The main window lets your end users navigate through your publication, and it displays the HTML pages of your website. You can customize its appearance with the options of this tab.

Window Caption:

Enter the text that should appear on the window's title bar (it only appears on the title bar: it does not affect the publication title which is displayed in the Windows taskbar or task manager). You can also display the title of the current HTML document using the %DOCTITLE% variable.

For example, "My first publication - %DOCTITLE%" would become "My publication - Contents Page" if the HTML page had its title set to "Contents Page".

State of the main window:

• Display a standard window: creates a window with the default size.
  

• Display a maximized window: the window will be maximized, filling the screen. Some additional options for maximized windows are also available below.
  

• Display a custom-sized window: if you wish to define the size of the window yourself, enter the default width and height in the different fields. You may also click the Auto-Sizer button: it will display a small window that you can resize as you want, then HTML Executable will automatically set the main window's height and width according to the size you chose.

Allow end users to resize the window

This option determines whether end users may resize the publication's main window or not. Disabling this option is generally not recommended.

Always center the window

This option centers the main window on the screen when the publication is loaded; it overrides any user-defined window position that could be saved from a previous instance.

Enable Maximize Window button

This option lets you add or remove the standard Maximize button of the window. Useful if you already set the window to maximized and do not want it to be switched to the normal state.

Maximize on Full Screen

This option indicates whether the main window should fill the entire screen, including the Windows taskbar. If enabled, the task bar will be hidden by the window when it is maximized. Useful for a kiosk mode (see below).

Save user-defined window position

If turned on, the publication will save the window's size and position as it was decided by the user. The next time the publication is run, it will use the size and position it saved instead of the initial ones. This option is highly recommended. If you turned it off, the publication would always use the initial settings you set. If you wish to only save the size, then you can also turn on the "Always center the window" option.

If this option is not enabled, then the main window will appear centered in the screen.

Windows stay on top

This option indicates whether the main window remains on top of the desktop and of other windows (except ones defined with the same style in other applications).

One of the most interesting features of HTML Executable publications is their skin support. The entire look and feel of the application (its windows and controls) may be changed through a simple click thanks to skins.

The skin feature is similar to the Windows themes, except that HTML Executable publications use their own skin engine: moreover, it works with any Windows versions, not only with Vista, XP or 2003.

Just select the skin you want in the list and that's all!

A small preview of the selected skin is automatically displayed but you can get an extended preview by clicking "Skin Full-Preview".
Note that previews do not take into account other properties.

HTML Executable also has a skin editor (which is a separate component that you can get from www.htmlexe.com because it is not shipped with the original distribution). You can customize existing skins or create new ones from scratch using this editor. Just click "Open Skin Editor" to launch it.

Note: you do not need to distribute the skin file: it is automatically compiled into your publication data.

Create a window with no title bar

Enable this option to remove the title bar of the window. Be sure to inform your end users that they must press ALT+F4 in order to close the publication.

Disable skin effects

Some skins feature special animation effects (menus, window title bar...). If you want to disable these effects, enable this option.

Enable alpha-blending effect when displaying windows

A small effect when windows are shown/hidden. This option is only supported on Windows XP, Vista and higher.

Enable Roll Window Up button

An interesting function for publications: this special feature lets your end users reduce the window to its title bar (rollup), so they can have access to the other windows behind the latter. To restore it, just click on the button again.

Hide caption buttons

If you would like to remove all system buttons from the title bar (system menu, minimize, maximize, close, etc...) and keep a title bar, then turn on this option. Important: please give your users a way to properly close the publication (although they can still press ALT+F4).

No skinnable window

This option disables the skin feature for the window itself; thus, you get a normal window (interesting option for Vista). Other controls are still rendered by the skin engine.

Show button glow frames

Enables or not the glow effect for buttons.

Show caption button glow frames

Enables or not the glow effect for system buttons.

Show layered borders

Enables or not special shadow and frame effects for windows. Some skins do not support layered borders. Use the "Skin Full-Preview" button to find out whether layered borders are handled.

Show publication icon in the title bar

Turn this option on to display the publication icon in the main window's title bar (allows end users access to the system menu).

Instead of having a button in the taskbar, you may prefer your publication to show a small tray icon:

If so, turn on "Enable Tray Icon". The small icon displayed is the one of the publication EXE file.

The tray icon optionally displays a popup menu when end users right-click on the tray icon.

Note: in Windows 7, all tray icons may not always be visible by default. This is a normal behavior and end users can adjust tray icon bar settings to modify it.

Warning: when end users minimize the main window to the tray, all secondary windows like pop-ups are always closed and not restored.

Default Hint Text

This is the text displayed in the hint when hovering over the tray icon.

Show Minimized on Start

When this option is enabled, the application starts minimized: the main window is not displayed, only its tray icon is visible.

The Close button Minimizes the Main Window

By default, when you hit the Close system button, the application exits. If you want to avoid your publication from exiting, use this option. It will force the main window to minimize to the tray when the close button is hit.

In that case, ensure to give end users an option to exit your publication (like a menu command in the tray's popup menu). Otherwise, they will need to end the application manually with the task manager.

Always minimize to tray

If you enable this option, the main window is always minimized to the tray, not in the taskbar. Otherwise, a taskbar button will appear when the main window is minimized.

Edit popup menu

Lets you manage the entries for the tray menu. This menu appears when end users right-click on the tray icon. It should at least contain two commands: Restore and Exit. These commands are automatically created by HTML Executable for each new project and it is recommended that you leave them.

Applies to IE Browser publications only

IE publications can display secondary windows called pop-ups. They can be created with different methods and you can define default properties for them here.

You may define the default size for new pop-up windows: enter the desired width and height in the different fields. You may also click on the Auto-Sizer button: it will display a small window that you can resize as you want, then HTML Executable will automatically set the window's height and width according to the size you chose.

Do not manage popup Z order automatically

By default, pop-up windows are created as children of the main window. Consequently, you cannot return to the main window when closing the pop-up window. If you want to create independent pop-up windows, then enable this option.

Note: if this option is used, independent pop-up windows may be hidden by the main window.

Include a menu bar for each pop-up

Pop-up windows may have their own menu bar with specific commands like Print, Close or custom ones. Enable this option and click Edit Menu Bar Items to manage the menu's entries.

You can call some script commands from the default Global and Macros scripts that contain commands useful for popup menus:

Global.HEExitPublication: exits the publication.
Global.HECloseCurrentPopup: closes the active pop-up.
Global.HEPopupPrintPreview: shows the print preview for the current pop-up which lets end users print the contents of the pop-up window.

Note: all pop-up windows will share the same menu bar.