Recording Mouse & Keyboard Input

Opus now includes the ability to record mouse and keyboard input during the editor preview for later playback in the published version. This can be used to produce non-interactive demos and, with the Video Creator publication type, to create videos of a publication in use. These videos could then be used for training purposes or integrated into the publication as "visual help".

To record the publication:

1. Select the Record Publication option $image\Icon_Tool_Record.jpg$ from the Publication menu.

2. Your publication will now preview in the normal way. All keyboard and mouse input will be recorded as it takes place.

3. To stop the recording and return to the editor, simply press the Esc key.

To play back the recorded publication in the editor

Select the Playback Recording option $image\Icon_Tool_Playback.jpg$ from the Publication menu.
Your publication will now preview and all user input will be played back as though the user was performing the operations.
To stop the playback and return to the editor, simply press the Esc key.

To use the playback in a Video Creator publication

The mouse and keyboard recording is most useful for creating demonstration publications to be turned into videos via the Video Creator publication type. Once the publication has been recorded.

Click on the Publication menu, then select the Publish option. This will open the Publish Wizard.
Follow the normal procedure for publishing up to the page with the Settings… button. Click the Settings button to open the publication settings.
On the Settings dialog go to the General tab.
Tick the Show Cursor in Playback option if you want the mouse cursor to be visible in the published video file.
Tick the Publish keyboard and mouse recording data option if you want the recorded mouse and keyboard recorder data to be used when creating the video file. This is independent of the Show Cursor in Playback option, so it is possible to playback the recording without the cursor being visible.
Continue the publish process as normal. The final output video will use the mouse & keyboard recording data and all user input will be played back as though the user was performing the operations.

To use the playback in a standard Creator publication

The mouse and keyboard recording can also be used in standard Creator publication (including DirectX) to create non-interactive demos.

Click on the Publication menu, then select the Publish option. This will open the Publish Wizard.
Follow the normal procedure for publishing up to the page with the Settings… button. Click the Settings button to open the publication settings.
On the Settings dialog go to the General tab and tick the Publish keyboard and mouse recording data option.
Continue the publish process as normal. When the publication is run the mouse and keyboard input will be played back as though the user was performing the operations.

Note:
The playback of recorder keyboard and mouse data is not available in Opus Flex publications.