Copyright: Copyright (c) 1999, Firehand Technologies Corporation, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


Keyboard Interface Reference

Command	Keystroke
Default Size Display Mode	Ctrl+Enter
Best Stretch Display Mode	Shift+Ctrl+Enter
Descale to Fit Display Mode	Alt+Ctrl+Enter
Unconstrained Stretch Display Mode	Alt+Shift+Ctrl+Enter
Previous File	Left Arrow
Next File	Right Arrow
Toggle Full-Screen	F2
Play/Pause	Backspace
Stop	Ctrl+Backspace
Open Folder	Ctrl+O
Browse Current Folder	Ctrl+B
Edit Image in Ember’s Pop-up Imager	Enter
Delete File and Advance	Del
Copy Current File to Clipboard	Ctrl+C
Move File	Ctrl+M
Set Current Image as Wallpaper	Ctrl+W
Print Current Image	Ctrl+P
File Properties	Alt+Enter
Refresh	F5
Close Slideshow	Esc
Context Menu	Shift+F10
Run/Advance Slide Show	Spacebar
Previous Folder (when in iterative folder mode)	Page Up
Next Folder (when in iterative folder mode)	Page Down


File Menu: "Open"
File Menu: “Open”

The “Open” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu.  When invoked, this command opens the folder selection dialog by means of which you can select the folder whose files you wish to view in the slideshow player.


File Menu: "Close"
File Menu: “Close”

The “Close” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu.  When invoked, this command closes the currently open display folder.


File Menu: "Browse"
File Menu: “Browse”

The “Browse” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu only when the slideshow player is launched directly from Windows – not when it is launched from Ember’s View menu.  When invoked, this command causes Firehand Ember to launch (if it is not already running) and to display the folder currently open in the slideshow player.  The file displayed in the slideshow window is selected in Ember’s thumbnail window.


File Menu: "Edit"
File Menu: “Edit”

The “Edit” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu as well as its context menu.  It is available whenever an image file is displayed in the slideshow window.  When invoked, this command causes Firehand Ember’s Pop-up Imager module to launch and to open the image file currently displayed in the slideshow window.  The file may then be modified in the Imager.  If it is saved after being modified, the slideshow player will automatically refresh its display to show the image, as altered.


File Menu: "Delete"
File Menu: “Delete”

The “Delete” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu.  This command can also be invoked using the “Delete” key on the keyboard.

When invoked, the Delete command causes the file currently displayed in the slideshow window to be deleted.  Subsequently, the slideshow player will automatically refresh itself to reflect the removal of the file.  It will then advance to display the next file in sequence.

Note that if the “Confirm Deletions” option is enabled on the General tab of the slideshow player’s Options dialog, a confirmation dialog appears whenever the Delete command is invoked; otherwise, the deletion occurs without an opportunity to confirm.  (It is strongly recommended that the “Confirm Deletions” option be left enabled.)

The Delete command always attempts to delete files residing on local fixed disks to the Recycle Bin, and thus delete operations may be “undone” (by opening the Recycle Bin after a file deletion and selecting Undo Delete from the Recycle Bin’s Edit menu).  To by-pass the Recycle Bin and directly delete the current selection, hold down the Shift key on the keyboard when invoking the Delete command.


File Menu: "Copy"
File Menu: “Copy”

The “Copy” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu. This command is available whenever the slideshow player is displaying a file.

When invoked, the Copy command causes the currently-displayed file to be placed on the Windows system clipboard.  The copied file can then be pasted into a different folder on your system, or the file data can be pasted into any Windows application that supports the pasting of data of that particular type.


File Menu: "Move"
File Menu: “Move”

The “Move” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu.  When invoked, this command displays the File Move dialog, which allows you to specify the folder to which you wish to move the currently-displayed file. When OK in this dialog is clicked, the slideshow player executes the file move operation, just as though the displayed file had been dragged from the slideshow window and dropped. Subsequently, the slideshow player will automatically refresh itself to reflect the removal of the file from the current folder. The slideshow player will then advance to display the next file in sequence.


File Menu: "Set as Wallpaper"
File Menu: “Set as Wallpaper”

The “Set as Wallpaper” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu.  This command is available whenever an image file is displayed in the slideshow player.  When invoked, this command causes the currently-displayed image to be installed as your desktop wallpaper.  Note that the manner in which the image is sized and positioned on the desktop when installed as wallpaper is governed by the options set on View Options dialog.


