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How do I create a system with multiple menus in CD-Menu Creator?

It is very easy to create a single menu window with CD-Menu Creator. Normally you can create such a menu interface in just minutes. But sometimes a single menu window is not enough. Sometimes you also need some sub menu windows with additional buttons, because all of the buttons that you want to add will not fit in a single menu window. The buttons are too many.

This situation can also be handled with CD-Menu Creator. With CD-Menu Creator you can create a menu system with many menu windows. For example, a main menu and some sub menus. You can create so many levels with menu windows that you want, but usually only 2 or 3 levels with menu windows are necessary.

We have published two detailed tips on our web site that show how to create a menu system that contains a main menu and some sub menus. The first tip shows how to create a menu system with two levels of menus. The second tip shows how to create a menu system with 3 levels of menus (a system like in the picture below).

3 levels with menus

Read more on this page:
> Tip: How to create multiple menus on a CD or DVD

See also:
> Tips and Tricks for CD-Menu Creator

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A first look at Windows 10

Windows 10 - LogoEarlier this week Microsoft presented their next operating system: Windows 10. Their last client operating system, Windows 8, has not sold as expected, so Microsoft has worked hard to develop a replacement, and with Windows 10 Microsoft expect to have an OS that will attract their customers. Windows 10 was designed with especially business users in mind, because they were very reluctant to upgrade to Windows 8.

The Start menu is back!
One of the biggest news in Windows 10 is the return of the Start menu. In Windows 8 the Start menu was removed, but people never get used with that, so in Windows 10 the Start menu is back. Microsoft has also improved the Start menu so it is more feature rich than before. You can now customize the contents of the Start menu after your needs. And there is also a powerful Search function included in the menu. From the Start menu you can launch both traditional desktop apps and modern Windows Store apps (former “Metro” apps).

Windows 10 - Image 1

Some other new features in Windows 10 are:

Virtual desktops
In Windows 10 you can have more than one desktop at the same time. And you can switch between the desktops in an easy way. These desktops are called virtual desktops and when you use them you can for example place applications that are connected in a logical way on the same desktop. For example all Office applications on one desktop and Visual Studio and other development tools in another desktop.

Windows Store apps can be run on the traditional desktop
Windows Store apps (the modern style apps) can now be run on the traditional desktop. The apps can also be resized and moved on the desktop, in the same way as traditional desktop applications. And the apps can also be launched from the new Start menu.

Continuum
In Windows 8 the touch-optimized Start screen was always shown, also on a desktop computer where a mouse and keyboard were connected and no touch-screen was available. This was not optimal for users that always run desktop apps. Windows 10 is much smarter. It detects the state of the computer and presents the right user interface depending on whether a keyboard and mouse is connected or not, and if the display is touch-sensitive or not. So if you run Windows 10 on a traditional desktop computer, the traditional desktop is automatically shown from start. Microsoft calls this new feature for Continuum.

Quad snap
A new useful feature is the “quad snap” function that allows four windows to be snapped onto the same screen. All windows will obtain the same size. This is a very useful feature, especially on large screens, if you have four applications running simultaneously, and you want to view the contents of the four application windows at the same time.

Improved search function
In Windows 10 the search function has been improved. You can search directly from the new Start menu, and you can choose to search for files on your local computer or for files (or web pages) on the Internet.

Windows 10 - Image 2

This was a first look at the next operating system from Microsoft – Windows 10 – and we will publish more details on our blog in the following months, when Microsoft releases more details about the new Windows.

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Presentation of MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise

There are three versions of MultiMailer 2014 available, as described in this blog post, and one of the versions has the name MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise. The Enterprise version is the most feature-rich and powerful version of MultiMailer.

MultiMailerFeatures
Some unique features for the Enterprise version of MultiMailer is:

• Can handle mailing lists with up to 500,000 contacts each.
• Supports encrypted SSL communication with e-mail servers.
• Can be installed on a server and shared by many users.
• Supports virtual machines.

