ToolBook®

INSTRUCTOR 9 USER GUIDE

Copyright © 2000-2007. SumTotal® Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

SumTotal Systems, the SumTotal Systems logo, ToolBook, the ToolBook logo, Aspen,
the Aspen logo, TotalLMS, TotalLCMS, TotalVCS, TotalInformation,
TotalCollaboration, TotalAccess, and TotalPerformance are trademarks of SumTotal
Systems, Inc. All other company and product names are the property of their respec-
tive owners.
The software described in this document is furnished under a Software License
Agreement. Please read it thoroughly. The software may be used or copied only
in accordance with the terms of this agreement.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS

The Software and written materials accompanying the Software are provided with
restricted rights. If you are an agency of the United States Government, the following
clause applies to this license. The Software is commercial computer software
developed at private expense. The Software is provided to the United States Govern-
ment with the commercial license rights and restrictions described elsewhere herein.
The manufacturer is listed below.

SumTotal Systems, Inc.

1808 North Shoreline Boulevard
Mountain View, CA 94043

Publication date: June 2007

 ii

Contents

PART I Welcome to ToolBook Instructor

Chapter 1
Getting started
Introducing ToolBook Instructor 15
Before you install 16
Installing Instructor 18
Starting and exiting Instructor 18
Learning Instructor 19
About this book 23

Chapter 2
Basic concepts
About the ToolBook product family 27
About ToolBook Instructor 28
Planning your project 30
Building an application 35
Using the Actions Editor 39
Using OpenScript 40
Extending Instructor using
Windows technologies 41
Using resources in your application 43
 iii

Chapter 3
Learning the Instructor interface
Introducing the visual interface 45
Working at Author level 46
Working at Reader level 68
Navigating in an application 69

PART II Building your application

Chapter 4
Creating books and pages
About books and pages 74
About templates 75
Creating a new book 78
Creating pages and backgrounds 81
Organizing pages and backgrounds 85
Working with backgrounds 90
Setting the page size 92
Setting properties for books 94
Navigating through a book 96
Enhancing a book’s performance 100
 iv

Chapter 5
Working with the Catalog
About the Catalog 102
Authoring with the Catalog 103
Exploring types of Catalog objects 107
Customizing the Catalog 111

Chapter 6
Working with objects
About objects 115
Adding objects from the Catalog 115
Creating objects using the tool palette 117
Selecting objects 118
Creating hyperlinks 121
Cutting, copying, pasting, duplicating,
and deleting objects 125
Moving objects 127
Spreading and centering objects 128
Flipping and rotating objects 128
Aligning objects 129
Changing the size and shape of objects 131
Modifying the appearance of objects 134
Moving objects between layers 139
Grouping objects 144
 v

Chapter 7
Setting object properties
Understanding properties and extended properties 152
Using the Properties dialog box 153
Using the right-click menu 158
Using the Extended Properties dialog box 160
Using the Property Browser 161

Chapter 8
Working with text
About fields 165
Working with fields 167
Creating fields 168
Setting field properties 170
Adding text to fields 174
Selecting and editing text 178
Formatting text in fields 182
Inserting inline graphics 187
Inserting special characters 189
Finding and replacing text 191
Working with record fields 193
 vi

Chapter 9
Using graphics
About graphics 200
Using graphics on the Internet 201
Adding graphics to your book 201
Modifying graphics 205

PART III Adding interactive features

to your application
Chapter 10
Working with buttons and hotwords
Defining how buttons look 213
Using and modifying buttons 214
Adding a graphic to a button 224
About hotwords 229
Creating and modifying hotwords 230
Editing hotwords 232
Removing hotwords 234
 vii

Chapter 11
Working with list boxes and combo boxes
About list boxes and combo boxes 236
Creating list boxes 238
Setting list box properties 240
Adding text to a list box 244
Creating combo boxes 246
Setting combo box properties 246
Adding text to combo boxes 248
Determining user selection 249

Chapter 12
Creating a quiz using question objects
About question objects 255
Working with question objects 256
Question objects in action 258
Scoring questions 263
Specifying feedback 265

Chapter 13
Hiding, showing, and animating objects
Creating visual effects 273
Hiding and showing objects 273
Animating Instructor objects 277
Playing an animation at Reader level 282
Modifying an animation in the Animation Editor 287
 viii

Chapter 14
Adding audio and video files
About digital media 291
Choosing a media player 291
Using the Universal Media Player 294
Using other media players 301
Creating and managing clips 305

PART IV Adding behavior with action sequences

Chapter 15
Using the Actions Editor
About action sequences 319
Choosing when to create action sequences 321
Opening the Actions Editor 323
Creating action sequences using the Actions Editor 324
Creating and using shared action sequences 341
Managing action sequences 349
 ix

Chapter 16
Creating action sequences: Practical examples
About the examples 357
Using the examples 358
Example 1: Using conditions 359
Example 2: Using variables 367
Example 3: Changing object properties 374
Example 4: Using shared action sequences 379
Troubleshooting action sequences 394

PART V Using resources and data

Chapter 17
Using resources
About resources 397
Creating and modifying resources 399
Adding resources to a book 401
Working with resources 404
Getting information about a resource 409
Replacing resources 410
Exporting resources 411
Removing resources from a book 412
 x

Chapter 18
Importing and exporting data
About importing and exporting 416
Importing and exporting text 417
Importing and exporting graphics 429
Importing books and pages 431
Customizing the import process 435

PART VI Creating simulations

Chapter 19
Building software simulations
About software simulations 439
Planning a software simulation 440
Choosing a simulation mode 442
Creating a simulation with the Sim AutoBuilder 444
Developing a simulation manually 447
Working in the Simulation Editor 451
 xi

PART VII Distributing your application

Chapter 20
Distributing applications on the Internet
About Internet distribution options 466
Choosing an Internet distribution option 469
Tips for optimizing a book designed for DHTML export 472
Publishing your book as Web pages 473
Preparing a native ToolBook book for the Web 475
Using ToolBook courses with a learning management
system 477

Chapter 21
Preparing native ToolBook applications for release
Organizing and checking your application 481
Preparing your application
based on a distribution method 487
Using the AutoPackager 492
Using Instructor on a network 496
Installing and testing your application 497
Uninstalling an application 498

Glossary 499
PART I

Welcome to ToolBook Instructor

This part of the ToolBook Instructor User Guide describes how to set up and
install ToolBook Instructor,™ introduces basic Instructor concepts, and
explores the user interface.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 1 Getting started
Chapter 2 Basic concepts
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface
Chapter 1

Getting started

Welcome to ToolBook Instructor—the complete courseware

authoring system that allows you to create sophisticated online
learning applications. In this book, you’ll learn about the basic
concepts and tools you need to build and manage complete,
effective courseware. Before you go on to explore Instructor, read
through this chapter. Here you’ll learn how to install and start
Instructor, find out about the resources available to help you learn
Instructor, and preview this book’s contents and conventions.

I N THIS CHAPTER
Introducing ToolBook Instructor 15
Before you install 16
Installing Instructor 18
Starting and exiting Instructor 18
Learning Instructor 19
About this book 23
Chapter 1 Getting started 15

Introducing ToolBook Instructor

ToolBook Instructor is a complete courseware authoring system that
allows you to create and distribute online learning applications.

With Instructor, you can focus on what is important: presenting the

material to be learned. Instructor helps you create and manage the
content, navigation, feedback, and quizzes that are a vital part of your
interactive learning applications. You can easily add sound, animation,
video, graphics, and other special effects to your applications, making
them lively and engaging. Hyperlinks and navigation objects allow your
learners to control the direction and pace of their learning experience.
Instructor is designed for use by a broad spectrum of course developers
and instructional designers. If you are new to developing online learning
applications, you’ll find that Instructor’s easy-to-use features will get you
quickly on your way to producing high-quality interactive courses. More
experienced course developers will appreciate the robust content-creation
environment of Instructor, the Actions Editor visual programming
tool, the powerful OpenScript ® programming language, and a variety
of other design options.

After you have created a course using Instructor, you can deliver it on
demand to any student with access to the Internet, or you can deploy it
on your company’s intranet. Instructor offers several flexible deployment
options. Your students can view your course in a Web browser that
displays Internet-based file formats such as HTML (Hypertext Markup
Language). Alternatively, use the ToolBook Neuron browser plug-in to
show your course as a native ToolBook book (TBK file) in a Web
browser. You can also distribute your course as a run-time (stand-alone)
application that runs from a hard drive or CD-ROM.
Chapter 1 Getting started 16

Before you install

Before installing Instructor, verify your computer meets the requirements.

System requirements
To run ToolBook, a computer must meet the requirements below.

Minimum and recommended system configurations

Component Minimum Recommended

Computer Pentium® 233 Pentium III 1.2 GHz or

higher
RAM (Random 64 megabytes (MB) 256 MB or more
access memory) for playback;
128 MB for authoring
CD-ROM drive Any speed

Hard disk 150 MB* Up to 310 MB for all

space optional components
Operating Windows XP SP 2 Same as minimum
system or Windows 2000 SP 4 † configuration

Graphics card Video graphics adapter 1024x768 pixel resolution

capable of displaying with 16-bit color
800 x 600 pixel resolution (65,536 colors) or greater
with 16-bit color for authoring

Sound card Optional Windows-compatible

* Depending on the options chosen during setup, your installation might require
more space.
† You must have an administrator account on Windows XP and Windows 2000 in order to
install Instructor. See your system administrator or refer to your Windows documentation for
details.
Chapter 1 Getting started 17

Additional digital media requirements

You can add media to courseware in a variety of ways. Most computers
come with the hardware and software components necessary for
developing or playing media files. Depending on how you plan to use
media in your courseware, you will need some or all of the
following items:

◆ A sound card to play digital audio files

◆ Speakers or headphones to play audio

◆ Files required to play digital video, such as video-playback drivers and

video codecs (software that compresses and decompresses video files)

◆ Additional files required to play media or other content on the Internet

(for example, browser plug-ins like RealMedia™ and ToolBook Neuron)

Note You don’t need to be a video technician or graphic artist to

create compelling courseware for education and training. Many
companies now sell images, video clips, and sounds that you can
copy into your ToolBook application. Usually, the purchase of a
company’s product that contains media files gives you the right to
publish them in your application. Sometimes, however, you must
agree to specific licensing requirements. Never assume that you
have rights to publish media files; always read the product’s docu-
mentation. When in doubt, consult the product’s manufacturer.
Chapter 1 Getting started 18

Installing Instructor
To install Instructor and its associated files, use the Setup program,
which provides options and instructions for each step. The Setup program
decompresses the files and transfers them to your hard disk.

The Setup program is set to run automatically when you insert the Instructor
program disc into your CD-ROM drive. You can also manually install
Instructor, as described below.

➤ To install Instructor:

1 Insert the Instructor program disc into your CD-ROM drive.

2 If the Setup program does not start automatically, from the Start menu,
choose Run.

3 In the Run dialog box, type the location from which you are installing
Instructor, plus the word setup. (For example, type d:\setup. If your
CD-ROM drive letter is not d, substitute the letter of the drive containing
your program disc.)
4 Click OK, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

5 After installation is complete, you may be prompted to restart Windows.

Starting and exiting Instructor

You start and exit Instructor as you would any Windows application.

➤ To start Instructor:

◆ From the Start menu, point to Programs, point to ToolBook 9, point to

Instructor, and then choose ToolBook Instructor.
Chapter 1 Getting started 19

When you start Instructor, the ToolBook Instructor Startup dialog box
appears. Use this tabbed dialog box to start a new book or open an
existing book.

➤ To exit Instructor:

◆ Do one of the following:

— If you have not opened a book, in the ToolBook Instructor Startup
dialog box, click Cancel.
— If you have opened a book, from the File menu, choose Exit.

— Click the Close button on the title bar of the ToolBook Instructor
Startup dialog box or the Instructor main window.

Learning Instructor
Instructor includes both online and printed documentation, as well as
a number of other resources to help you learn to use Instructor. Further
assistance is available from the ToolBook site, www.toolbook.com and
from technical support staff.
The Instructor documentation includes several online books:
◆ This book, the ToolBook Instructor User Guide, discusses how to use
Instructor’s features and provides the context and procedures you’ll
need to use Instructor effectively.
◆ A short introductory book, Getting Started with ToolBook, covers the
basic techniques for authoring in ToolBook.
◆ Programming in OpenScript provides information about how to extend
the features of your application using the OpenScript programming
language.
Chapter 1 Getting started 20

➤ To open an online book:

◆ From the Start menu, point to Programs, point to ToolBook 9, point to

Instructor, point to Documentation, and then choose the online book
you want.

A variety of other learning resources are discussed in the sections

that follow.

Using the online Help system

The online Help system is a fast, comprehensive information resource
about using Instructor. Here, you’ll find information on specific dialog
boxes, maps of screen elements, keyboard and mouse shortcuts,
information about what’s new in Instructor, and an OpenScript reference
resource. There are several ways to access online Help:
◆ From the Help menu, choose Help Contents. Then, find the information
you need by choosing from the many Help categories and topics.

◆ Open a context-sensitive Help topic in a dialog box by clicking the Help

button.

◆ Search on keywords by choosing Search for Help On from the

Help menu.

◆ Display tooltips on the screen by pausing the pointer over a button

on a toolbar.
Chapter 1 Getting started 21

Using the ToolBook Coach

The ToolBook Coach is a quick, convenient reference tool that provides
context-sensitive information as you’re authoring. The Coach displays
tips and suggestions about the page you’re working on, step-by-step
procedures for any object you select, and design guidance. Leave the
Coach open as you work and note how the information in the Coach
window changes dynamically according to the object and page you’re
working with.

➤ To display the Coach:

◆ From the Help menu, choose Coach.

Figure 1
The ToolBook Coach
Chapter 1 Getting started 22

Accessing release notes and other files

The release notes (information in a file named Release Notes.pdf in the
Instructor program directory) are written as the software is completed
to ensure that you get the latest possible information about the product.
The notes cover exceptions and last-minute information. The notes also
provide information about converting files from earlier versions of the
product.

Visiting the ToolBook web site

The ToolBook web site offers a variety of information. You’ll
find technical information and support, see examples of products
created with our software, and learn about the many solutions we provide
for creating and managing online learning. Here are some examples from
among the many features you’ll find at www.toolbook.com:
◆ Access to the Knowledge Base, a database of product information
where you can perform keyword searches for articles
◆ Access to files that you can download, including sample applications,
plug-ins, and updates of current applications

Contacting SumTotal for technical support

If you have questions that cannot be answered by the Instructor docu-
mentation, online Help, or the online resources available from
the ToolBook web site, you can contact technical support representatives
at SumTotal Systems. Refer to the telephone support information on the
SumTotal site: www.sumtotalsystems.com.
Chapter 1 Getting started 23

About this book

This book has several parts that describe different aspects of building an
interactive learning application with Instructor:

Part 1, “Welcome to ToolBook Instructor,” discusses basic Instructor

concepts and describes the user interface.

Part 2, “Building your application,” includes concepts and techniques to

help you construct and customize your online learning courses.
Part 3,, “Adding interactive features to your application,” describes how
to use built-in Instructor features that add interactivity to your application
and help you engage your learners.

Part 4, “Adding behavior with action sequences,” describes the Actions

Editor visual programming tool and provides tutorial-style examples that
demonstrate how to use it to add interactive behavior to your courses.

Part 5, “Using resources and data,” describes how to use the resource
system to manage graphical elements. Also included is a description of
powerful features that you can use to import and export text, graphics,
and other data.
Part 6, “Creating simulations,” presents tools that enable you to construct
software simulations. It also describes how to use the Sim AutoBuilder to
capture activity in a software application and generate a simulation file.
Part 7, “Distributing your application,” describes how to prepare and
package a course for distribution and how to distribute your course on
the Internet.

A glossary is included at the end of this book.

Chapter 1 Getting started 24

Finding OpenScript instruction

OpenScript is the ToolBook programming language. Although you can
use OpenScript to extend and enhance your courses, you do not need
to know OpenScript to use Instructor. Instructor has a sophisticated array
of tools, including the Actions Editor visual programming tool, for creating
courses without writing scripts. This book provides some OpenScript code
examples that you can execute using the script editor or the Command
window (click the Script Editor button or the Command Window button
on the Instructor toolbar). More information about OpenScript can be
found in the online Help system and in Programming in OpenScript, an
online book available on your Instructor program disc.
Chapter 1 Getting started 25

Document conventions
This book uses the following visual conventions to help you identify
and interpret information.

Document conventions
Example format Meaning

comboBox In a paragraph, italic type indicates OpenScript

keywords.
Setup In step-by-step procedures, italic type indicates literal
characters to type.
CTRL+ALT+DEL Keys separated by a plus sign indicate keys to press
in combination.
button id 12 This font indicates an OpenScript code example.
\ A backslash at the end of a line indicates that an
OpenScript statement continues on the next line.
<isShift> In a code example or syntax statement, angle brackets
indicate a parameter that represents a literal value or
expression.
--Initialize In a code example, two hyphens precede a comment.
before|after In OpenScript syntax, vertical bars separate the options
from which you can choose.
end [step] In OpenScript syntax, square brackets indicate
optional words and parameters.
… In OpenScript syntax, an ellipsis indicates that the
parameter can be repeated. In code examples, ellipses
indicate the presence of any number of statements.
This icon appears by text that indicates where to look
in online Help for more information.
Chapter 2

Basic concepts

This chapter provides an overview of ToolBook Instructor and

explains important concepts you should understand in order to
use Instructor successfully.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About the ToolBook product family 27
About ToolBook Instructor 28
Planning your project 30
Building an application 35
Using the Actions Editor 39
Using OpenScript 40
Extending Instructor using
Windows technologies 41
Using resources in your application 43
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 27

About the ToolBook product family

Below is a description of some ToolBook software tools. For more informa-
tion about ToolBook, visit our Web site at www.toolbook.com.

◆ ToolBook Assistant™ Designed for ease of use, Assistant includes a rich

set of basic draw objects, graphics, and preprogrammed objects with
extended capabilities. Its intuitive interface is ideal for those who want to
create interactive learning applications quickly—without programming.
◆ ToolBook Instructor Designed for the flexible creation of content-rich
learning applications, Instructor includes the ability to fully customize your
application using the Actions Editor visual programming tool and the
OpenScript programming language. You can customize objects using
these tools and then save them in the Catalog for use in both Instructor
and Assistant.

◆ ToolBook Neuron Available as a free browser plug-in or ActiveX®

control, Neuron allows you to access and run native ToolBook
Instructor and Assistant applications in the Netscape Navigator ® and
Microsoft Internet Explorer™ browsers. You can optimize the performance
of your native ToolBook applications using Impulse for Neuron, a
postprocess utility that segments your book to allow rapid data transfer
over the Internet and greatly enhances the speed of delivery.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 28

About ToolBook Instructor

Instructor is a courseware authoring program that allows course developers
and instructional designers to create, customize, and deliver online
learning applications. With Instructor, you can create dynamic, interactive
courses that engage the learner using sound, animation, video, graphics,
and other special effects. Although Instructor provides sophisticated tools
for experienced programmers, you don’t need to know how to program
to use Instructor: You can use convenient prebuilt templates and
preprogrammed objects from the Catalog.

Figure 1
The ToolBook Instructor Catalog
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 29

With Catalog objects, it’s easy to add interactive behavior to your applica-
tion. You simply drag objects with the behavior you want from the Catalog
to a page. The ToolBook Catalog includes hundreds of objects with
preprogrammed capabilities that handle everything from page navigation
and quiz scoring to special effects like multimedia feedback and animation.
These objects provide prebuilt functionality for the majority of your
authoring tasks.
If you are new to developing online learning applications, you’ll find that
the easy-to-use templates and the Catalog will get you quickly on your
way to producing high-quality interactive courses. More experienced
course designers will appreciate the robust content-creation environment
of Instructor, the Actions Editor visual programming tool, the powerful
OpenScript programming language, and a variety of design options.
When you have finished authoring, you can distribute the application you
created in several ways: using the Internet or an intranet, a local area
network, or a CD-ROM. Instructor prepares your files according to the
distribution method you choose.

Exploring the kinds of applications

you can create with Instructor
Instructor has specially designed features that allow you to create online
courses for training and education environments. You can create a
variety of courses with Instructor, including simulations, interactive
demonstrations, and guided tours, to name just a few. But you’re not
limited to courseware development. With Instructor’s flexible and versa-
tile authoring environment, you also can create online presentations,
kiosk applications, catalogs, and games. The blueprint for your Instructor
application resides in your own imagination.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 30

Interactive online learning applications

An interactive online learning application provides computer-based
instruction that responds to a student’s actions. You can create an
Instructor application that not only presents information, but also quizzes
students and stores their responses, displays hints, acknowledges correct
answers, and tracks progress from lesson to lesson.

Planning your project

Good project planning can help you to take advantage of the sophisticated
courseware authoring features and powerful distribution capabilities
that Instructor offers. This section describes specific file organization and
distribution issues to consider before you begin using Instructor.

Creating an organized directory structure

Whether you plan to build just one online learning application or several,
you’ll find it helpful to organize your files. In addition, when you prepare
your application for release, you’ll want to keep track of any ancillary
files that need to be distributed along with your application.

As we’ll discuss later in this chapter, applications created in Instructor

are composed of one or more files called books. These books should
reside in one central book directory, with one or more subdirectories for
the media files (sound, graphics, video, and animation) that accompany
those books.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 31

Let’s say your application has just one book—Introduction to French. We

suggest the following directory structure:

\French
IntroFrench.tbk (the ToolBook book)
\French media
EiffelTower.avi (a video file)

Now let’s say your application is more complex. You have one main book
about Romance languages, and several related books about French,
Spanish, etc. You could organize the files using several book
subdirectories under a central directory, as shown in this example:

\Romance
Romance.tbk
\Romance and shared media
\French
IntroFrench.tbk
AdvFrench.tbk
\French media
EiffelTower.avi
\Spanish
IntroSpan.tbk
AdvSpan.tbk
\Spanish media
PradaMuseum.avi
etc.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 32

Deciding how you

will deliver your course
Perhaps the most important decision you’ll need to make before beginning
an application is how you will deliver your course to your learners: using
the Internet or an intranet, a local area network, or a CD-ROM. Because
each delivery method may require different preparation, you will want to
make this decision early in your project development.
The table on the following page provides a brief overview of application-
delivery options and requirements to consider for each method. Chapter 20,
“Distributing applications on the Internet,” and Chapter 21, “Preparing
native ToolBook applications for release,” cover these issues in greater
detail. You may want to review these chapters before you begin your
project so that you are prepared for some of the requirements you’ll
meet later on.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 33

Prepare your project for release

based on a method of distribution
Distribution Platform
method required Preparation guidelines

Via the Internet Microsoft Internet ◆ Do not use the OpenScript programming
or intranet as Explorer 5.5 SP1 language in your application; instead, use
a series of or later; the Actions Editor visual programming
Web pages that Netscape 8.1, tool.
incorporate Firefox 2.0 or 1.5, or ◆ Ensure that any media or ancillary files are
DHTML Mozilla browsers compatible with Internet standards.
◆ Use the ToolBook Web Specialist to
export your application.

Via the Internet Windows 2000 SP 3, ◆ Use all of Instructor’s powerful features
or an intranet as a Windows XP or later; for creating rich, interactive applications,
native ToolBook Internet Explorer including the OpenScript programming
application 4.0 or later, Netscape language and the Actions Editor visual
displayed in a 4.0 or later; Firefox 2.0 programming tool.
Web browser or 1.5 ◆ Ensure that users have (or can download)
using Neuron the Neuron browser plug-in.
◆ Use the ToolBook Web Specialist to
prepare your application.

(continued)
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 34

Prepare your project for release

based on a method of distribution, continued

Distribution Platform
method required Preparation guidelines

Via a local Windows 2000, ◆ Use all of Instructor’s powerful features

area network Windows XP, for creating rich, interactive applications,
as a native or Windows Vista including the OpenScript programming
ToolBook language and the Actions Editor visual
application programming tool.
◆ If users will install the application on their
own computers, use the ToolBook
AutoPackager to create a setup program.
Via CD-ROM Windows 2000, ◆ Use all of Instructor’s powerful features
or other Windows XP, for creating rich, interactive applications,
transferable or Windows Vista including the OpenScript programming
media language and the Actions Editor visual
programming tool.
◆ Use the ToolBook AutoPackager to create
a setup program.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 35

Building an application
You build an application in Instructor by starting a book and adding your
content: text, interactive objects, graphics, navigation, and so on. You
can control the appearance and behavior of objects by setting properties.
The Actions Editor visual programming tool can also control the behavior
of objects, or you can use the OpenScript programming language in
books that will not be exported to DHTML. You create applications at
Author level; users interact with them at Reader level.

Author level and Reader level

Instructor has two levels of operation: Author level and Reader level.
At Author level, you create and modify applications using authoring and
development tools such as templates, the ToolBook Catalog, dialog
boxes, and various palettes. At this level, you can create and modify
objects and set properties to define their appearance and behavior.

Reader level is the level at which you test your applications as you
develop them, and also the level at which users run your applications.
At this level, users can navigate to particular pages, type text into fields,
respond to interactive question objects, and trigger events.
For more information about Author level and Reader level, see Chapter 3,
“Learning the Instructor interface.”
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 36

Author level

Reader level

Figure 2
Author level and Reader level in ToolBook Instructor
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 37

Books and pages

An online learning application created with Instructor consists of one or
more files called books. You can order the books to create a sequenced
course in which your users access one book after the other. Alternatively,
you can join books with hyperlinks so that your users can access them on
an as-needed basis; for example, one book may be a glossary for another
book in your course.
In your online book, each screen is considered a separate page. Pages
contain the elements that determine the look and behavior of your
application—buttons, graphics, text, media players, and so on. You
arrange the pages in any order that suits your material and then determine
a way for your users to navigate through the pages.
A background is the foundation for a page. Several pages can share one
background, and a book can contain many backgrounds. Placing objects
on the background allows you to maintain a consistent layout throughout
your book.

The main Instructor window displays one page. In addition, you can create
pages to display in windows that appear along with the main window.
These windows are called viewers and can be small, like a pop-up
window, or larger, like the main window. For example, you might use
the main window to display your application and use a smaller viewer
to display glossary definitions.
 Chapter 2 Basic concepts 38

Click More. . .

. . . and a viewer appears.

Figure 3
Display multiple pages simultaneously using viewers

Objects and properties

All of the visual elements of your application—buttons, text, graphics, and
even pages and backgrounds—are objects.
You can create objects in Instructor using the tool palette, or you can
drag an object from the ToolBook Catalog and drop it onto your page.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 39

The tool palette contains tools you can use to draw objects on a page.
You can draw graphical objects, such as circles and lines, as well as
functional objects, such as buttons.

The Catalog contains a rich collection of objects that you use to construct
and enhance an interactive application. Many Catalog objects have
preprogrammed, built-in behavior.
Each object has a set of properties that define its appearance and behavior.
A text field, for example, has properties such as fill color, width, and
height that determine its color and size, and other properties such as text
alignment and field type that define how it displays text and whether it
allows users to enter data.
Some objects have extended properties that determine more sophisticated
capabilities. A media player, for example, has properties that control the
player’s interactive functionality, such as which media file will play and
how Instructor will play the file at Reader level.
For more information about objects and object properties, see Chapter 6,
“Working with objects,” and Chapter 7, “Setting object properties.”
You can set most properties using dialog boxes available in the Instructor
interface. However, some behavior can be set only by using the Actions
Editor or OpenScript.

Using the Actions Editor

The Actions Editor is a visual programming tool that you can use to
create sophisticated interactive courses without using OpenScript, the
ToolBook programming language. The Actions Editor is designed to give
nonprogrammers a programmer’s level of control over object
behavior and to provide programmers with a tool they can use to create
behavior that will export to the Web.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 40

In the Actions Editor, you use familiar interface elements to create action
sequences that play media, display pages or documents, prompt users for
information, and much more. In an action sequence, you can specify
conditions for behavior or create loops to execute actions repetitively. An
action sequence for an object handles a particular event such as a button
click, a page loading, or the selection of an item from a list.

For more information about adding behavior to your application using the
Actions Editor, see Chapter 15, “Using the Actions Editor,” and Chapter 16,
“Creating action sequences: Practical examples.”

Using OpenScript
OpenScript, the ToolBook programming language, is easy to use because
its syntax is similar to English.
A script you write in OpenScript defines an object’s appearance or
behavior. For example, a script might control what happens when a
learner clicks a button, enters a page, or chooses a selection from a list
box. Many of these properties can also be controlled using the Actions
Editor or Catalog objects with preprogrammed behaviors; there is often
more than one way to accomplish such a task.
Scripts created using the OpenScript programming language do not export
to DHTML when you use the ToolBook Web Specialist. If you’ve added
functionality to your application using OpenScript, you can deliver it over
the Internet as a native ToolBook application using the ToolBook Neuron
browser plug-in, or you can deliver it as a native ToolBook application
over an intranet or on CD-ROM.
For complete information about using OpenScript, refer to the
Programming in OpenScript online book. You can also consult the
online Help system, which contains an OpenScript reference resource.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 41

Extending Instructor using

Windows technologies
Instructor provides support for such Windows technologies as ActiveX,
OLE, ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), Automation (sometimes referred to
as OLE Automation), and Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). Using these
technologies, you can extend Instructor’s capabilities and allow Instructor
and other Windows programs to share data and interoperate in a
networked environment.
ActiveX controls are software components that you can use within an
online application to add some type of functionality. These controls allow
you to add custom features to a native ToolBook application or to an
application you plan to export to the Web. For more information about
using ActiveX in your applications, see the online book included with
ToolBook Instructor, Advanced Features for Native ToolBook Applications.

OLE is a technology based on a linking and embedding model that is

used to integrate applications. OLE enables you to create an object in one
application (the server application) and then incorporate it into another
application (the client application). Because OLE objects retain information
about where they were created, you can double-click an OLE object and
edit it without leaving the client application using a hybrid user interface
that includes elements of the server application. For example, you can
create a worksheet in Microsoft Excel™ (the server) and bring it into
Instructor (the client) using OLE. You can then double-click the OLE
object in Instructor and edit the worksheet in place. Using OLE, you can
create applications that integrate the capabilities of many different
Windows programs. OLE objects are different from ActiveX controls in
that an OLE object has a server application that provides its functionality.
For more information about using OLE in your applications, see the online
book, Advanced Features for Native ToolBook Applications.

Automation extends Instructor’s functionality, enabling you to access

Chapter 2 Basic concepts 42

and manipulate the objects, properties, and methods of other Windows

applications. Automation allows a client application (Instructor) to connect
to a server application (for example, Microsoft Word ™) by creating an
instance of that application as an object. After you have created the
application object, you can work with it using OpenScript in the same
way you would work with any other object: You can set and retrieve
the object’s properties and apply its methods. To see an example of
how Automation can be used with Instructor, explore the Profiler
(Samples\ADO\Profiler.exe on your Instructor program disc). Profiler is
a sample application that demonstrates one use of Automation—using
Automation to access and manipulate programmable features in Word.
For more information about Profiler and Automation, refer to the Profiler
online book (Samples\ADO\Profiler.pdf on your Instructor program disc).
ADO is a high-level mechanism that allows you to access the data in
databases from ToolBook using OpenScript. To see an example of how
ADO can be used with Instructor, explore the ToolBook Instructor Quiz
Builder (Samples\ADO\Quizbldr.tbk on your Instructor program disc).
The Quiz Builder is a sample application that demonstrates one use of
ADO technology—using ADO to send data to and retrieve data from a
Microsoft Access database. For more information about the Quiz Builder
and ADO, refer to the Quiz Builder online book (Samples\ADO\
Quizbldr.pdf on your Instructor program disc).
Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is a Windows communication protocol;
two programs that support DDE can exchange data and issue commands
to each other. For example, Microsoft Excel has a built-in utility for
creating charts and graphs, but you can create a more flexible, friendly
interface in Instructor. You can maintain data in an Excel spreadsheet
and send DDE commands from your Instructor application to produce
charts and graphs in Excel. For more information about DDE, refer to
Chapter 12, “Using Dynamic Data Exchange” in the Programming in
OpenScript online book.
Chapter 2 Basic concepts 43

Extending OpenScript
with dynamic-link libraries
To extend the capabilities of OpenScript, you can call dynamic-link
libraries (DLLs), which are libraries of functions available to any Windows
program. Windows includes a number of DLLs that you can call to interact
directly with Windows; for example, you can display windows, receive
Windows messages directly, or determine the current state of the system.
In addition, third-party vendors often provide DLLs as a way for you to
use their products. For details about how to call the DLLs supplied with
another product, refer to the documentation that came with the product.
For more information about DLLs and how to use them to extend the
capabilities of OpenScript, see Chapter 13, “Using dynamic-link libraries,”
in the Programming in OpenScript online book.

Using resources in your application

You can customize the appearance of your application’s interface by
importing resources such as cursors, icons, graphics, fonts, menus, and
color palettes. For example, you can import:
◆ a cursor to display under certain circumstances—for instance, when
the pointer is paused over an object that cannot be clicked.
◆ icons or bitmaps to use as graphics on buttons.

You can import these resources from other Windows programs.

For more information about resources and how they can customize your
application, see Chapter 17, “Using resources.”
Chapter 3

Learning the Instructor interface

This chapter helps acquaint you with the ToolBook Instructor

visual interface. Here you will learn about each interface
component, how to customize the interface, and how to use
built-in tools to navigate in Instructor applications.

I N THIS CHAPTER
Introducing the visual interface 45
Working at Author level 46
Working at Reader level 68
Navigating in an application 69
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 45

Introducing the visual interface

Designed for ease of use, the ToolBook Instructor tools and visual inter-
face let you focus on the important tasks of presenting your content and
measuring student results. Instructor has two working levels: Author level
and Reader level. At Author level, you build applications using develop-
ment tools, such as the Catalog, Book Explorer, palettes, and the toolbar.
With these tools, you can build books, create and modify objects on
pages, and add interactive behavior to your application.
At Reader level, you can test your application to see how it will appear
to your users. Users will run your application at Reader level, where they
can navigate to pages, respond to question objects, and trigger events. To
switch between Author level and Reader level, press F3 or choose Author
or Reader from the View menu.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 46

Working at Author level

When you first start Instructor, you see the Author-level workspace. At Author level,
you use tools such as the toolbar, status bar, tool palette, and Catalog to build your
application.

Menu bar
Toolbar
Book
Explorer

Catalog
objects

Status
bar
Grid Tool palette

Figure 1
Author-level tools
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 47

The following tools are available at Author level:

◆ Book Explorer An interactive browser that shows all pages and
objects in an outline format. It provides a convenient way to work with
objects.

◆ Palettes Contains collections of tools or buttons that you use to draw

new objects or change an object’s shape, color, or other properties.

◆ ToolBook Catalog Contains graphics, navigation panels, question

objects, media players, and other preprogrammed objects that you can
use to design applications.

◆ ToolBook Coach Provides authoring guidance and step-by-step

instructions as you work.

◆ The Properties dialog box and Extended Properties dialog

box Allow you to specify properties that determine an object’s
appearance and behavior.

◆ The Actions Editor Allows you to add interactive behavior to your

Instructor applications that will be exported as Web pages.

◆ Menu bar Allows you to execute commands and access dialog boxes.
◆ Toolbar Provides a collection of buttons that you can use as shortcuts
for commonly used menu commands.

◆ Status bar Shows you the name of objects, Help text for menu
commands, and the current mouse position. The right side of the bar
provides a quick way to select the current page and contains tools
that you can use to navigate between pages.
◆ Rulers Show you the exact size and position of objects.
◆ Grid Displays a matrix of dots that helps you size and position objects
precisely.
◆ Right-click menus Appear when you right-click an object, providing
quick access to common settings and dialog boxes.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 48

You can hide and show each of these tools and customize their appear-
ance. The following sections describe in detail each interface element’s
function and capabilities.

Working with the menu bar

You work with the Instructor menu bar as you would work with any
Windows menu bar. Simply click the menu name and choose a command
from the menu. You can modify how the menu bar appears at Reader
level; for more information, see the online book included with ToolBook
Instructor, Advanced Features for Native ToolBook Applications.

Working with the toolbar

The toolbar provides quick access to common menu commands and
editing tools. Some of the positions on the toolbar contain two buttons: a
default button and a hidden button. To display hidden buttons, press CTRL

➤ To hide and show the toolbar:

◆ From the View menu, choose Toolbar.

Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 49

Toolbar command buttons and their function

Default Toolbar button when
toolbar button CTRL is pressed

Open another ToolBook Run another application

application or instance of Instructor

Save your book Save your book

under a different name
Undo last action

Duplicate selected object

Show or hide Catalog

Show or hide Command window

Show or hide tool palette

Show or hide line palette Show or hide line

ends palette
Show or hide pattern palette

Show or hide color tray

Show or hide polygon palette

View current background

Add new page to your book

(continued)
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 50

Toolbar command buttons and their function, continued

Default Toolbar button when

toolbar button CTRL is pressed

Open Resource Manager

dialog box

Open Clip Manager dialog box

Open Viewers dialog box

Open Properties dialog box

Open Extended Properties

dialog box

Open Actions Editor

Open the OpenScript Editor OpenScript Editor for

shared scripts

Open Font tab of Properties Open Paragraph tab of

dialog box Properties dialog box

Group or ungroup objects

Bring to front Bring object closer

Send to back Move object farther

Flip horizontally Flip vertically

Rotate left Rotate right

Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 51

Working with the status bar

The status bar, which displays information about Instructor and the
current page, has several parts:

◆ Caption area Displays Help text for menu commands, the Help text
for toolbar or tool palette buttons, or the name of an object, depending
on the position of the pointer. Instructor also displays progress mes-
sages in the caption area when a process is under way.
◆ Mouse position indicator Displays the coordinates of the pointer in
page units.
◆ Page selection indicator Shows that you are working on the
foreground. You can click here to select the entire page.

◆ Navigation control buttons Move you to the next or previous page

when clicked.

◆ Status box Displays the current page number and total number
of pages, or the word “Background” if you are working on the
background.

Tip By default, Instructor displays the status bar only at Author

level. You can display the status bar at Reader level by pressing
F12. At Reader level, the status bar does not include the page
selection indicator.

Navigation
Caption area Page selection indicator controls

Mouse position indicator Page number

indicator

Figure 2
The status bar at Author level
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 52

If you create viewers, which are additional windows, each viewer can have
its own status bar. You can hide and show each status bar individually,
including the one for the main window.

➤ To hide or show the status bar:

Using the interface

◆ From the View menu, choose Status Bar. Alternatively, press F12.

Using OpenScript

You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript online book.
◆ To show or hide the status bar for the current window, use the show or
hide command. To specify that a window should show or hide the status
bar by default, set its authorStatusBar or readerStatusBar property:

--Displays status bar in current window

show statusBar
--Removes status bar from current window
hide statusBar
--Shows status bar at Reader level
readerStatusBar of viewer ID 0 = true

Working with palettes

A palette is a collection of tools or buttons that you use to draw new objects
or to set values that modify existing objects. For example, you choose a tool
on the tool palette to draw a new object, and you choose
a line width on the line palette to determine how thick a line should be.
Instructor includes six palettes, described in the following table.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 53

Instructor palettes
Use this palette... If you want to...

Tool Create new objects on a page.

Line Set line width or border around an object.

Line ends Add arrow heads or tails to a line.

Pattern Set a pattern or design to fill an object.

Color Set the color of an object or of text.

Polygon Set the number of sides, from 3 to 99, of the

next polygon to be drawn.

➤ To hide or show a palette:

◆ From the View menu, point to Palettes, and then choose a palette.
Alternatively, click the palette’s button on the Instructor toolbar.

➤ To move a palette:

◆ Position the pointer at the top of the palette, and then drag the palette
to its new position.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 54

Tool Pattern Line Polygon Line ends

palette palette palette palette palette

Color tray

Figure 3

You can show as many palettes as you like, hide them to make room
onscreen, or move them around as needed.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 55

Working with the Catalog

The Catalog contains the authoring objects you use to build your inter-
active online learning application. There are hundreds of objects in the
Catalog, including question sets, media players, navigation panels, and
other interactive objects, many with preprogrammed behavior that you
can customize. To include an object in your application, you simply drag
it from the Catalog to your page or background. Then, set its properties
or extended properties to further define its appearance and behavior. In
addition, you can link an action or sequence of actions to any Catalog
object using the Actions Editor or write a script for an object using
OpenScript.

Figure 4
The ToolBook Instructor Catalog
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 56

➤ To display the Catalog:

◆ Do one of the following:

— From the View menu, choose Catalog.

— Click the Catalog button on the Instructor toolbar.

— Press F2.

For more information about using Catalog objects to build an application,

see Chapter 5, “Working with the Catalog.”

Working with the ToolBook Coach

The ToolBook Coach is a convenient reference tool that provides context-
sensitive information as you’re authoring. The Coach displays tips and
suggestions about the page you’re working on, step-by-step procedures
for any object you select, and design guidance. Leave the Coach open as
you work and note how the information in the Coach window changes
dynamically according to the object and page you’re working with.

➤ To display the Coach:

◆ From the Help menu, choose Coach.

Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 57

Figure 5
The ToolBook Coach

Working with the Properties

and Extended Properties dialog boxes
After you add an object to the page, you set its properties to customize its
appearance and behavior in your application. You set an object’s proper-
ties by first selecting the object and then opening the object’s Properties
or Extended Properties dialog box. These dialog boxes allow you to set an
object’s color, specify a graphic displayed on a button, identify the correct
answers in a question object, control when a video plays, and much
more.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 58

Working with the Properties dialog box

Using the Properties dialog box, you simply enter or select the values you
want to set. As a convenience, you can leave the Properties dialog box
open as you work—the Properties dialog box shows you the properties of
the currently selected object. This feature allows you to quickly set the
properties of different objects on your page without having to close and
reopen the dialog box several times.

Figure 6
The Properties dialog box

The toolbar in the Properties dialog box includes buttons to give you quick
access to commands, other object properties, and online Help. For example,
if you make a mistake, you can click the Undo button to reverse the
changes you made.
You can also use the Properties dialog box to specify behavior that extends
beyond individual objects. For example, you can set properties for a page,
a background, and a book. Instructor also provides a Properties for Lesson
dialog box, where you can set scoring and logging options.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 59

➤ To display the Properties dialog box:

◆ Do one of the following:

— From the Object menu, choose one of the properties options.

— Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.

— Right-click an object, and then click the Properties button on the

right-click menu toolbar.

— Press SHIFT+F6.

Working with the Extended Properties dialog box

Many objects from the Catalog have extended properties that define their
behavior. In addition to the Properties dialog box, these objects have an
Extended Properties dialog box, where you can specify and refine these
extended capabilities.

➤ To display an object’s Extended Properties dialog box:

◆ Do one of the following:

— With the object selected, from the Object menu, choose the extended
properties command. (For example, if a true/false question is se-
lected, choose Properties for True/False Question.)

— With the object selected, click the Extended Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.
— In the object’s Properties dialog box, click the Extended Properties
button on the dialog box toolbar.
— With the object selected, press CTRL+F6.

For more information about setting object properties, see Chapter 7,

“Setting object properties.”
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 60

Working with the Actions Editor

The Actions Editor is a visual programming tool that you can use to build
or edit a series of behaviors called an action sequence. In the Actions
Editor, you use familiar interface elements, including menus and a
toolbar, to construct sophisticated behaviors based on standard program-
ming protocols. Using the sequences you create in the Actions Editor, you
can respond to an event (a button click, for example) by playing media,
prompting users for input, changing the appearance and behavior of
objects, controlling user navigation, and much more. You can also specify
conditions for behavior, insert loops to execute actions repetitively, and
set and get variables—all without writing a script.
Action sequences are a good way to deliver custom interactive behavior
on the Web. By using the ToolBook Web Specialist, action sequences can
be exported automatically to DHTML.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 61

Object type Object name

Actions Editor toolbar

Action sequence
Actions palette

Status bar (indicates whether the currently selected action is valid)

Figure 7
The Actions Editor window

➤ To open the Actions Editor for an object:

◆ Do one of the following:

— With the object selected, from the Object menu, choose Actions.

— With the object selected, click the Actions button on the Instructor
toolbar.
— Right-click the object, and then click the Actions button on the
toolbar of the right-click menu.
— With the object selected, press F5.

— With the object selected, display the Properties dialog box, and then
click the Actions button on the toolbar of the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 62

For more information about the Actions Editor, see Chapter 15, “Using
the Actions Editor,” and Chapter 16, “Creating action sequences: Practical
examples.”

Using the Book Explorer

The Book Explorer allows you to view all of the objects in your book in a
convenient outline format. You can edit information about an individual
object, such as a page name. The Book Explorer is also useful for reor-
dering pages in your book—simply drag and drop the page icons into a
new order.

Figure 8
The Book Explorer
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 63

You can use the Book Explorer for many different tasks. Click an object in
the Book Explorer to select this object in the main window. Use drag and
drop to move any object to a different layer or add an object to a group.
Display the properties for any object with a right-click.

Pointing to a page in the Book Explorer will display a small preview

image of the page in a pop-up window. Selecting a page in the Book
Explorer causes navigatation to that page in the main window.

Multiple objects can be selected in the Book Explorer if they have the
same parent. Use CTRL+click or SHIFT+click to select more than one
object.

Working with the Property and Handler

browsers
Instructor includes browsers that allow you to set or edit values.

➤ To open one of the browsers:

◆ From the View menu, point to Browsers, and choose one.

The Property Browser

The Property Browser displays and allows editing of all available properties
for an object. In the Property Browser, an object’s properties display using
the OpenScript property name. You should be familiar with OpenScript
before using the Property Browser to edit an object’s properties.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 64

Figure 9
The Property Browser

The Handler Browser

The Handler Browser displays and allows editing of handlers in the
message-passing hierarchy for the current object. You can use the Handler
Browser to edit the OpenScript for an object by double-clicking a handler.
The script containing that handler will open with the selected handler
highlighted. You should be familiar with OpenScript before using the
Handler Browser.

Working with rulers and the grid

You can use the rulers and the grid to help you precisely size and align
objects. The rulers appear along the top and left edges of the main
window unless you hide them to make more room in the window. As
you move the pointer inside the window, a line appears in each ruler
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 65

indicating the position of the pointer. If you select an object, shadows

in the rulers indicate the object’s dimensions.

➤ To hide or show the rulers:

◆ From the View menu, choose Rulers. Alternatively, press CTRL+R.

By default, Instructor displays the rulers using the units of measurement
specified in Windows. You can change the units of measurement within
Instructor in the Grid dialog box.

The grid is a matrix of dots spaced an equal distance apart in the main
window. You can specify that Instructor align objects with the grid
automatically when you move or resize them. The grid does not have
to be visible for you to “snap” objects to it.
You can show and hide the grid as needed at Author level; however, even
if the grid is visible at Author level, it never appears at Reader level. You
can set the grid spacing to any width you want.

➤ To change grid settings:

1 From the View menu, choose Grid.

2 In the Grid dialog box, do one or more of the following:

◆ To show or hide the grid, select or clear the Show grid check box.
◆ To change the default space between grid dots, enter an increment
in the Page units, Pixels, or Inches (Centimeters) box.
◆ To specify whether objects align with or move independently of the
grid, select or clear the Snap to grid check box.
◆ To specify the units of measure, select Metric or English.

3 Click OK.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 66

Working with right–click menus

If you pause the pointer over an object on the page and click the right
mouse button (right-click), Instructor displays the object’s right-click
menu. The right-click menu provides an easy way to set the object’s
properties and provides information about the object’s name and related
objects. Each object’s right-click menu is slightly different, but all display
the type of information illustrated below.

A B C D E F G H

A Displays the Properties dialog box

B Displays the Extended Properties dialog box
C Displays the Actions Editor
D Displays the script editor
E Displays the script editor for shared scripts
F Displays the ToolBook Debugger
G Displays the Property Browser
H Displays context-sensitive online Help

Figure 10
Sample right-click menu and the right-click menu toolbar

➤ To display an object’s right-click menu:

◆ Click the right mouse button according to the table on the

following page.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 67

Right-click menu access

Object type Where to click

Page Right-click an empty spot on the page, or CTRL+right-click

anywhere on the background.

Background CTRL+right-click on the page, or right-click an empty spot on

the background.
Viewer CTRL+SHIFT+right-click anywhere in the viewer.
Book SHIFT+right-click anywhere on the page.

Other objects Right-click the object.

By default, you can display right-click menus only at Author level.

However, you can change the Instructor default to display right-click
menus at Reader level as well. Using right-click menus at Reader level
makes it easy for you to change an object’s properties while you are
running or testing an application.

➤ To enable right-click menus at Reader level:

Using the interface

1 From the View menu, choose Options.

2 On the Interface tab, select the Show right-click menus at Reader level
check box.
To disable right-click menus at Reader level, click to clear this
check box.

Using OpenScript
◆ Use the following statements to enable right-click menus at
Reader level:
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 68

--At Reader level

sysReaderRightClick = true
send readerRightClick --If enabled, will disable

Working at Reader level

You switch to Reader level from Author level to run or test an application.
When you do, Instructor removes the tools you use for developing an
application.

Tip Press F3 to switch between Author level and Reader level.

These changes occur when you switch from Author to Reader level:
◆ The menu bar changes to a Reader-level menu bar that does not
contain Author-level commands.
◆ The toolbar, Catalog, Coach, palettes, rulers, dialog boxes, and grid
disappear.
◆ The status bar and right-click menus disappear, though you can choose
to make them available.

➤ To switch between Author level and Reader level:

◆ Choose Author or Reader from the View menu, or press F3.

Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 69

Figure 11
Reader level

Navigating in an application
You can use a variety of methods to move from one page to another in
a book, including:
◆ page navigation features on the status bar.

◆ commands on the Go menu.

◆ arrow keys.
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 70

Using the status bar page navigation features

You can use the page navigation features to navigate at Author level.

➤ To navigate using the status bar:

◆ Do one or a combination of the following:

— Click the right arrow or the left arrow to go to the next or

previous page.

— Click the numbers. Instructor will prompt you to enter the number
of a page. Click the check mark or press ENTER to go to that page.
Click the X or press ESC to cancel.

Click here to move Click here to move

to the previous page. to the next page.

Click here to move

to a particular page.

Figure 12
Using the status bar to navigate
Chapter 3 Learning the Instructor interface 71

Using the Go menu and arrow keys

The following table outlines how to use commands on the Go menu and
arrow keys to move between pages in a book.

Moving from page to page

To move From the Go Or press
to this page... menu, choose... these keys...

Next Next Page ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Previous Previous Page ALT+LEFT ARROW
First page in book First Page ALT+UP ARROW

Last page in book Last Page ALT+DOWN ARROW

Last page visited Back SHIFT+F2
PART II

Building your application

This part of the ToolBook Instructor User Guide presents concepts and
techniques to help you construct and customize your online learning
application. In these chapters, you will learn about starting a new book,
using the Catalog, and adding elements such as text and graphics.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog
Chapter 6 Working with objects
Chapter 7 Setting object properties
Chapter 8 Working with text
Chapter 9 Using graphics
Chapter 4

Creating books and pages

In this chapter, you will learn about creating books and pages,
setting book properties to specify how your book will run, setting
up navigation between pages, and controlling how objects display
on a page. In addition, this chapter provides some tips about
enhancing the performance of your book.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About books and pages 74
About templates 75
Creating a new book 78
Creating pages and backgrounds 81
Organizing pages and backgrounds 85
Working with backgrounds 90
Setting the page size 92
Setting properties for books 94
Navigating through a book 96
Enhancing a book’s performance 100
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 74

About books and pages

The ToolBook Instructor applications that you create and run are called
books. A book is composed of pages that contain objects. Objects that
you place on a page are displayed on top of a background. A background
is the foundation for a page that is shared by any number of pages in
a book. One book can contain several backgrounds, each designed for
a specific purpose.
Objects that you place on a page’s background appear in the same
position, style, and size on every page that shares that background. For
example, you might put a panel of navigation buttons on the background
so that they appear in the same place on every page. Making changes to
several pages this way is easy: If you change the background of any page,
you see the changes on all of the pages that share the background. You
will also save disk space by placing objects on the background, because
Instructor stores only one copy of each background and the objects on
that background.
When you want an object to appear on only a single page, put it on the
page itself (the foreground).

➤ To switch between the page (foreground) and background:

◆ Choose Foreground or Background from the View menu, or press F4 to

toggle from one to the other.

You can display pages in a book’s main window and also in special
viewers—like a pop-up window. For details about creating and using
viewers, see the online book included with ToolBook Instructor, Advanced
Features for Native ToolBook Applications.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 75

About templates
A template is a prebuilt book that provides a basic structure for your
application, including page organization, graphic theme, interactive
objects, and navigation controls. To this structure, you add your own
custom content. You can fully customize templates by adding or deleting
pages, changing page order, or replacing graphics. Using templates can
help you save time and provide a consistent look and feature set for each
new application.

You can choose a template from the New Book dialog box (choose New
from the File menu) or from the ToolBook Instructor Startup dialog box
that appears when you open Instructor. Instructor provides a variety of
special-purpose and general-use templates that you can select in these
dialog boxes, and you can create your own custom templates that can
appear here as well. When you select a template and click OK, Instructor
opens a copy of the template that you name and save.
When selecting a template, consider your plan for distributing the appli-
cation. Some templates are available in different versions, each identified
by a distinguishing icon color on the Templates tab of the ToolBook
Instructor Startup dialog box and the New Book dialog box. If you plan
to distribute your application on the Internet after exporting to DHTML,
select the HTML version of the template optimized for use on the Internet.
If your users have a high-bandwidth Internet connection (for example,
on a corporate intranet), select the version of the template optimized for
high-bandwidth Internet connections.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 76

Designating a default template

Using a default template, you can create a consistent look and feel
across multiple online learning applications. A default template can serve
as the enterprise-wide standard, giving all of your courseware a unified
appearance and organization. For example, if you want to use the same
background graphics, number of pages, and general layout for all online
learning applications developed in your organization, you can distribute
the same default template to all of your courseware authors.

You can use the default template included with Instructor, or you can
designate any template to serve as the default template. The default
template appears on the Quick Start tab of the ToolBook Instructor
Startup dialog box and the New Book dialog box.

➤ To designate the default template:

1 From the View menu, choose Options.

2 In the Instructor Options dialog box, click the New tab.

3 Under the option labeled Use template for new books, enter or
navigate to the book you want to use as the default template.

A shortcut for the template appears on the Quick Start tab. A small
check mark on the icon indicates that the template is the default
template.

Tip You can create a shortcut on the Quick Start tab for any
template on the Templates tab. Simply right-click a template icon
and then choose Show Shortcut on Quick Start Tab.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 77

Creating and saving templates

In addition to using the variety of templates that Instructor provides, you
can create your own custom templates by saving any book as a tem-
plate. Books that you create from scratch, books that you create using
one of the Instructor templates, and books that you create using one of
the Book Wizards can all be saved as templates.

When you save a book as a template, you’ll want to save it in the Tem-
plate directory of the Instructor program directory. That way, when you
start Instructor or choose New from the File menu, the custom template
you’ve created appears on the Templates tab of the ToolBook Instructor
Startup dialog box and the New Book dialog box. The Template directory
is the default location for storing templates. If you choose another direc-
tory in which to store templates, you can navigate to that directory using
the Templates directory list on the Templates tab.
➤ To save a book as a template:

1 From the File menu, choose Save as Template.

2 In the Save as Template dialog box, enter the template title, descrip-
tion, file name, and directory, and then click OK.
After developing a template, you may want to provide guidance about
the template to other ToolBook authors who will use the template to
create applications. To describe the purpose of a page in a template or
guidelines for its use, you can write descriptive text that will appear in
the ToolBook Coach when the page is selected. For more information
about assigning your own descriptive text, refer to “Adding Coach text
to a custom Catalog object,” in the Customization Guide online book
available from the Developer Corner on the www.toolbook.com site.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 78

Creating a new book

You can start a new book in Instructor by using a template, creating a
blank book from scratch, or using one of the Book Wizards. When you
start a new book you’ll need to choose one of two possible ways to
deliver the book: as Web pages that automatically incorporate DHTML
features, or as a native ToolBook TBK file. Based on your choice, certain
menu commands and options may be unavailable if unsuited to the
selected deployment method. For more information about your delivery
options, see Chapter 20, “Distributing applications on the Internet, and
Chapter 21, “Preparing native ToolBook applications for release.”

Starting a new book using a template

You can save time and provide a consistent look and feature set for each
new application by using a template. As described in “About templates,”
earlier in this chapter, a template serves as the architecture for your
content. When you use a template to start a new book, Instructor opens
a copy of the template, which you name and save.