File Menu: "Page Setup"
File Menu: “Page Setup”

When the “Page Setup” command is invoked from the slideshow player’s File menu, the standard Windows Page Setup dialog is displayed through which you can specify the paper size and source, orientation, and page margins you wish to use when printing images from the slideshow player.

IMPORTANT: It is by adjusting the margins in the Page Setup dialog that you control the size of the image the slideshow player prints and its position on the paper: the slideshow player will always attempt to scale its output such that it is as large as will fit within the specified margins without cropping.


File Menu: "Print"
File Menu: “Print”

The “Print” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu. This command is available whenever the currently-displayed file in the slideshow window is of a file type that has a printable representation.

When invoked, the Print command displays a standard Windows Print dialog.  Be sure to click the “Properties” button on this dialog and adjust the graphics settings of your printer before proceeding to print your selection.

IMPORTANT: For information on adjusting the position and scale of your printed image, refer to the “Page Setup” command, above.


File Menu: "Properties"
File Menu: “Properties”

The “Properties” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu, as well as its context menu.  When invoked, this command displays a properties dialog for the file currently displayed in the slideshow window.


File Menu: Most Recently Used Folder List

The slideshow player “remembers” the last five folders that were opened, and displays their names on the File menu.  You may quickly reopen any of these folders by selecting the appropriate entry from this folder list.

Note: If you do not wish the slideshow player to track the folders you have visited, you may deselect the Maintain “most recently used” folder list checkbox on the General tab of the View Options dialog.


File Menu: "Exit"
File Menu: “Exit”

The “Exit” command accessible via the slideshow player’s File menu terminates a slideshow session and closes the program.  If the Re-open last folder at start-up option is enabled on the General tab of the Options dialog, the folder open when the slideshow player is closed will be reopened the next time slideshow player is launched directly from Windows (if the slideshow player is launched from Ember, Ember sets the slideshow player’s active folder to match the folder displayed in Ember’s active thumbnail window).


Navigation Menu: "Play/Pause"
Navigation Menu: “Play/Pause”

The “Play/Pause” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s Navigation menu, as well as its context menu and control bar.  This command is available no matter what subfolder usage mode the slideshow player is currently configured for.  If the slideshow player is playing when the Play/Pause command is invoked, the slideshow pauses at its current playback position.   If the slideshow is not playing when the command is invoked, Play/Pause causes the slideshow to begin playing from its current position.


Navigation Menu: "Stop"
Navigation Menu: “Stop”

The “Stop” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s Navigation menu, as well as its context menu and control bar.  This command is available whenever the slideshow player is configured to iterate through or ignore nested subfolders under the selected folder; it is not available when the slideshow player is configured to collapse the selected folder tree into a single, randomized file domain.  When invoked, the Stop command causes the slideshow to halt, if it is playing.  Its position is then reset to the first file in the playback sequence.   If the slideshow player is configured for randomized file playback, invoking the Stop command causes the file order to be re-randomized.


Navigation Menu: "Previous File"
Navigation Menu: “Previous File”

The “Previous File” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s Navigation menu, as well as its context menu and control bar.  This command is available unless the slideshow player is configured to collapse the selected folder tree into a single, randomized file domain.  The “Previous File” command is enabled whenever the slideshow is positioned beyond the first file in the playback sequence.  When invoked, this command causes the slideshow player to step backward to the previous file in the playback sequence.  If the slideshow is currently playing, it continues to play – from the previous file.


Navigation Menu: "Next File"
Navigation Menu: “Next File”

The “Next File” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s Navigation menu, as well as its context menu and control bar. This command is available no matter what subfolder usage mode the slideshow player is currently configured for.  When invoked, this command causes the slideshow player to advance to the next file in the playback sequence.  If the slideshow is currently playing, it continues to play – from the next file.


Navigation Menu: "Previous Folder"
Navigation Menu: “Previous Folder”

The “Previous Folder” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s Navigation menu, as well as its context menu and control bar.  This command is available only when the slideshow player is configured to iterate through all nested subfolders under the selected “root” folder. The “Previous Folder” command is enabled whenever the slideshow is positioned beyond the root folder in the selected folder tree and a higher-level folder contains supported files.  When invoked, this command causes the slideshow player to iterate backward to the next higher-level folder in the selected folder tree that contains supported files.  The slideshow playback position is set to the first file in the new folder. If the slideshow is currently playing, it continues to play – from that file.