MultiMailer - Enterprise

500,000 contacts
If you need to send e-mail newsletters to hundreds of thousands contacts at once Enterprise is the version for you. Enterprise can handle mailing lists that contains up to 500,000 contacts each. And by using the powerful statistics and analysis functions you can follow when people open your newsletters in real-time.

SSL communication with e-mail servers
MultiMailer / Enterprise can communicate with e-mail servers that requires an encrypted SSL connection, for examples Google’s e-mail server (Gmail’s server).

ServerCan be installed on a server
MultiMailer / Enterprise can be installed on a server on a network and shared by many users. 1 license of MultiMailer / Enterprise can be shared by 10 users.

Supports virtual machines
A virtual machine is a software simulation (emulation) of a computer. By using a virtual machine, many instances of a particular operating system can be run on one physical computer. A virtual machine allows also different operating systems to be installed on the same physical computer. Virtual machines are typically run on servers, but can be run on clients also.

Use of virtual machines is very common today. These allow large companies to reduce the number of physical computers to save money. Many of our customers use virtual machines and we have therefore optimized MultiMailer Enterprise for use in virtual environments. We are also counting licenses in different way, so one license of MultiMailer / Enterprise can be run on 10 virtual machines at the same time (shared by 10 users at the same time).

What does MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise costs?
If you want to check how much MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise costs, or order the product, you can visit the following web page:

> Order – SamLogic MultiMailer

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MultiMailer is now available in an Enterprise version

MultiMailerSamLogic MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise is a new version of our e-mail newsletter marketing tool. The Enterprise version of MultiMailer is adapted for use on servers and is specialized on handling of large mailing lists. One license of MultiMailer / Enterprise can be shared by up to 10 users.

Three versions of SamLogic MultiMailer
There are now three versions of MultiMailer available: Standard, Professional and Enterprise. Below we will describe what the differences are between the three versions:

• MultiMailer / Standard: Suited for those who send a few thousands newsletters per month and do not need statistics and analysis functions.

• MultiMailer / Professional: Suited for those who send up to 50 000 newsletters per month and who needs powerful functions for statistics and analysis.

• MultiMailer / Enterprise: Suited for those who send up to 500 000 newsletters per month and/or want to install MultiMailer on a server. Functions for statistics and analysis are included.

Prices and Order
If you want to check the prices of the different versions, or if you want to make an order, you can visit the following web page:
> Order – SamLogic MultiMailer

More information
> SamLogic MultiMailer 2014 – Features (Standard / Professional / Enterprise)
> Presentation of MultiMailer 2014 / Enterprise

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Updated CD-Menu Creator 2014 with many improvements

We have now released an update of SamLogic CD-Menu Creator 2014. The version number of the update is 7.5.9 and contains many improvements of the tool. Below are some examples of news in the updated CD-Menu Creator:

– CD-Menu Creator supports now the OpenType font format.
– The menu template gallery has been extended with more menu templates. Read more.
– More menu interface examples have been included. Read more.

How to download the update
If you have CD-Menu Creator 2014 and a 12 months maintenance plan you can download the update from the following download page:

> Download – CD-Menu Creator 2014 – Latest update

If you have an older version of CD-Menu Creator, for example CD-Menu Creator 2012, you can upgrade to the latest version of CD-Menu Creator from this order page:

> Upgrade to CD-Menu Creator 2014

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New menu interface examples in CD-Menu Creator 2014

We have included some new menu interface examples in CD-Menu Creator 2014. The new menu interface examples are available in CD-Menu Creator 2014 version 7.5.9 and later (read more in this blog post).

New menu example

The menu interface examples that follow CD-Menu Creator gives you examples of which kind of menu interfaces that can be created with CD-Menu Creator. You can also use the menu interface examples as templates when you create your own menus.

Read more:
> CD-Menu Creator 2014 – New Menu Examples

See also this tip:
> Tip: How you use CD-Menu Creator menu examples as templates for your own menus

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USB AutoRun Creator can now handle SD memory cards

SD memory cardWe have now released version 2.0 of USB AutoRun Creator and the new version of the tool has been extended to also support SD memory cards (for example SDHC cards and a SDXC cards). So it is now possible to add AutoRun capabilities also to SD memory cards.

