| ThingMaker Documentation Chapter 8) Actions

| Send Script Event The Script Event Action causes ThingViewer to generate a special event. This event can be used by a script on the HTML page (either JavaScript or VBScript). The event will have two arguments: the name of the Thing generating the event and the text specified in the Event action. The comment field is not used during playback.

Events are sent to the browser's scripting engine. If the Web page containing the Thing has an event handler for the event, it will be executed. There are some subtle variations between Microsoft's and Netscape's scripting and event handling. Examples are listed in Chapter 10.

Event Param
The event sent to the scripting engine will have two arguments: the name of the Thing generating the event and the text specified in the Event action.

Comment
Not used during playback. Use for documentation purposes.

Wait for end of Animation
If this parameter is set, the Action won't be triggered until the Animation has played the number of times you set. See also "Play to end of Sequence" in Chapter 7.

Keyword
This Action is used to categorize and store words that describe a Thing. This information can be used by a Web search engine to index Things on the Web. A list of "standard" keywords is provided, but you can add your own collection to the list. Things can also be classified by Type, a broad method of categorizing Things.

The Keyword Action can only be added to the Information Tab in the Thing's Setting Sheet. Only one Keyword Action can be attached to a Thing. The Keyword Action cannot be attached to Scenes.

Type
Provides a general classification for Things.

Available Keywords
Lists Keywords that have been used for Things. ThingMaker provides a basic list of Keywords, and you can add to the list using the Enter Custom Keyword field. To add a Keyword to the current Thing, click on the Thing in the Available Keyword list, then click the Copy Button to copy the Keyword to the Thing Keyword list.

Thing Keywords
Lists Keywords associated with a Thing. To add a Keyword to the Thing, click on the word in the Available Keyword list and click on the Copy Button to copy the Keyword to the Thing Keyword list. To remove a Keyword from the Thing Keyword list, click on it in the list and then on the Remove Button.

Copy
Use this Button to add a Keyword to the Thing Keyword list from the Available Keyword list. First click to select the Keyword in the Available Keyword list, then click the Copy Button to copy it from the Available Keyword list to the Thing Keyword list.

Remove
Use this Button to remove a Keyword from the Thing Keyword. First click to select the Keyword in the Thing Keyword list, then click the Remove Button to remove it from the Thing Keyword list.

Enter custom keyword
Use this field to add a new Keyword to the Available Keyword list and the Thing Keyword list. Type the new Keyword into this field, then click the Add button. The new Keyword will be added to both the Available and the Thing Keyword lists.

The Available Keyword list is saved when you exit ThingMaker. It is updated whenever you open the Keyword Settings Sheet.

Add
Adds the Keyword typed in the Enter Custom Keyword Field to the Available Keywords and the Thing Keywords lists.

Lock
The Lock Action prevents others from using or altering your material, once it is on the Web. Things that do not contain a Lock Action are not protected and, therefore, can be reused by anyone. Things that have a Lock Action may be protected completely, or have limited protection, depending on the conditions you set.

The Lock Action must be added to the Information Tab of a Thing, and only one Lock Action can be attached to a Thing. Scenes cannot be locked. If your Scene contains multiple Things, each one must be locked individually. To lock a Thing, click and drag the Lock Action to the Information Tab of the Thing you want to lock.

The Lock Basic Settings Sheet
The Lock Basic Settings Sheet is where to choose the appropriate ThingWorld ID for the Lock. By default, the lock is set to the Generic ThingWorld ID. You can get your own ThingWorld ID at the ThingWorld website, www.thingworld.com

To Change the default ID, go to Preferences in the Edit menu and change the Default Holder ID and the Credit ID so that the program will apply the appropriate ID when a Lock Action is added. Even if you set the default ID in Preferences, you can still choose another ID in the Lock Action.

If you leave the Generic ThingMaker ID as the ID for the Lock Action, then anyone with ThingMaker will be able to open and edit the Thing, so choosing the appropriate ID is an important piece of the Locking Process.

ThingWorld ID
This is the ID which is used to lock the Thing. A pop-up list contains all the valid IDs that ThingMaker knows about [see "Adding a ThingWorld ID" in this Reference].

Only someone with a valid ID can edit a Thing once it's locked. ThingMaker will not let you edit a Locked Thing, if you do not have the ID for it. If the Thing is Locked for Reuse, you will not be able to open it in ThingMaker either.

Prevent Reuse
This parameter will lock an object so that ThingMaker will not open the Thing, unless you have the valid ID. ThingViewer will not let users save the Thing either. If you do not turn this parameter on, other users will be able to open the Thing in ThingMaker and add it to a new Scene. They will not be able to change the Lock details, however, and they won't be able to change any parts of the Thing that have been locked in the Details Settings Sheet (see below).

Lock Thing to these Web Addresses (URLs)
These are the Universal Resource Locators (URLs) that a Thing can run at. If this field is blank, ThingViewer does not check to see if the Thing is running at a valid URL. If there are URLs entered in this field, ThingViewer checks to see if one of the URLs, or subset of a string, matches the URL that the Thing is currently running at. If the URL is not found, ThingViewer will display an error message with the name of the ID that locked the Thing. The user can then link to the ThingWorld ID page to find out who owns it.

