In addition to the basic text and graphics tools described so far, PODIUM also has an advanced toolbox. Clicking on the Expand Toolbox icon with your right mouse button will reveal these advanced tools, which appear as follows:
Proceeding from left to right across the second row of the expanded toolbox, here is a description of what the advanced authoring tools do:
Beep. When you
select the Beep tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox, a dialog will
appear that lets you specify the sound that the computer will
make when the user clicks the mouse or touches the screen of a
touchsensitive display. To select different waveform audio files
for the beep sounds listed in the dialog, use the Sound icon on
the Windows Control Panel.
Grid. When you
select the Show Grid tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox, PODIUM
will draw a grid that makes it easy to line up text and graphics
on the screen. Clicking the Show Grid tool again will erase the
grid.
Animation. The animation tool appears as an airplane flying by night on the advanced row of the custom toolbox. To create an animation, you click on the animation tool, and your cursor assumes the shape of an airplane. Mouse to the point on the screen where you want the animation to begin, and click. Then click on the other points you want the animation to pass through on its way to the final destination. PODIUM will time you, so click about as fast as you want the animation to go. To create a curve in the animation, hold down the shift key when you click the endpoint of the curve; then move the mouse to shape the curve, and click to anchor the shape.
Load Template.
When you select the Load Template tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox,
the Load a Custom Template dialog will appear. Selecting one of
the custom templates listed in the dialog will cause PODIUM to
flow the contents of the template into the custom file you are
editing. Custom templates have the file extension CTF, which stands
for custom template file. In the wnpodium directory that comes
with PODIUM, you will find several templates that make it quick
and easy to create true/false, multiple choice, matching, and
fillintheblank questions.
Save As Template.
When you select the Save As Template tool from PODIUM's custom
toolbox, the Save Current Custom File as a Template dialog will
appear. The purpose of this dialog is to save the custom file
you are editing as a template that can be loaded subsequently
with the Load Template tool. To save the custom file you are editing
as a template, type the path and filename you want the template
to have into the File Name field. Make sure you give the filename
a CTF file extension. CTF stands for custom template file.
Waveform Audio Tool. The Waveform Audio Tool lets you play, record, and edit audio clips. You can set start and stop points, adjust them with sliders, and rehearse the clip. Then you can paste the clip into your application.
Timers. When
you select the Timers tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox, the Timers
dialog pictured below will appear. It lets you insert, edit, and
delete the timers associated with the custom file you are editing.
PODIUM timers let you specify events that will happen automatically
after the amount of time you set for the timer passes, unless
the user interrupts the process by navigating elsewhere before
the timer goes off. You can use timers to create attract loops,
make screen savers, trigger help screens, or sequence multimedia
events.
Conditionals. When
you select the Conditionals tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox,
the Conditionals dialog will appear as shown below. It lets you
insert, append, delete, and edit a set of IF statements that PODIUM
will execute at the very start of your custom file.
Sort. When you
select the Sort Appearance Order tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox,
the Custom File Sorter dialog will appear as shown below. It lets
you sort the order in which your text and graphics will appear.
PODIUM displays the text and graphics in the order in which they
appear in your file. By sorting the order in which objects appear
in the file, you can change the order in which they appear on
the screen. This tool is especially helpful after you have made
a lot of insertions on the screen, and you want PODIUM to reorganize
them so they appear in a logical order.
Input Fields.When
you select the Input Maker tool from PODIUM's custom toolbox,
your cursor will assume the shape of an input icon. To create
an input field, move this icon to the position where you want
the input to appear, and click your left mouse button. PODIUM
will display the Input Editor dialog, which lets you set the length
and style of the input field. Style options include Box, Free,
and Line. Then you specify the answers you want PODIUM to look
for, and you link to the answers the actions you want PODIUM to
take if the user enters one of those answers.
Optimize. When you get ready to publish your application, you can optimize each screen that has layered graphics to make them appear instantly from CD-ROM. To optimize a PODIUM custom screen, get the screen into your PODIUM window, open the custom toolbox, and click the Optimize icon that you will find in the advanced row of tools. PODIUM will generate a filename to save the optimized bitmap and ask you if it is OK to use that name. Then PODIUM will optimize the screen by capturing into the bitmap all of the objects that are not subject to change as the user interacts with your application.
Scale Triggers.
When you select the Scale Triggers tool from PODIUM's custom
toolbox, the Scale Triggers dialog will appear as shown below.
It lets you specify a percentage by which PODIUM will increase
the size of the triggers when users click or touch the screen.
This feature is intended primarily for kiosk use.
Hide Cursor.
When you select the Hide Cursor switch from PODIUM's custom toolbox,
PODIUM will toggle the switch. When the Hide Cursor switch is
turned on, PODIUM will hide the cursor from the user. This feature
is intended primarily for touch screen use; it was invented because
the mouse cursor was confusing touch screen users. Touchscreen
kiosk users often get confused by the cursor, because it cannot
follow their hand like a mouse does when they move to a new location
on the screen. Therefore, it is best to hide the cursor in kiosk
applications.
Cursor Change.
When you select the Cursor Change switch from PODIUM's custom
toolbox, PODIUM will toggle the switch. The Cursor Change switch
disables PODIUM's default changing of the cursor to indicate when
the user mouses over a hot spot. This feature is intended primarily
for testing situations in which you do not want cursor changes
to give away the answers to test questions.
Navigate.
When you select the Navigate switch from PODIUM's custom toolbox,
PODIUM will toggle the switch. The Navigate switch disables PODIUM's
default navigation features. This feature is intended for applications
that have their own navigational buttons and metaphors.
Keyboard Input.
When you select the Keyboard Input switch from PODIUM's custom
toolbox, PODIUM will toggle the switch. The Keyboard Input switch
disables user input from the keyboard. Choosing this switch without
providing a way of navigating to a screen that turns it off will
result in it being impossible for you to stop your PODIUM application,
unless you have linked a @quit command to one of the buttons in
your application. This feature is intended primarily for kiosk
use, when you do not want users to be able to stop your application.
Lock & Encrypt.
When you select the Lock and Encrypt tool from PODIUM's custom
toolbox, the Lock dialog will appear. It prompts you for a password.
Then it encrypts and locks the file to prevent unauthorized users
from inspecting it. Remember the password! This encryption scheme
works so well that it will be impossible for you to decipher the
file if you forget the password. This feature was invented to
prevent students from finding out the answers to test questions
by inspecting your application's files.
Help. PODIUM
has a context-sensitive help system. Use your mouse to point to
any tool or feature you want help on, and then press the Windows
help key (F1). PODIUM's help system is cross referenced and indexed.
You can search by keyword or topic. All of PODIUM's special effects
are documented in a special effects index.
Return to the PODIUM home page.