Platypus Web Builder
What is the Web Builder?
The Platypus Web Builder is really three tools in one.
Underneath it all it develops web pages but that is only important if you plan to place your work on the Internet or an intranet. For those developing stories, school projects or presentation it doesn’t matter how it works as long as it does what you want it to do.
Flexibility is one of the beauties of the Web Builder. You only need to learn one package to develop skills in three different areas of multimedia.
What are its limitations?
You might think that being based on web pages is very restrictive. Common limits normally associated with web page development are:
Platypus Web Builder removes these restrictions by automatically calling into play the advances abilities of Dynamic HTML and JavaScript. As a user, you are blissfully unaware of the complex programming that Platypus is building into your pages, but with a few click of the mouse you can create abilities that would send experience web developers running for cover.
Because only one of the possible uses of the Web Builder is building for the Internet, Platypus does not need to concern itself with the limits of the web.
Microsoft Internet Explorer ® is freely available from Win95, and is included on all windows machines of Win98 or later (even if you use a different browser). Because IE is so ubiquitous and so powerful, Platypus has set about releasing its power to you. Platypus will build DHTML and JavaScript for you automatically and enable you to include
and more…….
Is Platypus Web Builder like any other package?
You can make comparisons between
BUT no other package draws all of these things together with a clear focus on the needs of education and small business. Platypus puts the complex behaviour that you want at your fingertips. Platypus is your expert, producing professional output from novice users.
LESSON ONE
How to write a multimedia story.
To start a new story
Open the Web Builder by selecting it from the program menu or double clicking the Web Builder icon.
Start a new page by selecting File>New from the window menu or clicking the page icon on the tool bar.
Click the 'three dot browse button' on the far right and navigate to your way into 'inside' your work folder and press OK.
Windows Tip To make a new folder, place the mouse pointer in the file window click the right mouse button select New>Folder rename your folder 'Story' or whatever double click on it to open click on select to make this your building folder |
Platypus Tip You may have noticed that Platypus suggested the name "index.html" for the first page. You could have changed the name but by accepting it you have gained a great advantage. Platypus knows that this is home page and will offer you automatic links to it from any image you place on subsequent pages. |
Your page is completely blank. Most children begin with a story that follows one page after the other, like a book. Stories like this will want [BACK] [HOME] [NEXT] buttons and a nice background. We can set these things up once and store it as a template. Whenever we start a new page we select the template and everything is set up for us.
Creating a template.
STEP ONE Select a background
You can chose a background from the media list in the left hand panel by clicking on Backgrounds to opening that list. You will find three categories of backgrounds
Platypus Tip You can add to this list by adding folders or files to the clipart folder. |
Choose Tiles and click on creamcanvas.jpg. The tile will be displayed as a preview image at the bottom of the panel. Clicking on the small image will place it automatically into your background.
Design Tip You can have very complex backgrounds but they are hard to work with. It is often better to have a plain colour or even just white. This leaves you complete freedom to use other colours for images and text without making your screen difficult to read, ugly or busy. |
STEP TWO Placing buttons
Platypus has several special buttons for you to use. These buttons already have rollover states and actions. You can find then in the objects list on the left hand side.
Select a [NEXT] button from this set of objects (a right pointing arrow).
Double click the button on the object menu and it will jump into your page.
To place it anywhere on the page click on it once and notice the little square handles that appear on the corners and sides.
While the handles are showing select Position>Absolute from the main menu or just press the drawing pin on the tool bar. This lets you drag the button to wherever you want on the screen.
In a similar way select and place [BACK] and [HOME]
This will be your starting template.
STEP THREE Saving the template
Select File > Save As story.htt . ( Notice the 'Save as type' selection in the Save As Dialog)
Creating your home page.
Use this start to develop your first/home page.
STEP ONE Removing unwanted buttons
Firstly since this is your first page, get rid of the [BACK] button. Click on the back button and press your DELETE key.
Secondly since this is the home page get rid of the [HOME] button the same way.
STEP TWO Writing heading
Get a text box by selecting Insert>Text Box from the window menu or clicking the Text Box icon on the tool bar. You will notice a grey outline appear on your screen.
Click inside the box once to display the little handles and drag the box to the centre of the screen. You can use the tiny handles to stretch the box to the required shape.
Click inside the box again to enter the edit mode and type your title. 'Today at School'. Highlight these words with your mouse and select Format > Font… from the window menu or click on the Font icon on the toolbar. Choose a nice font, style, size and colour.
Click way from the textbox to deselect it.
STEP THREE Place the teacher image
Get an image from the Media list by selecting Images which you will find directly under the Backgrounds. Images opens to show images in several categories. Click on People and find womanstanding.gif. Click on this image and it will highlight and appear in the preview area at the bottom of the panel.
Click on the preview and you will see the amazing Platypus Insert image wizard. This wizard can give your simple image a surprising range of abilities. You can just press OK and Platypus will place the image on the screen. You can click on the image and resize her about half her normal size. While she is still selected, free her to be moved anywhere by selecting Position>Absolute or just clicking the pin image on the toolbar. Now you can consider the image as having its own drawing pin that allows you to stick it where-ever you like. Place the teacher under the title on the left hand side.
Click way from the image to deselect it.
STEP FOUR write the story
Click the texbox icon again to get a fresh texbox. click in it once to select it and then drag it to the middle of the screen. Click in it again to get the text cursor and then type "My teacher asked which animal has the longest neck."
Click way from the textbox to deselect it.
STEP FOUR Place an invisible image.
The answer to the question is a giraffe. You can place a giraffe image on the screen but leave it invisible until it is required. From the images list open Plants and animals. Click on giraffe.gif and then click on its image in the preview area. This time tick the box labeled "make image invisible" and then press OK.
Now you might be surprised to see it appear on the screen, but you are working in the Editor mode. To see what it looks like on a web page select View>Browser Mode or just press the world icon on the toolbar. Return to the Platypus Interactive Editor selecting View>Editor Mode or just press the Platypus icon on the toolbar.
When the giraffe returns, select it by clicking on it and then pin it by selecting Position>Absolute or just click the pin icon on the toolbar. Make it small and place it on the right hand side just under the title.
Click way from the image to deselect it.
STEP FIVE Place the student image
Open the Kids and school folder in the image and click on girlsittingatdesk.gif . Click its preview and this time notice the words "When mouse is over the image " and "Popup another image"
Select giraffe from the popup list and press OK.
You pin the girl at the desk and place her where ever you like.
Click away to remove the handles.
STEP SIX Testing your page
Press the world button on the toolbar to see how it works.
Press the platypus button to return to the edit mode.
STEP SEVEN Saving yout page.
Select File> Save As and save your have as index.html . You may need to over-write the existing file.
STEP ONE Loading the template.
Select File>New or click on the new page icon on the toolbar.
This time you will find your template in the window. click on story.htt and press OK.
STEP TWO Removing unwanted buttons
Firstly since this is your second page, the previous page is the home page so get rid of the [BACK] button. Click on the back button and press your DELETE key.
Continue developing this page as you like.
Develop all other pages in a similar way.