Equations and Layers
Mar 20, 2014
Hi guys
Just wondered if anyone might be able to help me with something which I'm finding a bit more complex than I first thought it would be? I'm trying to build a slide whereby the learner can move the elements of an equation around to get a different calculation. The equation is:
Assets - Liabilities = Capital.
If they move the order of the words around, it changes the equation e.g. Capital + Liabilities = Assets. I worked out that there were 6 possible combinations to how the words could be moved around - so essentially there are 6 equations.
Each word in the equation is a shape on the base layer. I have also created 3 shapes as drop areas on the base layer, and then 9 shapes off the slide area which are set to to change to 'Selected' depending on which word is dropped into which drop area. The equation part are all on separate layers, so the +, -, and = which sit between the drop areas / words.
Basically when they drop each word into a certain drop area it changes the state of one of the 9 shapes to 'Selected'. Depending on the combination of 'Selected' shapes, a layer is shown which completes the equation.
This all seems to work, however I want it so that once they drag a word off a drop area it hides whichever layer was being shown, so that they can try another combination. I have been trying all sorts - my thinking is that there has to be someway to change the state of the shapes back to 'Normal' if the drop item is removed from the drop area, but I can't figure it out.
I don't really want to add a button that resets the whole slide as I want them to be able freely move the words around without them being returned to starting position.
If anyone can help I'd be eternally grateful. Hopefully everything above makes sense!
Thanks, John
3 Replies
Hi John,
What about adding a hotspot or tranparent shape that sits around or behind your drop area with a trigger associated with that to change the state(s) to normal when the drag objects are dragged over. That would revert them back to normal and you could also set it to hide the layer which should then allow them to be dropped again.
Hi Ashley
It worked! I first tried adding a hotspot and placing it at the bottom of the timeline but it prevented the drop areas from working. Instead I created a rectangular shape in Photoshop to fit across the canvas with sections cut out to fit around the drop areas- then added a load of triggers that changed the shapes back to 'Normal' and hid the layer being show once any of the words are dragged out of a drop area.
Thanks for your help, I knew it was possible!
John
Thanks for the update John and I'm glad it worked out for you!
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