SmartBoard Tools

For Windows

Smart Board Tools is a program that allows for the interactive use of your screen. The program associated with the Smart Tools software is called Notebook, and can be used to create interactive presentations, as a whiteboard, or as a means to interact with existing files. The tools can be used to draw on ink layer over any program or file, whether this be the internet, PDFs, Word documents, or anything else. A few select programs that include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are compatible with Smart Tools software, and therefore you integrate the tools and the document instead of drawing an ink layer over it. The three uses of Smart Board Tools (Notebook software, non-integrated programs such as Internet Explorer, and integrated programs such as Word) will be detailed later in this documentation.
Smart Tools software is on every Annotator screen, as well as every presentation computer.

NOTE: Everything in Smart Tools can be controlled either using the interactive pen (Annotator screens only) or the mouse.

Getting Started:

1. From the Start menu select All Programs, go to Smart Technologies, click o n Smart Board Drivers, and finally select Smart Board Tools.

NOTE: Smart Board Tools is different from the Notebook Software. Although they work jointly, Smart Board Tools are the actual interactive tools while Notebook is the software upon which to use those tools. You can access the Notebook Software from the Smart Board Tools.

2. A toolbar will appear on your screen. Clicking the double arrows will minimize the toolbar, while clicking, holding, and dragging the dots below the arrows will change the position of the toolbar.
   1. There is a wheel at the bottom of the toolbar. Clicking on this wheel will allow you to edit the options that appear in the toolbar by clicking and dragging into the toolbar. Clicking on Restore Default Settings will return the toolbar to its default state.

3. It may be necessary to orient your pen to ensure the accuracy of the pen relative to your perspective of the screen. Click on the Smart Tool button on the bottom right hand of your screen and click Orient. Then follow the instructions.

Drawing Tools

These tools are the basic Smart Tools that can be used over or in any program.

 Pen: write on the screen
Highlighter: highlight a section of text, or other area of focus
Magic Pen: use a pen to create a magnifier and spotlight
Creative Pen: draw with extra flourish and designs

Line: draw straight lines, either with or with arrows
Shape: draw shapes
Eraser: erase writing done with the pen tool

NOTE: To manipulate the above tools, click on the tool in the smart board toolbar and then on the wheel symbol. In the box that appears, scroll down to see all the options. Make sure to click Save Tool Properties when you are finished.

Other Tools

Welcome Center: Support center for Smart Board Tools

Keyboard: type letters—this is only really necessary if you do not have a physical keyboard

Undo: undo last action

 Spotlight: darken the screen except for one section. You can change the placement of the spotlight by clicking anywhere outside of the spotlight and dragging. You can change the type proportions of the spotlight by clicking and dragging from the blue line. Click on the grey box to exit the change the shape of the spotlight, the transparency of the darkened area, or the exit the spotlight.

Magnify: bring up a box that magnifies a section of the screen. The boxes at the bottom of the window that appears allow you to see what is being magnified, while the red box allows you to change what is being magnified with the mouse.

Screen shade: Put a shade over the screen that can be manipulated to show only a section. The arrows at the side of the screen shade allow you to move the edges either in or out.

  Color: Fill in a shape with either a solid or gradient fill

  Text: Insert text, modify the color or font

Table: insert a table of specified dimensions

  Recorder: wmv vs. avi. (when saving)

  Document Camera: incorporate a document camera into your presentation

Screen Capture Toolbar: save and capture your work

NOTE: After using a tool, your must click back on the arrow tool to use either the pen or the mouse as an arrow.

Using Smart Tools in Non-Integrated Programs

Smart Board Tools can be used at any time over any program. If you are in a non-integrated program (anything besides Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Notebook) an ink layer is created over the program. You will see that as soon as you click on a tool, a box will appear around your screen. This is the ink layer.

1. You can use any tool on this ink layer. However, once the ink layer is up you cannot modify or change anything behind the layer (i.e. change websites, scroll) unless you close the ink layer.
2. Always remember to click back on the arrow after a tool is selected to manipulate or not use the tool.

Saving the Ink Layer

To save an ink layer, click on the save symbol at the top of the screen, or use to Screen Capture Toolbar. This will save the ink as well as the image behind it to a Notebook file. Also, clicking on the ink layer will give you the option of saving. By clicking on the screen, you can also select your saving settings by selecting Ink Layer Settings.

Closing the Ink Layer

You have to close the ink layer before you can interact with any program behind the layer. To do this, either click on the red X at the top right of your screen, or click on the screen and select Close ink Layer.

Using SMART Board Tools in Integrated Programs

The main difference between an integrated and non-integrated program is that in integrated programs you do not create an ink layer over the program. The drawing tools can be used within the actual software, meaning that you can save your drawings along with the document and you do not have to close the ink layer to operate within the program.

1. Open a Word, PowerPoint, or Excel document.
   1. Notice that drawing over the document does not produce an ink layer.
2. Once you have ink in the document, there are three saving options. Notice that the Aware Tools window pops up, which is what you will use to save. In addition to the three options listed below, you can use the screen capture toolbar to save your notes.
   1. Option 1: Insert ink as image. This will allow you to insert your ink just as it appears into the document, and then save with the document (rather than as a separate file). To do this, click on the… symbol in Aware Tools. If you choose to insert the notes as an image, you can manipulate them by selecting the image and using the arrow button.
   2. Option 2: Insert ink as text. This will try to convert your writing to text, and then save it with the file. To do this, click on the … button.
   3. Option 3: Save the ink notes along with a picture of the page to a Notebook file. You will not be able to edit this page later, as it will save it as an image in Notebook. To utilize this option, click on the… symbol.

Using SMART Board Tools in Notebook

Notebook software allows you the opportunity to greatly broaden the range of uses of Smart Board Tools.

Using Notebook: Creating a Presentation or Using the Whiteboard

You can create a presentation in Smart Tools similar to in PowerPoint, or use Notebook as an interactive whiteboard. Here are a few helpful tools and hints. Notebook files automatically open when saving ink notes, or click on the Notebook symbol in the Smart Board Tools toolbar to open a blank document.

1. New Slide: to add a slide click on the (insert) button on the left
2. View Fullscreen: to view your slides fullscreen click on the (insert) button
3. Recorder: record your actions on the whiteboard for future viewing. This will save to your hard drive. You cannot edit the video file after you make it.
4. Autohide: hide the toolbar on the left whenever you click on the whiteboard

Basic Formatting Tools and Tips in Notebook

1. You can select an object in the Notebook by clicking and dragging over as many objects as you want. By clicking on the grey box (insert image) you can:
   1. Delete: delete all objects selected
   2. Lock: lock object so that it cannot be moved or manipulated. To unlock, click on the lock symbol that appears.
   3. Recognize: recognize writing either as a shape, symbol, or word
   4. Flip: rotate the selected object(s)
   5. Clone: reproduce an identical object
   6. Group: group multiple objects together
2. The green circle that appears above a selected object can be used to rotate the object(s).

NOTE: If multiple items are selected, only the green circle or grey box closest the perimeter of the objects can be used to manipulate or rotate all objects selected

Comments

No comments yet, please post one below.

Please login to post a comment