Generating Output Demonstrations > Generating Output Demonstrations Overview

Generating Output Demonstrations

Once you capture a demonstration, you are ready to generate demos that can be used in online Help, published on the Web, or placed on training CDs, etc.

The following output formats are supported by DemoWorks, with their common uses and advantages:

Format Common Use Advantages Weaknesses

GIF Help files, Web (within HTML pages), Emails Extremely easy to embed within HTML documents and emails, as simple as including any image.
Reasonably small demo file size. Most optimal for short demos, up to 2 minutes, 800x600 resolution.
No controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo.
Number of colors limited to 256.

AVI (movies) Web (as downloadable files), CDs, DVDs Can be played by most media/movie players, such as Windows Media Player.
Can be edited by variety of movie editing tools. Very large file sizes, but file size depends on the compression codec used.

Flash Web (within HTML pages), CDs, DVDs Extremely popular format used on the Web.
Includes controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo.
Reasonably small demo file size. Difficult to edit with external tools (this could be a benefit if you want to protect your demos from being modified by others).

Java Applet Web (within HTML pages) Smallest demo file size.
Very popular format used on the Web.
Includes controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo. Limited total demo size & length due to restricted memory allocation by Web browsers.
Requires Sun Java environment 1.3 or higher to be installed on the computer of the users who will view the demo.

Difficult to edit with external tools (this could be a benefit if you want to protect your demos from being modified by others).

Executable (.exe) CDs, DVDs Quite small demo file size.
Includes controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo. Can be played only on Windows computers. Usually blocked in Help files and emails.

Format	Common Use	Advantages	Weaknesses
GIF	Help files, Web (within HTML pages), Emails	Extremely easy to embed within HTML documents and emails, as simple as including any image. Reasonably small demo file size.	Most optimal for short demos, up to 2 minutes, 800x600 resolution. No controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo. Number of colors limited to 256.
AVI (movies)	Web (as downloadable files), CDs, DVDs	Can be played by most media/movie players, such as Windows Media Player. Can be edited by variety of movie editing tools.	Very large file sizes, but file size depends on the compression codec used.
Flash	Web (within HTML pages), CDs, DVDs	Extremely popular format used on the Web. Includes controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo. Reasonably small demo file size.	Difficult to edit with external tools (this could be a benefit if you want to protect your demos from being modified by others).
Java Applet	Web (within HTML pages)	Smallest demo file size. Very popular format used on the Web. Includes controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo.	Limited total demo size & length due to restricted memory allocation by Web browsers. Requires Sun Java environment 1.3 or higher to be installed on the computer of the users who will view the demo. Difficult to edit with external tools (this could be a benefit if you want to protect your demos from being modified by others).
Executable (.exe)	CDs, DVDs	Quite small demo file size. Includes controls to pause/stop/rewind/forward the demo.	Can be played only on Windows computers. Usually blocked in Help files and emails.

To access the Generate Demo dialog box

Choose Demo > Create AnimatedGIF (AVI, Java, Flash, EXE) Demo or use the appropriate toolbar button .

The Generate Demo dialog box contains various options that depend on the selected output format, with the exception of two common options, shown below:

Option	Description
Overwrite files	This option specifies if previously generated demo file(s) should be overwritten if the specified new filename is the same.
Send via email	Select this option if you like to send the generated demo(s) via email. When this option is set DemoWorks will automatically open a new email and attach the demo files after completing the demo generation process. You will be able to edit the email message before sending it.