➤ To start a new book using a template:

1 Do one of the following:

◆ If Instructor is not running, start Instructor.

The ToolBook Instructor Startup dialog box appears.

◆ If Instructor is already running, from the File menu, choose New.

The New Book dialog box appears.

2 Click the Templates tab, select a template icon, and then click OK.

The Confirm Deployment Method dialog box appears; click Yes to

continue.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 79

3 In the Select a Name and Location for Your New Book dialog box,
name the file, accept the default directory or choose another file
location, and then click OK.
Instructor opens the book.

Tip You can bypass the New Book dialog box and automatically
open the default template each time you open a new book. In the
Instructor Options dialog box (available from the View menu), clear
the following check box: Show New Book dialog when starting new
book.

Instructor provides a default template to help you get started quickly.

The default template appears on the Quick Start tab of the ToolBook
Instructor Startup dialog box and the New Book dialog box.

Starting a new book using a Book Wizard

The Book Wizards automate the task of creating the layout for an Instruc-
tor application. These wizards gather input from you about how you want
the book to appear and behave. Instructor uses this input to build a book
based on your specifications.
Instructor offers two wizards to help you build a new book:

◆ Book Wizard Builds a book that reflects your input about distribution
method, page styles, and outline for page organization. You can design
a sophisticated outline of pages that can serve as the basis for any
online course.
◆ Lesson Design Wizard Builds a book that reflects your input about
instructional goals, page styles, and learning topics. You can include
prepared text and graphics files as well as preprogrammed question
objects.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 80

➤ To start a new book using one of the Book Wizards:

1 Do one of the following:

◆ If Instructor is not running, start Instructor.

The ToolBook Instructor Startup dialog box appears.

◆ If Instructor is already running, from the File menu, choose New.

The New Book dialog box appears.

2 On the Book Wizards tab, select an icon, and then click OK.

3 Follow the instructions in the Book Wizard.

Starting a new, blank book

If you choose not to use a template, you can start with a blank book with
no preprogrammed objects or graphic theme.

➤ To start a new, blank book:

1 Do one of the following:

◆ If Instructor is not running, start Instructor.

The ToolBook Instructor Startup dialog box appears.

◆ If Instructor is already running, from the File menu, choose New.

The New Book dialog box appears.

2 Click the Quick Start tab, select either the Blank DHTML Book icon or
the Blank Native ToolBook Book icon, and then click OK.

The Confirm Deployment Method dialog box appears; click Yes to

continue.

Instructor opens the book.

Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 81

Creating pages and backgrounds

Pages and backgrounds are Instructor objects that you can create and
modify. In an Instructor book, you can:

◆ add and remove new pages and backgrounds.

◆ import pages and backgrounds from a different book.

Adding pages and backgrounds to a book

You can add a new page by choosing:

◆ any page shown in the Pages category of the Catalog.

◆ the New Page command from the Insert menu.

◆ choosing a page from the Catalog.

Any of the page types shown in the Pages category of the Catalog will
automatically match the existing style of your book when added.
ToolBook supplies the graphics that match the style you chose when
starting a book from a template or Book Wizard.

The Insert menu has the New Page command and the New Background
command. While both commands allow you to add a page to your book,
they each give you different options about the type of page or background
you add.
Choosing New Page from the Insert menu allows you to add an empty
page using the current background, duplicate a page from your book, or
add a page from a template. After choosing one of these options, you can
specify that the page introduce a new background, so that changes made
to this new background will not affect the background you duplicated.
Choosing New Background from the Insert menu allows you to add a page
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 82

that uses a new background. You can add a new page with an empty
background, duplicate a background from your book, or add a background
from a template.

➤ To add a new page from the Catalog:

1 If the Catalog is not currently open, click the View menu and choose
Catalog.

2 Open the Pages category.

3 Double-click the type of page you want to add.

The new page is inserted after the page you were viewing.

➤ To add a new page from the current template or book:

1 Go to the page after which you want to add the new page.
2 Do one of the following:

◆ To add a new page that uses an existing background, choose New

Page from the Insert menu, or press CTRL+N.

The New Page dialog box appears. Enter a name for the page, and
then select an empty page, a page from the current book, or a page
from a template.
◆ To add a new page that uses a new background, choose New
Background from the Insert menu.

3 Click OK.
Instructor inserts the new page after the current page (the page dis-
played in the Instructor main window) and gives it the next
sequential page number.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 83

Tip You can modify your settings so that Instructor adds new pages
without opening the New Page dialog box. From the View menu,
choose Options; on the New tab, clear the Show New Page dialog on
New Page command check box. Now Instructor will automatically
apply the settings from the page you are on to the new page it
creates.

Using OpenScript
You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.
◆ To add a new page that uses an existing background, display a page
that uses the background you want, and then send the newPage
message from the page:

send newPage to system

◆ To add a new page that uses a new background, display the page after
which you want to add the new page, and then send the newBackground
message:

send newBackground

Instructor inserts the new page after the current page (the page displayed
in the Instructor main window) and gives it the next sequential page
number.

Importing pages from another book

You can import pages from another book, called the source book, into the
current book, called the target book. Importing pages into a target book
does not affect the source book. You can import all of the pages from
a source book or only specific pages. Instructor attempts to merge text
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 84

information into the correct location and adds the resources on the
imported pages to the resources of the target book. More information
about resources is available in Chapter 17, “Using resources.”

Tip Importing pages is especially useful when you want to include a

range of pages from another book. If you want to add a single page
from another book, you can use a simple copy-and-paste operation.

➤ To import pages:

Using the interface

1 Open the target book, and then display the page after which you want
to import the source book’s pages.
2 From the Insert menu, choose Pages.

Instructor displays the Import dialog box.

3 Verify the Import type list displays ToolBook files (*.?bk).

4 Select the source book or type in the source book’s name, including its
path if the book is in another directory.

5 To specify a range of pages, or to specify whether the background is

imported, click the Format button. Enter a range of pages and then
click OK.

By default, Instructor imports all pages with their backgrounds from

the source book unless you remove the check from the box labeled
“Include Background”.
6 Click OK.

Instructor imports the specified pages from the source book into the
target book.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 85

Using OpenScript

◆ To import the entire source book into the target book, display the page
after which you want to import the book, and then use the import book
command:

import book "c:\toolbook\add.tbk"

◆ To import one or more pages, use the import pages command. To import
pages without the source book’s background, add the without back-
ground parameter. For example:

import pages 5 to 5 of book "c:\toolbook\add.tbk"

import pages 12 to 24 of book "c:\toolbook\new.tbk"
without background

If the source book’s page size is larger than that of the target book, you
may need to increase the target book’s page size to see all of the objects.
For details, see “Setting the page size,” later in this chapter.

Organizing pages and backgrounds

You can reorder your book’s pages by using the Book Explorer to drag and
drop a page to another place sequence of pages. Other ways to change the
order of pages is to renumber them, or cut and paste pages.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 86

Using the Book Explorer

The Book Explorer to displays the organization of the pages of your book.
in an outline form.

Figure 2
The Book Explorer

In the Book Explorer window, you can:

◆ reorganize the order of the pages using drag-and-drop.

◆ navigate to a specific page by clicking the page name.

◆ view a small thumbnail image of a page by pointing to the page name.

Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 87

➤ To open the Book Explorer:

◆ From the View menu, choose Book Explorer.

Renumbering pages in a book

You can reorder pages by using the Book Explorer, or cut and paste, or
the Properties for Page dialog box.. Instructor removes the page from its
old position in the page order and inserts it at the new position. The other
pages are renumbered to reflect the change. The page keeps its original
background wherever you move it in the book.

➤ To change the order of a page in a book:

1 Go to the page you want to renumber.
2 From the Object menu, choose Properties for Page to open the
Properties for Page dialog box.

Enter a new page number here.

3 In the Page box, enter a new page number.

Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 88

4 Optional. Close the Properties for Page dialog box.

Using OpenScript

◆ Set the pageNumber property to renumber a page and change its order
in a book, where <value> is the new page number:

pageNumber of this page = <value>

You can also move a page by cutting and then pasting it. This method is
especially useful if you want to move a page to a different book.

➤ To cut and paste a page:

1 Go to the page you want to cut.

2 Choose Select Page from the Edit menu, or click the page selection
indicator on the status bar.
3 From the Edit menu, choose Cut.

Instructor removes the page.

4 In the current book or in another book, go to the page after which you
want to paste the page you cut.

5 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Instructor inserts the page after the current page and renumbers the
pages in the book.

Note When you reorder the pages in your book using a cut-and-
paste operation, Instructor gives the page you are moving a new ID
number. When you reorder the pages in your book using either the
Properties for Page dialog box or the Book Explorer, the ID numbers
do not change.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 89

Removing pages and backgrounds

You can remove a page and its background from a book. However, a
background that is shared by more than one page in the book remains in
the book as long as one page that uses that background remains in the
book. To entirely remove a background from a book, you must remove
every page that shares that background. When you remove the last page
that uses a background, Instructor removes the background as well.

➤ To remove a page and background from a book:

Using the interface

1 Go to the page you want to remove.

2 Choose Select Page from the Edit menu, or click the page selection
indicator on the status bar.

3 Do one of the following:

◆ From the Edit menu, choose Cut.

◆ From the Edit menu, choose Delete Page.

◆ Press DELETE.

The Cut command removes the page from the book and puts it on the
Clipboard; the Delete Page command and the DELETE key remove the
page entirely.

Using OpenScript
◆ Use the select command and the cut or clear message to remove a page
from a book:

select this page

send clear
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 90

Working with backgrounds

Using backgrounds to group like pages together can save you time and
reduce the size of your file. You can specify the color, pattern, or backdrop
of a background by setting the background’s properties. If you decide to
make a change, simply modify the background and the change appears
on all the pages that share the background.

Applying color and

a pattern to a background
The background provides a common design for all pages that share that
background. You can create a consistent look and interesting visual
effects by adding color and a pattern to your background.

➤ To apply a color and pattern to a background:

Using the interface

1 From the Object menu, choose Properties for Background, and then
click the Draw tab.
2 To apply a color, under Colors, choose Use custom colors. Click the Fill
color button to choose a fill color from the pop-up palette or click Other
to open the Color dialog box, where you can specify a custom color.
3 To apply a pattern, under Pattern, choose a pattern style from the
pop-up palette or click Other to open the Choose Pattern dialog box.
Choose a stroke color to use in the pattern.
4 Optional. Close the Properties for Background dialog box.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 91

Using OpenScript
◆ You can set properties for a background by specifying the
background’s name or ID number, or you can set properties for the
current background by using this background. To set colors, set the
fillColor and strokeColor or the rgbFill and rgbStroke properties. To set
the pattern, set the pattern property:

fillColor of this background = green

pattern of background "Intro" = 25

Adding and removing backdrops

You can use a backdrop to make your backgrounds more interesting. A
backdrop is a bitmap that appears on a background. You can specify how
the bitmap will appear by choosing a style—such as tiled, stretched, or
centered—for the backdrop.
Bitmaps used as backdrops are automatically added to your book as
resources. If you delete a backdrop from a page, the resource used by the
backdrop might remain in the book. See Chapter 17, “Using resources,”
for more information about resources.
To change a backdrop:
◆ Open the Properties for Background dialog box. You can add
and remove backdrops on the Draw tab of the Properties for Back-
ground dialog box. To add a backdrop, click Choose Backdrop, select
or import the bitmap you want to use, and specify the style. To remove
a backdrop, click Clear Backdrop. You can create transparent areas in
a bitmap by selecting the Use chromakey option and specifying a color
value.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 92

Setting the page size

You can specify the size of both the book and the background using
either the Properties dialog box or OpenScript. A background’s page size
takes precedence over the book’s page size. The Page tab in the
Properties for Book dialog box displays the default page size setting;
when you change the book size, the change is reflected in any
background’s page size that hasn’t been explicitly set and in all new
backgrounds that you create.

Note When you export your book to DHTML, the ToolBook Web
Specialist will size the browser window according to the size of the
largest background.

You can change a book’s page size and orientation at any time, even
after you add objects to the pages. However, Instructor does not rear-
range objects to fit the new page size or orientation. To fit the objects
into a smaller page size or different orientation, move them to their new
locations before you reduce or reorient the page. If necessary, you can
return to the original page size to see the objects in their original posi-
tions.

➤ To set a page size:

1 From the Object menu, do one of the following:

◆ To set a default page size for the entire book, choose Properties
for Book.

The Properties for Book dialog box appears.

◆ To set a custom page size for a background, choose Properties
for Background.
The Properties for Background dialog box appears.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 93

2 Click the Page tab, and then enter the size you want in page units,
pixels, or inches.

3 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Tip You can change the default unit type from page units to either
pixels or inches on the New tab of the Instructor Options dialog
box. To open the Instructor Options dialog box, choose Options
from the View menu.

Using OpenScript

The book’s size property sets a default page size for the book. The
background’s size property can be set for individual backgrounds. This
size affects only the pages that share that background.
◆ To set a default page size for the book or a background, set the size
property. Page size is specified in Instructor page units (1/1440 of an inch):

size of this book = 10000,15000

size of this background = 10000,15000

◆ To view the page size of the book or the background, use one of the
following commands:

put size of this book

put size of this background
request size of this book

Instructor displays two numbers, representing the width and height of

the page in page units.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 94

Scaling the window size to the page size

The page size does not control the size of the window. A window can
be scaled larger than a page (Instructor displays a mat beyond the page’s
edge) or smaller than a page (Instructor displays scroll bars). To scale
the window to match the page size, use the Size to Page command on
the View menu, or send the OpenScript sizeToPage message. Instructor
expands or contracts the window to fit the current page or to the maximum
window size, whichever is smaller.

Setting properties for books

You can set properties for a book just as you can set properties for all
objects in Instructor. For example, the book’s title, description, and
passwords are all book properties. To set a book’s properties, from the
Object menu, choose Properties for Book. In the Properties for Book
dialog box, make your selections.

Protecting books with passwords

To protect and control access to a book, you can assign separate pass-
words to allow access for opening, modifying, and saving the book. You
can also assign the same password to all of these activities in one opera-
tion.

Important Be sure to write down your password. If you forget

your password, you will not be able to perform password-protected
activities.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 95

➤ To define a password:

1 From the Object menu, choose Properties for Book.

2 On the General tab, click Set Passwords.

The Passwords dialog box appears.

3 Click one of the following buttons to open the Set Passwords dialog
box:
◆ Author Specifies the password required for switching to Author
level.
◆ Open Specifies the password required for opening the book.

◆ Save Specifies the password required for saving the book.

◆ Set All Specifies the password required for switching to Author
level, opening a book, and saving a book.

4 In the Set Passwords dialog box, in the Password box, type the password
required for the particular user activity, based on the button you
clicked in step 3.
5 Retype the password in the Confirm password box, and then click OK.

6 In the Passwords dialog box, click OK.

7 Optional. Close the Properties for Book dialog box.

Note You can remove a password by clicking Clear

Password or by deleting a password in the Set Passwords
dialog box.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 96

You can use the passwordTypes OpenScript function to return a list

of the types of passwords that are active in the specified book. The
passwordTypes function takes a <bookPath> parameter. This parameter must
be a valid book path. For example:

CurrentPasswords = passwordTypes("c:\instruct\WebBook.tbk")
CurrentPasswords = passwordTypes(name of this book)

Navigating through a book

There are many ways to allow for navigation through a book. You can use
Instructor navigation objects from the Catalog, you can assign navigation
actions to objects using the Actions Editor, or you can rely on the built-in
navigation tools at both Reader level and Author level. You can specify that
certain pages be skipped from navigating, specify conditions for skipping to
a particular page or Uniform Resource Locator (URL), and set a transition
effect for moving from one page to another.

Using built-in navigation

You can move from page to page using the menus, or buttons in the status
bar, or the keyboard. The table on the next page shows the ways to go to
different pages.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 97

Moving from page to page

At Author
To move From the Go level, click on Or press
to this page... menu, choose... the toolbar... these keys...

Next Next Page ALT+RIGHT ARROW

Previous Previous Page ALT+LEFT ARROW

First First Page ALT+UP ARROW

Last Last Page ALT+DOWN ARROW

Using navigation objects

The Catalog contains navigation objects that you can use to help the
user navigate through your application. These navigation objects feature
graphics and hyperlinks that will jump to the next, previous, first, or last
page in your application. The simplest use of these objects is to place
one on the background of a book. The navigation object will appear on
each page that shares that background. You can also create your own
navigation buttons using the tool palette and set hyperlinks to move to
another page.

Skipping pages when navigating

If your book contains pages that you do not want the user to see, you can
prevent navigation to those pages at Reader level using the Properties for
Page dialog box or OpenScript. This feature is especially useful if you’re
displaying pages of a book in a viewer and want to limit the user’s access
through the book.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 98

➤ To prevent navigation to a page at Reader level:

Using the interface

1 Go to the page to which you do not want the user to navigate.

2 From the Object menu, choose Properties for Page.

3 On the Behavior tab, select Skip this page when navigating.

4 Optional. Close the Properties for Page dialog box.

Using OpenScript
◆ Set the skipNavigation property for the page to true:

skipNavigation of page ID 25 = true

Setting up transition effects between pages

You can set up transition effects when the user moves between pages. For
example, you can create the effect that one page is sliding off to the left
while another page slides in from the right. Transition effects are specified
in the Hyperlink dialog box.

➤ To specify a transition effect:

1 Select the object or word that contains the hyperlink to another page
(for example, the Next button in a navigation panel).

2 From the Object menu, choose Hyperlink.

3 In the Type of link list, select Go to another page.

4 Under Style, select a transition effect from the Transition effect list.
Click Test to see a sample of the selected effect (optional).

5 Click OK.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 99

Adding navigation behavior to an object

Using the Actions Editor, you can program any Instructor object to send
a user to another page, book, or URL, or to exit from a lesson. One of the
benefits of using an action sequence to navigate is that you can specify a
destination based on a specific condition or set of conditions. You can use
the Actions Editor to quickly define action properties, such as destination
page and transition effects, and then add the action to an object’s action
sequence. For more information about programming in the Actions Editor,
see Chapter 15, “Using the Actions Editor,” and Chapter 16, “Creating
action sequences: Practical examples.”

➤ To add a navigation action to an object’s action sequence:

1 Select the object.
2 From the Object menu, choose Actions.
The Actions Editor appears.
3 In the Event list, select the event that activates the action sequence.
4 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to Navigation, and then do
one of the following:
◆ To specify navigation to any page in the current book or in another
ToolBook book, or to open a page in a pop-up viewer, choose Go
to Page.
◆ To specify exit from the lesson, choose Exit Lesson.
◆ To display a document created in another application or to specify
navigation to a particular URL, choose Display Document.
5 In the Properties for Action dialog box, select a destination, and then
set any other action properties.
6 Click OK.
Chapter 4 Creating books and pages 100

7 In the Actions Editor, from the File menu, choose Update Actions & Close.

Enhancing a book’s performance

Careful page and background design can greatly enhance the performance
of your book. When planning your book, use these guidelines:

◆ Limit the number of objects and graphics in a book.

◆ Make a book’s page size as small as possible.

◆ Use the same background for similar pages and limit the number of
different backgrounds.

◆ Put objects that appear on every page on the background.

◆ Arrange objects so that changes affect small areas to minimize
redrawing.
◆ Do not overlap record fields, a type of field that contains text on back-
grounds, and other objects. If they overlap, Instructor must redraw both
the record field and its text when you change the page. Allow about 30
page units between objects to prevent overlapping.

Testing is an essential step in building a book. Test each part of your book
as you complete it. Switch to Reader level to see how the pages will look
to the user and try out buttons and hotwords to make sure they work. After
the book is complete, test it as a whole. Go through it yourself to see
whether the overall design and organization work. Then get someone else
to try it—a fresh perspective can be invaluable.
Chapter 5

Working with the Catalog

The Catalog contains a rich collection of objects—from simple

navigation buttons to sophisticated objects such as the Universal
Media Player and interactive questions. You can use the Catalog
to find objects to use in your applications. Additionally, you can
create your own objects and store them in the Catalog to use in
other applications you create. This chapter describes how to use
the ToolBook Instructor Catalog.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About the Catalog 102
Authoring with the Catalog 103
Exploring types of Catalog objects 107
Customizing the Catalog 111
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 102

About the Catalog

The Catalog contains a collection of objects that you can use to construct
and enhance interactive applications. Authoring is fast and easy using the
objects in the Catalog because you can simply drag the object you want
directly to your page. If you like, you can use the Catalog as your primary
authoring resource since it includes virtually everything you need, from
simple draw objects to sophisticated interactive objects. More likely,
you’ll use the Catalog as a resource for preprogrammed objects such as
questions objects, navigation panels, media players, and so on.

The Catalog window contains buttons that display the names of categories
of objects. You click a category button to view the objects available in
that category.

Figure 1
The ToolBook Instructor Catalog
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 103

➤ To display the Catalog:

◆ Click the Catalog button on the Instructor toolbar.

As with other windows, you can close, move, and resize the Catalog
window.

Authoring with the Catalog

The Catalog is designed for ease of use. The intuitive browsing environment
and drag-and-drop capabilities make it easy to build the pages of your
book. You can add objects to the Catalog or remove them. The next few
sections describe how to work with the Catalog.

Browsing through the Catalog

Take a moment to browse through the objects in the Catalog. When you
select a category, small images of objects appear in the object pane
below the category button you selected in the Catalog. You can display
a description of any Catalog object: point to an object, right-click, and
select Object Description from the right-click menu.

Using drag-and-drop authoring

To author using the Catalog, simply drag the object you want from the
Catalog to a page or background. This drag-and-drop operation copies the
object into your application.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 104

Some Catalog objects can be dropped on objects other than a page or

background.

Drop behavior for Catalog objects

Dropping this… On this… Does this…

Graphic Page or Creates a paint object. The Graphic

background Options dialog box opens, in which
you can specify how you want to
apply the graphic. You can apply the
graphic as a bitmap on the page, or
you can apply it as a tiled backdrop.
Button Creates a button graphic. The Button
Graphic dialog box opens, in which
you can specify how you want to
apply the graphic.
Field Creates an inline graphic (a graphic
set within text) at the pointer
position.
Question object Page or Creates a question object at
background the pointer position. The question’s
Extended Properties dialog box
opens (optionally).
Object with Page or Creates an object at the
extended background pointer position. The object’s
properties Extended Properties dialog box
opens (optionally).
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 105

When an object in the Catalog has extended properties, Instructor can

automatically open its Extended Properties dialog box after you drag the
object to a page or background. You might find this feature convenient
when you are first learning to use Instructor. To enable this feature,
choose Options from the View menu; then, on the Interface tab in the
Instructor Options dialog box, select Show editor after adding objects,
and then click OK.

Finding the right object

You can identify an object you want in the Catalog by reading a pop-up
description. Point at any object in the Catalog window and a description
of the object appears in a pop-up yellow box. You can also search on
keywords to locate specific objects.

Figure 2
Right-click menu for categories in the Catalog
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 106

➤ To search for an object in the Catalog:

1 Point in the Catalog window and right-click.

2 From the right-click menu, choose Find Object.

The Find Object dialog box appears.

3 Type a keyword in the edit box.

4 Click OK.

Instructor searches the Catalog for an item with the keyword

you entered and displays the result.

Viewing objects
You might want to preview an object to view it at full size.

➤ To view an object at full size:

1 In the Catalog, select the small thumbnail image of the object you want
to view.
2 Right-click the object. From the right-click menu, select Preview
Object.
Instructor shows you a full-size view of the object in a pop-up window.

3 Click anywhere on the screen to close the pop-up window.

Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 107

Exploring types of Catalog objects

The following sections give you a general overview of the objects available
in the Catalog. By browsing through these sections, you can get an idea of
the purpose of different types of objects.
For more information about using individual objects in the Catalog, add
the object to a page and read the contents of the ToolBook Coach. Open
the Coach from the Help menu.

Action triggers
Action trigger buttons can start and reset objects on the page. With trigger
and reset buttons, you can hide and show objects, play an animation, and
create dynamic effects. You can trigger an action interactively by setting
the effect to occur when the user clicks the action trigger at Reader level.
Alternatively, you can trigger an action automatically by setting the effect
to occur when the user enters the page. Among the action buttons you’ll
find are:

◆ Action Trigger A button that can show, hide, animate, and trigger
another object.

◆ Reset Trigger A button that can reset another object.

◆ Delay A button that delays the next action for a specified amount
of time.

Scoring and tracking

Evaluation buttons perform common tasks in courseware applications,
such as submitting a lesson score to a learning management system,
restarting a lesson, checking the learner’s response, or resetting a page.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 108

You use these objects for specific purposes on a page in a lesson, so

there is no need to set properties for them. Examples of scoring buttons
include:

◆ Score Page A button that displays the score for all of the question
objects on the page.

◆ Reset Page A button that resets the questions on the current page
and clears any score that the student has accumulated for the page.
Session information is preserved and a log entry is made indicating
that the page was reset.
◆ Score Quiz A button that displays the final score for a quiz or lesson.

◆ Score Field A text field that you can use in conjunction with a question
object and a score button to display a score.

◆ Feedback Field A text field that you can use in conjunction with a
question object and (optionally) a score button to display feedback.

Placeholders
The placeholders included with Instructor are objects that you can use to
display images, embed HTML code, and integrate other Web technologies.
You apply settings to each object using that object’s Extended Properties
dialog box. In books that will be exported to DHTML, the placeholders
include:
◆ HTML Placeholder A placeholder in which you can place any HTML
code that you want to include in an application that will be exported
for the Web.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 109

◆ File Placeholder A placeholder in which you can place any object

that can be inserted into a Web page using an HTML embed tag. If your
users’ machines are capable of running the file (that is, they have the
appropriate plug-in or helper application installed), the file will run.
◆ Java Placeholder A placeholder that includes a Java applet in an
application that will be exported for the Web.
◆ Animated GIF Placeholder A placeholder that allows users to view
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) animations that you specify.
◆ PowerPoint Placeholder A placeholder that allows users to view a
PowerPoint® presentation in a Web browser.
◆ Web Graphic Placeholder A placeholder that displays a GIF or JPEG
file that you specify.

Media players
Media players are objects that you add to your application to enable
users to play sound, video, or animation files. The Universal Media Player
is the primary object for adding media files to an Instructor application: It
supports most standard media types, is programmable using the Actions
Editor, and retains all functionality when exported to DHTML. The Catalog
also includes several other media objects with more specific functionality.
Among the objects you’ll find are:
◆ Media Player A button that plays a specific media type.
◆ Media Player (hotword) A hotword in a text field that plays a
media file.
◆ Video Player A simple stage or a stage with controls that plays
visual media.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 110

Navigation
Navigation objects are buttons and fields that enable students to move
through your application and that can also display the current location.
Some examples include:
◆ Automatic Menu An object that automatically creates a menu that
includes hotwords that jump to each named page in your book.
◆ Button Group A grouped object consisting of buttons for general
navigation.

◆ Hotspot Graphic An object that produces an image with areas that

can be clicked. You can define hyperlinks for the hotspots in the graphic,
which will cause navigation to a different page in a Web browser.

Questions
Question objects allow you to create questions that test your users on
their understanding of your content. You can customize question objects
in many ways. These objects have built-in behavior that provides feedback
to your users, supplies you with information on how your users interacted
with the question, and interacts with a learning management system to
track the behavior of groups of learners. Among the question objects
provided with Instructor are the following:
◆ Match-items object A button set that allows the user to drag an
arrow to define pairs of matching items.
◆ Multiple-choice object A button set that allows the user to select the
correct answer by clicking one of several available choices.
◆ Fill-in-the-blank object A field that allows the user to enter text for
an answer and then evaluates whether the text is correct.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 111

Other available objects

The objects mentioned in the preceding sections are just a few of the
multitude of objects that are available in the Catalog. Perhaps the best
way to learn what is available in the Catalog is to explore them as you
work. Soon you will become an expert at locating the objects you need
when you need them.

Customizing the Catalog

You can change many aspects of the Catalog to fit your personal prefer-
ences. For example, you can modify the display of the categories in the
Catalog so that you see only the categories that you plan to use in your
current book. In addition, you can add new categories to the Catalog and
reorder the existing categories. You can add your own customized objects
to the Catalog and import customized Catalog objects created by other
ToolBook authors.

Modifying the categories in the Catalog

You can change the contents of any category that you see in the Catalog,
and modify the properties for the Catalog object icon images displayed in
the Catalog window. In the Customize Catalog dialog box, you can edit the
existing categories and add new categories to the Catalog.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 112

Figure 3
The Customize Catalog dialog box

Tip In the Customize Catalog dialog box, you can clear the check
box next to a category to hide the selected category from view.
This does not permanently delete the category from the Catalog.

Adding and removing Catalog objects

You can add your own objects to the Catalog. For example, if you have
customized the behavior of an object using the Actions Editor visual
programming tool, you may want to store that object in the Catalog to
use again. You can add your own customized object to the My Objects
category in the Catalog, or to any of the existing Catalog categories. You
can also create a new category for the Catalog.
Chapter 5 Working with the Catalog 113

When you add an object to the Catalog, you can assign it a name and
search keywords. If you want to enter multiple search keywords, use
commas to separate them.

➤ To add an object to the Catalog:

1 In the main window, select the object you want to add to the Catalog.
2 Open the Catalog if it is not already open.

3 Right-click on a category in the Catalog window.

4 From the right-click menu, choose Add Selected Object.

The Add Selected Object dialog box opens.

5 Type a name for the object, a description if desired, and any search
keywords. Select or create a category, and then click OK.

➤ To remove an object from the Catalog:

1 Right-click a category in the Catalog and choose Customize Catalog

from the right-click menu.
2 Click the name of a cateory to select it in the Customize Catalog dialog
box.
3 Click the Edit button.

4 In the list of objects, select the name of the object you want to remove.
5 Click the Remove button.

6 When prompted, choose Yes to remove the icon.

7 Click OK to close each dialog box.

Instructor removes the Catalog object from the Catalog.

Chapter 6

Working with objects

Buttons, graphics, and questions are all examples of ToolBook

Instructor objects. This chapter introduces you to the concepts,
skills, and tools you need to add and modify objects in Instructor.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About objects 115
Using the Book Explorer 115
Adding objects from the Catalog 117
Creating objects using the tool palette 118
Selecting objects 121
Creating hyperlinks 122
Cutting, copying, pasting, and deleting objects 125
Moving objects 127
Spreading and centering objects 128
Flipping and rotating objects 128
Aligning objects 129
Changing the size and shape of objects 131
Modifying the appearance of objects 134
Moving objects between layers 139
Grouping objects 144
Chapter 6 Working with objects 115

About objects
All the visual elements of your application—buttons, fields, graphics,
viewers, and even the pages and backgrounds—are objects. You build
your application by creating objects, specifying their properties, and
defining how they will work together. ToolBook Instructor offers a variety
of objects with built-in functions for quick and easy authoring. But you
aren’t limited to these preprogrammed features: You can
position, group, or change the properties of any object to affect its
appearance and behavior.

When an object is created or otherwise added to a book, Instructor

gives the object a unique ID number that you can use to distinguish it
from other objects. You can give a name to an object, but you cannot
change its ID number.

Note It is a good idea to assign each object in your book a unique

name. In the Actions Editor, unnamed objects will not appear in
lists of available objects. A few types of Catalog objects allow you
to select from the named objects on a page.

Using the Book Explorer

The interactive Book Explorer is a browser that provides a convenient
way to work with objects and their properties. All of the pages and
objects in a book are displayed in outline format in the Book Explorer
window. In this browser, you can:
◆ see a small preview image of a page when you point to its.name

◆ navigate to the page or background you select

◆ reorder pages using drag and drop
Chapter 6 Working with objects 116

◆ select an object to make it selected in the main window

◆ move an object to a different layer on the page using drag and drop
◆ display the shortcut menu for an object with a right-click

◆ move an object into a group using drag and drop

Figure 1 The Book Explorer

You can select one or more objects in the Book Explorer. Use CTRL+click
or SHIFT+click to select more than one object.

➤ To open the Book Explorer:

◆ From the View menu choose Book Explorer.

Chapter 6 Working with objects 117

Adding objects from the Catalog

You can quickly add objects to a page or background. At Author level,
you simply drag the object you want from the Catalog to your page.
This creates a new instance (or copy) of the object on your page.

➤ To create an object on a page or background:

1 Navigate to the page or background to which you want to add

an object.

2 If a the Catalog is not already open, click the Catalog button on the
Instructor toolbar.
3 Select a category.

4 Drag the object you want from the object pane, and then drop it
onto your page or background.

Instructor draws an instance (copy) of the object on the page or

background.

Tip You can double-click an object in the Catalog to add it

to your page.

After you add objects to a page or background, you can customize

them for your application. Objects have built-in properties that define
how they appear and behave. For example, you can set properties such
as fill color, animation, and hyperlinks. Information about setting
properties is available in Chapter 7, “Setting object properties.”
Chapter 6 Working with objects 118

Creating objects using the tool palette

In addition to adding objects to your book by dragging them from the
Catalog, you can draw objects using tools from the tool palette. While
Catalog objects have a predefined appearance and certain predefined
behaviors, objects created using the tool palette have limited
preprogrammed properties. You can use the Actions Editor visual pro-
gramming tool to easily link an action or series of actions to any object
you create using the tool palette. Alternatively, you can use
the OpenScript programming language to further define an object’s
properties and behavior.
When you draw an object, its general shape and type are determined by
the tool you choose from the tool palette, and its final size and propor-
tions are determined by how far and in which direction you drag the
pointer. When you select an object or use a tool, the pointer shows the
type of object selected.

The tool palette is available only at Author level and appears by default
on the left side of the main window. However, you can reshape the tool
palette and move it to a new location to suit your work style.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 119

Selection indicator
Select tool Magnify tool
Pushbutton tool Label button tool
Radio button tool Check box tool
Radio button 3D tool Check box 3D tool
Field tool Record field tool
Borderless field tool Single-select list box tool
Combo box tool Line tool
Arc tool Angled line tool
Curve tool Rectangle tool
Rounded rectangle tool Ellipse tool
Polygon tool Irregular polygon tool
Pie tool Stage tool

Figure 2
Instructor tool palette

➤ To draw an object:

1 Choose a tool from the tool palette by clicking the tool’s button.
2 Point where you want to start the new object.

3 Hold down the left mouse button while you drag, and then release
when the object is the size you want.

Tip To automatically select the object you’ve just drawn,

press the SPACEBAR. Instructor selects the object and displays
the select tool.

You use a slightly different method to draw polygons, angled lines,

irregular polygons, and curves.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 120

➤ To draw regular polygons:

1 Choose the polygon tool from the tool palette.

2 From the View menu, point to Palettes, and then choose Polygon.

3 From the polygon palette, choose one of the polygon shapes, or type
a number in the box to specify the number of sides for the polygon.
4 Hold down the left mouse button where you want the center of the
polygon, and then drag from the center and release when the shape
is the size you want.

➤ To draw angled lines and irregular polygons:

1 Choose the angled line or irregular polygon tool from the

tool palette.
2 Point where you want the shape to start, and then click.

3 Continue to point and click to add as many angles as you want.

Press CTRL if you want to constrain the line to 45-degree angles.

4 To end the shape, double-click or press ESC.

If you used the irregular polygon tool, Instructor draws a closed shape
filled with the currently selected pattern from the pattern palette.

Note You can use the angled line tool to draw an object that looks
like an enclosed object. However, avoid having users click these
objects, because they require clicking precisely on the line. If you
want an irregularly shaped enclosed object, create the shape with
the irregular polygon tool.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 121

➤ To draw curves:

1 Choose the curve tool from the tool palette.

2 Point where you want the curve to start, and then click.

3 Point where you want the curve to begin curving, and then click.
4 Continue to point and click to add as many curves as you want.

5 To end the curve, double-click or press ESC.

After you draw a curve, you can adjust it precisely by choosing the
Reshape Curve command from the Draw menu. For details, see “Changing
the size and shape of objects,” later in this chapter.

Selecting objects
Before you can change an object or define its properties, you must first
select the object. When you select an object, Instructor displays handles
around the object. You use the handles to align and size objects.

If you select multiple objects, your next command or mouse action affects
all of the selected objects. For example, you can drag them, change their
properties, and cut or copy them as if you had selected a single object.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 122

Selecting objects
To... Do this...

Select a single object Click the object.

Select multiple objects SHIFT+click each object you want to
select, or drag the pointer to select the
objects you want.
Select all the objects Go to a page or background and choose
on the page or Select All from the Edit menu, or press
the background CTRL+A.
Cancel a selection Click anywhere on the page away from
the object.
Add or remove objects SHIFT+click the object you want to add
from a selection or remove.

Creating hyperlinks
Hyperlinks allow the users of your application to move from one page
to another. A user can display a page out of sequence or even display
a page in a different application. All objects you can put on a page have
built-in hyperlink capabilities that let you connect ideas, information,
or topics.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 123

Figure 3
The Hyperlink dialog box

Choosing a type of link

You have several options when choosing the type of link you want. You
can define a hyperlink that navigates to another page or one that pops up
a page. For example, you can add a button to a page that, when clicked,
takes the user to another page or opens a pop-up window. When you
create a hyperlink to another page, you can also specify a transition effect.
A hyperlink that pops up a page is useful when presenting technical
content to both novice and expert users. For example, you can create
hotwords for the technical terms in your content that, when clicked,
open a pop-up window containing the definition of a term. When you
create a hyperlink that pops up a page, you can specify the style of the
pop-up window.
In addition, the destination of a hyperlink can be either a page in a book
or a URL on the Internet. When creating a hyperlink to a URL on the
Internet, you can define objects that launch a Web browser and jump to
Chapter 6 Working with objects 124

a Web site, as described in the table on the following page.

Hyperlinking to a URL
Choose this option... If you want to define a hyperlink that...

Go to another page Jumps to the specified URL in the current window of

the Web browser. If the Web browser is not open at
the time of the jump, Instructor will open it before
jumping to the specified URL.
Pop up another page Opens a new instance of the Web browser before
jumping to the specified URL.

➤ To create a hyperlink:

1 Select the object that you want to hyperlink.

2 From the Object menu, choose Hyperlink.

The Hyperlink dialog box appears.

3 In the Type of link list, select the kind of link you want to use.
4 Under Link to, select the type of link you want.

◆ To link to another page, select the page option you want.

◆ To link to a URL, enter a URL in the URL box.

5 Optional. Specify a transition effect for the hyperlink. Transition effects

are available only when you choose Go to another page as the type of
link you want to use.
6 Optional. Under Pop up style, select a window style in the list. Pop up
style is available only when you choose Pop up another page as the
type of link you want to use.
7 Click OK.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 125

For more information about hyperlinks, refer to online Help.

Cutting, copying, pasting,

duplicating, and deleting objects
You can share an object among pages by cutting, copying, pasting, and
duplicating it. Cutting removes an object from a page and places it on the
Clipboard so that you can paste it either in the current book or in another
book. When you copy an object, Instructor places a copy on the Clip-
board, so you can then paste it. When you duplicate an object, you create
an exact copy of the object on the same page, bypassing the Clipboard.
Most objects can be duplicated. For example, you can duplicate an entire
text field or record field. The exception is text: You cannot duplicate
selected text within a text or record field. You can cut or copy and paste
objects, as described in the following table.

Objects that can be cut, copied, and pasted

This object... Can be pasted...

Object On a page or background

Page with background After the current page
Page without background After the current page
Bitmap On a page or background, or in a text field
or record field
Picture object On a page or background, or in a text field
or record field

Text In a text field or record field

Text in Rich Text Format In a text field or record field
Chapter 6 Working with objects 126

➤ To cut or copy an object:

1 Select the object you want to cut or copy.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Cut or Copy.

◆ To remove the object from its current position, choose Cut.

◆ To keep the object in its original position and place a copy
elsewhere, choose Copy.

Instructor places the cut or copied object on the Clipboard.

Tip With an object selected, you can also use the standard
Windows shortcut keys CTRL+X, CTRL+C, and CTRL+V to cut, copy,
and paste.

After you cut or copy an object, you can paste it on the same page or
anywhere else in the current book or in another book.

➤ To paste an object:

1 Go to the location where you want to paste the object.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Instructor pastes the object on the current page in the same position
the object held on the original page. If you choose the Paste command
again, a second object is pasted on top of the first. To reveal the first
object, select the top object and drag it to a new position.

➤ To duplicate an object:

1 Select the object you want to duplicate.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Duplicate.

Instructor creates a duplicate and places it slightly below and to the

right of the original object.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 127

You can remove an object from any page by deleting it.

➤ To delete an object:

1 Select the object you want to delete.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Delete, or press the DELETE key.

Instructor removes the selected object.

If you delete an object accidentally, immediately choose Undo from the
Edit menu to restore it; otherwise, the object will be lost.

Moving objects
You can move an object to another location on a page by dragging it to
a new location or by “nudging” it pixel by pixel.

➤ To move an object to another location on a page:

◆ Do one or a combination of the following:

— Drag the object to its new location.

— Nudge the object by clicking it and using the arrow keys to move
the object one pixel at a time in the desired direction. Press SHIFT
as you’re using the arrow keys to move the object faster.

Tip When dragging an object, press the CTRL key if you want to
restrict the object to horizontal or vertical movement.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 128

Spreading and centering objects

You can use the Spread and Center commands on the Draw menu to
automatically spread or center a selection of objects on a page or back-
ground. The Spread command distributes a set of selected objects along
a horizontal or vertical axis on the page. The Center command centers
a set of selected objects between the left and right sides of a page, top
and bottom of a page, or both.

➤ To spread a selection of objects:

1 Select the objects you want to distribute.

2 From the Draw menu, point to Spread, and then choose an option from
the submenu.

➤ To center a selection of objects:

1 Select the objects you want to center.

2 From the Draw menu, point to Center, and then choose an option from
the submenu.

Flipping and rotating objects

You can transform Instructor draw objects by flipping or rotating them.
Flipping transposes an object on an axis. Rotating moves an object
around a center point. You can combine flipping and rotating to move
an object to the position you want.

Note You cannot flip or rotate some objects, such as imported

graphics, button captions, and text in a text field.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 129

➤ To flip or rotate an object:

1 Select the object or objects you want to transform.

2 From the Draw menu, choose one of the following commands:

◆ Flip Horizontal Flips the selected object horizontally within its
bounding box (the rectangular area that indicates the object’s
dimensions), switching the location of the object’s left and
right sides.

◆ Flip Vertical Flips the selected object vertically within its bounding
box, switching the location of the object’s top and bottom.

◆ Rotate Left Rotates the selected object 90 degrees to the left

(counterclockwise).
◆ Rotate Right Rotates the selected object 90 degrees to the right
(clockwise).

Aligning objects
You can use the following methods to precisely position objects on
a page:
◆ Arrange objects using the grid as a reference

◆ Snap objects to the nearest grid point for precise placement

◆ Measure and align objects with the rulers

◆ Align objects with one another using the Align command

For information on using the grid and rulers, see Chapter 3, “Learning the
Instructor interface.”
Chapter 6 Working with objects 130

Using the Align command

When you create diagrams and other complex objects, it may be important
to align the objects. For example, you might need to align rows of fields
along their top edges, or to center columns of fields. Use the Align
command on the Draw menu to align several selected objects in precise
relation to each other.
When you select multiple objects, Instructor uses one object as the
reference against which it aligns the others. For example, to move objects
so that their left edges align with the left edge of the leftmost object, from
the Draw menu, point to Align, and then choose Left.

Align left sides Align right sides Align tops

Align bottoms Align horizontal centers Align vertical centers

Figure 4
Aligning objects with each other
Chapter 6 Working with objects 131

➤ To align objects with each other:

1 SHIFT+click to select the objects you want to align.

2 From the Draw menu, point to Align, and then choose an option from
the submenu.

Note The Align command aligns objects by their bounding box,

which can be seen when the object is selected. The bounding box of
a curve, arc, or pie wedge can extend past the visual portion of the
object; it may be easier to align these types of objects manually.

Changing the size and shape of objects

You can change the size and shape of any object manually. You can also
use the Size command on the Draw menu to automatically size one
object to another.

➤ To change the size of an object:

1 Select the object you want to resize.

2 Drag a handle until the object is the size you want.

◆ To change an object’s width and height at the same time, drag
a corner handle.
◆ To change an object’s width, drag a side handle.

◆ To change an object’s height, drag a top or bottom handle.

◆ To resize an object proportionally, press CTRL as you drag
a corner handle.

If you drag the handle of one object when several objects are selected,
only the object with the handle you drag resizes; the other objects maintain
Chapter 6 Working with objects 132

their original sizes. To resize several objects at once, you must group
them. For details about grouping objects, see “Grouping objects,” later in
this chapter.
To change the appearance of a polygon, curve, arc, angled line, or pie
wedge, you can use the Reshape command to display the object’s reshape
handles, which are handles that can be used to alter the shape of these
objects.

➤ To reshape an object:

1 Select the object (angled line, curve, arc, polygon, or pie wedge) whose
shape you want to change, and then from the Draw menu, choose
Reshape. Alternatively, double-click the object.
The handles change to allow you to reshape the object.

Sizing handles Reshape handles

2 Drag the handles to change the shape of the object.

For arcs and pie wedges, you can drag the handles only along the
curvature of the shape. For other objects, you can drag the handles in
any direction.
3 To remove the reshape handles and restore the sizing handles, click
the object, or click elsewhere on the page to cancel the selection.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 133

For more precise control over the shape of some objects, you can add
reshape handles that enable you to add another vertex to a side of
the object.

➤ To add reshape handles to an object:

1 Select the object (angled line, curve, or regular or irregular polygon),

and then choose Reshape from the Draw menu. Alternatively, double-
click the object.
2 Press SHIFT, and then click an existing handle. A new handle appears
that you can drag to add another vertex to the object.

➤ To delete a reshape handle:

◆ Press CTRL+SHIFT while clicking a reshape handle.

If the object is a curve, the handles are removed in pairs. You cannot
remove the last two handles in an object. You cannot remove the last
three handles of a polygon.

Constraining an object’s shape

With Instructor, you can proportionally constrain objects or constrain
lines to certain angles. To constrain an object’s shape, press CTRL while
dragging. The table below shows how objects are constrained when you
press CTRL.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 134

Constraining objects
Press CTRL
with this tool... To constrain...

Rectangle to square, or rounded

rectangle to rounded square
Ellipse to circle

Line angles to multiples of 45°

(0°, 45°, 90°, and so on)
Rotation to multiples of 45°
(0°, 45°, 90°, and so on)
Shape to quarter of a circle

Note You can also press CTRL before you move an object to
restrict its movement to horizontal and vertical directions, which is
useful when you want to move objects that are precisely aligned
with one another.

Modifying the appearance of objects

You can modify the appearance of an object by changing its line style, fill
color, and fill pattern. You can also specify that an object or background
take its color settings from a user’s operating-system settings. This allows
you to create applications with a color scheme that will appear as a
natural part of a user’s Windows interface. You can also make an object
transparent or opaque.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 135

This section describes how to change the appearance of objects by

setting properties. For additional information about setting properties,
see Chapter 7, “Setting object properties.”

Applying line styles

You specify the style of a line—such as solid, dashed, or dotted—the
width of a line, and the type of line ends in the Properties dialog box. You
can also change the line style of an object’s bounding box. A bounding
box is the rectangular area around a graphic object, such as a bitmap or
paint object, that indicates its dimensions.

➤ To specify line style or width:

1 Do one of the following:
◆ To modify a line, select the line you want to modify.
◆ To modify an object’s bounding box, select a graphic object.
2 Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.
3 Click the Draw tab, and then choose the line style you want in the Line
style list.
4 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

➤ To specify line ends:

1 Select the line you want to modify.
2 Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.
3 Click the Draw tab, select an end in the End1 list to appear as the
line’s starting point, and then select an end in the End2 list to appear
at the line’s ending point.
4 Select a value for the size of each line end (from 1 to 9).
5 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 136

Applying color to objects

Fill color is the color of the inside of all draw objects. Stroke color is the
color of the outline of any draw object, text, or imported object. Enclosed
objects, such as rectangles and ellipses, have both a stroke (outline) and
a fill (interior) color. You apply colors and patterns to an object in the
Properties dialog box.

➤ To apply color to an object:

1 Select the object you want to color.

2 Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar, and then click the
Draw tab.
3 Under Colors, choose Use custom colors, and then do one of the
following:
◆ To assign a fill color to the object, click the Fill color button.

◆ To assign a stroke color to the object, click the Stroke color button.
A pop-up window appears, where you can choose from a palette of
commonly used colors.

4 Optional. To choose a color not shown in the color palette, click More
Colors and select a color.

Using Windows colors

You can set the Use Windows Colors command on the Draw menu to
specify whether an object or the background uses Windows system
colors. If you specify that an object use the Windows system colors, the
object’s color will be determined by the user’s system color settings.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 137

Choosing this command does not change the fill and stroke colors that
you have set for the object; it just overrides those settings. If you clear the
Use Windows Colors command, Instructor will revert to using the object’s
fill and stroke colors.

➤ To use the Windows system colors for an object:

1 Select the object or display a page that shares the background that will
use the Windows colors.
2 From the Draw menu, choose Use Windows Colors.

Tip Instructor can also draw a background using the dialog box
color that is part of an operating system’s color scheme. To draw
a background using a dialog box color, on the Draw tab of the
Properties for Background dialog box, choose Use standard Windows
colors, and then select Use dialog box color.

Making objects transparent

You can create transparent objects or make existing objects transparent.
When an object is transparent, objects on layers below it show through.
A transparent object’s stroke and fill colors are also transparent. For
example, if the transparent object is blue and an object on a lower layer
is green, any overlapping areas will appear as a third color that Windows
blends. You can use transparent objects to overlay text on objects, such
as titles without a box around them.

➤ To make an object transparent:

1 Select the object you want to make transparent.

2 From the Draw menu, choose Transparent.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 138

Tip To make an object invisible, set its fill and stroke colors to
white, and then make it transparent. If you lose an invisible object
on the screen, choose Select All from the Edit menu. Instructor
displays handles for all objects on the page.

Filling an object with a pattern

When you draw enclosed shapes such as rectangles, polygons, and pie
wedges, you can give them a look of greater depth by filling them with
a pattern. Use one of the 128 Instructor patterns to fill your objects with
bricks, stripes, or other abstract shapes. Instructor draws the pattern
using the current stroke color. You will achieve a subtle effect if the
stroke color is close in hue to the fill color. For greater contrast, choose
a stroke color that is much darker or lighter than the fill color.

➤ To fill an object with a pattern:

1 Select the object.

2 Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.

3 On the Draw tab, in the Pattern list, select a pattern.

4 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Note You cannot apply a pattern to fields, buttons, or

video players.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 139

Moving objects between layers

When running an application at Reader level, a user sees a unified page
in the main window. However, each page can consist of many layers.
A layer is where Instructor places an object in the relative order of all
objects on either the page or background. You do not see a layer; you
see only the objects on a layer.

A pattern can appear

on the background.
Each background object
is on a separate layer.

Title
Back

Each foreground object Next

is on a separate layer.

Field Title The user sees

one unified page.
Field
Field

Field Back Next

Figure 5
The layers of a page
Chapter 6 Working with objects 140

When you create a new object, Instructor adds a layer to the front of the
current page or background and then places the new object on that layer.
The layer order affects the following aspects of a page:
◆ When objects overlap, the objects on higher layers appear to be placed
on top of objects on lower layers.
◆ When tabbing between buttons and fields, the focus moves in order
from the object on the lowest layer to the object on the highest layer.
For more information about the focus and tabbing, see “Planning layer
order for tabbing at Reader level,” later in this chapter.

◆ When Instructor searches for text, it starts searching from the field or
button with the focus and then searches fields on higher layers before
continuing to the next page. Any fields on layers lower than the object
with the focus will not be searched until after Instructor searches the
rest of the book.

Changing layer order

When you change an object’s layer number, Instructor assigns new layer
numbers to all other objects affected by the change. For example, on
a five-layer page, moving the layer 3 object to layer 4 puts the layer 4
object on layer 3. You can change an object’s layer order by typing a
different layer number in the Properties dialog box for the object. The
total number of layers for the current page or background is shown
beside the Layer box in an object’s Properties dialog box. You can also
choose one of the four layer commands from the Draw menu to change
an object’s layer number.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 141

➤ To move an object to the next higher or lower layer:

1 Select the object.

2 From the Draw menu, point to Layer, and then choose Bring Closer or
Send Farther.

Bring Closer moves the object one layer up, or forward, in the layer
order. Send Farther moves the object one layer down, or back, in the
layer order.

Select an object. . .

...and then choose

Bring Closer to move
the object up one layer.

Figure 6
Changing layer order

➤ To move an object from its current layer to the back layer:

1 Select the object.

2 From the Draw menu, point to Layer, and then choose Send to Back.

➤ To bring an object from its current layer to the top layer:

1 Select the object.

2 From the Draw menu, point to Layer, and then choose Bring to Front.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 142

➤ To specify an object’s layer number:

1 Select the object, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
2 Type a number in the Layer box.

3 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Planning layer order

for tabbing at Reader level
A user can press the TAB key to move the focus between objects on a
page. When an object has the focus, it can receive input from the user.
For example, when a button has the focus, its caption is highlighted;
when a text field has the focus, a cursor appears in the field.

The tab order—the order in which the focus moves when a user presses
TAB—follows the layer order of the objects, beginning with layers on the
background and then moving to layers on the page. If the layer order is
the order in which you created those objects, the tab order could seem
random to the user. For example, the first field you create may be at the
bottom of the page, the second at the top, and the last in the middle; your
user has to look all over the page for the focus. To make your application
easier to use, you can define a new tab order.

There are two ways to determine the order in which readers will tab
through objects on a page: by setting tab order in the Set Tab Order
dialog box and by changing the layer number of objects in the Properties
dialog box.

➤ To set the tab order using the Set Tab Order dialog box:

1 Select all the objects for which you want to define the tab order.
2 From the Draw menu, point to Layer, and then choose Set Tab Order.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 143

3 In the Set Tab Order dialog box, specify the starting layer and whether
the order will follow from left to right or top to bottom.

4 Click OK.
You can also define a tab order by specifying the layer for each object in
the Properties dialog box.

➤ To set the tab order by changing layer numbers

in the Properties dialog box:
1 Select the object that is to receive the focus first, and then click the
Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.
2 In the Layer box, type a number that is smaller than the layer number
of any other fields or buttons to which users will tab.

3 Repeat this procedure for the remaining objects in the order you want
tabbing to occur, giving each object an incrementally higher layer
number. Then, switch to Reader level and test the tab order by pressing
TAB and observing where the focus moves.

Consider the following when you define the tab order:

◆ Try to follow a left-to-right and top-to-bottom reading pattern to
organize fields and other objects on a page.

◆ If too many fields and buttons appear on a page, a user might have
trouble finding the focus when pressing TAB. If your pages are
crowded, consider simplifying them and adding new ones.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 144

You may also exclude an object from the tab order:

◆ To exclude a button from the tab order, clear the Include button in tab
order option on the Behavior tab of the Properties for Button dialog box.

◆ To exclude a field or record field from the tab order, select the Lock the
text and activate mouse events if the field is enabled option on the
Behavior tab of the Properties dialog box.

Grouping objects
You can create a group of objects that you work with as a single unit.
This allows you to move and format the objects together. For example,
you can combine different types of objects, such as a polygon and field,
into a group, and then set properties for the group.

When you create a group, Instructor places it on the lowest layer occupied
by an object in the group. For example, if you draw three objects on
layers 1, 2, and 3, and then group them, the group is on layer 1. The next
object you add will be on layer 2.

➤ To create a group:

◆ SHIFT+click to select each object you want in the group, and then press
CTRL+G (or choose Group from the Object menu). After you group the
objects, one set of handles surrounds the group.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 145

Two objects not grouped Two objects grouped

Editing groups
You can work with a group as a whole, or you can work with the indi-
vidual objects within the group. For example, you can change properties
for individual objects in a group without affecting the properties of the
group itself. You can move, size, add objects to, and delete objects from
a group without ungrouping it. You can also nest groups within groups.
Before you can edit a group, you must first select it.

➤ To select a group:

◆ Click an object within the group.

Any changes you make apply to all of the objects within the group.

➤ To deselect a group:

◆ Do one of the following:

— If an entire group is selected, click outside the group’s bounding box.
— If an object within a group is selected, double-click outside the
bounding box to deselect the entire group.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 146

Editing objects within a group

You can edit individual objects within a group. Simply double-click the
object to select it and then make your changes. You can also edit the text
in a field that is part of a group. Double-click to select the field, double-
click again to display the insertion point, and then make your changes to
the text.

