Digital Workshop

No doubt that Opus ability to re-direct to multiple screens is a great thing, but it appears to have a serious flaw we are trying to work through.

Focus. We are trying to emulate PowerPoint's instructor view function. Most is pretty straightforward, but there is a major roadblock, that of focus. Bit of overview that will, hopefull, place this issue in context.

We use "reveal" techniques to show bullet points, images, annotations, etc on each screen. We've programmed them such that you can go forward or backwards on a given screen to reverse the reveals if you wish. Once you've moved to the next screen, however, if you go back everything on the screen already visited will be visible. If you wish to do the complete reveal again, you go back one more, then forward and it is reset. Please review this until you have it in mind or the rest won't make sense.

So far, so good. Problem is that from the "instructor view," or screen 1, we can launch a presentation as another chapter on screen 2 but we can't do the builds and such without changing the focus to screen 2. Screen one has instructor notes and such just like PowerPoints "Instructor View," and they have to remain synchronized as well. So, the problem is Opus cannot direct an action on screen 2 from a button on screen 1. We need to be able to do the builds, change to the next slide, etc from screen one for this to work properly. Of course, we can use thumbnails to bring up specific pages on screen 2, but must change the focus to do the build routines.

The problem is that our instructors expect "easy" and want to run the presentation by standard "clickers" such as Logitech Presenter and that limits us to basic clicks without the ability to change screen focus. While we can get by using things like a Gyration air mouse, guest presenters need to be able to use a "standard" presentation device of their choosing.

In case I have confused the issue, the main showstopper is: completeing actions on screen 2 from triggers on screen 1.

Dave

Try this.

Mack

Roger that. Will check it out and report.

Dave

Okies, Mack, works nicely.

Next one might be a stickier wicket...

Once we get the right page up, we reveal (as per PowerPoint) the bullet points, arrows, pictures, etc on the slide point by point. We are doing this at the moment as a "Show in Turn" action. Of course, it doesn't work with focus on the monitor we used to turn the page and I've not been able to figure a way using variables to do this from the presenter's monitor.

While a more robust solution would be better, an Opus "Change focus" function would really be helpful here. Yeah, yeah, we are ALWAYS whining for something....

Thoughts?

Dave

Not sure I understand your request.

Do you want a button on Screen A to Show In Turn a series of objects on Screen B?

Mack

Yes, but I think I have it figured out. I'll query again if I run into an issue.

Your help is AWESOME and greatly appreciated.

Dave

OK, "rather nice." Gotta love that American overstatement, eh? .

Nice I think it's sic in today's street speak! ROFL!

Glad you solved it.

Mack

OK, Mack, perhaps I am missing the forest for the trees but I am just not getting it. Actually, I could swear I had this working a couple of days back but seem to have lost it and am just floundering around.

To reiterate, once the page on the presentation monitor has been changed we must then do a progressive reveal of bullet points or other images and annotations, etc on the page with focus still on the other monitor. We need to be able to do the inverse (backup through the bullets) but my assumption is that will be easy if we can get the bullets working. This upload has the page change working but ignore the other code as it doesn't work.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Here's an example of reveal in-turn on the audience slide controlled from the presenters slide. Just keep clicking the button.

It's actually using a flaw in Opus as the variable doesn't change value even though that is what it's detecting. In theory, and technically correct, you should probably do something like increment the value - but where's the fun in that!

Mack

Mack, I am tearing my hair out and feeling dumb. Yours works. I duplicated it to mine, no work. Copied your exact code and recreated the variable as you had it in mine, still no work.
Attached is precisely what I did.

Dave

PS - Looked again and realized I hadn't set the SIT object list. I did so...still no workee. ARGHHH...

Okies, found a couple of errors and corrected them. I have your stuff copied and working in mine. I am using your button. Still can't get my button to work though instead of yours. Must be a small oversight, give me a few and I'll get back to you...
Dave

...few minutes or vodkas?

Glad it's getting there

Mack

Okies, here is my latest headache.

If I put ANY other action on your button it doesn't work.

If I duplicate it to my variable "bullet" it doesn't work. I think I am doing this PRECISELY but obviously am missing some dumb detail.

Dave

I'd say you've damaged the publication and need to start a new version. For starters, don't give variables the same name as objects. Better practice to use camel case and a prefix such as



Mack

Good point. I've chased phantom issues due to such things in the past. I'll check it out, and thanks as always.

Dave