>> Double-click on the Course Builder V4.2 Evaluation icon.
 
Demonstration version of Course Builder.
>> Select 'OK' when you see the dialog informing you that this is a Demonstration version of Course Builder.
Course Builder's opening screen will be displayed for a short time followed by a dialog from which you can either begin a new application or open one previously created.
>> Use the mouse to select the button labeled New (Command N)
 
This opens an empty Course Map, Course Builder's development environment.
 
Development Tools
Course Builder’s development tools are called States and are accessed through the Tool Palette along the left side of the screen. Each of these icons, except the arrow selection tool, contains a menu from which you select the type of State (or operation) for development of your program.
The Course Map is the area where you will place the states you select to build your application. This area is sectioned in an invisible grid which snaps the States into rows and columns when they are placed on the map.
 
State Types and Functions
There are six categories of States, each identified by a icon representative of the State's function.
  Output States are used to display information to the user.
Outputs can be text, graphics, animation, video, sound or a combination.
  Input States are used to get information from the user. Input
can be in the form of a mouse click, a radio button or check box selection, and text or numeric input from the keyboard.
  Group States provide ways of organizing your course as well
as providing automatic sequencing of States. Freeform Groups provide a way to break your course into sections; the Linear Group State provides automatic sequencing between your states without the need for Routes; the List Access Group provides a menu (list) from which users can select their own course flow; the One per Row and Random Pool Groups are good for testing purposes.
  Flow States control the program flow. Start and Stop States
designate starting and ending points; Bridge and Return States allow the user to "jump to" other sections of the course or even another application; Menu States allow you to develop a custom menu from which users can select their own course flow.
  Function States provide a way to create and use
mathematical calculations for your course, combine text answers, and give control of a multitude of variables supported by Course Builder.
  Link States provide Course Builder's communication with
applications outside your program including HyperCard, external Video Devices, and with the New Extension State, custom written code.
A typical Course Builder application will be made up of many States all connected by Routes. This evaluation edition of Course Builder will allow you to create applications with up to 10 individual states on the Course Map.
Beginning your application
First, you need to tell Course Builder where to begin your application.
  >> Click and hold the mouse down on the Flow tools (5th icon
down in the State tool palette).
  >> Drag the mouse down to choose the
Start State from the Flow menu
and then release the mouse button.
>> Move the cursor to the top center of your Course Map and click once to place a Start State in your application.
 
Features of Course Builder States
Course Builder's States have several key areas:
  • Entrance - a point located on the top
of the State to which Routes are
connected.
• Exits - one or more points located
on the bottom of the State from
which you will drag a Route to show
where the course will go next.
• Information Center - when you
double-click on the top one-third of the State, you will be presented with several Information Dialogs from which you can select special options for the State.
• View - when you double-click on the lower 2/3rds of the State, you will be presented with the View where you set up what the user will see at Runtime.
A Closer Look at the Start State:
Since Start States designate the beginning of your application, they do not have an Entrance, only one Exit node on the bottom of the State. The icon in the center tells you that this is a Start State.
>> Double-click on this State and type Start in the 'State Name' field.
>> Select 'OK' to return to the Course Map.
Notice that the icon for your Start State is now titled with the same name you typed in the 'State Name' field.
 
Setting up for a Welcome Screen
The first display in this example will be a welcome and title screen. We will use a Graphic Design Output State to develop this presentation.
  >> Click and hold the mouse down on the Output tools, the
2nd icon down in the State tool palette.
>> Drag the mouse down to highlight the Graphic Design Output State from this menu then release the mouse button.
>> Move the cursor to a point on the Course Map directly below the Start State and click once to add the Graphic Design Output State.
>> Double-click on the Information Center of the Graphic Design Output State (top one-third).
>> Click in the 'State Name' field and type Welcome.
Output State Information Center Features
This dialog allows you to select from a variety of features which affect how this State performs at runtime. These features include the option to hide the menu bar, selection of a window boarder, and option to automatically print the display to an output device. A pop-up menu at the bottom of this dialog allows you to select a screen transition for this display.
A Transition is the visual effect created when changing from one display to another. A number of different transition effects are available as well as options as to the speed of the transition.
 
>> At the bottom of the dialog, hold the
mouse down on the 'Design Window
Transition:' pop-up menu.
>> Drag down to highlight the
'Normal Effect' option and release
the mouse button.
The transition menu now reads 'Normal Wipe L->R'. When your program enters this Output State, the display will reveal in a 1 second wipe from left to right.
 
>> Select ‘OK’ to Return to the Course Map
Designating the end of the presentation:
Now, you will add a Stop State to designate an ending point for your application.
  >> Click and hold the mouse down on the Flow tools.
>> Drag the mouse down to choose a Stop State from the Flow menu and then release the mouse button.
>> Move the cursor to a point on the Course Map directly below Welcome and click once to add the Stop State.
Stop States tell Course Builder where you application ends and therefore, do not have an Exit.
>> Double-click on this State to display the Information Dialog.
The Information Dialog for Stop States contains the standard 'State Name' dialog along with information Course Builder will use when your application Bridges (jumps) to other sections.
>> Type Stop in the 'State Name' field.
 
>> Select 'OK' to return to the Course Map.
Throughout your course development, it is a good idea to give your states unique names. This visual development environment allows you easily see what is happening in each section of your program and quickly make any changes.
Connecting the States
States are connected by dragging Routes from the Exit of one State to the Entrance of the State you want to execute next. It's easy to see in this simple program that after Course Builder finds the beginning (Start State) we want to display our Welcome and then the program is complete.
>> Move the cursor to the Exit of Start Click and hold the mouse button down while dragging to the Entrance of Welcome.
Note that a Route is being created as you are dragging.
 
>> When the arrow is directly over the Entrance of Welcome, release the mouse button.
If the arrow doesn't connect to the Entrance, the line will not be black. If this is the case, select the Route by clicking once on it, and by clicking and dragging the 'handles' at the end of the Route, you can reconnect it. If you have difficulty, simply delete the Route by selecting it and pressing the Delete key and create a new one.
>> Create a Route from Welcome to Stop.
IMPORTANT: If you inadvertently double-click on a Route and a dialog box appears, just select 'Cancel' to close the dialog. This is where you can create conditional routing which will be covered later in this tutorial.
Saving Course Documents
Now is a good time to save your work.
>> Choose ‘Save As…’ from the File Menu
This dialog contains two options specific to Course Builder. At the bottom are two button which you can select to either save your course as an Application (Standalone program) or a Document (requires Course Builder to open). For now you will save your work as a Document (default option).
>> In the 'Save file as:' field, type in the name Example Application and then select the button labeled ‘Save’. Make certain that you are saving this file into the Course Builder Evaluation folder.
