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2. DemoPad Software Explained

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:37 pm
by DemoPad
** Please note all current documentation is available here **

In this section we will be discussing the Demopad GUI Design software, its layout and where to start.

CLICK ON ANY OF THE THUMBNAILS TO ENLARGE.
The GUI Interface
Welcome Screen
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When you first open the DemoPad Design program you will be greeted with a screen similar to the above.
  • 1. Opens a new blank iPad project
  • 2. Opens a new blank iPhone project
  • 3. Clicking the main button will open a file browser to let you open a file in the software. Clicking the small arrow on the right will open a drop down box of recently open projects.
  • 4. Sends you to our resource center to download graphics packs or templates.
  • 5. These are the templates that are shipped with the software and more can be added by placing template files in the templates directory of the software install.
  • 6. A screenshot will appear here when you roll over one of the templates.
  • 7. Click this button to create the new project.

Main Panel
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This is the main software panel that will appear first when you open project. It contains buttons relating to DemoPad and the software itself rather than a specific project. Note some menu options can be expanded with the icon in the lower right of the menu to reveal further options.
  • 1. Opens the welcome screen to create a new project
  • 2. Opens a previously created project and loads it into the side menu
  • 3. Opens the DemoPad Designer manual
  • 4. Opens the quick start guide online
  • 5. Opens the resources webpage where sample resources can be downloaded
  • 6. Opens the device store online
  • 7. Opens the update notes for this version of the software
  • 8. The Project Navigation pane is used to move between different pages and projects
  • 9. This button opens up the Project Navigation pane
  • 10. Clicking this button opens up the properties pane, this gives information about the project or the selected object
  • 11. This panel changes depending on the type of object that is selected. For example, if a button is selected it will display a set of images, if text is selected it will allow the placement of text.

Project Settings
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The project settings tab deals with the major areas of the project such as creating devices, adding removing pages and managing flags.
  • 1. Clicking this button creates a new device and opens the device properties so that it can be configured
  • 2. Creates a new folder in the Project Navigation pane, used for organizing your pages
  • 3. Create a new page that objects can be placed on
  • 4. Creates a new sub page
  • 5. The edit and remove buttons can be used to edit and remove pages and subpages
  • 6. This buttons opens up the flags panel which is used to create, order and delete flags
  • 7. Shows the labels for the project
  • 8. Shows the number variables for the project
  • 9. Clicking this button brings up a menu to assign a password to the project. This means that in order for people to download the project file to a device they must enter a password first.
  • 10. Adjust the height and width of the project pages.
  • 11. Edit the project load actions of the project. This means that whenever the app is launched it will perform these actions first.
  • 12. This panel shows the opened project with any devices, pages and sub pages associated with it.

Page Settings
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  • 1. Opens the image selection panel so that a button can be dragged onto a page
  • 2. Opens the image panel so that a image can be dragged onto a page
  • 3. Opens the text panel so that a text object can be dragged onto a page
  • 4. Opens the project navigation panel so that a sub-page can be dragged onto a page
  • 5. Opens the gauge panel so that a gauge can be dragged onto a page
  • 6. Selecting the web view will let you draw a box which will contain the web view
  • 7. Select an image as a page background
  • 8. Set a colour as a page background
  • 9. Change the border selection colour that objects go when selected
  • 10. Mirror (copy) a page to the other orientation, this also means that all changes you make in one orientation affects both of them (e.g. change the size of a button in one the size of the button in the other will change)
  • 11. Set the page load actions, which are executed when the page loads
  • 12. Set a grid on the page to make laying out objects easier. From here you can also set snap to grid to on or off
  • 13. The canvas area where you design your actual interface

Object Properties
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This menu lets you adjust the properties of a page object, eg a button. Not all menu options will be enabled for certain page object types.
  • 1. Clicking this button will give the option to re-size an object, for example to its original size, or change the image.
  • 2. Gauge object properties
  • 3. This changes how or when an object is shown (animation of objects on and off the screen)
  • 4. This tab gives options about adding and editing text
  • 5. Actions assigned here are performed when a user presses down a button
  • 6. Actions assigned here are performed when a user releases a button
  • 7. Change how an object is highlighted, and select the image
  • 8. Change sound setting associated with this object
  • 9. Tab with options for Crestron Integration
  • 10. Tab with options for Lutron Integration
  • 11. Tab with options for Rako Integration
What's Next?
Next we learn about how to create your first project
Next Step >>