➤ To select an object within a group:

◆ Double-click the object you want to select.

A bounding box appears around the group, and handles appear around
the object you selected. Any changes you make apply only to the
selected object.
Click another object to change the selection.

Moving grouped objects

You can move an entire group of objects or individual objects within a
group by selecting the group or object and dragging it to a new location.
After you move an object in a group, Instructor adjusts the group’s
bounding box to show the new perimeter of the group.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 147

Adding and deleting objects from a group

You can add objects to a group by pasting them from the Clipboard or by
dragging them from the Catalog to the group. When you drag an object
from the Catalog to a group, Instructor opens the Select Target dialog
box, where you can choose an option to add the object to the group.

➤ To add an object to a group from the Clipboard:

1 Select the object you want to cut or copy.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Cut or Copy to place the object on the
Clipboard.
3 To identify the group that will contain the pasted object, double-click
an object in that group.

4 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

The object is added to the group. The new object occupies the upper-
most layer of the group and is pasted in the same location that it
occupied before being cut or copied.

➤ To add a Catalog object to a group:

1 Drag an object from the Catalog, and then drop it onto the group.

The Select Target dialog box appears.

2 Choose Add to group, and then click OK.

Chapter 6 Working with objects 148

The group’s bounding box expands to encompass the new object. That
object occupies the uppermost layer of the group.

Note When dropping objects onto a group, be certain that the

mouse pointer is paused over an object in the group. If you attempt
to drop onto a space between objects in the group, Instructor will
place the object on the page rather than in the group.

After a group is formed, you can delete an object.

➤ To delete an object from a group:

1 Double-click the object to select it.
2 Press DELETE.
The bounding box resizes to reflect the newly defined group.

Note You cannot have fewer than two objects in a group. If you try
to delete one of the last two remaining objects, Instructor ignores
the Delete command.

Setting group properties

Each group has its own ID number, name, layer, script or action sequence,
and drag-and-drop properties. In addition, each member of the group also
keeps its own ID number. You can change properties for the group or for
individual members of the group. Group properties are set in the same
manner as other object properties. For details, see Chapter 7, “Setting
object properties.”

Note Selecting the Visible option on the Draw tab of the Properties
for Group dialog box does not affect the Visible option of individual
objects in the group.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 149

Figure 7
Properties for Group dialog box

Ungrouping objects
Groups can easily be ungrouped. Ungrouping does not affect individual
object ID numbers or names. However, Instructor discards the group’s ID
number and name.

Important Ungrouping a group will result in the loss of behavior

assigned to the group by you or ToolBook. Instructor displays a
warning if you attempt to ungroup a group with extended behavior.

➤ To ungroup a group:

◆ Select the group you want to ungroup, and then press CTRL+G (or
choose Ungroup from the Object menu).

Instructor replaces the single set of group handles with handles for
each object, showing that the objects are now ungrouped.
Chapter 6 Working with objects 150

To cancel the selection of an individual object within a group, hold down

the SHIFT key and click the object. The other objects remain selected. To
cancel the selection of all the ungrouped objects, click the page away
from any selected object.
Instructor places newly ungrouped objects on the layers in front of the
old group’s layer. For example, if a group contains three objects on layer 1,
when you ungroup, the three objects are placed on layers 1, 2, and 3.

Nesting groups
You can make a subgroup of objects within an existing group. The inner
(or child) group acts like a single object within the outer (or parent)
group. When you ungroup, the child group remains intact. You might
want to make child groups when you are creating a complex drawing;
when part of the drawing is finished, group it so that you will not
accidentally change or move it.
Chapter 7

Setting object properties

ToolBook Instructor provides a rich variety of objects that you can

use to create interactive applications quickly and easily. You can
set properties for these objects that determine appearance,
behavior, and interactive capabilities.
This chapter describes how to set object properties using the
Properties dialog box, the Extended Properties dialog box, the
right-click menu, and the Property Browser.

You can also affect the behavior and interactive capabilities of

objects using the Actions Editor visual programming tool or the
OpenScript programming language. For information, see Chapter
15, “Using the Actions Editor” or refer to the Programming in
OpenScript online book.

I N THIS CHAPTER
Understanding properties and extended properties 152
Using the Properties dialog box 153
Using the right-click menu 157
Using the Extended Properties dialog box 158
Using the Book Explorer 160
Using the Property Browser 161
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 152

Understanding properties
and extended properties
All ToolBook Instructor objects (pages, backgrounds, fields, draw objects,
buttons, hotwords, and so forth) have basic properties that define their
appearance and behavior. While Instructor sets a few properties, such as
an object’s ID number, most are set by you. The properties you set for a
button, for example, might include its fill color, button graphic, and
caption.

Many of the objects in the Catalog have additional properties that set
more sophisticated capabilities. These properties are called extended
properties. A media player, for example, has extended properties that
control the player’s interactive functionality, such as which media clip
will play and how Instructor will play the clip at Reader level.

Properties dialog box

Extended Properties dialog box

Figure 1
The Properties and Extended Properties dialog boxes for a media player
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 153

Using the Properties dialog box

The Properties dialog box is a tabbed dialog box that allows you to view
and edit an object’s properties. It features a toolbar that provides easy
access to other dialog boxes, where you can modify the object even
further.
The Properties dialog box is quite versatile, because the available settings
change dynamically according to the currently selected object. You can
leave the Properties dialog box open, select various objects in your book
using your mouse, and the settings in the Properties dialog box will
change to reflect the available settings for the selected object.
For example, if you select a text field, you will see the Properties for Text
Field options in the Properties dialog box. If you select a button, you will
see the Properties for Button options in the Properties dialog box. Settings
made in the Properties dialog box take place immediately, without closing
the dialog box.

➤ To display the Properties dialog box:

◆ Do one of the following:

— From the Object menu, choose one of the properties options. (For
example, if a button is selected, choose Properties for Button.)

— Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.

— Right-click an object, and then click the Properties button on the

right-click toolbar.

— Press SHIFT+F6.

In the Properties dialog box, common properties are organized by tab.

The following table describes some of the property pages that are common
to many objects.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 154

Examples of property pages common to many objects

Click this tab... To do this...

Draw Set the properties that control the way the object is
drawn, such as fill color, line style, color palette, or
border style

Bounds Specify the position and size of the object

Font Set character formatting information for text fields,
record fields, and buttons
Paragraph Set paragraph, alignment, tabs, and spacing
information for fields
Behavior Specify the object’s behavior at run time, such as
whether a user can type in a field or whether a button is
enabled at run time
Drag & Drop Specify the appearance and behavior of the object when
it is dragged or dropped at Reader level
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 155

➤ To set an object’s properties:

1 Select the object, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
2 Click a tab to view the properties page containing the category of
property you want to set.

3 Choose or enter the properties or settings you want. If you type a value
in a box, you must press ENTER, press TAB, or click in another field
before the changes will take effect.
4 Optional. Click a button on the toolbar to set other available properties
of the selected object, such as Extended Properties, Hyperlink, and Path
Animation.
More information about the buttons on the Properties dialog box
toolbar is available in the following section.
5 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Tip After you customize an object by setting its properties, you can
copy it to the My Objects category of the Catalog and use it again
later. Copying an object to the My Objects category allows you
to easily share and reuse custom objects among your Instructor
applications. For details, see Chapter 5, “Working with the Catalog.”
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 156

Toolbar buttons in the Properties dialog box

The Properties dialog box, like the main window, has a toolbar. Buttons
on the toolbar become available depending on the object’s features and
specifications on each tab.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

Figure 2
The toolbar in the Properties dialog box

A Undo Reverses the last command.

B Redo Reapplies the last command.

C Edit Parent Changes the displayed properties to the parent of the
currently selected object. For example, if you have selected one button
in a grouped navigation object, clicking Edit Parent allows you to set
properties for the group.

D Edit Child Changes the displayed properties to the child of the currently
selected object.

E Set Units Allows you to choose by what units the object is measured
(pixels, page units, inches, or centimeters).
F Extended Properties Opens the Extended Properties dialog box for the
selected object.
G Actions Opens the Actions Editor, where you can program a series of
behaviors (called action sequences) for the selected object.
H Hyperlink Opens the Hyperlink dialog box, where you can specify
a hyperlink for the selected object.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 157

I Path Animation Opens the ToolBook Animation Editor, where you can
create an animation.
J Edit Script Opens the script editor, where you can write or edit a script
for the selected object.
K Edit Shared Script Opens the script editor, where you can edit a
shared script.

L Select Shared Script Allows you to choose a shared script to edit or to

create a new shared script.

M Help Opens the online Help topic for the currently displayed tab in the
Properties dialog box.

When you have finished setting properties, you can click the Close button
in the upper-right corner of the dialog box.

Using the right-click menu

You can set properties for an object by using the right-click menu. The
right-click menu contains commands specific to the object you right-
clicked; these commands offer a quick way to set properties that you can
also set in the Properties dialog box. For example, to name a button,
simply right-click the button and choose Name from the right-click menu.
The Name dialog box opens, where you can enter a name. The name you
specify is set as a property of the button and will appear in the Properties
dialog box.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 158

A B C D E F G H

A Displays the Properties dialog box

B Displays the Extended Properties dialog box
C Displays the Actions Editor
D Displays the script editor
E Displays the script editor for shared scripts
F Displays the ToolBook Debugger
G Displays the Property Browser
H Displays context-sensitive online Help

Figure 3
Sample right-click menu and the right-click menu toolbar

Using the Extended Properties

dialog box
You can set the extended properties of Catalog objects in the Extended
Properties dialog box. To tell quickly whether an object has extended
properties, select the object on the page or background and look at the
Extended Properties button on the toolbar. The button is available only
when you select an object with extended properties.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 159

➤ To set extended properties for an object:

1 Do one of the following:

— Select the object, and then click the Extended Properties button on
the Instructor toolbar.

— Right-click the object, and then click the Extended Properties button
on the right-click toolbar.

— In the Properties dialog box for the object, click the Extended
Properties button on the toolbar.

2 In the object’s Extended Properties dialog box, specify the options

you want.
3 Click OK.

Setting extended properties for groups

Many of the objects in the Catalog are actually groups of individual
objects. In some cases, the group itself (such as a video player with
controls) has extended properties, and in other cases, the individual
objects within the group (such as the buttons in a navigation panel) have
extended properties.
The easiest way to set extended properties for an entire group is to select
the group and then click the Extended Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar. To set the extended properties for a single object within a group,
double-click to select the object and then click the Extended Properties
button on the Instructor toolbar.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 160

Figure 4
A selected button object and its Extended Properties dialog box

Using the Book Explorer

The Book Explorer is an interactive browser that shows the objects on
each page in an outline format. Right-click any object shown in the Book
Explorer to access the properties for that object.

➤ To open the Book Explorer:

◆ From the View menu choose Book Explorer.

You can move objects in the Book Explorer using drag and drop. This
allows you to move an object to a different layer on the page, reorder the
sequence of pages, or move an object into a group.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 161

Using the Property Browser

The Property Browser allows you to view and edit a complete list of an
object’s property settings. In addition, you can view and edit system
properties and variables using the Property Browser. System properties
define default behavior for the entire Instructor system.

Because properties are displayed in the Property Browser by their

OpenScript property name, you should be familiar with the OpenScript
language before using this tool. For more information about OpenScript,
refer to the Programming in OpenScript online book.
Some of the properties that appear in the Property Browser can also
be set using either the Properties dialog box or the Extended Properties
dialog box. You may prefer to use these dialog boxes instead of the
Property Browser to set object properties. However, the Property Browser
is the best way to view all of the available properties for an object.

➤ To change a property’s value in the Property Browser:

1 From the View menu, point to Browsers, and then choose Property.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 162

2 Select an object on your page, or choose the object whose properties

you want to edit from the drop-down list at the top of the Property
Browser.
3 Select the property you want to edit from the Name column. The
object’s current value for that property appears in the Value column
and in the drop-down list at the top of the tab.
◆ If the property uses a specific set of predefined values, click the
drop-down arrow, and then choose a different property value.
◆ If the property does not use a specific set of predefined values, click
the Browse button, type a new value in the Edit Property dialog box,
and then click OK. Click the check mark button to accept the
changes, or click the X button to reject the changes.
◆ Some properties are for your reference only. You will not be able to
edit these properties.

Tip You can also double-click the entry in the Value column to edit
the property.

The User tab of the Property Browser displays some properties that are
built in to Instructor. You can add a new property for an object by specify-
ing a user property in the Property Browser.

➤ To add a user property in the Property Browser:

1 From the View menu, point to Browser, and then choose Property.
The Property Browser appears.
2 Select an object on your page, or choose the object whose properties
you want to edit from the drop-down list at the top of the Property
Browser.
3 Click the User tab.
Chapter 7 Setting object properties 163

4 In the Name column, double-click Add New.

5 In the Add User Property dialog box, type a property name and property
value, and then click OK.
Instructor adds the property to the property list.
Chapter 8

Working with text

You can add text to your book using field objects, such as text
and record fields. Field objects on the pages and backgrounds of
your book can be used to convey information and instructions.
You can also add inline graphics to field objects to create visual
interest within text. This chapter describes how to create, format,
and use text in fields and record fields.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About fields 165
Working with fields 167
Creating fields 168
Setting field properties 170
Adding text to fields 174
Selecting and editing text 178
Formatting text in fields 182
Inserting inline graphics 187
Inserting special characters 189
Finding and replacing text 191
Working with record fields 193
Chapter 8 Working with text 165

About fields
Fields are objects that hold text. Before you can add text to your book,
you must add a field to contain that text. Instructor offers two basic types
of fields: text fields and record fields. A text field can be placed on a page
or on a background. If you place a text field on the background, the field
and the text it contains appear identically on every page that shares that
background. A record field must be placed on a background; unlike a text
field placed on the background, a record field can display different text on
every page that shares that background.

Consider the following guidelines when adding fields to your book:

◆ To display different text in the same position and in the same style on
every page that shares a particular background, use a record field
placed on the background.

◆ To display identical text in the same position and in the same style on
every page that shares a particular background, use a text field placed
on the background.

◆ To display text that appears on one particular page, use a text field
placed on the page (the foreground).

The Catalog provides a wide variety of text fields and record fields that
you can use to present information on the screen. To add text to your
page, you can drag the type of field you want from the Catalog to your
page. Then you can replace its placeholder text with your own text.
Chapter 8 Working with text 166

Figure 1
Text fields in the Catalog

Text fields and record fields, like other objects, have properties that you
can set to define their physical appearance, such as border style, font, and
fill color. In addition, some fields in the Catalog have extended properties
that you can set. These properties define the extended capabilities of a
field, such as automatic sizing, which you set in the object’s Extended
Properties dialog box. Together, these properties of a text object define its
appearance and interactive behavior in your application.
Chapter 8 Working with text 167

Working with fields

Like other objects, text and record fields have properties that define their
appearance and behavior. After you add a field to a page, you can type or
import text into it, and then edit, format, or apply a color to the text. You
can also resize and move the field.

Fields can contain graphics and hotwords. For example, you can insert
a graphic, such as a bitmap, into a field to create an inline graphic. You
can also select a word or phrase and make it a hotword. Hotwords act
as buttons: They can trigger an action, such as navigating to a page or
playing an animation. For details about creating hotwords, see Chapter 10,
“Working with buttons and hotwords.”
For the most part, you work with record fields in the same way that you
work with text fields. However, take care when cutting, pasting, or deleting
record fields. If you cut a record field from the background and paste it on
the page, it becomes a regular text field. In addition, removing the record
field from the background of one page removes it (and the data it contains)
from all pages that share that background. Instructor displays a warning if
you attempt to remove a record field.
Chapter 8 Working with text 168

Creating fields
There are three ways to create a text or record field. You can drag a field
from the Catalog to your page. Alternatively, you can create a field using
the Instructor tool palette. Finally, you can use OpenScript to draw a field.

Adding a field from the Catalog

The Catalog provides a wide variety of fields that you can use to present
text on the screen. In addition to basic text fields, you can choose special
fields that display shadowed text, formatted lists, or a marquee.

➤ To add a field from the Catalog:

1 Click the Catalog button on the Instructor toolbar to open the Catalog.

2 Select the Text Field category in the Catalog.

3 Choose the field you want from the object pane, and then drop it onto
your page or background.

Tip You can also double-click an object in the Catalog to add it to

your page.
Chapter 8 Working with text 169

Creating a field using the tool palette

There are three tools on the tool palette that you can use to draw Instructor
field objects:

◆ Field tool Use the field tool to draw a field. You can draw a field on
the page (foreground) or background.

◆ Borderless field tool Use the borderless field tool to draw a field
without a border. You can draw a borderless field on the page or
background.

◆ Record field tool Use the record field tool to draw a record field on
a background. This tool is disabled when you are working on the page
and becomes available when you switch to the background.

➤ To create a field using the tool palette:

1 From the View menu, point to Palettes and choose Tool.

2 Choose one of the field tools.

3 On your page, hold down the mouse button as you drag to draw a field.

Creating a field using OpenScript

You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.

◆ Use the draw command to draw a field or record field. Fields are
measured in page units. For example:

draw field from 1000,500 to 2000,3000

draw recordField from 1000,500 to 2000,3000
Chapter 8 Working with text 170

Setting field properties

You can select a field and then set its properties in the Properties for Text
Field or Properties for Record Field dialog box. Each tab in these dialog
boxes contains settings that allow you to specify some aspect of a field’s
behavior and appearance.

Figure 2
Properties for Text Field dialog box

Fields are identified by the same properties that identify other objects,
such as a name and ID number. Additional properties define specific
characteristics of fields. The field type property defines the type and
function of a field—for example, whether it is a wordwrap text field or
a multiple-select list box. A field also has properties that define its behavior
at run time, such as whether a field is editable (allows users to enter text)
or activated (locks the text and activates mouse events) at Reader level.
Chapter 8 Working with text 171

➤ To set the properties of a field:

1 Select the field, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
The Properties for Text Field or Properties for Record Field dialog box
appears.
2 Click one or more tabs and select or enter the options you want to set,
as described in the table below.

Instructor field properties

Click this tab... To do this...

Draw Set drawing options, border style, field type, color,

and visibility state options
Bounds Set the field’s position and size
Font Set the font, style, size, effects, and formatting
options
Paragraph Set text alignment, indentation, spacing, and tabs
Behavior Specify the field’s behavior at run time
Drag & Drop Specify the appearance and behavior of the field
when it is dragged or dropped at Reader level

3 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

You can also use the Actions Editor visual programming tool to create
action sequences that set certain field properties while the application is
running. For more information about the Actions Editor, see Chapter 15,
“Using the Actions Editor,” and Chapter 16, “Creating action sequences:
Practical examples.”
Chapter 8 Working with text 172

Modifying border style and field type

You can modify the basic appearance and function of a field by changing
your selections in the Border style and Field type lists (both appear on the
Draw tab of the Properties for Text Field or Properties for Record Field
dialog box). For example, you can apply a number of different border
styles to a field, as shown in Figure 3.

None Rectangle Scrolling

Shadowed Raised Inset

Figure 3
Field border styles

You can change the way text wraps within a field using the options in the
Field type list in the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 8 Working with text 173

Field type options

Option OpenScript value Result when applied

Wordwrap wordWrap Text wraps to the next line.

No wordwrap noWrap Text does not wrap to the
next line; text longer than
the width of the field truncates
at the field’s border. Pressing
the ENTER key, however,
creates a carriage return/
linefeed (CRLF)—that is, it
starts a new line.
Single line singleLineWrap Limits text to a single line;
text won’t wrap, and
a CRLF isn’t recognized.
Single-select singleSelect Limits user to selecting only
list box one item at a time from the
text options in a list box.

Multi-select multiSelect Allows user to select multiple

list box items in a list box.

Modifying the behavior of a field

You can set the properties of a field that define its behavior at Reader
level. For example, a field can either be editable or activated. When a
field is editable (the field allows typing), a user can enter text in the field
at Reader level. When a field is activated (the field locks the text and
activates mouse events), a user cannot edit the text. Instead, the field
responds to a mouse click the same way a button would: It performs a
defined action. For example, if a user clicks a hotword (containing a
defined hyperlink) in an activated field, Instructor navigates to a specified
page. For more information about hotwords, see Chapter 10, “Working
with buttons and hotwords.”
Chapter 8 Working with text 174

The following table describes the options available in the Properties

dialog box that define the behavior of a field at Reader level.

Field behavior options

Option Result when applied

Enable the field The field can receive the focus or mouse-event
messages at Reader level.
Allow users to enter The text in a field can be edited by users at
or modify text Reader level. This option is available when
a field is enabled.
Lock the text and The text in a field cannot be edited by users at
activate mouse events Reader level. Mouse events are activated (for
example, a hotword’s hyperlinks can be run).
This option is available when a field is enabled.

Adding text to fields

To add text to the pages of your application, you type or import the text
into a text or record field and format it using the options in the Properties
dialog box. You can also use the Clipboard to transfer text from another
application or between books, and incorporate preformatted text in Rich
Text Format. For details, see “Cutting, copying, and pasting text,” later in
this chapter.
Chapter 8 Working with text 175

Typing text
To select or enter text, double-click a field to switch Instructor from
object-selection mode to text-editing mode. You can also switch to text-
editing mode by selecting a field and then choosing Edit Text from the
Text menu.

➤ To type text:

Using the interface

1 Double-click the field.

2 If the field contains placeholder text, select the text that you want to
replace, and then type your text.

3 To end text-editing mode, click outside the field or press the ESC key.

Using OpenScript

◆ To enter text in a field, you set the text property of that field:

text of field "city" = "Yakima"

Tip After the insertion point appears in one editable field,

you can place the point in another editable field by clicking
only once.
Chapter 8 Working with text 176

Importing text
You can add text to your book from other programs by importing a file or
by copying and pasting a selection of text. When you add text from another
program, most character formatting is kept, and paragraph formatting
used in the first paragraph is applied to subsequent paragraphs in the
selection.
Instructor allows you to import text in Rich Text Format (RTF) or in ASCII
(American Standard Code for Information Interchange) format. Most text-
editing applications, such as Microsoft Word, allow you to save your text
in either of these formats.

➤ To import text:

1 Double-click the field into which you want to import text.

2 From the Insert menu, choose Text.

The Import Text dialog box appears.

3 In the List files of type list, select an RTF file (with an .rtf file extension)
or an ASCII text file (with a .txt file extension), and then click OK.

If your field already contains text, Instructor notifies you that the
current contents of your field will be replaced.

4 Click OK to continue, or click Cancel to preserve your existing content.

Note When you import text, Instructor replaces the entire contents
of the field. To avoid losing existing text, you can always import the
text into an empty field and copy and paste the text to the location
you want.
Chapter 8 Working with text 177

Copying and pasting text

from an RTF document
When you copy and paste text into Instructor from other programs that
support RTF, the text will retain most of its formatting. Paragraph format-
ting applied to the first paragraph is applied to subsequent paragraphs in
the selection.

Note When using RTF text, you may see paragraph formatting in
the source application that does not appear in Instructor. Although
some formatting may be lost, no text data is lost.

➤ To paste RTF text into Instructor:

1 In the source application, select the text you want, and then copy it
to the Clipboard.

2 In Instructor, double-click the field into which you want to paste

the text.
3 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Instructor pastes the text into the field or record field.

You can paste RTF text into other programs from Instructor via the Clip-
board using the Copy and Paste commands on the Edit menu. When you
copy text, Instructor places RTF text on the Clipboard. If the destination
program supports RTF, it uses this format when you paste the text. The
text retains the formatting that the destination program can recognize; for
example, Instructor exports color information for text, but some programs
can’t use color.
Chapter 8 Working with text 178

Selecting and editing text

You can select and edit the text in a field. For example, you can use the
Clipboard to cut, copy, or paste text in a field. The following sections
describe the basic techniques you use when working with text.

Navigating in text
You can double-click a field to create an I-beam called the insertion
point, which you use to indicate where you want text to be inserted when
you type. You can click with the mouse to move the insertion point within
any text in a field or to another field on the same page.

The following table describes the keyboard shortcuts you can use to
navigate in a text field.

Navigating in text
Press this key or
To move the insertion point... key combination...

One character left or right RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW

One text line up or down UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW

To the start of the text line HOME

To the end of the text line END
To the beginning of the text CTRL+HOME
To the end of the text CTRL+END

Within a large text block PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN

Chapter 8 Working with text 179

Selecting text
Before you can change the appearance of text, you must select it. Selecting
highlights just the text with which you want to work.

Selecting text
To... Do this...

Show the insertion point Double-click the field.

Select a character Click and drag over the character.
Select a word Double-click the word.
Extend a selection Hold down the SHIFT key and press a navigation
key to move the insertion point.
Select all the text Press CTRL+A.

Cutting, copying, and pasting text

You can cut or copy an entire field or any selected text in a field. You can
cut, copy, and paste text from one field to another.

Tip You can also cut, copy, and paste fields or selected text using
the right-click menu or using the standard Windows shortcut keys
CTRL+X, CTRL+C, and CTRL+V.
Chapter 8 Working with text 180

➤ To cut or copy text:

Using the interface

1 Select the text you want to cut or copy.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Cut or Copy.

Instructor places the selected text on the Clipboard.

Using OpenScript

◆ To copy the text, fonts, and styles of one field to another, set the
richText property of the field you want to receive the formats to the
richText of the field containing the desired formats:

richText of field "rats" = richText of field "mice"

◆ To copy the text of one field to another without copying the formatting,
set the text property of one field to the text property of the other:

text of field "rats" = text of field "mice"

◆ To copy the RTF codes separately from the text, set the text property of
one field to the richText property of another:

text of field "rats" = richText of field "mice"

Chapter 8 Working with text 181

➤ To paste text:

Using the interface

1 Copy the text you want to the Clipboard.

2 Double-click the field into which you want to paste text.

An insertion point appears in the upper-left corner.

3 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

4 To end text-editing mode, click outside the field or press the ESC key.

Using OpenScript

◆ You can use the send paste statement to paste the contents of the
Clipboard into a new field.

Deleting text
You can remove text from a field. If you delete text by mistake, immediately
choose Undo from the Edit menu to restore it; otherwise, your text will
be lost.

➤ To delete text:

1 Select the text you want to delete.

2 Press DELETE, press BACKSPACE, or choose Delete Selected Text from
the Edit menu.
Chapter 8 Working with text 182

Formatting text in fields

You can apply character formatting (such as font, style, color, and size)
and paragraph formatting (such as alignment, line spacing, indents, and
tab settings) to the text in a field using the Font and Paragraph tabs on
the Properties dialog box.

➤ To use the Properties dialog box to change text

and paragraph formatting for the entire field:

Using the interface

1 Select the field, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
The Properties dialog box appears.

2 Do one or both of the following:

◆ To change the font, style, size, or other text effects, click the Font
tab, and then select the options you want.
◆ To change the alignment, line spacing, indents, or tab settings, click
the Paragraph tab, and then select the options you want.
3 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 8 Working with text 183

Using OpenScript

◆ To change character style for the entire field using OpenScript, specify
the field name:

fontStyle of text of field "status" = bold

◆ To change the character style used in all fields on a page, select the
fields and set the font:

select all field

fontFace of selection = "Arial"
fontStyle of selection = "bold"

◆ To change the default text style, set the sysFontFace, sysFontStyle, and
sysFontSize properties:

sysFontFace = "Arial"
sysFontStyle = "bold"

◆ You can set the textAlignment, spacing, indents, tabType, and tabSpacing
field properties to modify paragraph formats. For example, to set line
spacing in a field:

spacing of field "employees" = 2

You can format specific characters by selecting them and applying character
styles to them. You can also change the character style of an entire field,
or set a default character style so that all of the text you enter has a
consistent format. Your default character style remains in effect for the
current session.
Chapter 8 Working with text 184

➤ To format specific characters in a field:

Using the interface

1 Select the text you want to format.

2 Click the Character button on the Instructor toolbar.

The Character dialog box appears.

3 Choose the font, style, size, and effects you want.

4 Click OK.

Using OpenScript

◆ To change character style of specific characters in a field using

OpenScript, select the text:

select textline 1 of text of field "status"

fontSize of selectedText = 12

Applying color to text

Instructor uses the current stroke and fill colors when you draw a field or
enter text in it. The stroke color determines the color of the text and the
border, and the fill color defines the background color. You change the
color of the text and background the same way you change the color of
any object—in the Properties dialog box. For details about coloring
objects, see Chapter 6, “Working with objects.” You can also apply colors
to specific characters.
Chapter 8 Working with text 185

➤ To format selected text with color:

Using the interface

1 Select the text you want to change.

2 Click the Color Tray button on the Instructor toolbar.

3 Click the Stroke Color button.

4 Choose the colors you want for the selected text.

Using OpenScript
◆ The strokeColor property defines the default color of text in a field or
record field. The fillColor property defines the color of the area within
the field. You can specify a color by its OpenScript keyword, such as
yellow or green, or you can use RGB (red, green, blue) or HLS (hue,
lightness, saturation) values. For example:

strokeColor of selectedText = blue

fillColor of field "address" = yellow
rgbStroke of selection = 0,255,0 --Sets text color to green
Chapter 8 Working with text 186

Formatting paragraph styles

By changing a field’s paragraph settings, you can change the appearance
of the field and the text it contains. Paragraph style always applies to an
entire field (unlike character style, which can be used to format specific
characters). You can change:

◆ text alignment.
◆ spacing between lines of text.

◆ tab settings for left-aligned or decimal-aligned text.

◆ left, right, and first-line indents (starting at the edge of the field).

Note Paragraph style applies to every instance of a record field; if

you center text in a record field on one page, the text in that record
field is centered on every page.

➤ To format paragraph style:

Using the interface

1 Select the field, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.

The Properties dialog box appears.

2 Click the Paragraph tab, and then select the settings you want for
alignment, line spacing, tabs, and indents.
3 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 8 Working with text 187

Using OpenScript

◆ You can set the textAlignment, spacing, indents, tabType, and tabSpacing
field properties to modify paragraph formats. For example, to set line
spacing in a field:

spacing of field "employees" = 2

Inserting inline graphics

You can insert an inline graphic anywhere in a field. Inline graphics are
graphics that are set within text and can include bitmaps, icons, or
cursors. When you add an inline graphic, the graphic is automatically
added to the book’s resources. For more information about book resources
in Instructor, see Chapter 17, “Using resources.”

Tip You can use inline graphics as hotwords. To create a hotword

from an inline graphic, create the inline graphic, and then select it.
Then, from the Text menu, choose Create Hotword. After you create
the hotword, you can right-click it, choose Hyperlink, and set its
hyperlink properties.

You can cut, copy, paste, or delete inline graphics just like any character.
Text formatted in RTF that contains bitmaps can be pasted into fields. The
bitmaps become inline graphics. In addition, you can drag bitmaps and
other graphic resources from the Media category of the Catalog to a field
to quickly create an inline graphic.
Inline graphics wrap to the next line as you add text, and the bottom of
each graphic is aligned along the text’s baseline. To add space above or
below an inline graphic, use the Superscript or Subscript command on
the Text menu.
Chapter 8 Working with text 188

➤ To insert an inline graphic:

Using the interface

1 Double-click the field to display the insertion point, and then move the
insertion point to where you want to insert the graphic.

2 Do one of the following:

◆ Drag a graphic object from the Media category of the Catalog to
the field.
◆ From the Text menu, choose Insert Graphic, choose or import the
graphic file you want, and then click OK.

Instructor inserts the graphic into the field.

Using OpenScript

◆ Use the insert graphic command to insert the graphic into a field:

insert graphic bitmap "Fog" into char 1 of textline 3 of \

text of field "Horn"
insert graphic icon "speaker" into last char of text of \
hotword "sound"
insert icon ID 100 after text of field ID 1
insert graphic bitmap "Fog" before text of focus
insert graphic cursor "wait" into char 2 of selectedText
Chapter 8 Working with text 189

Inserting special characters

You can also insert ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
characters to create curled single and double quotation marks (‘’ or “”),
em dashes (—), copyright (©) or trademark (™) symbols, and other helpful
characters. To type ANSI characters, hold down the ALT key, and then—
using the numeric keypad—type 0 and the ANSI number that corresponds
to the character you want. For example, to type a copyright symbol (©),
hold down the ALT key and type 0169.

Note Some font styles do not support the ANSI character set.
You may need to change fonts in order to use some ANSI
characters.

The table on the following page displays the ANSI character set.
Chapter 8 Working with text 190

The ANSI extended character set

0 † 32 † 64 @ 96 ` 128 § 160 192 À 224 à

1 † 33 ! 65 A 97 a 129 § 161 ¡ 193 Á 225 á
2 † 34 " 66 B 98 b 130 ‚ 162 ¢ 194 Â 226 â
3 † 35 # 67 C 99 c 131 ƒ 163 £ 195 Ã 227 ã
4 † 36 $ 68 D 100 d 132 „ 164 ¤ 196 Ä 228 ä
5 † 37 % 69 E 101 e 133 165 ¥ 197 Å 229 å
6 † 38 & 70 F 102 f 134 † 166 ¦ 198 Æ 230 æ
7 † 39 ' 71 G 103 g 135 ‡ 167 § 199 Ç 231 ç
8 ‡ 40 ( 72 H 104 h 136 ˆ 168 ¨ 200 È 232 è
9 ‡ 41 ) 73 I 105 i 137 ‰ 169 © 201 É 233 é
10 ‡ 42 * 74 J 106 j 138 Š 170 ª 202 Ê 234 ê
11 † 43 + 75 K 107 k 139 ‹ 171 « 203 Ë 235 ë
12 † 44 , 76 L 108 l 140 Œ 172 ¬ 204 Ì 236 ì
13 ‡ 45 - 77 M 109 m 141 § 173 - 205 Í 237 í
14 † 46 . 78 N 110 n 142 § 174 ® 206 Î 238 î
15 † 47 / 79 O 111 o 143 § 175 ¯ 207 Ï 239 ï
16 † 48 0 80 P 112 p 144 § 176 ° 208 Ð 240 ð
17 † 49 1 81 Q 113 q 145 ‘ 177 ± 209 Ñ 241 ñ
18 † 50 2 82 R 114 r 146 ’ 178 ² 210 Ò 242 ò
19 † 51 3 83 S 115 s 147 “ 179 ³ 211 Ó 243 ó
20 † 52 4 84 T 116 t 148 ” 180 ´ 212 Ô 244 ô
21 † 53 5 85 U 117 u 149 • 181 µ 213 Õ 245 õ
22 † 54 6 86 V 118 v 150 – 182 ¶ 214 Ö 246 ö
23 † 55 7 87 W 119 w 151 — 183 · 215 × 247 ÷
24 † 56 8 88 X 120 x 152 ˜ 184 ¸ 216 Ø 248 ø
25 † 57 9 89 Y 121 y 153 ™ 185 ¹ 217 Ù 249 ù
26 † 58 : 90 Z 122 z 154 š 186 º 218 Ú 250 ú
27 † 59 ; 91 [ 123 { 155 › 187 » 219 Û 251 û
28 † 60 < 92 \ 124 | 156 œ 188 ¼ 220 Ü 252 ü
29 † 61 = 93 ] 125 } 157 § 189 ½ 221 Ý 253 ý
30 † 62 > 94 ^ 126 ~ 158 § 190 ¾ 222 Þ 254 þ
31 † 63 ? 95 _ 127 § 159 Ÿ 191 ¿ 223 ß 255 ÿ

† No conversion for this character.

‡ Values 8, 9, 10, and 13 convert to backspace, tab, linefeed, and carriage return, respectively.
§ Values 127–129, 141–144, and 157–158 vary depending on the font manufacturer.
Chapter 8 Working with text 191

Finding and replacing text

You can use the Find command on the Edit menu to search for text, and
the Replace command if you also want to specify replacement text.

Instructor searches the entire book starting on the current page and
prompts you to start over when it reaches the end of the book. If you
want to limit the search, you can select one of the options in the Find
dialog box. You can search for text in:
◆ all fields and list boxes shown on the current page.

◆ record fields on all pages that share the same background.

You can also customize your search using the Match whole word only
option. For example, if you specify “the” in the Find what box, Instructor
ignores “these.” Or you can use the Match case option to find only text
that matches the capitalization you entered in the Find what box. For
example, if you enter “Hello World,” Instructor ignores “Hello world.”
Fields that you have hidden cannot be searched using the Find or Replace
commands. However, Instructor does search fields that are obscured by
another object (including the Find dialog box) or are outside the bounds
of the window. Instructor scrolls the text in a field to display found text,
and the Find button changes to Find Next.
To be sure you will see all found text, choose Size to Page from the Page
menu, or click the Maximize button before using the Find or Replace
command.
If your application uses the Find and Replace commands at Reader level,
users of your application will be able to search fields and record fields.
Instructor can find text in activated fields, but at Reader level this text
cannot be edited.
Chapter 8 Working with text 192

➤ To find or replace text:

1 From the Edit menu, choose Find or Replace.

2 Enter the text for which you want to search in the Find what box. If
you are replacing text, enter the new text in the Replace with box.

3 Choose search options, if appropriate.

You can choose to match a whole word and to match uppercase and
lowercase text.

4 Click Find to start the search.

Instructor finds and highlights the first occurrence of the text. If
the text is on a different page, Instructor goes to the page and then
highlights the text.

5 To replace the text, click Replace.

6 Click Find Next to find the next occurrence of the text.

When Instructor reaches the end of the book, you are prompted to
continue searching from the beginning of the book. Click Yes or No.
When you finish searching, close the Find or Replace dialog box.
Chapter 8 Working with text 193

Working with record fields

You can add record fields to your book using the record field tool on the
Instructor tool palette. Because you can place a record field only on the
background of a page, you will notice that this tool is disabled when you
are working on the foreground.

Like any object placed on a background, a record field appears in the same
style and in the same position on any page that shares that background.
However, unlike a regular text field placed on the background, a record
field allows you to enter and display different text from page to page.
Instructor can also sort pages and print reports using record fields.

Using record fields to display information

Record fields are ideal for consistently presenting information that varies
from page to page, such as address and phone lists or client contact
records. After you’ve created the record field on the background, you can
enter text into it on any page that shares that background by switching to
the foreground (press F4), double-clicking the record field, and then typing
your text. You can type different text into the record field on each page.
For example, if you have a record field on a background, and that back-
ground is shared by five pages, you can type different text into each of the
record fields; Instructor will then display different text on all five pages.

Tip To prevent users from typing text into a record field in which
you’re displaying text or inline graphics, in the Properties for Record
Field dialog box, select the Lock the text and activate mouse events
if the field is enabled check box.
Chapter 8 Working with text 194

A record field
displays different
text on every page.

Figure 4
A record field displays text in same location on pages that share the background

Using record fields for

Reader-level data entry
You can use record fields to create a form into which your users enter data
at Reader level. For example, you might set up a product catalog to index
all the software products used at your company, where each data-entry
field is actually a record field.
Chapter 8 Working with text 195

Record fields are a good choice for creating data-entry applications,

because Instructor can print reports or sort pages using record fields.

Importing pages with record fields

You can import pages that contain record fields from another book into
the current book using the Paste command on the Edit menu or using the
OpenScript import command. When you import pages, Instructor inserts
the pages into the destination book after the current or specified page.

Note If you paste record fields into your book using the Paste
command, be sure that you are on the background when you paste;
otherwise, Instructor will create text fields from them.

When you import pages and choose not to include the source book’s
backgrounds, Instructor adds the record field text to the destination
book’s record field text if the source and destination books’ record field
names or ID numbers match. If the source and destination books’ record
field names or ID numbers do not match, the source record field text is
added to the destination record field using layer order. The source book’s
first record field is mapped to the destination book’s first record field. If
the source book contains more record fields than the destination book,
the extra record field text is not mapped to a destination record field.

Sorting pages by record field

Sorting is the process of putting pages in order according to the contents
of one or more record fields. Generally, you sort pages to put them in the
order in which you expect them to be used. For example, you might sort
a library catalog alphabetically by author or title. Use the Sort Pages
command on the Tools menu to sort pages using the text of any record
field according to the sort type you specify.
Chapter 8 Working with text 196

Because sorting is based on record fields, only the set of pages that share
the same background can be sorted; however, within that set you can
specify a range of pages to sort. If your application is designed so that a
user can add entries, you can provide sorting at Reader level using the
Sort dialog box, or you can design your own sorting option using the
OpenScript sort command. The sort command is much more flexible and
can sort across books using any page-based comparison.

For details about using the sort command, refer to its entry in the
OpenScript reference in online Help.

➤ To sort pages by record field:

Using the interface

1 From the Tools menu, choose Sort Pages, or press SHIFT+F5.

The Sort dialog box appears.

2 Select the record field by which you want to sort in the Available
record fields box, and then click Add.

If you want to add more than one record field to the Sort on record
field(s) list, you must select each individually and click Add for each
one. Instructor sorts pages using the record fields in the order that you
have selected them.
Chapter 8 Working with text 197

3 Under Sort order, choose Ascending or Descending.

4 Under Sort type, choose one of the following:

◆ Text Sorts pages in alphanumeric or reverse alphanumeric order
using the text entered in the record field.

◆ Number Sorts pages in numeric or reverse numeric order using the

numbers entered in the record field.

◆ Date Sorts pages using the date entered in the record field. For
example, if you choose Ascending, Instructor puts a page with the
date 08/18/68 before a page with the date 02/07/93. Instructor uses
the date format set by the sysDateFormat property.
◆ Name Sorts pages using the name entered in the record field.
Instructor uses the last word in this field for sorting. For example, if
you choose Ascending, Instructor puts a page with the name “Zoe Z.
Benton” before a page with the name “Angela Victor.”

If Instructor encounters data that does not match the type you have
specified (for example, text in a field that you’re sorting as a date), it
places that page at the end.

5 Click OK to sort the pages.

Using OpenScript

◆ To sort pages, use the sort command with any expression that can be
evaluated in the context of a page, such as page name or page ID
number. Alternatively, specify a range of pages with an expression.
For example:

sort pages 1 to pageCount of this book by ascending text \

name of this page

When you sort pages by a record field treated as a name, Instructor treats
the first word in the first paragraph as a first name, the second word as
Chapter 8 Working with text 198

a middle name, and the third word as a last name. Additional words are
ignored. Instructor sorts by last name, then by first name, and finally by
middle name or initial. A one-word paragraph is considered a last name;
two words are considered to be first and last name, in that order. Two
words concatenated with the tilde (~) character are evaluated as one
word. For example, “Hubert Van~Beek” is sorted by “Van Beek” but
“Hubert Van Beek,” is sorted by “Beek.” The tilde appears only onscreen
and is not printed. Any amount of additional text can follow the first
paragraph.
Chapter 9

Using graphics

This chapter describes how you can use graphics in ToolBook

Instructor to enhance the visual appearance of your application.
With Instructor, you can paste or import graphics into your
application, drag graphics from the Catalog to your application,
and assign resources to the objects in your book. This chapter
describes how to add graphics and modify them in your
application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About graphics 200
Using graphics on the Internet 201
Adding graphics to your book 201
Modifying graphics 205
Chapter 9 Using graphics 200

About graphics
You can paste or import graphics created in other programs into your
ToolBook Instructor application. When you paste or import a graphic,
Instructor creates one of the following types of graphic objects:

◆ Picture object Instructor stores picture objects in the Windows

Metafile Format (WMF), a file format for vector graphics. A vector
graphic can be an image comprising a collection of lines or a pixel-
based image that is resizable.
◆ Paint object Instructor stores paint objects in the bitmap (BMP) file
format. Bitmaps consist of small dots that form an image that is not
resizable.

Picture objects contain a richer set of graphical instructions than paint

objects. When deciding whether to add a graphic as a picture object or
paint object, consider that Instructor usually displays paint objects faster.

To identify the graphic type at a glance, right-click the graphic. The top
bar identifies the graphic type by the icon shown on the left .

Figure 1
Right-click menu for an imported graphic
Chapter 9 Using graphics 201

Using graphics on the Internet

When you publish your application to the Web, Instructor exports all
paint and picture objects to Internet-compatible file formats. Picture objects
and 8-bit paint objects are converted to GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)
files. Paint objects that contain more than 256 colors will be converted to
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) files. If your book contains bitmaps
that were added as resources, all 8-bit bitmap images are converted to GIF
files, and 16-bit and 24-bit bitmap images are converted to JPEG files.

Adding graphics to your book

Although you can copy, paste, and insert graphics into your book, there
is an advantage to adding graphics as resources. Resources are files that
can be used multiple times in your Instructor book. The advantage of using
graphics as resources is that your file size does not increase each time you
use the same graphic. Buttons and placeholders from the Catalog can
display graphics and store the graphics as resources.
You can incorporate graphics into your Instructor application in several
ways. You can:
◆ use the Reusable Graphic object from the Placeholder cateogry of the
Catalog.
◆ use the Clipboard to copy and paste a graphic.
◆ use the Graphic command on the Insert menu to import a graphic.
◆ use the Properties dialog box to assign a graphic to a button as
a resource.
Chapter 9 Using graphics 202

Pasting graphics from the Clipboard

You can use the Clipboard to copy a graphic from another application
and paste it into Instructor, as well as to copy and paste a graphic from
another Instructor book into the current one. In addition, you can paste
graphics into text fields and record fields, creating inline graphics. For
details about inline graphics, see Chapter 8, “Working with text.”

➤ To copy and paste a picture object or paint object:

1 Run the application that contains the graphic you want to paste.

2 Select the graphic, and then copy it to the Clipboard.

3 In Instructor, go to the page or background on which you want to paste
the graphic.
4 Do one of the following:

◆ From the Edit menu, choose Paste. Instructor adds the graphic in the
richest file format that the copied graphic will yield.
◆ From the Edit menu, choose Paste Special. In the As list, select a file
format, and then click OK. Instructor adds the graphic in the file
format you selected.

Instructor places the picture object or paint object in the upper-left

corner of the current page or background. The image may be framed
with a border. If you don’t want a border, go to the Draw tab of the
object’s Properties dialog box and select None from the Line style list.

Note Be sure to edit or resize a paint object before

you paste or import it, because you cannot edit the image
in Instructor.
Chapter 9 Using graphics 203

Importing graphics
When you import a graphic using the Graphic command on the Insert
menu, Instructor uses an import filter to convert the graphic file to a
picture object or paint object.
To import graphics, you must have the appropriate graphic filters installed
on your system. An import filter is a program Instructor runs to convert a
graphic to a format it can use. The Files of type list in the Import Graphic
dialog box shows the filters available to you.

➤ To import a picture object or paint object:

Using the interface

1 From the Insert menu, choose Graphic.
Instructor displays the Import Graphic dialog box.
2 Navigate to and select a file from the list.
3 Click Insert.
Instructor imports the graphic object and frames it with a border. If
you don’t want a border, go to the Draw tab of the object’s Properties
dialog box and select None from the Line style list.

Using OpenScript
You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.
◆ To import a graphic, use the importGraphic command. Specify the file
name and extension, along with the complete path, if necessary. For
example:

importGraphic "c:\windows\city.bmp"
Chapter 9 Using graphics 204

Using graphics from the Catalog

The Media category of the Catalog contains bitmap graphics, icons, and
other images that you can use in your application. You simply drag the
bitmap or graphic you want from the Catalog to your target object. For
example, you can drop graphic objects on:
◆ pages or backgrounds to create bitmap graphics.
◆ buttons, graphic placeholders, and question objects to change their
assigned graphic.
◆ fields to create inline graphics.
◆ backgrounds to create tiled backdrops.
When you use a graphic from the Catalog, Instructor creates a graphic
resource, which you can reuse. For more information about using book
resources, see Chapter 17, “Using resources.” For more information about
the Catalog, see Chapter 5, “Working with the Catalog.”

Assigning a graphic resource to an object

A resource is a file that you can use multiple times in your Instructor
application. For example, to make your interface more graphical and
consistent with other Windows applications, you can apply bitmaps to
various button states (normal, checked, and so forth) using the Properties
for Button dialog box. These bitmaps can be stored as resources in a
common library, making them available to all other objects in the book
that can use that type of resource.
Most of the graphics that you use in Instructor will be stored as resources.
For more information about managing graphics as resources, see
Chapter 17, “Using resources.”
Chapter 9 Using graphics 205

Storing graphic files in Instructor

All graphic objects are stored in a ToolBook proprietary format with
persistent properties (such as size and border style). Imported graphic
objects have additional information attached that tells Windows what
kind of graphic the object is and how to display it. A vector graphic is
converted into an Instructor version of the Windows Metafile Format
when it is imported into Instructor. This conversion takes place whether
the original file was a metafile (with a .cgm or .wmf extension) or in
another format, such as TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) or EPS
(Encapsulated PostScript).

Modifying graphics
Like other objects, graphics have properties that you can set to modify
their appearance or behavior. You can modify an imported graphic in
several ways, depending on the type of object. For example, you can:

◆ crop paint objects by adjusting the bounding box.

◆ change the line style and color of the border of an imported
graphic object.
◆ convert picture objects to paint objects.

◆ create transparent areas in paint objects.

The following sections describe the techniques you use to modify objects.

Cropping paint objects

In Instructor, you can adjust the handles around a paint object to show
only a portion of the original image.
Chapter 9 Using graphics 206

If you move the handles of a paint object, Instructor crops the right side
of the image to fit within the new bounding box size. If you try to make
a paint object larger than its original size, Instructor adds a transparent
area around the image. If you move the handles of a picture object, the
image is resized.

Original paint object Cropped paint object

Figure 2
Cropped paint object

➤ To crop a paint object:

1 Select the paint object to display its handles.
2 Drag a handle to display only the desired portion of the image within
the bounding box.

Using OpenScript
◆ Adjust the size of a paint object by setting its bounds property:

bounds of paintobject "flower" = 100, 100, 2000, 2000

Chapter 9 Using graphics 207

Changing the line style and

border color of an imported graphic
After you have imported a graphic, you can apply a line style and a stroke
color to its border in the Properties dialog box. Applying a fill color to a
bitmap or picture object has no effect; all colors except the border color
must be applied or created before you import the graphic into Instructor.

➤ To change the line style and border color of an imported

graphic:

Using the interface

1 Select the graphic, and then click the Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.
2 In the Properties dialog box, click the Draw tab.

3 In the Line style list, select the line style you want.
4 Click Stroke color.

A color palette opens.

5 From the color palette, choose the color you want.

Instructor applies the color to the graphic object’s border.

6 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Using OpenScript

◆ An imported graphic object is framed with a border set to the current

value of sysLineStyle. If you do not want a border, set the object’s
lineStyle to none. To change the border’s color, specify values for the
object’s strokeColor.
Chapter 9 Using graphics 208

Converting picture objects to paint objects

In some cases, you might want to convert a picture object to a paint
object. For example, you might want to improve the performance of an
application that contains many picture objects, or you might want to crop
an image originally imported as a picture object.

Important This conversion cannot be reversed. Make a

backup copy of the picture object before you convert it to
a paint object.

➤ To convert a picture object to a paint object:

Using the interface

1 Select the picture object, and then click the Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.

2 In the Properties dialog box, click the Draw tab, and then click Convert
to Paint Object.

Instructor displays a warning that the conversion you are about to

perform cannot be undone.
3 Click OK to convert the object, or click Cancel to cancel the conversion.

4 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Tip If your Instructor application will run on a variety of systems,

check the paint object display on several display devices to ensure
that the appearance of the converted object is acceptable.
Chapter 9 Using graphics 209

Using OpenScript

◆ To convert a picture object to a paint object, send the convertPicture

message:

selection = picture ID 3
send convertPicture

After the picture object is converted to a paint object, you can adjust its
handles to crop the image.

Creating transparent areas in paint objects

You can create paint objects with transparent areas. When you select the
Use fill color as chromakey check box in the Properties dialog box,
Instructor uses a paint object’s fill color to determine the transparent
portion of the graphic. Only the portions of the graphic that match the fill
color will become transparent.
For example, let’s say that you import a graphic of a red logo against a
black background, and you want to place the logo on a white page of
your book. Instead of presenting the logo on the black background, you
want the logo alone to “float” on the white page. If you set the fill color
of the graphic to black, the original black background of the logo graphic
will be transparent—that is, it will not be visible—and the logo will
appear by itself on your page.

➤ To set the chromakey property of a paint object:

Using the interface

1 Select the paint object, and then click the Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.

2 In the Properties dialog box, click the Draw tab, and then select Use fill
color as chromakey.
Chapter 9 Using graphics 210

3 Click Fill color, and then choose the color you want to be transparent
in the paint object.
4 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Using OpenScript
◆ To set the chromakey property of a paint object, send the
useChromakey and fillcolor messages:

useChromakey of paintObject "tiger" = true

fillColor of paintObject "tiger" = green

You can also set transparent areas in bitmap resources. For more
information, see Chapter 17, “Using resources.”
PART III

Adding interactive
features to your application

Using powerful objects from the Catalog, you can build dynamic, interactive
applications to present your learning material. In this part of the ToolBook
Instructor User Guide, you will learn about using buttons; creating a quiz
using question objects; hiding, showing, and animating objects; and using
multimedia in your application.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files
Chapter 10

Working with buttons

and hotwords

You can add buttons and hotwords to your application when you
want your users to interact with your book. A ToolBook Instructor
button, like any Windows button, is an object that the user can
click to cause something to happen. A hotword is a selection of
text that the user can click like a button. Buttons and hotwords
can be used to navigate between pages, as controls for setting
options, to start and stop an animation, and for a variety of other
uses. This chapter describes how to use buttons and hotwords in
your application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About buttons 213
Defining how buttons look 213
Using and modifying buttons 214
Adding a graphic to a button 224
About hotwords 229
Creating and modifying hotwords 230
Editing hotwords 232
Removing hotwords 234
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 213

About buttons
Buttons facilitate user interaction. They are commonly used as controls—
to turn options on and off, to navigate between pages, or to choose one
option from among a related set of options. For example, a button can:
◆ take the user to another page or a Web site.

◆ start an animation or a video.

◆ allow users to check their responses to questions or score their work.

Defining how buttons look

The Catalog contains a wide variety of buttons, from prebuilt navigation
objects to question and answer objects.

Figure 1
Buttons are used to provide choices and control actions
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 214

A button’s appearance is defined by various property settings that you

can specify. For example, a button’s border style is a property that deter-
mines whether the button appears as a rectangle, a radio button, a check
box, or some other type of button. For more information about border
styles and other button properties, see “Setting button properties,” later in
this chapter.

In addition to different border styles, a button also has a state, indicating

its active status, which you can represent with a graphic. You can assign
a graphic to a button in the Properties for Button dialog box. For details
about adding a graphic to a button, see “Adding a graphic to a button,”
later in this chapter.

Using and modifying buttons

There are three ways to create a button. You can drag a button with the
functionality you want from the Catalog to your page. You can also create
a button using the Instructor tool palette. Finally, you can use OpenScript
to draw a button.
After you have created a button, you can set properties that determine
how the button looks—for example, you can format its border style, color,
or caption text—using the Properties for Button dialog box.
Buttons that you draw using either the tool palette or OpenScript, as well
as the general-use buttons available in the Catalog, do not have pre-
defined behaviors. These buttons can be hyperlinked to other locations or
programmed in the Actions Editor to perform a variety of tasks. Alterna-
tively, you can use OpenScript to define any aspect of a button’s behavior
and appearance.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 215

Adding a button from the Catalog

The Catalog contains a wide variety of basic button objects for general
use, as well as buttons with extended properties designed for specific
purposes, such as media players, navigation panels, and question
objects. To add a button to your book, drag it from the Catalog to a
page or background and then define its properties in the Properties for
Button dialog box.

➤ To create a button and set its properties:

1 Click the Catalog button on the Instructor toolbar to open the Cata-
log.
2 In the Catalog, explore the categories that contain buttons.

For example, general-use buttons are available from the Buttons

category. Buttons with built-in functionality are available from these
categories: Action Objects, Scoring and Tracking Objects, Navigation
Objects, and Media Players.
3 Drag the button you want from the object pane, and then drop it
onto your page.
4 Select the button, and then click the Properties button on the In-
structor toolbar.

5 In the Properties for Button dialog box, select or enter the properties
you want.

6 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

Some buttons, such as the buttons in a navigation set, also have ex-
tended properties that you can specify. To quickly determine whether a
button has extended properties, you can select the button and view the
Extended Properties button on the toolbar which becomes available if
the button has extended properties.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 216

Creating a button using the tool palette

There are six tools on the tool palette that you can use to draw Instructor
button objects:
◆ Pushbutton tool Use a pushbutton to prompt a user action, such as
navigation from one page to another.
◆ Label Button tool Use a label button to provide quick access to the
button’s functionality without the use of a mouse. The user presses the
ALT key in combination with the underlined letter in the button’s
caption to achieve a button click.

