Illuminatus Opus Pro

Illuminatus Opus Pro is an extension of Digital Workshop's multimedia authoring tool Illuminatus Opus released last year (PC Magazine, September 2001).

The standard version's nearest rival is PowerPoint, even though its multimedia features stretch its possibilities further, but Illuminatus Opus Pro turns its attention to high-end customers. It's easier to learn, but can still create complex and polished multimedia publications.

The software does everything the standard version does, and ships with the standard program's user guide. A second manual explores features in a style that new users can still follow.

Multimedia publications use the metaphor of a book divided into chapters and pages. This layout is displayed in an organiser window to the left of the main editing window. The pages hold objects such as text, images, video and sound clips.

Object presentation is defined by triggers, for example right mouse-clicks, which launch actions such as showing, hiding or animating objects, starting a video clip or playing a sound.

Finished publication types include self-playing files and fully functional web content.

The first new feature is database connectivity. Illuminatus Opus Pro can create an attractive, easy-to-use front-end for corporate databases.

Using ODBC drivers and SQL queries, the program can read and filter data from an ODBC-compliant database and write changes to it. Database queries are triggered like any other action, and are started when a page is first displayed or a button is pressed and so on.

The resulting data is stored in variables placed on text objects on the page, where their appearance and transition effects can be defined. Standard database functions are also available.

The SQL query statements are created through a wizard. You can apply filters to select relevant data, sort the data and define whether the program can or cannot modify the database.

The second major new feature is the addition of the scripting language OpusScript. This is web-compatible and can execute in a publication run by a browser.

Scripts can be added to a page or to any object. They can perform mathematical calculations, allow greater control of objects and interact with databases.

Functions include rotating objects and performing Boolean arithmetic, to name only a few. A sample game and its script are provided to demonstrate the possibilities.

Other additions are a resource manager that lets you review, update, move and delete resources in finished publications, and a range of new features.

Although the interface isn't as polished as big-budget products and the media samples are unimpressive, Illuminatus Opus Pro delivers powerful features at an attractive price.

Contact
Digital Workshop: 42-44 North Bar, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 0TH. Tel 01295 258335, Fax 01295 254590
www.digitalworkshop.com/products/opuspro/

See also:

Xara X

A well featured vector-drawing package that keeps the working environment simple.  09 Mar 2001

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