| ThingMaker Documentation Chapter 9) Menus Reference

| Menus Reference This section covers the Menus available within ThingMaker. File Menu The File menu contains the following commands: New
Select this command to create a new Scene. If a Scene has already been opened and modified, the program will prompt you to save changes to that Scene.

Open
Select this command to open an existing Scene File. A File Open Dialog appears, prompting you to choose a File.

Scene Files end in the Extension .tms.

Save
Select this command to save the Scene File. A Save File Dialog appears that allows you to name the new Scene File. You should use the .tms extension.

Save As...
Select this command to save the Scene with a new name.

New Gallery
Opens an empty New Gallery File.

If you create a new Gallery File and exit or choose Save Gallery..., then the program will prompt you to save the new Gallery File with the standard designation, ThingMaker.TMG. If you do not change this name, you will replace your existing Gallery File with the new one that you have created. If you want ThingMaker.TMG to remain as it was when you first loaded it, be sure to save your Gallery with a new name.

When exiting the program ThingMaker remembers the name and the location of the last Gallery File that was opened. It will open that Gallery File when the program is launched again.

Open Gallery...
Select this command to open the existing Gallery files (.tmg ). When exiting the program, ThingMaker remembers the name and location of the last Gallery File that was opened and will reopen that Gallery File the next time the program is launched.

Add to Gallery
Select this command to import media to be stored as Things in the currently selected Gallery. A File Open Dialog appears and lets you choose the media to import. ThingMaker will import the following formats:

Bitmap files | .bmp
FlashPix files | .fpx
GIF files | .gif
JPEG files | .jpg, .jpeg
Macintosh PICT files | .pct
MacPaint files | .mac
MS Paint files | .msp
PCX files | .pcx, .dcx
PhotoCD files | .pcd
PhotoShop files | .psd
PNG files | .png
PostScript files | .eps
SUN Raster files | .ras
TARGA files | .tga
TIFF files | .tif
Windows Metafiles | .wmf
WordPerfect Raster files | .wpg
Wave files | .wav
ThingMaker Scenes | .tms
ThingMakerGalleries | .tmg

Open Button
Click this Button to add the currently selected Media element to the Gallery and close the Media selction Dialog.

Add to Gallery
Add the currently selected item(s) to the Gallery. If multiple graphic images are selected, they will be added to the Gallery as individual Things.

Create Animation
Add multiple graphic images to the Gallery as a single animated Thing rather than as individual Things. You cannot use this command for a sound (.wav) file, an error message will be displayed.

Preview Audio Button
Preview a sound file you want to import. Information about the sound files is also displayed in the Dialog box.

Compress Audio Button
Choose Compress to reduce the size of audio files imported into ThingMaker. Since compression can result in significant size reductions, we recommend that you always set this parameter to On when importing sound files. This check box appears if a single audio file is chosen. If multiple audio files are chosen, ThingMaker uses the setting from the last time the check box was visible.

Blend Image (dither) check box
Choose Blend to make images that use at least 256 colors appear more lifelike. This option works best on photographs. The check box appears if a single image file is chosen. If multiple image files are chosen, ThingMaker uses the setting from the last time the check box was visible.

Save Gallery...
Select this command to Save the currently selected Gallery.

Publish...
Open the Publish Dialog with Publish.... This option publishes your ThingMaker Scene File to a Web page. By default, the Dialog will output an HTML File containing an HTML tag for the current Scene File. This HTML page only contains the HTML tag. You can use it to test the tag or to copy the tag from that file to another HTML File.

ThingMaker will also make a copy of the Scene File and rename it if you like. The Scene File will be an exact copy of the current Scene File. Other options include an alternate GIF representing the Scene, which will be displayed if the user's browser doesn't have ThingViewer installed; JavaScript detects whether the browser can support ThingViewer and a Channel Definition File to support Active Channels.

File path and Title
The file path and file name that will be used to save the output generated by the Publish function. You can change the information in this field, or click the Browse button to enter a new location and/or file name.

