameter 11
Attribute: Specific Border Color
param name= "bordercolor0" - "bordercolorN"
Value=r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.

Parameter 12
Attribute: Default Paragraph Font
param name="parafont"
value = {font, style, font size} All three font values must be included and seperated by a comma or an error will be generated. The Available java font settings are (Helvetica, Courier, TimesRoman, Dialog, and DialogInput). The available style constants are plain, bold, italic, bolditalic.
DEFAULT: Helvetica, plain, 12

Parameter 13
Attribute: Specific Paragraph Font
param name="parafont0" - "parafontN"
value = {font, style, font size} All three font values must be included and seperated by a comma or an error will be generated. The Available java font settings are (Helvetica, Courier, TimesRoman, Dialog, and DialogInput). The available style constants are plain, bold, italic, bolditalic.

Parameter 14
Attribute: Default Title Font
param name="titlefont"
value = {font, style, font size} All three font values must be included and seperated by a comma or an error will be generated. The Available java font settings are (Helvetica, Courier, TimesRoman, Dialog, and DialogInput). The available style constants are plain, bold, italic, bolditalic.
DEFAULT: Helvetica, plain, 14

Parameter 15
Attribute: Specific Title Font
param name="parafont0" - "parafontN"
value = {font, style, font size} All three font values must be included and seperated by a comma or an error will be generated. The Available java font settings are (Helvetica, Courier, TimesRoman, Dialog, and DialogInput). The available style constants are plain, bold, italic, bolditalic.

Parameter 16
Attribute: Extra Title Space
param name="extratitlespace"
value = X, Where X is the extra distance in pixles between the title and paragraph text for all messages.
DEFUALT: 0

Message Timing and Animation Transitions

Parameter 17
Attribute: Default Message Delay
param name = "delay"
value="X", where X is the default time in milliseconds that all message will pause for.
DEFAULT: 2000 (2 seconds)

Parameter 18
Attribute: Specific Message Delay
param name = "delay0" - "delayN"
value="X", where X is the time in milliseconds that a specific message will pause.

Parameter 19
Attribute: Default Animation Delay
param name = "movedelay"
value="X", where X is the default time in milliseconds that all animation's delay for between frames.
DEFAULT: 0

Parameter 20
Attribute: Specific Animation Delay
param name = "movedelay0" - "movedelayN"
value="X", where X is the time in milliseconds that a specific animation delays for between frames.
DEFAULT: 0

Parameter 21
Attribute: Animation Jump Size
param name = "jump"
value="X", where X is jump size for all animation's, increase the jump size to speed up the animation.
DEFAULT: 1

Parameter 22
Attribute: Specific Animation Transition
param name = "heading0" - "headingN"
value={0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8}, The following values define the specific transition direction. Note: if a specific transition is not defined then a random transition between the value of 0 and 7 is used.

0 Upper Left Corner
1 Top
2 Upper Right Corner
3 Right
4 Lower Right Corner
5 Bottom
6 Lower Left Corner
7 Left
8 No Transition

Parameter 23
Attribute: Default Animation Overlap Status
param name = "overlap"
value=true or false, true - the default animation for new message transitions is to overlap the existing message. false - the default transition is to push the existing message aside.
DEFAULT: true

Parameter 24
Attribute: Specific Animation Overlap Status
param name = "overlap0" - "overlapN"
value=true or false, true - the specific animation for new message transition is to overlap the existing message. false - the specific transition is to push the existing message aside.

Text Allignment

Parameter 25
Attribute: Default Horizontally Centered Status
param name = "xcenter"
value=true or false, true - the default alignment for all messages is horizontally centered. false - the default alignment for all messages is left justified.
DEFAULT: true

Parameter 26
Attribute: Specific Horizontally Centered Status
param name = "xcenter0" - "xcenterN"
value=true or false, true - the specific alignment for a message is horizontally centered. false - the specific alignment for a messages is left justified.

Parameter 27
Attribute: Left Margin and Right Margin
param name = "xoffset"
value=X, where X is the width of the left and right margins. Note: both centered and left justified text will stay within the defined margin. Margins start at the edge of a border, if defined
DEFAULT: 5

Parameter 28
Attribute: Top Margin
param name = "yoffset"
value=X, where X is the height of the top margin for non vertically centered text. Note: both centered and left justified text will stay within the defined margin. Margins start at the edge of a border, if defined
DEFAULT: 1

Mouse & URL Highlighting

Note: A colored border may be defined to appear when the mouse moves over a text area with an associated URL link. The border size is defined using the borderthickness parameter described in the message section above. To use a highlight border only, set the message border color to the same color as the background.

Parameter 29
Attribute: Default Highlight Color
param name = "hlcolor"
value = r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.

Parameter 30
Attribute: Specific Highlight Color
param name = "hlcolor0" - "hlcolorN"
value = r,g,b where r,g,b represent the red, green and blue components of the color as described above.

Parameter 31
Attribute: Mouse off delay
param name = "offdelay"
value = X, Where X is time to delay the current message in milliseconds before moving to the next image once the mouse moves off the applet.
Default: 2000 (2 seconds)

Parameter 32
Attribute: Show URL Links in Status Bar
param name = "showlinks"
value = true or false
Default: true

Parameter 33
Attribute: Default Status Bar Text when mouse is over applet
NOTE: The unregistered version does not allow for the customization of this parameter.
param name = "onsbtext"
value="X", where X is the message to appear in the status bar when the mouse is over the applet but not over a URL link.
DEFAULT: "OpenCube - Sliding Headlines"

Parameter 34
Attribute: Default Status Bar Text when mouse is off applet
NOTE: The unregistered version does not allow for the customization of this parameter.
param name = "offsbtext"
value="X", where X is the message to appear in the status bar when the mouse is not over the applet.
DEFAULT: "Java By OpenCube"

URL Links

Parameter 35
Attribute: Default Destination URL Link
param name = "desturl"
value=X, where X is the default link for all messages. Fully qualify all URL's (e.g. "http://www.opencube.com")

Parameter 36
Attribute: Specific Destination URL Link
param name = "desturl0" - "desturN"
value=X, where X is the specific link for a message. Fully qualify all URL's (e.g. "http://www.opencube.com")

Parameter 37
Attribute: Default Load Destination Image URL Where?
param name="loadwhere"
The "loadwhere" tag specifies the default location to load documents URLs defined with the "desturlN" parameter. The default is "_self". A value equal to the name (case sensitive) of a frame will load the document in that frame.

"_parent" show in the parent frame
"_top" show in the top-most frame
"_self" show in the current frame
"_blank" show in a new unnamed top-level window
"name" show in a new top-level window named name
"frame name" show in the frame named frame name

Note: When targeting a frame location with the name of the frame make certain that the case and names are typed identically. If the applet cannot find the frame the document will be loaded in a new window.

Parameter 38
Attribute: Specific Load Destination Image URL Where?
param name="loadwhere0" - "loadwhereN"
The "loadwhereN" tag specifies where the document specified in the "desturlN" parameter should be loaded. The default is "_self". A value equal to the name (case sensitive) of a frame will load the document in that frame.

"_parent" show in the parent frame
"_top" show in the top-most frame
"_self" show in the current frame
"_blank" show in a new unnamed top-level window
"name" show in a new top-level window named name
"frame name" show in the frame named frame name