File management
Many different kinds of files can be used by Wasp to display a single audio or video file, including:
- - The main Wasp player file
- - Source audio or video files
- HTML files
- JavaScript files
- - XML configuration files
- - Static images (for a poster graphic and / or a video overlay)
- - Advertisement media
Some files are "re-usable" but some are not.
"Local" and "remote" file locations must also be taken into consideration because files are published onto a local hard disk, but will eventually have to be uploaded to a "remote" web server.
Establishing a Common "Media" Folder
By establishing a single "place" where media files are stored generally makes it easier to insert Wasp into your website.
Traditionally, webmasters will have a local directory structure that matches their website's directory structure.
We recommend establishing an environment on your local PC that matches your web site's environment.
For example, on your website you may have a designated folder named "media" which contains all of your video files. We recommend creating a folder on your local system named "media" which will be the folder that you consistently use when publishing with Wasp Publisher.
It is not mandatory to keep all of your media files in a single location. You can publish files to any folder or sub-folder -- and even have multiple copies of the Wasp files located in various locations throughout your web site.
Loading and Publishing Files
Files can be loaded into Wasp Publisher by selecting them from any location on the local or remote system.
For example, you can click the "browse" button to load a file located on your hard disk or you can type a URL into the text field.
NOTE: When using a URL, the file may not load properly on some systems depending on how the PC is connected to the Internet and/or firewall or other security settings.
When you "publish" a file, Wasp Publisher will create and collect all of the required files to a single "output" folder on a local hard drive. (e.g. Your local "media" folder.)
Local files are not moved, they are copied. The newly created copies are then placed in the output folder on your PC.
NOTE: If URLs are used, Wasp Publisher will not copy and move these files to the output folder because these files are already available on the web server.
The task of uploading the files is not handled by Wasp Publisher, files must be uploaded to the web server separately using an FTP program.
Destination URL
The Destination URL is a pre-emptive concept and critical for successfully inserting Wasp into various pages throughout your website.
Destination URL allows Wasp Publisher to properly configure the source code so that your published files will work within any page throughout your site.
If you do not use a Destination URL, then Wasp will only work on web pages that are located within the same folder as the published files.
Before publishing, you should know the location on your web site (URL) where you intend to upload all of the files.
For example, if you intend to upload (via FTP) the files that Wasp Publisher outputs to the following location:
http://www.yoursite.com/media
... Then this would be considered your "Destination URL" because the files you are about to publish are destined to reside within the folder named "media" on your web site.