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Using Templates with IntelliPics and OverlayMaker

by Isabel Castro

The idea:

Start with a pair of files that are already made and already work together: the IntelliPics file and the OverlayMaker file. All you need to do is add sounds to the IntelliPics file.

The IntelliPics Story template has 11 "Picture Items" already made: 1 for the Title and 10 for the pages of a book (or whatever.) The OverlayMaker file has 11 buttons already made and ready to activate the 11 Picture Items in the IntelliPics file.

The IntelliPics template.

1. Duplicate the file before you do anything else
• Copy the template and rename the new file for instance: "Barnyard Trip."
2. Add sounds to picture items
   • Open the file and edit the picture items: Create menu, Picture Items. When the Picture Items window, appears, highlight 00 Title and click on Edit. You get the 00 Title window. Click on Sound to get a new window. Click on Digitized and New to get a new window, then Better, and OK.
   • Click on Record, record the sounds, click on Stop, Play to listen.
   • Click on Save, Done, Done. You should be back in your Activity.
3. Test your sound with mouse.
   • Click on your picture item. Your picture should print to the screen and the sound should play back.
   • Continue until all the pages of the story are recorded.
4. Exit
   • Do not have IntelliPics make the overlay! It already exists in a form we want!

The overlaymaker template

1. Duplicate the overlay file
• Copy the template and rename the new file for instance: "Barnyard Trip overlay."
2. Match the names
• The file's name must match the name given to the corresponding IntelliPics file which in the example is "Barnyard Trip." It needs a space and the word "overlay" at the end of the name. The new name would be "Barnyard Trip overlay."
3. Same folder
   • Be sure both files are in the same folder and the names are identical with space and "overlay" on the end of the OverlayMaker file. If you follow these rules, every time you open your IntelliPics file, the corresponding OverlayMaker file will automatically get sent. Note that every time we use the templates, we end up with 2 new files. You can reprint the new overlay or not. Since they are identical, it is not necessary to re-print them every time you make a new file. I typically reprint only when my overlay gets damaged or I want to make a new one with a different set of symbols.

Use your new story activity

1. Get the two files ready
• Drag both files into the same folder. Be sure their names are right.
2. The overlay (piece of paper)
• Place your story overlay in the IntelliKeys.
3. The IntelliPics file
• Click-click on your IntelliPics icon to launch. When you do this, check that it finds and sends the matching overlay. You should see this on the screen and as lights on the IntelliKeys.
4. Test
   • Press buttons on the overlay and listen to the story.

The OneButton Overlay

1. Use it with any Intellipics file. Anywhere you touch triggers the next picture item.
2. Duplicate it
3. Rename it to match Intellipics file (May have to rename the real overlay)
4. Same folder
5. Test it

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Last Revision: October 22, 2002