ET Text Scroll - Documentation


 

 

Features

  • Scrolls text messages vertically.
  • Extremely fast loading. Only one very small class.
  • Easy HTML-like syntax for formatting the text.
  • The scroll content can be loaded from a file.
  • Links embedded in the text, both to new html files new input files.
  • Has the ability to pause the text any amount of time anywhere in the text.
  • The scroll can be dragged with the mouse.
  • Has different header and text fonts.
  • All colors are fully configurable.
  • Optional border.
  • Configurable margins.

Examples

  • Simple example.
    No fancy stuff, just gets the applet to work.
  • URL and pause example.
    Learn to use links embedded in the text and how to use the pause tag.
  • Scroll speed example.
    Use the ScrollMove and the ScrollDelay parameter to set the speed of the scroll.
  • Color, font and file example.
    In this example you will find all parameters, including the ones that you use to set the colors. The text message is also loaded from a file.
  • JavaScript example.
    The applet can be controlled by JavaScript. This example shows you how.

Get started

  1. Start with a simple web-page where you want the applet. (E.g. Test.html)
  2. Copy the class file to the same directory as Test.html:
    ET_TextScroll.class
  3. Copy the applet and parameter tags from the simple example (or any other example, but it is safer to start with something simple.).
  4. If you get it to work you can add more parameters from the list below. Check out the other examples for inspiration. If you have problems, check the FAQ for more help.
  5. If you still don't get it right, read the tutorials at http://www.htmlgoodies.com/ regarding Java applets.
   

JavaScript Control

You can control some aspects of this applet with JavaScript (not to confuse with Java that the applets are written in). Currently there are three different functions you can call:

newMain
Takes the string argument and uses it as an input file to replace the current messages.

newTemporary
Takes the string argument and uses it as an temporary input file. After the temporary messages are viewed the applet returns to the last main messages.

newMainFromFile
Takes the URL to a new main input file.

Look at the JavaScript example to see how to use these functions.
 

   

Parameters

This is the list of parameters that can be used in the HTML code with this applet.
 

Unlocking the applet

   NumericalKey
If you buy the applet collection you will get access to a web page where you can generate keys to unlock the applets. An unlocked applet will not show the "by Entanke, Click for info" text and it will not have the four second delay when it starts. Use the NumericalKey parameter to assign these keys to the applet. If you have a domain with several names (like www.domain.com, www2.domain.com) you have to get a key for every domain name and enter them separated by commas. When the applet is run from the local hard disk it will behave as if you have a valid key.
Values: 0-66000[,0-66000[,...]]
Default: none
Example: <param name="NumericalKey" value="3956,213">
 

Text Message

   Text
The text to be shown in the message. Text is automatically wrapped to fit when necessary.
Value: string
Default: none
Example: <param name="Text" value="Welcome">
 
    Special Text Parameter Tags:
 
<h> and </h>   Begin / end a header.
Example: <param name="Text" value="<h>Welcome!</h>">
 
<url [$]link [frame]> and </url>   Begin / end a link. The optional frame parameter defaults to _self. If specified, it can have the values _self / _parent / _top / _blank / frame name. If you put a $ character in front of the link, the targeted url will be loaded as a new input file.
Example 1: <param name="Text" value="<url http://www.entanke.se>Entanke</url>">
Example 2: <param name="Text" value="<url $Entanke.txt>Entanke</url>">
 
<br>   Line break.
 
<left>, <center>
and <right>		   Changes the align of the following text.

 
<pause [time]>   Pause a number of milliseconds when this reaches the top of the applet. The optional time defaults to 3000 milliseconds.
Example: <param name="Text" value="<pause>Wait!">
 
<ff>   Used in conjunction with <pause>. This tag inserts blank lines to fill out an entire page since the last <pause>.
Example: <param name="Text" value="<pause 5000>One page<ff><pause 5000>Another&ff>">
 
<page>   Unlike <ff>, this tag is used on its own, and always inserts an entire blank page.
Example: <param name="Text" value="Some text<page>A page later...">
 
<<>   Used to write a literal < in the text. (The character > can be written directly)
Example: <param name="Text" value="1 <<> 5, 23 > 12">
 

File

   InputFile
When you use this parameter, the applet will get the text message from the specified file instead of the Text parameter.
Values: URL to file
Default: none
Example: <param name="InputFile" value="ScrollText.txt">
 

Normal Font

   TextSize
The size of normal text.
Values: 6 - 80
Default: 12
 
    TextFont
The font name of normal text. Helvetica, TimesRoman, Courier, Dialog, and DialogInput are available on most computers.
Values: font name
Default: TimesRoman
 
    TextStyle
The style of normal text.
Values: plain / bold / italic / bolditalic
Default: plain
 

Header Font

   HeaderSize
The size of headers.
Values: 6 - 80
Default: 14
 
    HeaderFont
The font name used in headers. Helvetica, TimesRoman, Courier, Dialog, and DialogInput are available on most computers.
Values: font name
Default: TimesRoman
 
    HeaderStyle
The style of headers.
Values: plain / bold / italic / bolditalic
Default: bold
 

Formatting

   Margin
The horizontal distance from the text to the edges.
Values: 0 - 50 (pixels)
Default: 5
 
    Align
The alignment of the text.
Values: left / center / right
Default: left
 
    URLUnderline
True if the links should be underlined.
Values: true / false
Default: false
 

Scroll Speed

   ScrollDelay
The delay in milliseconds between each update of the scroll. If the scrolling won't go any faster, even though you've lowered the scroll delay value; its probably because the computer is working as fast as it can with the applet. The more text and the larger the applet area, the more work for the computer.
Values: 10 - 200 (milliseconds)
Default: 50
 
    ScrollMove
How many pixels the text should be moved at each update.
Values: 1 - 10 (pixels)
Default: 1
 

Applet Colors

   BGColor
The color of the applet background.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: ffffff (white)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    TextColor
The color of normal text.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 000000 (black)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    HeaderColor
The color of header text. Headers that are also links get link color.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 800000 (red)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    URLColor
The color of links.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 0000d0 (blue)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    URLOver
The color of links when the mouse is moved over them.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: ff0000 (bright red)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    URLClick
The color of links when clicked on.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: 800000 (red)
See Also: Color notation.
 
    BorderColor
If specified, the color of a one pixel border around the applet.
Values: 000000 - ffffff
Default: none
See Also: Color notation.
 
   

Known Bugs

No known bugs.

If you find any other bugs please report them to us.
 

   

Future Features

It's always possible to improve an applet, but every feature creates more code, and more code will result in longer loading times. Here is a list of ideas and possible future features for this applet. Tell us what is most important to include in the applet, or if you have other ideas not listed here.

  • Scrolling stops when the mouse is moved over a link. This would make it easier to click on links in the scroll. One could have a parameter indicating whether the scroll should stop or not.
  • The possibility to change the scroll speed in the middle of the text.
  • The possibility to change alignment (left / center / right) in the middle of the text.
     
 

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