Navigation Menu: "Next Folder"
Navigation Menu: “Next Folder”

The “Next Folder” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s Navigation menu, as well as its context menu and control bar.  This command is available only when the slideshow player is configured to iterate through all nested subfolders under the selected “root” folder. The “Next Folder” command is enabled whenever supported files exist in a folder nested beneath the currently-displayed folder.  When invoked, this command causes the slideshow player to iterate downward to the next subfolder in the selected folder tree that contains supported files.  The slideshow playback position is set to the first file in the new folder. If the slideshow is currently playing, it continues to play – from that file.


View Menu: Mode sub-menu

The “Mode” sub-menu is accessible via the slideshow player’s View menu, as well as the context menu.  It features four associated commands: “Default Size,” “Descale to Fit,” “Best Stretch,” and “Unconstrained Stretch.”

Selecting the “Default Size” command from the Mode sub-menu places the slideshow player in “Default Size” display mode.  In this mode, each image in turn is displayed within the slideshow display window in its native dimensions.  If the image size is such that it will not fit within the display window, it is “cropped” so that it will fit.

Selecting the “Descale to Fit” command from the Mode sub-menu places the slideshow player in “Descale to Fit” display mode.  In this mode, each image in turn is displayed within the slideshow display window in its native dimensions if its native dimensions are such that they will fit entirely within the window’s display area.  Otherwise, the image is shrunk so that it will fit entirely within the display window.

Selecting the “Best Stretch” command from the Mode sub-menu places the slideshow player in “Best Stretch” display mode.  In this mode, each image in turn is displayed within the slideshow display window stretched to best fit that window’s display area while preserving the image’s relative dimensions to avoid introducing distortion.

Selecting the “Unconstrained Stretch” command from the Mode sub-menu places the slideshow player in “Unconstrained Stretch” display mode.  In this mode, each image in turn is displayed within the slideshow display window stretched to entirely fit that window’s display area.  The relative dimensions of the image are not preserved if they differ from the relative dimensions of the display window.  This may introduce significant distortion.


View Menu: Display Full-Screen

The “Display Full-Screen” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s View menu, as well as the context menu.  When invoked, this command causes the slideshow player to create an unframed window that takes up the entire display area of your monitor and to display the current slideshow in that window.  To return to “windowed” display mode from full-screen display mode, simply strike the Escape or F2 key on your keyboard, or select “Display in Window” from the context menu.


View Menu: Hide Control Bar

The “Hide Control Bar” command is accessible via the slideshow player’s View menu, as well as the context menu.  When invoked, this command causes the slideshow control bar (which features play, pause, stop, next, previous, and positioning controls) to be removed from the slideshow window.  To restore the control bar, simply select the “Show Control Bar” command from the View or context menu (“Show Control Bar” replaces “Hide Control Bar” on the menus when the control bar is hidden).


View Menu: Refresh

The “Refresh” command is accessible through the slideshow player’s View menu.  When invoked, this command causes all files in the current folder to be re-examined by the slideshow player to ensure that the display window properly reflects the actual contents of the open folder.  Note that you should rarely need to manually invoke the Refresh command, since the slideshow player attempts to automatically detect changes to the currently-open folder in order to keep its display current at all times.  The only time you may need to utilize the Refresh command is when you are viewing folders on certain types of drives that do not support automatic refresh notifications (ie some network and removable drives).


View Menu: Options - General

Confirm deletions

When checked, this option causes a confirmation dialog to appear whenever you attempt to delete a file from the slideshow player.  When this item is unchecked, files are deleted immediately – without the opportunity for confirmation.

IMPORTANT: It is recommended that this option be left enabled.

Re-open last folder at start-up

When checked, this option causes the slideshow player to “remember” the last folder opened when the slideshow was previously run.  Then, when the slideshow player is launched again directly from Windows, the last opened folder is reopened.  (Note that when launched from Ember, the slideshow always displays the folder open in Ember’s active thumbnail window, regardless of the which folder was open last the previous time the slideshow player was run.)

Maintain “most recently used” folder list

When this option is checked, the slideshow player notes the folders you open and maintains on the File menu a list of the last five opened folders – so that you can easily return to any of them by simply selecting its name from the provided list.  If you do not wish the slideshow player to track the folders you visit, you may disable this option.

Loop show

When the Loop Show option is not enabled, the slideshow automatically stops (and resets itself to the first file) after it displays the last file in the current display set.  When this option is enabled, the slideshow restarts from the beginning and continues playing when it passes the last file in the current display set.


