Copyright (c) 2005 AAnime Network
http://hikari.aanimenetwork.com

Hikari Deployment for Webmasters

Have an anime website and want to offer free anime chat service to your visitors? Hikari isn't a chat room, it's a chat network dedicated to anime. You can create your own Windows-based chat installer for your visitors, and setup a channel for your website. This document explains the steps in compiling a Hikari Deployment Package, which allows you (the webmaster) to customize Hikari - from colors, sounds, login screens, splash graphics, to the default channel - ready for distribution on your website!

Here are sample screenshots

Your visitors install Hikari / core components.		Your deployment package starts automatically, which installs customized settings, the way you want it, for your visitors.		Your visitors can start chatting in your channel, moderated by your staff.

Benefits of Hikari Deployment Package

By default, when a user runs Hikari, they are re-directed to the primary channel, specified by Hikari admins (usually #anime). Creating a custom package allows you to decide which channel your users should join by default. So if your website is called "Anime Land", you can set it so when your visitors download Hikari from your website, and run it, they will automatically be re-directed to #animeland.

You may also customize the graphics of Hikari the way you want, or even put your website name in the startup/login screens. This is done by creating Themes. For more info on creating Hikari Themes, read the document, titled "Hikari themes", from the Help menu in Hikari.

Hikari supports two major scripting languages: VBScript and JScript. By utilizing Hikari's script object, you can customize Hikari by coding-in your own features, create your own bots and more. Read the file "script.txt" in the /scripting folder for details.

First thing, if you haven't already done so, is download the latest version of Hikari and install it. The deployment feature works with version 2.06 and newer. If you want to use a custom theme, modify the appropriate settings and save it. Once you have Hikari the way you want it, follow these steps:

Default channel
Open Notepad. In the empty file, on the first line, type in the channel name that you want your visitors to automatically join. For example #animeland
If you would rather use the default channel specified by Hikari admins, put default.
On the same line, put a semi-colon ; followed by the name of your website. After that, put another semi-colon, followed by the URL of your site.

Here is a sample of what it should look like overall:
#animeland;Cool Anime Site;http://www.myanimesite.com

When your visitors click on the View menu in Hikari, they will see your website name. Once they click on it, the built-in browser will slide in, allowing your visitors to browse your site without having to minimize your channel.

Save the file in the folder where Hikari is installed (default is: C:\Program Files\Hikari ), and name the file custom.txt

Tool required: SFX Compiler

Now we can compile our edited files, and create a custom installer. To do this, we use a freeware tool called SFX Compiler, which allows us to create an installer for custom deployments. There are two things that need to be installed by your visitors, before they can run your version of Hikari. First, Hikari itself, and second your custom deployment files. SFX Compiler allows us to do this with one executable. You may download this tool from here: http://www.uticasoft.com
Once SFX Compiler is downloaded and installed, run it.

SFX Compiler
Click the Add button on the toolbar. Locate the file(s) you want to include in your installer. If you are including a theme that has custom pictures/sounds, make sure you add those pictures/sounds to your installer.

Click the Options tab. The settings should be set as follows:

Where it says "Anime Land", that's a sample. So you can change it to your website name. The rest are recommended to be set exactly as displayed.

Once the settings have been set, proceed to the next steps.

Click the "Create" button on the toolbar. Save the file as deploy.exe
Save it anywhere you want. Now we have created a custom installer, which customizes Hikari. We will use this file again later on in this document. There is another .exe we must create.

Close SFX Compiler and re-open it, so we have a fresh window with no files in the list.

hikarisetup.exe is the main installation file for Hikari. You may download this file from our website.

Add those two files to the list, by clicking the Add button on the toolbar. Once they are added, click on Options.

The settings should be setup as follows:

File to run after extraction: deploy.exe File to run before main file: hikarisetup.exe The checkbox "Do not prompt user for folder selection" should be checked. The option button "Windows Temp folder" should be selected.

Once the settings have been set, proceed to the next steps.

You may also specify a banner image 328 x 85 pixels in .bmp format, which will be displayed in your installer window. To do this, add a .bmp image to your list, then click the Options tab. From the drop-down menu Banner image (.bmp), select the image you want to use as your banner.

Click the "Create" button on the toolbar. Save the file as whatever you want. This is your main install file, which will be sent to your visitors. Your file name should be identifiable, so something like "setup.exe" isn't a good name. For example, if your site is called "Anime Land", you can call the setup file "alandsetup.exe". But again, it's your choice.

What this file will do
Once someone runs this file, the primary setup will start automatically, which installs the core components required to run Hikari. Once that setup is complete, your deployment installer will also start automatically, which will ask the user for the Hikari installation folder. It will then install the deployment files. When your visitor runs Hikari, it will be a customized version.

So now your installer is ready to be distributed to your visitors on your site. But make sure you test it, before sending it to others. Your visitors will be able to visit your channel, and utilize all other features that come with Hikari. Official Hikari channels: #trivia, #help are available for playing anime trivia games, and to get assistance.

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