Program Launcher

The Program Launcher allows you to do a number of things, such as:

• Launch another application concurrently with MediaMatrix

• Open a web browser and automatically point it to an Internet URL

• Open a document using another program

• Automatically load and compile a new view file from a running MediaMatrix view file

Say you design a system in MediaMatrix, and then want to include an on line user instruction manual (other than MediaMatrix’s HTML help, which you are currently reading). This document could contain all of the user instructions for the particular view file and system you have created, along with items such as troubleshooting, system maintenance tips, numbers to call for service, system wiring diagrams (and/or cad drawings), owners manuals, etc. Using Windows NT’s ability to associate a file with an application program (such as a word processor or page layout program), it is very easy to do this.

Other possible uses for the Program Launcher:

• Launching an Internet web browser pointing to a specific URL (say the Peavey web site), or your company's internal web site for correspondence and support

• Launching another program, WITHOUT closing MediaMatrix (and thus shutting down the sound system), for example, an acoustical/system analysis program running on the MediaMatrix computer (such as Smaart Pro).

• You have designed a large multipurpose room with a sound system that must be radically reconfigured for different functions and uses. The Program Launcher could be configured to quickly and easily switch view files on the system.

Using Program Launcher

To use the Program Launcher in a view file, you must first place the Program Launcher device in the view file. To use the program launcher device, left click on it the block to select it (the block will be outlined in red), then right click, and left click on “Properties”. This will open the program launcher device properties box. Like any other block, you can change the graphics and text properties by clicking on the appropriate tab in the properties box. But for now, let’s click on the “Program Launcher” tab, because this is where you can select WHAT program launcher does.

On the top of this tab, you see the selection for single (left) click or double click operation. Below that is a section that says, “Do the following”. There are 3 radio buttons to select:

• Opening a document (with a browse button to select a file)

• Run a program with command line arguments (note this selection has two lines for text, each with a browse button to find the appropriate program files). This will default as the selection, with the argument to open Windows NT’s Notepad.exe as the default program (this can be changed however).

• Open an Internet URL. This will launch your browser program automatically (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape), and then direct it to the specified URL address.

Opening a document

In order to open a document, you must first select the radio button next to the words “Open a document”, then enter the drive, path, and file name for the document you wish to open. This can be entered by typing in the full path and file name (using standard NT syntax), or by left clicking on the browse button, and then selecting (via mouse clicks) the location of the file you wish to open. Because Windows NT associates files with the applications that created them, Program Launcher will first open the program, then the selected file.

Running a program

To run a program with command line arguments, you must first select the radio button next to the words “Run a program with command line arguments”, then enter the drive, path, and file name for the program you wish to launch. This can be entered by typing in the full path (using standard NT syntax), or by left clicking on the browse button, and then selecting (via left mouse clicks) the location of the program you wish to launch. If you only wish to launch a program and continue running MediaMatrix, it is only necessary to use the first command line box (two are provided). However, if you wish to perform a secondary operation within that program, then the use of the second box allows you to create a mini “batch” file, with commands for the new program to use. This supplies a command line argument for the program to use.

It is also possible to keep running MediaMatrix, but switch to a new view file. For example, lets say we want to quit this view file, keep running MediaMatrix, open a new view file, compile that, and begin using the new view file without having to make the user close the currently running view file and manually open and re-compile the new one. To do this, we will use the “switch” command in MediaMatrix, via the Program Launcher. First, we have to tell Program Launcher that we want to keep running MediaMatrix. To do this, we will click on the browse button, to select the drive, path, and finally the program name (pavcon.exe) for re-launching MediaMatrix. The argument should be in this format, ignoring the brackets around the data:

<Drive>:\<Path>\<Program Name>

Typically, it would look like this:

C:\Program Files\Peavey Electronics\MediaMatrix 3.0\pavcon.exe

In the second box, we will give program launcher the command to switch, and the new view file name to open and compile:

/switch “<Drive>\<Path>\<View File Name">

Typically, it would look like this:

/switch "D:\ Peavey Electronics\MediaMatrix 3.0\soundsystem.pav"

Be sure to use the forward slash, switch command, space, and quotation marks around the drive, path, and filename.

For more information, please reference "Command Line Arguments for MediaMatrix".

Opening an Internet URL

In order to open a web site (Internet URL), you must first select the radio button next to the words 'Open an Internet URL', and then enter the URL Address. It is not necessary to enter http:// (although you can should you feel an overwhelming desire to do so). Because Windows NT associates files with the applications that use them, Program Launcher will first open your web browser, then direct it to the specified Internet URL address.