Action Trigger Widgets
An action trigger initiates an event, such as making a hidden object
visible when you click the action trigger button at Reader level. You can
use the action trigger to hide, show, animate, or trigger any object on
your page.
Unfortunately there is only one object type, a
button Action Trigger, which can be very limiting:-( However, fortunately the special userProperies and the sharedScript
of that button Action Trigger will work
perfectly when applied to just about any object:-)
This FreeBee includes several Action Trigger objects that been combined to
create simple and yet very effective Popup Widgets.
Click here to see a small demo of the Action Trigger Widgets
How Does This FreeBee Work?
This FreeBee is similar to all of my products
except in this case it's free:-)
After you download the FreeBee and
Install it (add it to your catalog) you will have
four new Action Trigger Widgets:
- Action Trigger +
- Tip Trigger
- More Information
- Popup Widgets
Action Trigger +
The Action Trigger + is a standard Action
Trigger from the catalog with a few lines of OpenScript to enable
a nice authoring feature. This new feature of the "Action Trigger +"
Widget (in fact what earns it the "+") is that when at Author if you
wish to trigger the action, simply hold down the <Shift> or <Ctrl> key and
single click on the Widget. This will show/hide/trigger the object(s) it
is programmed to trigger.
Tip Trigger Widget
The Tip Trigger Widget is a group as well as a standard Action Trigger.
The group consists of a roundedRectangle as the base, an Auto-Size field
for the TipText (in this case - "Click here for a useful tip!") and a
Reusable Graphic (the paper clip - which by the way you can change for a
graphic of your choice). OpenScript* is used to re-size all of the
objects...pretty cool!
The Tip Trigger Widget is designed to show a ToolBook object
like the Popup Widget below.
As it is a standard Action Trigger, all that you need to do is select the
Widget and click on the Extended Properties button to modify the
functionality.
Another nice feature of the Tip Trigger Widget
is when at Author if you wish to trigger the action, simply hold down the
<Shift> or <Ctrl> key and single click on the Widget. This will show/hide/trigger the object(s) it is programmed to trigger.
More Information Widget
The More Information Widget is a group and the group consists of a
roundedRectangle as the base, three Auto-Size fields which are also Action
Triggers for the More Info. Triggers (in this case - "More Info #1",
"More Info #2" and "More Info #3") and a Reusable Graphic (the
paper clip). OpenScript* is used to re-size all of the objects. This More Information Widget is designed to show ToolBook objects (like a
set of Popup Widgets - see below). As the fields
are standard Action Triggers all that you need to do is select one of the
fields and click on the Extended Properties button to modify their
functionality. Another nice feature of the More Information Widget is that when at Author
if you wish to trigger the action on a given trigger, simply hold down the
<Shift> or <Ctrl> key and single click on the appropriate field which will
show the object(s).
Popup Widget
The Popup Widget will automatically hide on enter page, when you go to
Reader, or when you save and reset the book - this is nothing new as it is
an Action Trigger:-) Also note that it will automatically show when you go to Author or enter a
page at Author, this makes it easy for you to see and edit the text -
again this is nothing new as it is an Action
Trigger:-). Another nice feature of the Popup Widget is when at Author and you wish to
hide the Widget, simply hold down the <Shift> or <Ctrl> key and single
click on the Widget and it will trigger the Action (which will hide it:-).
*This is a great example of how OpenScript is used to help in development.
If you are thinking, "OK, well, I won't be able to use this because my
projects are web-based :-( I can only use actions if I am
exporting my book to the web." Not so! In fact, this is a
great example of how OpenScript is used for development NOT program
functionality.
How Can This FreeBee Be Used?
You can use this FreeBee in your own development of ToolBook projects. You cannot give away or sell this FreeBee to others. If you want
others to be able to use the FreeBee, please direct them to this site to
register for the FreeBee Newsletter and access to all of the FreeBees.
How Does the FreeBee Work During
Development?
This FreeBee is a set of Widgets that you import
into your catalog and use them just as you would any other Widgets from
the catalog - simple right? - Right!
Why I Developed this FreeBee
I have used these sort of tools many times in the past and thought that you too
may have a need for a simple easy-to-use set of Action Triggers.
Once you use this FreeBee I hope that you will
realize how easy my add-on products are to use as well as how much time
they save you. Then you might take a look at my other products and
buy one or more of them for use in your projects.
FreeBee Features
FreeBee Details
Developed in ToolBook v8.5/6 and also
available in v8.9
Get FreeBee
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