Building Movie Output Using the Interface

When you are ready to build your output, use one of the following sets of steps, depending on whether you are building output for a collection, a standalone movie, or targets (i.e., multiple collections or movies at once).

How to Build Output for a Collection

  1. Open the collection.

  2. (Optional) You can perform preliminary tasks related to the output, such as the following:

    • Organize the Order of the Movies You can include multiple movies in a Mimic collection. After you build the movie collection, you can view the output. The first movie listed in the Collection Editor plays first, followed by the other movies in order. If you create browser-based output (HTML5), similar navigation is created based on the order of the movies in the Collection Editor. See Organizing Movies in a Collection.
    • Select the Default Movie Output Format You can generate output in HTML5 or PDF formats. Using the Movie Properties dialog, you can select an output format for a standalone movie. Using the Collection Editor, you can select an output format for a collection of movies. There are two main reasons for selecting an output type in these locations: (1) It lets you edit the settings for a specific output type; and (2) It sets the default output type, which will be used if you click the Build, View, or Publish button in the Movie or Collection Ribbon. In other words, it's a way to create a shortcut. As an alternative to the shortcut, you can click the down arrow on the Build, View, or Publish button to select either output format from the menu. See Movie Output Formats and Selecting the Default Movie Format.
    • Select Single Files for Output (HTML5 Only) When you build output for HTML5 movies, you can select an option to generate single output files. This option generates a single MP4 and/or WebM file, in addition to the many other browser-related files. These single MP4 and WebM files can be used to play movies in a standalone player, such as Windows Media Player or QuickTime. Single MP4 files can be used to view movies on the iPhone. You can play single MP4 or WebM files on YouTube or Vimeo. See Selecting Single Files for the Output.
    • Specify HTML5 Options If you are generating HTML5 output, there are a few options that you can set in order to affect the output. You can select the video formats to be used. These dictate which browsers will be able to display your movie(s). You can also select an option to create single video files (MP4 and WebM). Single MP4 files can be used to view movies on the iPhone.You can play single MP4 or WebM files on YouTube. See Specifying HTML5 Options.

  3. Select the Collection ribbon and do one of the following:

    • Click the Build button to generate the output type that is selected as the default.

    • Click the down arrow on the Build button and from the drop-down menu, select one of the output types.

  4. After the output files finish generating, a message asks if you want to view the output. Click either Yes or No. If you select Yes, the generated movie collection opens.

    Note In the Build Progress dialog, you can click the down arrow on the View Output button and choose a specific browser that you have installed. If you click the main portion of the button, the output opens in the default browser.

How to Build Output for a Standalone Movie

  1. Open the movie.
  2. (Optional) You can select Movie > Properties and perform preliminary tasks related to the output, such as the following:
    • Select the Default Movie Output Format You can generate output in HTML5 or PDF formats. Using the Movie Properties dialog, you can select an output format for a standalone movie. Using the Collection Editor, you can select an output format for a collection of movies. There are two main reasons for selecting an output type in these locations: (1) It lets you edit the settings for a specific output type; and (2) It sets the default output type, which will be used if you click the Build, View, or Publish button in the Movie or Collection Ribbon. In other words, it's a way to create a shortcut. As an alternative to the shortcut, you can click the down arrow on the Build, View, or Publish button to select either output format from the menu. See Movie Output Formats and Selecting the Default Movie Format.
    • Select Single Files for Output (HTML5 Only) When you build output for HTML5 movies, you can select an option to generate single output files. This option generates a single MP4 and/or WebM file, in addition to the many other browser-related files. These single MP4 and WebM files can be used to play movies in a standalone player, such as Windows Media Player or QuickTime. Single MP4 files can be used to view movies on the iPhone. You can play single MP4 or WebM files on YouTube or Vimeo. See Selecting Single Files for the Output.
    • Specify HTML5 Options If you are generating HTML5 output, there are a few options that you can set in order to affect the output. You can select the video formats to be used. These dictate which browsers will be able to display your movie(s). You can also select an option to create single video files (MP4 and WebM). Single MP4 files can be used to view movies on the iPhone.You can play single MP4 or WebM files on YouTube. See Specifying HTML5 Options.

  3. Select the Collection ribbon and do one of the following:

    • Click the Build button to generate the output type that is selected as the default.

    • Click the down arrow on the Build button and from the drop-down menu, select one of the output types.

  4. After the output files finish generating, a message asks if you want to view the output. Click either Yes or No. If you select Yes, the generated movie opens.

    Note In the Build Progress dialog, you can click the down arrow on the View Output button and choose a specific browser or media player that you have installed. If you click the main portion of the button, the output opens in the default browser.

    Warning If your computer's anti-virus (AV) software scans the Output folder during the build process and you experience one or more "Build Failed" errors, the AV software may be preventing the build process from accessing the output files. To avoid this, you can temporarily turn off or disable your AV scan. You may also be able to exclude the Output folder, add Mimic to an exceptions list, or postpone/reschedule scans to a different time. See your AV vendor for information.

How to Build Output for Targets (Multiple Collections or Movies)

  1. Open the Mimic collection or standalone movie.
  2. If you have not done so already, create the target(s) to be used with your collection or standalone movie. See Targets and Creating Targets.
  3. (Optional) If you are working in a collection, you can organize the order of the movies. See Organizing Movies in a Collection.

  4. Select Movie > Build Targets.

    The Build Targets dialog opens.

  5. Make sure a check mark is next to each target that you want to build.
  6. Click Build.
  7. After the output files finish generating, you can click Open Output Folder to open the window where the output files are located. Otherwise, you can click Close.

What’s Noteworthy?

Note When you build movies, Mimic creates output files and copies them to the Output folder where your movie or collection is stored. See MadCap Mimic Files.

Note As an alternative to these steps, you can build output by using your operating system's command line. Using this method, you do not have to open Mimic at all. You can create a batch file and generate movie output at scheduled times. For details, see Building Output Using the Command Line.

What's Next?

After you build your final output, you can then move on to the final step, Distributing Output.