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zLaunch Box Shot zLaunch for Windows FUQ

(Last substantive change to this page made July 8, 1997)
Copyright © 1996-1997. Zeus Productions. All Rights Reserved.

Please consult the following list for answers to the most common pre-sales questions regarding zLaunch specifically for Windows, as well as additional technical information not covered on the zLaunch Summary Page. Refer to our Needs Analysis FAQ to determine if zLaunch or some other tool is right for you.


Questions about zLaunch for Windows


Q. Is zLaunch available for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95? What about Windows NT?

A. zLaunch for Windows has been shipping since April 1996 and zLaunch for Macintosh since June 1996, but they are sold separately. Both are mature and robust products with a number of user-controllable options for maximum flexibility.

There are actually two versions of zLaunch for Windows (one is 16-bit, the other is 32-bit) but they are sold together for one low price. The 16-bit version runs under Windows 3.1, and the 32-bit version runs under Windows 95.

A. zLaunch is not currently supported under Windows NT, but may work for some applications. zOpen for Windows is supported under NT.

Q. How much does zLaunch for Windows cost?

A. zLaunch for Windows is $299 US. For $499 US you can get the cross-platform bundle which includes both zLaunch for Windows and zLaunch for Macintosh. Consult the zLaunch Summary Page for details.

Q: Is there a demo version of zLaunch for Windows available?

A. A demo version of zLaunch for Windows can be found in our Download Center.

Due to frequent updates, it is impractical to create demo versions as quickly as we would like. Sometimes the demo version is one or two revisions behind the release version. If for some reason the demo version does not perform the desired task, contact Zeus Productions to find out if the release version offers any improvements. Remember, there is a Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee, so you can try any of our products, including zLaunch, risk-free.

Q: What versions of Director for Windows are supported?

A. zLaunch supports Director 6.0, as well as earlier versions including 5.0.1 and 4.0.4


Q: Will zLaunch work with 16-bit and 32-bit applications and Projectors?

A. zLaunch works with all the possible permutations under Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 with Director 6 (and earlier versions including 5.0.1 and 4.0.4) . Refer to the General Questions about zLaunch FAQ for more info.

Q: Will zLaunch work with 16-bit projectors (so-called "Windows 3.1" projectors) under Windows 95?

A. zLaunch works with both 16-bit and 32-bit projectors built with Director 6.0 and 5.0.1.

You can even have 16-bit projectors launch 32-bit applications under Windows 95.

Be careful! You should use the 32-bit version of zLaunch under Windows 95, even when running a 16-bit projector.

Q: How do I determine if it is running under Windows 3.1, 95, NT?

A. The Lingo command the platform will indicate whether you are running a 16-bit or 32-bit projector, but it does not return the specific platform. Refer to the TechNote, "Determining the Playback Platform at Run-Time" for more details, and see Zeus's zWinver Xtra.

Q. Can zLaunch launch any Windows application?

A. zLaunch will launch the vast majority of all Windows applications without modification. Refer to the General Questions about zLaunch FAQ for more info.


Q. What types of Windows applications will not work with zLaunch?

A. Applications which cause a reboot, or kill other running processes may not work completely with zLaunch. Refer to the General Questions about zLaunch FAQ for more info.

Q: Do I need to modify my external application(s) to work with zLaunch?

A. Generally you do not need to modify your Windows application. Refer to the General Questions about zLaunch FAQ for more info.


Q. Can zLaunch launch a DOS application?

A. Both Director and zLaunch require that you be running under Windows, and not simply DOS. Most DOS applications that run under Windows can be launched by zLaunch provided that:

Q. What needs to be installed to run zLaunch? Can it run from a CD?

A. zLaunch does not require a formal installation procedure. Simply include zLaunch (both the 16-bit and 32-bit versions if applicable) in the same folder as your projector. You can run it from either a hard drive or a CD. There is no need to copy it into the Windows System directory, or similar requirement.

Q. How do I use zLaunch from a CD, doesn't the drive letter vary on different systems under Windows?

A. zLaunch for Windows will automatically adjust for the current drive letter. Refer to the Details on zLaunch's Capabilities FAQ for more info.

Q. Can zLaunch for Windows determine the name and/or location of the application to launch?

A. zLaunch for Windows does not determine the path to an application, but zOpen for Windows can. zLaunch for Macintosh can locate an application based on its Creator Code. Refer to the Details on zLaunch's Capabilities FAQ for more information.

Q. Can zLaunch for Windows return the path to an application?

A. zLaunch for Windows does not return the path to an application, but zOpen for Windows can. Refer to the Details on zLaunch's Capabilities FAQ for more information.

Q. Does zLaunch allow Director to control or communicate with other applications? Does it support OLE?

A. zLaunch is not really designed to control other applications, but refer to the Details on zLaunch's Capabilities FAQ for more info. zLaunch does not support OLE.

Q. Does zLaunch always cover the desktop in black?

A. The latest version of zLaunch allows you to specify the color of the background as an RGB value. Refer to the Details on zLaunch's Capabilities FAQ for more info.

Q. Can I pass command line parameters to the launched executable?

A. Yes, you can pass parameters to the launched executable. Refer to the Details on zLaunch's Capabilities FAQ for more info.

Q. Will zLaunch control external devices through the serial or COM port?

A. zLaunch works with external applications, not external devices. Refer to the General Questions about zLaunch FAQ for more info.

Q. Can zLaunch set the working directory for an application?

A. Yes, you can set the Windows working director for the launched application and then reset it when returning to Director.

Q. Will zLaunch solve "Protection violation" or "Files in use" errors (error -49 or -51)?

A. You do not need zLaunch to solve this problem. Refer to the TechNote, "Solving Protection Violation Errors"


Q. Can zLaunch for Windows pass a document name to the launched application such as a PDF file to Adobe Acrobat or a URL to Netscape Navigator?

A. zLaunch can pass a document name to an application when it is launched. If you want to pass documents to an existing application while keeping Director open, use zOpen for Windows instead.


Q. How are parameters passed to zLaunch for Windows?

A. zLaunch is an external application itself, so it is actually initiated with using Lingo's "open...with" command.. This starts zLaunch and gives you the opportunity to pass it the parameters that control its execution.

There are two ways to pass zLaunch for Windows parameters: via an INI file or in-line with Lingo

For the INI file method, you pass in the name of the INI file and the section containing the parameters, such as

open "iniFileName, sectionName" with the pathName & "zLnch32.exe"

For the Lingo in-line or "parameterList" method, you specify all the parameters via Lingo, such as:

open "param1,param2....paramN" with the pathName & "zLnch32.exe"

zLaunch automatically recognizes which of the two methods you have employed by examining the parameters. If the first item is an INI file name, then it know you are using the INI file method.

Refer to the documentation for details on the format of the INI file and/or parameterList.

Don't Stop Now! There are many more questions addressed in these additional FAQs:





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Copyright © 1996-1997. Zeus Productions. All Rights Reserved.

(This page last revised July 8, 1997)