Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. What exactly is Express Animator, exactly, then?
A. Express Animator is a software application that allows you to create animations. You can create any animations you like, so long as you can draw them (or copy them). The animations can be saved in various formats, one of which, Flash, is a format that can be displayed on webpages on the internet. You can download Express Animator for a free trial period to try it out and see if you like it.

Q. I have made a brilliant cartoon. What now?
A. Once you have finished your amazing creation, and you don't have a website of your own, why not send it to one of the many Flash hosting sites. Alternatively save it as a video file and submit it to YouTube, or if you have DVD burning software burn it to a DVD. If it's super-super-amazingly brilliant maybe you can get it on TV. Who knows?

Q. How do I embed a Flash animation into my website?
A. By saving you animation as a webpage express animator will do the hard work for you and can copy the source from the HTML file produced. You must also upload the showflash.js script file to your wesbite. Alternatively just copy the following into your HTML

<object width="100" height="200">
    <param name="movie" value="fish.swf">
    <embed src="fish.swf" width="100" height="200">
    </embed>
</object>

Q. How do I put a Flash cartoon on my MySpace page?
A. First you will need to upload your Flash (SWF) file onto the internet. There are various sites that will let you do this; a good a one as any seems to be swfUP.com. Make sure it is an upload site that allows direct linking. The upload site will give you a link to your animation, for example: http://www.swfUP.com/flash99.swf or something. Next add the following to one of the sections of your profile:

<embed allowScriptAccess="never"
    src="http://www.swfUP.com/flash99.swf"
    width="200" height="200">
</embed>

Q. How do I send a Flash cartoon in an email?
A. Most email clients will not let you do this as it is a security risk. The way most people send Flash christmas e-cards and so forth is first to upload the Flash cartoon either onto your own website or onto a file sharing website such as photobucket. Then all you have to do is send out an email with a link to this site saying something like:

Q. What are the steps to purchase the software?
After you have downloaded the software and purchased a serial number from the purchase page. Follow these steps:

1. Close down the program completely.
2. Open the program by clicking on the Express Animator icon on the desktop or in the Start Menu.
3. Click on "I have already purchased Express Animator and want to activate it now."
   
4. Click Next.
5. Make sure the "I have an activation code" is unchecked. (There is no activation code).
6. Enter your serial number. (Not your order number).
   
7. Click Next.

Q. I can't activate my free trial!
A. To activate the trial you will need to be connected to the internet and also have administrator pivileges. Click on OK if you are told by your OS or firewall that a program is trying to connect to the internet. Always make sure you can activate the trial before you decide to purchase the product in full. Purchase activation is done through Protexis services. For more help on activation see Protexis FAQ. That page also has a contact email if you still can't activate the program.