Archived Content
I think the best way to describe an object path is a storage location somewhere on a network that the AW Browser has access to. If using the internet(not an intranet) then that storage location should also be located somewhere on the internet. The OP usually starts out in a private directory and contains seperate directories within it to keep textures, models, avatars and more organized.
You should not use free websites like Geocities to host your Object Path, as many free websites have built in limitations to prevent the hosting or have download limits which can end up causing you more problems than using them is worth.
For example, I have a website I use called darkestdestiny.com, I have created a directory called "seaside" in the same location where my index.htm for my website is located. The name "seaside" just happened to be the name of the world I used this OP with, but you use any name you like, it does not have to match your worlds name. Also, you can use the same OP with multiple worlds if you wish. Within "seaside" I have created 5 directories called "models", "textures", "sounds", "seqs" and "avatars". These are the required directories for every Object Path(OP).
Certain files are expected by the AW Browser/World Server to be in certain directories.
Models/Geometry should be contained in the "models" directory and may be in a few different formats. They are .rwx(Renderware), .cob(Truespace) and .x(DirectX). All the geometry files should be ZIP'd into their own individual .zip files. Like, street1.rwx should be zip'd as street1.zip. There IS an exception, you MAY rename the file inside the zip to something else, only the zip filename is what the browser/server will use. Like lamp.rwx can be zip'd to street1.zip, and when referring to that object in the world you would use street1.rwx even though the contents say otherwise. Textures for models should be contained in the "textures" directory.
Textures and Masks should be contained in the "textures" directory and may be in several formats. Traditionally Activeworlds used JPEGs(.JPG) for textures and Bitmaps(.BMP) for masks. However, when Activeworlds 4.1 was released, several more formats were allowed like .GIFs and .PNGs. So, when working with textures while building in your world, if you have a texture called "grasso.jpg" you may simply refer to it as "grasso" but if you have a "grasso.png" then you must use the full name plus extension. Lastly, when creating Bitmap(.BMP) masks, they should also be ZIP'd before placing them into the "textures" directory.
Sounds and Music should be contained in the "sounds" directory and may be in a few different formats. Some allowed formats are Waves(.WAV), Midi(.MID) and MP3(.MP3). Waves and Midis are always ZIP'd and MP3's are not. Waves are usually used for sound effects, but MP3's can be used as well. At the very least, you should have two wave files located in this directory called "warp1.wav" and "deport1.wav" in a zip'd format. These two files are not absolutely required, but will generate error messages in the AW Browser(if errors are turned on). These wave files are played during teleports and warps within your world and when coming and going from your world and other worlds.
Avatar geometry should be located in the "avatars" directory. There are three formats used and they are Renderware(.RWX), Truespace(.COB) and DirectX(.x). Textures for avatars should be contained in the "textures" directory. Avatars use a different version of these formats which contain tags used to mark pivots, joints and bones. To understand this better for Renderware based avatars, I would refer you to [www.micromouse.ca] www.micromouse.ca and the outstanding Accutrans software made by Wayne Hogue. There is a very nice tutorial included with Accutrans. Also contained in the "avatars" directory should be a text based file called "avatars.dat" that is zip'd. Avatars.dat contains a list of all avatars, and .SEQ files associated with them, that you want to be allowed for use by visitors and VIPs. Without this file, only PAV and CAV based avatars can be used in your world... with 1 exception, you may use cy.rwx as the sole avatar in your world if you wish.
Sequence files should be contained in the "seqs" directory. There are two formats, but both have the same .SEQ extension. I have little info about the older format, but Accutrans(previously mentioned) is capable of creating sequence files for avatars. A sequence file is used to allow an avatar to move and perform animations. Creating a sequence file can be quite a bit of fun if you like animation. Using Accutrans you can import an avatar, then create a series of frames, and move objects associated with that avatar into different positions during the course of the frames to create the animation movement. You also do not have to do every frame, you can skip frames and Accutrans will fill in the missing frames based on the location of geometry at the beginning and ending frames.
When you want to setup your world to use your new object path, simply load the AW Browser, go into your world, then on the menus goto Options>World>Features and type in your Object Path. For my above example, I would use "darkestdestiny.com/seaside".
This primer is NOT all inclusive, there are exceptions, and other formats not covered that are typically not used very often as well as new features not covered in this basic explanation. Please feel free to post corrections and additions not covered.
Thanks!