v6+ Boardmaker Plus basics tutorial
Design Mode vs. Use Mode
In Design Mode you can see the tool bars to the left and above the book. This is where you design the activity with words and symbols.
To get into Design Mode press CTRL-D
In Use Mode the activity takes up the screen. This is where you can test the activity and where the user will access the activity.
To get into Use Mode press CTRL-U
Create the look of your activity
- Using your Boardmaker skills, create the look of your activity by drawing buttons, placing symbols and using color.
- You also can choose to use a template from the sample boards. Under Templates, select a book template, for example:
- Go to File - Save As
- Navigate to the My Boards Folder.
- Title it “Page 1.”
- Repeat steps 1&2 for the number of pages.
Make a button speak
- Double click on any button
- Select “Speak Message” from the Basics Action Menu.
- You can either select “Use the Text Above” or “Use Button Text”.
Use Text Above:Type the message you want spoken
Use Button Text:Will speak the text label on the button
Linking boards
Each board can be linked to another board. This is great for the pages of a book, moving through a series of questions within an activity, and navigating to various activities.
- Double click on the button you want to initiate the link.
- Select “Change Board” from the Basics Action Menu.
- Select the board you want this button to link to. Note that you can only link to boards that are in the same folder as the board you are currently on. This means you should save all boards you’d like to link together in the same folder.
Test it: To test if this works go to CTRL-U to enter Use Mode or in the Design Mode (of v6) right click on the button you are linking from and select “Open Board:_____________”.
Note:To navigate backwards, you can double click on a button and select “Change Board Back” from the Basics Action Menu.
Play recorded message
- Double Click on a Button.
- Select “Play Recorded Message”from the Basics Action Menu.
- You have several options:
- Record a New Sound: Record directly onto your computer
- Select Sound from My Boards: Finds a sound folder saved in My Boards
- Select Sound from Computer: Finds a sound that you’ve saved anywhere on your computer (must be a .wav file)
- Select Sound from MJ Sounds: Lets you search through a collection of sounds pre-saved in the program (v6).
Invisible buttons
An Invisible Button only appears when an item is selected in the Use Mode.
- Place a symbol directly on the background (not in a button).
- Use the Freeform Button Tool (v6)to draw a button around the symbol.
- The freeform button will be transparent.
- You can also draw a regular button around the symbol, right click on the button and select “Properties” - “Make Invisible”.
Note: Invisible Buttons are a great way to bring story books and photo albums to life!