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System Requirements:
In order to run online training programs from KnowledgeWare,
you require the following:
- Pentium 100 or faster PC based computer (McIntosh not supported)
- 64MB ram
- Audio capabilities recommended for most effective training
- Hi-speed internet access - ADSL or cable modem or similar
- Authorware web player plugin (automatic download or manual installation)
- Internet Explorer 5 or higher web browser (Firefox/Netscape/AOL not supported)
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Clearing the Browser Cache
Internet Explorer:
Click here
to see the IE7 video
Click here
to see the IE5 video
- Launch Internet Explorer.
- On the upper menu bar select "Tools" , "Internet Options". A dialog box will open.
- Click on the "Delete Files" button.
- A new window will open. Click on the white box beside "Delete all offline content" to put a checkmark in it.
- Click on "OK"
- Click on the "OK" button at the bottom of the open window.
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Download Sequence
This is the sequence of events when running a KnowledgeWare online course the first time:
- You click on the 'Training Login' button
- If not already installed, the system will automatically
retrieve the Authorware Web Player 2004 ActiveX control
from the www.kccsoft.com site and install it to: 'C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Authorwa'.
A dialog box will appear asking for permission to install the control - click 'OK' or 'Yes'. Since
the control you are accessing is hosted on the KnowledgeWare site (not the Macromedia site) the Verisign
Certificate will not be able to verify the publisher. Registry entries consistent with the Web Player plugin
are made. (NOTE: if a blank screen with a small 'page' icon with a red 'X' shows in the upper left corner of
your screen at this point, check that you have 'Administrator' priveledges on this machine. If not, the web
player may fail to install.)
- An 'Authorware Web Player Security' dialog box will appear: "Do you want to run the following file?
http://www.kccsoft.com/online/elearning/kcclogin.htm". Click 'OK' to give permission to run this login file
(otherwise the process will stop at this point).
- Temporary course files are streamed to the Users Application Data Directory and subdirectories -
Runtime utility files are downloaded to: 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\Macromedia\Authorware Web Player\NP32ASW\webplr08' and subdirectories including 'Xtras' and 'DOWNLOAD'
- A directory named after the user's LoginID is created inside 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\' to hold course 'resume' files (*.rec)
- The application starts and course files are streamed to 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files. These files are cleared when
the cache is cleared or the application is ended.
Where files reside on your machine:
File locations:
- Windows\System32\Macromed directory (Macromedia Authorware 2004 Web Plugin which consists of one ActiveX control - awswax.ocx - and one DLL - np32asw.dll - both installed on the first run)
- All other files are held in the Users Application Data directories
- Streaming content is located in 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files'
- Runtime utility files are downloaded to: 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\Macromedia\Authorware Web Player\NP32ASW\webplr08' and subdirectories including 'Xtras' and 'DOWNLOAD'
Checking for the Authorware 2004 Web Plugin Installation:
- In Internet Explorer, click on 'Tools' 'Internet Options'
- In the 'Temporary Internet Files' area click on 'Settings'
- Click on the 'View Objects' button
- The Macromedia Authorware Web Player Control should appear
in the list
- Right Click, go to 'Properties' 'Version' - version should be 2004,0,0,73
To remove all online runtime files:
If after running the demo or programs you wish to manually remove all KnowledgeWare
files from your system, do this:
Internet Explorer:
- In Internet Explorer, go to 'Tools', 'Internet Options'
- In the 'Temporary Internet Files' area, click on 'Delete
Files' 'Delete all offline content' 'OK'
- Click on 'Settings', 'View Objects'
- Highlight 'Macromedia Authorware Web Player Control'
- Right-click and select 'Remove'
- Delete the 'C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Authorwa' directory
- Delete the directories 'Macromedia\Authorware Web Player\NP32ASW\webplr08' (and subdirectories including 'Xtras' and 'DOWNLOAD') located in 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\'
- Delete the directory named after the users 'LoginID' located in 'Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\'
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Self Troubleshooting Questions
- Was the Authorware Web Player installed when the user was
set up as a normal user or as an admin?
- When the user is "normal," can other ActiveX
Controls be installed?
- When the user is "normal," can other ActiveX
Controls be UNINSTALLED?
- What are the security settings of IE?