◆ Radio Button and Radio Button 3D tools Use a radio button

in a group to allow the user choose one option from a set of mutually
exclusive options. When one option in the group is selected, the others
are not selected.
◆ Check Box and Check Box 3D tools Use a check box to
allow a user to turn options on and off.

➤ To create a button using the tool palette:

1 From the tool palette, choose the button tool of your choice.
2 Click on your page and drag the cursor until the button is the
desired size.

Creating a button using OpenScript

You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor
or Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 217

➤ To create a button using OpenScript:

◆ Use the draw command with the button object type, specifying the
bounds of the button in page units. For convenience, you can assign
a name to the button immediately after drawing it. For example, to
draw a one-inch-square pushbutton:
draw button from 1440,1440 to 2880,2880
name of selection = "Next Page"

Setting button properties

You can select a button and then set its properties in the Properties for
Button dialog box. Each tab contains properties that set some aspect of
a button’s behavior and appearance.

➤ To set the properties of a button:

1 Select the button, and then click the Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.
The Properties for Button dialog box appears.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 218

2 Click one or more tabs and select or enter the options you want to set,
as described in the table below.

Instructor button properties

Click this tab... To do this...

Draw Set the caption text and position, border style,

drawing and highlight options, color options, and
current state options

Graphics Specify a button graphic and set graphic options for

each button state
Bounds Set the button’s position and size
Font Set the font, style, size, effects, and formatting
options
Behavior Specify the button’s behavior at run time
Drag & Drop Specify the appearance and behavior of the button
when it is dragged or dropped at Reader level

3 Optional. Close the Properties for Button dialog box.

Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 219

Using OpenScript

To specify properties for the button, set the:

◆ caption property to specify the text that appears on the button:

caption of button "Next Page" = "Next Page"

◆ captionPosition property to specify where the caption appears. If you

have a graphic attached to the button, this property sets the caption
relative to the graphic; if you don’t have a graphic, this property
centers the caption:

captionPosition of button "Next Page" = left

◆ highlight property to see a visual indication when the button is clicked:

highlight of button "Next Page" = true

◆ excludeTab property to exclude the button from the tab order:

excludeTab of button "Next Page" = true

◆ enabled property to determine whether the button is dimmed or

available (false dims the button):

enabled of button "Next Page" = false

◆ borderStyle property to specify the button’s border style:

borderStyle of button "Off" = checkBox

Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 220

You can specify a variety of button border styles using the Properties for
Button dialog box or OpenScript.

Button border styles

Example Border style OpenScript value

None none

Pushbutton pushbutton

Command commandbutton

Rectangle rectangle

Rounded rounded

Shadowed shadowed

Check Box checkBox

Check Box 3D checkBox3D

Radio Button radioButton

Radio Button 3D radioButton3D

Label Button label

Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 221

Formatting caption text

You can specify various character settings for a button’s caption in the
Properties for Button dialog box.

➤ To format a button’s caption:

1 Select the button, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
2 Click the Font tab in the Properties for Button dialog box.
3 Choose the font, style, size, effects, and other options you want.
4 Optional. Close the Properties for Button dialog box.

Tip Because text doesn’t wrap in a button caption, you might need
to resize a button to encompass its caption. For multiple lines of
text, use a field instead of a button.

You can also specify an access key for a button, which appears as an
underlined character in the button’s caption. An access key allows a user
to achieve a button click via the keyboard. The user can either click the
button with the mouse or press the ALT key in combination with the
underlined character in the caption. To set the access key, type an
ampersand (&) before the letter you want to use as the access key. For
example, to create the caption Style, where e is the access key, type Styl&e.

Creating hyperlinks
Hyperlinks allow you to connect information in a variety of ways. For
example, you can define a hyperlink that navigates to or pops up a
related page to display more information about a topic. You can also
define special effects for hyperlinks. For example, when the link goes to
another page, you can specify a transition effect. When the link pops up
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 222

another page, you can select a style for the pop-up window. In addition,
you can create links that navigate to a URL on the Internet or an intranet.

➤ To create a hyperlink for a button:

1 Right-click the button, and then choose Hyperlink from the

right-click menu.

The Hyperlink dialog box appears.

2 In the Type of link list, select the kind of link you want to use.

3 Optional. If you want to display the page in a window you’ve created

using a viewer, select the name of the viewer in the In window list.

4 Under Link to, select or enter the page or URL option you want.
5 Optional. Do one of the following:

◆ Specify a transition effect for the hyperlink. Transition effects are

available only when you choose Go to another page as the type of
link you want to use.

◆ Specify a style for the hyperlink’s pop-up window. These settings are
available only when you choose Pop up another page as the type of
link you want to use.
6 Click OK.

For more information about hyperlinks and linking options, see Chapter 6,
“Working with objects.”
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 223

Scripting a button
You can write a script specifying how a button should behave using the
script editor. For example, the following script displays a question in a
pop-up dialog box and responds to a user’s choice:

Note Keep in mind that you should not write scripts for
objects if you plan to export your book to DHTML.

to handle buttonClick
request "Do you want to continue?" with Yes or No
if it = yes
go to next page
end if
end buttonClick

Like any other object, buttons can be grouped. You can write a script that
sets the behavior of individual buttons and the behavior of the group. For
example, you might create several buttons and write a script for each that
defines the behavior of a specific tool. You could then group the buttons
into a tool palette and write a script to define different aspects of the
group’s behavior, such as the default location of the palette.
For details about using OpenScript to define button behavior, refer to the
Programming in OpenScript online book.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 224

Programming a button with the Actions Editor

You can use the Actions Editor to easily program the behavior of a button
without using OpenScript. In the Actions Editor, you can program a button
to play media, prompt users for input, and accomplish a variety of other
tasks by linking an action or series of actions to a button click. You can
also set conditions for behavior or insert loops that execute the same
actions repeatedly. The behavior that you create using the Actions
Editor will export to DHTML automatically by using the ToolBook
Web Specialist.

For details about using the Actions Editor to add interactive behavior
to your applications, see Chapter 15, “Using the Actions Editor,” and
Chapter 16, “Creating action sequences: Practical examples.”

Adding a graphic to a button

Graphics can help convey the purpose and availability of a button to the
user. For example, you might use a graphic to indicate that a button is
disabled. You can use graphics in combination with a caption, or leave
the caption off altogether.

You can assign a graphic to a button state using the Properties for Button
dialog box. Alternatively, you can add a graphic to a button by dragging
a graphic object from the Catalog to the button. You can also use
OpenScript to define this property. You can assign as many as four
different graphics to a button (one for each of the four button states).
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 225

Graphics for each button state

Dialog box OpenScript
option property Description

Normal normalGraphic Displayed when button is in its

normal state
Invert invertGraphic Displayed when button is being
pressed

Disabled disabledGraphic Displayed when button is disabled

Checked checkedGraphic Displayed when button is checked,
(or Rollover) or displayed as the rollover graphic
when the mouse pauses over the
button if this option is selected in
the Properties for Button dialog box

➤ To add a graphic to a button:

Using the interface

1 Select the button to which you want to add a graphic, and then click
the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.
2 In the Properties dialog box, click the Graphics tab.

3 Under Button graphics, choose a button state (Normal, Invert, Disabled,

or Checked), and then click Choose Graphic.
The Choose Graphic dialog box appears.
4 Select the type of resource you want (bitmap, cursor, or icon) in the
Available resources list.
The resources listed in the Choose Graphic dialog box include all
the resources of the selected type that have been imported into the
current book. Any new resources you import are added to the book’s
resource list.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 226

5 Do one of the following:

◆ To use an existing resource, select the graphic you want in the
graphical list of resources.
◆ To import a new resource, click Import. In the Import Graphic or
Import Resource dialog box, locate the graphic file you want and
click OK; then, select the resource in the graphical list of resources.
6 Click OK to close the Choose Graphic dialog box.
7 Optional. Under Graphic options, do one or more of the following:
◆ If you want the bitmap to fill the button, select Stretch the graphic
to fit the button. (You cannot stretch icons or cursors because they
have a fixed size.)
◆ If you want the button to size itself to the graphic, select Size the
button to fit the graphic.
◆ If you want to use the Checked graphic as the rollover graphic (the
graphic you see when the pointer is paused over a button), select
Use checked graphic as rollover graphic.
8 Repeat steps 3–7 to assign graphic resources for the other button states.
9 Optional. Close the Properties for Button dialog box.
You might need to resize the button to see the graphic.

Using OpenScript
◆ To apply a graphic to a button, set the checkedGraphic, disabledGraphic,
invertGraphic, or normalGraphic property of a button to a bitmap,
cursor, or icon resource. For example:

normalGraphic of button "Baseball"=icon "Ball1"

Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 227

Creating transparent areas in a bitmap

You can create transparent areas in paint objects and bitmaps that you
have added to your book as a resource with the Use chromakey option.
The Use chromakey option appears in the Resource Manager dialog box,
on the Graphics tab of the Properties for Button dialog box, and on the
Draw tab of the Properties for Background dialog box. Instructor uses the
Use chromakey setting in conjunction with a color value to determine the
portions of the bitmap that will be transparent.

Note The Use chromakey option is applied to all instances of a

resource in your book. For example, if the same bitmap resource is
used as a graphic in a button and as an inline graphic in a field,
both instances of the bitmap display the transparency.

Use chromakey

Figure 2
The Use chromakey option
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 228

➤ To create a transparent area in a bitmap:

1 In the Properties for Button dialog box, click the Graphics tab.

2 Under Button graphics, select the button state (Normal, Invert, Disabled,
or Checked) containing the bitmap in which you want to create a
transparent area.

For more information about assigning a bitmap to a button state, see

the preceding section, “Adding a graphic to a button.”

3 Select Use chromakey, and then click the Color button.

4 In the Color dialog box, select a color, and then click OK.

Portions of the bitmap resource that match this color value become
transparent.

Displaying the graphic and caption

You can adjust the layout of a button’s caption in relation to the button
graphic. By default, Instructor displays a caption below the graphic in
pushbuttons and command buttons, and to the right of the graphic in
check boxes and radio buttons. Specify the position of the button graphic
in relation to the caption on the Draw tab of the Properties for Button
dialog box. If there is no graphic assigned to a button, the position setting
has no effect for most button types.

Figure 3
Caption position is relative to the button graphic
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 229

About hotwords
Hotwords are special areas of text that you can create within fields. You
can make a hotword from any group of characters in a field. For example,
a hotword can be a few characters, a word, a phrase, a sentence, or all
the text in a field. Several hotwords can appear in the same sentence, but
no two hotwords can overlap. Inline graphics can also be hotwords.

Hotwords function much like buttons, except that they are part of the text
of a field. At Reader level, a user can click a hotword to navigate or
perform some other action. The user can easily identify a hotword because
the pointer changes to a hand when it is paused over a hotword.A
hotword generates events and sends messages to other objects.
Tip You can create hotwords that play media using
a special media player object from the Catalog.

Hotwords are invaluable for building interactive books capable of complex

actions. Instead of using many buttons on a page for all of the options
you want to give users, you can make text function as an important part
of a book’s programmed actions. Hotwords provide another level of
individual control in the interface. For example, you can use hotwords
to define difficult terminology, saving space and allowing you to create
an application appropriate for more than one level of expertise. Experts
don’t have to search through a lot of definitions, while novices can
access the information they need.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 230

Creating and modifying hotwords

You create and modify hotwords at Author level. Like other Instructor
objects, hotwords have properties that you can set to define their physical
appearance. After you create a hotword, you define a hyperlink for it.

Note In order for Instructor to run a hyperlink, a text field must be

set to recognize mouse events. On the Behavior tab of the Properties
for Text Field dialog box, the option labeled Lock the text and
activate mouse events must be selected.

➤ To create a hotword and define a hyperlink:

1 Select the text or inline graphic that you want to make into a hotword.
2 Choose Create Hotword from the Text menu, or press CTRL+H.

3 With the hotword still selected, from the Object menu, choose
Hyperlink, or press CTRL+SHIFT+H.

4 In the Hyperlink box, specify the type of link and the link destination,
and then click OK.

5 Press F3 to go to Reader level, and then click the hotword to test the
hyperlink.

Using OpenScript

◆ Use the createHotword message to create a hotword from selected text:

Select third word of textline 1 of text of field "Intro"

send createHotword
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 231

➤ To set the properties of a hotword:

Using the interface

1 Select the hotword, and then click the Properties button on the Instruc-
tor toolbar.
2 Select one or more options to set the hotword’s properties:

◆ Style Specifies whether the hotword appears in color, with a frame

around it, with no distinction from the surrounding text, and so on.
Choose Book default to have the hotword appear in the style indi-
cated by a book’s default hotword style.

◆ The hotword is highlighted Always shows the hotword in its

highlighted (pressed) state.
◆ Highlight when clicked Highlights the hotword when the user
clicks it.
3 Optional. Close the Properties for Hotword dialog box.

A hotword must contain at least one character. You can format hotwords
just as you format other text. For details about formatting text, see
Chapter 8, “Working with text.”

Using OpenScript
◆ Use the book’s hotwordStyle property to set all hotwords in a book to a
color, add a border, or to have no style attributes. The default value of
hotwordStyle is color:

hotwordStyle of this book = color

◆ Use the hotwordStyle property of the hotword to set a different style for
that hotword:

hotwordStyle of hotword "Popup" = frame

Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 232

◆ To remove a hotword’s formatting and set it to the style of the book,

set the hotword’s style to bookDefault:

hotwordStyle of hotword "Popup" = bookDefault

◆ The hotwordColor property specifies the color value of the hotwords.

The default for a book’s hotwordColor property is red. For example:

hotwordColor of this book = cyan

◆ Use the invert property to make the hotword appear highlighted:

invert of hotword "Popup" = true

◆ Use the highlight property to cause a hotword to flash momentarily

when clicked:

highlight of hotword "Popup" = true

Editing hotwords
You can select and edit a hotword just as you edit other text in Instructor.
When you edit hotword text, use these guidelines:
◆ If the insertion point is within a hotword, any additional characters you
type become part of the hotword.
◆ Text you paste into a hotword becomes part of the hotword.

◆ If you select a hotword and include text that is not part of the hotword
in the selection, Instructor treats the selection as text, not as a hotword.

◆ You can delete a hotword by using the BACKSPACE key or the DELETE
key. As long as one character of the hotword text remains, the
hotword’s object properties (such as hyperlinks) remain. Instructor
discards the hotword as an object when the last character of the
hotword is deleted.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 233

To make hotword editing easier, you can choose Show Hotwords from the
View menu to display all the hotwords on a page. Alternatively, send the
OpenScript showHotwords message.

Applying color to hotwords

Both books and hotwords have a hotword style property that determines
how a hotword is distinguished from the surrounding text—with color,
for instance. A book’s hotword color property (defined on the Draw tab
of the Properties for Book dialog box) defines the color value of all the
hotwords in the book. However, an individual hotword style property
(defined in the Properties for Hotword dialog box) overrides the book’s
hotword style property.
You can apply a color to a specific hotword that is different from the color
applied to other hotwords in a book, or even make different parts of the
hotword different colors. Set the hotword’s style to None, and then apply
formatting by setting the hotword’s text color in the Properties for
Hotword dialog box.
After you have applied special formatting to an individual hotword, you
can easily reapply the book’s formatting by changing the hotword’s style
to Book default.
Chapter 10 Working with buttons and hotwords 234

Removing hotwords
You can remove a hotword by changing it into regular text.

➤ To change a hotword into regular text:

1 Place the insertion point in the hotword or select any part of it.

2 From the Text menu, choose Remove Hotword.

Instructor changes the hotword into regular text and discards its script
and hyperlink properties.

Using OpenScript
◆ To remove a hotword, send the removeHotword message:

select third word of textline 1 of text of field "Intro"

send removeHotword
Chapter 11

Working with list boxes

and combo boxes

You can display multiple choices for your users with a list box,
which is a type of field in ToolBook Instructor, or with a combo
box object. This chapter describes how to create and format list
boxes and combo boxes in your application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About list boxes and combo boxes 236
Creating list boxes 238
Setting list box properties 240
Adding text to a list box 243
Creating combo boxes 244
Setting combo box properties 246
Adding text to combo boxes 248
Determining user selection 249
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 236

About list boxes and combo boxes

List boxes and combo boxes contain and present lists of options to your
users. A list box is a type of field. It organizes choices into a list of items
from which the user can make a selection. You determine the size of the
list box; if there are more items than can fit in the area you have defined,
you can add a scroll bar.

The list displays each

item on a separate line. A scroll bar can be added
if the list is longer than the
display area.

Figure 1
List box with a scroll bar

You can use a list box when:

◆ the set of choices is too large for radio buttons or check boxes.

◆ space is tight, making radio buttons impractical.

◆ you want to give equal weight to all of the list choices.

◆ you want the choices to be visible to avoid confusion or mistakes.

◆ all the choices are fixed.

Most of the time, you’ll create a list box using a text field rather than a
record field. But if you have a similar list on several pages with the same
background, you can create a list box from a record field.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 237

A combo box has three parts: a single-line edit box, a pushbutton, and
a drop-down list box. When the user clicks the pushbutton, the drop-
down list appears. Users can type in the edit box or select an item from
the drop-down list. The edit box displays the currently selected item.

When the user selects an item in the drop-down list, the list box is hidden
and the newly selected item appears in the edit box. By default, users
cannot enter text in combo boxes at Reader level; that is, the user can
only select the items in the drop-down list. You can also create a combo
box that can be edited by the user. In this case, the user can click an
insertion point in the edit box and type any entry.

The edit box displays the

current selection.
A scroll bar can
The pushbutton displays
be added if the list
the drop-down list box.
is longer than the
The list displays each item display area.
on a separate line.

Figure 2
Combo box

You might choose to use a combo box when:

◆ the set of choices is too large for radio buttons or check boxes.
◆ space is tight, making radio buttons and list boxes impractical.

◆ there is a default choice.

◆ you want users to be able to type in their own choices.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 238

Creating list boxes

There are three ways to create a list box. You can drag a list box from the
Catalog to your page. Alternatively, you can create a list box using the list
box tool on the Instructor tool palette. Finally, you can use OpenScript to
create a list box.
By default, list boxes that you draw using the tool palette are single-select
list boxes, in which the user can select only one item at a time. If you
want the user to be able to select more than one item at a time, you can
change the list box to a multi-select list box using either OpenScript or
the Properties for Text Field dialog box. For details, see “Setting list box
properties,” later in this chapter.

Adding a list box from the Catalog

The Catalog offers several list boxes that you can drag from the object
pane and drop onto your page.

➤ To add a list box from the Catalog:

1 Click the Catalog button on the Instructor toolbar to open the Catalog.
2 In the Catalog, select the Text Fields category.

3 Drag a list box object onto your page.

Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 239

Creating a list box using the tool palette

You draw a list box on your page using the list box field tool.

➤ To create a list box using the tool palette:

1 From the tool palette, choose the single-select list box tool.

2 Click in the main window and hold down the mouse button while you
drag to draw the list box.

Creating a list box using OpenScript

You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. List boxes you create using OpenScript will not export
to DHTML. For more information about using the OpenScript program-
ming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript online book.

➤ To create a list box using OpenScript:

◆ To make a field into a list box, set the fieldType property to either
singleSelect or multiSelect. For example:

draw field from 2000, 1000 to 4000, 4000

name of selection = "Cities"
borderStyle of selection = scrolling
fieldType of selection = singleSelect
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 240

Setting list box properties

After you have created a list box, you can set properties that determine
how the box appears and behaves at Reader level—for example, its
border style and color. Because a list box is a type of Instructor field, you
set these properties in the Properties for Text Field dialog box. Each tab
in this dialog box sets some aspect of the field’s appearance or behavior.

➤ To set the properties of a list box:

1 Select the list box, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.

The Properties for Text Field dialog box appears.

2 Click one or more tabs and select or enter the options you want to set,
as described in the table on the next page.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 241

List box properties

Click this tab... To do this...

Draw Set drawing options, border style, field type, color,

and visibility state options
Bounds Set the field’s position and size
Font Set the font, style, size, effects, and formatting
options
Paragraph Set text alignment, indentation, spacing, and tabs
Behavior Specify the field’s behavior at run time
Drag & Drop Specify the appearance and behavior of the field
when it is dragged or dropped at Reader level

3 Optional. Close the Properties for Text Field dialog box.

For more information about formatting text fields, see Chapter 8,
“Working with text.”
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 242

Modifying field type

A list box organizes field text into a list, with one item per line. By default,
list boxes allow only one selection at a time. If you want the user to be
able to select more than one item at a time, you can change the single-
select list box to a multi-select list box. Instructor highlights the selected
list option or options.

Single-select Multi-select
list box list box

Figure 3
Single-select and multi-select list boxes

➤ To choose a multi-select field type:

1 Click the Draw tab of the Properties for Text Field dialog box.
2 In the Field type list, select Multi-select list box.

3 Optional. Close the Properties for Text Field dialog box.

Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 243

Adding text to a list box

You add text to a list box in the same way that you add text to any field:
by typing, pasting, or importing. Each text line must be separated from
the next item using the ENTER key.

Note Text does not wrap at the ends of lines in a list box. If you
want to type in more text than fits on a line, you must first resize
the list box.

➤ To type text in a list box:

Using the interface

1 Double-click inside the list box.

An insertion point appears in the upper-left corner.

2 Type your text.

Press ENTER after each item in the list.

3 When you are finished, click outside the field.

Using OpenScript

◆ You enter text in a list box by setting the text property of the field.
Separate the items in the list with a carriage return/linefeed (CRLF).
For example:

text of field "Cities" = "Alphaville" & CRLF & "Bellona" \

& CRLF & "Oz" & CRLF & "Zone"

◆ You can also use textline to set each item in the list separately:

textline 1 of text of field "Cities" = "Alphaville"

textline 2 of text of field "Cities" = "Bellona"
textline 3 of text of field "Cities" = "Oz"
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 244

You can also paste text from the Clipboard into a list box.

➤ To paste text into a list box:

1 Copy the text you want to the Clipboard.

2 Double-click inside the list box into which you want to paste the text.
An insertion point appears.

3 From the Edit menu, choose Paste, and then click outside the list box.

Note If the text you paste is too long to fit the list box, Instructor
displays as much text as possible. You cannot scroll to see missing
text, but if you resize the list box, the text becomes visible. You can
also set the OpenScript property borderStyle to scrolling.

For details about working with text in fields, see Chapter 8, “Working
with text.”

Creating combo boxes

You can drag a combo box from the Catalog to your page, use the combo
box tool on the tool palette, or use OpenScript to create a combo box.
The size of the area you draw for a combo box determines the width of
the edit box. If you create a combo box using the tool palette, the current
font and font size determine the height of the combo box’s edit box. If
you create a combo box using OpenScript, the height is set by the
OpenScript lineCount property. When you select the combo box, selection
handles appear around the edit box portion. You can resize a combo box
after you draw it.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 245

Adding a combo box from the Catalog

The Catalog contains a combo box that you can drag from the object
pane and drop onto your page.

➤ To add a comb box from the Catalog:

1 Click the Catalog button on the Instructor toolbar to open the Catalog.
2 In the Catalog, select the Text Fields category.
3 Drag a combo box onto your page.

Creating a combo box using the tool palette

You can draw a combo box on your page using the combo box tool.

➤ To create a combo box using the tool palette:

1 From the tool palette, choose the combo box tool.

2 Click in the main window and hold down the mouse button while you
drag to draw the combo box.

The box you draw will include both the edit box and the pushbutton.

Edit box

Pushbutton

The drop-down list

will appear below the
combo box in front of
any other object on
the page.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 246

Creating a combo box using OpenScript

Combo boxes you create using OpenScript will not export to DHTML. You
can use a combo box from the Catalog if you want it to export to DHTML,
or draw one using the tool palette.

➤ To create a combo box using OpenScript:

◆ Use the draw command to draw the combo box and the lineCount
property to set the height of the drop-down list. For example:

draw comboBox from 100,1000 to 5000,2000

name of selection = "myList"
lineCount of comboBox "myList" = 3

Setting combo box properties

You set combo box properties using the Properties for Combo Box dialog
box. Using this dialog box, you can specify properties that determine how
the combo box appears and behaves at Reader level.

➤ To set the properties of a combo box:

Using the interface

1 Select the combo box, and then click the Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.
The Properties for Combo Box dialog box appears.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 247

2 To specify the behavior of the combo box at Reader level, click the
Behavior tab, and then select one or more of the following options:

◆ Enable the combo box Specifies whether the combo box can
receive the focus and mouse-event messages at Reader level.
Combo boxes are enabled by default.
◆ Make the combo box editable Allows a user to edit the combo
box at Reader level.

◆ Give the drop-down list a scroll bar if necessary Adds a scroll

bar to the drop-down list if there are more items than will fit.

◆ Sort the drop-down list alphabetically Sorts items alphabetically

at Reader level.

3 Click one or more of the other tabs and select or enter the options you
want to set.
4 Optional. Close the Properties for Combo Box dialog box.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 248

Using OpenScript

◆ You can use the scrollable, sortItems, editable, lineCount, and enabled
properties to format your combo box:

scrollable of comboBox "Long List" = true

sortItems of comboBox "Long List" = true
editable of comboBox "Long List" = false
enabled of comboBox "Long List" = true
lineCount of comboBox "Long List" = 8

Adding text to combo boxes

You can add text to a combo box by typing in the field or by using
OpenScript.

➤ To enter text in a combo box:

Using the interface

1 Select the combo box you have added to the page.

2 To enter default text that will appear in the edit box, double-click
inside the edit box to display an insertion point, and then type
your text.
3 Click the pushbutton to display the drop-down list.

Instructor places the insertion point in the drop-down list.

4 Type as many items as you want, pressing ENTER after each item.

If you want to change the character formatting of the text in the

drop-down list, select the list, choose Character from the Text menu,
and then enter your changes in the Character dialog box.
5 When you have finished, click outside the combo box.

The drop-down list box closes.

Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 249

Using OpenScript
◆ Use the dropDownItems property to add items to the drop-down list. If
you want default text to appear in the edit box, use the text property:

draw comboBox from 100,1000 to 5000,2000

lineCount of comboBox "myItems" = 3
dropDownItems of comboBox "myItems" = "item 1" & CRLF & "item 2" \
& CRLF & "item 3"
text of comboBox "myItems" = "item 1"

LineCount controls the number of lines in the drop-down list, while

dropDownItems controls the text displayed in the list box. These properties
don’t have to match. If the number of textlines in dropDownItems is
greater than lineCount (if you specify more list options than will fit in the
visible drop-down list), Instructor displays as much of the list as it can.
Add a scroll bar so that the user can see all the text.

Determining user selection

You can use list boxes and combo boxes to customize the behavior or
content of your application for individual users. For example, you can
show a video or direct users to a particular page based on their list box
or combo box selection.
To determine and handle a user’s list box or combo box selection, you
can either build an action sequence in the Actions Editor or write a script
in OpenScript. The action sequences that you create in the Actions Editor
export to DHTML for use on the Web.
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 250

Determining list box or combo box

selections using an action sequence
In an action sequence, you determine a user’s selection in a single-select
list box or combo box using the On select event. The On select event is
generated when a user selects a different item from the list. Figure 4
shows the Action Editor with an example of an action sequence that
carries out specific actions based on a user’s list box selection.
The selectedItemText property of list boxes and combo boxes allows you
to determine the text of a selected item. You can set this property to
select the item in a list box which matches the text you specify. For a
combo box, assigning text to the selectedItemText property causes this
text to display in the combo box.

List box choices

Conditional
expression

Action

Figure 4
Using an action sequence to determine the user selection
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 251

Determining list box selection

using OpenScript
The selectedTextlines property of the field contains the number of the
selected text line, so you can determine the text that has been highlighted
in the list box. Use the following script in a button’s script (or another
object other than the list box) to determine the item that the user has
selected in the single-select list box:

to handle buttonClick
--Make sure a line is selected in the single-select list box
choice = selectedTextlines of field "list"
if choice < > null
--Gets the text of the selected list
vHighlightedText = textline choice of text of field "list"
request vhighlightedText
end if
end buttonClick

If the field is a multi-select list box, selectedTextlines contains a list of

numbers for the lines that are highlighted. You can step through the list to
pick out individual line numbers and then use the line numbers one by
one to extract the highlighted text. For example:
to handle buttonClick
--Determines which line is selected in the list box
choices = selectedTextlines of field "list"
if choices < > 0
step ctr from 1 to itemCount(Choices)
--Gets the line number of the next selected item
nextLineNo = item ctr of choices
--Displays the text of the selected text
textFromList= textline nextLineNo of text of field "list"
request "next choice is" && textFromList
end step
end if
end buttonClick
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 252

Determining combo box

selection using OpenScript
After the user clicks the pushbutton of a combo box and makes a selection
from the drop-down list, the message selectChange is sent to the combo
box, along with a parameter indicating the user’s choice. Use a handler
like the following to detect what the user has selected:

to handle selectChange itemString

request "User has selected" && itemString
end selectChange

When the user selects an item, the current value of the edit box (the
contents of the text property of the combo box) is discarded and replaced
with the user’s choice. If you want to preserve the old value, save it
before the selectChange message is sent. One option is to store the old
value as a user property of the combo box when the user presses the
combo box’s pushbutton and the enterDropDown message is sent. For
example, put both of these handlers in the script of a combo box:

to handle enterDropDown
saveText of self = text of self
end enterDropDown
--Adds the old value of the edit box to the drop-down list
to handle selectChange
vText = dropDownItems of self
if (saveText of self & CRLF) is not in (vText & CRLF) then
--If value is not already in drop-down list, adds it
dropDownItems of self = vText & CRLF & saveText of self
end
end
Chapter 11 Working with list boxes and combo boxes 253

You can also use the selectedItem property to determine the selected item
by position number in the combo box. Use this script in the combo box to
determine what the user has selected:

to handle enterDropDown
--Creates a user property to save value of initial selected item
my oldSelectedItem = my selectedItem
end
to handle leaveDropDown
--oldSelectedItem is a user property of the combo box
--and is set in an enterDropDown handler
conditions
when my selectedItem > my oldSelectedItem
send greaterItemChosen
when my selectedItem < my oldSelectedItem
send lesserItemChosen
else
send sameItemChosen
end conditions
end leaveDropDown

Note Be sure to handle the three new messages generated by

this script, or an error will occur. For more information on handling
messages, refer to the Programming in OpenScript online book.
Chapter 12

Creating a quiz
using question objects

An important part of interactive courseware is the ability to

evaluate how well a user is learning the material presented. To
assist you with this task, ToolBook Instructor provides question
objects that you can use to test student knowledge. This chapter
describes question objects and shows you how to use and modify
them to suit your application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About question objects 255
Working with question objects 256
Question objects in action 258
Scoring questions 263
Specifying feedback 265
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 255

About question objects

Question objects allow you to construct different types of questions,
including multiple-choice questions, true/false questions, fill-in-the-blank
questions, match-item questions, and so on. Question objects determine
the responses that users make, calculate the score, and provide feedback.

There are many types of question objects available from the Catalog. You
can customize their appearance and behavior or use them as they are
provided and simply add your own content.

Figure 1 Examples of question objects

Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 256

Working with question objects

You can browse through the descriptions of questions in the Catalog, and
then select a specific type of question to use.

➤ To add a question object to a page:

1 If the Catalog is not already open, from the View menu choose Catalog.

2 Select the Questions category.

3 Drag the question object you want from the object pane, and then drop
it onto your page.

Setting the properties of a question object

After you add a question object to a page, you can specify its appearance
and behavior in the Properties for Question dialog box.

Figure 3
The Properties for Question dialog box
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 257

The Properties for Question dialog box differs slightly for each type of
question object, but most question objects allow you to specify:

◆ each possible answer to be recognized.

◆ which answer is correct.

◆ how many times the student can try to answer the question.
◆ the options for assigning a score to the question.

◆ the options for providing feedback to the student.

➤ To set the extended properties of a question object:

1 Select the question object.

2 Click the Extended Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.

The Properties for Question dialog box appears.

This dialog box displays information specific to the selected question

object. The remainder of this procedure outlines the most common
options.

3 Click the General tab and do the following:

◆ Type a unique name in the Question name box.

◆ Specify any other options you want.

4 Click the Answers tab and do the following:

◆ Under Possible answers, enter the answers, specify the correct

answer or answers, and then specify any other options
you want.
5 Click the Scoring tab and do the following:

◆ Select Score this question, specify the weight of an answer, and then
specify the scoring options you want.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 258

6 Click the Immediate Feedback tab, and then specify the feedback that
occurs at the time a user responds to a question.

7 Click the Delayed Feedback tab, and then specify the feedback that
occurs at a later (delayed) time.

8 Click OK.

Question objects in action

The Catalog contains a rich variety of question objects that help you
evaluate interactive learning in your application. Several of these are
introduced on the pages that follow.

Figure 4
A question created using an arrange-objects object

An arrange-objects object allows you to specify the proper positions

of objects on a page and test the student’s knowledge of the positions.
When the book runs, the objects are scrambled on the page, and the
student attempts to drag them back into the arrangement you defined.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 259

A student’s score is based on the number of objects that are positioned

correctly.

Figure 5
A question created using a drag-objects question

A drag-objects question allows you to define objects as potential answers

and test the student’s ability to identify the correct answer. The student
chooses an answer by dragging objects to one of the potential answers
that you have defined. In the example above, a student drags text labels
to identify parts.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 260

Figure 6
A question created using a drop-target object

A drop-target object allows you to define objects as potential answers

and test the student’s ability to identify the correct answers. The student
chooses an answer by dragging an answer object to the drop-target
object. The drop-target object itself is typically a picture of a container or
target. Use this question object when the correct answer allows the
student to drag multiple objects to a single target.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 261

Figure 7
A question created using a fill-in-the-blank object

A fill-in-the-blank object allows you to define a word or phrase as the

correct response to a question. The student attempts to answer the
question by typing a response in the object’s response area.

Figure 8
A question created using a match-items object

A match-items object allows you to define pairs of matching items as

correct answers and test the student’s ability to identify the pairs correctly.
The student attempts to match the items correctly by dragging an arrow
from each response object to its match.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 262

Figure 9
A question created using a multiple-choice object

A multiple-choice object allows you to define a button, field, or other

object as a correct answer. The student attempts to answer the question
by clicking the button, field, or object. Using this object, you can also
designate multiple correct answers and specify randomization (the
correct answer appears in a different location each time).

Figure 10
A question created using an order-text object

An order-text object allows you to define an ordered list of words or

phrases as the correct response to a question and test the student’s
ability to reconstruct the list in the proper order. The student attempts to
answer the question by dragging the phrases to the correct position.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 263

Scoring questions
In addition to indicating which answer is correct, you can specify that a
question object calculate a student’s score. You can report the score to
the student at the end of the book or record the score in a log file. A log
file is a text file that includes information such as the student’s score,
response to each question, and time spent working on the page. You
specify options for a log file in the Properties for Lesson dialog box, which
is available from the Object menu. You can also have Instructor report
the score to a learning management system which can maintain the
student’s score in a database for administrators to examine later.

At its simplest, scoring is a tally of the questions the student has answered
correctly. For more flexibility, you can assign different point values to
different questions. You can also assign a weight to each correct answer
by specifying a correctness factor within any question object. You can
subtract points from the student’s score for incorrect answers, and you
can limit the number of times a user attempts to answer the question.

➤ To enable scoring:

1 Select the question object.

2 Click the Extended Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.

3 In the Properties for Question dialog box, click the Scoring tab.
4 Select the Score this question check box.

5 If necessary, change the default values in the Lowest possible score

and Highest possible score boxes.
6 Under Possible answers, select each response and verify that the
weight assigned to the answer by the Properties dialog box is correct.
7 Click OK.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 264

You display a student’s score in your application using the Show Score,
Score Page, and Score Quiz buttons available from the Scoring and
Tracking category in the Catalog. These buttons are preprogrammed to
calculate the score for an individual question object or for several question
objects. You can use a scoring button in combination with a score field
to display the score to the user. Score fields are also available in the
Evaluation category of the Catalog.

Assigning weight to an answer

With most types of question objects, you can assign a weight to every
answer. The weight is a percentage of the possible points available for
the question. For example, with a fill-in-the-blank question, you might
assign different weights to various possible answers. You can also let
the Properties for Question dialog box assign the weights, depending on
the type of question and the number of answers.
By default, the weight of a correct answer is 100 percent if the question
has a single answer, and a fraction of 100 percent if there are several
answers. The weight is automatically updated as you mark answers
correct or incorrect.

You can modify the weights in the Properties for Question dialog box.
You can assign a negative weight to an incorrect answer, making the
incorrect answer penalize the score for the question until it is either zero
or the minimum score for the question, whichever is lower. For example,
with a multiple-choice/multiple-correct question, incorrect answers may
have a negative weight that cancels correct answers. The Automatic
check box on the Scoring tab makes this negative weight assignment
automatic.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 265

For question objects that can recognize only a single answer at a time,
such as a fill-in-the-blank or rating-by-multiple-choice question object,
you can assign a higher weight to the most desirable answer and a lower
weight to the other answers. For example, if your application solicited an
opinion with a question such as “Please rate the service at our hotel,” you
might use a rating-by-multiple-choice object with three possible answers,
weighted as shown below.

Rating by multiple choice

Answer Weight

Excellent 100%

Average 50%
Poor 0%

Specifying feedback
With question objects, you can specify feedback, which is how the object
responds when the student interacts with it. For example, when a student
chooses the correct answer for a multiple-choice question, the question
object can display the message “Correct.”

Providing feedback to a student allows for a higher level of interactivity,

which results in better retention. Feedback is traditionally used in
computer-based training to provide responses or remediation to students
according to how well they answer a question. However, you can use
feedback for a variety of purposes, such as guiding a student through a
task or through your application.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 266

Types of feedback
Instructor provides several types of feedback that you can specify
for question objects. For example, you can:

◆ play a sound or media file.

◆ display text.

◆ navigate to another page in the same book or in another book.

◆ navigate to a URL (a Web address).

You can combine these methods and use more than one type of feedback
in response to the user’s choice. For example, you can both play a sound
file and display text in a pop-up window when the user selects the correct
choice in a multiple-choice question. If you specify more than one feed-
back option, they are executed in the order in which they appear in the
bullet list above. In the example given, the student would hear the sound
and then see the text in the pop-up window.

By default, text feedback and video feedback appear in pop-up windows.

To designate a specific location on the page for the feedback to appear,
use a feedback field, a video player, or a stage from the Catalog. If a
feedback field is on the page, Instructor will display feedback text in
the feedback field by default. If a video player or stage is on the page,
Instructor can display video feedback in the video player or stage if you
select the player or stage in the Choose Media Clip dialog box (available
when you click the Select Clip button on the Immediate Feedback or
Delayed Feedback tab of the Properties for Question dialog box).
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 267

Choosing immediate or delayed feedback

Feedback for a question object can be immediate or delayed. Immediate
feedback appears in response to a specific question object; for example,
a student clicks a button in a multiple-choice question and hears a beep
or sees a pop-up window that says “Try again.” Delayed feedback is
triggered when the question is scored or when a message is sent to the
question object to make it play the feedback. Delayed feedback is useful
for providing feedback on multiple-choice/multiple-correct questions
where you want a student to select several correct answers and then click
a button to receive feedback on the selected set of answers.
If you are creating a scored quiz, do not use immediate feedback to tell
the user whether an answer attempt is correct or incorrect. Instructor
does not count an attempt that displays immediate feedback as an actual
attempt. A question with immediate feedback will be scored as though the
student selected the correct answer on the first attempt, even if it took the
student three tries to select the correct answer.
Use immediate feedback when you:

◆ do not plan to score a question.

◆ want to display feedback (such as “Correct” or “Try again”) for each
possible answer as the student is answering the question.
Use delayed feedback when you:

◆ plan to score a question as part of a quiz.

◆ want to display feedback after the student has finished answering the
question.
◆ want to display different feedback for each of the following outcomes:
All correct, All incorrect, or Partially correct.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 268

You can sometimes combine immediate and delayed feedback in the

same question. A multiple-choice/multiple-correct question can have
several active answers. By using immediate feedback, you can have the
question object provide feedback for each possible answer as soon as the
student selects it, whether the question takes a single answer or multiple
answers. When the student is finished with a multiple-choice/multiple-
correct question object, you can use delayed feedback to provide feedback
for the whole question. For example, you might provide one type of
feedback if the student answered the question partially correctly, and a
different type of feedback if the student answered incorrectly. You can
define both types of feedback for any question object except an order-text
object, for which you can define only delayed feedback.

Specifying feedback for a question object

You specify feedback for a question object using the Properties for
Question dialog box, which has separate tabs for immediate and delayed
feedback.

➤ To specify immediate feedback for a question object:

1 Select the question object, and then click the Extended Properties
button on the Instructor toolbar.
2 Click the Immediate Feedback tab.

3 Select the Enable feedback at time of response check box.

4 Under Possible answers, select the answer or answers for which you
want to provide feedback. You can click the Select All Correct or Select
All Incorrect buttons to select all the correct or incorrect answers at
one time. (The Select All Correct and Select All Incorrect buttons are
available only for question objects of the appropriate type.)
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 269

5 Specify one or more of the following feedback types (the object activates
the feedback in this order):

◆ Play media clip Click the Select Clip button to specify a wave
audio (WAV) file or media clip for Instructor to play.

◆ Feedback text Click the Edit Text button to specify text for
Instructor to display in a pop-up window or in a text or record field
named Feedback that appears on the current page or background.

◆ Send message Click the Edit Message button to specify an

OpenScript message that Instructor sends as feedback. The follow-
ing feedback messages are available.

OpenScript feedback messages

This message... Does this...

ASYM_PlayFeedback Causes question feedback to play. If delayed

feedback is assigned, it will play; otherwise,
immediate feedback will play.
ASYM_PlaySummaryFeedback Causes delayed feedback to play.
ASYM_Reset Resets the question to the default
state (appearance, score, and so forth).
ASYM_ShowYourScore Shows the current score for the question.

◆ Go to page Click the Select Page button to specify a hyperlink,

indicating a target page in the current book or in another book to
which the object should jump.

6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each answer.

7 Click OK.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 270

➤ To specify delayed feedback for a question object:

1 Select the question object, and then click the Extended Properties
button on the Instructor toolbar.
2 Click the Delayed Feedback tab.
3 Under Feedback to execute on request when the responses are, specify
whether the delayed feedback should play when responses are All
correct, All incorrect, or Partially correct.
4 Specify one or more of the feedback types for each possible outcome.
For details, see the feedback type descriptions in the preceding
procedure.
5 Click OK.
You can display delayed feedback using a preprogrammed Catalog object.

➤ To display delayed feedback for a question object:

1 Navigate to the page that contains the question for which you want to
display delayed feedback.
2 If the Catalog is not already open, click the Catalog button on
the Instructor toolbar.
3 In the Scoring and Tracking category, select the Show Delayed
Feedback object.
4 Drag the Show Delayed Feedback object from the object pane, and
then drop it onto your page. With the object selected, click the Ex-
tended Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.
The Properties for Play Feedback dialog box appears.
5 In the Object to score list, select the name of the question object for
which you want to display delayed feedback.
6 Click OK.
Chapter 12 Creating a quiz using question objects 271

Using the Actions Editor to specify feedback

You can use the Actions Editor to specify immediate and delayed feed-
back for a question. Two question events are available in the Actions
Editor: On question answered and On question scored. The On question
answered event corresponds to immediate feedback, and the On question
scored event corresponds to delayed feedback. These events allow you to
define feedback behavior that can be more complex than the behavior
available on the Feedback tabs in the Properties for Question dialog box.
For example, you could implement an action sequence that stores the
number of attempts a student makes before choosing the correct answer
to a question, and then display text to the student that shows the number
of attempts made. Action sequences that you create to respond to question
events will work in conjunction with the settings in the Properties for
Question dialog box.
Chapter 13

Hiding, showing, and

animating objects

You can hide and show objects and animate objects to add visual
effects to your book. Hiding and showing objects is a simple way to
add interactivity, and animation can effectively demonstrate change
over time or illustrate a chain of events. This chapter describes how
to hide, show, and animate objects using the ToolBook Animation
Editor, the Actions Editor, and OpenScript.

I N THIS CHAPTER
Creating visual effects 273
Hiding and showing objects 273
Animating Instructor objects 277
Playing an animation at Reader level 282
Modifying an animation in the Animation Editor 287
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 273

Creating visual effects

Visual effects—such as hiding, showing, and animating objects—can help
make your ToolBook Instructor application dynamic and engaging. To
create these effects, you can use:

◆ the ToolBook Animation Editor to create path-based or cel-based

animations for objects.

◆ the Actions Editor to create action sequences that hide, show, or

animate objects in response to specific conditions.

◆ OpenScript to change the position, size, or shape of objects, or to

display a changing set of pictures that gives the illusion of motion.
For a detailed description of how to use OpenScript to create special
effects in an application, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.

Hiding and showing objects

Hiding and showing objects is a simple and effective way to create
interactivity in your application. An object hidden at Reader level can be
made to show when the user performs a certain action.

To create hide-and-show behavior, you can use an action trigger from the
Catalog. You can also use the Actions Editor to create an action sequence
to hide and show objects. One advantage of hiding and showing objects
in an action sequence is that you can closely control how the effect fits
into your overall lesson design. For example, you can hide or show an
object as part of a longer sequence of actions, all activated by the same
event. You can also create conditional expressions and loops that deter-
mine when an object is hidden or shown.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 274

Using an action trigger

to hide and show objects
You can use an action trigger to hide and show objects. Simply drag the
action trigger from the Catalog onto your page and specify the object to
hide or show. You can add a delay when hiding or showing an object
using the action-delay trigger.
The following procedure uses an ellipse as an example. You can choose
any Catalog object to hide and show.

➤ To create hide-and-show sequence using action triggers:

1 If the Catalog is not open, from the View menu choose Catalog.
2 Click the Draw Objects category and drag an ellipse object onto your
page.
3 From the Action Objects category, drag two action triggers onto
your page. Arrange the three objects on your page so that none are
overlapping.
4 Select one of the action triggers, and then click the Extended Properties
button on the Instructor toolbar.
5 In the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box, under Objects to trigger,
click Add. In the Add an Object dialog box, do the following:
A In the Select object list, select the ellipse.
B Under Perform what action, choose Hide.
C Click OK.
6 In the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box, under Trigger on what
event, do the following:
A Select the When clicked check box, and clear the When entering
page check box.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 275

B Select the Button is visible at reader check box, and clear the Loop
continuously check box.
C Click OK.
7 Select the second action trigger, and then click the Extended Properties
button on the Instructor toolbar.
8 In the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box, under Objects to trigger,
click Add. In the Add an Object dialog box, do the following:
A In the Select object list, select the ellipse.
B Under Perform what action, choose Show.
C Click OK.
9 In the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box, under Trigger on what
event, do the following:
A Select the When clicked check box, and clear the When entering
page check box.
B Select the Button is visible at reader check box, and clear the Loop
continuously check box.
C Click OK.
10 Switch to Reader level (press F3) to test your hide-and-show sequence.

Using the Actions Editor

to hide and show objects
Using the Actions Editor visual programming tool, you can program an
object to hide or show in response to an event.

➤ To hide or show an object using the Actions Editor:

1 Select an object (for example, a button or graphic).

2 From the Object menu, choose Actions.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 276

The Actions Editor appears.

3 In the Event list, select an event that activates the action sequence (for
example, On click or On load page).
4 From the Insert menu in the Actions Editor, point to Action, point to
Object, and then choose Set Property.
5 In the Properties for Action dialog box, do the following:

A In the Select the object for which to set the property list, select the
object you want to hide or show; or, drag the Choose object button
over the object to select it.

B In the Select the property to set list, select Visible.

C Under Property value, check Specify the new value for the property
as a literal value.
D In the Select logical value list, select false to hide the object or true
to show the object.
6 Click OK.

7 From the File menu in the Actions Editor, choose Update Actions
& Close.
8 Switch to Reader level (press F3) to test your sequence.
For more information about using the Actions Editor to create action
sequences, see Chapter 15, “Using the Actions Editor,” and Chapter 16,
“Creating action sequences: Practical examples.”
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 277

Using OpenScript to hide and show objects

Using the Command window or the script editor, you can write scripts to
show and hide objects. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript online
book.

◆ You can show and hide a series of objects in a stack, each of which is
a slight variation of the same image:

to handle buttonClick
step ctr from 1 to 6
if ctr < 6 then
show ellipse ("ellipse" & (ctr + 1)) --Shows next view
end if
hide ellipse ("ellipse" & ctr) --Hides the current one
pause 20
end step
show ellipse ("ellipse1") --Restores first view
end buttonClick

Animating Instructor objects

You can animate any object (with the exception of pages, backgrounds,
and books). Animation can add visual impact to your learning application
and illustrate how things move or change over time.
You can create two types of animations with the ToolBook Animation
Editor:

◆ Path-based animation This type of animation allows you to define

the path an object will follow as it moves in an animation. You can use
a path animation to simulate or show movement and action, such as a
banner that flies across the page.
◆ Cel-based animation This type of animation allows you to define
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 278

individual views of an object, called cels, that are shown in rapid

succession. You can use cel-based animation to simulate motion, such
as a globe that spins.

Using the ToolBook Animation Editor

You use the ToolBook Animation Editor to create, edit, and manage the
animations in a book. When you open the Animation Editor, Instructor
copies all of the objects on the page (or background) to the Animation
Editor. You use the buttons and slider along the bottom of the window to
create, edit, and run animations.

A Plays the current animation

B Allows you to move an
object to specific points on
the animation path
C Allows you to move segments,
vertices, or the entire path
D Allows you to add new segments
to the animation
E Opens the Animation Settings
dialog box
F Opens the Select Object
dialog box
G Saves the current animation
and closes the ToolBook II
Animation Editor
H Cancels changes to the current
animation and closes the
ToolBook II Animation Editor
I Opens online Help

A B C D E F G H I

Figure 1
ToolBook Animation Editor
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 279

➤ To open the Animation Editor:

1 Optional. In the main window, select the object you want to animate.
2 From the Object menu, choose Path Animation.

To create a path animation in the Animation Editor, you use the mouse to
draw the path you want the object to follow. A path consists of segments
connected by vertices. You can create a path animation that moves an
object while the object changes size. In addition, you can create multiple
animations for an object that you can trigger using an action trigger from
the Catalog, using a command you create in the Actions Editor, or using
OpenScript. When you are finished drawing the path, Instructor compiles
information about the path and stores it as a property of the object.

Creating a path animation

You create a path animation for a particular object by opening the
Animation Editor and drawing the path with the Vertex tool. Each click
of the mouse adds a new segment to the path.

Object

Segment

Vertex

Figure 2
Creating a path animation
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 280

➤ To create a path animation:

1 In the main window, select the object you want to animate.
2 From the Object menu, choose Path Animation.
Instructor opens the Animation Editor and displays the objects on the
current page with the first segment of the animation path for the
selected object.
3 Optional. To change the location of the first segment, move the cursor
over the selected object until the Move cursor appears, and then drag
the segment to a new position.
4 To add a segment, click the Vertex button or press the SPACEBAR, and
then click the pointer where the new segment should end.
5 Move the Vertex cursor and click to add segments until you have
completed the path.
6 Click Done to save the animation and return to the main window.

➤ To test an animation:
◆ Click the Run button in the Animation Editor. Alternatively, use the
slide bar at the bottom of the Animation Editor to step through an
animation sequence.

Creating a cel animation

A cel animation displays a series of images to give the illusion of motion—
much like a flipbook animation. For example, you can use cel animation
to create the appearance of a spinning globe. The animation consists of
different views of the earth, each called a cel. Showing one cel at a time
in succession gives the illusion that the globe is turning.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 281

Figure 4
Six cels from a cel animation

After creating all of the individual cels, you arrange them on top of each
other in the correct consecutive layer order and then group them. When
you play a cel animation, Instructor shows and hides the cells from first
to last, over and over.

➤ To create a cel animation:

1 In the main window, create the individual objects to serve as cels in
the animation.
2 Arrange the layer order of the objects so that the first cel is on the
farthest (lowest) layer and the last cel is on the closest (highest) layer.
3 Select all of the objects by holding down the SHIFT key while you click
each object with your mouse.
4 From the Object menu, choose Group to group the objects.
5 Position the objects. For example, in a spinning globe animation, the
objects are placed on top of each other so that only the top one is
visible. To select and move a single item in the group, double-click it.

6 Click the Properties button on the toolbar, and in the Properties for
Group dialog box, assign a name to the group. If you do not assign
a unique name to the group, you will not be able to trigger your
animation from the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box or from
the ToolBook Actions Editor.
7 Select the group, and then choose Path Animation from the Object
menu.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 282

8 Optional. Move the grouped objects along a path by creating a path

animation as described in the preceding section, “Creating a path
animation.”
9 Click the Animation Settings button to open the Animation Settings
dialog box. Under Cel animation, select On, and then click Close.
10 Click Done in the Animation Editor to save the animation.

➤ To test an animation:

◆ Click the Run button in the Animation Editor. Alternatively, use the
slide bar at the bottom of the Animation Editor to step through an
animation sequence.

Playing an animation at Reader level

After you create an animation for an object, you can use action buttons
to play and reset animations. Use an action trigger to trigger an object’s
animation and a reset trigger to reset the object’s animation.

You can also use the Actions Editor to create an action sequence that
triggers or resets an object’s path or cel animation. One advantage of this
method is that you can set the animation to occur as part of a longer
sequence of actions, all activated by the same event. You can also create
conditional expressions and loops that determine when, and how many
times, an animation plays.

Alternatively, you can use OpenScript to play and stop a path animation.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 283

Using an action trigger to play an animation

You set the properties of an action button to define the trigger event and
the action that will occur. For example, after you add an action trigger to
a page, you can add the object whose animation you want to trigger to
the Objects to trigger list in the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box.
Then you can define the event that triggers the action and the action that
will occur—in this case, animation of the object. To choose the action
that will occur for an object, you can click the button under the Objects to
trigger list.

Specifies the action

that will occur: trigger,
animate, or show

Specifies the event that

starts the animation

Figure 4
The Properties for Action Trigger dialog box

You can also specify whether you want the action trigger to be visible at
Reader level. At Reader level, the animation will either play automatically
when entering the page, or interactively when the user clicks the action
trigger, depending on what you have specified.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 284

➤ To play an animation using an action trigger:

1 Open the Catalog and drag an action trigger onto the same page as the
animation you’ve just created.
2 Select the trigger, and then click the Extended Properties button on the
Instructor toolbar.
3 In the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box, under Objects to trigger,
click Add. In the Add an Object dialog box, do the following:
A In the Select object list, select the object for which you created the
animation.

B Under Perform what action, choose Animate.

C Click OK.

4 In the Properties for Action Trigger dialog box, under Trigger on what
event, do the following:

A Select the When clicked check box, and clear the When entering
page check box.

B Select the Button is visible at reader check box, and clear the Loop
continuously check box.
C Click OK.
5 Switch to Reader level (press F3) to test your animation.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 285

Using the Actions Editor to play an animation

If you use the Actions Editor to play an object’s cel or path animation,
you can include the animation as part of a sequence of actions, use a
loop to play the animation repeatedly, or specify conditions for playing
the animation.

➤ To create an action sequence that plays an animation:

1 Select an object (for example, a button or graphic).
2 From the Object menu, choose Actions.
The Actions Editor appears.
3 In the Event list, select an event that activates the action sequence (for
example, On click or On load page).