Browse
Opens a File Dialog that lets you choose another location and a new file name.

The HTML, Scene, GIF and Channel Definition Files are given the same name, and appropriate File extensions and are placed in the same location.

HTML File
Indicates whether you want to output an HTML File containing an HTML tag for this Scene File.

Scene File (for Thing)
Indicates whether you want to create a copy of the current Scene File in the same location as the HTML File. You don't need to check this option if you are saving the HTML File in the same location as the Scene File and are not using a different name for the Scene File.

If you had selected a Thing in the Scene file when you chose the Publish... menu item, ThingMaker will create publish information for that Thing alone, and will display "Scene File (for Thing)" in this option because it will create a new Scene file containing only the selected Thing.

Alternate GIF image
Creates a GIF File that will be displayed, if the user's browser doesn't have ThingViewer installed and can't support it. You have the option of adding JavaScript to detect browsers that do not support ThingViewer, such as browsers running under Windows 3.1 and Macintosh.

Channel Definition File
Creates a Channel Definition File for the Scene. This is used by the Active Desktop to update the Scene File from the original source File after a period of time. If you use this option, you must go into Options to enter the details for the Channel Definition File. (For more information on this topic, see Chapter 10 in the Reference).

Options
This option is only available if you choose the Channel Definition file option.

Click this Button to enter the options for the Channel Definition File. The following Dialog is displayed:

- Subscription URL
  Establishes the location of the .cdf File on the Web server.

  This information is saved in the Scene File (see Chapter 12). The other fields are saved in the .cdf File.

- Subscription end date
  Sets date after which the scene will not be updated.

- Update every day(s)
  Sets the frequency of Scene update.

- Update between
  Sets the period of day during which the Scene should be updated.

  Copy OBJECT and EMBED tags to the clipboard
  If this option is checked, it will place a copy of the HTML tag intot he clipboard.

  Include HTML for browser detection
  Adds JavaScript to the tag to detect browsers that do not support ThingViewer, such as browsers running under Windows 3.1 and Macintosh.

  Preview in Browser...
  Preview the current Scene, or current selected Thing, in your Web browser. The program launches your default Web browser and creates a temporary copy of the Scene and an HTML File for the Scene that it places in the Windows TEMP directory. The default Browser is usually set for you when the browser is installed and first launched. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  If a Thing is selected in the Scene, only that Thing will be previewed in the browser. If no Thing or Things are selected - you have clicked somewhere in the Scene background - then the program previews the entire Scene.

  Place on Active Desktop
  If you have installed the Active Desktop (Internet Explorer 4.0+) on your machine you mayplace Things on your Active Desktop. This function creates a Scene File (.tms) and an HTML File (.htm) and places them in the directory:

  drive:\Program Files\Parable\ThingMaker\Active Desktop Files.

  These Things will appear in the Windows Display Properties Dialog. (For more information about ThingMaker's support of Active Desktop, see "Active Desktop" in this Reference).

  ThingWorld IDs...
  Add ThingWorld ID Files with this function. ThingWorld IDs are used as keys to lock Things and as pointers to the ID Pages located on ThingWorld. You will be able to see a ThingWorld ID added to a Thing by looking in the Copyright menu of ThingViewer. ThingViewer will display a Dialog listing the Copyright holders and ID Actions. With these, any Web visitor can link to your ID page at ThingWorld. A generic ThingMaker ID is included by default when you install ThingMaker; if you use this ID for a Thing, it will only point to the default page located at ThingWorld. This also means that anyone can open your Thing. To lock your Things, first obtain a ThingWorld ID at the ThingWorld website, www.thingworld.com. To obtain an ID, you will have to create an ID Page and download a ThingWorld ID File. After you have downloaded the File, select the ThingWorld IDs command from the File Menu and Add the ID File along side the generic ID that ThingMaker already lists. You will be asked to enter a password when you load the File. This is the same password you entered when you created the ID at the ThingWorld website. Thereafter, you can use this ID when adding a Lock, Copyright or ID Action to a Thing. (Detailed instructions for getting an ID and loading it into ThingMaker are contained in Tutorial 7: Getting a ThingWorld ID, as well as in the "ThingWorld ID" section in this Reference).

