TechNote (Archived)

General Xtras handling information for Authorware web player 2004

Xtras installed with the Authorware Web Player

There are three types of installers for older versions of the Macromedia Authorware Web Player (versions 7 and below): Complete, Compact and Full. In most cases, either the Complete or Full installer was used. These installers included all of the standard Xtras and U32s that an Authorwarepiece needed.

The Authorware Web Player, version 2004 no longer offers these installer types. When installing the version 2004 player, the installer only installs the Authorware player runtime files. The Xtras will only be downloaded when an Authorware web piece is viewed (Xtras listed in the AAM file).

Compressed version of the Xtras

When installing the Authorware Web Player from the Macromedia web site, after the runtime files have been downloaded and installed on the users' machines, an Authorware web piece is displayed confirming that the Authorware player is properly installed. The Xtras listed in this Authorware pieces map file will be downloaded from the Macromedia server. These Xtras are compressed versions of the files that shipped with Authorware. They are compressed in order to reduce download times.

Downloading Xtras listed in the map file (AAM)

The Authorware map file (AAM) lists the files that need to be downloaded to the client machine before the piece is played. This includes the Xtras needed by the Authorware piece. The Authorware Web Player, version 2004 handles Xtras differently from the older Authorware Web Players (version 7 and below).

When the old Authorware web player encountered an Xtra listed in the map file it would:

Check to see if the Xtra was already on the client machine.
If yes, it would not download the Xtra and continue on.
If no, it would download the Xtra to the client machine and continue on.

When the new Authorware web player2004 encounters an Xtra in the map file it will:

Check to see if the files are already on the client machine.
If yes it then checks the length of the file on the client machine and compares it with the length specified in the map file.
If the lengths differ, the web player will download the file from the server, if the lengths are the same it will not download the file and move on.
If the file is not on the client machine, it will download the file to the client machine and continue on.

Xtras in the Manifest file

In Authorware Web Player, version 2004, the player utilizes a manifest file where Xtras to be downloaded can also be listed. The manifest file can be used to download Xtras and files that are generally and frequently needed by a majority of a users Authorware pieces. Therefore, Xtras listed in the manifest file should be located in the server as well, or in the URL specifed in the map file.