Making an Autorun CD

nodnerb2 · December 11th, 2001, 07:57 AM

Hi,

Is it possible to make an Autorun CD that will start by loading an image that is on the CD?

The reason I am asking is that I am presently burning a CD for my Folks with a load of Photos of my Baby Daughter. I was hoping that I could set it up so that when it is shoved into their PC at home the CD ran by itself and a picture of her would appear.

Any advice or ideas on this one would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

Nodnerb2

BigR · December 11th, 2001, 08:02 AM

Karens power tools has a good autorun editor. You can find it here. http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptautorun.html

str8jakit · December 11th, 2001, 08:59 AM

I have done this and it works great!

1. Download Irfanview in zip format from this link.
2. When building the CD image, put in your pictures and include the files "i_view32.exe" and "i_view32.cnt" (you can also include "i_view32.hlp" if you want) from the zip file you just downloaded.
3. Make a text file named "autorun.inf" (no quotes) with the following text:

Code:

[autorun]
OPEN=i_view32.exe IMAGE.JPG
ICON=i_view32.exe

Replace "IMAGE.JPG" with the name of the first image you want them to see.

4. Include the new autorun.inf file on your image and burn it.

When they pop in the CD, Irfanview will run automagically showing the image you want them to see. Irfanview is freeware and does not need to be "Installed" to run properly. It also includes the benefit of "Back" and "Forward" buttons allowing them to browse all the images on the CD.

Irfanview also includes a slideshow feature, although I'm not sure how to make it run automatically. I will do some checking, and let you know how to do it if I find out that it can be done.

Str8jakit

str8jakit · December 11th, 2001, 09:18 AM

OK, here is how to do an automatic slideshow.

1. On your computer, click on i_view32.exe to run Irfanview.

2. Click on File | Slideshow

3. In the box on the right, find your pictures and click ADD to add them to the slideshow list on the left. Click "Play" to test your slideshow.

4. Click on the "Save as TXT File" button and save it as something like "slideshow.txt". Include this file on the CD image.

5. Make a text file named "slideshow.bat" with the following contents:

Code:

echo off
i_view32.exe /slideshow=slideshow.txt /closeslideshow
exit

Include this file on the CD image as well.

6. Make the autorun.inf file with the following contents:

Code:

OPEN=slideshow.bat
ICON=i_view32.exe

Include this file on the CD image as well. In all your CD image should contain:

autorun.inf
slideshow.txt
slideshow.bat
i_view32.exe
i_view32.cnt
i_view32.hlp
images

This will autorun the slideshow.

osprey4 · December 11th, 2001, 09:24 AM

Thanks, str8jakit, I'm trying to do the same thing and your instructions are MUCH easier than the set up I was trying to do.

I've got another question for you, though. How do I add music to this CD?

Jn

str8jakit · December 11th, 2001, 09:40 AM

I've never tried that before, but I would assume you could just add another OPEN= line to your autorun.inf:

Code:

[autorun]
OPEN=slideshow.bat
OPEN=music.mpg
ICON=i_view32.exe

I'll run some tests and see if this works.

str8jakit · December 11th, 2001, 10:07 AM

OK, that didn't work. Not only that, but the slideshow thing in general didn't work for several reasons.

The "Save as TXT File" option saves it as a *.lst file. It includes the full path of the image when you add it to the slideshow (in this case , it was my C: drive). No problem, thought I, so I removed the path and left just the file name. Since the images would be in the same volume and directory as the program file, no path would be needed. Well apparently the *.lst file needs to be opened for writing by Irfanview. Since it is on a CD, it is read-only. No luck.

Theoretically, it would be possible to create a slideshow.bat file that would copy the entire contents of the CD to the hard drive and remove the read-only attribute, but now we're getting complicated.

Also, the second OPEN= line did not work. I guess if you were going to build the batch file anyway, you could throw in a command somewhere to play that sound file while you're at it.

I still stand by my first post, however, as that one does work. It's just not nice and automated like. It does pop up a picture with back and forward buttons so they can flip through all the images in the directory, though.

nodnerb2 · December 12th, 2001, 04:50 AM

Hi,

Many thanks str8jakit and BigR for the links.

I like the looks of str8jakit's method and will report back when I have got a runner.

Cheers

Nodnerb2

nodnerb2 · December 12th, 2001, 03:17 PM

Hi,
When I first go going with this I just burned 1 Image and ran the Autorun file as per your str8jakit's post. It worked well and did so after I had burned a few more Images and added them to the slideshow.

I can't get the slideshow to start automatically on insertion of the CD. If I start it manually it trundles away ok.

Below are the two files I am using as per str8jakit's second post. Is this how they are supposed to look?

[slideshow.bat]

echo off
i_view32.exe /slideshow=slideshow.txt /closeslideshow
exit

[autorun]

open=slideshow.bat
icon=i_view32.exe

Cheers

Nodnerb2

osprey4 · December 12th, 2001, 04:03 PM

I looked around and found this slide show software last night:
http://hjem.get2net.dk/lpj/CreateCD.htm

I downloaded the files and set it up just like the guy tells you, burned it on a rewriteable and voila!! Works perfectly. Put the CD in and away it goes.

And just in time for Christmas, too!

Now, just need to figure out how to add music.

Jn