Changes in This version

This version follows close on the heels of Beta-4 so you should check there for new features too.

The major addition in this version is the fact that Sync-O-Matic can be "automated" using Visual Basic. Sync-O-Matic is an "ActiveX Exe" This means that when you execute it normally it operates the same as before.

However when you add a reference to the .exe file to a VB project, you have access to a API which allows you to control Sync-O-Matic directly.

Here is some simple code:

    Dim Bob As New syncomatic
    Dim QuitMsg As String
    Dim Tmp As String
   
    Bob.SetTextPP txtPP.Text ' Sets default values for lots of the directories
    
    ' Now we will override some of those
    
    Bob.SetTextWebDir txtWebDir.Text
    Bob.SetOptCD False
    Bob.SetOptWeb True
    Bob.SetOptStream False
    Bob.SetTextWebURL txtWebURL.Text
    MsgBox "Yo" ' Pause for a moment so the user can play with Sync-O-Matic
    If Not Bob.OKToPublish(QuitMsg) Then
        MsgBox "Cannot publish - " & QuitMsg
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    ' This will actually block while the non-batchfile stuff
    ' is executed - this can take from 10 to 60 seconds to complete
    
    If Not Bob.Publish(QuitMsg) Then
        MsgBox "Publish aborted - " & QuitMsg
        Exit Sub
    End If

    ' The "lazy" way to go
    ' Bob.WaitUntilComplete
    
    ' The more "interactive approach"
    ' This will loop waiting for the batch file to complete
    ' When the RealProducer ActiveX control is used this will be about a second
    ' When RealProducer 5 is used this may be a minute or so
    
    While Bob.IsRunning()
        Bob.GetStatus (Tmp)
        lblStatus.Caption = Tmp
        DoEvents ' make sure to add this
    Wend

The source for this entire application is available at http://www.netfact.com/syncomat/source/syncauto.zip.

This has a number of applications - You can write your own "Server Mode" of Sync-O-Matic, developing your own conventions for file storage, etc. Another thing you could do is look through a directory of unpublished lectures, checking the relative dates of files (like make on UNIX) and publishing directories which have been updated...

At the end of the day, you could just want to put your own UI on Sync-O-Matic.

This is a new feature so there may be some things that you would

/Chuck

Jan 5, 2000