View Menu: Options - Sequencing

File Arrangement

The controls in the File Arrangement section control the order in which the slideshow player displays files.  Files can be displayed in ascending or descending alphabetical order, or can be arranged in ascending or descending order by their disk sizes or modification dates.

In the full, registered version of the Ember slideshow player, a random arrangement option is also available so that you can view your files in a randomized order.  Note that the random arrangement option is not available in the Evaluation Edition.

Subfolder Usage

The controls in the Subfolder Usage section control how the slideshow player treats supported files located in subfolders nested under the currently-selected folder.

If the Ignore subfolders option is selected, the slideshow simply ignores any supported files other than those contained directly in the selected folder.

If the Iterate through subfolders option is selected when the slideshow is invoked to run, it will first display any displayable files in the currently-selected folder, then it will iterate through supported files in any subfolders (and subfolders nested to any depth within those subfolders). This allows the slideshow player to present files in an entire directory tree, rather than just in a single folder.  Note that when placed into this mode, the slideshow player makes available on the Navigation menu, the application context menu, and the application control bar, additional commands for stepping between folders (as well as commands for stepping between files within the current folder).

When the Random option is selected from the File Arrangement drop list, it becomes possible to select a third subfolder usage option: Treat folder tree as single, random file domain.   When this option is selected, the slideshow player will choose files for sequential display by randomly selecting a folder from within the folder tree that has the selected folder as its "root," and then randomly selecting a supported file from that randomly selected folder.  In essence, when this option is selected, the slideshow player randomizes the contents not just of the selected folder, but randomizes the entire folder tree. Note that when this subfolder usage option is selected, the only playback commands available are “Play/Pause” and “Next File.”

Presentation Speed

Presentation speed of the slideshow is controlled by a slider control.  Each tic mark on the slider represents a delay of approximately one second.  Moving the slider to the right increases presentation speed (ie, decreases the period for which each file is displayed); moving the slider to the left decreases presentation speed (ie, increases the period for which each file is displayed).  Note that the presentation speed slider only affects the length of time the slideshow player pauses when displaying still and animated image file types (ie, JPEGs, GIFs, BMPs, TIFFs, etc.)  When the Firehand Media Xtension is added to your registered Ember Ultra installation, the slideshow player becomes capable of playing multimedia files (MPEGs, AVIs, WAVs, MIDIs, MOVs, MP3s, etc.).  However, when playing multimedia files, the slideshow player does not use a fixed pause interval – rather, it automatically advances to the next file when the current multimedia file reaches its end.


View Menu: Options - Appearance

Enhance images when stretching

When the Enhance images when stretching option is enabled, TrueColor images are “resampled” when the slideshow player is set to “Best Stretch” or “Descale to Fit” or “Unconstrained Stretch” view mode and an image must be enlarged or shrunk prior to being displayed.  Resampling typically results in a much smoother appearance of the resized image.  However, resampling is very computationally intensive and will result in somewhat slower display performance.

Background Color

The background color of the slideshow display window is specified using the color button found in the Background Color section of the Appearance tab.  The currently selected background color is displayed on the face of the button.

Note that if you wish to dynamically “match” the background color to each image displayed in the slideshow, you can select the “Derive color from image corner” option.  When selected, this option by-passes manual background color selection and causes the slideshow player to inspect the upper left-hand corner of each displayed image before the image is rendered.  The slideshow player then sets the background color on which the image is displayed to exactly match the color found at this location.  Besides making the presentation somewhat more interesting– because the background color is not “fixed” – selecting this option often provides a more natural background matte for each image because the background is derived from a color actually used in each image.

Transition Effect

Transition effects are invoked whenever one file is removed from the slideshow player’s display window and another appears.  Transition effects provide a smoother and more interesting flow to the presentation.

The Ember slideshow player features a number of transition effects which can be selected via the Transition Effect drop list.  These include a Pixel Fade, a Color Fade, a Box Reveal, Shutters (vertical, horizontal), Wipes (vertical and horizontal), an Expansion, a Contraction, a Slide, and a Peel. Each of these effects can be customized via the Settings… button found in this section.

For maximum visual variety, the full, registered version of the Ember slideshow player also features a setting that causes an effect to be selected at random whenever a transition is triggered.

Note: When using the random transition effect setting, note that an effect is chosen at random whenever a transition is triggered.  However, the settings for that transition are as specified in the settings dialog associated with that transition effect.  This allows you to specify settings appropriate for each transition on your particular system – ie you will typically opt for more transition “steps” on a faster computer – while still being able to enjoy the visual variation provided by randomly-selected transitions.


