Internet screen saver with built-in scenario

This type of screen saver gives end users the opportunity to see initial screen saver scenario even without Internet connection. Everything looks like a standard screen saver until the moment changes are detected and new scenario and screen saver component files downloaded over the Internet. When all files are successfully downloaded, screen saver automatically restarts with the new scenario. End users do not have to do anything special because download is completed in the background while the previous version of the screen saver is running.

Please refer to following table to see what happens before end user's eyes under various circumstances. It will help you understand how internet screen saver with built-in scenario actually works.

Additionally, if an end user enables "Do not check for updates" option in .SCR settings dialog, no further downloads will take place so end user will look at either built-in .SCR or last completely downloaded .SCR before the option was enabled.

Internet screen saver only (has to download files on 1st start)

This type of screen saver is initially just a player engine without any scenario built-in. When a viewer starts it for the first time it will display a progress bar and start downloading screen saver scenario and component files. When all files are successfully downloaded the screen saver will start playing and from that point onwards everything works like with a screen saver with built-in scenario.

The main advantage of this type of screen saver is smaller file to download initially because it is just the screen saver player engine without any component files. Of course, main disadvantage is that viewer will not be able to see anything but download progress screen until download of all screen saver component files is successfully completed.

Please refer to following table to see what happens before end user's eyes under various circumstances. It will help you understand how internet screen saver that has to download files on 1st start actually works.

Additionally, if an end user enables "Do not check for updates" option in .SCR settings dialog, no further downloads will take place so end user will look at either endless download progress screen sequence (because there is no .SCR downloaded to display) or last completely downloaded .SCR before the option was enabled.

Internet screen saver using external component files

Usually, all component files of an internet screen saver reside on its web location, but you can also use an image, text or media/flash file residing elsewhere on the Internet.

Take web cams for example. If a web cam image is in .JPG format and you have its absolute URL, you can include it in your internet screen saver even if you do not have any control over the web site where it resides. You can achieve this using optional "Absolute image file URL" parameter in Image/Text command definition dialog (the same parameter is available in Step 2a of the Wizard), but please note that you will still need to save one local copy of the image (or make appropriate replacement) that you can use during screen saver development.

The same goes for text and media/flash files. All this means that you are not restricted with having screen saver component files at only one web location. If necessary, all images, text and media/flash files can have their own web locations different from internet screen saver's web location that will remain to host only its scenario. This technique is applicable to both screen savers with built-in scenarios and those that have to download component files from the first start.

Currently, an exception to what is written above is with ShowHTML command when you use it with embedded MHT/HTML files. Those files will always be located at the screensaver's web location, i.e. you can not set an absolute URL for them.

Internet screen saver's (.SCR) settings dialog options

There are three options in .SCR settings dialog that affect internet screen saver's execution. The first one is "Do not check for updates" which, if enabled, prevents any further checking for changes and downloads. The real effect of end user enabling this option is described above just beneath respective tables. The second option is for proxy settings with default being set to Autoconfigure that should work smooth for most end users. Please note that if end user's HTTP connections have to go through a proxy server and the configuration is not good, that end user will not be able to get any .SCR changes. The third option important for screen saver running successfully is "Use HTTP authentication". If internet screen saver is protected with HTTP authentication this option has to be enabled with valid username and password or screen saver update will not happen. Additionally, .SCR settings dialog displays information when the next check for changes session is due.