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Inserting Movie Links into Topics

If you have used Mimic to produce a movie, you can use this feature to create a link in a topic to the movie's output. When you are finished, a link to the finished movie is inserted into the topic. When a user clicks the link in the output, the movie plays in the appropriate window (e.g., movies generated in MMF are viewed in the MadCap Movie Viewer; Silverlight and Flash movies play inside your Help system).

Note: If instead you want to insert a movie directly into a topic (rather than a link), see Inserting Movies into Topics.

How to insert a movie link into a topic

1. Open the topic where you want to insert the movie link.
2. In the XML Editor, place your cursor where you want to insert the link.

3. Select Insert>Movie Link.

   The MadCap Mimic Movie Link dialog opens.

4. Select the appropriate movie file(s) and complete the options in the dialog:

   • Mimic Movie or Project Displays the path to the movie or project file after you select it. Click the Browse or Recent Movies button to locate and select a file.
   • Browse Lets you find and select a movie or project file.

   • Link Text Displays the text that you highlighted in the topic, which will be used as the movie link. Leave the text as it is, unless you decide you would like to change it. If you want to change the link text, type the new text in the field. It will replace the previously selected text in the topic.

     If you do not provide link text, the file name for the movie or project will be used.

   • Open File Opens the project or movie file that is selected.
   • Tooltip Type a phrase that will appear when the end user hovers over the movie link in the output.
   • Recent Movies Opens the Quick Pick MadCap Mimic Movie dialog. This dialog lets you select from a list of movies or projects that you have recently opened in Mimic.
   • Mimic Project Select this option if you want to choose an MIPRJ file, which is a Mimic project file that contains one or more movie (MIMOV) files. Neither the MIPRJ nor the MIMOV files are finalized movies. They are merely the files that are used to generate the finalized movies. However, if you select this option, all of the movie output files for the Mimic project will automatically be generated when you build your Flare target(s).

   When a user clicks the movie link in the Flare output, the first generated movie in that project will start playing. An integrated table of contents (TOC) lets users navigate from one movie to another.

   Note: When you generate the target(s) in Flare, the movie output file(s) will automatically be copied to the appropriate target output file or folder.

   • Mimic Movie Select this option if you want to choose an MIMOV file, which is an individual Mimic movie file. The MIMOV file is not a finalized movie. It is merely the file that is used to generate the finalized movie. However, if you select this option, the movie output files for that particular Mimic movie will automatically be generated when you build your Flare target(s).

   When a user clicks the movie link in the Flare output, the generated movie will start playing.

   Note: When you generate the target(s) in Flare, the movie output file will automatically be copied to the appropriate target output file or folder.

   • Generated Movie System Select this option if you want to choose an MCMOVIESYS file, which is a generated movie file that includes all individual movie files from a Mimic project.

   When a user clicks the movie link in the Flare output, the first generated movie in the project will start playing. An integrated TOC lets users navigate from one movie to another.

   Note: You do not need to add the Mimic movie files to your Flare project. When you generate the target(s) in Flare, the movie output file(s) will automatically be copied to the appropriate target output file or folder.

   • Generated Movie Select this option if you want to choose an MCMOVIE file, which is a generated file for an individual movie, whether it is a standalone movie or part of a project.

   When a user clicks the movie link in the Flare output, the generated movie will start playing.

   Note: You do not need to add the Mimic movie file to your Flare project. When you generate the target(s) in Flare, the movie output file will automatically be copied to the appropriate target output file or folder.

   • Generated Movie As If you choose either the "Mimic Project" or "Mimic Movie" option from above, the finalized movie file(s) will automatically be generated when you build your Flare target(s). You can use this section to select the type of output that you want to be automatically generated.
     • (default) The most appropriate movie format is used, based on the Flare output type that you generate. If you build a DotNet Help target, the movie uses the Mimic Movie Format (MMF). If you build a HTML Help, WebHelp, or WebHelp Plus target, the movie uses the Microsoft Silverlight format. If you build a WebHelp AIR target, the movie uses the Adobe Flash format. If you want to override these settings, select one of the specific movie types below.
     • MadCap Movie Player The movie is generated in MMF and displays in the MadCap Movie Viewer or MadCap Help Viewer.
     • Adobe Flash The movie is generated in a Flash SWF file and displays inside your Help system.
     • Microsoft Silverlight The movie is generated in the Microsoft Silverlight format and displays inside your Help system.

5. Click OK.

   The movie link is added to the topic with a small movie frame icon displayed next to it.

6. Press CTRL+S or click to save your work.

Note: You do not need to add the Mimic movie files to your Flare project. When you generate the target(s) in Flare, the movie output file(s) will automatically be copied to the appropriate target output file or folder.

See Also

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