The placeholder determines the position of the graphic and its maximum width or height. If you are setting up a template page for an activity, something you plan to duplicate and perhaps share with others, this is a great time-saver. This tip is so easy you can just follow along in this post, but I know people may want a printed version to share and an online version to present. Look for both links at the end of this page.
Start With A New Page Button
On a blank page, get the Page Button tool and make a button of the size and shape you want as a placeholder. Position it where it needs to be on the page. Give the button a name something like this: Control-Click Here To Add A Picture.
Set The Button To Do Nothing
Open Button Properties, click the Actions tab, and remove the default Button Action, since you don’t want this button to have any actions. Under the Scanning tab, take off the checkmarks from Automatic Scan and Step Scan. Also take the checkmark off Respond To Mouse.
Using The Graphics Placeholder
What you now have is a button that does nothing except save a place for an image. When you Control-Click the placeholder and load a graphic, it will automatically re-size the graphic to fit into the button space, keeping its original proportions.
Go ahead and add the other elements to the page, such as a textbox or two, maybe a second picture holder, and perhaps some normal buttons, if needed.
You can, of course, duplicate a page with a graphic placeholder as many times as you want. Add other items that need to display on every page before you duplicate, for maximum time savings.
Optional Adjustments
You can unlock and tweak the placeholder’s size, shape, and/or position on any page. You might need to do that if you want a narrow frame exactly the same width all around. You might also re-size and reshape if you have loaded a vertical picture into a horizontal placeholder. Making the shape taller than wide will give you a larger displayed image. Be sure to re-lock the button.
To save a bit more on the file size, you could use Fix To Background on the placeholder and its image, once you are absolutely sure it will not need further editing. But beware–this will replace the current background picture.
A placeholder image behaves like part of the background. Students don’t interact with it, and it does not add to the interface burden on students who use special access. Yet you can still unlock, edit, and move it if necessary. It’s a great way to make a template that preserves the layout from page to page and relieves the user of the task of sizing and positioning graphics.
Application needed: Classroom Suite
Subject area: Activity design.
Level: Author, Teacher tip.
Printable And Online Tutorial
ICSGraphicPlaceholder.pdf (1.4 MB) Graphic Placeholder In Classroom Suite Tip to print. Acrobat Reader.
ICS Graphics Placeholder tutorial (1.4 MB) Online Graphics Placeholder In Classroom Suite Tip, ready to present to a group.
