Open Window Software News Spring 2004 A Free E-mail Newsletter From Open Window Software Featuring Tips On Using The WinFlash Suite, HandyCards And ProUpdater Contents: 1) Version 8.0 Updates 2) New Freeware Decimal Equivalent Flashcards 3) New Version Of HandyCards Available Soon! 4) Using Launchable Hints And Comments 5) Free Upgrades For Deck Contributors 6) Study Tip - Your PDA - Don't Leave Home Without It! --------------------------------------------------- 1) Version 8.0 Updates Since Version 8.0 was shipped on October 12, 2003 there have been five 'slipstream' releases to fix various bugs that have surfaced since the initial release. If you are experiencing any problems with your WinFlash program, first be sure that you are using the latest version (currently v8.00.05, released 6/8/04). Here are the releases to date and a compilation of the bugs that were fixed in each: The 8.00.05 update to WinFlash Basic, Scholar, and Educator addresses the following issues: 1. Corrected error which caused the pairs in the highest-numbered Leitner Box to be asked EVERY session once the initial waiting period for the pair for that level box had expired. 2. Fixed problem caused by the interaction of auto-generated multiple choice answers with real multiple choice answers of Multiple Choice pairs. 3. Various minor consistency gremlins were fixed - none that caused any operational program problems. The 8.00.04 update to WinFlash Basic, Scholar, and Educator addresses the following issues: 1. Corrected error in Insert/Copy/Delete pair functions that failed to make adjustment for direct-record audio files. This caused the recorded sounds to 'move' to another pair under certain circumstances. 2. Fixed problem with Subject Outline that caused program to hang when files that used Multi-user mode were added to the outline. 3. Added display of direct-record audio files to the Editor|Table View. The 8.00.03 update to WinFlash Scholar and Educator addresses the following issue: 1. Corrected error in Copy Pair function that caused pair statistics data to be incorrectly written to the .FLD file. When running in Leitner Box System Mode this caused a 'Invalid Integer' error when restarting the deck after having closed it. If you have a deck displaying this error, just delete its companion .FLD file and the program will write a 'clean' .FLD file from scratch. The 8.00.02 update to all WinFlash versions addresses the following issue: 1. Corrected coding error that caused '%' and '<' characters to be incorrectly displayed in Q&A dialogs and the editor. The 8.00.01 update to all WinFlash versions addresses the following issues: 1. Fixed bug in Leitner Box System Mode that caused deck to hang if it had been created or modified between the hours of midnight and 1 a.m. Not a good feature for students :-). 2. Corrected omission that failed to generate independent unique identifiers for each pair during the import operation. The unique identifiers are not yet used, but may be needed in future releases. --------------------------------------------------- 2) New Freeware Decimal Equivalents Flashcards This deck contains 27 Q&A pairs to help students memorize the decimal equivalents for common fractions. The deck includes all the n/2,n/3,n/4,n/5,n/6,n/8,n/12 and n/16 values that are useful in daily 'practical math'. This is a good deck to try with Educator's Automatic Fill In The Blank From Standard feature. This lets you study standard mode pairs in FIB mode - automatically checking the entered answer against the text in the main Answer dialog box. Also try the Answer First Followed By Question mode to check recognition of the fraction in its decimal equivalent form. You can download this file (~98.8 Kb) by clicking on the link below: http://www.openwindow.com/ftp/decequiv.zip Unzip the file into its own directory and open it using the File|Open dialog in WinFlash or by double-clicking on the decequiv.fls file in Windows Explorer. --------------------------------------------------- 3) New Version Of HandyCards Available Soon! HandyMed will soon be releasing its latest 5.0 version of its PocketPC edition of HandyCards. Current users of HandyCards will be able to order the upgrade on our site for $10. If you also need the upgrade to WFEducator v8.0, simply add $10 to the cost of the Educator upgrade and note in the Comments section that you want the latest PocketPC version of HandyCards as well. Unfortunately it has not been possible to add these new features to the PalmOs version of HandyCards - it will remain at its current revision level of 1.8. The WFEducator export to HandyCards does not yet support the newest features of HandyCards v5.0 (hints, comments, both Q&A graphics, categories) but this will be added with the v8.00.06 slipstream release due out before the end of the summer. Here are the new features available in HandyCards v5.0 for the PocketPC: All-New Testing Methods Leitner Testing -- advanced learning methodology based on time-delayed exposure to questions, with increased focus on those areas which need more attention Subset Testing -- force the program to grab cards in user-defined groupings and then advance to the next group on demand Timed Testing -- rapid-fire testing with user-defined testing intervals Unfamiliar Testing -- test those questions which have been answered below a user-defined percentile Hidden-Answer Testing -- testing designed specifically for those working on conjugating verbs, where multiple-choice answers remain hidden until each individual answer has been tapped Category Testing -- testing based on files containing different categories (e.g. addition, subtraction, division, etc.) Testing Enhancements Enhanced testing statistics * Single-card testing performance * Category testing performance * Graphical view of single-card performance * Export your testing statistics User-defined hardware button support Hints can be shown with each question; Comments can be shown after each question has been answered Auto-rewind -- on reaching the end of a flashcard deck, the testing is automatically reset to the beginning and restarted without user intervention Auto-score -- for true/false questions, or