Oracle help screen demo software - screencasting Oracle Database Tips by Donald Burleson

Creating help screens for Oracle Systems is becoming easier and more informative thanks to new screencasting software that allows the developer to record a screen transaction with voice, store it and allow the end-user to re-play a sample screen session.

The old-fashioned text-based help screens are rapidly being replaced by streaming video software (using avi, mp3 or swf formats) where the programmers records a screen interaction and voice-over and incorporates it into the Oracle screen in a standard location (i.e. the lower right-hand corner), with a simple hyperlink to the demo file.

At runtime, the Windows software will load and execute the file.  This way the Oracle system is completely documented with a recorded demonstration of the application, regardless of the type of Oracle display, including SQL*Forms, Oracle Portal, HTML-DB and J2EE.

Screen recorder software is referred to as "screencasting" and there are a variety of screencasting tools, with different features and prices.

• Windows movie maker (free) video only screencasting software for video-based help screens. 

• Camstudio (free shareware screen animation software recording):  Download

• Robodemo / Captivate  - The industry leader for online screen caputure animation, priced at $499

• Camtasia Studio - Easy screen casting product at $299

• Qarbon Viewlet Builder - Allows real time help screen examples, at $299