• Converting Files
• Modifying an existing presentation
• Files and folders created when converting a PowerPoint file
• The presentation player bar
• Customizing the Player Interface

Converting Files

There are several possibilities to convert PowerPoint files.

Using The iMediaCONVERT Interface

1. Select the .ppt file you wish to convert to the Flash format (.swf) by clicking on the <Select Source File> button. Browse and click on the desired file.
2. Select the destination folder for converted presentation by clicking the <Select the destination directory> button. Browse and click on the desired folder.
3. Click on the <Convert button>.
   After a few seconds, the iMediaCONVERT Media is generated in the selected Presentation folder.
4. To view it you must click on the .html file and the presentation will run automatically.

From The PowerPoint Toolbar

1. Click on iMediaCONVERT’s icon in the PowerPoint toolbar Menu (top left).
2. Click the <Select the destination directory> button if you want to change the destination directory.
3. Click on the <Convert button>.
4. After a few seconds, the iMediaCONVERT Media is generated in the selected Presentation folder.
5. To view it you must click on the .html file and the presentation will run automatically.

Drag And Drop

1. Drag the .ppt file you wish to convert and drop it on iMediaCONVERT’s icon on the desktop.
2. Click on the <Convert button>.
3. After a few seconds, the iMediaCONVERT Media is generated in the selected Presentation folder.
4. To view it you must click on the .html file and the presentation will run automatically.

PowerPoint File Context Menu

1. Click with the right button of the mouse on the PowerPoint file you wish to convert.
2. Choose <Convert to swf with iMediaCONVERT> option.
3. Click on the <Convert button>.
4. After a few seconds, the iMediaCONVERT Media is generated in the selected Presentation folder.
5. To view it you must click on the .html file and the presentation will run automatically.
   To create an executable file when converting your PowerPoint (.ppt) file, place a checkmark in the box next to the <Create executable presentation> option by clicking on it.

Modifying an existing presentation

You can modify an existing presentation, without having to convert it again.

1. Click on <Modify existing presentation> button.
2. In the “Modify existing presentation” screen, click the <Browse> button.
3. Select your Flash presentation folder (not your .ppt source file) and click the <OK> button. This will return you to the previous screen where you will see the path to your presentation folder in the <select the presentation folder> field.

Once you have selected an existing presentation to modify, you can edit its features in the “Modify existing presentation” screen:

• To change the title of the presentation, type a new name in the <Presentation
  Title> field.
• To choose another player interface template, click the <Browse> button next to the <Select template> field. Browse to locate your player interface template, select it and click <Open>. You will be returned to the previous screen where you will see the path to the template file in the appropriate field.
• For <Slide Properties>, select the slide you want to edit by choosing it in the <Presentation Slides> list by clicking on it to highlight it.
• With a slide selected, you can change its title by typing a new one in the <Title> field.
• With a slide selected, you can change its position in the presentation by using the up / down arrow keys.
• To remove a slide from the presentation, make sure the desired slide is selected and then click the <Delete this Slide> button.
• To set slide timing for a specific slide, select the slide and then type in a number in the <Duration (in seconds)> field. Continue doing this to set different slide delays for each selected slide.
• To edit a slide’s <Notes>, make sure that the slide is selected to display its Notes. Then, edit the Notes as needed in the field provided.
• You can view individual slides in the <Preview> panel.
• Once all edits are made, click “Save Presentation” to apply.
• Modifying an existing presentation will only affect the converted Flash presentation files and not the source PowerPoint file. After saving the modified presentation, do not convert again or you will lose your changes.

Files And Folders Created When Converting A PowerPoint File

.html (file): This file is created after converting the PowerPoint file to a Flash presentation and is saved at the same level as the original PowerPoint file. The name of this file will remain the same as the original PowerPoint file, but with the .html extension. You can double click this file to launch the Flash presentation as long as the converted folder containing the presentation files resides in the same folder as this file.

