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User Guide
Introduction
This CAP distance learning course, multimedia edition, is designed for use by CAP senior members with various levels of computer skills. The designers of this course assume that senior members are familiar with the Windows™ user interface, including using the mouse, selecting menus, choosing options, and getting on-line help. However, whether you are a novice or a computer wizard, this interactive courseware offers you a rich learning environment. We hope it makes your CAP experience more productive and more enjoyable.
System Requirements:
Some aspects of the programming may not operate well if your computer is not configured for multimedia capability. For example, the videos may not run properly and the various sound files cannot be heard. Therefore we highly recommend running the course on a fully multimedia capable computer to gain the full benefit of multimedia.
Lesson material is printed as a Microsoft Word document. Lesson slides can be viewed and printed using Microsoft PowerPoint software. If you do not have this software loaded on your computer, we recommend downloading these software products from their web sites.
Navigation Tips
Once you have opened the Home Page, the Menu buttons are displayed on the screen. By selecting a lesson button on the left side of the page (example: Leadership, Inspector General) you will be hyper linked to the lesson. Additionally, each course is numbered for easy reference.
All course lessons have the same format and style. Each lesson contains a Lesson Materials page designed to give the student the information required for the lesson in an easy to understand format. The Instructor page contains the course objectives, power point slides, and suggested instructor information for each slide and a list of suggested reference materials.
The buttons on each page hyperlink to a lesson, instructors guide, power point slides, and reference material. After opening a lesson, the lesson may be printed as a Microsoft Word document by pointing and clicking on the "Print" button.
The PowerPoint button allows you to hyperlink to the lesson slide presentation. PowerPoint slides are viewed using Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer. To advance the slides just click the left button on your mouse, to view in reverse click the right button and to end the PowerPoint presentation hit the ESC key. (Hint: At times when you double-click on the presentation name the PowerPoint viewer may not open. Just try double-clicking it again and it should open).
The Printer button lists all the printable documents. You can print articles any time they are opened by using the File, then Print option from the menu bar. The preferred method to documents is to use the print button on the left side of your screen. After you double-click on the Print button you will be asked if you would like to save the file to your disk. If you answer "Yes", the document will be saved to your computer hard drive.
The navigation buttons (Forward, Reverse & Back) across the bottom move you page by page through the lesson. The Home button will hyperlink to the Course Home Page allowing you to select another lesson or exit the course.
Each lesson, instructor guide, and pop-up window has navigation buttons. For example, by double clicking the "CAP shield" at the bottom of the page you will be hyper linked to the course home page. The "Go to the top of Page" button hyperlink s you to the top of your current page. The "Up Level" button hyper links you to the current lesson.
Frequently Asked Questions:
SOUND PROBLEMS
I do not hear any sound.
1. Do you have a sound card installed? If not, even if you have a CD-ROM there is no guarantee you can play sound files.
2. Are you using a PC speaker? These speakers may not have the ability to play sound files.
3. Do you have external speakers? Are the speakers on with AC power (or batteries - check the batteries)? Are the speakers connected to the correct output on the card? CD players with speakers attached to the front may not play sound files.
4. Is the volume turned up (Volume controls can be on sound card and speakers)? Sound Card: usually a round thumb wheel you can adjust.
5. Are all audio drivers loaded? (Consult installation manual for your audio card) Check Windows Control Panel, "Drivers" icon and ensure audio drivers are loaded. Common Drivers that need to be loaded are [MCI] CD Audio and [MCI] Sound.
6. Are the appropriate lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, and System.ini? Consult the installation manual of your sound card.
7. Did your sound card pass the sound test included in your installation software? Consult installation manual for your sound card.
8. If not, is your IRQs set correctly? Your audio card may have two IRQs to set One for SoundBlaster emulation and one for the card itself. Consult your installation manual for your sound card, they usually have a trouble shooting procedure section.
Sound plays but is distorted or "fuzzy."
A possible cause of distorted or fuzzy sound is you are using a 16-bit sound card set to a lower Direct Memory Access (DMA). Sounds that appear scratchy while using a low DMA will sound better using an upper DMA. Consult installation manual for your sound card.
VIDEO PROBLEMS
The videos do not play on my computer.
1. Do you have video playback software on your computer?
2. Are the proper video drivers installed? Consult your Windows manuals. A typical Video Driver is " [MCI] Video for Windows ".
3. Are your pictures displaying but grainy or off color? What is your screen resolution? (Minimum required be: 800x600x256 colors) Consult your Windows manuals to change screen drivers.
I have done it all but, it still does not work.
If you followed the procedures outlined above and are running the Multimedia Course on a computer that meets our recommended configuration specifications; the video should play properly. If you still encounter problems, such as missing frames and broken sound, your computer's ability to handle video (.avi files) may be insufficient. Manufactures handle the way video data (picture and sound) is "streamed" through your computer's CPU in many different ways—there are no simple answers. If you are experiencing these kinds of problems, we recommend you check to see if you have a copy of VidTest (or a similar product) available and use it to test your computer's ability to handle video files. VidTest will give you specific information on how your computer is handling the data streaming, how much memory is being used for video playback, etc. Based on these tests, you may be able to adjust certain settings on your computer to improve. Check with your computer manufacturer for assistance.
PICTURE AND FONT PROBLEMS
This course was designed with SMALL SCREEN FONTS; thus, some text may appear to "slide" off the screen if your screen is set to LARGE SCREEN FONT. To correct this, set your display setting to SMALL SCREEN FONTS. Graphics (pictures) are changing colors when the page is changed. Each 256-color graphic contains a palette of 256 colors that is used by Windows to properly display that graphic. When more than one graphic is in a program then these colors will conflict with the colors on the previous page and you will see "palette shift." This is normal when your screen resolution is set 256 colors.