questions with two or more answers, HandyCards will automatically record whether the question was answered correctly or not (single-answer questions will still need to be manually scored) Auto-advance - when a user indicates an answer was scored correctly or incorrectly, the testing automatically advances to the next question, thereby eliminating a click to advance to the next question. Auto-save -- to preserve testing statistics, a flashcard set can be automatically saved on exiting the program or closing a flashcard set Questions and answers can now have their own images, sounds, and movies. Supported formats include .jpg, .bmp, .2bp, .gif, .wav, .mp3, .wma, .wmv, and .asf. Edit screen question style can now be maintained when making multiple flashcards to allow for rapid creation of numerous flashcards using the same style Edit screen saving will no longer require closing a "Question Saved" message box multiple times Colors -- user-defined text and background colors Options -- now moved to Tools menu Enhanced Question/Answer swapping -- choices are now ask question, ask answer, or randomly switch between asking question or answer Full-screen single-answer testing to enhance readability File menu now stores the last four data files for rapidly recalling recent testing files File | New -- rapidly create a new data file, especially when a file is currently open, because it automatically closes the file --------------------------------------------------- 4) Using Launchable Hints And Comments The ability of the WinFlash programs to work with hints and comments that can invoke other applications offers a powerful way of adding dimension to your study decks. As an example, let's say you've created a study deck containing questions relating to decimal equivalents. You might wish to make a calculator available to generate the decimal equivalent if you don't know it right away. Here's how: 1. With the deck open to the first pair, open the editor by selecting Edit|Edit Current Q&A Pair from the main menu. 2. Click on the Hints/Comments tab at the bottom of the editor. 3. Click the Browse button to the right of the HINT 1 entry box. 4. Navigate to the location of the applet CALC.EXE on your computer. 5. Double click on the CALC.EXE in the browse dialog. The browse window will close and the complete path/filename to CALC.EXE will be entered in the HINT 1 entry box. 6. You can check what will happen when the user selects the hint button of the pair by clicking the Play button next to the Browse button used in step 3. 7. Repeat the above steps for each pair for which you would like the calculator to be an available hint. Note 1: In the example deck, the hint looks for the Windows calculator at c:\windows\system32\calc.exe. You can edit the example file by changing this path to be correct for the calculator for your version of Windows. For instance, in Windows 95 the path for the calculator is c:\windows\calc.exe. If the program can't find the path entered - for instance if a user is using the deck on a different machine that doesn't contain the indicated file - WinFlash will assume that the path is actually a text hint and display it as such. Note 2: When the user closes the .exe file after using whatever application has been launched, a dialog appears saying "That Was The Last Hint". In v9.0 this dialog will be suppressed for launched executables, as it requires an extra, non-useful, mouse click. Note 3: v9.0 will have the ability to 'run' application data that the system 'knows'. E.g. you'll be able to use a Word .doc file as the 'hint'. When the user clicks the hint button, Word will launch, opening the document. --------------------------------------------------- 5) Free Upgrades For Deck Contributors Isn't it time to put the final polish on that study deck of yours to make it a solid contribution to the WinFlash Users Group Library? We'll give you a free upgrade to v8.0 of your edition of the program if you'll share! Plus you'll get credit on the library page for your contribution (unless you'd rather remain anonymous). To submit your deck, see the detailed instructions at http://www.openwindow.com/pages/contribute.htm We'll immediately acknowledge receipt of your submission and, after review, will send you another e-mail letting you know if we've accepted it for use in our library. If it's accepted, we'll e-mail you a free upgrade code for v8.0. Already have v8.0? - no worries, we'll flag the database for a free upgrade to v9.0 (well, it WILL be a while... probably mid-2005) when IT'S released. --------------------------------------------------- 6) Study Tip - Your PDA - Don't Leave Home Without It! If you're still not leveraging your WinFlash study decks by using HandyCards on your PDA, you're missing out on a sure thing! Taking your current study decks along with you on your PDA gives you the opportunity to turn that otherwise-wasted time that we all have too much of in our days into 'free' study time. Think about it - wouldn't it be nice to trade the time waiting in line at the post office for some extra time at the beach next weekend? Studying during these 'wasted' moments can free up your prime time for activities OTHER than studying! So don't wait - get yourself a PDA (we recommend the PocketPC variety, although HandyCards is also available in a less-capable version for the Palm) and start freeing up more time for fun! --------------------------------------------------- Need Help? Have A problem? Check out our online listings of the latest releases and the problems that they've solved. For WinFlash programs see: http://www.openwindow.com/pages/wfprobs.htm For ProUpdater see: http://www.openwindow.com/pages/puprobs.htm If your issue isn't covered there, please send e-mail to support@openwindow.com and we'll do our best to resolve your problem. --------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE: Send e-mail to service@openwindow.com with SUBSCRIBE as the Subject. UNSUBSCRIBE: Simply send an email to service@openwindow.com with REMOVE as the Subject. This newsletter is a free service of Open Window Software and is Copyright © 2004 Open Window Software. All worldwide rights reserved.