To stream a directory of files

1. In the console tree, click the on-demand or broadcast publishing point from which you want to stream files.
2. In the details pane, click the Source tab.
3. In the Content Source area, be sure the Location path is the same as the location of the Windows Media file you want to stream.

   If it is not, click Change and type the path to the content, or click Browse to locate the file.

   If you choose, you can move the Windows Media file to the directory specified in the Location path instead.

4. If you are streaming from an on-demand publishing point, click the Properties tab, and click the General category. Click the Enable access to directory content using wildcards property, and then click the Enable button.
5. To provide a shortcut to your content, click the Announce tab, click the Run Unicast Announcement Wizard button, and then follow the steps in the Unicast Announcement Wizard to create an announcement.

Notes

• The Enable access to directory content using wildcards property enables you to use wildcard characters in the URL to the publishing point. For example, a Web page could link to all the video files in a specified directory by referencing the URL mms://server_name/publishing_point_name/*.wmv, or to all the audio files in the directory by using the URL mms://server_name/publishing_point_name/*.wma.
• If you are using a broadcast publishing point, you can use a wrapper playlist to provide an introduction to the content. For more information, see About wrapper playlists.
• Content streamed by Windows Media Services must meet the minimum supported content length of the player to ensure reliable playback. The minimum supported content length for Windows Media Player 9 Series or later is 5 seconds. The minimum supported content length for previous versions of Windows Media Player is 30 seconds.

Related topics

• Reference for content sources
• Sourcing from a directory
• Testing a stream
• Setting up files to stream