It works in a similar way as USB flash drives. When the user inserts the SD memory card into the card slot, a menu interface, a program or a document is opened automatically. Or if you prefer, a video starts playing automatically on the screen.

The same security system is used for SD memory cards as for USB flash drives, so only files distributed from you will be opened automatically. If somebody changes the contents after creation, nothing will happen.

Supports all Windows from Windows XP to Windows 8.1
The following operating systems are supported by the updated AutoRun function (that handles SD memory cards): Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

More information
More information is available on the following web page:
> USB AutoRun Creator – Add AutoRun to a SD Memory Card

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Updated Visual Installer 2014 with many new functions

We have now released an update of SamLogic Visual Installer 2014 (version 10.0.20) that contains many new functions and improvements. Below are some examples of new functions that we have included in the update of Visual Installer:

– You can now add version information (for example a version number, product name and company name) to a self-extracting setup package. Read more.

– Visual Installer can now register a .NET assembly and add a COM object interface to the assembly, so it can be accessed from unmanaged (native) applications. Read more.

– A new script command with the name MSIEXEC has been added. It can be used to start an MSI installation from Visual installer. Read more.

– A new script command with the name EXIT has been added. It can be used to cancel an installation, for example if some conditions or system requirements are not met.

– A new condition has been included in the scripting language that can be used to check if a specific application or library already has been installed. Read more.

– A new condition has been included in the scripting language that can be used to check if the operating system is 32 bit or 64 bit. Read more.

– Support for Autodesk AutoCAD 2014.

– The OpenSSL library that is used by the Twitter function in Visual Installer has been updated to use the latest version of OpenSSL (version 1.0.1g) which contains a bug fix for the Heartbleed bug. If you use the Twitter function in Visual Installer we recommend you to install the update.

How to download the update
If you have Visual Installer 2014 and a 12 months maintenance plan you can download the update from the following download page:

> Download – Visual Installer 2014 – Latest update

If you have an older version of Visual Installer, for example Visual Installer 2012, you can upgrade to the latest version of Visual Installer from this order page:

> Upgrade to Visual Installer 2014

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Visual Installer: How to add version information to a setup package

One new function in Visual Installer 2014 (version 10.0.20, and later) is the possibility to add version information to a self-extracting setup package. You can for example add version number, product name, company name and copyright text. The version information can be seen in Windows Explorer and in other places in Windows.

Where in Visual Installer can the version information be entered?
You can enter the version information in the Version information dialog box in Visual Installer. The dialog box can be opened via the menu item Special – Version information. The picture below shows how the dialog box looks like:

The 'Version information' dialog box in Visual Installer

The Version information dialog box has existed in Visual Installer for many years, but what is new is the Save version information also in the self-extracting setup package option in the bottom of the dialog box. This option was added to the dialog box in version 10.0.20 of Visual Installer. If you select this option, the version information that you enter in this dialog box will be stored in the setup package file. If the option is not selected, no version information will be stored in the setup package and the dialog box will function as in previous versions of Visual Installer (for example, as a way to identify installation project files).

The version information can be viewed in Windows Explorer
If you have chosen to add version information to the setup package, the information can be shown in Windows Explorer and other places in Windows. For example, when the mouse pointer is above the filename in Windows Explorer, a tip text with the version information is displayed (as shown in the picture below):

Tip text in Windows Explorer (with version information)

Also the Details tab in the Properties dialog box in Windows Explorer contains this information (the dialog box can be opened by right-clicking on the filename and choosing the Properties menu item). The picture below shows how the information is shown in the Details tab if the text that was entered in this blog post’s first picture is used:

The 'Properties' dialog box in Windows Explorer

Version number
If you want to add a version number to the setup package, you must use 4 numbers when you specify the version number; for example: 1.2.0.5. Both commas and semicolons are allowed to use as a delimiter. So it is also ok to enter the version number like this: 1,2,0,5.

If you use more than or less than 4 numbers for the version number (for example 1.2) the version number is not stored in the setup package. If you want a version number like this to be stored in the setup package, you can extend the version number with zeros and enter the version number like this: 1.2.0.0.