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Navigation through Key presses

Jul 1, 2012 4:27 PM

As soon as I solve one problem I appear to get three more to take its place. In my case I have been working on a particular program which , will ultimately involve about 150 different frames, each displaying a single word.

 

The sequence of actions is quite simple but the navigation is almost entirely controlled by key presses. in fact, It depends entirely on key presses.

 

Briefly (although nothing to do with this is ever brief), what needs to happen is as follows;

The user is a tester and there is a pupil observing a screen.

 

The screen presents a word;

The pupil says what he/she thinks that word is;

If they say the correct word the tester hits the ENTER key (This will add scores to a whole set of variables showing correct responses etc.)

If the pupil does not say the correct word then another key is pressed the “N” key which will make a text input box appear, and into which the pupil’s  response is typed in by the tester. When the tester has finished typing in the pupil’s response he presses the SPACE key which will move on the display to a new frame showing a new image and so on.

 

Easy as pie you might say but in fact this has thrown up a huge set of problems to overcome and as soon as one has been resolved it has given rise to three more in its solution to the point where I am wondering did I chose the wrong set of tools to carry out this project.

 

If I may outline the problems;

First the program ignores the ENTER key the BACKSPACE key and a few others even their Numbers etc. and ‘I’m using a MacBook Pro so perhaps that may be the problem there but I cant disable the keyboard shortcuts no matter what I try . The ENTER key is vital to the program but for the past while I have tried to continue with the build on  just 4 separate frames using the M key , to move to next frame, the  N key  to indicate an incorrect response and show Text input box, and then the SPACE key to continue to next frame after entering pupil’s response.

 

Then all hell breaks loose. There are the most amazing series of problems, which arise with this. For example;

Sometimes the last frames textbox continues into the next frame even though I have set its value and background equal to “ “ .

If the user accidently hits the space key before the N key and is moved on to next frame. I have built in a back option using the LEFT key. But even though the user enters the previous frame again. None of the code associated with that frame will work the second time round.

Setting down a simple sequence of key presses which, must be followed is then an option to work on so I have tried to set the sequence that the user must first hit the N key and then the SPACE key before moving on. But the program will not obey. I’m stuck on getting this very basic stuff off the ground a long time. I hate to admit since Christmas.  I don’t give up easily and I wont with this either but I have to admit I might have made the wrong choice of tools. Navigation using key presses is rife with problems. There must be a way though.

 

 

My questions are;

 

Why does the Return/ENTER key not behave as it should? (it moves on to the next frame bypassing /ignoring all code and traces.

 

  On the control menu options there is no option to disable the keyboard shortcuts. This is supposed to help as a means to getting the ENTER key to work as required. Nor is there even advice available on this in the help menu, when Disable Keyboard shortcuts is typed in.

 

Is it possible to set up a sequence of key presses so that the user, for example, must press the N key first and then type in to the text box, and then the SPACE key, to move on. If any other key is hit besides those keys, that a message will appear, and the user will be prevented from accidently moving on.

 

Finally, if the user has moved on, and wishes to revisit the last frame, to do it over again. Can that not work using the LEFT arrow key and the code for that frame , work as before? 

Thanks in anticipation to anybody who feels like having a go at this. 

 
Replies
  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jul 1, 2012 5:03 PM   in reply to Domhnall Ó Suibhne

    Which Control menu are you trying to use to disable the shortcuts?  The one in the Flash Player is the one you want, the option to disable the keyboard shortcuts is at the bottom of the offerings.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jul 2, 2012 12:17 PM   in reply to Domhnall Ó Suibhne

    I am not going to try to research that  posting to find the supporting info.  If you want to provide only the necessary info for the question I might give it a shot.

     
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  • Currently Being Moderated
    Jul 3, 2012 8:47 AM   in reply to Domhnall Ó Suibhne

    If you can narrow all that writing down to concisely address the problem you might get help. 

     
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