4 From the Insert menu in the Actions Editor, point to Action, point to
Media, and then choose Play Media.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears.
5 In the Select the media type list, select Animate an object.
6 In the Select an object to animate list, select the object for which an
animation has been created; or drag the Choose object button over the
object to select it.
7 Click OK.
8 From the File menu in the Actions Editor, choose Update Actions
& Close.
9 Switch to Reader level (press F3) to test your animation.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 286

Using OpenScript to play an animation

Path animations can be played and stopped with OpenScript messages.
You begin an animation by sending the message to the object whose
animation you want to play. Instructor sends the message to move the
object along the animation path and to stop the animation when it
finishes.
◆ To play an object’s entire path animation, send the playAnimation
message:

send playAnimation 1, this page, true to ellipse "Moon"

◆ To move the object one step along its animation path, send the
playStep message:

send playStep 1 to self

Because Instructor sends the playStep message to the object for each step
of the animation, you can write a handler to modify the animation as it is
running. Be sure to forward the playStep message if you want the object
to continue on its path:

--Starts the object's path animation when the object is clicked

to handle buttonClick
system halfway --Establishes variable used in playStep han-
dler
system soundAlreadyPlayed --Flag indicating if sound clip played
soundAlreadyPlayed = false
mmOpen Clip "chimes"
halfway = (anim_Duration of self) * 1000 / 2
send playAnimation 1 to self
end
 Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 287

(continued)
--Monitors the animation at each step. When the animation is
--half completed, plays a .wav file.
to handle playStep
system halfway --Variable set earlier when animation began
system soundAlreadyPlayed
if anim_elapsedTime of target > halfway then
if soundAlreadyPlayed = false then
mmPlay clip "chimes"
soundAlreadyPlayed = true
end if
end if
forward
end playStep

◆ To stop an animation, send the stopAnimation message:

send stopAnimation to ellipse "Moon"

Modifying an animation
in the Animation Editor
After you create an animation and play it at Reader level to see how it
works, you can modify it using the Animation Editor. For example, you can:

◆ move an entire path or move one segment of a path using the

Move cursor.
◆ extend a path by adding segments to the end or middle of a path,
or shorten a path by deleting segments using the Vertex cursor.
◆ create, reshape, or delete a curve in a path by modifying segments
of it using the Vertex cursor.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 288

For complete step-by-step instructions about creating, modifying, and

playing path- or cel-based animations, refer to online Help. To open
online Help from the Animation Editor, click the Help button.

Selecting an animation
Before you can modify an animation or its animation settings, you must
select the animation you want to edit. There are two ways to select an
animation: either in the main window before you open the Animation
Editor, or from within the Animation Editor.

➤ To select an object in the Animation Editor:

1 With no objects selected in the main window, choose Path Animation

from the Object menu.

2 Click the object you want to select in the main window of the
Animation Editor.
3 In the Select Object dialog box, do the following:

A In the Object to animate list, select the name of the object or group
to animate.

B In the Animation list, select the number of the animation to edit.

C Click OK.

You can click the Select Object button to open the Select Object dialog
box, where you can select an object to edit.
Chapter 13 Hiding, showing, and animating objects 289

Setting animation options

After you create an animation, you can set options that define the behavior
and appearance of the animation, such as duration or rate. For example,
you can increase the number of steps per second to make an animation
appear to run smoother, and you can choose a variable rate to make an
animation appear to accelerate or decelerate over its path.

➤ To set animation options:

1 Open the Animation Editor and select the animation whose options
you want to edit.
2 Click the Animation Settings button.

The Animation Settings dialog box appears.

3 Make the changes you want, and then click Close.

4 Click Done in the Animation Editor to save your changes and

recompile the animation.
Chapter 14

Adding audio and video files

You can play media files in ToolBook Instructor—including sound,

animation, digital video, and still images. This chapter describes
how to use the Universal Media Player object and other Catalog
objects to add flair to your online application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About digital media 291
Choosing a media player 291
Using the Universal Media Player 294
Using other media players 301
Creating and managing clips 305
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 291

About digital media

Audio, video, animation, and graphics are all types of digital media that
you can incorporate in an online learning application. Media adds interest
to any page, making the learning experience dynamic and effective.

If you plan to deliver pages via the Internet by exporting your book to
DHTML, use Internet-compatible file formats when choosing media
elements.
If you will distribute your application as a native ToolBook file that users
can view with the Neuron browser plug-in, you can expect the media
elements that you include to perform just as they do in Instructor.

Choosing a media player

The primary device for playing media files (including audio, digital video,
and streaming media) is the Universal Media Player: It supports most
standard media types, is programmable using the Actions Editor, and
retains all functionality when exported to DHTML. Simply drag the
Universal Media Player object from the Catalog to your page, specify the
media file to be played, and set properties that determine how the media
appears and behaves. Alternatively, you can use one of several other
media player objects available in the Catalog. These objects offer
additional buttons and design options, but more limited functionality.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 292

Choosing a media player

Media Player Supports Advantages Limitations

Universal Most currently Works the same Will not display some
Media Player available digital when exported still image formats
video, audio, and to DHTML as in
streaming media ToolBook runtime
formats
Programmable
using the Actions
Editor visual
programming tool
Has a single,
consistent authoring
interface, which
makes it easy to
learn and use

Media players Specific audio, Allow you more To play certain types
digital video, and control over the of media files, users
still image files, appearance of must load the proper
as listed in the the object on the software drivers on
Catalog description* page in ToolBook their computers
runtime
Allow limited
programming with the
Actions Editor visual
programming tool

* Will play other file formats if you install proper MCI software drivers
(continued)
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 293

Choosing a media player, continued

Media Player Supports Advantages Limitations

Video players AVI files (digital Allow you more To play certain types
video)* control over the of media files, users
appearance of the must load the proper
object on the page software drivers on
in ToolBook runtime their computers

Allow limited
programming with the
Actions Editor visual
programming tool

Inline clip Specific audio, Can be inserted in To play certain types

players digital video, and a text field so that of media files, users
still image files, button scrolls with must install the proper
as listed in the text, similar to a software drivers on
Catalog description* hotword their computers

Allow limited
programming with the
Actions Editor visual
programming tool
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 294

Using the Universal Media Player

The Universal Media Player is the easiest to use and most versatile of all
of the media player objects available in the Catalog. It supports a wide
variety of digital video, audio, and streaming media file formats. You
simply choose the file to display, and ToolBook automatically presents
the appropriate player at Reader level. For example, if you select a
Microsoft Streaming Media file, Instructor uses the Windows Media Player
ActiveX control to play the file.

Media types supported by the Universal Media Player

If this player is available… These file formats will play…

Flash Player/Shockwave Player Shockwave and Flash files: *.swf

Windows Media Player Audio files: *.aif, *.aifc, *.aiff, *.mid, *.midi,
*.rmi, *.wav
MP3 files: *.mp3, *.mpa, *.m3u
MPEG files: *.mpg, *.mpeg, *.m1v, *.mp2
QuickTime files: *.mov, *.qt
Video files: *.avi
Windows Media files: *.asf, *.asx, *.wm,
*.wma, *.wmv, *.wax
RealPlayer Animated GIF: *.gif
Audio files: *.aa
Flash and Shockwave files: *.swf
Graphic files: *.gif, *.jpeg, *.jpg, *.png
MP3 files: *.mp3, *.dat
MP3 Playlist files: *.m3u, *.pls
RealMedia files: *.ra, *.rm, *.rmj
RealMedia metafiles: *.ram, *.rmm, *.rpm
RealPix files: *.rp
RealText files: *.rt
RealText3D files: *.r3t
SMIL files: *.smi, *.smil
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 295

You can find the Universal Media Player in the Media Players category of
the Catalog.

➤ To add the Universal Media Player:

1 Open the Catalog from the View menu.

2 In the Media Players category, select the Universal Media Player.

3 Drag the Universal Media Player from the object pane, and then drop it
onto your page.

Choosing a media file

After you place the Universal Media Player on a page, you can use the
Extended Properties dialog box to choose a media file.

➤ To choose a media file:

1 Select the Universal Media Player, and then click the Extended
Properties button on the toolbar.
2 On the General tab, click the Browse button.
The Select a Media File dialog box appears.
3 Navigate to and select the file you want to use, and then click OK.
4 Click OK.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 296

Using time markers

You can use time markers to synchronize the playing of a media file with
the behavior of other objects on the page. For example, you can display
pop-up text describing a scene at a certain point in a video, and then hide
it at a later point. Once you define time markers, you need to create an
action sequence in the Actions Editor to handle the media timing event
generated each time the file reaches a time marker.

Note If you do not plan to export to DHTML, you can use

OpenScript to handle the ASYM_TimeMarker media timing message.

Time markers identify positions in a media file. When a time marker is

reached, Instructor sends a media timing event with a parameter named
mediaPosition. The value of mediaPosition is equal to the position in the
media file (positions are measured in milliseconds or frames, depending
on the media type). There are two types of time markers you can set. You
can set time markers that send the media timing event at periodic intervals
(for example, every 1000 milliseconds), or you can insert time markers at
specific points in the media file.

➤ To set periodic time markers:

1 Select the Universal Media Player object, and then click the Extended
Properties button on the toolbar.
The Properties dialog box appears.

2 On the Time Markers tab, do the following:

A Select Enable time markers.

B Select Periodic.
C Type a value for the intervals between the time markers.

3 Click OK.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 297

Most media types measure their positions in milliseconds. Some media

types, however, measure their position in frames. The controls on the
Time Marker tab of the Properties for Universal Media Player dialog box
are labeled according to the position format for the selected media type.

➤ To set time markers at specific points in the media file:

1 Select the Universal Media Player object, and then click the Extended
Properties button on the toolbar.
The Properties for Universal Media Player dialog box appears.

2 On the Time Markers tab, do the following:

A Select Enable time markers.

B Select Specific times.

C Do one of the following:

— Click Play, and as the file plays, set a time marker at the current
position in the media file by clicking Add time marker.
— Select the field under Marker Time, press CTRL+ENTER (or right-
click and select New Time Marker), and then replace Enter Marker
with a time in milliseconds or a frame number that corresponds
with a position in the media file.
D Optional. Enter descriptive text in the Comment field.

E Repeat steps A to C until you have inserted all time markers.

3 Click OK.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 298

Tip To set several time markers at once, play the media file and,
while it is playing, click Add time marker as the player reaches the
positions of interest in the media file. Once you have set the time
markers, you can go back to insert comments or edit the individual
time markers.

Creating actions for time markers

For each media file you play, you can set multiple time markers, each
of which sends the same media timing event. You can use the Actions
Editor to create a single action sequence that runs in response to any
media timing event, or you can create an action sequence that responds
with different behavior depending on which time marker generated the
media timing event.
For more information about the Actions Editor visual programming tool,
see Chapter 15, “Using the Actions Editor.”

➤ To create an action sequence to respond to media timing

events:

1 Select the Universal Media Player object, and then click the Actions
button on the toolbar.

The Actions Editor appears.

2 In the Event list, select On media timing event.

3 In the Actions Editor, create an action or series of actions to respond

to media timing events.

4 In the Actions Editor, from the File menu, choose Update Actions
& Close.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 299

You can also create an action sequence that responds with different
behavior depending on which time marker generated the media
timing event.

To distinguish one media timing event from another, Instructor sets a

parameter named mediaPosition to the value (the position in the file) of
the time marker that generated the event. For example, if you set a time
marker at 1050ms and another at 2050ms, the first time marker sends
a media timing event with 1050 as the parameter and the second time
marker sends the same event with 2050 as a parameter.

In the Actions Editor, you can distinguish one media timing event from
another by creating a conditional expression that compares whether the
parameter sent with the event is equal to a specific value (such as 1050).
In this way, you can respond to multiple media timing events in one
action sequence.

➤ To create an action sequence to

differentiate between media timing events:

1 Select the Universal Media Player object, and then click the Actions
button on the toolbar.
The Actions Editor appears.

2 In the Event list, select On media timing event.

3 From the Insert menu, point to Condition, and then choose If.

If the Properties for Condition dialog box does not appear, click the
Properties button on the Actions Editor toolbar.

4 Click the Build Expression button.

The Build Expression dialog box appears.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 300

5 Do the following:

A In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Variables and
parameters; in the Select a variable or parameter list, select
mediaPosition.

B Insert the cursor at the end of the expression and type = (the equal
symbol), and then type in the value of your first time marker.

C Click OK.
6 Select the conditional expression you just created, and then create an
action or series of actions that Instructor runs if that condition is true.
7 Repeat steps 3 through 6 until you have created a sequence of actions
to handle each time marker event that you defined.

8 From the Actions Editor File menu, choose Update Actions & Close.

Figure 1
Handling multiple media timing events in an action sequence
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 301

Using other media players

The Catalog also includes several other objects that you can use to add
multimedia to your application, which function quite differently from the
Universal Media Player. These objects play clips, which are named
references to a specific segment of a media file, rather than the media
file itself. For more information, see “Creating and managing clips,” later
in this chapter.
You can set a media player’s properties to refine its appearance (visual
media clips only) and behavior. Media players also feature an Extended
Properties dialog box: You can select a clip to play, specify when and for
how long the clip plays, and (for visual media) determine whether the clip
will play in a stage or in a pop-up window.

Note If you do not specify a stage in which to play a visual media

clip, it will appear in a pop-up window at Reader level.

Working with media players and stages

Video players and media players are objects that you drag from the
Catalog and drop onto a page in your book. The Catalog also features a
stage that you can use in conjunction with a media player to play visual
media clips. You can also draw a stage using the stage tool on the tool
palette.

➤ To insert a media player from the Catalog:

1 Open the Catalog: from the View menu choose Catalog.
2 Select the Media Players category.
3 Drag one of the media player objects from the object pane, and then
drop it onto your page.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 302

➤ To draw a stage:

Using the interface

1 From the tool palette, choose the stage tool.
2 On your page, hold down the mouse button while you drag, and then
release when the stage is the size you want.
3 Using the select tool, click the stage to select it.
4 Click the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.
The Properties for Stage dialog box appears.
5 In the Name box, type a name for the stage.
6 Optional. Close the Properties for Stage dialog box.

Using OpenScript
◆ Use the draw command with the stage object type, followed by the
bounds, and then assign the stage a name using the name property.
For example:

draw stage from 1000,1000 to 3000,3000

name of selection = "videoStage"

Note When a video clip is playing in a stage, it is displayed in its

own window, which will obscure all objects on the page in that area,
even objects that appear in front of the stage when the media is
not playing.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 303

Setting the appearance of a stage

To change the appearance of a stage in a video player, you can set
properties that define the:
◆ frame, which is the decorative border around a stage.

◆ display area, which sets the size and position of visual media clips in
a stage.

◆ transition effects, which determine the effect before and after a visual
media clip plays.

Choosing a frame style

You can set a stage frame that draws attention to the stage or that subtly
adds dimension to a page.

➤ To set the style of a stage frame:

1 Select the stage, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
The stage may be part of a group—the video player. To select only the
stage, double-click the stage.
2 On the Draw tab, under Frame widths, enter the width (in page units)
of the outer bevel, border, and inner bevel.
3 Optional. Close the Properties for Stage dialog box.

Setting the size and position of clips in a stage

By default, clips have a predefined size and are centered in a stage. If
you want to play clips of different sizes in the same stage, you can scale
or crop clips so that they fit in the stage. This feature will not export
to DHTML.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 304

➤ To set the size and position of clips in a stage:

1 Select the stage, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
The Properties for Stage dialog box appears.
2 Click the Draw tab.
3 In the Sizing list, choose how clips appear in the stage.
4 If you are playing clips of different sizes, select an anchor option
from the Anchor list.
5 Optional. Close the Properties for Stage dialog box.
You can also use OpenScript to set the appearance of a stage. For details,
refer to the Programming in OpenScript online book.

Setting transition effects

To introduce a visual media clip and to smoothly move from one clip to
another, you can add a transition effect before and after a clip plays. For
example, you can select a transition effect that simulates a page turning
or blinds opening.
➤ To set a stage transition effect:
1 Select the stage, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
The Properties for Stage dialog box appears.
2 Click the PreEffect tab. Then, from the Effect list, select a transition
effect to use before the clip plays.
3 Click the PostEffect tab. Then, from the Effect list, select a transition
effect to use after the clip plays.
4 Optional. Close the Properties for Stage dialog box.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 305

Creating and managing clips

A clip is a reference to any media file—a sound file, video file, animation
file, or still-image file. You can use the Clip Manager dialog box to create,
select, edit, duplicate, remove, and play the media clips in a book. If you’ve
planned in advance all the audio and visual media you want to include,
you can use the Clip Manager to add them to your book all at once.

Note Animations discussed in this chapter refer to animation files—

not ToolBook Instructor animations created with the ToolBook
Animation Editor. For details about ToolBook animations, see Chapter
13, “Hiding, showing, and animating objects.”

Creating clips
A clip is defined by a file name or media source and start and end points.
For example, a clip’s start and end points could define the clip as the
third song on a music CD or the first 20 frames of a digital video file. A
clip could also reference an entire file.

➤ To create a clip:
1 Do one of the following to open the Clip Manager dialog box:
◆ From the Object menu, choose Clips.
◆ From the Extended Properties dialog box of the media player,
click Choose a Clip. In the Choose Media Clip dialog box, click the
Clips button.
2 Click New to open the Choose Source Type dialog box, select the type
of multimedia you want, and then click OK.
If you are creating a clip from a file, the Choose Source File dialog
box appears. Navigate to and select the file you want to use, and then
click OK.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 306

3 In the Clip Editor, type a name for the clip you’re creating in the Clip
box.
4 On the Timing and Options tabs, adjust the settings that apply to your
clip, such as volume control, start and end points, and palette options.
5 Click OK to close the Clip Editor.
6 Repeat steps 2 through 5 until you have finished creating clips.
7 Click Close to close the Clip Manager.

Note Start and stop position settings for a clip are not supported in
an exported DHTML application. If you export your book to DHTML,
the entire media file will play in a Web browser.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 307

Opens the
Choose Media Clip
dialog box

Opens the
Clip Manager
dialog box

Figure 2
Creating a clip
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 308

Using OpenScript

You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor
or Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.
◆ Create a new clip using the new clip command. Set the beginning point
using mmBeginPoint, the ending point using mmEndPoint, and the
media search path Instructor will use to locate the media source file
using mmSearchHD and/or mmSearchCD:

new clip from "c:\media\horn.avi"

name of It = "tuba" --Assigns name to clip
mmBeginPoint of clip "tuba" = "00:00:1:15"
mmEndPoint of clip "tuba" = "00:00:2:07"
mmSearchHD of clip "tuba" = true

Managing clips
In Instructor, only a reference to a clip is stored in your application; the
actual digital data remains stored in the original media source file. When
you add a clip to your application, Instructor keeps track of the location
of that clip and includes it when you package your book for distribution.
If you add a clip to your application and then delete or move the original
file, the clip will not play. Therefore, you will want to take care when
organizing any media clips you add to your Instructor application.

Tip Remove a clip from your book if you are not using it. Removing
unused clips will reduce the size of your application file. Be certain,
however, that a clip you remove is not referenced in any script. If
you remove a clip that is referenced in a script, you will get an
error message when the script attempts to access the clip.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 309

➤ To manage clips:

1 From the Object menu, choose Clips to open the Clip Manager.
2 In the Available clips list, select the clip you want to work with.

3 Do one of the following:

◆ To edit the clip, click Edit. The Clip Editor dialog box appears. Edit
the clip, and then click OK.

◆ To make a copy of the selected clip, click Duplicate.

◆ To replace the selected clip with a clip from a clip library or another
book, click Replace. The Replace Clip dialog box appears. Navigate
to and select a replacement clip, and then click OK.

◆ To remove the selected clip from your book, click Remove.

◆ To play the selected clip, click Play.

4 Click Close to close the Clip Manager.

Using OpenScript
◆ Remove a clip using the remove resource command:

remove resource clip "tuba"

Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 310

Specifies the type

of clip displayed
Shows a list Creates a new clip
of clips Displays the Clip Editor
Duplicates the selected clip
Displays the Replace Clip dialog box
Removes the selected clip

Plays a preview of the

selected clip
Specifies the
name and
ID number
of the clip

Figure 3
The Clip Manager dialog box

Creating a clip library

A clip library is a file that contains a collection of predefined clips. You
can create a clip library to organize frequently used clips. For more
information about creating and using a clip library, refer to online Help.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 311

Working with media clip paths

When you add a media clip to your application, the clip isn’t saved in the
book; instead, Instructor saves the location of the clip’s media source file
and, each time the clip is activated, opens and runs that file. The location
where the media source file is stored is called its path. If you plan to use
the ToolBook Web Specialist or the ToolBook AutoPackager to prepare
your file for distribution, you don’t need to set media paths as you work
with clips. The Web Specialist and the AutoPackager will resolve all
media path issues for you. However, if you plan to package your applica-
tion using InstallShield or another setup program, you will need to
understand how to work with media clip paths.

Regardless of how you plan to package and distribute your application,

you can take one simple step during the development process to ensure
that your completed Instructor application can easily locate and play your
media files. As you build your application, create an organized directory
structure in which media files are stored in a subdirectory of the applica-
tion file. For example, if your book is stored in C:\Books, store your
media files in C:\Books\Media. For more information on creating an
organized directory structure, see “Planning your project” in Chapter 2,
“Basic concepts.”

Making clip paths independent

In order to distribute a multimedia application without knowing in advance
where users will install it, Instructor provides media search paths, which
are book properties that allow you to store the file name of a media
source file separately from its path. The file name is stored with the clip,
and you can add the clip’s path to a media search path. When you play
the clip, Instructor adds the media search path to the clip reference so
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 312

that it can find the media source file. For example:

◆ Media search path: C:\Books

◆ File on the hard disk: C:\Books\Video\Show.avi

◆ File name stored in

clip reference: Video\Show.avi
◆ Media search path
plus clip reference: C:\Books\ + Video\Show.avi
If you create a clip without setting a media search path, the clip reference
includes the entire path for the media source file, including the drive
letter, subdirectories, and the file name. The media clip will only play on
a computer with the same directory structure as the authoring computer.

File organization becomes especially important when you are setting the
media search paths for your book. Although we recommend a structure in
which your media files are contained in a subdirectory of your book files
(for example, Books\Media), Instructor is able to adapt to almost any
orderly, consistent organization.

If you intend to distribute your application on a CD-ROM, replicate the

directory and file structure of the CD-ROM on your hard disk and specify
the replicated structure on your hard drive as the CD-ROM search path
during development. Instructor has two search paths—one for the hard
disk and one for the CD-ROM drive—so you can create separate search
paths for media that you intend to distribute on CD-ROM. For example,
you would list media that will be installed on the user’s hard disk in the
hard disk media path, while you would list media that will remain on the
CD-ROM in the CD-ROM media path. Each search path can store multiple
directory names; when Instructor searches the paths, it looks through
each directory in turn until it finds the clip.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 313

When you create a new clip, Instructor checks the source file path against
the existing media search paths and removes the portion of the clip’s
path that is already in the search paths. (By default, the current book’s
path is included in the hard disk search path.) If you store the full path
with the clip when you create it but decide later to make the clip path
independent, you can change the links to the clip’s source file using the
ToolBook AutoPackager. For more information about using the
AutoPackager, see Chapter 21, “Preparing native ToolBook applications
for release.”
When you are ready to distribute your application, you can specify that
the media search paths match the directories in which users will install
your application. Instructor stores media path information in two book
properties and three clip properties.

Media path information locations

Type Property Information

Book HDMediaPath List of subdirectories on hard disk

that will be searched to locate a media clip
CDMediaPath List of subdirectories on CD-ROM
that will be searched to locate a media clip
Clip mmSource Name of the media source file
mmSearchHD Whether to search using
HDMediaPath (true or false)
mmSearchCD Whether to search using
CDMediaPath (true or false)
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 314

How Instructor searches for media

When you play a clip, Instructor first checks the clip’s mmSearchHD
property. If it is true, Instructor constructs a full path for the clip’s media
source file by combining values, one by one, from HDMediaPath with the
clip’s mmSource property and then attempts to find the clip.
For example, if HDMediaPath contains C:\Books, C:\Books\AVI,
C:\Books\WAV and the clip’s mmSource property contains Bells.wav,
Instructor searches the following paths in order:

C:\Books\Bells.wav
C:\Books\AVI\Bells.wav
C:\Books\WAV\Bells.wav

Instructor uses the same search process if mmSearchCD is true but extracts
search paths from CDMediaPath instead of from HDMediaPath. (If both
mmSearchHD and mmSearchCD are true, the paths in HDMediaPath are
searched first.)
There are two very important special values that you can use for
HDMediaPath and CDMediaPath: <BookPath> and <CDROM>.

If the media search path contains the string <BookPath>, Instructor

searches for the path of the current book (the current TBK file). If your
media files are in the same directory as the current book or below it,
Instructor locates them regardless of where the user installs them. This
is the simplest way to handle media paths on a hard drive.

For example, consider the scenario where HDMediaPath contains

<BookPath> and <BookPath>\Media and the clip’s mmSource property
contains Bells.wav. If the book is installed in c:\Books, Instructor first
searches c:\Books\Bells.wav, and then it searches
C:\Books\Media\Bells.wav. However, if the book is installed in
C:\MyFiles\MyBooks, Instructor first searches
C:\MyFiles\MyBooks\Bells.wav, and then it searches
C:\MyFiles\MyBooks\Media\Bells.wav.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 315

Similarly, if the media search path contains the string <CDROM>, Instructor
searches all of the CD-ROM drives on the user’s computer. If the user has
more than one CD-ROM drive, Instructor will search them all. This is the
simplest way to handle media paths on a CD-ROM drive.

Both the <BookPath> and <CDROM> special values can be combined with
additional path information, as in the following examples:

<CDROM>Media
<BookPath>\Media

Note the difference in how subdirectories can be added to these special

values. The <CDROM> term implicitly includes the backslash directory, so
adding a backslash makes the path information invalid. The <BookPath>
term does not implicitly include the backslash, so you must add it. For
example, the following media search paths are invalid:

<CDROM>\Media
<BookPath>Media

Refining media search paths

A new book’s hard disk media search path (HDMediaPath) is set to
<BookPath>, so Instructor automatically finds media source files located
in the same directory as the book (the TBK file). You can refine media
search paths by adding or removing search paths for both the hard disk
and CD-ROM.

➤ To add or remove media search paths:

Using the interface

1 From the Object menu, choose Clips to open the Clip Manager.
2 Click the Media Paths button to open the Media Paths dialog box.
Chapter 14 Adding audio and video files 316

3 Under Path to edit, choose either Hard disk or CD-ROM.

4 Do one or more of the following:

◆ To add a path, click Add Path, select a new path, and then click OK.

◆ To add the current book’s path, click Add Book Path. Instructor adds
<BookPath> to the search path, which is automatically interpreted as
the path of the current book (the TBK file).

◆ To add the current CD-ROM path, click Add CD-ROM Path. Instructor
adds <CDROM> to the search path.

◆ To remove a path, select a path from the Directories on hard disk

media path list, and then click Remove Path.
If a clip’s media source file is in the path you removed, Instructor
will not be able to find the file or play the clip.
5 Click OK to close the Media Paths dialog box, and then click Close to
close the Clip Manager.

Using OpenScript
◆ To add a path to the HDMediaPath or CDMediaPath book property, use
the push command:

push "c:\media" onto HDMediaPath of this book

or
push "<BookPath>" onto HDMediaPath of this book

◆ To remove a path from the HDMediaPath or CDMediaPath book property,

use the clear command:

clear item 2 of HDMediaPath of this book

PART IV

Adding behavior
with action sequences

This part of the ToolBook Instructor User Guide introduces the Actions
Editor visual programming tool. In these chapters, you will learn the basic
concepts you need to know to use the Actions Editor. You will also receive
step-by-step instructions for creating sample action sequences that add
interactive behavior to your Instructor applications.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples
Chapter 15

Using the Actions Editor

The Actions Editor is a visual programming tool in ToolBook In-

structor. It features familiar interface elements—such as menus and
a toolbar—that you can use to add sophisticated interactive behavior
to objects in your Instructor applications. The action sequences that
you create in the Actions Editor will export to DHTML automatically
when you use the ToolBook Web Specialist. This chapter describes
how to use the Actions Editor to add interactive behavior to your
applications.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About action sequences 319
Choosing when to create action sequences 321
Opening the Actions Editor 323
Creating action sequences using the Actions Editor 324
Creating and using shared action sequences 341
Managing action sequences 349
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 319

About action sequences

Action sequences add behavior to your ToolBook Instructor application.
Every action sequence consists of one or more behaviors that Instructor
carries out in the order you specify. You can create action sequences that
prompt users for input, change an object’s properties, play media, and
much more. You can also repeat actions or specify the conditions under
which actions are executed by adding a loop or condition to your action
sequence.

In Instructor, you create action sequences using the Actions Editor. The
Actions Editor is a tool for visual programming—that is, you specify
behavior using an interface that features familiar elements such as menus
and a toolbar.
You can create action sequences to program the behavior of any object
you add to your Instructor application. An action sequence for an object
responds to a specific event. In Figure 1, the event handled by the action
sequence for the button is a button click.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 320

Figure 1
Action sequence for an object
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 321

You can also create shared action sequences. A shared action sequence
is not linked to a specific event and does not belong to any individual
object. Instead, you can use a shared action sequence to assign the same
behavior to multiple objects. A shared action sequence is stored under a
unique name that you assign and is available to be executed as part of
any other action sequence. For more information, see “Creating and using
shared action sequences,” later in this chapter.

Note You can create action sequences to program the behavior

of ActiveX controls. For more information about creating action
sequences for ActiveX controls, see the online book, Advanced
Features for Native ToolBook Applications.

Choosing when to
create action sequences
Action sequences that you build in the Actions Editor work in both native
ToolBook applications and exported DHTML applications. In Instructor,
there are other tools you can use to create interactive behavior as well.
For example, many Catalog objects have predefined behaviors that may
meet your needs. You can also use OpenScript to create and refine
behavior for objects if you do not plan to export your book to DHTML.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 322

Using action sequences

in place of Catalog objects
Many Catalog objects have predefined behaviors. To add simple behavior
to your application, a Catalog object is often the best choice. However,
for these more complex interactive behaviors, you will find the Actions
Editor is a more versatile tool:
◆ Creating looping and conditional behavior Using the Actions
Editor, you can execute a series of actions repetitively or in response
to specific conditions.

◆ Handling certain events An action sequence can be programmed

to handle many events that are not handled by Catalog objects with
predefined behaviors. For example, when a mouse is positioned over
an object, or when the property of an object changes. You can create
an action sequence that handles a generic User event that you send.

Using action sequences in place of OpenScript

Although you can use OpenScript to accomplish the same behavior that
you create using action sequences, OpenScript programs do not function
on the Web when you export your application to DHTML by using the
ToolBook Web Specialist. By contrast, most action sequences that are
exported to DHTML will perform in a Web browser just as they do in the
Instructor authoring environment. For details about the performance of
specific actions in Web browsers, see the online document named DHTML
export considerations.rtf in your Instructor program directory.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 323

Opening the Actions Editor

The Actions Editor is a tool you can use to create an action sequence to
handle an event for any object in your Instructor application. Once open,
the Actions Editor changes dynamically, displaying supported events and
any actions you have created for the currently selected object.

➤ To open the Actions Editor:

◆ Do one of the following:

— Select the object, and then from the Object menu, choose Actions.

— Select the object, and then click the Actions button on the Instructor
toolbar.
— Right-click the object, and then click the Actions button on the
toolbar of the right-click menu.
— Select the object, and then press F5.
Object type Object name

Actions Editor toolbar

Action sequence
Actions palette

Status bar (indicates whether the currently selected action is valid)

Figure 2
The Actions Editor
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 324

Creating action sequences

using the Actions Editor
You create an action sequence in the Actions Editor by adding actions
one at a time. After you insert an action into the action sequence, you
can move it up or down in the order of actions, as well as cut, copy, or
delete the action. You can also select multiple actions at a time to delete,
copy, or move them as a group. When running the action sequence,
Instructor carries out actions in the order in which they are listed in the
Actions Editor window.
In any action sequence, you can modify the items that appear as hotspots
in colored, underlined text. When you click one of these hotspots, the
appropriate dialog box opens and you can edit the existing settings. You
can change the appearance of these hotspots on the Actions tab in the
Instructor Options dialog box, which opens when you select Options from
the View menu.
Loops and conditions are types of actions with functionality that sets
them apart from the other actions. When you insert an action after a
condition or loop, Instructor places it in a sublevel (indented) position to
indicate that it is carried out only when the loop or conditional expression
is true. It also inserts a dashed vertical line connecting the beginning and
end of the loop or conditional structure.

You can move an action into or out of a sublevel (indented)

position using the Move Up and Move Down buttons on the toolbar.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 325

Working with the toolbar in the Actions Editor

The buttons on the toolbar are shortcuts to frequently used menu
commands in the Actions Editor.

Toolbar buttons in the Actions Editor and their function

Click this button... To do this...

Cut the selected action(s) to the Clipboard.

Copy the selected action(s) to the Clipboard.

Paste the selected action(s) to the Clipboard.

Undo the last command

Redo the last command

Delete the selected action(s)

Edit the properties of the selected action(s)

Move the selected action(s) up one line

Move the selected action(s) down one line

Define variables (and parameters for

shared action sequences)
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 326

Working with the actions palette

The Actions Editor displays a list of available actions in the actions
palette. You can drag an action from the palette and drop it in the action
sequence to add a new action.

Hide button

Figure 3
The actions palette

You can resize or close the actions palette. If you close the actions
palette, you can select actions from the Insert menu of the Actions Editor.

Choosing an event
Action sequences for objects handle specific events. You can create an
action sequence for each event supported by an object. For example, a
button might have one action sequence to handle a click and a different
action sequence to handle a right-click. You specify the event for which
you want to create an action sequence by selecting it from the Event list
in the Actions Editor.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 327

Click the name of the event...

...to open the event list

Figure 4
Opening the event list

➤ To display the Event list for an object:

1 Select an object in the main ToolBook window.

2 Click the Actions button on the Instructor toolbar to open the Actions
Editor.
3 Click the name of the event in the first line of the action sequence.

The Event list opens.

Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 328

The list of available events depends on the object and includes only
events appropriate for the object. For example, since editable fields do
not respond to mouse events, the On click and On double-click events
are not available.

Common Event list options

Select this To create an action sequence
Event list item... that handles...

On click A user clicking the object

On User event A generic event you initiate with the Send User Event
action
On double-click A user quickly clicking the object twice
On load page A user entering a page
On mouse off A user moving the pointer off the object

On mouse over A user positioning the pointer over the object

On property change A property change
On reset A page or range of pages being reset
On right-click A user clicking the right button of the mouse
over the object
On trigger A trigger message
On unload page A user leaving the page

Some events (a button click, for example) are initiated by users as they
interact with your Instructor application. Other events you create using
commands available on the Actions Editor menus; these include Send
User Event, Trigger, Set Property, and Reset.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 329

Most events are generated as a result of the user performing some action,
or as the result of some change in the system. You can also send a
generic event called User event. With the User event, you can send any
data in a single parameter. This data may be in the form of a literal value,
variable, or expression. The User event is generated by the Send User
Event action.

Note For more information about variables and expressions, see

“Using variables” and “Building expressions,” later in this chapter.

➤ To send the User event in the Actions Editor:

1 From the Insert menu point to Action, point to Object, and choose
Send User Event.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears, if this default option is
set on the Actions tab of the Instructor Options dialog box.
2 Do the following:

A In the Select the object to receive the User event list, select an
object. Or, drag the Choose object button over a named object
to select it.
B Optional. In the Specify a value to pass as a parameter with this
event list, type in a literal value or use the Build Expression dialog
box to create an expression to pass as a parameter with the event.
C Click OK.

➤ To handle the User event:

1 Select the object that you specified to receive the User event.

2 Click the Actions button on the Instructor toolbar.

The Actions Editor appears.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 330

3 In the first line of the action sequence, click the name of the event to
open the Event list.

4 In the Event list, select On User event.

5 Create an action sequence to respond to the User event.

Inserting actions, conditions, and loops

Action sequences are composed of a variety of actions that are grouped
in three functional headings: actions, conditions, and loops. Actions
add behavior to your application, conditions specify the circumstances
under which actions take place, and loops repeat actions. Every action
sequence you create must include at least one action that is not a
condition or loop.

➤ To insert an action into an action sequence:

1 Optional. If your action sequence will use variables to store values that
are used in the action sequence, click the Define Variables button on
the Actions Editor toolbar to display the Variables dialog box, define
the variables you plan to use, and then click OK.

For more information about defining variables, see “Using variables,”

later in this chapter.

2 Optional. If you are adding an action to an existing action sequence,

select the action after which you want to insert the new action.

3 From the Insert menu, point to Actions, Conditions, or Loops, and then
choose the action you want to insert. Or, you can drag one of the
actions available in the actions palette to the action sequence.

4 Optional. Open the Properties dialog box if it is not already open and
select or enter the properties for the action.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 331

5 If necessary, use the Move Up and Move Down buttons

on the Actions Editor toolbar to reposition the action in the action
sequence.

Actions
Actions add behavior to your application. Some actions are visible to
users. For example, you may choose to play media, display a document,
or set an object property in response to an event; these all affect how the
application appears to the user. Other actions are not immediately visible
to the user and are actions that you can use to control how Instructor
functions. Setting a variable and executing a shared action sequence are
examples of this type of action.

Figure 5
A Properties for Action dialog box

For details about accessing action properties, see “Setting properties for
actions” later in this chapter.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 332

Conditions
You can insert a condition into your action sequence to respond to a
particular circumstance, such as the state of an object or the selection
a user makes. Inserting a condition creates a conditional structure—a
junction at which Instructor follows one of two or more distinct paths as
it executes the action sequence.
When you insert a conditional If structure, Instructor automatically inserts
an End if statement to indicate the end of the structure. Any subsequent
conditions you insert in the same structure begin with Else if or, for the
final conditional expression, Else. Else is a “catch-all” that covers any
condition not specified in an If or Else if statement. Within this conditional
structure, Instructor carries out only the sequence of actions directly
following the first true conditional expression it encounters. After you
insert a condition in an action sequence, you define the condition in the
Properties dialog box that appears when you click the expression hotword
in the action sequence.

Figure 6 shows an action sequence with two conditional structures. The

expression of the first structure tests whether the value entered in the
text field “Days” is a number from 1 to 7. If this expression is true, Instruc-
tor executes the expression of the second conditional structure, which
tests whether the value entered in the Text field “Minutes” is a number
between 1 and 200. In both structures, if the conditional expression
evaluates to false, Instructor prompts the user to enter a value that fits
within the defined range.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 333

Conditional structures

Figure 6
Using conditions in an action sequence

Loops
You can add a loop to your action sequence to run an action or series
of actions repetitively. A step loop runs the same action or actions
a specified number of times. A conditional loop runs the same action
or actions until a condition is met. For example, if you want to keep
prompting users for input until they provide the correct answer, you
can use a conditional loop.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 334

Figure 7
The Properties for Step Loop and Properties
for Conditional Loop dialog boxes

Setting properties for actions

For each action, there is a Properties dialog box where you can set options
and refine behavior. The options displayed in this dialog box vary depend-
ing on the behavior you have chosen to insert.

➤ To open the Properties dialog box for an action:

◆ In the Actions Editor, do one of the following:

— Select the action, and then click the Action Properties button on the
Actions Editor toolbar.

— Click the name of the event on the first line of an action sequence.
— Select the action, and then choose Properties from the Action menu.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 335

Creating valid actions

An action will function at Reader level only if it is valid—that is, if
you have provided all the information necessary for the action to run.
Instructor provides immediate feedback if the actions you create are
invalid. As you create an action sequence, Instructor displays a small
warning symbol beside an invalid action and describes why the action
is invalid in the status bar.

Status bar displays an explanation

Figure 8
Invalid action

You can also check the validity of all actions in the book at once using
the Validate Actions command: on the Tools menu point to Actions, and
then choose Validate Actions. For more information about valid actions,
see “Validating actions,” later in this chapter.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 336

Building expressions
When you create an action, you can use an expression in place of a literal
value such as a number or word. In an expression, you can combine
values (variables, object properties, and literal values) using operators
and functions to produce a result.

There are three broad types of expressions:

◆ arithmetic expressions These are expressions that use arithmetic
operators and functions to combine numbers (or variables and object
properties whose values are numbers) and produce a numerical result.
The following are examples of arithmetic expressions:

5
b^2-4*a*c

◆ logical expressions (also called conditional expressions) These are

expressions that typically compare values and return a true or false
value. The values that are compared can be expressions (arithmetic,
logical, or text). Conditions and conditional loops require logical
expressions. The following are examples of logical expressions:

enabled of button "advanced"

(Variable1 + Variable2) <10
"oscilloscope" is in studentResponse

◆ text expressions These are expressions that work on and return

text values. For example, you can join two text values using the
& (ampersand) operator or extract a single character or string of
characters from a block of text using the character and characters
operators. The following are examples of text expressions:

characters 1 to 5 of userEntry
charCount(userEntry)
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 337

When you are creating an action, you can type an expression anywhere a
value is required. Clicking the Build Expression button displays the Build
Expression dialog box, which helps you create a valid expression. The
elements from which you can build an expression are grouped as follows:
Operators and functions, variables and parameters, object properties, and
special values.

Type an expression
here, or use the lists Checks if expression
below to build an is in correct form
expression

Shows operation
performed by
Inserts selected items
selected item
into expression

Figure 9
The Build Expression dialog box

Operators and functions

An operator is a symbol or word that causes Instructor to perform an
action on operands, resulting in another value. For example, in the
expression Variable1 < Variable2, the operator is the < symbol, and
Variable1 and Variable2 are operands. A function is an operation that
returns a value. For example, the function round() returns the number
(or results of an operation) supplied in parentheses rounded to the
nearest integer.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 338

Variables and parameters

A variable is a named container that can hold any value. You can use the
Set variable action to assign a value to a variable in an action sequence.
For more information, see “Using variables,” later in this chapter.
A parameter is a read-only value defined for a specific event or shared
action sequence. Certain events have parameters that supply additional
information about the event. For example, the parameter ctrlDown
defines whether the CTRL key was pressed when an event (such as a
button click) occurred. The parameters available for a given event are
listed in parentheses after the event name in the Actions Editor. When
you create a shared action sequence, you can define parameters that the
shared action sequence uses to complete any operations it performs. For
more information, see “Creating and using shared action sequences” later
in this chapter.

Object properties
You can use an object property in an expression anywhere you can use
a literal value or variable. In the Build Expression dialog box, you can
select the page and background in which you are working, all named
objects on the page, self, and target. Target refers to the object that first
received the message that generated the event. Self refers to the object to
which the action sequence belongs. The options available in the Property
list change depending on the object you select.

Special values
Special values are variables with system-defined values that are available
in different contexts. For example, the special value pi represents the
trigonometric constant pi (approximately 3.14159).
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 339

Using variables
Variables are named containers that store values that can be modified
while an action sequence runs. In the Actions Editor, you can define two
types of variables: local and global. You can use a local variable only as
part of the action sequence in which you defined it; so, local variables in
different action sequences are unrelated even if you give them the same
name. A local variable is reset to its initial value each time the action
sequence runs.
Global variables may be used by any action sequence. If an action
sequence contains a local variable with the same name as a global
variable, the local variable is used when the action sequence runs.

➤ To define a variable:

1 In the Actions Editor, click the Define Variables button on the toolbar.
The Variables dialog box appears

2 On either the Local Variables or Global Variables tab (depending on

the type you want to define), click New.

3 In the Variables dialog box, type the name of the variable, and then
click OK.

4 In the Initial Value box, type a value.

5 Click OK.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 340

Figure 10
The Variables dialog box

Using arrays
You can define an array to store related data in one variable. An array
has a variable name followed by an index in brackets. The index specifies
which element of the array is being referenced. For example, in an array
named city, city[3] references the value stored in the third element of the
array, which could store a value such as “Seattle”.

In the Actions Editor, an array can have only a single dimension. The
array index can be numeric or any string that does not contain a space,
comma, or tab. In the following examples the array index is a string of
characters:
PersonalInfo[“FirstName”]
PersonalInfo[“LastName”]
PersonalInfo[“Age”]
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 341

➤ To define an array:

1 In the Actions Editor, click the Define Variables button on the toolbar.

The Variables dialog box appears.

2 On either the Local Variables of Global Variables tab (depending on the
type you want to define), click the New button.
3 Enter a name for the array.

4 Select the checkbox labeled Make this variable an array, and then
click OK.
You can refer to an element of an array in an expression or in any action
that allows you to set a variable. In actions that allow a variable to be
set, such as Set Variable or Score Pages, you can choose array variables
from a list or you can type in an array name followed by the specific
element in brackets.

Creating and using

shared action sequences
In most ways, creating a shared action sequence is identical to creating
an action sequence for an object. Refer to the sections above to learn
about using variables, building expressions, and inserting actions into
your shared action sequence.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 342

This section addresses the differences between the two types of action
sequences and what you need to know to use shared action sequences
in your application.

Naming and locating shared action sequences

Shared action sequences are stored together under unique names. You
work with shared action sequences in the Shared Actions dialog box. You
can access the Shared Actions dialog box from the main Object menu or
the Actions menu in the Actions Editor.

➤ To create a new shared action sequence:

1 Do one of the following:

◆ From the Object menu, choose Shared Actions.

◆ In the Actions Editor, from the Action menu, choose Shared Actions.

The Shared Actions dialog box appears.

2 Click New.

The Actions Editor appears.

Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 343

Using shared action sequences

You can use a shared action sequence to add the same behavior to
multiple objects. Shared action sequences are comparable to subroutines
or functions in most programming languages and are very powerful and
useful. Instead of creating the same sequence of actions multiple times,
you create a single shared action sequence and call it as many times as
you need it. Using shared action sequences also facilitates editing and
troubleshooting. If you discover a problem with a shared action sequence,
or need to alter its behavior, you only need to make one change rather
than many.

You can also use a shared action sequence (like a function) to perform
an operation and return a value to the action sequence that calls it.
When you create a shared action sequence for this purpose, you can
define parameters that the shared action sequence uses to complete the
operation.

For example, in Figure 11, a shared action sequence is used to calculate

the commuting hours a driver could save in a year by telecommuting
(working from home) one day per week. The shared action sequence,
TimeInHours, which performs the calculation, uses two parameters: Days
and Minutes. To divide the calculation into manageable blocks, it uses two
local variables, called AvgWeek and ShortWeek, to store values while the
action sequence runs. After it completes the operation, the shared action
sequence returns the result (the number of hours saved in a year) to the
action sequence that called it. It uses a variable called returnValue to
store the value that will be returned.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 344

You can define parameters that

the shared action squence uses
in the operation it performs.

You can define variables

to store values while the
action sequence runs.

Figure 11
Creating a shared action sequence
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 345

➤ To define parameters for a shared action sequence:

1 Open or create a new shared action sequence.

2 Click the Define Variables and Parameters button on the Actions Editor
toolbar.

The Parameters and Variables dialog box appears.

3 On the Parameters tab, click New.

4 In the Parameters dialog box, enter a descriptive name, and then

click OK.
5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have defined all the parameters your
shared action sequence needs to complete any operations it performs.

➤ To define a variable for a shared action sequence:

1 Open or create a new shared action sequence.

2 Click the Define Variables and Parameters button on the Actions Editor
toolbar.
The Parameters and Variables dialog box appears.

3 On the either the Local Variables or Global Variables tab (depending

on the type of variable you want to define), click New.

4 In the Variables dialog box, enter a descriptive name, and then

click OK.
5 Optional. Type a starting value for the variable in the Initial value box.

6 Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 until you have defined all the variables used
in your shared action sequence.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 346

➤ To set the return value:

1 Create a new shared action sequence.

2 In the Actions Editor, from the Insert menu point to Action, point
to General, and then select Set Return Value.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

3 Type in the value to return to the action sequence or use the Build
Expression dialog box to build an expression, and then click OK.

Executing shared action sequences

A shared action sequence executes only when an action sequence or
another shared action sequence calls it.

Note If you execute a shared action sequence that returns a value,

you should define a variable to store that value.

➤ To execute a shared action sequence:

1 Open the action sequence in which you want to execute a shared

action sequence.

2 Select the action after which you want the shared action sequence
to run.

3 From the Insert menu point to Action, point to General, and then
choose Execute Shared Actions.

The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 347

4 Do the following:

A In the Select a shared action sequence list, select the shared action
sequence.

B Optional. If the shared action sequence uses parameters, enter a

value (as a literal value or expression) for each parameter in the
Parameter Value field. For more information, see “Using parameters,”
later in this section.
C Optional. In the Specify a variable to store the return value list,
select a variable name.
5 Click OK.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 348

Figure 12
Executing a shared action sequence
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 349

Using parameters
When you create a shared action sequence, you can define parameters
that the shared action sequence uses to complete any operations it
performs. When you call the shared action sequence from another action
sequence, you can supply values for those parameters. These may be
literal values, variables, object properties, or expressions. The parameter
list is only enabled if the shared action sequence accepts parameters.

Figure 13
Sending parameters to a shared action sequence

Managing action sequences

Instructor provides tools you can use to validate actions, to view action
sequences in a text file, and to test your action sequences as you build
your application. You can also import or export an action sequence to
reuse it in another book.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 350

Validating actions
Only valid actions will run at Reader level. When you finish authoring,
you can check the validity of all the actions you’ve created for a group of
objects, a page, a background, or the entire book.

➤ To validate actions:

1 From the Tools menu, point to Actions, and then choose Validate
Actions. (You can also access this command from the Tools menu in
the Actions Editor.)
2 In the Validate actions for list, select the object(s) to check.

3 Optional. Check Validate child objects .

4 Click Validate Now.

The Validate Actions dialog box expands to display a list of invalid

actions, the objects and events they handle, and a description of the
problem that invalidates the action.
5 To edit an action, double-click it in the list.

The Actions Editor appears, and the invalid action is highlighted.

6 Correct the action, and then click Close.

An action can be technically valid, but not produce the behavior you
expect. Before you distribute your application, test all action sequences
at Reader level (and/or in a Web browser) to ensure that the actions
perform as you want them to.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 351

Viewing action sequences

Large, complex applications may contain dozens of different action
sequences, all of them adding different behaviors to your application.
Fortunately, you don’t have to open dozens of Actions Editor windows to
find a particular action sequence. You can use the Dump Book Actions
command to create a text file containing all the action sequences in your
book, or you can view all the action sequences on a page using the View
Page Actions command.

➤ To save the action sequences in your book in a text file:

1 From the Tools menu, point to Actions, and then choose Dump Book
Actions. (You can also access this command from the Tools menu in
the Actions Editor.)
2 In the Dump Book Actions dialog box, specify a name and location for
the text file.
3 Click OK.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 352

Object name Page name

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Actions for Button "Calculate" of Page "Commuter calculator"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Event
-- On click... -------------------------------------------------------
Variables Define local variable "Time" (Initial value: 0)

If text of Field "Days" <= 7 and text of Field "Days" >= 1

If text of Field "Minutes" >= 1 and text of Field "Minutes" <= 200
Execute Shared Actions "TimeInHours"
Display alert: "In a year, you could save" && Time && "hours."
Else
Action
Display alert: "Please enter a number of minutes between 1 and 200."
sequence
End if
Else
Display alert: "Please enter a number of days between 1 and 7."
End if

Figure 14
Actions displayed in a text file

➤ To view all the action sequences on a page:

1 From the Tools menu, point to Actions, and then choose Show
Page Actions.

The Show Page Actions dialog box appears.

2 Do one of the following:

◆ Click Print to send the document to your default printer.

◆ Click Copy to copy the contents of the window to the Clipboard. You
can then paste the actions into any text document.

3 Click Close.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 353

Enabling and disabling actions

You can disable any action in an action sequence. You can disable
actions to isolate others for testing or, if you choose to remove some
behavior from an action sequence, you can disable an action instead of
deleting it (this is equivalent to commenting out a line of code).

➤ To disable or enable actions in an action sequence:

1 Select one or more actions in the action sequence. To select multiple

actions, press CTRL while you click the actions.

2 In the Actions Editor, from the Action menu, choose Enabled.

A check mark appears beside the command when the action is enabled.
Disabled actions appear in gray in the Actions Editor.

Importing and exporting action sequences

You may want to use the same action sequence in more than one
Instructor book. You can use the same sequence of actions in more than
one book by using the Import and Export commands. When you export
a sequence of actions, Instructor saves the exported actions in a file with
a .tba extension in the location you specify.

Note If the action sequence you are importing contains explicit

object references or uses variables, be sure that the book or action
sequence into which you are importing the file contains the same
object names and variable names.

In the Actions Editor, you can select and export specific actions. You can
also import actions and insert them after a selected action in the action
sequence. In the Shared Actions dialog box, you can export an entire
shared action sequence or create a new shared action sequence by
importing actions.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 354

Importing and exporting actions in the Actions Editor

When you export actions from the Actions Editor, Instructor saves only
those actions you specifically select in a file with a .tba extension. When
you import a .tba file into the Actions Editor, Instructor copies all the
actions into the file after the currently selected action in the action
sequence.

➤ To export actions in the Actions Editor:

1 Open the action sequence from which you want to export actions.
2 Select the actions you want to export. To select multiple actions, press
CTRL while you click the actions.
3 From the Actions Editor File menu, choose Export Actions.

The Export Actions dialog box appears.

4 Navigate to the file location where you want to save the .tba file, type
a name for the file, and then click OK.

➤ To import actions in the Actions Editor:

1 Open the action sequence into which you want to import actions, or
open the Actions Editor for a new action sequence.

2 If importing into an existing action sequence, select the action after

which you want to insert the actions stored in the .tba file.
3 From the Actions Editor File menu, choose Import Actions.

The Import Actions dialog box appears.

4 Navigate to and select the .tba file you want to import, and then
click OK.
Chapter 15 Using the Actions Editor 355

Importing and exporting

from the Shared Actions dialog box
You can export an entire shared action sequence at once using the Export
command in the Shared Actions dialog box. You can also import any .tba
file as a new shared action sequence using the Import command.

➤ To export a shared action sequence

in the Shared Actions dialog box:

1 From the Objects menu, choose Shared Actions.

The Shared Actions dialog box appears.

2 Select the shared action sequence you want to export, and then
click Export.

The Export Shared Actions dialog box appears.

3 Navigate to the file location where you want to save the .tba file, type
a name for the file, and then click OK.

➤ To import in the Shared Actions dialog box:

1 From the Objects menu, choose Shared Actions.

The Shared Actions dialog box appears.

2 Click Import.
3 Select the .tba file you want to import, and then click OK.

4 In the Shared Actions dialog box, in the Name box, select

NewSharedAction, and replace it with a descriptive name.

5 Optional. Click Edit to make any changes to the new shared action
sequence you imported.
6 Click Close.
Chapter 16

Creating action sequences:

Practical examples

There are thousands of different ways you can combine actions

in action sequences to add behavior to your Instructor application.
This chapter takes you through the steps involved in creating
action sequences that handle some common scenarios.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About the examples 357
Using the examples 358
Example 1: Using conditions 359
Example 2: Using variables 367
Example 3: Changing object properties 374
Example 4: Using shared action sequences 379
Troubleshooting action sequences 394
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 357

About the examples

The examples presented in this chapter provide a hands-on introduction
to creating action sequences using the Actions Editor. As you work with
the Actions Editor, you will learn to combine actions in many ways to
create powerful results. Each of the examples that follow focuses on
learning a particular skill—using variables for example. All four of the
examples demonstrate one or more of the following:
◆ Defining and using variables and parameters

◆ Adding actions that display text, change object properties, and send
users to certain pages

◆ Handling multiple events

◆ Testing conditions

◆ Building expressions
◆ Using shared action sequences

For more information about using the Actions Editor to create action
sequences, see Chapter 15, “Using the Actions Editor.”
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 358

Using the examples

You can easily recreate the examples in this chapter because most of the
work of building the pages has been done for you in the Actions Editor
Walkthrough book. All you have to do is open the book and create the
action sequences that add behavior to the objects.

This chapter assumes you are familiar with basic Instructor concepts.
Before you begin, you should feel comfortable switching between Author
and Reader level, adding pages and backgrounds, adding objects to pages
using the Catalog or the tool palette, and using the Properties dialog box
to refine an object’s appearance and behavior.
Since the examples that follow are self-contained, you can complete them
in any order you like. Each example takes between five and twenty
minutes to complete, depending on your level of experience with Instructor
and your knowledge of basic programming conventions. When you finish
an example, you can view the results immediately.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 359

➤ To open the Actions Editor Walkthrough book:

1 Start Instructor.
2 On the Welcome tab of the ToolBook Instructor Startup dialog box,
select Walkthrough.tbk, and then click OK.

Instructor opens the book.

Example 1: Using conditions

There are situations in which you will want different types of users to view,
or have access to, different information. This example uses conditions in
an action sequence to send new users to a page containing introductory
text while sending advanced users directly to a page with a table of
contents.
Open the second page of the Actions Editor Walkthrough book. Note that
there are three interactive objects: two radio buttons (labeled New user
and Advanced user) and a pushbutton (labeled Continue). You will create
an action sequence for the Continue button that sends users to different
pages of the book depending on their radio button selection.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 360

Note To work with an object in the Actions Editor, you must assign
it a unique name.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 361

Figure 1 shows the action sequence applied to the Continue button for
Example 1. Instructor executes the action sequence as follows: First,
Instructor evaluates which one of two radio buttons a user selected.
Depending on the radio button selection, Instructor sends the user to a
specific page. If the user did not select a radio button, Instructor prompts
the user to check a button and try again.