(folder): A folder with the same name as the original PowerPoint file will be created and will contain all of the converted files that make up the Flash presentation. This folder, by default, is located in the same location as the original PowerPoint file.

This folder contains:
- Images (folder): Contains converted images for the Flash demo, if applicable.
- Sounds (folder): Contains the Flash demo’s audio files.
- Video (folder): Contains any video file for the Flash demo, if applicable.
- index.html (file): Double clicking this file will launch the Flash presentation.
- .swf (files): These are the “slides” that make up the Flash demo.
- background.swf (file): The file that stores the background for the Flash demo.
- interface.xml (file): Contains the player interface for the Flash presentation.
- slides.xml (file): Contains slide playback information for the Flash presentation.
- VCplayer.exe (file): Stand alone Flash player for launching an executable file.

All of the files (folders) contained in the converted files folder must reside in the same folder (and structure if you have images, sounds or videos included in your presentation) in order for the Flash presentation to play back properly. Keep this in mind when copying files to CD, uploading them to a web server, or zipping them for use as an email attachment.

The presentation player bar

Here is a brief description of the various functions of the player bar that you see at the bottom of the presentation’s viewable area.

Slide currently in view and total number of slides

Buttons that allow you to move backward or forward through the presentation

Buttons to “pause / play” the presentation or restart the current slide

Display showing status of current slide

Audio control options

Button to toggle “Notes” on (view) or off (hide)

Fullscreen mode

Customizing the player interface

iMediaCONVERT provides a default interface that appears when viewing the Flash presentation.

You can use the default interface or modify it according to your own preferences by clicking the <Customize the player interface> button. By default, if you do not choose this button, the last template selected for the interface will be applied to the converted files.

To customize the player interface

1. Click on the “Customize the player interface” button.
   When the “Customize the player interface” screen opens under “Menu color” choose the color for the left panel by typing in the hexadecimal code or slide the RGB indicators along the sliding bar to set the colors.
2. To change the “Background color” for the presentation type in the hexadecimal code or slide the RGB indicators along the sliding bar to set the colors.
3. Under “Presentation title” type the appropriate name in the field provided. This title will appear above the list of slides when viewing the Flash presentation.
4. To enable the “Player controls”, “Audio controls”, or “Notes” to show on the “status” bar along the bottom of the presentation screen place a checkmark in the boxes. To disable the controls, remove the checkmark.
5. To remove the “status” bar completely, select “Presentation only.”
6. To set a standard slide time for ALL slides in the presentation, type a number in the field next to “Slide Duration”.
7. Click the “Apply” button to apply changes and click the “X” button in the upper
   right portion of the screen to return to the iMediaCONVERT screen.
8. To exit from the “Customize the player interface” screen without applying any
   changes, click the “Cancel” button.

To create or choose player interface templates

iMediaCONVERT provides a default player interface that can be used when converting PowerPoint files to Flash presentations.

You can customize the default player interface template and you can save it as a new template for future use.

To create and save a new player interface template

1. Once all modifications have been made to the existing template in the "Customize the player interface” screen, click the “Save As” button.
2. In the “Save the Interface File” screen, you can save your file in the default folder or choose another location to save your template in.
3. Type in a file name in the field provided, but do not add the .xml extension. This extension will be added automatically.
4. Click the “Save” button to save the new template.

Once you save your player interface template, you can select or modify it at anytime prior to converting your PowerPoint file to Flash.

To modify your own player interface template

1. In the “Customize the player interface” screen, select the “Open template”
   button.
2. Browse to where your template (.xml) files are located.
3. Click on a template to select it.
4. Click the “Open” button.
5. Once your template is selected, click the “Apply” button. Then, click the “X” to close the “Customize the player interface” screen.

The “interface.xml”, “slides.xml”, and “update.xml” files stored in the default iMediaCONVERT template directory are not player interface template files and should not be chosen when selecting a player interface template for the Flash presentation.

You can easily revert back to the default iMediaCONVERT player interface template at anytime by clicking the “Default settings” button in the “Customize the player interface” screen.