MEDIABLENDER

MediaBlender is a multimedia authoring tool that students can use to create presentation projects. MediaBlender is similar to HyperStudio.

1. MediaBlender Menus
MediaBlender provides a menu bar at the top of the screen.

2. MediaBlender Tools
MediaBlender’s tool palette allows you to easily add new objects to your to use paint tools. The palette is divided into several areas. Click on the tool for further options.

Project Navigation Tools The top set of tools allow you to easily navigate throughout your project. First and Last; Previous and Next; Back and Forward; Jump to Browse and Edit Tools The Browse Tool allows you to activate the elements on your page and to type text objects. The Edit Tool allows you to select, edit, and move the objects on your page. To move an object, click and drag it to a new place. Object Tools New Button Tool allows you to “draw” a new button on a page. New Text Object Tool allows you to draw a text object on your page. New Graphic Object Tool allows you to quickly add new images to your project. New Page Tool allows you to add new pages to your projects. Paint Tools Lasso Tool allows you to select irregularly shaped objects. Rectangle Selector Tool allows you to select a rectangular object. Pencil Tool allows you to draw freehand shapes using the current line color. Paintbrush Tool allows you to paint on your page. Spray Can Tool paints a pattern of dots on your page background. Paint Bucket Tool fills solid areas with the current fill color. Eraser Tool allows you to erase areas. Lind Tool allows you to draw straight lines. Rectangle Tool allows you to draw boxes on your background. Oval Tool allows you to draw ovals and circles. Paint Text Tool allows you to add text to your page. Line Thickness. Fill Colors select color for lines and the inside of filled rectangles and ovals.

3. Getting Started with MediaBlender
To begin, click on the MediaBlender icon on the Dock. MediaBlender will launch and you will see the Project Options dialog. Click the OK button. MediaBlender will open a new, blank project.

4. Add a Background
Go to the Project menu and choose Add a Background. Select a color. You can also select a picture for your background by using “Browse Files.”

Click on Actions. The Actions Chooser allows you to add actions to any objects in your MediaBlender project.

5. Add a Title

Click the New Text Object Tool on the tool palette. Click and drag the cursor to create a box in the upper left corner of the page. A text object will appear on the page.

Click the New Text Object Tool on the tool palette. Click and drag the cursor to create a box in the upper left corner of the page. A text object will appear on the page.

Click in the text object to make it active.

Click the Edit Tool on the tool palette. Double-click the text object. The Text Options dialog will give you options for Style and Actions.

Style Dialog..............................................................................................................Options Dialog

You can resize a text object.

Click the text object to select it. You will notice a thin white line and eight handles showing the outline of the text object. Click and drag the handle in the lower right corner to make the text object large enough so that you can see each word completely. Click the Browse Tool on the tool palette when you are finished.

6 Add New Pages
To add additional pages to a project. click the New Page button on the tool palette. Repeat the actions above.

7. Add a Picture

Click the New Graphic Object Tool on the tool palette.

At the Button Image dialog, click on Browse. Browse the Graphics. Click Open. Click the OK button.

Click and drag the picture to the page. Move your cursor over a corner of the picture. When the cursor changes into two diagonal arrows, click and drag the corner of the picture to make it the right size.

8. Add Text
Click the New Text Object button on the tool palate. Click and drag the text box to where you want it on the page. Click in the text object and type your text.

9. Add Navigation
Click the New Graphic Object Tool on the tool palette. Click on a button.

Click the Actions button. You will see the Action Chooser dialog.

Click the radio button where you want the next page to go when the button is clicked.


10. Add Transitions
In the Actions Chooser, click the DO This pull-down menu and choose Transitions. Click the transition type pull-down menu and choose the type of transition you want to use.


Choose the Transition you want.

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11. You can do other actions using the Do This options.

12. Save a Project
. Go to the File menu and choose Save As.

At the Save As dialog, navigate to a location on your computer where you want to save the project. Click the Save button.

13. Use the Storyboard
You can use the Storyboard to view all of the pages in your projects. The Storyboard also allows you to cope, delete, and reorganize pages in your project.

Go to the Project menu and choose Storyboard. You will see a Storyboard of all of the pages in your projects. You can also use the Storyboard to navigate your project while you are working on it.

14. Adding Menu Buttons
When you have created all of the pages in the project, you need to make buttons on the first page to link to the other pages in the project.

Go to the Objects menu and choose New Button. The Buttons Options dialog will appear. In the Title field, type your title. Click a button shape. Click the Actions button.

At the Action Chooser dialog, click the Another Page radio button. At the Page Chooser dialog, click the Step Forward button. You will see the project change to page 2 in the background. Click the OK button. click OK again. Drag the button to the right side of the page.

Go to the File menu and choose Save.