  Add
  Use this function to add a new ID file to the list of available ones in ThingMaker. Clicking this button brings up an open file dialog where you can select the ID you want to add. You must know the password to add the ID file.

  ThingMaker loads the ID files everytime it launches; DO NOT delete the ID file after adding it to ThingMaker's list of IDs.

  Remove
  Removes the ThingWorld ID from the list of available IDs. It does not delete the file from your hard disk.

  Change password
  Use this function to change the password associated with the ThingWorld ID file. When you press this button, ThingMaker asks for the current password, and then asks you to enter, and then reenter a new password.

  Previously opened Files
  Find out the four 4 most recently opened Files. You can access these by selecting them from this menu.

  Exit
  Exit ThingMaker. If you have haven't saved your work in the Scene, ThingMaker will prompt you to save your work before exiting.

  Edit Menu
  The Edit menu contains the following commands:

- Cut
  Removes selected Thing from the Scene and places it in the Windows clipboard.

  Copy
  Copies the selected object from the Scene into the clipboard.

  Paste
  Pastes the contents of the clipboard in the Scene. This function is also available in the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  Delete
  Deletes the selected Thing from the Scene.

  Select All
  Selects all of the Things in the current Scene. You can click one of the selected Things and move all elements within the Scene, or, you can move them as a Group to the Gallery. Hidden Things are also selected when you choose this function. It is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  To select more than one Thing, click and drag a rectangle around all of the Things in the scene, then click and drag one of the selected Things, and the other elements will move with it. Hidden Things are not selected when you drag, unless you first choose Hidden Things from the View menu. This will display the hidden Things and let you select them.

  Snap to Grid
  Is available when the Grid is visible. With the Snap to Grid function turned on, Things that are dragged around the Scene will jump to the closed edge of the Grid as they are dragged. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  Fit Scene to Selection
  Shrinks the Scene Frame, so that it encloses all the Things currently in the Scene. Fit Scene to Selection is only available if one or more Things in the Scene, including Hidden Things, are selected. To ensure you have selected every Thing in the Scene, choose Select All.

  In calculating the minimum area needed to enclose all the Things in the Scene, ThingMaker includes the MouseOver and the MouseClick images and animations, as well as the movement of Things along any Path attached to them. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  Bring to Front
  Select this command to move the selected object to the top of the z-order.

  What is z-order?

  Z-order refers to the order in which Things are drawn on the Scene window. The object at the lowest level is drawn first, followed by the second lowest. Each succeeding object will appear to be "above," or on top of, the preceding objects, if the object overlaps.

  Z-order is particularly important when objects move on a Path or are capable of being dragged. Usually, you will want such an object to be at the top of the z-order.

  Z-order is determined by the order in which Things are added to the Scene. Each succeeding Thing added will be higher in the z-order. Once a Thing is added to the Scene, you can change the z-order using the Bring to Front/Back commands, or by using the Layer Action.

  Send to Back
  Send the selected Thing to the back of the z-order.

  Bring Forward 1 Level
  Moves the selected object forward one level in the z-order.

  Send Backwards 1 Level
  Moves the selected Things back one level in the z-order.

  Hide Thing
  Hides the Selected Thing. Once hidden, the Thing will not be visible in the Scene. You can choose Show Hidden from the View menu to see all the hidden Things in the Scene.

  A hidden Thing can become visible while a Scene is playing, if the Show/Hide Action is used to show the Thing. Also, a hidden Thing can be swapped with another Thing that is not hidden by using the Swap Action.

  Preferences
  Opens the ThingMaker preferences window (below). The Preferences window includes a number of functions which customize the operation of ThingMaker.

