BTLE 30453

AUTHORWARE
(SOFTWARE)
 OVERVIEW

This course provides an introduction to the Macromedia Authorware program, one of the
most utilized interactive multimedia authoring tools in the field. Students will have the
opportunity to learn the fundamentals of Authorware through in class demonstrations, activities
and, assignments consisting of developing instructional sequences. Utilizing Authorware, this
course will provide the designer with the core foundations for the development of computer-
based training.
This course is designed to develop and enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes of a
Website Developer/Digital Media Specialist, in accordance with industry standards. It covers the
basic and common competencies such as developing commercial web site and design,
development, and production of multimedia software which could be used to improve the
teaching-learning process.

MODULE OBJECTIVES
By the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. Examine the major icons and demonstrate the use of it.

2. Incorporate basic multimedia elements such as graphics, video, and audio to
enhance the user interaction.
3. Analyze the processes involved in Authorware with the use of icons and its
function to produce a computer-based training output.
4. Apply the instructional design process to the development of computer-based
instruction through authentic prototype projects.
5. Develop a basic self-directed training application utilizing basic capabilities.

COURSE MATERIALS

Students enrolled in this program are expected to have the Authorware software in order
to practice and created applications, as well as e-learning projects. Additional references like
video presentations, articles and published data about the software and tutorials will be utilized
to support the learning of the student about the program.
ASSESSMENT

Assessment like short questions, essay and activities will be provided after each lesson
to ensure understanding and to give the student opportunity to showcase their knowledge and
skills. Applying their knowledge about the program in creating applications and projects will help
them analyze their work themselves, add changes and eventually use it in self-directed
application.
 LESSON 3
INTRODUCTION TO AUTHORWARE
(Icon-based Authoring)

Of all the Macromedia authoring tools, Authorware, with its unique and intuitive visual
interface, provides the greatest ease of use and the highest level of developer productivity for
creating learning applications. To build applications, authors drag icons onto a flowline and then
fill in the content with simple menus. Minimal scripting or programming is needed to create
engaging, interactive applications.
The Authorware flowline is also ideal for rapid prototyping. Drag-and-drop icons make it
easy to create a prototype application to test with users. You can then modify and improve the
design based on their feedback.
This lesson will include various icons used in Authorware software and its function.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Identify the fragments and icons of Authorware and its function
2. Determine the process of using icons in creating learning applications through the
use of Authorware.
3. Create a presentation with the use of icons presented in this lesson.
4. Appreciate the importance of understanding the Authorware icons and its function.

COURSE MATERIALS
 Authorware Software
 Module Lesson 3

COURSE CONTENT
In Authorware, you construct, or author, a multimedia piece by assembling icons on a
flowline. The flowline organizes the icons and determines the sequence in which Authorware
runs them. Icons contain the contents of a piece. Different types of icons contain different types
of objects, such as graphics, text, sound, digital movies, or a set of instructions. The
arrangement of icons forms the logic of a piece—its structure or architecture. The logic of a
piece gives the piece shape and makes it work a certain way.
The toolbar
The Authorware toolbar provides quick access to some of the most frequently used
menu commands. Use the View menu to show or hide the toolbar.

The toolbox
The toolbox appears when you open a display or interaction icon for editing. Use the
tools in the Authorware toolbox to select, create, modify, and set attributes for text and graphics
in the Presentation window.

Tool To do this

Pointer Select and move objects in the Presentation window.

Click an object to select it. Shift-click to select several objects.
Drag the center of a filled object to move it. Drag a handle on a
selected object to resize it.
Text Tool Create and edit text.
Click in the Presentation window to create a new text object.
Click
an existing text object to open it for editing. Type in an open
text object to edit text.
Straight Line Draw horizontal, vertical, or 45° lines.
Tool Click the start point and drag to draw a line. The line snaps to a
horizontal, vertical, or 45° position.

Diagonal Line Draw a line between any two points.

Tool Click the start point and drag to draw the line.

Oval Tool Draw an ellipse.

 Click and drag to draw an oval; click and Shift-drag to draw a
circle

Rectangle Tool Draw a rectangle.

Click and drag to draw a rectangle; click and Shift-drag to draw
a square.

Rounded Draw a rectangle with rounded corners.

rectangle Tool Drag the control point that is inside the object to adjust the
bevel of the corners.

Polygon Tool Draw irregular polygons or multiline objects.

Click to create the polygon’s corners; double-click the last point
to complete the polygon. Drag points to modify the line.

The Property inspector

The Property inspector displays—and allows you to modify—the properties of selected
icons. Each icon has attributes and options associated with it, which together are known as the
icon’s properties. The options available in the Property inspector depend on the type of icon you
have selected. By default, the Property inspector is docked at the bottom of the workspace.
 In Authorware, you drag icons from the Icon palette. The Icon palette is like a
bottomless well. You can drag up to 32,761 icons from the Icon palette into a single file, but it is
best to create smaller modular pieces, which are much easier to work with. The flowline appears
in the Design window. That’s where you arrange the icons and construct the logic of the piece.
The icons’ order on the flowline determines the order in which events take place when the piece
runs. When you run a piece, it appears in the Presentation window. As you build a piece, you
use the Presentation window to lay out text, graphics, buttons, and all the other visual elements
that make up the piece.

Design Window Presentation Window

The Icon palette

The Icon palette contains 14 icons you can use to create Authorware pieces. To create
your pieces, drag icons from the Icon palette onto the flowline to produce a sequence of actions
that Authorware carries out. The Icon palette is customizable, dockable, and movable.
Icon basics
The following table describes what each icon does:

Icon Description
Displays text and graphics on the screen. Graphics are placed in
Display Icon display or interaction icons. These icons can hold many graphic
objects. You can layer objects and give them various transparency
modes. You can group several objects together and treat them as
a single object.
Gives users a variety of ways to make choices, such as clicking
Interaction Icon buttons or hot spots. You use interaction icons to set up interaction
structures that consist of an interaction icon with result icons
attached to it. Each result icon corresponds to a response that the
user can make, such as clicking a button or entering text, or to an
event, such as the number of tries the user made
Map Icon Simplifies and organizes the flowline by grouping it into smaller
segments. By grouping icons in map icons, you can organize your
piece into convenient modules. This gives you a clear overview of
how the piece will work, no matter how many icons it contains.
Place map icons anywhere on the flowline and attach them to
interaction icons, decision icons, or framework icons. You can
place map icons within other map icons.
Updates values in variables. Executes functions that affect what
Calculation Icon the piece does. Authorware usually executes all the statements in
a calculation icon and then exits the icon. You can force
Authorware to exit calculation icons by entering an Exit statement
in an expression. If the calculation icon is attached to another icon,
that icon is executed normally.

Aside from dragging the calculation in the flowline, we can use the right click button then
choose calculation. Another window will appear on the screen and just follow the script or
expressions shown on the screen. Copy the (IconID@” then change the IconTitle to the title of
the icon that you are going to connect with. Proceed with quotation mark (”) and closed
parenthesis ).