Figure 1
Full action sequence for Example 1

Tip As you work through the following procedures, you can refer
back to Figure 1 for an example of how the action sequence
should look.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 362

Building the action sequence

Building this action sequence shows you how to:

◆ select an event.
◆ define conditions for behavior.

◆ go to pages in a book.
◆ display a message in a dialog box.

Opening the Actions Editor and selecting an event

Every action sequence you create for an object handles a specific event
and you can create a separate sequence of actions for each possible
event. In this case, you will create an action sequence that handles a
button click.

➤ To open the Actions Editor and select the event:

1 If Instructor is currently open at Reader level, press F3 to move to

Author level.

2 On the second page of the Actions Editor Walkthrough book, select the
Continue button.
3 From the Object menu, choose Actions.

The Actions Editor appears.

4 If On click is not selected in the action sequence, click the event to
open the Event list, and then select On click.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 363

Inserting actions
Because you want to send users to two different locations depending on
their radio button selections, you need to determine which button a user
has selected. You can insert a condition to create a conditional expression
that tests user selection.

➤ To insert a condition:
1 From the Insert menu point to Condition, and then select If.
2 If the Properties for Condition dialog box does not open automatically,
click the Properties button on the Actions Editor toolbar.
3 Click the Build expression button at the end of the Condition box to
open the Build Expression dialog box.
4 In the Build Expression dialog box, do the following:
A In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Object properties.
B In the Select an object list, select Button “New user.” Or, drag the
Choose object button over the New user radio button to select it.
C In the Select a property list, select checked.
D Click Insert into Expression.
5 Optional. Click Check Syntax to check the syntax of your expression.
6 Click OK to close the Build Expression dialog box, and then click OK
again to close the Properties dialog box.
Instructor inserts the expression you created and an End if statement
to indicate the end of the conditional structure.
7 Using the skills learned above, create a second conditional expression
directly below the first: Else if checked of Button “Advanced user.”
8 From the Insert menu, point to Condition, and choose Else.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 364

Note The Else condition covers any other possible condition. In this
example, the only possible other condition is that neither radio
button is checked.

Once you have determined which radio button the user selected, you
need to send the user to the appropriate page of the book. You can use
the Go to page action to send a user to a particular page.

➤ To insert the Go to page action:

1 Select the first conditional expression in the action sequence (If

checked of Button “New user”).
2 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to Navigation, and choose
Go to Page.

3 In the Properties for Action dialog box, do the following:

A In the Select the type of navigation list, select Jump to page.

B In the Select the page to navigate to list, select Next page.

C Click OK.

4 Select the second conditional expression (Else if checked of Button

“Advanced user”). From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to
Navigation, and then choose Go to Page.
5 In the Properties for Action dialog box, do the following:

A In the Select the type of navigation list, select Jump to page.

B In the Select the page to navigate to list, select Specific page.

C In the Select a specific page box, click the Choose page button.
D In the Choose Page dialog box, select Page “Contents,” and then
click OK.

6 In the Properties for Action dialog box, click OK.

Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 365

If a user fails to select a radio button before clicking continue, you need
to prompt the user to select an option. There are several options you can
choose from to display a message to users. This action sequence uses the
Display alert action to create a dialog box with a note to the user.

➤ To insert the Display alert action:

1 Select the Else condition.

2 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to Prompts, and then
choose Display Alert.

3 In the Properties for Action dialog box, do the following:

A Select Enter literal text.

B In the Specify the text to display box, type Please select an option
and try again.
C Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.

4 In the Actions Editor, from the File menu, choose Update Actions
& Close.

Tip You can leave the Actions Editor open while you test an action
sequence. From the File menu, choose Update Actions rather than
Update Actions & Close.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 366

Testing the action sequence

It’s a good idea to test your action sequences as you build them. You can
ensure that an action sequence works and that you are satisfied with the
results before you use it again or develop other behaviors to respond to
the expected outcome.

➤ To test the Display alert action:

1 Press F3 to switch to Reader level.

2 Click Continue.
If a dialog box appears with the message, “Please select an option and
try again,” it indicates that both your conditional structure and Display
alert action are working. Now test the Go to page action.

➤ To test the Go to page action:

1 At Reader level, select Advanced user.

2 Click Continue.
If the Contents page appears, your action sequence is working and you
are ready to return to Author level and continue with the next example.
If your results were different than those described above, your action
sequence is not working. Return to Author level and review the
instructions in Example 1.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 367

Example 2: Using variables

There are many ways you can use variables in an action sequence. In this
example, a global variable stores the number of times a user clicks a Hint
button. The action sequence uses this number to determine which hint
to display.
At Author level, open page six of the Actions Editor Walkthrough book
(named Question 1). There are several interactive objects on this page,
including a fill-in-the-blank question object and three buttons. One of the
buttons is labeled Hint. You will create an action sequence for this button
that displays text as “hints” to the user.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 368

Figure 2 shows the action sequence for Example 2 and the Variables dialog
box. Instructor executes the action sequence as follows: First, Instructor
evaluates each conditional expression in turn, comparing the value stored
in the global variable named g_HintCounter against a specific integer. If an
expression is true (for example, if the value stored in g_HintCounter is 0),
Instructor runs the Display Popup text action that follows. Finally, the Set
variable action increases the value of g_HintCounter by 1.

Figure 2
Full action sequence for Example 2
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 369

Tip To make it easier to distinguish global variables from local

variables, the names of global variables are often prefixed with an
identifer such as g_.

Building the action sequence

Building this action sequence shows you how to:
◆ select an event.

◆ define a variable and change its value.

◆ define conditions for behavior.

◆ display text messages.

◆ cut, paste, and edit actions in the Actions Editor.

Opening the Actions Editor and selecting an event

Every action sequence for an object handles a specific event. The action
sequence you create in this example occurs in response to a user clicking
the Hint button.

➤ To open the Actions Editor and select an event:

1 Select the Hint button.

2 From the Object menu, choose Actions.

The Actions Editor appears.

3 If On click is not selected, click the name of the event and select On
click from the Event list.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 370

Defining a variable
This action sequence uses a global variable named g_HintCounter to track
how many times the user clicks the Hint button. This action sequence uses
a global variable rather than a local variable since the value of a local
variable is reset each time the action sequence runs.

➤ To define a variable:

1 Click the Define Variables button on the Actions Editor toolbar.

The Variables dialog box appears.

2 On the Global Variables tab, click New.

3 In the Variables dialog box, type g_HintCounter, and then click OK.
4 In the Initial Value box, type 0 (zero).

5 Click OK.

Note When you define variables, they are not displayed as part of
the action sequence. To see a list of variables defined for an action
sequence, click the Define Variables button on the Actions Editor
toolbar.

Inserting actions
In order to display a different hint each time a user clicks the Hint button,
you need to track the number of times the user clicks this button. Since
the value of the variable g_HintCounter corresponds with the number of
clicks, you need to determine the value of g_HintCounter before displaying
a hint. You can insert a condition to create a conditional expression that
tests the value of g_HintCounter.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 371

➤ To insert a condition:

1 From the Insert menu, point to Condition, and then choose If.
2 If the Properties for Condition dialog box does not open automatically,
click the Properties button on the Actions Editor toolbar.

3 You can type g_HintCounter = 0, or you can use the lists in the Build
Expression dialog box to create the same expression:

A Click the Build expression button to open the Build Expression

dialog box; in the Select the type of item to insert list, select Vari-
ables and parameters; in the Select a variable or parameter list,
select g_HintCounter; click Insert into Expression.
B Position the insertion point after g_HintCounter in the expression
box, and then type = 0.
C Click OK.

4 Click OK to close the Properties for Condition dialog box.

5 Using the skills learned above, insert two more conditions:

Else if g_HintCounter = 1
Else

To display a hint to a user, you need to show text on the page. This
action sequence uses popup text to display a hint to a user.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 372

➤ To display popup text:

1 Select the first condition in the action sequence (If g_HintCounter = 0).
2 From the Insert menu, point to Prompts, and then choose Display
Popup Text.

3 If the Properties for Action dialog box does not open automatically,
click the Properties button on the Actions Editor toolbar.

4 Select Enter literal text.

5 In the Specify the text to display box, type This is your first hint.

6 Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.

To save time and steps, you can use the editing tools in the
Actions Editor to copy and paste the Display Popup text action you
just created.

➤ To copy and paste an action:

1 Select the action you just created.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Copy.

3 Select the second condition in the action sequence (Else if
g_HintCounter = 1), and then from the Edit menu, choose Paste.
A copy of the action appears below the second condition.

4 Select the third condition (Else) and paste again.

You will need to edit the text that is displayed by the actions you
just pasted.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 373

➤ To edit an action:

1 Select the first pasted action, and then click the Action Properties
button on the Actions Editor toolbar.
2 Select the text in the Specify the text to display box, replace it by typing
This is your second hint, and then click OK.
3 Select the second pasted action, replace its text with Sorry, no more
hints are available for this question, and then click OK.
Now that you have created a conditional expression that tests the value
of the g_HintCounter variable, and a Display Popup Text action that runs
if the conditional expression is true, you need to insert an action that
increments the value of g_HintCounter. You can use the Set variable
action to change the value of a variable.

➤ To set the value of a variable:

1 In the Actions Editor, select the last line of the action sequence
(End if).
2 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to General, and then
choose Set Variable.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

3 In the Choose a variable to set list, select g_HintCounter.

4 In the Set the variable to this value box, type g_HintCounter + 1, and
then click OK.
5 In the Actions Editor, from the File menu, choose Update Actions
& Close.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 374

Testing the action sequence

You can test to see whether this action sequence executes properly at
Reader level.

➤ To test an action sequence:

1 Press F3 to switch to Reader level.

2 Click Hint a few times.

The first three times you click Hint, a different hint should display If you
see “This is your first hint,” followed by “This is your second hint,” and
finally, “Sorry, no more hints are available for this question,” your action
sequence is working. You can now return to Author level to complete the
next example or exit the book.
If your results do not match the description above, your action sequence is
not working. Return to Author level and review the steps in this example.

Example 3: Changing object properties

One advantage of online learning is that users can move through a course
at their own pace and choose which topics to visit based on their individual
information needs. You can help users track their progress by creating
a table that is continually updated to show users the pages they have
visited. In this example, you will change the checked property of a table
item depending on whether its corresponding page has been visited.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 375

At Author level, open page four (named Contents) of the Actions Editor
Walkthrough book. You will see a list of page titles. Although no check
boxes are visible, each of the titles in this list is a separate check
box object.

Select the object labeled About variables and click the Properties button
on the toolbar. On the Graphics tab, note that there are two graphics
assigned to the button: one for its normal state and one for its checked
state. You will create an action sequence for this object that determines
whether the page About variables has been visited and, if it has, changes
the state of the button to checked.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 376

Figure 3 shows the action sequence for Example 3. Instructor executes

the action sequence as follows: First, Instructor checks the visited property
of page About variables. If this property is equal to true, the user has
visited the page. Instructor then changes the state of the About variables
button to checked by setting its checked property to true. If the page has
not been visited, Instructor does not change the state of the button.

Figure 3
Full action sequence for Example 3

Building the action sequence

Building this action sequence shows you how to:
◆ select an event.

◆ define conditions for behavior.

◆ change the value of an object property.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 377

Opening the Actions Editor and selecting an event

Because you want users to view an updated list each time they open the
Contents page, you will want the action sequence to run each time the
Contents page loads. The event On load page corresponds with the user
opening a page in the book.

➤ To open the Actions Editor and select an event:

1 On the Contents page, select the check box object labeled About
variables.

2 From the Object menu, choose Actions.

The Actions Editor appears.

3 In the Event list, select On load page.

Inserting actions
The first task in this action sequence is to determine whether or not
a user has visited the page named About variables. You can insert a
condition to create a conditional expression that tests whether a page
has been visited.

➤ To insert a condition:

1 From the Insert menu, point to Condition, and then choose If.

The Properties for Condition dialog box appears.

2 In the Condition box, type visited of Page “About variables” = True, and
then click OK.
3 From the Insert menu, point to Condition, and then choose Else.

To change the state of the About variables button from unchecked to

checked, you can use the Set property action.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 378

➤ To set an object property:

1 Select the first condition in the action sequence (If visited of Page
“About variables”).
2 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to Object, and then
choose Set Property.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

3 Do the following:
A In the Select the object for which to set the property list, select self.

B In the Select the property to set list, select checked.

C Check Specify the new value for the property as a literal value.

D In the Select logical value list, select true, and then click OK.
4 Select the Else condition.

5 Following the steps above, create an action that sets the checked
property of self to false.

6 Click OK.
7 From the File menu, choose Update Actions & Close.

Tip If you want to use the list items to send users to pages, you
can follow the steps in Example 1 to create an action sequence that
sends users to specific pages in response to the On click event.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 379

Testing the action sequence

You will want to test this action sequence to ensure that the state of the
button changes after the About variables page is visited.

➤ To test the action sequence

1 Press F3 to switch to Reader level.

2 Using the navigation buttons, go to the About variables page of the
book and then return to the Contents page.
If the check graphic appears next to About variables in the Contents
list, your action sequence is working, and you are ready to return to
Reader level and continue with the next example.

If the graphic doesn’t change, your action sequence is not working.

Return to Author level and review the steps above.

Example 4: Using shared action

sequences
You can use a shared action sequence any time you want to reuse the
same sequence of behaviors. You can also use a shared action sequence
to perform a series of actions that returns a value. In this example, a
shared action sequence is used in a program that calculates the amount
you would pay for sales tax in different cities.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 380

At Author level, open the final page of the Actions Editor Walkthrough
book titled “Tax Calculator.” You will see two interactive objects on the
page: A text field for entering a price and a list box containing three city
names—Seattle, Atlanta, and New York.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 381

Figure 4 shows the action sequence for Example 4. Instructor executes

the action sequence as follows: First, Instructor evaluates which city the
user selected from the list box. Then, it executes the shared action se-
quence, sending the appropriate tax rate and the text entered in the Enter
a price field as parameters. The shared action sequence uses these
parameters to calculate and return a value to the action sequence that
called it. The value returned by the shared action sequence is stored in a
local variable named Tax. Finally, Instructor displays the value of the
local variable (the results of the calculation) to the user.

Figure 4
The full action sequence and shared action sequence for Example 4
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 382

Building the shared action sequence

Building this shared action sequence shows you how to:

◆ create a new shared action sequence.

◆ define parameters and variables for a shared action sequence.

◆ calculate a value and store it in a local variable.

◆ return a value to an action sequence.

Creating a new shared action sequence

Shared action sequences are stored by unique names as properties of
your book. You access the Shared Actions dialog box to create, edit,
duplicate, import, or export any shared action sequence.

➤ To create a new shared action sequence:

1 From the Object menu, choose Shared Actions.

The Shared Actions dialog box appears.

2 Click New.

The Actions Editor appears.

Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 383

Defining parameters and variables

When you create a shared action sequence, you can define the parameters
it uses to complete any operations it performs. In this example, the
parameters required to calculate sales tax are a price and a sales tax rate.

➤ To define a parameter:
1 Click the Define Variables and Parameters button on the Actions
Editor toolbar.
The Parameters and Variables dialog box appears.
2 On the Parameters tab, click New.
3 In the Parameter dialog box, enter Price as the name, and then click OK.
4 Repeat the steps above to define a second parameter and name
it Rate.
It is sometimes easier to divide a long equation into two parts. You can
use a variable to store the result of one calculation. Then, you can use
that variable in a second calculation.

➤ To define a variable:
1 On the Local Variables tab, click New.
2 In the Name box, select NewVariable, and in its place, type Product.
3 In the Initial value box, type 0 (zero).
4 Click OK.

Inserting actions
You can easily complete the calculation by dividing it into two steps.
First you will multiply the parameters Rate and Tax, round the result to
the nearest integer, and store the resulting value in the local variable
named Product.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 384

Then you will use a variable named returnValue to store the final value
that results from the operations that are carried out in the shared action
sequence.

➤ To set the value of a variable:

1 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to General, and then
choose Set Variable.

The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

2 In the Choose a variable to set list, select Product.

3 Click the Build expression button to open the Build Expression dialog
box, and then do the following:

A In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Operators and
functions; in the Select a category list, select All functions; in the
Select an operator or function list, select round; click Insert into
Expression.
B In the expression box, insert the cursor between the
parentheses after round.

C In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Variables and
parameters; in the Select a variable or parameter list, select Price;
click Insert into Expression.
D In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Operators and
functions; in the Select a category list, select Math operators and
functions; in the Select an operator or function list, select the
multiplier symbol (*); click Insert into Expression.

E In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Variables and
parameters; in the Select the variable or parameter list, select Rate;
click Insert into Expression.

4 Click OK to close the Build Expression dialog box, and then click OK to
close the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 385

To return the value calculated in the shared action sequence, you use the
Set Return Value action. You can change the form of the result to display
as a dollar amount limited to two decimals, by setting the variable
returnValue to the value of Product divided by 100.

➤ To set the return value:

1 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to General, and then
choose Set Return Value.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

2 Click the Build expression button to open the Build Expression dialog
box, and then do the following:
A In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Variables and
Parameters; in the Select a variable or parameter list, select Product;
click Insert into Expression.

B In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Operators and
functions; in the Select a category list, select Math operators and
functions; in the Select an operator or function list, select the
division symbol (/); click Insert into Expression.
C In the expression box, insert your cursor after the division symbol
and type 100.
3 Click OK to close the Build Expression dialog box, and then click OK to
close the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 386

Saving and naming the shared action sequence

Once you have built a shared action sequence, you need to save it under
a unique name; then, you can call it from any other action sequence.

➤ To save a shared action sequence:

1 In the Actions Editor, from File menu, choose Update Actions

& Close.
2 In the Shared Actions dialog box, in the Name box, select
NewSharedAction, and then type CalculateTax.

3 Click Close.

Building the action sequence for the list box

The shared action sequence you just created runs only when called by
another action sequence. Now you will create an action sequence for the
list box object named Cities. The action sequence includes an action that
calls CalculateTax and supplies it with the two parameters it needs to
complete its operation: Price and Rate.

Building this action sequence shows you how to:

◆ select an event.

◆ define a variable to store the value returned by the shared action

sequence.

◆ define conditions for behavior.

◆ call and supply parameters to a shared action sequence.

◆ display a message in a dialog box.

Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 387

Opening the Actions Editor and selecting an event

The event that activates this shared action sequence is a user selecting
a city from the Cities list box. You need to create an action sequence for
the list box that runs in response to the On select event.

➤ To open the Actions Editor and select an event:

1 On the Tax Calculator page of the Actions Editor Walkthrough book,

select the Cities list box.
2 From the Object menu, choose Actions.

The Actions Editor appears.

3 In the Event list, choose On select.

Defining variables
The shared action sequence you created returns a value. You need to
define a local variable to store that value while the action sequence runs.

➤ To define a local variable:

1 Click the Define Variables button on the Actions Editor toolbar.

2 On the Local Variables tab, click New.

3 In the Variables dialog box, type Tax, and then click OK.

4 In the Initial value box, type 0 (zero).

5 Click OK.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 388

Inserting conditions to determine list box selection

Depending on which city a user selects in the list box, you will send a
different tax rate as a parameter to the shared action sequence. So, first
you need to determine the user’s selection. You can insert a condition to
create a conditional expression that tests a user’s selection.

➤ To insert a condition:

1 From the Insert menu, point to Condition, and then choose If.
The Properties for Condition dialog box appears.

2 Click the Build expression button to open the Build Expression

dialog box.

3 In the Build Expression dialog box, do the following:

A In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Object properties;
in the Select an object list, select self; in the Select a property list,
select selectedItemText; click Insert into Expression.
B Position the insertion point at the end of the expression, and then
type = “Seattle”.
4 Click OK to close the Edit Expression dialog box, and then click OK to
close the Properties dialog box.
5 Repeat the above steps until you have created a conditional expression
that tests for each item in the list.

If selectedItemText of self = "Seattle"

Else if selectedItemText of self = "Atlanta"
Else
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 389

Executing a shared action sequence

To perform the calculation, you need to call the shared action sequence
you created above. You use a specific action—Execute shared actions—
to run the shared action sequence. When you run the shared action
sequence, you need to supply values for the two parameters it requires:
Rate and Price.

➤ To execute a shared action sequence:

1 Select the first condition in the action sequence (If selectedItemText of
self = “Seattle”).
2 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to General, and then
choose Execute Shared Actions.
The Properties for Action dialog box appears.
3 In the Select a shared action sequence list, select CalculateTax.
The two parameters you defined when you created the shared action
sequence—Price and Rate—appear under Parameter Name.
4 Under Parameter Value, insert the cursor in the box next to Price, and
then click the Build expression button.
5 In the Build Expression dialog box, do the following:
A In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Object properties.
B In the Select an object list, select Field “Price.”
C In the Select a property list, select text, and then click Insert into
Expression.
6 Click OK.
7 Under Parameter Value, insert the cursor in the box next to Rate, and
then type 8.6.
8 In the Specify a variable to store the return value list, select Tax.
9 Click OK.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 390

Figure 5
Properties for “Execute Shared Actions” Action

Copying, pasting, and editing an action

There is only one difference between the action you just inserted and the
actions you will insert after the next two conditions: the value of Rate.
When actions are very similar, you will save time by copying, pasting,
and editing the first action you create.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 391

➤ To copy, paste, and edit an action:

1 Select the action you inserted in the steps above.

2 From the Edit menu, choose Copy.

3 Select the second condition in the Action sequence (Else if
selectedItemText of self = “Atlanta”).
4 From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

5 While the action you pasted is selected, click the Properties button on
the Actions Editor toolbar.
6 In the Properties for Action dialog box, select the parameter value next
to Rate, and type 6.
7 Repeat the steps above to insert the same action under the third
condition in the action sequence (Else), select the value next to Rate,
and then type 8.25.

Inserting the Display alert action

So far, the actions you have inserted into the action sequence determine
which item the user selects in the list box and call a shared action to
perform a calculation from the information it supplies. Now you need to
give feedback to the user displaying the dollar amount due in tax. You
can use the Display alert action to show users a message in a dialog box.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 392

➤ To display an alert:

1 In the Actions Editor, select End if.

2 From the Insert menu, point to Action, point to Prompts, and choose
Display Alert.

The Properties for Action dialog box appears.

3 Select Enter an expression.

4 In the Specify the text to display box, click the Build expression button.
5 In the Build Expression dialog box, build the following expression: “The
sales tax due on the amount you entered = $” &Tax
A Type “The sales tax due on the amount you entered = $”

B Type & (ampersand).

C In the Select the type of item to insert list, select Variables and
parameters.
D In the Select a variable or parameter list, select Tax, and then click
Insert into Expression.

6 Click OK to close the Build Expression dialog box, and then click OK to
close the Properties dialog box.

7 In the Actions Editor, from the File menu, choose Update Actions
& Close.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 393

Testing the action sequence

The following steps test both action sequences you created in this example.

➤ To test the action sequence:

1 Press F3 to switch to Reader level.

2 In the Price field, type 580.

3 In the list box, click each of the cities and note the message that In-
structor displays.
◆ When you click Seattle, a dialog box should appear that reads,
“The sales tax due on the amount you entered = $49.88.”

◆ When you click Atlanta, a dialog box should appear that reads,
“The sales tax due on the amount you entered = $34.8.”

◆ When you click New York, a dialog box should appear that reads,
“The sales tax due on the amount you entered = $47.85.”

If your results do not match those listed above, return to Author level and
review the instructions. If they do match, you have successfully completed
the final example.
Chapter 16 Creating action sequences: Practical examples 394

Troubleshooting action sequences

If your action sequences aren’t producing the expected behavior, review
them for the following common errors:

◆ Typing a name in the Build Expression dialog box that doesn’t

exactly match the name of the object to which it refers For
example, did you type “about varailbes” instead of “about variables”?
A typo is often difficult to pinpoint as the source of a faulty action
sequence. You can avoid making typing mistakes by selecting object
names and variables in the lists in the Build Expression dialog box.

◆ Selecting the wrong event in the Event list By default, when you
open the Actions Editor, it opens to the most common event in its list
of supported events (usually, On click). To create an action sequence
for any other event, you must select that event in the Event list.
◆ Providing insufficient information Certain dialog boxes, including
those for Display Confirmation and Display Query, have two tabs on
which you need to select options. Your action sequence will not run
properly if you do not enter all necessary information.
PART V

Using resources and data

In this part of the ToolBook Instructor User Guide, you will learn about using
the resource system to manage graphical elements that you add to a book.
Also included in this part is a description of powerful features that you can
use to import and export text, graphics, and other data.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 17 Using resources
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data
Chapter 17

Using resources

Resources are files that can be reused in your ToolBook Instructor

application. Some resources are used to create a cohesive interface
for your application—cursors, icons, color palettes, and menus, for
example. Instructor also uses the resource system to manage graphi-
cal elements you add to your book, allowing you to use a graphic
several times in your book with only minimal impact on the file size
of your application. This chapter describes how to add, modify, and
export resources.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About resources 397
Creating and modifying resources 399
Adding resources to a book 401
Working with resources 404
Getting information about a resource 409
Replacing resources 410
Exporting resources 411
Removing resources from a book 412
Chapter 17 Using resources 397

About resources
A resource is a file that you can use multiple times within your ToolBook
Instructor application. When you add a resource to a book, Instructor
places a copy of it in the Resource Manager, which is a common library
of resources in the book. The resource is then available to all objects in
the book that can use that type of resource; however, the resource does
not appear in the book until you assign it to an object as a property.
You can use resources to:
◆ apply a graphic to a button
◆ substitute a custom cursor for a ToolBook system cursor.
◆ change the default drag image or no-drop cursor that appears when
an object is dragged or dropped.
◆ add an icon that appears when your application is minimized.
◆ add a menu bar that appears in multiple windows of your application.
◆ identify a shared script that is used by multiple objects in your
application.
◆ substitute a custom Windows icon when you save your application as
an EXE file.
ToolBook Instructor stores only one copy of the resource in the book, no
matter how many objects refer to it. As a result, you can apply the re-
source to as many objects as you want without adding to the file size
of your application. An object uses a resource by referring to the stored
copy by name or ID number.
For example, if your book has multiple backgrounds with the same
navigation buttons on every page, you would use a bitmap resource for
the graphic image on the navigation buttons. Because only one copy of
Chapter 17 Using resources 398

the bitmap is stored, your book’s file size is much smaller than it would
be if you duplicated the bitmap for each button.

Note You cannot share the same copy of a resource among

multiple books. You must import a separate copy of the resource
for each book.

Customizing the Instructor interface using resources

To do this... Assign this resource type...

Create a graphic button Bitmap, cursor, icon

Change the drag image and Bitmap, cursor, icon
no-drop cursor
Apply a custom menu Menu bar*
Change a viewer’s† Minimize icon Icon
Change a book’s system cursor Cursor, icon

* For details about creating custom menus, see Chapter 2 in the online book, Advanced
Features for Native ToolBook Applications.
† For details about creating viewers, see Chapter 1 in the online book, Advanced Features for
Native ToolBook Applications.

Tip If you plan to save your book as an EXE file, you can customize
its Windows icon. Before you save your book as an EXE file, right-
click on the title bar, choose Choose icon, and then, in the Choose
Icon dialog box, import your custom icon or create a new icon.
When you save your book as an EXE file, the title bar icon appears
as the book’s Windows icon.
Chapter 17 Using resources 399

Creating and modifying resources

You can create and modify menu bar and shared-script resources using
the utility applications that come with Instructor. Other types of resources
can be created using other Windows applications. For example, you can
create graphic images using Adobe® Photoshop ® and then import them to
Instructor.

Menu bar and shared-script resources are unique to Instructor. You

create and use them only in ToolBook products. Access the Menu Bar
Editor from the Resource Manager dialog box.

Creating and modifying resources

To create this Identified by this
resource type... file extension... Use this...

Bitmap .gif, .jpg, .bmp, .dib Graphics program

Font .ttf TrueType ™ fonts editor
Icon .ico* Graphics program
Menu bar .mnu ToolBook Menu Bar Editor
Palette .pal †
Graphics program
Shared script — Instructor’s script editor

* These files may contain more than one image. Instructor uses the first image it
encounters in the file.
† Instructor can extract color palette information from Windows Metafile Format (WMF) and
device-independent bitmap (DIB) files when you specify them in the Resource Manager
dialog box or import them using OpenScript.
Chapter 17 Using resources 400

➤ To create or modify a resource in the Resource Manager:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.

2 In the Available resources list, choose the type of resource you want to
create or modify.

3 Do one of the following:

◆ If you’re creating a new resource, click New.

◆ If you’re editing an existing resource, select the resource from the

list, and then click Edit.

If available, a utility appears so you can create or modify the resource.

Chapter 17 Using resources 401

You can also duplicate resources that you have made available to a book.
For example, if you have an existing cursor resource that you want to use
in a slightly modified form, you can duplicate the existing resource, edit
the copy, and give it a unique name.

➤ To duplicate a resource:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.

2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource you want to
duplicate.
3 In the graphical list of resources, select the resource you want to
duplicate.

4 Click Duplicate.
Instructor duplicates the resource.

5 Optional. Select the new resource, and then click Edit to modify it.
6 Click Close to close the Resource Manager dialog box.

Adding resources to a book

There are many ways to add a resource to your book. You can:

◆ create a new resource and add it to your book.

◆ import an existing file to be used as a resource.

◆ copy a resource from another book.

◆ add an object that includes a resource from the Catalog. Instructor
automatically imports the resource into the current book.
Chapter 17 Using resources 402

◆ use OpenScript to refer to a resource in another book. Instructor

automatically imports the resource into the current book.

◆ insert an inline graphic into a field or record field.

◆ import an Instructor page or an entire book that contains resources.

If you’ve planned in advance all the artwork, system elements, and other
resources that you want to include, you can use the Resource Manager to
add them to the book all at once. If you’re designing as you go, or if you
discover that you need additional resources, you can add individual
resources one at a time.

➤ To add a resource to a book using the Resource Manager:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.

2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource you want
to add.

3 Do one of the following:

◆ To import a file as a resource, click Import.

The Import Resource dialog box appears. Select the resource you
want to import, and then click OK.

◆ To create a new resource, click New.

The ToolBook utility application for creating the type of resource
you’ve selected opens. Create the resource using the utility applica-
tion. When you save the resource, you will have the option to save
it as a resource in your book. Do this, and then close the utility
application.
The resource appears in the graphical list in the Resource Manager
dialog box.
Chapter 17 Using resources 403

4 Type a unique name in the Name box under Resource properties.

Instructor assigns an ID number to the resource that you can also use
to refer to it.

5 Close the Resource Manager dialog box.

Using OpenScript
You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript
online book.

◆ To import a resource, use the import command:

import icon resource "c:\toolbook\icon\plane.ico" as "plane"

◆ To copy a resource from another Instructor book, use the copy resource
command:

copy resource icon "airplane" of book "travel.tbk" to this book

◆ To automatically import a resource from another book, set a

resource property to a resource that is owned by a different book:

dragImage of button "Play MIDI" = cursor "hand.cur" \

of book "tutor.tbk"

Assigning resources as object properties

You can assign a resource that you have already added to your book to
an individual object, or you can create a resource for an object when you
are ready to assign it. Resources are considered properties of an object.
You can assign a resource to an object using the Properties dialog box.
Chapter 17 Using resources 404

Working with resources

The steps you take to assign a resource as an object property differ
depending on the type of object and the type of resource. This section
describes how to assign various resources to different objects.

Adding a graphic to a button

You can assign as many as four different graphics to a button: one for the
button’s normal state, one for its inverted state (when the button is
clicked), one for its disabled state (when the button cannot be clicked),
and one for its checked state (when an option is chosen).

Note You can also assign a rollover graphic to a button that will
display when the mouse pointer pauses over the button. On the
Graphics tab in the Properties for Button dialog box, select the
option labeled Use checked graphic as rollover graphic.

➤ To add a graphic to a button:

1 Select the button to which you want to add the graphic, and then click
the Properties button on the Instructor toolbar.

2 In the Properties for Button dialog box, click the Graphics tab.
3 Under Button graphics, choose a button state (Normal, Invert, Disabled,
or Checked), and then click Choose Graphic.
The Choose Graphic dialog box appears.

4 Select the type of resource you want (bitmap, cursor, or icon) in the
Available resources list.
The resources listed in the Choose Graphic dialog box include all
the resources of the selected type that have been imported into the
Chapter 17 Using resources 405

current book. Any new resources you import are added to the book’s
resource list.

5 Do one of the following:

◆ To use an existing resource, select the graphic you want in the
graphical list of resources.

◆ To import a new resource, click Import. In the Import Graphic or

Import Resource dialog box, locate the graphic file you want and
click OK; then select the resource in the graphical list of resources.
6 Click OK to close the Choose Graphic dialog box.
7 Optional. Under Graphic options, do one or more of the following:
◆ If you want the bitmap to fill the button, select Stretch the graphic to
fit the button. (You cannot stretch icons or cursors because they have
a fixed size.)
◆ If you want the button to size itself to the graphic, select Size the
button to fit the graphic.
◆ If you want to use the Checked graphic as the rollover graphic (the
graphic you see when the pointer is paused over a button), select
Use checked graphic as rollover graphic.
8 Repeat steps 3–7 to assign graphic resources for the other button states.
9 Optional. Close the Properties for Button dialog box.
You might need to resize the button to see the graphic.

Using OpenScript
◆ To apply a graphic to a button, set the normalGraphic, invertGraphic,
disabledGraphic, or checkedGraphic property of a button to a bitmap,
cursor, or icon resource:

normalGraphic of button "Baseball" = icon "normalBaseball"

Chapter 17 Using resources 406

Note To remove a graphic, on the Graphics tab of the Button

Properties dialog box, choose the button state, and then click Clear
Graphic.

Changing the drag image and no-drop cursor

You can change the cursor or drag image that appears when a user drags
an object, as well as the no-drop cursor that appears when a user drags
the object into an area where it cannot be dropped. Use Instructor’s
default drag-and-drop cursors, or customize your book by assigning
unique resources.

➤ To change the drag image and no-drop cursor of an object:

Using the interface

1 Select the object, and then click the Properties button on the Instructor
toolbar.
The Properties dialog box appears.
2 On the Drag & Drop tab, select either Can be dragged or Accepts
dropped objects, and then click Change Graphic.
The Choose Graphic dialog box appears.
3 Select the type of resource (bitmap, cursor, or icon) that you want
to assign.
4 Do one of the following:
◆ To assign an existing resource, select the resource you want in the
graphical list.
◆ To import a resource, click Import, navigate to and select a graphic
file, and then click OK.
Chapter 17 Using resources 407

5 Optional. Close the Properties dialog box.

6 Switch to Reader level (press F3), and drag and drop the object to test
the results.

Using OpenScript

◆ To change the cursor that appears when an object is dragged, set the
object’s dragImage property to a bitmap, cursor, or icon resource:

dragImage of object "baseball" = bitmap "blur"

◆ To change the cursor that indicates an object cannot be dropped,

set the object’s noDropImage property to a bitmap, cursor, or icon
resource:

noDropImage of object "bleachers" = cursor "no drop"

Changing a viewer’s Minimize icon

You can change the icon that appears when a viewer is minimized using
either the Properties dialog box or OpenScript.

➤ To change a viewer’s Minimize icon:

1 From the Object menu, choose Viewers.

The Viewers dialog box appears.

2 In the Viewers of book list, choose the viewer for which you want to
change the Minimize icon, and then click Properties.
The Properties for Viewer dialog box appears.

3 On the Style tab, under Icon, click Choose icon.

4 In the Choose Icon dialog box, create or import an icon, and then
click OK.
Chapter 17 Using resources 408

Using OpenScript

◆ To change the icon that appears when a viewer is minimized, set the
icon property to an icon resource:

icon of mainWindow = icon "fancy"

icon of viewer "Navigation" = icon "plain"

Changing a book’s
system cursor with OpenScript
Instructor comes with a number of system cursors that you can use.
Alternatively, you can import a cursor as a resource and then set the
OpenScript sysCursor property to that resource. For example:

sysCursor = cursor "hand"

You can make the cursor change whenever it passes over something
that you want the user to click. For example, use this script to make the
cursor change to a pointing hand every time it passes over a button:

--Sent when the cursor crosses the bounds of an object

to handle mouseEnter
if object of target is "button" then
system oldCursor --Declares the system variable
oldCursor = sysCursor --Saves the current cursor
sysCursor = cursor "hand" --Resets the cursor to a
--resource (hand graphic)
end if
end mouseEnter
to handle mouseLeave --The mouse pointer is leaving the object
system oldCursor --Redeclares the variable
sysCursor = oldCursor --Resets the cursor to its old value
end
Chapter 17 Using resources 409

Getting information about a resource

You can get information about a resource (such as the size or ID number)
from the Resource Manager dialog box or by requesting the resourceInfo
property in the Command window.

➤ To get information about a resource:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.

2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource about which
you want to view information.

3 In the graphical list of resources, select the resource.

Information about the selected resource appears under Resource
properties.

The information Instructor displays varies depending on the

resource type, as the following table shows. For all resource types, the
first item of information that Instructor displays is the reference count,
which is the number of times the resource is referenced within the book.
The reference count also appears in the Resource Manager dialog box.

Tip The reference count is not updated for references to a resource

in a script or in user properties. Therefore, it is possible for a
resource to have a reference count of zero but still be used in a book.

Getting resource information with the resourceInfo prop-

erty
Chapter 17 Using resources 410

Resource type Information

Bitmap Reference count; bitmap width in pixels; bitmap height

in pixels; color depth as 1, 4, 8, 16, or 24 bit; bitmap size
in bytes
Cursor Reference count; icon width in pixels; icon height in
pixels; color depth as 1 bit; the hotspot x and y position in
pixels, which is the area that needs to be over an object
when the mouse is clicked
Icon Reference count, icon width in pixels, icon height in
pixels, color depth as 1 or 4 bit
Menu bar Reference count
Palette Reference count, number of colors in the palette (up
to 256)

Replacing resources
You can replace the resources in a book with other resources. For ex-
ample, if you apply a bitmap resource to a button and then replace the
resource with a new bitmap, the new bitmap appears in place of the old
resource everywhere that it is used.

➤ To replace a resource in a book:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.
2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource you want
to replace.
3 In the graphical list of resources, select the resource you want to
replace, and then click Replace.
Chapter 17 Using resources 411

The Replace Resource or Import Graphic dialog box appears, depending

on the type of resource you’re replacing.

4 Navigate to and select the resource file you want to use, and then
click OK.
5 Optional. Close the Resource Manager dialog box.

The new resource replaces the old resource throughout the book.

Using OpenScript

◆ Use the replace resource command to replace an old resource with a

new one. For the new resource, specify the file name of a resource of
the same type. For example:

replace resource cursor "arrow" with "c:\cursors\arrow1.cur"

Exporting resources
You can export icon and cursor resources that you have created or
modified to use in other books or Windows programs.

➤ To export a resource from a book:

Using the interface

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.

2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource you want
to export.

3 In the graphical list of resources, select the resource you want

to export.
Chapter 17 Using resources 412

4 Click Export.
The Export Resource dialog box appears.

5 Enter a name for the resource, navigate to and select a file to which
to export it, and then click OK.

Instructor exports the resource.

Using OpenScript
◆ Use the export command to export a resource:

export resource cursor "point" as "c:\point.cur"

Removing resources from a book

If you’re concerned about file size, you can remove all unused
resources from your book to reduce the book’s file size. When you remove
a resource, you are removing only the book’s copy of the resource;
the resource’s original file is unaffected.
You cannot remove a resource from a book if it has been assigned to
an object. You must first remove each object’s reference to the resource
using OpenScript or the object’s Properties dialog box. For example, if
you create a graphic button with a bitmap resource, you must remove the
bitmap from the button before you can remove the resource from the
book. The table that follows explains how to remove an object’s reference
to a resource by setting the object’s property to the Instructor default.

Important The Resource Manager dialog box maintains a reference

count, which reflects the number of times a resource is used in a
book. When the reference count for a resource is zero, Instructor
allows you to remove the resource from your book. However, this
Chapter 17 Using resources 413

reference count is not updated for references to a resource within a

script or in user properties. Be certain not to remove any resources
that you intend to continue referencing in a script or in user properties.

Removing an object’s reference to a resource

To remove
this resource... Do this...

Bitmap Select the button, and then click the Properties button
on the toolbar. On the Graphics tab, choose the button
state, and then click Clear Graphic.

Alternatively, type in the Command window or a script:

normalGraphic of button "Baseball" = null
or clear normalGraphic of button "Baseball"

Icon Type in the Command window or a script:

icon of viewer "Statistics" = null

Drag image or Type in the Command window or a script:

no-drop cursor dragImage of button "Play MIDI" = null
noDropImage of button "Stop MIDI" = null

Color palette Assign a different palette to the book by typing in the

Command window or a script:
set palette of this book to palette ID 101

Menu bar Type in the Command window or a script:

resource* menuBar of viewer "Statistics" = null

System cursor Type in the Command window or a script:

sysCursor = 1
or sysCursor = default

* For details, see the online book, Advanced Features for Native ToolBook Applications.

After you have removed all references to a resource, you can remove the
resource from a book.
Chapter 17 Using resources 414

➤ To remove a resource from a book:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

The Resource Manager dialog box appears.

2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource you want
to remove.
3 In the graphical list, select the resource you want to remove.

4 Click Remove, and then close the Resource Manager dialog box.

Using OpenScript

◆ Use the remove resource command to remove a resource from a book:

remove resource cursor ID 100

remove resource palette "gray tones" of book "blk_wht.tbk"

The resource no longer appears in the Resource Manager dialog box for
that book.

◆ Use the resourceUsedBy() function to locate all objects using a

particular resource. For example:

request resourceUsedBy (bitmap "Next", this book)

Note If you delete an object that has a resource assigned as a

property (for example, a button with a graphic resource assigned
to a particular state), you cannot immediately remove the resource
from the Resource Manager dialog box. Because Instructor saves
a copy of the deleted object in memory to allow you to undo your
action, you must first perform another action (such as clicking on
another object) before you can delete the resource from the Re-
source Manager dialog box.
Chapter 18

Importing and exporting data

You can import and export text and graphics in ToolBook Instruc-
tor. In addition, you can import books and pages from other
Instructor and ToolBook Assistant applications into your current
Instructor application. Importing and exporting affords flexibility
and saves time, because you can leverage your development
efforts by reusing material. Further, you can incorporate material
from a number of sources, adding variety and extending function-
ality. This chapter discusses how to import and export data and
describes how to customize the import process to fit the needs of
your application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About importing and exporting 416
Importing and exporting text 417
Importing and exporting graphics 429
Importing books and pages 431
Customizing the import process 435
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 416

About importing and exporting

Importing is the process of reading information from a file and copying it
into your current book. Exporting is the opposite: reading information
from your current book and copying it to another file. In a ToolBook
Instructor application, you can import and export text and graphics. You
can also import pages and books from other Instructor and ToolBook
Assistant applications.
You can import and export text in two common text formats: a plain-text
format called ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
and RTF (Rich Text Format). You can import graphics in a wide variety of
common file formats, and you can export to BMP (bitmap file format), GIF
(Graphics Interchange Format), and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts
Group format). Importing and exporting text and graphics allows you to
incorporate material from other sources into your Instructor application
and reuse material from one ToolBook application to another.
Importing books and pages from other ToolBook applications is a way to
take advantage of your earlier work. For example, if you have created a
tutorial application in Assistant, you can import its pages into new
tutorials that you create in Instructor.
Importing or exporting is also useful when you need to share information
with an application that doesn’t support Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE),
object linking and embedding (OLE), or the calling of functions in a
dynamic-link library (DLL). For example, you might need information
from a database that doesn’t run under Windows. You could export the
data from the database into a text file and then import the text file into
your book. You could also export text from your book into a text file that
you can then import into a database, spreadsheet, or word-processing
program.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 417

This chapter discusses importing and exporting data in Instructor but

does not discuss exporting your Instructor application for use on the
Internet. To learn about exporting your application to an Internet-ready
file format, see Chapter 20, “Distributing applications on the Internet.”

Importing and exporting text

You can import and export text into a field or record field. A text field
is an Instructor object that contains text; a text field can reside on the
foreground or background of a page. A record field resides on the back-
ground of a page and displays changing text consistently from page to
page (data-entry forms, for example). For more information about text
and record fields, see Chapter 8, “Working with text.”

When you import to a text field, you move data from one source document
into one text field. When you import to a record field, you move data from
one source file into multiple record fields. Exporting from text fields or
record fields moves data into one text file.
You can import a text file into record fields as a fixed-field file or a
delimited-field file. In fixed-field files, the field size is predetermined and
constant. In delimited-field files, the size can vary and is delimited by
special characters that you define. You must insert the delimiter in the
source file (the file from which you are importing the text) at each place
where you want a new record field to begin.

Importing text files into a text field

You can import data from any application that creates text files and saves
them in either the ASCII format or RTF (a word-processing program, for
example). The ASCII format (also called the text-only format) allows for
only text characters to be contained in a file. RTF files include characters
and some formatting, such as font and font style.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 418

Text pasted from the Windows Clipboard is generally formatted as RTF.

For information about copying and pasting text using the Clipboard, see
Chapter 8, “Working with text.”

➤ To import text into a text field:

1 Click a text field once to select it.

2 From the Insert menu, choose Text.

The Import Text dialog box appears.

3 In the Import Text dialog box, navigate to and select the text file you
want to import, and then click OK.
The text from the source file appears in the field.

Exporting text from a text field

You can export text from a text field using the Export command on the
Tools menu.

➤ To export text from a text field:

1 Select the text field from which you want to export text.
2 From the Tools menu, point to Export, and then choose Field Text.

The Export Text dialog box appears.

3 In the Export Text dialog box, do the following:

◆ In the File name box, type a name for the text file.
◆ In the List files of type list, choose whether the file will be saved in
ASCII format (with a .txt file extension) or in RTF (with an .rtf file
extension).
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 419

◆ Under Directories, navigate to and select the directory where you

want to export the file.

4 Click OK.
Instructor exports the text in a text file to the specified directory.

Importing text into record fields

When importing into record fields, you can import text files only in
ASCII format. The ASCII file can be formatted as a fixed-field or delimited-
field file.

Instructor automatically creates a new record field for each data field and
a new page for each data record in the imported file. You cannot import
data into a record field on the background of an existing page. Rather,
when you import data into a new or existing book, Instructor creates a
new page with a blank background and inserts new record fields as
needed. All tabs and control characters are imported into Instructor along
with the data.
The first new record field is always placed at the top of the background
on layer 1, and each successive record field is placed below it. Instructor
imports data from the first data field into the new record field on layer 1
of the first page and imports data from successive data fields into record
fields on subsequent layers. Imported text is formatted according to the
current settings in the Properties for Record Field dialog box. For more
information about working with text and record fields, see Chapter 8,
“Working with text.”

Note Windows uses the ANSI (American National Standards

Institute) character set for displaying characters. If you import data
from text files into Instructor, you may need to retype some special
characters. For details about special characters, see “Inserting
special characters” in Chapter 8, “Working with text.”
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 420

Importing fixed-field files

In fixed-field files, the number of characters in each data field of the
source file determines where one data field ends and another begins.
Whenever Instructor finds a record separator, such as a carriage return/
linefeed (CRLF), it creates a new page and imports data from subsequent
data fields into the record fields on that page until it finds another record
separator. For example, most spreadsheet applications can save data as
text in fixed-field files. Each cell, or column, in the spreadsheet is a data
field with a fixed number of characters, and each row is a data record.

Figure 1
Table saved in fixed-field format

When you import a fixed-field file, you indicate how many data fields are
in a data record by specifying the length of each field. Instructor uses the
information about data field sizes as a template, so you must determine
the precise length of each data field before you import the file.

➤ To import a fixed-field file:

1 Start a new book, or navigate to the page in an existing book after

which you want to insert the pages with imported text.

2 From the Text menu, choose Character.

The Character dialog box appears.

3 In the Character dialog box, select the font and point size for the
imported text.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 421

4 Click OK.

5 From the Insert menu, choose Pages.

The Import dialog box appears.

6 In the Import type list, select Text files (*.txt).

7 Click Format to display the Text Format dialog box.

8 Choose Text—Fixed fields from the File format options.

9 In the Field lengths box, type the number of characters in each data
field, separating them with commas. You can type any number of field
lengths.
For example, type 3,5,8,12 if the first data record in the source file
contains four data fields with 3, 5, 8, and 12 characters, respectively.
If the field lengths specified don’t match those in the data file, the
imported text won’t be divided properly among record fields.

10 Click OK to return to the Import dialog box.

11 Navigate to and select the file you want to import, and then click OK.
Instructor imports the file, creating a new record field for each data field.

Using OpenScript

You can write and execute OpenScript code using the script editor or
Command window. For more information about using the OpenScript
programming language, refer to the Programming in OpenScript online
book.
◆ To import a fixed-field text file, use the import command with the fixed
keyword and a list of field lengths:

--Imports a fixed-field text file that contains four fields

import "c:\data\customer.txt" as fixed using 3,5,8,12
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 422

Importing delimited-field files

In delimited-field files, data fields can be any length and are separated
by a delimiter. A delimiter is a single character, such as a comma or a tab,
that separates data fields in a data record. Data records are separated
by a CRLF. For example, a mailing list with names and addresses that vary
in length is a delimited-field file.

Figure 2
Mailing list in delimited-field format

Instructor creates a record field for each data field in the source file’s first
data record (the first line of the file). If any data record contains more data
fields than the first data record, Instructor discards the extra data. If any
data record contains fewer data fields than the first data record, Instructor
leaves the remaining record fields blank on that page.
Instructor inserts the data into record fields of a fixed size, regardless of
the length of the data fields. You can display data longer than the field by
resizing the field on the background.
You can import a delimiter character as data by enclosing it in quotation
marks (“ ”). For example, you might have a comma separating city and
state names in the source file. If you want to keep that comma even
though you’re using a comma as the delimiter between fields, you can
import it as text by typing a quotation mark before and after the field
containing the comma. The text in the source file should read “Bellevue,
WA” instead of “Bellevue”, “WA”.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 423

All field delimiters and record delimiters are ignored in quoted regions of
text in imported files. To preserve quotation marks within a quoted region
in the source file, enclose them within a second set of quotation marks.
For example, the field in the source file must contain “this is a ““quoted””
region” to import this is a “quoted” region into Instructor.

➤ To import a delimited-field file:

Using the interface

1 Start a new book, or navigate to the page in an existing book after

which you want to insert the pages with imported text.

2 From the Text menu, choose Character.

The Character dialog box appears.

3 Select the font and point size for the imported text.
4 Click OK.

5 From the Insert menu, choose Pages.

The Import dialog box appears.

6 In the Import type list, select Text files (*.txt).

7 Click Format to display the Text Format dialog box.

8 Choose Text—Delimited fields from the File format options, and then
type a delimiter character in the Delimiter box.

◆ For a tab-delimited source file, type ^t.

◆ For a single-character delimiter, such as a comma or pound sign (#),
type that character.

You cannot use a quotation mark ( “ ) as the delimiter. Instructor

reserves the use of the quotation mark to enclose text that contains
a delimiter in the source file. You can import a delimiter character
as data by enclosing it in quotation marks.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 424

9 Click OK to return to the Import dialog box.

10 Navigate to and select the text file you want to import, and then
click OK.
Instructor imports the file, creating a new record field for each data
field. Whenever Instructor finds a delimiter in the source file, it removes
this character and places the data from the data field into a record
field. Whenever Instructor finds a record separator (CRLF) in the source
file, it creates a new page.

Using OpenScript

◆ To import a delimited-field text file, use the import command with the
delimited keyword:

--Imports a delimited text file that uses spaces to separate fields

import "c:\titles.dbs" as delimited using space

Exporting text from record fields

You can export data from Instructor record fields to text files so that you
can use the data in other applications. You can export a record field of
any size and export an unlimited number of data records from a book.

When exporting to both fixed-field and delimited-field file formats, Instruc-

tor exports data from all record fields on all pages that share the back-
ground of the page displayed when you choose the Export command.
Instructor exports data from each page in the layer order of the record
fields containing the data, starting with the record field on the lowest layer
(see Figure 3).
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 425

In the text file, Instructor adds a carriage return/linefeed after each

Instructor page. If you choose to export data in delimited-field format,
Instructor also adds quotation marks around the contents exported from
each record field.

Exported data in delimited-field format

Layer order
of record fields
on page

Figure 3
Data exported from a page

Note Windows uses the ANSI character set for displaying characters. If
you open an exported file with another application, you may need to
retype some special characters. For details about special characters,
see “Inserting special characters” in Chapter 8, “Working with text.”

Exporting to fixed-field files

Figure 4 shows data from record fields exported to a fixed-field file.
The first data record in the file contains data from the record fields on
page 1, the next data record contains data from the record fields on page
2, and so on. In Figure 4, you’ll notice that the first exported field in the
first data record is truncated. When you export to fixed-field files, you must
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 426

specify the number of characters in each field. If a field is larger than the
specified size, text is truncated on the right side.

Figure 4
Exporting data to a fixed-field file

➤ To export data to a fixed-field text file:

Using the interface

1 Open the book from which you want to export data.
If the book uses more than one background, go to a page with the
record fields containing the data you want to export.
2 From the Tools menu, point to Export, and then choose Record Fields.
The Export dialog box appears.
3 In the Export dialog box, specify a path under Directories and type a file
name in the File name box. If you don’t type a file extension, Instructor
adds the .txt extension.
4 Click Format to display the Text Format dialog box.
5 Choose Text—Fixed fields from the File format options.
6 In the Field lengths box, type the number of characters in each data
field, separated by commas.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 427

For example, type 3,5,8,12 if you want the data records to have four
data fields with 3, 5, 8, and 12 characters, respectively. You can type
as many field lengths as needed to define the data fields.
7 Click OK to return to the Export dialog box, and then click OK again.
Instructor exports the contents of the record fields to the file name you
specified. The data in each record field becomes a data field in the text
file. As Instructor exports the last record field on each page, it starts
a new data record in the text file.

Note Instructor adds spaces to data fields if the field length you
specify is greater than the number of characters in the original
record field. Use positive numbers to export data aligned on the left,
with fill space inserted on the right. Use negative numbers to export
data aligned on the right, with fill spaces inserted on the left. If
a field is larger than the specified size, text is truncated on the
right side.

Using OpenScript
◆ To export text from record fields to a fixed-field text file, use the export
command with the fixed keyword, specifying the length of the fields:

--Exports text from a book with 3 record fields

put "40,–80,10" into myFields --2nd field is right-aligned
export "mybook.dat" as fixed using myFields

Exporting to delimited-field files

Figure 5 shows data from record fields exported to a delimited-field file.
The first data record in the file contains data from the record fields on
page 1, the next data record contains data from the record fields on page
2, and so on. The data fields are separated by the delimiter character you
specify in the Export dialog box.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 428

Figure 5
Exporting data to a delimited-field file

➤ To export data into a delimited-field text file:

1 Open the book from which you want to export data.

If the book uses more than one background, go to a page with the
record fields containing the data you want to export.
2 From the Tools menu, point to Export, and then choose Record Fields.

The Export dialog box appears.

3 In the Export dialog box, specify a path under Directories and type a
file name in the File name box. If you don’t type a file name extension,
Instructor adds the .txt extension.
4 Click Format to open the Text Format dialog box.

5 Choose Text—Delimited fields from the File format options, and then
type a delimiter character in the Delimiter box.

◆ For a tab-delimited source file, type ^t.

◆ For a single-character delimiter, such as a comma or pound sign (#),
type that character.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 429

You cannot use a quotation mark ( “ ) as the delimiter. Instructor

reserves the use of the quotation mark as a symbol to enclose text that
contains a delimiter in the source file. You can export a delimiter
character as data by enclosing it in quotation marks.
6 Click OK to return to the Export dialog box, and then click OK again.

Instructor exports the contents of the record fields to the file name you
specified. The data in each record field becomes a data field in the text
file, enclosed in quotation marks.

Using OpenScript
◆ To export text from record fields to a delimited-field text file, use the
export command with the delimited keyword and a character to use as
the delimiter:

--Exports text to a text file, putting ! between each field

export "temp.dat" as delimited using "!"

For details about using the export command, refer to its entry in the
OpenScript reference in online Help.

