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General discussion

Which software to create Autoplay CD Menus

May 11, 2010 3:54PM PDT

I need to create a autoplay menu for cd which will provide user options to do a lot of stuff. Like open pdf brochures, install softwares, view demo videos, etc.
I have tried trial versions of many softwares like - AutoPlay Media Studio, Autoplay Menu Designer. But all have some or other limitations such as some will not allow me to provide my own custom icon file for the exe. Or others if thay allow this will then leave some sort of vendor information in the properties of the exe file.
I want to create a completely professional looking cd menu, where there is no other company's info than my own. Can anyone suggest me a software to do the same.
I also want to know how do the other big enterprises create their CD menus, do they use any software or do they custom build it and how ?

Discussion is locked

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You could use a browser to display your stuff.
May 12, 2010 7:15PM PDT

All you need is an autorun.inf pointing to an html-page on that disk. And, of course, that html-page and everything that's behind it.

Kees

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I need to make a menu
May 16, 2010 2:53PM PDT

An html page will give a simple autoplay menu option.
Like I have said I need to create a detailed menu which allows a user to view brochures, or videos or install software.
Any suggestions on the software that can be used ?

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On that html-page ...
May 16, 2010 6:14PM PDT

you could link to pdf's or flash or other video files, like on any website. That would work satisfactorily.
Running programs from html might give security prompts in the browser indeed. That's not what you want.

Sorry, I don't know of any programs. Maybe others do.

Kees

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Any softwares ?
May 18, 2010 2:35PM PDT

Any other software recommendations.

How about VB. Can this menu be created in Visual Basic

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Possibly.
May 18, 2010 4:53PM PDT

But it won't run then on a Mac and on Linux PC's. And I don't know if the libraries you need can be on the disk, or need to be installed in the host system.

Kees

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Then how do others do it ?
May 19, 2010 2:24PM PDT

Then how do other companies do it.
I have checked in all the software cds, I could get my hands on, and all these have no mention of any outside company in the properties of the file.
Like in an adobe cd, the Autoplay exe file has only mention the Adobe company. Same goes for all others like Samsung, LG, cds

Also I created the Autoplay exe using Adobe Captivate, here too the Version information gives details that it was created using Adobe. But this wouldn't have been that much of a problem for me, since the name Adobe in your exe itself sounds that you have created using a genuine, enterprise software. But the problem in Captivate is that if you create links to open exe or pdf, then everytime this is clicked the IE browser opens up to run the file, and not the associated reader or installation page. So I couldn't even use Captivate.

Is there any way I can somehow find out how others create cd menus ?

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Others do it....
May 20, 2010 9:46PM PDT

...with a VB script, or other scripts .... incorporating Kees' suggesting of an autorun.inf file pointing to an html page of your menu, which act as links to other pages to do things you want to do...

The autorun file, the html file and the "contents" can also be put unto a CD. When you insert the CD in your CD drive, the OS detects the autorun.inf file and brings up the menu ....

The above do not require a "program" - that is why it is hard to find one anywhere...

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How do they do this?
May 20, 2010 12:28AM PDT

Usually with programming staff and more. But I think your question is how to do that yourself. The problem as I see it is that you may not have the time to learn about programming languages plus testing on the various machines to see if what you made works.

Even today I find folk that think "there should be a way for me to do this" yet they want to skip all the learning and costs involved.

Try this instead. Forget the CD since it's going the way for the floppy disk. Turn your attention to a web site instead.
Bob

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Autoplay Menu Designer already supports it
May 31, 2010 8:42PM PDT

Autoplay Menu Designer already supports changing exe icon and has been removed any vendor information in latest version.