I am currently trying to develop a word search. All seems to be going well. When I try to add a hint feature I am having problems getting it to work.
When clicking the hint button (lightbulb), the computer generates a random number 1-16. It should then take you to a hint layer which should reveal the state of a hint which corresponds to the hint number.
I’m not sure about this trigger. I think it only works if the learner has already found one end or the other of a word. I picture a hint as being useful if you are completely stuck.
I don't think you need it for anything.
What you need is a trigger to set the randomnumber (which you have), and a trigger to show the layer hint (which you have). Now you just need to connect them.
Change this trigger:
from Wellness Hint to Hint Layer, and see if that helps.
I think it is working with just the Hint Layer. I'm not sure you need the other layers.
A problem you will run into is that occasionally, the random hint will show a word that is already found. As more words are found, it happens more frequently. Which means the hint gets less useful as the learner needs it more. One way around that is to change the trigger that changes the state of Hint #1 to change the state of Hint #1 if randomnumber = 1 AND word #1 isn't found yet, ELSE add 1 to random number.
I'll let you figure out how and why that works.
FYI I have never had good luck with word searches, as most people (except word search lovers) are too busy looking for dirty words, or at best an "E" followed by an "X" to actually learn anything about the content. About the only situation where it seems useful is in language acquisition, if the clue is given in one language, and the targets are in the other.
I have made good progress. As soon as I removed the unwanted layers things started working.
I am still slightly confused. I disabled the rules you mentioned above.
On the hint layer I have added the 'and' statement to show the hint if the state of the object is not complete (marked off). Should this not be applicable then add one to the random number. Which I hope will goto the next on the list.
I have added a statement at the end which should reset the random number to a new number between 1 and 16 should it be => 17.
I have spent several hours today trying to work this out. In my eyes it looks as though it should work.
Any help would be appreciated, thank you for your time and patience.
On the hint layer, I changed the 6 triggers that follow the "Hide layer" trigger.
It will work if there is an "Add 1 to randomnumber" for numbers 1 - 16, and they are in order and they are before the "Change State" triggers. Be sure you change the existing triggers to match the three that I changed.
I forgot, but when there is a list of triggers for one action, all of them are executed. So the way I had them set up originally, if the random number was 6, then the first trigger would add 1 to it, and so on down the list. So unless it was 1, by the time it forgot to 6, it was no longer 6, but 11..
There are two options:
One is to do what the first three do; go through the numbers, and if that number has been chosen, add 1 to the random number. Then after finding the first number that is available after the random number, it goes through that list and shows that hint.
The other is to set random number to 1, and forget the first set of triggers. Then it will go down the list and find the first available hint. The problem with that is it will always present the hints in order.
Either way, if all the words higher than the random are found, no hint will be given.
4 Replies
I’m not sure about this trigger. I think it only works if the learner has already found one end or the other of a word. I picture a hint as being useful if you are completely stuck.
I don't think you need it for anything.
What you need is a trigger to set the randomnumber (which you have), and a trigger to show the layer hint (which you have). Now you just need to connect them.
Change this trigger:
from Wellness Hint to Hint Layer, and see if that helps.
I think it is working with just the Hint Layer. I'm not sure you need the other layers.
A problem you will run into is that occasionally, the random hint will show a word that is already found. As more words are found, it happens more frequently. Which means the hint gets less useful as the learner needs it more. One way around that is to change the trigger that changes the state of Hint #1 to change the state of Hint #1 if randomnumber = 1 AND word #1 isn't found yet, ELSE add 1 to random number.
I'll let you figure out how and why that works.
FYI I have never had good luck with word searches, as most people (except word search lovers) are too busy looking for dirty words, or at best an "E" followed by an "X" to actually learn anything about the content. About the only situation where it seems useful is in language acquisition, if the clue is given in one language, and the targets are in the other.
FYFI, Exercise has too many "C"s.
Many thanks for your reply. I really appreciate your help.
I will work on this today. I will let you know how I get on.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to answer my question.
Hello Walt,
I have made good progress. As soon as I removed the unwanted layers things started working.
I am still slightly confused. I disabled the rules you mentioned above.
On the hint layer I have added the 'and' statement to show the hint if the state of the object is not complete (marked off). Should this not be applicable then add one to the random number. Which I hope will goto the next on the list.
I have added a statement at the end which should reset the random number to a new number between 1 and 16 should it be => 17.
I have spent several hours today trying to work this out. In my eyes it looks as though it should work.
Any help would be appreciated, thank you for your time and patience.
On the hint layer, I changed the 6 triggers that follow the "Hide layer" trigger.
It will work if there is an "Add 1 to randomnumber" for numbers 1 - 16, and they are in order and they are before the "Change State" triggers. Be sure you change the existing triggers to match the three that I changed.
I forgot, but when there is a list of triggers for one action, all of them are executed. So the way I had them set up originally, if the random number was 6, then the first trigger would add 1 to it, and so on down the list. So unless it was 1, by the time it forgot to 6, it was no longer 6, but 11..
There are two options:
One is to do what the first three do; go through the numbers, and if that number has been chosen, add 1 to the random number. Then after finding the first number that is available after the random number, it goes through that list and shows that hint.
The other is to set random number to 1, and forget the first set of triggers. Then it will go down the list and find the first available hint. The problem with that is it will always present the hints in order.
Either way, if all the words higher than the random are found, no hint will be given.