Lock Settings Sheet Detail Page
The Detail Page lets you lock or unlock individual parts of a Thing. This includes the Media elements: Paths and Actions that make up a Thing. This is useful when distributing a Thing that you don't want people to change, or when you only want them to be able to change a part of it: the Web address the Thing points to, for example. If you do want to use these parameters, don't check the Prevent Reuse option in the Basic Settings Sheet.

Part Locks
These locks apply to the individual Media elements, paths, and Actions that make up the Thing. All parts of the Thing are listed in the scrolling list, sub-divided into the States of the Thing.

For each item in the list, you can specify whether the item can be copied by the user or changed at all. A check mark means the user cannot copy or change the item.

Say you have designed a Home Button for use on a Web page that you are offering to others for use as their Home Buttons, but you don't want it to be changed or copied for any other purpose. To achieve this, you would add a Web Address Action to the Thing and unlock the changing option but lock the rest of the Thing's content. You have made it possible for the user to use the Home Button on another Web page by making the Web address editable, but nothing else about the Thing can be changed.

Lock/Unlock all
Toggles all of the Part Locks on or off.

Levels of Protection for your Things
There are three levels of Lock protection for a Thing:

For Maximum Protection: Add a URL or set of URLs to the Lock. The Thing will only work if it is running in the browser at that URL. You should also set the Prevent Reuse flag if you choose this option.

You don't have to enter the whole URL. You can enter a portion, such as "ThingWorld" and the program will do the rest.

Medium Protection: Set the Prevent Reuse flag. This means that users won't be able to save the Thing in ThingViewer. You should check this option, even if you lock the Thing to a URL. While someone could still, theoretically, download the Thing and use it on another site, this protection provides a quick and easy way of preventing most reuse.

Individual Component Protection: You can distribute Things with a lock attached and individual components locked to. This means that others can reuse your Thing, but they can only change the parts you have allowed them to change, or not at all. These options are set up in the Detail page of the Settings Sheet.

For a description of ThingWorld IDs, see the discussion "ThingWorld IDs" in this Reference. See also: "Keyword ," "Copyright," and "ID/Credit Actions."

Copyright
The Copyright Action provides a method for attaching an author's credit to a Thing. The Copyright Action also provides a link back to your ThingWorld ID page so that people interested in your Things and your work can easily find you.

Before using the Copyright Action, you must register at ThingWorld and get a ThingWorld ID file. This file is loaded into ThingMaker and provides the link between your Things and ThingWorld. (See discussion at "ThingWorld IDs" for more information about obtaining a ThingWorld ID).

There can only be one Copyright Action for a Thing , and it can only be added to the Thing's Information Tab. If you want to add other credits, use the ID/Credit Action. When a Thing contains the Copyright Action, ThingViewer enables the Copyright item in the right-mouse click menu.

This menu item opens the Copyright Window which displays the Copyright information, and provides a link to a Copyright holder's ThingWorld ID page.

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.

By attaching Copyright and ID/Credit Actions to your Things, you assure that you'll be credited for the work you do; you'll also find that it will help you market yourself and your work.

Year
Declares the year the Thing is Copyrighted. This information is displayed in ThingViewer's Copyright Dialog.

Copyright Holder - ThingWorld ID
A pop-up list of valid ThingWorld IDs can be used with your Thing. While a Generic ThingWorld ID is included, we recommend that you obtain a personal ThingWorld ID at the ThingWorld website. Why? So that people who want to know more about your Things can contact you.

ThingWorld IDs are created at the ThingWorld website, and then loaded into ThingMaker (see "ThingWorld Ids" in the Reference).

ID/Credit Action
The ID/Credit Action is used to add additional credit information to a Thing. This makes it possible to credit additional authors and provide links to their ThingWorld ID pages. This Action can only be added to the Information Tab of the Thing, but, unlike Copyright, you can attach multiple ID/Credit Actions to a single Thing.

To add another author's ID/Credit information, you should have them create an ID/Credit Action in a dummy Thing and send it to you. You can then copy that ID/Credit Action to the Thing that you want to add the credit to.

You can also credit ID/Credit Actions for yourself. The ID Settings page lets you choose the ID, as well as add a credit/role description - illustration, sound, etc.

Credit (Role)
A free-form text entry field that contains any text. While you can write whatever you want, we recommend that you use it like credits at the end of a program. It's a way to assign credit for a role performed, such as producer, or for the Media that was created, i. e., graphics or sound. This information will be displayed in the ThingViewer Credit Dialog.

ThingWorld ID

This is a pop-up list that contains all the valid IDs that ThingMaker knows about. (See "Adding a ThingWorld ID")

If someone gives you a Credit/ID Action that has a ThingWorld ID assigned to it, you will not be able to edit that Action, but you will be able to add it to another Thing.

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