View Menu: Options - Background Audio

Audio Selection

The Audio Selection section of the Background Audio tab of the Options dialog features a number of controls that allow you to choose the audio track or file you wish to accompany your slideshow presentations.

Select None if you do not wish to play accompanying audio with your slideshows.

Select Audio File if you wish to play an audio file when your slideshow runs, and then choose the specific audio file you wish to play using the file selection dialog that appears when you depress the Select… button.  Note that the slideshow player supports the playback of any type of audio file for which you have an appropriate MCI audio driver installed on your computer.  Usually, you will select a standard Windows .WAV file or a MIDI music file to accompany your slideshow.  However, you may have MCI facilities on your computer for other audio file types as well.

Important: If you have installed the Firehand Media Xtension Add-In, the slideshow player uses Windows DirectShow services for background audio playback instead of standard MCI services.  Not only does this ensure smooth integration of your background audio track with any foreground audio files that may play in the course of your slideshow, but it also significantly expands the selection of audio file formats that may be used as your background track.  In particular, when the Media Xtension Add-In is installed, you can utilize an audio file in the popular .MP3 audio format as your slideshow background audio track.  (This is not possible when the Media Xtension Add-In is not present, unless you happen to have an .MP3 MCI driver installed on your computer.)

Select CD Audio if you wish to play an audio track (or set of tracks) from an audio CD placed in your computer’s CDROM drive.  Then, click the Select… button to choose the specific track or set of tracks with which you wish to accompany your slideshow.  Choose the Play tracks Sequentially radio button on the CD Track Selection dialog to play, in sequence, each track on the CD in the disc drive when the slideshow begins playing.  Choose the Randomize CD radio button to “shuffle” all of the tracks on the CD and then play each in turn to accompany the presentation.  Choose the Play specified track only radio button to specify, by track number, a particular CD audio track with which you wish to accompany the presentation.

Loop playback

When the Loop Playback option is selected, the slideshow player automatically replays the audio selection when that audio selection reaches its end during slideshow playback.  When this option is not selected, the audio selection simply halts when the slideshow is playing and the audio selection reaches its end.


View Menu: Options - Text

Title Text

When enabled, the Display folder name at top of page option causes the name of the currently-open folder to be shown at the top of the slideshow display window.  The title text can be styled by selecting font attributes from the font selection dialog that appears when the Set… button in this section is clicked.  When this option is not enabled, and the slideshow is running in windowed (rather than full-screen) display mode, the name of the currently-open folder is displayed on the application title bar using the current system font.

Filename Captions

When enabled, the Display filename captions beneath images option causes the name of the currently-displayed file to be drawn beneath the file in the slideshow display window.  The filename caption text can be styled by selecting font attributes from the font selection dialog that appears when the Set… button in this section is clicked.


View Menu: Options - Wallpaper Placement

Sizing

The controls in the Sizing section of the Wallpaper Placement tab control how images are scaled on the desktop when they are installed as the system wallpaper (when the slideshow’s Set as Wallpaper command is selected from the File menu).  There are four sizing options.  If the Default Size radio button is selected, the image is installed as the desktop wallpaper in its native dimensions.  If the Descale to Fit radio button is selected, the image is installed as the desktop wallpaper in its native dimensions if its dimensions are small enough that it can be displayed on the desktop without being “cropped”; otherwise, the image is shrunk until it can be displayed on the desktop without being cropped.  If the Best Stretch radio button is selected, the image is installed as the desktop wallpaper enlarged or shrunk to best fit the desktop display area while preserving the relative dimensions of the image to avoid introducing distortion.  If the Unconstrained Stretch radio button is selected, the image is installed as the desktop wallpaper enlarged or shrunk to entirely fit the desktop display area (without preserving the relative dimensions of the image).

Position

The controls in the Position section of the Wallpaper Placement tab control how images are positioned on the desktop when they are installed by the slideshow player as the system wallpaper.  There are two positioning options.  If the Centered radio button is selected, the image is installed centered on the desktop.  If the Tiled radio button is selected, the image is replicated, left-to-right, top-to-bottom, until the desktop is entirely covered.

Match desktop to background color

Selecting the Match desktop to background color checkbox causes the slideshow player to update the color of the Windows desktop to match the current background color used in the slideshow display window whenever it installs an image as the desktop wallpaper.  Note that this color may be fixed (if you have selected a fixed background color on the Appearance tab), or a color that has been matched to the current image (if you have selected the “Derive color from image corner” option on the Appearance tab).