Importing and exporting graphics

You can import graphics from many file formats and can export graphics
to the BMP, GIF, and JPEG formats. In general, you will want to import
graphics into the Resource Manager dialog box so that you can use a
graphic multiple times without increasing the file size of your application.
For more information about using graphics as resources, see Chapter 9,
“Using graphics,” and Chapter 17, “Using resources.”
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 430

However, on occasions when you plan to use a graphic only once, or

when you want to place an image on your page quickly, you can import
a graphic using the Graphic command on the Insert menu.

➤ To import a graphic:

1 From the Insert menu, choose Graphic.

2 In the Import Graphic dialog box, navigate to and select the graphic file
you want to import, and then click OK.
Instructor imports the graphic and places it on your page.

Note When you import a graphic, the newly created graphic object
will either be a paint object or a picture object, depending on the file
format of the original graphic. For more information, see Chapter 9,
“Using graphics.”

You can export a graphic from Instructor by selecting the graphic and
choosing the Export command from the Tools menu. When you export
a graphic, Instructor saves a copy of the image in the format you specify.

➤ To export a graphic:

1 Select the graphic you want to export.

2 From the Tools menu, point to Export, and then choose Graphic.

3 In the Export Graphic dialog box, do the following:

◆ In the File name box, type a name for the graphic file.

◆ In the List files of type list, select a file format in which the graphic
will be saved.

◆ Under Directories, navigate to the directory to which you want

to export the graphic.

4 Click OK.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 431

Instructor exports the graphic to the specified directory.

Importing books and pages

You can import entire ToolBook books or specific pages into a new or
existing book. When you import an entire book, Instructor inserts all of the
imported book’s pages, backgrounds, viewers, and referenced resources
into the current book. This method saves time when you want to use all
of the information in a book without recreating it. Importing pages into
a book is useful when you want to use the contents of a specific page.
When you import a book or pages into another book, the book properties
of the imported book do not get applied to the new book’s properties.
Book scripts will not be assigned to the new book from the imported
book, nor will settings such as page size and hyperlink color. Resources
that are used on the imported pages will be added to the new book’s
resource system. Resources that are not used on the imported pages will
not be added to the new book.

Importing books
When you import a book, Instructor inserts all of its pages and back-
grounds after the current page of the current book, assigning each one a
new ID number. If the imported pages and backgrounds had names in the
source book, these stay the same.
Instructor moves the pages that originally followed the current page to
the end of the book and assigns them new page numbers, but their ID
numbers and names remain.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 432

For example, if you navigate to page 1 of a book that has two pages on a
single background and then import a book that also has two pages on a
single background, the page numbers, page ID numbers, and background
ID numbers will be updated as shown in Figure 6.

Page number 2 Page number 4

Page ID 1 Page ID 1
Background ID 0 Background ID 0

Page number 1 Page number 3

Page ID 0 Page ID 3
Background ID 0 Background ID 1

Page number 2
Page ID 2
Page number 2
Background ID 1
Page ID 1
Background ID 0 Page number 1
Page ID 0
Page number 1
Background ID 0
Page ID 0
Background ID 0

You can import a book into Instructor puts the pages and the background
another book. from the imported book after the currrent page.

Figure 6
Importing a book

➤ To import a book:

1 From a new book, or from the page in an existing book after which you
want to insert the imported book, choose Pages from the Insert menu.

2 In the Import dialog box, select ToolBook files (*.?bk) in the Import type
list.

3 Navigate to and select the book file you want to import in the File name
box, and then click OK.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 433

Instructor inserts all pages and backgrounds from the selected book
into the current book.

Using OpenScript

◆ To import a book, use the import command and specify a file name
with the .tbk extension:

--Navigates to page 3
go to page 3
--Imports book after current page
import book "c:\mybooks\template.tbk"

Importing pages
You can import a page or range of pages from another book into a new
or existing book. You can import the page with its background, or you
can import the page onto the current background.
If you import a page or range of pages into an existing book, Instructor
inserts the pages after the current page of the current book. Instructor
changes the page numbers of the pages in the current book but does not
change page ID numbers or background ID numbers. For details, see the
preceding section, “Importing books.”
If you import pages that contain record field text but don’t import the
corresponding backgrounds, Instructor follows these rules in sequence to
determine where to place the record field text:
1 Matching record field names Instructor puts the imported text into
a record field with a name that matches that of the original record
field. For example, if you import a page containing text from a record
field called Student Name, Instructor attempts to find a record field with
the same name on the current background and place the text there.
If no record fields match by name, Instructor proceeds to match by
ID number.
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 434

2 Matching record field ID number Instructor puts the imported text

into a record field with an ID number that matches that of the original
record field. If there is no match by either name or ID number, Instructor
proceeds to match by layer order.
3 Matching layers Instructor puts the imported text in a record field
that is on the same layer as the original record field. For example, the
text from the record field at layer 3 on the original background is placed
into the record field at layer 3 on the current background.

If the destination background contains more record fields than the source
background, Instructor maps the record field’s text as described above,
leaving the extra record fields on the destination background empty. If
the source background contains more record fields than the destination,
Instructor maps the text as described above and discards the text of the
extra record fields.

➤ To import a page or range of pages into your book:

1 From a new book, or from the page in an existing book after which you
want to insert the imported pages, choose Pages from the Insert menu.
2 In the Import dialog box, select ToolBook files (*.?bk) in the Import
type list.
3 Click Format to display the Book Format dialog box.

4 Choose Pages to indicate that you are importing a page range, and
then enter the starting and ending pages to import in the From and To
boxes, respectively. (To import a single page, enter its number as the
starting and ending page.)
5 If you want to import the background along with the pages, select
Include background.
6 Click OK to return to the Import dialog box.

7 Navigate to and select the book file you want to import, and then
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 435

click OK.

Instructor inserts the pages from the selected book into the current
book. If you selected Include background, Instructor also imports the
backgrounds of the pages you indicated.

Using OpenScript
◆ To import pages from a ToolBook book, use the import command,
specify a file name with the .tbk extension, and then indicate the page
range to import:

--Navigates to end of book, then imports 15 pages from another book

--using the background of the current page
go to last page
import pages 2 to 16 of book "c:\mybooks\glossary" \
without background

Customizing the import process

If you want to import only certain fields or records, or assign the imported
text to existing pages or new pages on an existing background, you can
create a script that customizes how Instructor imports the text data.

The OpenScript import command always creates new pages on a new

background. To assign text to an existing page or background, use the
openFile and readFile commands. To control how much text is placed in
each field, use the readFile command. For example:

--Imports a file that contains fixed-length records of 80 characters

to handle buttonClick
DataFile = "c:\import.txt" --File name
clear sysError
openFile DataFile
readFile DataFile for 80
while It is not null and sysError is null
Chapter 18 Importing and exporting data 436

--Sends a message to another handler to process the record

send processRecord It
readFile DataFile for 80
end while
closeFile DataFile
end buttonClick
--Imports a text file into the text of a field and replaces
--CRLF characters with spaces
to handle buttonClick
--set the filename in a variable to make the code more efficient
--and to make it easier to change later
dataFile = "C:\import.txt"
openFile dataFile
clear text of field "WP text"
while sysError is not "end of file"
readFile dataFile to LF
if last char of It is CR
clear last char of It --Clears trailing CR character
end if
put space & It after text of field "WP text"
end while
closeFile dataFile
end buttonClick
PART VI

Creating simulations

This part of the ToolBook Instructor User Guide presents tools that enable
you to construct software simulations. You will learn about using the Sim
AutoBuilder to capture activity in a software application and generate a
simulation file. Additionally, you will find out how to use the Simulation
Editor to build a custom simulation from scratch or modify existing
ToolBook simulations.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 19 Building software simulations
Chapter 19

Building software simulations

A software simulation imitates the appearance and behavior of a software

program. Using the simulation tools available in ToolBook Instructor, you
can create accurate simulations that allow learners to experiment with
software in a safe environment. Because simulations provide a realistic
training experience, learners have a high rate of retention. This chapter
describes how to plan and build a software simulation using the capture
features in the Sim AutoBuilder and the built-in properties and tools in the
Simulation Editor.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About software simulations 492
Planning a software simulation 493
Choosing a simulation mode 495
Creating a simulation with the Sim AutoBuilder 497
Developing a simulation manually 500
Working in the Simulation Editor 505
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 439

About software simulations

A software simulation allows a learner to try out a program interface or
view the steps to accomplish a task. Because a simulation is close to the
real experience of using a software application, it is a very effective way
to learn procedures and gain familiarity with a program. You can build
simulations in ToolBook that imitate other software programs by using
the Sim AutoBuilder feature or the Simulation Editor.
ToolBook Instructor provides two ways to create a simulation. You can
record interaction in a software application by using the Sim AutoBuilder.
After you make a recording, the file can be opened in ToolBook and
converted automatically to a simulation that connects the images and
behavior in the recording with ToolBook objects. Another way to create
a simulation in ToolBook is to manually build up a simulation interface
from Catalog objects and graphic images of the screen, using the
Simulation Editor to define the steps in the simulation. All of the properties
for a simulation can be viewed and changed in the Simulation Editor.
A simulation prepared by the Sim AutoBuilder can be modified in the
Simulation Editor.
A simulation consists of a series of steps that describe changes on the
screen. During a simulation, a learner may interact with buttons and
menus and other objects. These preprogrammed objects are available
from the ToolBook Catalog and can be added to any simulation. Catalog
objects can be modified to match the appearance and behavior of controls
in the software being simulated.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 440

Simulations can be delivered in three different modes: practice,

demonstration, and assessment. A practice simulation is interactive and
allows people to experiment with buttons, menus, text entry fields or
other objects in a simulated user interface. A demonstration shows
the learner how to complete an online task and requires no input or
interaction. An assessment is a test that gives the learner a single chance
to complete each step in a simulated task. You can develop a simulation
once and show it in any of these three simulation modes.

ToolBook Instructor provides a flexible environment for creating software

simulations. An unlimited number of steps may be included in a simula-
tion, and a simulation can span multiple pages. You can define where
and when the instructional text and feedback will appear. In addition to
the standard functionality provided by the Simulation Editor, you can also
integrate any type of behavior that can be programmed in the Actions
Editor. Simulations that you build in ToolBook can be exported as DHTML
applications for Web delivery and can be delivered as native ToolBook
applications. The results from a learner’s interaction with a simulation
can be tracked in a learning management system that conforms to
SCORM or AICC standards.

Planning a software simulation

Before developing a simulation you’ll need to define the purpose or goal
of providing a simulation to your audience. Ask yourself the following
questions:
◆ What is the primary learning objective for the simulation?

◆ What level of mastery will the learner be expected to attain?

◆ How much time should it take for the learner to view or complete the
simulation?
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 441

Considering the learning objective early in the planning process will help
you decide how much interaction and responsive feedback text the
simulation will include. The learning objective will determine if a simula-
tion will be presented as a test to assess the learner’s performance.

When you are planning a simulation:

◆ Define the learning objective.

◆ Identify the actions in the task that will be simulated.

◆ Design the page layout.

◆ Choose the type of simulation: practice, demonstration, or assessment,
or a combination of these types.

Identifying the action or process that will be taught in a simulation

begins with a review of the task. Open the software program that will be
simulated and practice the tasks that you want to simulate. Think of the
simulation as a series of steps. If you are planning to build an interactive
simulation, write instructions that explain how to complete each step in
the task. You can use these written instructions as text that will appear
on the simulation page.
If the simulation will be built or modified with the Simulation Editor, you
can design the look of the simulation page layout. Using a consistent
location for the navigation buttons and instructional text makes it
easier for learners to find what they want in the interface. Page layout
considerations also include the look of the title or heading that may
appear at the top of a simulation page.

If you are using the Sim AutoBuilder to record a simulation, the number
of responsive objects will be limited to the selections made during the
capture phase. For more information about the Sim AutoBuilder, see
“Creating a simulation with the Sim AutoBuilder” later in this chapter.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 442

Planning a simulation before building it can reduce the overall time spent
on development. By deciding on the type of simulation that suits the
needs of your learners early in the development cycle, you can focus your
development efforts and avoid misdirected work.

Choosing a simulation mode

A simulation created in ToolBook can be shown in one or more of
these modes:

◆ Practice mode allows a learner to try out each step for a limited or
unlimited number of attempts.
◆ Assessment mode allows one answer attempt for each step and
calculates a score for the user input.
◆ Demonstration mode shows how to complete the task.

These three modes are discussed below.

Practice mode
When a learner completes a step in a practice simulation correctly, the
next step in the simulation displays automatically. For an incorrect
answer attempt, feedback text may display and the learner can make
another attempt to complete the step until the limit for the number of
answer attempts is reached. If the simulation includes a Continue button,
this button allows the learner to go on to the next step when the maxi-
mum number of incorrect answer attempts is reached.

The score for a learner’s interaction with a practice simulation will be

calculated if the property "Score in practice mode" is set to Yes.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 443

Assessment mode
In assessment mode the learner is only allowed one attempt to
complete each step in the simulation. When the learner completes the step
correctly, the simulation will automatically move on to the next step. If the
learner chooses the wrong interaction for the step, feedback for that step
may display and the learner may click the Continue button to go on to the
next step. Alternatively, the simulation may include a timed delay for
navigation to the next step.
In assessment mode the simulation is always scored.

Demonstration mode
A demonstration shows the learner how to complete a software procedure
or task. There is no input from the learner during a demonstration. You can
use one or both of the following methods to provide navigation during a
demonstration simulation:
◆ Set a specified number of seconds for each step in the demonstration to
display.
◆ Use a Continue button or a key press to let the learner choose when to
advance to the next step in the demonstration.

Setting the simulation mode

The mode setting is a property of a simulation. In the Simulation Editor, this
property can be set on the General tab of the Properties for Simulation
dialog box. It can also be set in the property grid available in the Simulation
Editor.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 444

Creating a simulation
with the Sim AutoBuilder
The Sim AutoBuilder feature lets you record mouse clicks, keyboard
entries, and other interaction with a software application. Every software
simulation created with the Sim AutoBuilder is a reproduction of the
original software application, with buttons and menus and other interactive
objects that act like the real objects in the original software program.

Figure 1
The Sim AutoBuilder
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 445

You prepare to use the Sim AutoBuilder by opening the software applica-
tion that you want to record. Resize this application window to the size
that you want to show in the simulation, and get the screen ready for
recording. It is best to close other applications before you start recording.
Open the Sim AutoBuilder to begin recording, and press the Print Screen
key (or another key you have specified) to capture the appearance of the
screen for each step that will occur during the simulation. In general, you
should press the Print Screen key after you send a command or instruction
to the software application. While you are recording, press the Print Screen
key after:

◆ navigating to another page

◆ opening a dialog box

◆ selecting a menu item

◆ double-clicking an icon

◆ performing an action that causes the software application to respond in

some way

Each step in a simulation should include only one action that requires the
recorded software application to perform a specified task. A step can be
either a single action, such as clicking a button, or multiple actions. If
multiple actions are recorded as part of a step, these actions should be
related to each other, such as typing text in a field and pressing the Enter
key to signal the completion of entering text. As an example of a single
step in a simulation, the user could choose several options in a dialog box
and end the step by clicking the OK button. Simply changing the text in a
field or the selected state of a check box does not require that you end the
step while recording; data changes can be grouped into one step.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 446

Making selections with the mouse is just one type of activity that will be
recorded by the Sim AutoBuilder. A distinction will be made between a
left button click, right button click and double-click. Selecting items from
menus, list boxes and combo boxes will also be recorded. Pressing
specific keys on the keyboard will be captured, including the Tab key,
Shift key, or any function key. Some of the function keys, such as F8, are
commonly in use by Web browsers and pressing a function key when
playing a simulation through a browser will cause the browser to respond
in the default fashion.

➤ To make a recording and simulation with the Sim AutoBuilder:

1 Open the software application that you want to simulate. Prepare the
application by setting it up to be ready for the start of recording.

2 From the Start menu, point to Programs, ToolBook, Instructor 2004,

and select Sim AutoBuilder Recorder.
3 In the Sim AutoBuilder dialog box, enter a name and location for the
file that will contain the recording.
4 Select the software application that you want to record.

5 Change any of the default settings for the recording options, if desired,
and then click OK.

6 Start recording by pressing the Print Screen key (or another selected
key).
7 In the software application you are recording, take the first action that
you want to show in the simulation and then press the Print Screen key
(or a key you selected) to indicate the end of the step.

8 Continue to record each step in the software program, pressing the

Print Screen key at the end of each step, until you are finished.

9 Press CTRL + Print Screen to stop recording (or another selected key).
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 447

10 Open ToolBook Instructor. In the book that will display your recorded
simulation, navigate to the page where you want to add the recording.
From the Insert menu, choose Simulation from Recording.
11 Select the name of the file containing the recording.
ToolBook processes your recording and adds the simulation to your book.
New pages will be added to the book if necessary.

Developing a simulation manually

Starting from a blank ToolBook page, you can create a new simulation by
placing objects from the ToolBook Catalog over graphics that show the
appearance of the screen in the software being simulated. This section
discusses how to develop a simulation manually without using the
recording feature of the automated Sim AutoBuilder tool.
A page with a simulation contains a variety of different objects. Graphics
that show the appearance of the software being simulated are stacked up
on a page to display visual changes in the appearance of the screen.
Text fields can show instructions and feedback text. Buttons and other
ToolBook Catalog objects may provide interactive behavior. The Simulation
Editor provides the tools to develop the relationship between the objects
in a simulation.
Graphic images form the visual basis for a software simulation. A captured
screen graphic shows the initial appearance of the screen before an event
occurs and another graphic shows the screen after an event occurs in the
software program being simulated. Screen images can be placed one on
top of another on the page. Usually one screen image is shown at a time.
Hiding and showing individual screen images is handled by setting the
Visible property for a particular graphic or by changing the layer order to
bring an object to the front. In the Simulation Editor, the initial visibility
for a graphic is set on the Objects tab of the simulation properties dialog
box.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 448

An interactive simulation includes responsive objects from the ToolBook

Catalog such as a buttons. These objects are placed on a graphic image
that shows the screen and are set to look and behave like the real object.
You can assign a graphic to a button that matches the appearance of
a button in a screen image, for example, and then place the matching
button on top of the screen image as shown below.

A button from
the Catalog...

...is assigned a
graphic from a
cropped screen
image...

...and the button is placed on top of a screen

image to provide interactive behavior.

Figure 2
Placing a button on top of a graphic

In a simulation developed from scratch, a number of component objects

are added to the ToolBook page to build the simulation interface. You can
add objects such as text fields to a simulation page at any time during the
development of the simulation. Often it is easier to have the necessary
objects for a step in a simulation placed on the page before setting up the
properties for the step in the Simulation Editor.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 449

Usually a simulation includes one or more text fields. Instructions for

completing the current step in the simulation are displayed in a text field.
You can use the same text field (or a different text field) to show feedback
text that may display immediately after a learner makes an incorrect
attempt to complete a step in the simulation. Another option for display-
ing feedback text is to use a pop-up field. The options for displaying
instructions and feedback text are available on the Controls tab in the
Properties for Simulation dialog box in the Simulation Editor.

Figure 3
Options for displaying instructions and feedback text
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 450

Objects in a simulation may include:

◆ Text fields for instructions and feedback.
◆ A navigation button for moving to the next simulation step (known as
a continue button).
◆ Catalog objects that provide interaction, such as buttons.
◆ Objects that add to the design of the page, such as a title or graphic
logo.
Catalog objects that can have a changed state, such as check boxes and
text entry fields, are known as evaluation objects in the Simulation
Editor. An interaction that a learner makes with an evaluation object
can be analyzed at the end of a simulation step. For further information,
see “Using evaluation objects” later in this chapter.
After you assemble the necessary objects for the first step in a simula-
tion on a page, you can begin to develop the behavior for the simulation
in the Simulation Editor. Developing steps in a simulation is described
later in this chapter in the section titled “Working in the Simulation
Editor.”

Preparing screen images

Before capturing screen images for a simulation you can adjust the
appearance and size of the software application window to reduce the
distractions of unnecessary toolbars, palettes, and other items. Toolbars
that are not used during a simulation can be closed. The status bar can
be turned off in some applications to save space on the page, if desired.
You can adjust the size of the application window to draw attention to
the more important areas of the screen.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 451

When you are creating a simulation manually there are several ways to
capture images of the screen:
◆ Use a screen capture application such as SnagIt.®
◆ Use a graphics program that includes a screen capture feature, such as
PhotoImpact.®
◆ Use the capture feature provided in Windows to copy an image to the
Clipboard: press ALT + Print Screen to copy an image of the active
window, and then paste the image into a graphics program to save it.
Captured screen images are often saved in a compressed file format to
reduce the total file size of a simulation. If you plan to deliver a simulation
through a Web browser the screen images should be saved in file format
that is compatible with a browser, such as GIF or JPEG files. To display
graphics, drag the Web Graphic placeholder from the Placeholder Objects
category of the Catalog to a simulation page.
Cropping an image can be a useful way to modify a captured image. A
simulation may show only a portion of the captured screen graphic to
reduce the overall dimensions of the screen graphic. An image editing
program allows you to select an area of a captured screen image and
crop it to remove the remainder of the image.

Working in the Simulation Editor

You can create new simulations and edit existing simulations in the
Simulation Editor. A simulation is made up of a series of steps that define
the behavior in a simulated software process.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 452

All of the steps in a simulation are displayed in the top panel of the
Simulation Editor. When an item in the steps panel is selected, the
lower panel in the Simulation Editor shows the properties for the
selected item. The lower panel is called the property grid.

Figure 4
The Simulation Editor shows steps and properties
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 453

➤ To start a new simulation:

◆ From the Insert menu, choose New Simulation.

The Simulation Editor opens immediately after you add a new simulation
to a page. You can close and reopen the Simulation Editor.

➤ To reopen the Simulation Editor:

◆ From the View menu, select Simulation Editor.

Toolbar buttons in the Simulation Editor

Click this button... To do this...

Add a new step to the simulation

Assign an evaluation of user input to a step

Add a new trigger event to a step

Cut the selected item(s) to the Clipboard

Copy the selected item(s) to the Clipboard

Paste the selected item(s) to the Clipboard

Undo the last command

Redo the last command

Delete the selected item(s)

Edit the properties of the selected item(s)

Move the selected item(s) up one line

Chapter 19 Building software simulations 454

Move the selected item(s) down one line

Setting properties for a simulation

A simulation has a number of properties that can be set in the Simulation
Editor. Depending on the line selected in the top panel of the Simulation
Editor, the properties shown in the property grid will vary.

Toolbar
Simulation name

Simulation steps

Hide button

Property grid
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 455

Figure 5
The Simulation Editor

➤ To view or edit the properties for an entire simulation:

1 In the Simulation Editor, select the line that displays the name of the
simulation.

2 Do one of the following:

◆ Click the Properties button on the toolbar of the Simulation Editor.

◆ Select a line in the property grid.

The properties available for the entire simulation are not the same as the
properties for a selected step in the simulation. The items shown in the
property grid correspond to the selected line in the upper panel of the
Simulation Editor. All properties shown in the property grid are also
available by clicking the Properties button on the toolbar. In the proper-
ties dialog box you will see a more detailed description of the available
properties.

Developing steps
The steps that make up a simulation build a procedure for completing the
task defined in the simulation. A step contains some type of action or
change that can be a distinct point in the learning process. For example,
a step could include instructions that direct the learner to click a specific
button on the page, a trigger event that specifies the name of the button
that should be clicked, and feedback text that displays if the learner clicks
the wrong button.

➤ To add a new step to a simulation:

Do one of the following:

Chapter 19 Building software simulations 456

— Click the New Step button on the toolbar of the Simulation Editor.
— From the Insert menu choose New Step.

Before you can define what will be accomplished in a new simulation

step, the objects that will be involved in the step should be placed on the
page. The Simulation Editor allows you to select the names of existing
objects from drop-down lists to set some properties.
A step in a simulation usually includes instructions that tell the user what
to do. Since a single text field can be used to display instructions for all
of the steps in a simulation, the Simulation Editor includes an option to
display instructions for an individual step, and this text will be replaced
by the instructions for the following step when the learner continues to
the next step. You can enter the text for an individual step in the Properties
for Step dialog box to show the appropriate text for the selected step, as
shown below under “Specify instructions.”
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 457

Figure 6
Entering custom instructions for a step in a simulation

Each step has a trigger event that ends the step. You can include multiple
trigger events in a step to handle all types of user interaction. Trigger
events are described in the next section.
A step may end in one of these ways:

◆ Press a specific button or key (an assigned trigger event).

◆ Click a button designated as the Continue button (indicated on the
Controls tab of Simulation Properties dialog box).
◆ Set a timed delay to occur before automatic navigation to the next step
(the number of seconds for the delay is a property of the simulation).
You may combine the three options listed above in any way. For example,
you could designate a button which allows the learner to move immedi-
ately to the next step, and also set a timed delay to cause the simulation
to move to the next step after 10 seconds if the user hasn’t yet clicked
the button.

Setting trigger events

Selecting the correct trigger event is usually the end of a step in an
interactive simulation. When a user clicks a button or activates any other
defined trigger event during a simulation, the interaction will be analyzed
to determine if the correct trigger event was selected.
The following trigger events can be used in a simulation:

◆ click a button, a check box, or a radio button

◆ right-click a button

◆ double-click a button
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 458

◆ press a certain key

◆ select an item from a list box or combo box

◆ press a specific key when a defined object has the focus

➤ To add a trigger event to a step:

1 Select a step in the Simulation Editor.

2 From the Insert menu choose Trigger Event.

3 Click the Properties button on the Simulation Editor toolbar to define
the new trigger event.
A trigger event has a property that specifies whether it is correct or
incorrect. Sometimes there is more than one way to complete a step in
a software task, such as pressing a shortcut key or clicking a button. If
there is more than one valid way to make the application respond you
can include more than one correct trigger event for a step.

Tip If you include a trigger event that ends a step by selecting an

item from a list box or combo box, the trigger event will determine
if the proper object was selected. To find out if the correct item in
the list was selected by the learner, add an evaluation object to the
simulation step to identify the correct item in the list. The evalua-
tion object determines if the correct or incorrect item is selected
from a list box or combo box.

During a simulation, when a learner activates the correct trigger event for
a step then the next step in the simulation appears by default. If the user
activates an incorrect trigger event, feedback text may display and the
user is allowed to make another attempt to choose the correct trigger in
practice mode (as long as the maximum number of tries to complete the
step has not been reached).
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 459

If no trigger event is specified for a step, the Continue button will be

automatically enabled to allow the learner to move to the next step in the
simulation.

Using evaluation objects

An object that can have a changed state is known as an evaluation
object in the Simulation Editor. Evaluation objects include check boxes,
editable text fields, combo boxes, radio button groups, and list boxes. If
an evaluation object is part of a step in a simulation, the change made
to the object will be evaluated after the user makes an attempt to
complete the step. The learner has to make the changes described in the
instructive text to the evaluation object, and no other changes, in order
to complete the step correctly.

Tip The text entered in a text field during a simulation can be

evaluated to determine if the text input is correct.

➤ To add an evaluation object to a step:

1 Select a step in the Simulation Editor.

2 From the Insert menu choose Evaluation Object.

3 Click the Properties button on the Simulation Editor toolbar.

4 Choose the name of the object to be evaluated.

5 Specify the required change (for example, the text to be entered).

Any undefined user interaction with evaluation objects will be ignored
when a learner interacts with the simulation.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 460

Evaluating text entry

During a simulation, the text entered by a learner can be evaluated
automatically. Many built-in options exist for determining if the text
response is correct. These text response options are available in the
Simulation Editor:
◆ allow multiple correct responses

◆ require text to be case sensitive (uppercase or lowercase characters)

◆ ignore punctuation

◆ use the asterisk (*) wildcard character to indicate any number of

characters may be entered in a specific sentence location

◆ require the word order to match the defined response

◆ accept words that sound like the ones in the response specified by the
author

If you want text input to be evaluated during a simulation, specify the

correct response text in the Simulation Editor.

➤ To set the response options for text entry:

1 On a page which includes an editable text field and a simulation, open

the Simulation Editor and select or add a step to the simulation outline.
2 Insert an evaluation object which identifies the name of the editable
text field.
3 In the property grid of the Simulation Editor, under the Miscellaneous
section, click the empty cell in the Value row to open the Edit Text
Response dialog box.
4 Enter the text that the learner should type as a response and select
options for acceptable text input.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 461

Displaying feedback
Feedback is an automated response that may display after a learner
interacts with a simulation. Text such as “Try again” can appear in a pop-
up window or text field if a learner makes a mistake when interacting
with a step in a simulation. You can enter the feedback text that you
want to display after an incorrect answer attempt or show the default text
generated by ToolBook. Other feedback options include playing a sound
or showing an animation. Feedback can be turned on or off for any step
in a simulation.

Unique feedback text can be assigned for each incorrect attempt to

complete a step. For example, a hint could be shown in response to the
first incorrect attempt, and after the second incorrect attempt a descrip-
tion of the correct way to complete the step could appear.

➤ To define feedback text for a step in a simulation:

1 Select a step in the Simulation Editor.

2 Click the Properties button on the Simulation Editor toolbar.

3 Click the Feedback tab and select the option you want.

Choosing the option "Automatically generate feedback text" causes the

simulation to display appropriate text if the learner makes the wrong
response. You can change the default text for an incorrect response by
editing the words stored as the <Incorrect> prompt text, available from
the Generic Runtime System Prompts button on the Web tab of the
Properties for Lesson dialog box. Another way to change the automated
feedback text is to edit the reference to the name of individual objects.
Without changing the name of an object, you can change the reference to
an object name by creating an alias. In the properties dialog box for a
simulation, click the Objects tab, select an object in the list, then change
the default text shown under "Refer to this object in automatic instruc-
tions and feedback as:" to create a different reference.
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 462

Another way to deliver feedback is to develop an action method that

executes after the learner completes the step or makes an attempt to
complete the step. Playing a media file or navigating to a different page
are examples of behavior that can be programmed in the Actions Editor.
In the Simulation Editor, you can specify custom behavior for feedback by
assigning an action method to a simulation event. For more information
about programming custom behavior, see chapter 15, “Using the Actions
Editor.”

Scoring a simulation
A score for the learner’s response to each step in a simulation will be
calculated when the simulation is running in assessment mode or scored
practice mode. The score for a step is evenly split among the evaluated
objects and the trigger event for the step. For example, a step with three
evaluation objects and one correct trigger event will produce a score that
assigns 25% of the total score to each of the three evaluation objects and
25% of the total score to the choice of the correct trigger event.

Programming behavior for simulation events

You can add behavior defined in the Actions Editor to any individual step
in a simulation. Custom behavior can be assigned to the beginning or
end of a simulation as well. This customized behavior may include
showing a pop-up message, displaying the score for the simulation,
navigating to a different page, or anything that can be developed in the
Actions Editor.
Built-in simulation events include start simulation, reset simulation, and
complete simulation. You can define an action method that will execute
before the simulation starts if you have any initialization tasks that must
occur prior to the first step of the simulation. For example, three buttons
may provide a learner with a choice of the simulation mode. As soon as a
Chapter 19 Building software simulations 463

learner clicks one of the buttons, an action method starts the simulation
in the mode indicated by the button caption. Likewise, you can define
behavior that will execute as soon as a simulation is finished or reset by
clicking the Actions tab in the properties dialog box for the simulation.
Individual steps in a simulation have three built-in events: start step,
attempt step and complete step. If you want to display custom feedback
for a correct user response, define an action method for the complete
step event which checks to see if the score parameter equals "Correct."
Another possibility is to add behavior that would occur in the real
application after a step is finished.
For information about programming in the Actions Editor, see Chapter 15,
“Using the Actions Editor” and Chapter 16, “Creating action sequences:
Practical examples.”

Locating objects on a simulation page

A simulation may have many graphics and interactive objects residing
on different layers of a ToolBook page, making it a challenge to locate a
specific object that you wish to modify. To find an object you can use the
Book Explorer to view a list of objects on a simulation page. When you
locate an object in the Book Explorer that you want to modify, you can
select it in the Book Explorer and the object will be simultaneously
selected on the page.

➤ To open the Book Explorer:

◆ From the View menu, select Book Explorer.

For more information about changing the properties of a simulation, see

“Working in the Simulation Editor” earlier in this chapter.
PART VII

Distributing your application

In this part of the ToolBook Instructor User Guide, you will learn about the
powerful distribution options available with ToolBook Instructor. These
chapters discuss how to prepare your application for release and how to the
choose the method for distributing your application.

I N THIS PART
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release
Chapter 20

Distributing applications
on the Internet

ToolBook Instructor makes it easy to distribute your online

learning application over the Internet. You can export your book
as a series of Web pages that utilize DHTML technology, or create
a native ToolBook application that can be displayed in a Web
browser using the ToolBook Neuron browser plug-in. This chapter
discusses the two methods for delivering your course on the
Internet and outlines the steps you can take to prepare your
application for use with a learning management system.

I N THIS CHAPTER
About Internet distribution options 466
Choosing an Internet distribution option 469
Tips for optimizing a book designed for DHTML export 472
Publishing your book as Web pages 473
Preparing a native ToolBook book for the Web 475
Using ToolBook courses with a
learning management system 477
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 466

About Internet distribution options

Instructor offers two choices for viewing an application in a Web browser
and allows you to choose the method that best meets your needs. You
can export your application as a series of Web pages, or create a native
ToolBook application that can be displayed in a Web browser using the
ToolBook Neuron browser plug-in. In either case, you publish your book
for use on the Internet with the ToolBook Web Specialist, a wizard that
gathers information about your requirements and steps you through the
process of preparing your application for use on the Internet.

Exporting your application as a series of Web pages that incorporate

DHTML allows learners with access to the Internet to view your lesson in
a Web browser without the Neuron browser plug-in. While using DHTML
allows for maximum interactivity—including behavior programmed using
the Actions Editor—older versions of Web browsers do not support
DHTML.

Note Scripts created using the OpenScript programming language

do not export to DHTML. If you’ve added functionality to your
application using OpenScript, you can deliver it over the Internet as
a native ToolBook application using the ToolBook Neuron browser
plug-in.

When you create a native ToolBook application that your users view in a
Web browser with the Neuron browser plug-in, you can use the complete
set of features available in Instructor. Native ToolBook applications
can contain interactive custom features, including those created using
OpenScript. Your users download and install the Neuron browser plug-in,
and your applications run in a Web browser exactly as they run on a local
computer.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 467

Choosing an Internet
distribution option
The distribution method you choose should reflect the requirements of
both the developer and the user. As the developer, you will want to
consider the following factors:
◆ Interactivity Instructor includes the option to automatically export
your book to DHTML, an advanced Internet technology that allows
authors to set actions for buttons, responses to questions, trigger
prompts, use conditions and loops, and more.

◆ Browser technology Older versions of Web browsers (earlier than

4.0) will not support DHTML. Determine which browser versions your
learners are likely to use, and then choose a distribution method that
will take advantage of the technology.
◆ Required component If you do not choose to export your book to
DHTML, you can deliver a ToolBook application through a Web
browser using the Neuron browser plug-in. Learners must install
Neuron.

The table on the following pages summarizes the advantages and

limitations of each Internet distribution method. The remainder of this
section explores each distribution method in detail.

Tip You can change the distribution method for a book at any time.
To select a different method, from the Object menu select Properties
for Book and then click the Deployment tab.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 468

Factors to consider when choosing an Internet distribution method

Distribution Browser
method Advantages Limitations requirements

HTML/DHTML Using DHTML allows Older browser Microsoft Internet

you to use a wide versions do not Explorer 5.5 SP 1
variety of interactive support DHTML. or later;
features, including Netscape 8 or later;
actions programmed Firefox 2.0 or 1.5
using the Actions Editor.

Neuron Using the Neuron Neuron is Internet Explorer 4.0

plug-in allows you available only or later;
to run a full-featured for the Windows Netscape 8 or later;
Instructor application platform. Users Firefox 2.0 or 1.5
in a Web browser, and must install
can include OpenScript Neuron on
code. their computers.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 469

Understanding DHTML
HTML is a markup language that allows you to format documents for the
Web. An HTML document combines your content with HTML markup
codes, called tags, that specify how your content will be formatted. When
you view an HTML document in a browser, you do not see the tags; you
see only the formatting that the tags represent.

Dynamic HTML, or DHTML, extends HTML by adding the ability to create

interactive features such as buttons that respond to a click, scrolling
text, animations and more. The preprogrammed objects in the Catalog
have these features built in. You can use the ToolBook Web Specialist
to automatically convert your application to Web pages that utilize
DHTML. Exporting to DHTML from Instructor creates Web pages that
are customized for Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
When you export to DHTML, most objects and features will appear
and behave as they do in Instructor. The following table describes the
functionality you should expect when exporting your application
to DHTML.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 470

Functionality to expect when exporting your book to DHTML

Object or feature type DHTML

Action sequences In general, objects programmed using the Actions

Editor will behave as they do in
Instructor.

Buttons Button captions will not appear transparent

unless the caption is centered. Access keys on
button captions will not function.

Hyperlinks Transition effects between hyperlinks will appear

in Microsoft Internet Explorer, but not in
Netscape Navigator.

Menu bars and viewers These features will not function in an exported
application.
OpenScript Objects whose functionality has been extended
using OpenScript will not function as scripted
after export. Use the Actions Editor to program
behavior that will export to DHTML.

Paint objects If you have cropped a paint object in Instructor,

the paint object will appear compressed when
you view it in a browser. To avoid this effect,
crop graphics in a graphics editing program
before importing them into Instructor.
Question objects In general, question objects will behave as they
do in Instructor.
Text fields Single-select list boxes, multi-select list boxes,
and editable fields will lose their character
formatting and will not appear transparent.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 471

Understanding Neuron
Neuron is a browser plug-in and ActiveX browser control that enables
a Web browser to play a ToolBook book (a TBK file). Using Neuron, you
can take advantage of the full feature set available in native ToolBook
TBK files, including code written in OpenScript, and distribute an appli-
cation over the Internet. Neuron is available for Microsoft Internet Ex-
plorer, Firefox and Netscape browsers running on the Windows platform.
Neuron can also help you to maintain security while running an application
over the Internet. Because ToolBook applications are executable files that
can fully interact with your computer, you should exercise some caution
when accessing files from an unfamiliar source. To allow you to control
whether a ToolBook application can interact with your computer, Neuron
has two modes of access: secure and nonsecure. Use nonsecure mode
when accessing ToolBook applications you are confident were created by
reputable developers; use secure mode when accessing unfamiliar
applications. When running in secure mode, Neuron will not allow links
to system files and will not execute commands such as Save, Delete, or
other operations that may affect your computer system.

Note Question objects will function only in

nonsecure mode.

Impulse for Neuron is a utility that allows you to optimize your ToolBook
applications for distribution on the Internet. Impulse cuts the data in your
book into pieces that can be reassembled by Neuron. This technique
allows a book to be downloaded piece by piece on demand, providing
increased speed performance over the Internet. This process is similar to
the streaming technology used for transmitting audio and video files over
the Internet.
ToolBook Neuron and Impulse are available on your Instructor program
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 472

disc. Neuron can be downloaded free from the ToolBook Web site at
www.toolbook.com.

Tips for optimizing a book

designed for DHTML export
Several factors affect how quickly an exported DHTML application displays
in a Web browser. The speed of the Internet connection, the size of the
media files in an application, and the complexity of the page design all
contribute to the length of time necessary to download an application.
You can minimize the amount of time it takes to run your application in
a Web browser by building a book that is designed to use objects and
media files efficiently.

➤ To reduce the amount of time required to display

your application in a Web browser:
◆ Use one background in the book, or use the fewest number of
backgrounds possible.
◆ Limit the number of objects on the page.
◆ Use graphics with a small file size. If bandwidth is an issue, reduce
the overall size of your graphics.
◆ Use the Universal Media Player from the Catalog to show streaming
media files. Due to the large file size of AVI files, you should not use
the AVI file format for playing videos over the Internet.
◆ For question feedback, if you choose to play an audio file in response
to a user’s answer, use a short AU file or play a streaming media file in
the Universal Media Player. You can make the Universal Media Player
invisible if you choose.
While developing your book you should periodically export the book
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 473

to DHTML and evaluate the result in a Web browser. Try to test your
exported application using the same type of Internet connection as the
intended audience.

Note Your book will go through the export process much faster if
you use the Web Graphic Placeholder object to display GIF or JPEG
graphic files on the pages of your book.

Publishing your book as Web pages

ToolBook can export your application as a series of Web pages. The Web
Specialist is a wizard that gathers information from you about your
application. By selecting options in the Web Specialist, you are providing
the information that Instructor needs to export your book.

You can use the file transfer feature in the Web Specialist to copy your
files to a Web server. If you choose not to copy your files to a Web server
from the Web Specialist, you can do this at a later time by opening the
Web Specialist, clicking the Expert button, and selecting the option
labeled Transfer your application to a server.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 474

Figure 1
The ToolBook Web Specialist

You can use the Web Specialist to export your application to a series of
Web pages that you can then choose to place on a Web server.

Note The Web Specialist exports your files to a project directory

that you specify. If your application contains hyperlinks to other
books, export those books to the same project directory.

➤ To export your application as Web pages:

1 Open the book that you want to export.

2 From the File menu, choose Publish to Web (DHTML).

The Web Specialist appears.

3 Follow the instructions in the Web Specialist.

Instructor exports your files using the settings you specified.

After you have exported your book to the Web, you can view it in a Web
browser. When you export your book to DHTML, you choose a project
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 475

directory. By default, Instructor names this directory WebExport and

places it in the book’s directory. Within this directory, Instructor creates
another directory with the same name as your book file. There you will
find all the files required to run your application on the Web. To start
your application, open the index.html file.

Preparing a native ToolBook book

for the Web
You can use the Web Specialist to prepare a native ToolBook book (TBK
file) that your users will view in a Web browser using the Neuron browser
plug-in.

➤ To export your native ToolBook book for the Web:

1 Open the book that you want to export.

2 From the File menu, choose Publish to Web (Neuron).

The Web Specialist appears.

3 Follow the instructions in the Web Specialist.

Instructor exports your files using the settings you specify.

When you use the Web Specialist to prepare a native ToolBook book,
Instructor creates a list file that itemizes all of the files used in your
application and notes their location relative to your book. Instructor
saves the list file in the project directory that contains your book. This list
file has the same name as your book but with an .lst extension. The Web
Specialist uses the list file to copy all of the files in your application to
your Web server.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 476

Note It is important that you use the file transfer feature in the
Web Specialist to copy a native ToolBook application to a Web
server. The FTP feature in the Web Specialist uses the list file to
locate all the media files used in your application and copy them to
the Web server while maintaining any relative paths.

If you choose in the Web Specialist to use Impulse for Neuron to optimize
the performance of your book over the Internet, Instructor creates the
Impulse directory, in which it places the optimized file segments. These
file segments have the same name as your project file, but each segment
has a different extension. The first file segment has a .tbk file extension,
and each subsequent segment has an incremented numerical extension
(.001, .002, and so forth).
To run an application in a Web browser using the Neuron plug-in, you
must create an HTML page that contains a link to your native TBK file.
(To run an application that has been optimized using Impulse, create an
HTML page with a link to the file segment with the .tbk extension.) You
can create an HTML page using any HTML editor.

➤ To create an HTML page that will launch a Neuron book:

◆ In an HTML editor, create an HTML page with the following tag:

<a href=”http://www.your_site.com/books/book1.tbk” TYPE =
“application/toolbook”>
where www.your_site.com/books is the location on your Web server
where the native TBK file can be found and book1.tbk is the name of
the native TBK file.
After you have created your HTML page, you can view it in a Web
browser and test the link to your native TBK file.
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 477

Tip To test a native ToolBook application that will be viewed in a

Web browser through the Neuron plug-in, use a computer that has
Neuron installed but does not have ToolBook Instructor installed.

Using ToolBook courses with a learning

management system
You can deliver courses created in ToolBook over the Internet and
use any learning management system that conforms to SCORM or AICC
standards to record the score from student responses to questions. By
adding evaluation buttons from the Catalog to your book, you allow
results to be sent to a database that is controlled by the learning man-
agement system.

Adding score tracking to a ToolBook course

When you use the Web Specialist to prepare your book for the Web,
SCORM and AICC support is added automatically to your book. This
allows scoring information such as quiz results to be tracked and stored
in a database. By including one or more buttons from the Scoring and
Tracking category of the Catalog in your course, individual test scores
can be sent to the learning management system in use. After a student
opens a course through the learning management system and answers
the questions in the course, the final score is available through a progress
report generated by the learning management system.
A ToolBook course can be stopped before completion and resumed
at a later time without disrupting the overall score. You need to include
a Suspend Lesson button from the Scoring and Tracking category of the
Catalog in your course to allow a student to save the current state of the
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 478

course before completion.

If a student accesses a ToolBook course through a learning management
system and closes it without selecting one of the exit buttons from the
Scoring and Tracking category of the Catalog, no work accomplished
during that session will be recorded.

Managing ToolBook courses with TotalLMS

TotalLMS from SumTotal Systems is a comprehensive learning manage-
ment system which tracks every form of training. Individual progress
towards achieving all types of educational goals can be measured and
viewed online or through reports. Online courses as well as instructor-led
classes and on-the-job training can all be incorporated into a personal-
ized curriculum. For a detailed description of the features available, visit
www.sumtotalsystems.com.

Content and courses created in ToolBook can be accessed through

TotalLMS using a Web browser. If you plan to include questions and want
the score for the answers recorded in the TotalLMS database, include one
of the Exit buttons from the Scoring and Tracking category of the Instruc-
tor Catalog: the Done button or Mark as Complete button. The Cancel
button can be included in your course but no scoring information will be
sent to TotalLMS. You can include a Suspend Lesson button in your
course to allow a student to save their score without finishing a lesson in
one session.
When designing your ToolBook course, you will want to refrain from
creating a course structure that consists of multiple books which interact
with one another (one ToolBook book calls or opens a different book).
Recording the scores from this type of nested course structure is not
supported in TotalLMS.

After you finish building your course in ToolBook, prepare your course for
Chapter 20 Distributing applications on the Internet 479

distribution by choosing Publish to Web from the File menu. This opens
the Web Specialist, where you will be prompted with the following ques-
tion: “Will you be using a learning management system to administer this
course?” In response to this question, select the appropriate LMS option.
For more information about using TotalLMS, consult the online documen-
tation in Learner mode and Administrator mode when using this soft-
ware.
Chapter 21

Preparing native ToolBook

applications for release

You can make your application available in the native ToolBook file
format to users via an intranet, a local area network, or a
CD-ROM. This chapter describes how to use the AutoPackager to
prepare a native application for distribution. Checking and testing
your application is discussed, as well as uninstalling an application.

I N THIS CHAPTER
Organizing and checking your application 481
Preparing your application
based on a distribution method 487
Using the AutoPackager 492
Using Instructor on a network 496
Installing and testing your application 497
Uninstalling an application 498
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 481

Organizing and checking

your application
When you have finished developing your ToolBook Instructor application, a
few additional tasks remain that will improve the performance of your
application when it is distributed to users. To optimize your application’s
appearance and behavior, you can:

◆ organize the directory structure.

◆ check the spelling.

◆ remove unused resources.

◆ compress the books to their smallest size.

◆ reset the books so that the user can run them.

Creating a central book

directory structure
It’s a good idea to create an organized directory structure while
authoring, and it’s especially important to have this structure in place
before you prepare your application for distribution. Take some time to
make sure that all the files that users will need to run your application
are in one place and that like items are grouped together.

Note If you plan to deliver your application locally (that is, if users
will install your application on their computers), make sure that the
directory structure you create appears the way you want it to appear
on the users’ systems.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 482

All of the books that make up your application should reside in one
central book directory, with one or more subdirectories for the media
(sound, graphics, video, and animation) files that accompany those
books.

Let’s say your application has just one book—Introduction to French. We

suggest the following directory structure:

\French
IntroFrench.tbk (the ToolBook book)
\French media
EiffelTower.avi (a video file)

Now let’s say your application is more complex. You have one main book
about Romance languages and several related books about French,
Spanish, Italian, and so on. You could organize the files using several
book subdirectories under a central directory, as shown in this example:

\Romance
Romance.tbk
\Romance and shared media
\French
IntroFrench.tbk
AdvFrench.tbk
\French media
EiffelTower.avi
\Spanish
IntroSpan.tbk
AdvSpan.tbk
\Spanish media
PradaMuseum.avi
etc.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 483

Checking spelling
You can use the Instructor spelling checker to ensure that your applica-
tion is free from spelling errors. You can also set the spelling checker to
use a custom dictionary that you create or a foreign-language dictionary
that you purchase.

➤ To check the spelling in an application:

1 From the Tools menu, choose Spelling.

The Spelling dialog box appears.

2 Optional. Do one or both of the following:

◆ Click the Options tab, and then select options to define the conditions
of the spell check.

◆ Click the Dictionary tab to select the dictionary to use.

3 Click the Spell tab, and then click Start.

The Start button becomes the View button. When the spelling checker
finds an unknown word or other error (such as a duplicate word), it
highlights the word and displays the text in the Old box.

4 Use the buttons on the Spell tab to ignore or change the unknown
word, to add the word to a user dictionary, or to skip to the next object
or page. To view a list of alternative words, click Suggest. To have the
list of alternatives appear automatically, select Automatic.
5 Continue checking words until the spell check is complete, and then
click Close to exit the Spelling dialog box.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 484

Checking for unused resources

Resources added to your book during development increase the overall
file size of your project. If you have added bitmaps, fonts, menus, or other
resources to your book that you did not use in any part of your application,
you can remove those resources from your book to reduce the file size.
For more information about resources, see Chapter 17, “Using resources.”

➤ To remove resources from a book:

1 From the Object menu, choose Resources.

2 In the Available resources list, select the type of resource you want to
remove.
3 In the graphical list of resources, select the resource you want to
remove.
4 Click Remove to remove the resource.

5 Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 until you have removed all unused resources
from your book.

6 Click Close.

Important You cannot remove a resource from the book if it has

been assigned to an object. The Resource Manager dialog box
maintains a reference count, which reflects the number of times a
resource is used in a book. This reference count is not updated for
references to a resource within a script. Be careful not to remove
any resources that are referenced in a script.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 485

Checking for unused extensions

If you added an extension during development that you do not use in your
book, it is still registered as an extension that your book needs to run.
You should remove any extensions that are not used in your book before
you package the book for distribution.

➤ To remove unused extensions from a book:

1 From the File menu, choose Extensions.

The Extensions dialog box appears.

2 In the Added Extensions list, select the unused extension.

3 Confirm that the extension is unused by looking at the number next

to References. If the number is 0 (zero) the extension is not used in
the book.
4 Click the Remove button to remove the unused extension from the
Added Extensions list.

5 Repeat steps 2,3, and 4 until you have removed all unused extensions.
6 Click OK. (If you are prompted to add a selected extension to the
Added Extensions list, click NO to avoid adding any additional
extensions to your book.)

Compressing your book

While you are developing an application, the file size grows as you
make changes and add content to your book. You can reduce the size of
your file by saving it under a new file name. To ensure that Instructor
compresses your book to its most efficient size, save it under a new file
name and then save it again under its original name.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 486

We recommend that you save your file under a new name periodically
while you are developing your application. One easy way to do this is to
save a backup copy of your book under a slightly different file name. For
example, if you are creating a book called Sample.tbk, create a directory
called Backup; periodically choose Save As from the File menu and then
save your book as BackupSample.tbk in the Backup directory. Immediately
after saving BackupSample.tbk, choose Save As from the File menu and
this time save your book as Sample.tbk in the original book directory. This
simple task can greatly reduce your file size and has the added benefit of
creating a backup copy of your book.

Regardless of whether you’ve been saving your book under a new file
name periodically, you’ll want to do this before you prepare your applica-
tion for release. Be certain that after you save your book under the new
file name, you save it once again using the original file name.

Resetting your book

When you choose Save or Save As from the File menu, you may have the
option to reset your book. Resetting prepares your application to be run
by the user by putting all objects and pages in their reset state. When you
have finished developing your application, reset the book so that features
like quizzes and animations are ready to run.

If you don’t see the option to reset your book when you save, the option
to display this dialog box may be turned off in the Properties for Book
dialog box, or your book may not contain any objects that require reset-
ting.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 487

➤ To turn on the prompt for reset when saving:

1 From the Object menu, choose Properties for Book.

2 On the General tab, select the Prompt for reset when saving check box.

3 Optional. Close the Properties for Book dialog box.

Preparing your application

based on a distribution method
You’ll prepare your application for release according to how you intend
to distribute it. If you plan to have your users install your application on
their computers, you’ll gather the necessary files and create a setup pro-
gram using the ToolBook AutoPackager. If you expect users to view your
application over the Internet, you can prepare your file to be displayed
in a Web browser by using the ToolBook Neuron plug-in.

The remainder of this section describes how to prepare your files for the
distribution method you’ve chosen. A summary of distribution methods
and preparation steps is provided in the table on the following page.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 488

Prepare your files for release

based on a method of distribution
If you plan to deliver your
application this way... Do the following to prepare for release...

Via a local area network If users will install the application on their own
as a native ToolBook computers, use the ToolBook AutoPackager to
application create a setup program. Ensure that users are
running the Windows operating system.*
Via CD-ROM Use the ToolBook AutoPackager to create
a setup program. Ensure that users are running
the Windows operating system.*
Via the Internet or intranet Use the ToolBook Web Specialist to prepare
as a native ToolBook your application. Ensure that users have (or can
application displayed in a download) Neuron and are running the Windows
Web browser using Neuron operating system.*
Via the Internet or intranet Use the ToolBook Web Specialist to prepare your
application as a series of Web pages

* Users must have Windows 2000 or later.

Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 489

Preparing files for the Internet

You prepare files for distribution on the Internet using the ToolBook Web
Specialist. The Web Specialist is a wizard that steps you through
the process of preparing your application for the Web, either as Web
pages or as a native ToolBook application that uses the ToolBook Neuron
browser plug-in to display your application in a Web browser. The Web
Specialist gathers information about your application and then creates
the files that you’ll distribute to your learners. The Web Specialist can
even copy your files to a Web server.

More information about using the Web Specialist is available in

Chapter 20, “Distributing applications on the Internet.”

Preparing files for a local area network

You prepare files for distribution on a local area network using the
ToolBook AutoPackager. Before using the AutoPackager, you’ll need to
decide whether users will install the course on their local computers by
running a setup program from a central server, or whether they will run
the course from the central server and view it on their local computers.
If you plan to have users install the course on their local computers, you
should prepare your application for the AutoPackager using the same
optimization methods you would if you were distributing via CD-ROM
(see the following section). However, when you use the AutoPackager,
select the local area network (LAN) distribution option.
If you plan to have your users run the course from a central server,
simply organize your application and any media or ancillary files in an
orderly directory structure. If you reorganize your directory structure
during the development process, you can use the AutoPackager to update
any media paths in your application. For more information about using
the AutoPackager, see “Using the AutoPackager,” later in this chapter.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 490

Preparing files for CD-ROM

You prepare files for distribution on CD-ROM using the ToolBook
AutoPackager. Before using the AutoPackager, you can optimize the
performance of your application by saving each book in the most efficient
format for use by CD-ROM drives. When you choose to optimize for
CD-ROM, Instructor saves related data—such as a page and its objects,
graphics, and resources—in close proximity on the CD-ROM to enable
faster access. Keep in mind that an application can be composed of
multiple books. To optimize an application for CD-ROM, you optimize
each book separately.

Optimizing a book for CD-ROM takes more time than a normal save
(up to five times longer). In addition, if you make changes to the book
after optimization, you must optimize the book again. Therefore, make
optimizing for CD-ROM one of the last steps in preparing your application
for the AutoPackager.

➤ To optimize a book for CD-ROM:

1 Save the book under a new name, as described in “Compressing your

book,” earlier in this chapter.
2 From the File menu, choose Save As.

3 Enter or navigate to the book’s original file name.

4 Select Optimize for CD-ROM, and then click OK.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 491

Using a cache file for a CD-ROM application

When you optimize a book for CD-ROM, you can specify whether the
book uses a temporary or permanent cache file. A cache file, which is
stored on the user’s hard disk, contains information that Instructor needs
to access frequently. Using a cache file can make a CD-ROM application
run significantly faster, especially for users who have a single- or double-
speed CD-ROM drive; however, cache files do not improve the speed of
newer, faster CD-ROM drives. Cache files are used only when books are
run from the CD-ROM, not when they are installed from the CD-ROM and
run from the hard drive.

Important If you make changes to your book after creating a cache

file, you must recreate the cache file.