  Copyright default
  Lets you choose which ThingWorld IDs will be displayed when you add the Copyright or ID/Credit ID Actions to a Thing. You can still select another ID from the pop-up list in the Settings Sheet for those actions.

- Holder ID
  The ThingWorld ID that the Copyright action will default to.

  Credit ID
  The ThingWorld ID that the ID/Credit action will default to.

  Hidden messages
  There are a number of warning messages and Dialog windows that the program display on launch it, but you can turn them off if you do not want them to appear. This is done by checking the text, Click here to hide this message, that appears at the bottom of those windows. You can also turn these Dialogs on or off by checking the boxes in the Preferences Window.

  Tip of the Day (at startup)
  Determines whether the Tip of the Day Dialog is displayed when the program starts.

  Import File Type Selection
  Turns the Dialog on or off that displays a list of File Types that ThingMaker understands. This Dialog appears when you select Add to Gallery from the File Menu.

  All other
  Turns the various warning messages on or off, including those that warn that an Action should be added to another State, or those that warn that you are adding the Thing to the incorrect State.

  General
  Other preferences relate to the performance and visual appearance of ThingMaker.

  Play sound effects
  Turns the sound effects on or off that play when you add Things to the Scene, delete them, or perform other functions.

  Dock tools and actions palettes
  Lets you dock or undock the Tool palette and the Actions palette from the Scene Window. The figure below shows the Scene window with these palettes undocked.

  Set scene grid
  Adjusts the size of the grid that is displayed in the Scene window. You can turn the Grid on and off with the Grid option in the View menu.

  Choose color scheme
  Lets you personalize the appearance of ThingMaker's windows.

  Windows colors | gray (or whatever colors have been chosen using the Windows control panel)
  Parable colors | purple
  Royal | blue
  Sea | aqua
  Emerald | green
  Pea soup | yellow/green
  Earthtones | brown/orange
  Valentine | red
  Wild | red/green

  Control Menu
  The Control menu contains the following commands:

- Play
  Plays the current scene. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

- Stop
  Stops the current scene from playing. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  View Menu
  The View menu contains the following commands:

  Gallery
  Shows or hides the Gallery palette.

  Tools
  Shows or hides the Tool palette. Only available if the palette is undocked.

  Actions
  Show or hide the Actions palette. Only available if the palette is undocked.

  Settings
  Show or hide the Settings palette.

  Grid
  Show or hide a Grid on the Scene window. The size of the Grid can be altered in the Preferences Menu. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu.

  Tool tips
  Show or hide Tool tips on the menu bar. Tool tips appear whenever the cursor is moved over items in the Tools or Actions palettes.

  Hidden Things
  Show or hide Things in the Scene that have been set to hidden using the "Hide Thing" command in the Edit menu. This function is also available on the right-mouse click Context Menu as Show Hidden Things.

  Help Menu
  The Help menu contains the following commands:

  Index
  Accesses the index page of ThingMaker HTML help Files.

  Tutorial
  Accesses the tutorial section of ThingMaker HTML help Files.

  Tip of the Day...
  Displays the Tip of the Day window.

  Contacting Parable
  Accesses the contact page on our ThingWorld website. This page contains important telephone numbers for sales and technical support.

  Register...
  Accesses the registration page on the ThingWorld Web site.

  Feedback...
  Accesses ThingWorld if you are connected to the Web.

  About ThingMaker...
  Displays the ThingMaker splash screen with the current version number of ThingMaker.

  About Copyright Feature...
  Displays a legal disclaimer about the Copyright feature of ThingMaker. The lawyers made us do it.

  "We provide the ability for you to insert the copyright symbol with any Thing object which you create with ThingMaker. This provides you with certain protections under the U. S. Copyright Law. You may need to register your copyright under the U. S. Copyright Law with the U. S. Copyright Office. Parable does not undertake to register your copyright with the U. S. Copyright Office. Please consult your counsel to determine if additional actions are necessary on your part."

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