CD Autorun How-to?

croc_croc_ New
edited February 2004 in Science & Tech
Ok, I know how to make a CD have autorun capabilities.

What I want is for it to open an HTML file when the CD is inserted, for a menu of the contents. I don't know how to get it to open the file. Usually you put "open=folder\programname.exe folder\file.ext" in the Autorun.inf file, but I just want it to open the file using the default browser. If I take out the executable part of that line it gives me an error, if I put in "iexplore.exe" or something similar it also gives me an error. Any suggestions?

Comments

  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Well, try "PATH\iexplore.exe" and then the file and pathname, so if you had an index.html in an html directory on CD and the CD drive was D, to tell it what file you should use you could use D:\html\index.html if this was only for yourself, or if the thing was for distribution I woudlk sayto learn how to use relative addressing and wildcards. Look in the file autorun inf on a CD that does autorun, to see how to code non-executable hops using autorun.exe (which si what autoruns to start with).

    Essentially, either you indlude what you want to run, or use something on the computer. To use something on HD, it is best to use an absolute full path. So, find iexplore.exe and tell the autorun thing exactly where it is in quotes, including program name and extension. Then when you build your ISO set, know where on CD the HTML file you want to run is, and run it with a relative path using a system variable path for front of path. I have not done this with XP, does anyone know how to grab the current path and last used previous path in XP with system variable value lookups???

    John.
  • croc_croc_ New
    edited February 2004
    Problem is, not everyone uses iexplore as their default, or wants to use it at all. I am not going to force it on anyone (yes this is to be distributed).

    I just want the HTML file to be opened like it would if they were to double click it, but on insertion of the cd instead. I am sure its a simple line in the autorun.inf, anyone know how?
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Autorun.exe, to know what to do, if the program is not on CD, needs a fullpath spec and not just the program name. IE, to open something, needs to know what file to open. You need a command that invokes an open mime action in IE that opens just the file you want. Easiest way is to use mime actions, but I have not done that in ages. Reason for mime actions is mime lets windows know where program to run by default is for a file type-- in this case, for Widnows, make the file of type htm as mime uses three character extensions in Windows normally.

    Other way is to feed IE a command in format file:// instead of invoking http:// then IE will know it is looking at a file to open local to system. So, you invoke IE, but tell it file://d:\html\index.htm for path. Problem is CD drives do not have same drive ID on all computers. So you need something that picks up what drive was read from to get the autorun.inf file opened. Normally an .exe sets variables for itself using an inf or .cfg file when it starts up and then the program knows these things. To do them directly you have to play with syntax or look at a CD that does this now unless you have a system var index-- and I don't, for these variables, for XP.

    Ever used IE as a file browser on your own computer, or Windows Explorer as a web browser??? They are both interlinked in large part....

    John D.
  • croc_croc_ New
    edited February 2004
    4 Char extentions work fine for me....

    Yes to your last 2 questions.

    I guess I have to make the file a PDF with HTML links embedded and run acrobat off the cd. Unless anyone knows how to Autorun the HTML file directly off the cd ...
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    try browsercall
    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8705&highlight=browsercall
  • croc_croc_ New
    edited February 2004
    shwaip wrote:
    try browsercall
    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8705&highlight=browsercall


    we have a winner!!

    Thanks!! Saved me a lot of trouble. :thumbsup:

    Now my boss can have his digital catalog, and a nice little HTML menu for easy access and he can stop buggin me about it.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    Also, look here and register for beta testing to get free beta test versions and the next full version. One way to get a free Auto CD creator.... Look at the files they embed, this is for a bunch of different kinds of CD.

    http://www.autorun-cd.com/default.asp?ppc=google1_1

    John D.
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