- Is it a "customized by the company" version
of IE (what SPECIFICALLY did you add/remove/change from
standard?) or a "fresh from MS" version?
- Does the AWSHKWV.INI file exist in the User Application Data,
and is 'www.kccsoft.com' listed as a trusted URL?
- When the course is running, are you seeing the *.aam file
and *.aas content segment files in the User Application Data directory?:
ActiveX Error Message
Issue
The message appears "Your security settings prohibit
running ActiveX controls on this page. As a result, the
page may not display correctly".
Solution
In Internet Explorer up to Version 6:
Open Tools>Internet Options>Security tab>Custom Level> (change settings to allow ActiveX controls) OR set the overall
level to Medium Low or Low.
Internet Explorer 6:
Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Select a Web
content zone, e.g., Internet -> Customize Level.
Then look for ActiveX controls and set the permissions appropriately.
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Proxy servers and Authorware Web packaged files
Issue
Proxy servers can prevent Authorware Web packaged pieces from
working properly.
Reason
A proxy server acts as a relay between two networks, usually
between a local area network (LAN) and the Internet, breaking
the connection between the two. A proxy server functions
similarly to a firewall but is somewhat different. A firewall
is a device that prohibits or filters certain kinds of traffic
traveling in and out of a LAN to the Internet. A network
administrator can set up a firewall to block certain types
of data or media (Java class files or Real Player media
files, for example) from passing from the Internet to the
LAN. For information on running Authorware Web packaged
pieces over a firewall, refer to Firewall
considerations when using Authorware (TechNote 14009).
When using a proxy server, the local client uses a different
protocol, or setup, to communicate with the firewall. For
example, Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator both allow
you to explicitly set the address of the proxy server being
used for the local network. The browser then exchanges data
with the proxy server in a different manner (using different
headers and messages) than it does with a normal Web server.
For Authorware Web packaged pieces, data listed in the .AAM
file (for example, .AAM and .AAB files) travels from the
Web server, THROUGH the browser, to the Authorware Web Player.
The Web Player relies on calls it makes to the browser to
download and deliver the data. For some types of data in
Authorware, however, namely externally linked, URL-based
media such as images and movies, this is NOT the data path
that is used.
Note: URL-based media can be identified by opening the External
Media Browser in Authorware and checking if any of the media
has a URL as its location.
For externally linked, URL-based media, Authorware uses a separate
version of a TCP/IP "stack" that communicates directly with
the Web site, bypassing the Web browser completely. The
reason for this stems from the fact that, historically,
URL-based media was meant to be viewed only in the stand-alone
Player and not the Web Player. The issue with URL-based
external media is that the TCP/IP stack being used by the
Web Player does not know how to communicate with proxy servers.
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IT Info On Permissions Required
Larger organizations may have operating systems locked down to
prevent users from making changes. Below are the required
permissions to operate KnowledgeWare online training programs.
(NT SP 6.0a example):
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\MACROMED\AUTHORWA (and
subdirectories). Web plugin files (awswax.ocx and np32asw.dll) files are stored in this location.
-> Everyone Full Control (All) (All)
User Application Data directories (creates
subdirectories and writes files to hold course 'Resume' data, writes certificate files for print, stores student notes in text files, streams content files to this location)
-> Everyone Full Control (All) (All)
Additionally,
the following registry key needs to be set, and the control
for that needs to be as follows:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\classes\mime\database\content
type\application/x-Authorware-map
-> Everyone Full Control (this would normally be set by the Web
Player itself).
Note: mime type 'x-Authorware-map' is set by the web player
on installation (permissions permitting)
Error Message
- the following error message will occur if the above settings
are not correct:
"The file "filename.aam" cannot be opened because the following error has occurred:permission to access this
file is denied"
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Firewall considerations when using Authorware
Issue
When accessing an Authorware piece from behind a corporate firewall,
the file does not work correctly.
Reason
Authorware supports the use of many different data types. Occasionally,
problems can occur if a firewall is being used and the data
type in question is not explicitly set up to be allowed
by the network administrator.
Solution
By default, any data types that are not
allowed will be denied. The only way to get around a firewall
is by having a system administrator create a hole in the
firewall for the specific types of data the file references
externally. Alternately, the file could be modified to rely
only on common Internet data types which will probably already
be allowed by the network administrator.
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