➤ To build a cache file for a book:

1 Save the book under a new name, as described in “Compressing your
book,” earlier in this chapter.
2 From the File menu, choose Save As.
3 Enter or navigate to the book’s original file name.
4 Select Optimize for CD-ROM.
5 Click Cache File Options to open the Cache File Options dialog box.
6 Under Build cache file, choose Temporary or Permanent. (If you choose
Never, no cache file is created.) To significantly improve startup speed
in a large book, use the Permanent option.
7 Under Cache file type, choose Minimal, Preferred, or Extended.
8 Optional. To preview the amount of disk space required for the cache
file, click Show Sizes. (Previewing can take a significant amount of time.)
9 Click OK to close all dialog boxes.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 492

Using the AutoPackager

The AutoPackager gathers all the files used in your application, records
information about your application, and copies these files to one location.
Use the AutoPackager to create a setup program if you plan to distribute
your application on CD-ROM or on a local area network from which
users will install the application locally.

You can also use the AutoPackager to update media paths if, during the
development process, you moved your application files to a new location
on your hard drive or to another computer.
The package created when you run the AutoPackager consists of all the
files belonging to the application (such as book files, media files, extension
files, and run-time files) as well as files that are required to install the
application (archive files, setup program files, and related data files).
When you package an application, the AutoPackager:

◆ gathers the media and application files needed to run your application
and checks the path information for the media in your application.

◆ prepares the files necessary to install your application using the options
you specified and creates the Setup and Package directories.

◆ optionally copies the package to a chosen destination to allow for

testing the setup program and creating the CD-ROM.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 493

➤ To package your book using the AutoPackager:

1 From the File menu, choose AutoPackager.

2 Follow the instructions in the AutoPackager. The AutoPackager will:

◆ allow you to specify a name for your application.

◆ allow you to specify a default installation directory.

◆ check for required media files and extension files.

◆ update all media paths.

◆ give you the option to include ToolBook run-time files with your
application.
◆ allow you to specify which of your application’s files are copied to
the user’s computer.
◆ allow you to disable the custom installation option and install only
those files that you specify.
◆ give you the option to create Windows shortcuts for your
application.

◆ create a package definition file (with an .asu file extension).

◆ create a setup program that learners can use to install your
application.
◆ copy your application to a specified location.

During packaging, the AutoPackager records the actions it performs

and any error or warning conditions it encounters in a log file; this file,
named Packager.log, is located in the Package directory.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 494

Gathering files
The AutoPackager gathers the media files associated with your application
and updates the path information referenced in the media links of your
book or books. You can choose whether the package includes the current
(open) book or all of the files in the current book’s directory and its
subdirectories. For example, if you package an application that consists
of several books and these books are located within the central book
directory structure, each book is searched for references to media files.
When the AutoPackager encounters a media file located outside of the
central book directory structure, it can copy or move the file to the book’s
directory or a subdirectory of that book’s directory. For more information
about organizing book files, see “Creating a central book directory
structure,” earlier in this chapter.

Packaging files
Using the AutoPackager, you can specify the default installation options
that determine whether media, ToolBook, and cache files will be copied
to the user’s computer or whether they will remain on the CD-ROM.

When you package a book, the AutoPackager creates a Package directory

and a Setup directory. The Package directory contains files that the
AutoPackager uses to create the Setup directory. If you package the same
book again, the AutoPackager can reuse the files in the Package directory
and will process your book quickly. After you have finished packaging
your book, you no longer need the Package directory.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 495

The Setup directory contains all the files required to install your
application on another computer. In the Setup directory, you will find:

◆ the setup file, Setup.exe.

◆ the initialization file, Setup.ini.

◆ the description file, <Book name>.asu.

◆ the packaging list file, Setup.pkg.

◆ the TBSystem subdirectory (the run-time files).

◆ the <Project name> subdirectory (your book and media files in a media
subdirectory, if you’ve created one).

Copying files
When you create a package for distribution via CD-ROM, the
AutoPackager copies the archive and setup files to the directory of your
choice and creates any subdirectories within that directory. You can then
test the setup program from this directory structure before you generate
a CD-ROM.

Including the run-time version of ToolBook

When you distribute your application, you need to include a run-time
version of ToolBook so that users of your application who do not have
access to a full version of ToolBook can run your application. The run-
time version of ToolBook is contained in the TBSystem subdirectory of
the Setup directory created by the AutoPackager. A run-time version of
ToolBook allows users to run books at Reader level only.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 496

Using Instructor on a network

You can store your Instructor application on a network to allow multiple
users to access and work in the application. Instructor ensures that,
under normal circumstances, books on network file servers are not
corrupted by multiuser access.

There are two ways to a maintain network version of an Instructor

application. You can:
◆ provide a read-only version of a book that can be opened and used by
anyone. Users can open and copy a read-only book even if it is already
open on the network, but they cannot delete the book, change its file
attributes, rename it, or save changes. Other applications, including
DOS utilities and Windows applications, can open the file and access
information, but they cannot change its file attributes, rename the file,
or save changes.

◆ provide a standard read/write version of a book that can be opened by

only one user at a time. Users cannot open a read/write book, copy it,
delete it, or change its file attributes until the first user has closed it.
By default, users have read/write access to Instructor files.

➤ To allow read-only access to an Instructor book:

1 Right-click the Instructor file in Windows Explorer.
2 From the right-click menu, choose Properties.
3 On the General tab, select Read-only.
4 Click OK.
Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 497

Installing and testing

your application
If you are distributing your application via the Internet or an intranet, test
your application for any unforeseen configuration issues by using the
versions of Web browsers your users are likely to use. Particular points
to check include:
◆ Media Make sure that the application runs in a Web browser and that
your media clips play correctly.
◆ Hyperlinks Make sure that the hyperlinks to the pages within your
application and the hyperlinks to URLs work. Be sure to test image
maps and the jumps on your map or contents pages.
◆ Page navigation Make sure that the navigation buttons in your
application work. To avoid losing your users in hyperspace, make sure
that page navigation is clear and that you have provided ways for users
to return to the pages they were viewing.
If you have created distribution CDs or a network directory containing
setup files, install and test your application. Test on a system that does
not have Instructor or ToolBook Assistant (or any other version of
ToolBook) installed to ensure that the application installs correctly and
that all media files play.

➤ To test your application’s installation program:

1 Insert the CD-ROM into your computer.

2 From the Start menu, choose Run.

3 In the Run dialog box, type d:\Setup.exe. The drive letter may differ; use
the appropriate letter for your CD-ROM drive.

4 Click OK, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

Chapter 21 Preparing native ToolBook applications for release 498

Uninstalling an application
The package you create for distribution via CD-ROM includes the
InstallShield Uninstall program, which removes the application and its
files from the system.

Note When a user uninstalls an application, only files installed as

part of the application are removed. Files created by the application
remain on the hard drive.

When your users install your application, the Setup program adds entries
to the Windows Registry, which then allows files to be automatically
removed using the Windows Add/Remove Programs utility. This utility is
located in the Windows Control Panel. Your application will be listed by
the application name you assigned it in the AutoPackager.
Glossary

&, && See concatenation operators.

access character An underscored character on a button, menu, or
menu command that provides direct keyboard access to the option.
Press the ALT key in combination with the access character to select
the button, menu, or menu command. See also button, label button.
action A single, complete instruction that you create in the Actions
Editor to add behavior to your application. In the Actions Editor, you
can specify actions, conditions, and loops, and this behavior will
automatically export to DHTML when you use the ToolBook Web
Specialist. See also Actions Editor, action sequence, condition,
DHTML, loop.

action method A type of action sequence you can create that is

attached to a specific object. An action method runs only when you
call it from another action sequence. Typically an action method will
make the object perform a task, or return information about the
object. You can define the parameters that the action method uses
to complete any operation it performs. See also action sequence,
parameter, shared action sequence.
action sequence One or more behaviors that you create in the
Actions Editor that Instructor carries out in the order you specify.
Unlike an OpenScript program, which requires the Neuron plug-in to
function on the Internet, an action sequence will export to DHTML,
an Internet technology that runs in a Web browser. See also Actions
Editor, DHTML, ToolBook Web Specialist.
Actions Editor Instructor’s visual programming tool. In the Actions
Editor, you use familiar interface elements such as menus to add
behavior to your Instructor application, and this behavior will export
to DHTML. See also action, action sequence, DHTML, shared action
sequence, ToolBook Web Specialist.
Glossary 500

activated A property of a field or record field that enables the field to

perform an action when a user clicks it. When a field is activated, a user
cannot enter text in it. See also field, record field.
ActiveX control A software component that you can include in your
Instructor application to add custom functionality. You can respond to an
ActiveX event or manipulate its properties and methods in an action
sequence or an OpenScript program.
ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) A high-level mechanism that allows you to
access the data in databases from Instructor using OpenScript. See also
Automation.
AICC See Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training Committee.
alias (1) An alternative name for a menu item that is not visible to the user.
If you create an alias for a menu item, Instructor sends the alias in place of
the menu item name. (2) When linking a dynamic-link library function, an
alternative name given to the function. Use an alias to avoid conflicting with
Instructor keywords or when you want to link the same function more than
once in the same instance of Instructor. See also dynamic-link libraries.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Typically, ANSI refers to
a set of 256 characters used in computing. The first 128 of these characters
are the same as the ASCII character set. The remaining characters (128-255)
include non-English letters and other symbols called extended characters.
See also American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) Typically,
ASCII refers to the 8-bit (256-character) standard for representing characters
(both printing and nonprinting) on a computer. For example, the ASCII
representation (in decimal) for a space is 32. See also American National
Standards Institute.
analog Information that flows in a continuous stream and that can vary in
infinitesimal increments. Most computers cannot manipulate analog data,
so it must be converted to digital format by breaking the continuous flow
into discrete steps and assigning numeric values to each step.
Glossary 501

angled line A single line with three or more points, such as a zigzag. The
Catalog contains angled lines that you can drag and drop onto a page.
animation A file that you can incorporate as a clip in Instructor. You can
also animate objects in a book; however, you cannot save an animation
created in Instructor as an animation file or create a clip from it.
ANSI See American National Standards Institute.
application In Instructor, one or more books designed for a particular
purpose, such as online learning or information management.
argument A constant, variable, or expression passed to a function or
handler. In the following example, 33 is an argument:
x = sin(33)
See also constant, function, handler.
array A variable configured to work like a list or table of individual elements.
For example, the following specifies the value of one element in an array:
x[3] = x[1] & text of field “names”
See also variable.
ASCII See American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
audio CD Sound stored as tracks on a compact disc and played from
the compact disc. Audio CD is stored in digital format (as a series of binary
values), converted to analog sound within the CD-ROM drive, and then
played back.
Audio Video Interleaved (AVI) A format for storing digital video in a
file that alternates blocks of visual and sound information. AVI files are
particularly suited for storing on CD-ROM because their interleaved format
allows them to be efficiently retrieved by CD-ROM drives.
Glossary 502

Author level One of two working levels in Instructor. Author level provides
tools and commands for creating and modifying objects, including pages,
books, and backgrounds. Applications are built at Author level and run at
Reader level.
Automation A technology that allows you to access and manipulate the
objects, properties, and methods of other Windows applications from an
Instructor application.
AVI See Audio Video Interleaved.
Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training committee (AICC) An
industry standards group that publishes guidelines for interaction between
course management systems and computer-based training.
backdrop A bitmap image placed onto one or all of a book’s backgrounds.
Each backdrop becomes a property of its background.
background A design shared by pages in a book. Every book has at least one
background. Objects on a background appear on every page sharing that
background. Several pages can share the same background, and a book can
contain several backgrounds.
bandwidth The amount of data that can be sent via the Internet over a period
of time with the equipment being used. Bandwidth can refer to the connections
on the Internet, as well as the connection between a modem and an Internet
service provider.
baselines Lines that show the vertical spacing of text in a field or record field.
See also field, record field.
bitmap Also known as a paint object. A graphic created in a painting program
and stored as a map of the pixels that make up the image. Windows bitmaps
generally have .bmp or .dib file extensions. Bitmaps can be pasted or imported
into Instructor or assigned as book resources. See also resources. Compare
draw object, picture object.
Glossary 503

book A collection of Instructor pages stored together as a single file.

A book can be an entire application or one part of an application.
book palette In 256-color systems, a predefined list of colors assigned to
a book. If a book has a palette, all imported graphics displayed in the book
use the book palette, which overrides the palettes of the individual paint
objects. Assigning a book palette eliminates palette flash, which occurs
when you navigate to a page containing an imported graphic that has a
palette different from the one currently in use.
book properties Attributes of a book that define its appearance and
behavior.
Book Wizards The wizards that Instructor provides to guide you through
the process of creating a new book. Instructor includes two Book Wizards:
the Lesson Design Wizard and the Book Wizard. Both are available from the
Startup dialog box.
Boolean Refers to properties and variables whose values can only be true
or false. Referred to as logical in OpenScript.
border (1) The boundary of a field, record field, or button, or the line
enclosing a graphic. (2) A line that Instructor adds around each page when
the page is printed. See also border style.
border style A property of a button, graphic, field, or record field that
determines the style of the object’s border.
bounding box The rectangle around a paint or picture object that indicates
its dimensions and the area in which it will display. The bounding box has
a thin border, but you can make the border invisible.
breakpoint A flag set in a statement while debugging a script that indicates
where Instructor should invoke the Debugger when executing that statement.
Breakpoints are set and cleared in the Debugger. See also Debugger,
statement.
Glossary 504

browser A software program that accesses Web pages on the Internet. The
browser reads the Web document and translates it into the final product
onscreen. The page appears as the author intended, combining text, graphics,
and jumps to other Web pages.
built-in message A message built into the Instructor system that Instructor
sends in response to user activity (for example, buttonClick). Compare user-
defined message.
button An object type that includes pushbuttons, command buttons, check
boxes, radio buttons, and label buttons. Buttons are often used to trigger
events or set properties.
call A reference in a script to another handler. See also handler, script.
called handler The handler that executes as the result of sending a
message, invoking a user-defined function in an expression, or using the
set or get command. See also handler, user-defined function.
calling handler Any handler that makes a call, causing the execution of
another handler. In OpenScript, send and forward statements call other
handlers. See also handler.
caption The text that appears in the title bar of a window, on a button, or
in the title bar of a book in place of the file name.
caret location The location of the insertion point within a text field or
record field, measured by the number of lines down from the top and number
of characters in from the left. The caret location is often used to define the
ends of lines in a text field. A line is designated by a carriage return/
linefeed, not by wordwrap.
carriage return/linefeed (CRLF) An OpenScript constant that represents
ASCII values 13 and 10, the characters carriage return and linefeed. CRLF
moves text to the next line in a text field or record field.
cascading menu A subsidiary menu that appears to the side of a submenu
and presents additional choices.
Glossary 505

Catalog An Instructor file that contains authoring objects, such as draw

objects, action buttons, question objects, graphics, media players, navigation
objects, and user-customized objects.
cel animation A type of animation in which individual views of an object,
called cels, are shown in rapid sequence to make the object appear to move
or change. In Instructor, you can create cel animations by drawing individual
objects to act as cels and then grouping them.
check box A button style that consists of a square box and a button caption.
A check mark toggles on and off when the check box is clicked at Reader
level; when checked, the option is turned on.
check mark The symbol that appears next to a menu item or in a check
box indicating that the option is selected. Choosing the menu item again or
clicking a checked check box turns the option off and hides the check mark.
See also check box.
child object In Instructor, an object that is owned by another object. For
example, a button on a page is a child object of the page.
child window A window that is entirely contained within and cannot be
dragged beyond the boundaries of its parent window. A child window can
be minimized or tiled within its parent and closes when its parent window
closes. See also pop-up window.
chromakey A feature that allows you to create transparent areas in
bitmaps by specifying a color to make invisible.
client application An application that can accept linked and embedded
objects from a server application. Instructor is a client application. See also
server application. Compare object linking and embedding.
client area The area inside the frame window, including the client window.
See also client window, frame window.
client window The portion of the client area that displays pages and
backgrounds. See also client area.
Glossary 506

client-side image map An image map for which the map information is
specified in the HTML file that contains the image. Clicks are processed by
the Web browser without interaction with a server.
clip A reference to a segment of any media source or file, including sound
files, audio CD, digital video files, animation, or videotape. Only the reference
is stored in Instructor. Instructor supports file-based clips, including sound
files, digital video files, and animation files.
clip library A file (extension .cpf) that contains a collection of clips
(references to media files) that can be used in one or more applications
and that can refer to different types of media. See also clip, media file.
clip text A printing option to cut off text at a field’s margin or at the
boundary of a column or row when printing a report.
Clipboard A temporary storage location where Windows places the item
most recently cut or copied. The Clipboard can be used to move text and
graphics between Instructor books and other Windows applications.
Coach A quick reference tool that provides context-sensitive information
about pages and objects. You can open the Coach from the Instructor Help
menu.
color A combination of hue, lightness, and saturation (HLS) or red, green,
and blue values (RGB). Objects created in Instructor can have a stroke color
and a fill color, which are chosen from a color palette or the Color dialog
box. See also hue, lightness, and saturation; red, green, and blue values.
color palette A predefined set of colors stored in a palette file (with the
file extension .pal). Instructor uses a 256-color palette. Visual media—
animations, videos, or bitmaps—have their own color palettes.
color tray An Instructor system object used to assign stroke and fill colors
to objects.
column report A report printed in columns; each column contains the
contents of one record field. See also record field. Compare group report.
Glossary 507

combo box A single object composed of an edit box, a pushbutton, and a

drop-down list used to present a list of choices in an application. A combo
box shows only the selected item. To display all items, the user clicks the
pushbutton. Compare list box.
command (1) A menu item that, when chosen, causes Instructor to perform
an action. (2) A term in the OpenScript language. Most OpenScript commands
are verbs, such as go, move, and ask. See also Command window.
Command window The window in which you can run script statements,
get information about objects and system variables, and set object properties.
See also script, system variable.
Command window history The Command window contains a split bar
that can be dragged down to display the last 20 commands entered in the
current session. Click a command to reinsert it in the Command window.
comment Optional information the programmer adds to a script that does
not cause Instructor to take any action. Comments start with two hyphens.
For example:
--Sets the object's fontFace
fontFace of field "This Field" = "Times New Roman"

compiled path A property of an animated object containing the coordinates

for the object at each step of the animation. Instructor plays the animation
by using the next set of coordinates (four coordinates per step) from the
compiled path and setting the object’s bounds to them. The number of steps
in the compiled path is based on the duration and steps per second specified
when you saved the animation in the ToolBook Animation Editor. A compiled
path with 30 steps (including the start and end points) will have 120 items
in its compiled path.
concatenation operators The symbols in OpenScript (& and &&) that
instruct the application to join two strings of characters into a single, longer
string. The double ampersand operator (&&) adds a space between the joined
strings. For example:
vMessage = "Hello," && "world"
Glossary 508

condition A special type of action that, when inserted into an action se-
quence, creates a junction at which Instructor follows one of two or more
distinct paths as it executes the action sequence. See also action, action
sequence, loop.
constant A value that cannot change, including literal numbers and strings.
For example, in the expression x + 2, 2 is a constant. See also literal value,
string. Compare variable and container.
constrain The action of limiting the proportions, angles, or movement of an
object when you create or move it on a page or background.
container Anything that can be set to a value using OpenScript. Variables and
properties are containers. Constants (such as the string constant “blue”) and
expressions (such as 1 + 2) are not containers because their values cannot be
set. See also constant, properties, variable.
control character A nonprinting character, such as a tab or a carriage
return/linefeed, that affects the appearance of text. See also carriage return/
linefeed, tab.
control structure A block of statements in a script that is run under particular
circumstances, such as in a loop or as a condition. Control structures are
defined by sets of OpenScript keywords such as if/then/else/end, do/until,
and condition/when/end. See also script, statement.
controller card A board installed in a computer that provides a hardware
link between the central processing unit and devices such as disks, monitors, or
speakers.
CRLF See carriage return/line feed.
crop To mask or hide part of a paint object. When you drag the handle of a
paint object to make it smaller, the paint object does not resize; instead the
area is cropped. When you resize a picture object or draw object, the entire
object is resized and no part of it is cropped. See also draw object, paint
object, picture object.
Glossary 509

cursor The image assigned to the pointer (select tool, insertion point,
I-beam, crosshair), depending on where the pointer is positioned and
whether a tool is selected. See also pointer.
cursor resource A cursor image that can be imported and shared as a
resource in one or more Instructor applications. See also cursor, resources.
custom colors In 256-color systems, a list of 64 colors that are available
beyond the standard 16 or 32 colors.
data field An individual entry in a data record in an imported or exported
fixed-field file or delimited-field file. Often a delimiter character, such as a
tab or comma, separates data fields from each other in data records. See
also delimited-field file, delimiter, fixed-field file.
data typing Assigning a format to a variable in a script that determines
what type of data the variable will accept (integers, floating-point numbers,
character strings, logical values, and so on). See also variable.
Debugger The window that displays script errors at Author level. The
Debugger can be used to step through a script one statement at a time to
isolate and correct errors. See also script, statement.
default A setting that Instructor supplies (for example, the character default
is System, bold, 10 point). Instructor has a default setting for any changeable
setting. All defaults are system properties. See also system properties.
delimited-field file A text file divided into data fields of any length that
are separated by a delimiter character such as a comma or a tab. All the
data fields in one line make up a data record. Compare fixed-field file.
delimiter A character such as a comma or tab that separates one data field
from another in a delimited-field file. See also
delimited-field file.
destination object In a drag-and-drop operation, the object that accepts
a drop from an object that is dragged (the source object). See also drag
and drop.
Glossary 510

destination page The target page of a hyperlink. See also hyperlink.

device channel The hardware path by which data is passed to the output
device that plays it. For example, a sound card contains a device channel for
sending audio information to speakers.
device driver A program that allows Windows to communicate with a
specific piece of multimedia hardware. Device drivers are installed through
the Windows Control Panel. See also Media Control Interface.
device-independent bitmap A bitmap that appears exactly the same
way regardless of the device used to display it. These files have a .dib file
extension. See also bitmap.
DHTML See Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language.
digital A means of describing information (pictures, sound, video, or any
other type of information) using a series of numbers. For example, a
photograph can be described digitally by treating it as a series of very small
dots and recording the position, color, and lightness of each dot as a number.
Using the appropriate process, the numbers can be passed to a program that
can use them to recreate the dots and thereby recreate the photograph.
digital video Video converted into a digital format and stored as a file.
display device The combination of video card and video driver that
determines a system’s color capability.
dithered color A color that appears on the screen as a mixture of different
solid colors that attempts to approximate the original color.
DLL See dynamic-link library.
drag and drop The process of clicking an object, dragging to another
location on the page, and releasing the mouse. Drag and drop is often used
as an intuitive visual interface for such operations as moving or deleting
objects.
Glossary 511

drag image The image that is displayed during a drag-and-drop operation

when the pointer is over a potential destination object. See also destination
object, drag and drop.
draw direct Drawing an object directly on the screen rather than on an
offscreen bitmap that is then transferred to the screen. By default, new
objects are drawn directly. Compare offscreen image.
draw object In Instructor, draw objects are the arc, angled line, curve,
ellipse, regular and irregular polygon, line, pie, rectangle, and rounded
rectangle. Compare paint object, picture object.
draw-type graphic Also known as a vector graphic. An illustration created
in a drawing program that maps the shapes you draw on an invisible grid
and stores them as a set of instructions. Compare bitmap.
drop-down menu A menu that descends from the menu bar when clicked.
For example, when a user clicks File in the menu bar, the File drop-down
menu descends.
Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) A communication protocol to exchange
data and commands between Windows applications.
Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML) A technology that uses
tags to specify the properties and behavior of an HTML document. DHTML
extends functionality available in HTML and enables interactive behavior for
such features as buttons, animations, actions, and responses. Instructor can
export an application to DHTML by using the ToolBook Web Specialist. See
also ToolBook Web Specialist.
dynamic-link library (DLL) A separate function library that a Windows
application can call to perform tasks. DLLs are used to add capabilities not
available directly from Instructor.
editable A property of combo boxes, text fields, and record fields that
specifies whether a user can type text at Reader level. See also text field,
record field.
Glossary 512

embedded object An object that has been embedded in another

application (such as Instructor) using object linking and embedding
(OLE) technology.
enabled A property of buttons, text fields, and record fields that
determines whether an object can receive the focus or mouse-event
messages. When an object is enabled, it is included in the tab order and can
receive the focus or mouse-event messages as a result of keystrokes and
mouse clicks. See also button, text field, record field, tab order.
enclosed object An object that is closed on all sides and that can be filled
with a color or pattern. The following objects are enclosed: rectangle,
rounded rectangle, ellipse, polygon, irregular polygon, and pie.
end of file (EOF) An OpenScript constant that represents ASCII value 26, a
character often used to mark the end of a DOS file.
error box A window that appears in the Debugger and describes why a
script’s execution was suspended. See also Debugger, script.
event An action recognized by Instructor, such as the clicking of a button
or the pressing of a key. Events can be initiated by user action, by sending
the generic User event in an action sequence, or by an OpenScript command.
event focus properties Instructor system properties that indicate what
object is currently receiving messages, such as target, focus, targetWindow,
focusWindow, and selection.
execute To carry out actions defined by OpenScript statements or actions
created in the Actions Editor. See also statements.
Execution Suspended message A message that contains details about
why and where an error occurred in a handler. The object that was handling
the message when the error occurred is also specified. See also handler.
Glossary 513

explicit reference A reference to an object that explicitly identifies its

parent object. Explicit references are used to refer to objects that are not on
the current page. For example, the following statement explicitly references
the button Next:
get caption of button “Next” of background “lessons” of book “Tutorial”

See also parent object. Compare implicit reference.

export To transfer data from one file format to another. For example, you
can export your book to HTML, or you can export text to ASCII format. See
also import.
expression A combination of values that yields a result, such as the name
of a field, variable, property, or an expression with operators and operands.
For example, 7 + 3 is an expression yielding the result 10. See also field,
operand, operator, properties. Compare container.
extended character A non-English character or symbol in the ANSI
character set. Extended characters have ANSI values of 128 to 255.
extended properties Properties that specify the extended capabilities of
such objects as question objects and action triggers. Compare properties.
external media Any media file or device referred to but not stored within
an application, such as a videodisc.
feedback A feature of online learning used to provide responses or replies
to users according to how they answer a question.
field An object that holds text. Instructor uses text fields and record fields.
file path The string of characters and delimiters that specify the location of
a file, as in the following example:
C:\Program Files\ToolBook\Instructor\Inst.exe.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) A set of rules for transferring files from one
computer to another. Instructor includes an FTP utility you can use to
transfer files from one computer to another.
Glossary 514

fill The color or pattern applied to the inside of any enclosed object. You
cannot apply a fill color to paint objects or picture objects. See also paint
object, picture object, stroke.
filter A utility that allows Instructor to import and convert files from other
applications.
fixed-field file A text file in which each data field consists of a predefined
number of characters. Compare delimited-field file.
focus The object awaiting the next keyboard action. Pressing the TAB key
moves the focus. Only objects that can respond to keystrokes can receive
the focus. The insertion point in a field or a dotted rectangle in
a button shows a user the current focus.
focus window The viewer that currently has the focus. The focus window is
the viewer that accepts mouse and keyboard input (such as selecting check
boxes or filling in text fields). See also focus, viewer.
font In Windows, a font is the complete collection of styles and sizes for
a single typeface (such as Times New Roman) as part of a set installed for
a system’s display adapter, graphics card, and printer.
footer Text that appears at the bottom of every printed page.
frame window The portion of a window that contains the border, caption
bar, system menu, scroll bars, and Minimize and Maximize buttons. The
frame window surrounds the client area. See also client area.
FTP See File Transfer Protocol.
function An operation that uses a predefined formula and returns a value.
For example, the function round always returns the supplied value, which
may be a literal value or expression, rounded to the nearest integer.
Glossary 515

function keys The keys on a computer keyboard labeled F1, F2, F3, and so
on. Function keys can be used independently or together with the CTRL,
ALT, or SHIFT key as shortcuts for choosing menu commands and perform-
ing other tasks.
general system properties Properties of Instructor that affect every book
opened during the current Instructor instance. For example, Instructor uses
the value of the property sysDateFormat to format all dates.
global memory The area of memory available to all Windows
applications.
global variable In an action sequence, a variable whose value can be
accessed and used in any action sequence. See also variable, system variable.
Compare local variable.
graphic A paint object or picture object placed on an Instructor page.
See also paint object, picture object.
grid A set of nonprinting dots used at Author level to precisely align objects
on a page.
group A collection of objects that is defined to move and be resized as a
single object. Like any other Instructor object, a group has an ID number
and has properties that can be set.
group report A report printed in groups, where each group contains the
contents of the record fields from one page. For example, a group report can
print mailing labels from an address book. See also record field. Compare
column report.
gutter On a printed report, the space between adjacent columns in a
column report, groups in a group report, or Instructor pages (if you are
printing more than one page per sheet of paper). See also column report,
group report.
handle (1) A small square that appears at each corner and edge of an
object when it is selected. Handles are visible only at Author level. You can
drag the handles to resize an object. (2) A unique reference number assigned
Glossary 516

by Windows to any open viewer, whether it is shown or hidden. A handle

can also refer to a memory location. See also viewer.
handler A collection of OpenScript statements in a script that defines the
response to a particular event, such as clicking an object. A script can
contain more than one handler, each responding to a different event. See
also script, statement.
header Text that appears at the top of every printed page.
highlight (1) The onscreen indication that text or another item is selected.
(2) The property of a button or hotword that controls whether it flashes
when a user clicks it. See also button, hotword.
home page Typically refers to either the first Web page in a series or to
the Web page specified to open automatically with your browser. See also
Web page.
hotword An object made up of one or more words in a text field or record
field that has an ID number and can respond to mouse and keyboard events.
HTML See Hypertext Markup Language.
HTTP See Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
hue, lightness, and saturation (HLS) Hue is the quality of a color
corresponding to its position in the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green,
cyan, blue, magenta. Lightness is the amount of white or black in a color.
Saturation is the intensity of a color. At 0 (zero) percent saturation, a color
appears white; at 100 percent saturation, a color’s hue is most intense. See
also red, green, and blue values (RGB).
hyperlink A property that links objects to another page or URL. A hyperlink
can be assigned to hotwords, buttons, or any other Instructor object. See
also button, hotword.
hypertext A word or group of words that, when clicked, cause the browser
to perform an action, such as navigation to another page. See also
hyperlink, hotword.
Glossary 517

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) A standard document format used

for pages on the World Wide Web that uses tags to specify the properties of
the document. A Web browser can interpret the HTML tags and show the
formatted document on the screen. Instructor can export an application as a
series of HTML pages.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) A standardized procedure
for transferring information via the World Wide Web. One of several
information transfer protocols used on the Internet.
I-beam An I-shaped cursor that appears over locations where text can be
edited. See also cursor.
icon A graphic that represents an application.
icon resource An icon that can be imported and shared as a resource in
one or more Instructor applications. See also resources.
ID number A unique identification number that Instructor assigns each
object when it is created. Each copy of an object has an ID number that
is unique for the page on which it is located. When an object is cut and
pasted it is assigned a new ID number. See also unique identifier.
image buffer An area of memory in which Instructor maintains an image
of the current page or background of a viewer in order to display it quickly
when required.
implicit reference A reference to an object that identifies it without
stating its explicit location; the object is assumed to be on the current page.
For example, the following statement refers to a button on the current page:
get caption of button "Next"

Compare explicit reference.

import The process of bringing data such as text, graphics, and objects
created in another application into Instructor. See also export.
indent The space between the left and right boundaries of a field and the
Glossary 518

left and right edges of text in a field.

initialize To assign a starting value to a variable. See also variable.
insertion point A blinking cursor that shows where the next text entered
will appear. See also cursor.
instance A open copy of any Windows application, appearing as either
a window or an icon. You can run multiple instances of Instructor in order
to work with more than one book or page at the same time.
international system properties Instructor properties containing format
information for data that changes according to country and language, such
as sysCurrency and sysDecimal, which specify what characters are used for
these functions.
Internet A network of networks where information is shared and exchanged
using agreed-upon hardware and software communications protocols.
irregular polygon An enclosed draw object with unequal angles and sides
of varying length. Compare polygon.
item One data element out of a string separated by commas. The item does
not include the comma, which is used only as a delimiter. Compare textline.
label button A button style composed of text with an access character. The
user presses the ALT key in combination with the underlined letter in the
button’s caption to achieve a button click. Often used for labels containing
read-only information and for dialog box controls. See also button, focus,
access character, tab order.
layer The relative order of all the objects on a page or background. The
most recently created object is on the front layer. You can change an
object’s layer to control the way objects overlap one another and to define
the tab order. See also tab order.
Lesson Design Wizard A book wizard that helps you build a new lesson
specially tailored to meet your teaching goals. This wizard guides you
through the process of building a new Instructor book. .
Glossary 519

line spacing The space between individual lines of text in a field. Line
spacing can be set to single, double, or one-and-a-half lines. A field’s line
spacing is visible only when its baselines are displayed. See also baselines,
text field.
line style The visual appearance of a line (solid, dashed, dotted), determined
by choosing a style in the Properties dialog box.
list A group of one or more elements separated by commas. Instructor uses
lists for many data structures (such as the coordinates of a cursor or a
bounding box) and has special OpenScript commands to manipulate them
(pop, push, and so on).
list box A type of field used to display a list of choices; list boxes can be
defined as single-select or multi-select. Unlike combo boxes, a list box can
display more than one option at a time. Compare combo box.
literal value A string of characters or a number that is assigned to a
container or used to compare information. If a literal value contains spaces,
it must be enclosed in quotation marks. In the following example, New York
is the literal value:
text of field ID 1 = "New York"

See also container.

local variable In an action sequence or script, a variable whose value can
only be accessed and changed as the script or action sequence in which it
is defined is running and which only maintains its value while the script or
action sequence is running. See also variable. Compare global variable,
system variable.
log file A file maintained by Instructor that stores information about a
user’s progress in a lesson, such as the pages visited, the user’s score, the
time, the date, and the elapsed time. You can use the log reader utility to
view a log file.
Glossary 520

logging The process of recording user activity in a lesson. Logging starts

when the user enters the lesson and stops when the user leaves the lesson.
logical palette In a 256-color system, the list of colors required to display
a graphic. Each graphic maintains its own logical palette of 256 colors from
the 16 million colors possible.
loop A special type of action that, when inserted into an action sequence,
directs Instructor to repeat a behavior (an action or sequence of actions)
a specified number of times or until a condition is met. See also action
sequence, action, condition.
margin (1) The space between a field’s boundaries and the text in the field.
(2) The space between the edge of the paper and printed text or graphics.
See also indent.
mat A color border that appears if a page is smaller than the window in
which it is displayed.
MCI See Media Control Interface.
Media Control Interface (MCI) A Windows-standard set of commands
used to control media devices. See also media device.
media device Hardware that controls a source of multimedia (for example,
a CD-ROM drive that can play an audio compact disc). See also audio CD,
multimedia.
media file A file that contains media, such as a digital video file or a
bitmap.
media player A Catalog object that is preprogrammed to play media. The
Universal Media Player is a multi-purpose media player that supports most
currently available media formats.
media source Any multimedia from which you can create clips, including
media files, audio CD, videotape, and so on.
menu A list of choices that a user can click to open windows, execute
commands, or display further choices.
Glossary 521

menu bar The area at the top of a window that lists available menus.
Menu Bar Editor The Instructor editor used to create and edit menu bars.
menu bar resource A menu that can be shared as a resource in one or
more Instructor applications. See also resources.
menu item A single choice on a menu. If a menu item is not available, it
appears dimmed.
message (1) A communication Instructor sends to an object to indicate
that an event has occurred. (2) A warning or other information displayed
by Windows or Instructor that alerts a user to a problem and possible
corrections.
metafile Sometimes called a vector graphic. A file that defines an image as
a series of instructions instead of as a collection of pixels (as in a bitmap or
paint object). A metafile is exported from a Windows drawing program and,
when imported into Instructor, becomes a picture object. See also picture
object.
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) A series of commands sent to
a synthesizer or sound card that controls pitch, length, volume, and so on.
MIDI is not recorded sound; rather, it is sound that is created digitally.
modal A way of displaying a window so the user cannot perform any other
action outside the window before closing it. For example, most dialog boxes
are modal; until you close the dialog box, you cannot return to the program
that displayed it. Compare nonmodal.
MP3 A file extension for the MPEG audio level 3 file format. MP3 files are
small audio files that can be transferred across the Internet easily. The
Universal Media Player in the Media Players category of the Catalog can play
MP3 files.
multimedia Information in different formats—text, graphics, sound, video,
and animation—that you can use in computer-based applications. See also
animation, digital video, media file, MP3, MIDI, wave audio.
Glossary 522

name One way of identifying an object. An object’s name is a property of

the object and is used when referring to the object. It is a good practice to
assign a unique name to each object in your book, especially those objects
with interactive functionality. Only named objects may be referenced in an
action sequence. Compare ID number.
Neuron A plug-in that works with Netscape Navigator and Microsoft
Internet Explorer that allows you to run native ToolBook TBK files on the
Internet. Neuron does everything necessary to run books remotely, including
transferring clip-based media, system books, and DLLs from the Web server
to your computer.
no-drop image The cursor, icon, or bitmap resource displayed during a
drag-and-drop operation when the pointer is over an object that cannot be
the destination object. See also destination object, drag and drop.
nonmodal A way of displaying a window so the user can leave it to activate
another window. Compare modal.
nonpersistent property A property that does not retain its value between
Instructor sessions or instances. For viewers, nonpersistent properties exist
only when a viewer is open and are not saved when a viewer is closed. See
also viewer.
notification message A message sent after Instructor has finished an
action that affects the status of an object. For example, notification
messages are sent after an object is created, moved, or cleared, or when
Instructor is idle.
notify handler A handler that is alerted automatically when a given
message reaches the page. You can create notify handlers that are called
before or after the page handles the message. Notify handlers are often used
to create self-contained objects that can be copied into applications without
having to change the scripts. See also handler.
object All of the visual elements of your pages (including buttons, fields,
graphics, viewers, pages, and backgrounds). Any object can have a script or
action sequence that defines its behavior and all objects have properties.
Glossary 523

object hierarchy The order in which messages are passed from object to
object. For example, a message sent to a graphic object that the graphic
object’s script does not handle is passed to the page, then to the background,
then to the book, then to any system book, then to Instructor. See also
message.
object linking and embedding (OLE) A Windows technology that enables
you to create an object in one application and then incorporate it into
another application. An object that is used this way is called an OLE object.
See also client application, OLE container object, server application.
object-oriented programming A programming method in which programs
are constructed out of self-contained collections of data and routines,
referred to as objects.
offscreen image An image that Instructor first draws in memory and then
displays on the screen. Compare draw direct.
OLE container object An object that contains a reference to a linked
object or a copy of an embedded object. See also client application, object
linking and embedding, server application.
OpenScript The ToolBook object-oriented programming language, used
primarily in ToolBook Instructor.
operand A value on which an operator performs an action. For example, in
the expression a < b, the operands are a and b, and the operator is <. See
also expression, operator.
operator In an expression, a symbol or word that causes Instructor to
perform an action on operands, resulting in another value. For example, in
the expression a < b, the operands are a and b, and the operator is <. See
also operand.
orientation A setting that determines whether pages in a book are
presented in portrait mode (taller than they are wide) or landscape mode
(wider than they are tall).
Glossary 524

overlay video A means of displaying analog video on computer monitors.

When overlay video is played, Instructor designates the area of the screen
where the video is to play. The video signal is then routed through and
intercepted by the videodisc controller card, which replaces the designated
area with data from the videodisc. See also analog, controller card.
page The object that is the basic unit of a book. Objects placed on a page
are displayed on top of a background.
page number The relative order of a page among all pages in a book.
page size The dimensions of the pages in a book.
page units A measurement used to specify an object’s bounds and location
relative to the upper-left corner of the page. There are 1440 page units per
inch, or 57 per millimeter. Page units do not vary in size with the resolution
of the display device. Compare pixel.
paint object An Instructor object created by importing a bitmap into
Instructor or by pasting a bitmap from the Clipboard. When you drag the
handles of a paint object to make it smaller, the image is cropped. See also
bitmap, crop. Compare draw object, picture object.
paint-type graphic See bitmap.
palette (1) Predefined set of colors that can be imported and edited in
Instructor. (2) Instructor’s collection of tools used for drawing and selecting
objects and specifying color, line ends and style, pattern, or polygon shapes.
palette colors The colors remaining in a color palette after Instructor has
allocated its 16 or 32 standard colors and, optionally, another 64 custom
colors. For example, if solidColorsEnabled is true on a 256-color system,
Instructor makes 160 palette colors available.
palette flash Also known as palette shift. A change in the colors of graphics
that occurs when you display a graphic with a color palette different from the
one currently in use.
Glossary 525

Palette Optimizer A utility you can use to adjust the colors used in im-
ported graphics so that they achieve a close match to the colors that are
available in the Instructor color palette. See also palette.
palette resource A color palette that you import for use in a book. When
you import a color palette, all imported graphics in the book use colors from
that palette. See also color palette.
parameter In OpenScript programming, the part of a statement that indi-
cates which object or data a command is to act on, the data a function uses
in the operation it performs, or the data passed with a message from one
handler to another. Also, a value defined for a shared action sequence or
ActiveX method that supplies information used in the execution of that
particular shared action sequence or ActiveX method. See also function,
handler, statement, shared action sequence.
parent object Any group, page, background, book, or system book that
contains and is directly above another object in the object hierarchy. See
also object hierarchy.
parent window A window that owns another window. Compare child
window, pop-up window.
path The course that an object follows as it moves during an animation.
You create a path in the Animation Editor by clicking to create vertices that
define the path. By setting the number of steps per second, the total duration
of the animation, and the animation rate, you can control how quickly and
smoothly the object moves along a path. The path is stored as a list of
coordinates for each step of the animation.
pattern A repeating arrangement of pixels used to fill a background or
draw object.
pattern palette A palette available at Author level from which you can
assign a pattern to a background or any enclosed object. Patterns use the
stroke and fill colors specified in the color tray. See also fill, stroke.
Glossary 526

picture object Also called a vector or draw-type graphic. A graphic

imported or pasted from the Clipboard that was created in a draw program.
Picture objects can be resized in Instructor. Compare draw object, paint
object.
pixel Short for picture element. The smallest element that display or print
hardware and software can manipulate in creating letters, numbers, or
graphics. Pixel size is dependent on the resolution of the display device.
Screen units are measured in pixels. Compare page units.
plug-in A software program that adds functionality to a Web browser (plays
sounds or digital video, or runs specific types of files over the Internet). A
plug-in is stored on your computer and will open automatically when you
request your browser to perform a function enabled by the plug-in.
point size A typographical unit of measurement for font size. One point is
equal to 1/72 inch.
pointer A symbol that shows the location of the cursor onscreen and that
changes shape to indicate special locations and processes. For example, the
pointer can be a selection tool, the Windows hourglass, or an I-beam.
polygon An enclosed object with equal angles and a varying number of
sides of equal length. Compare irregular polygon.
pop-up menu A menu that can appear anywhere onscreen within its own
window.
pop-up window A window that generally appears in front of its parent
window and minimizes when the parent window is minimized. A pop-up
window can be dragged outside its parent’s boundaries. Floating palettes
are usually pop-up windows. All windows are either child windows or
pop-up windows. See also child window, parent window.
precedence The order in which operators are evaluated. Operators with a
higher precedence are evaluated before operators with a lower precedence.
For example, the multiplication operator (*) has a higher precedence than
the addition operator (+). See also operator.
Glossary 527

Print Preview window The window that previews what a page will look
like when it is printed.
printer system properties Instructor properties that affect how reports or
pages are printed, such as the property printBorders.
properties Attributes of an object that define its appearance and behavior,
such as the object’s name, color, and whether the object can be dragged.
Properties dialog box A window in which you can view and edit an
object’s properties.
pushbutton A button style composed of a three-dimensional rectangle and
a button caption that appears to move when clicked. Often used to trigger
an action, such as navigating from one page to another.
query message A message sent to an object to determine its state or
the value of a particular property. For example, during a drag-and-drop
operation Instructor sends an allowDrop query message to each object
under the cursor to determine whether the object will accept a drop. See
also message.
question object A Catalog object with preprogrammed functionality that
allows you to construct different types of questions. Question objects can
manage the user’s response and score, and can also deliver feedback.
radio button A button style composed of a circle and a button caption.
The circle toggles a dot on and off when a user clicks the active area of the
button. Often used for a group of alternative items from which only one can
be selected.
Reader level One of the two working levels in Instructor. At Reader level,
a user can move between pages and books, click hotwords and buttons,
make selections from combo boxes, and type text in editable fields. Applica-
tions are used and tested at Reader level. Compare Author level.
Glossary 528

record A group of related data fields in a database file. For example, the
name, address, and phone number fields for one listing in an address book
are a record.
record field A text field positioned on the background of a page that can
contain different text on each page. See also background, text field.
red, green, and blue values (RGB) A means of specifying a color according
to the amount of red, green, and blue in the color. Compare hue, lightness,
and saturation (HLS).
reshape handles Handles that appear on a selected draw object when you
choose Reshape from the Draw menu that you can use to reshape an object.
Curves, angled lines, arcs, pies, and regular and irregular polygons can be
reshaped.
resources Interface elements (including graphics, cursors, fonts, icons,
menu bars, palettes, and shared scripts) that can be imported and shared in
one or more Instructor applications.
Rich Text Format (RTF) A text format that includes information about
character and paragraph formatting for use in transferring formatted text
between applications. Instructor preserves most character formatting and
some paragraph formatting of text imported from any application that
support RTF.
right-click menu The menu that appears when you right-click an object.
rollover graphic The graphic that displays when the mouse pointer pauses
over a button. In Instructor, you can assign a rollover graphic to a button in
the Properties for Button dialog box by selecting the option labeled Use
checked graphic as rollover graphic.
RTF See Rich Text Format.
ruler The horizontal or vertical scale used to measure and position objects
on the page. A hairline on each ruler shows the current location of the
pointer. See also grid.
Glossary 529

run-time A version of Instructor that allows a user to run, but not modify,
a book. A run-time version of Instructor is provided on the Instructor
program disc.
sampling rate A measure of how frequently an event is tested, or sampled,
to convert it from analog to digital format.
scope The specific handlers in which a variable’s value is available. For
example, the scope of a local variable is the current handler only. See also
handler, variable.
script A series of statements written in OpenScript that define Instructor’s
behavior. Scripts are object properties and are divided into parts called
handlers. Handlers define responses to specific events. When an event
occurs, such as when a user clicks an object, Instructor runs the corre-
sponding handler in the object’s script. See also handler, statement.
script editor The window in which you can create and edit an
object’s script.
scroll bars A bar along the right side and/or bottom of some windows and
fields used to view all the contents of a window with more information than
can be shown on screen at one time.
segment One leg of an animation path along which an object moves. When
you draw an animation path, you click to create a new vertex. Instructor
then draws a segment from the end of the existing path to the new vertex.
By default, segments are straight lines, but they can be converted to curves.
select To identify the target for the next action. Selected text is highlighted.
Selected objects display handles. When a page is selected, the page selection
indicator is highlighted in the status bar.
selection The text, object, or page that is selected. An object selected at
Author level becomes the target of commands you choose from the Instructor
menus. Move or resize the selection using its handles. When text is selected,
it can be edited or formatted.
Glossary 530

selection rectangle A dotted box that appears when you drag the pointer
across a page. When the mouse button is released, Instructor selects all
objects completely enclosed by the selection rectangle.
server A computer connected to a network or the Internet (or both) that
contains documents available via the network or the Internet.
server application An application that creates objects that can be linked
or embedded in a client application. Instructor is a client application that can
receive OLE information, such as graphics or text, from server applications.
See also client application, object linking and embedding, OLE container
object.
session One or more instances of any Windows application. See also
instance.
shared action sequence An action sequence that runs only when executed
as part of another action sequence. You can create a shared action sequence
that performs an operation and returns a value to the action sequence that
calls it. You can define parameters the shared action sequence uses to
complete any operation it performs. See also action sequence, parameter.
shared script OpenScript code that can be shared among Instructor
objects. Once defined, the shared script is stored as a resource in the book
and can be applied to an object as needed.
silent dragging An option for drag-and-drop behavior that specifies that
the source object can be dropped anywhere, even if the destination object
does not normally allow a drop. Silent dragging is used to create drag-and-
drop behavior for applications (such as tool palettes or clip art books) that
might be used in conjunction with applications not configured to receive
drop objects.
solid color A color that appears on a color display device when all pixels
are the same color. See also pixel.
Glossary 531

sorting The process of placing pages in order based on the contents of

specified record fields.
sound An audio CD, MIDI, MP3 or wave audio sound that can be played in
an application. See also MIDI, MP3, wave audio.
source book The book from which pages are imported into another book.
source object In a drag-and-drop operation, the object that is clicked to
begin the operation and whose drag image is dragged. See also drag image,
drag and drop.
special value A type of variable with a system-defined value. Special
values available in the Actions Editor include pi, true, and false.
spooler A temporary storage location for information that is being printed.
Instructor gathers the information to be printed in a spooler and then sends
the contents of the spooler to the designated printer. In OpenScript, you
must use a spooler control structure to print.
stack A list organized so that the last data item added to the list is the first
item used.
standard colors The 16 or 32 colors that are always available to Instructor
applications.
startup screen A screen that appears for a few seconds upon startup of
an application and then disappears. A startup screen is often used as the
application’s introductory screen, containing information such as the
application’s title, release number, and the name of the person to whom
the software is registered.
startup system properties Instructor properties that specify how Instructor
is initialized when you first start it. For example, the system property
startupBook specifies the name of the book that opens automatically when
a user runs Instructor.
statement A single complete instruction in a script or action sequence.
Glossary 532

static object An OLE object that was embedded or linked but whose link
was severed. A static object has no link to its server application. See also
object linking and embedding, server application.
status bar The bar along the bottom of the Instructor window that shows
mouse position, name of the object under the cursor, information about the
chosen menu command, and the page selection indicator.
string Any combination of contiguous characters.
stroke The line element of an object. For fields and buttons, stroke color is
applied to text and borders. For draw objects, stroke color is applied to
borders and the stroke elements of any pattern used. For paint objects and
picture objects, stroke color is applied to the border. Compare fill.
style (1) An object’s visual attributes, such as its border type, line style, or
pattern. (2) The bold, italic, underline, and strikeout text attributes that can
be set using the Character dialog box.
submenu A menu item that displays a cascading menu when clicked.
Submenus are indicated by small arrows to the right of menu items.
syntax The rules for writing script statements in OpenScript or for creating
expressions in the Build Expression dialog box of the Actions Editor.
system book A book whose book script is shared by other books. System
books are useful for defining general scripts for repeated use by other
books. For example, you can put all of your user-defined functions and user
properties into a system book so that they are available for any applications
you create. See also user property, user-defined function.
system palette In a 256-color system, the list of colors currently used by
the video display device to display graphics. The 256 colors are drawn from
the 16 million colors available to Windows.
system properties Property that define default behavior for the entire
Instructor system.
Glossary 533

system variable A variable that maintains its value for the duration of an
Instructor instance or session. Any handler that declares the system variable
can access and change its value during a session. See also handler, local
variable, global variable.
tab (1) A character in text that Instructor uses to align text in fields. Tabs
are set using the Paragraph dialog box. To type a tab character in a field,
press CTRL+TAB. See also field. (2) The TAB key. Pressing TAB moves the
focus between buttons, editable fields, and combo boxes. See also tab order.
tab order The order in which Instructor moves the focus between buttons
and editable fields when a user presses the TAB key. The tab order can be
modified by changing the layer order of objects. See also focus, layer, tab.
target A system property that specifies which object received the current
message. You cannot set this property. See also system properties.
target book The book into which pages are imported from another book.
target window The viewer in which Instructor executes commands and
searches for objects. The commands can affect any page, background, or
object displayed in the viewer, or the viewer itself. See also viewer.
template A prebuilt book that you customize by adding content.
text field An Instructor object that holds text. A text field has properties
that determine its appearance and behavior.
textline One data element out of a text string separated by carriage return/
linefeeds (CRLF). The textline does not include the CRLF, which is used only
as a delimiter. See also carriage return/linefeed, delimiter.
tile A property of a window that contains a caption or the file name.
title bar The bar at the top of a window that contains a caption or the file
name.
ToolBook Web Specialist A wizard that prepares your ToolBook applica-
tion for Internet distribution. The Web Specialist can automatically export
Glossary 534

your application to DHTML. You can open the Web Specialist by selecting
Publish to Web from the File menu. See also application, DHTML.
tool palette The tools that appear at Author level for creating and working
with objects.
toolbar The bar containing buttons that are shortcuts for frequently used
menu commands. Displayed by default at the top of the Instructor main
window at Author level.
trace To go through the execution of a script in the Debugger one statement
or keyword at a time to locate an error. See also Debugger, script.
transition A special effect, such as a fade-out, that occurs as a user
navigates from one page to the next.
transparent A property that determines whether an object is displayed so
that objects on layers behind the object can be seen through the object. See
also layer.
ungroup To separate grouped objects into individual objects. Ungrouping
discards all the group’s properties and its script but does not affect individual
object’s scripts and properties. See also group.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) An address used to locate Web pages
on Web servers. Much like your area code and telephone number identify
your region and then your location, the URL of a Web page identifies a
computer and then a specific document.
unique identifier A method of identifying an object in any book. Includes
the object type name (such as button, page, field, and so on), object ID
number, and the unique name of the page or background on which the
object is located.
URL See Uniform Resource Locator.
user property A property that a developer creates for an object beyond
Glossary 535

those which are built into the Instructor object, and for which the developer
can get and set values as with any other property. All objects in Instructor
can have user properties. For a list of user properties defined for an object,
get the value of the object’s userProperties property.
user-defined function A function in OpenScript that is defined by a
handler written by the developer, in contrast to a function that is built into
OpenScript. See also function, handler.
user-defined message Any message that is not one of the built-in
messages that Instructor sends in response to an event. The developer must
provide a corresponding handler for all user-defined messages. Instructor’s
default response to user-defined messages that are not handled is to display
the Execution Suspended message. See also
Execution Suspended message, User event. Compare built-in message.
User event A generic event that you can send using the Send User Event
action in the Actions Editor. When you send a User event, you can send data
(a literal value, variable, or expression) in a single parameter. See also
event.
value A piece of data such as text, a number, or a logical value.
For example, in the following statements, Joe, 3456, and true are all values:
text of field "name" = "Joe" --Text value
svQuantity = 3456 --Numerical value
visible of selection = true --Logical value

See also container.

variable A named container that holds data in action sequences and
OpenScript programs. See also global variable, local variable, and system
variable.
Glossary 536

variables window The window that displays the current values for local
variables and system variables when you work in the Debugger. See also
Debugger, local variable, system variable.
vector graphics See draw-type graphic.
vertex, vertices The points defining the beginning and end of a segment in
a path animation. When you draw a path animation, you click to position a
vertex, and Instructor draws a segment between the vertex at the end of the
path and the new vertex.
video overlay See overlay video.
viewer A window that you can create in Instructor that displays pages from
any book. Viewers are composed of a frame window, a client area, and a
client window. Viewers can be used to create dialog boxes, tool palettes,
status bars, pop-up windows, and application startup screens. See also
client area, client window, frame window, pop-up window.
visual media clip Clips created from animation, video, photo CDs, or still
images. See also clip.
wave audio Sound recorded in a digital format and stored as a file with the
file extension .wav.
Web document An HTML file on a Web server. A Web document becomes
a Web page when it is viewed through a browser. See also Web page.
Web page A document that can be viewed and interacted with over the
Internet. Web pages can contain text, graphics, and links to other Web
pages. Web pages make up the content of the World Wide Web. See also
home page, Web document, World Wide Web.
Web Specialist A wizard that helps you to prepare your Instructor
application in a format that can be distributed on the Internet.
wildcard A question mark (?) used to represent a single character,
or an asterisk (*) used to indicate multiple characters in a file name or
search text.
Glossary 537

window The fundamental interface object of Microsoft Windows. Compare

instance.
wizard An interactive utility that guides a user through a process step by
step. The Web Specialist is an example of an Instructor wizard.
wordwrap An option that automatically places text on the next line when
you type past the right margin in a field. Text does not wrap in button
captions. See also field.
World Wide Web (WWW) A part of the Internet with the capacity to
handle multimedia (text, graphics, video, and sound) information.
Documents, called Web pages, that are stored on computers around the
world make up the content of the World Wide Web.
WWW See World Wide Web.
zoom To magnify the view of a page using the magnify tool from the
tool palette.