Collaborate | Share with PCs | Sample Projects
WWW Resources
HyperStudio, from Roger Wagner Publishing, Inc., provides a easy-to-use multimedia format for presenting ideas and information. Even primary students can learn to make their own stacks. HyperStudio offers a wide range of possibilities for assembling graphics, sounds including music, text, and animation. Stacks can be shared between Mac and Windows. Free HyperStudio Player for Mac or for Windows, available on HyperStudio's web site, lets you share you stack with anyone.
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Managing Collaborative Projects
Exchanging HyperStudio files
Compiling Information in a Collaborative Stack
Distributing Stacks
Movies
HyperStudio offers many options for assembling graphics and text compiled in a collaborative project. Because of the free viewer provided with the program, only the project coordinator needs to have HyperStudio. (However, when participants see what can be done, they will want HyperStudio, too!)
Exchanging HyperStudio files
If other participants are also using HyperStudio, check which version is being used. If everyone has the Version 4.1 Player, all stacks can be opened. However, the project coordinator must have the latest version to be able to link the stacks or edit them, or link them together.
Compiling Information in a Collaborative Stack
When you are assembling information for a collaborative internet project, know what kind of graphic and text formats your version of HyperStudio will accept, and then ask participants to send files in that format. If everyone sends their information in that format, you will save yourself a step. It will save considerable conversion time. Using older versions, it is easiest if everyone sends Text files (rather than a document from a program. For graphics, a Pict file is best. Using GIF or JPG files for graphics will save everyone transmission time and keep the size of the stack smaller. Of course, the graphic resolution is lessened.
Decide whether you want participants with HyperStudio to make their own portion of the stack. If so, let them know how you want the stack assembled. Sending a sample is best. Otherwise, it will make your job tougher, trying to assemble the final stack. Have participants type their text inside text objects if you are planning to work with the text.
Distributing Stacks
Email: To speed delivery, first compress the stack. Not recommended over 500K due to transfer time. Also, some email servers place limits on the size of attachments.
FTP (file transer protocol): If you have access to a public FTP site, it is easier to uploadthe stack one time to the FTP directory. Then, anyone can download from it. Be sure to post the file size to alert everyone to download time. If you are including movies, it is best to place the stack and movie in a folder to make sure everything arrives together. Then compress and upload the folder.
Movies
Think twice unless your movie is REALLY special. The large size of movie files generally discourages most people from downloading. The exception is sound files which are very small and can be played as Quicktime movies.
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Sharing Stacks with PCs
--Coversion problems and some solutions--
Converting Old Mac stacks to Cross-Platform format
File Names and Stack Dimensions
Sounds
Graphics
HyperLogo
There are a few rules for making cross platform (Mac and PC compatible) stacks. Fortunately, HyperStudio will point out some of the conflicts for you to resolve in creating cross-platform stacks. If you're thinking of sharing your old Mac HyperStudio version 1 or 2 stacks, there are some restrictions.
Converting Old Mac stacks to Cross-Platform format
The newest version of HyperStudio for Mac is 3.0. Only this version can be shared with PCs. To convert an old stack, simply open it in HyperStudio 3.0, or with the HyperStudio Player and it will automatically be converted. If you want to keep your original stack in its original format, be sure to change the file name before saving it. If you don't save the old version, HyperStudio 1 or 2 will not be able to open it!
File Names and Stack Dimensions
Extensions: Mac HyperStudio does not use an extension (".xxx") at the end of the file name to recognize a file. PCs do. In order for a PC to recognize a HyperStudio file, it must have the extension name ".stk". If a PC user adds that extension to a downloaded Mac file, HyperStudio should recognize the stack.
File: Windows 3.1 and earlier files could have only 8 characters preceding the extension. Name your Mac file accordingly. For Windows 95, there is no character limit.
Stack Dimensions: Windows stacks must be in lengths and widths that are evenly divisible by 16. Also, be careful of the fonts you use--substitutions will be made if they are not cross-platform.
Sounds in Ver. 1 and 2 stacks
Macs and PCs use different sound file formats. The Mac sound files, including any system sounds, you used in your old HyperStudio stacks will not be recognized by a PC. Your stack will be usable, but only as a "book", with no sounds or action. The PC will ignore some sounds. For other sounds, including those from the ver. 1 and 2 sound library, the PC will keep asking you to locate the sounds when you click the button. Since HyperStudio 1.0 and 2.0 for Mac cannot use WAV sound files you must either have a "silent" stack or upgrade your stack using HyperStudio 3.0 and WAV sound files.
Hyperstudio now recognizes the cross-platform MOD sound file for music. HyperStudio for Mac plays midi music files as Quicktime movies. However, Quicktime is only for Macs.
HyperStudio Player 3.0 for Macintosh recognizes Mac sound files, the cross-platform AIFF and PC WAV format sound files. HyperStudio Player 1.0 for Windows recognizes WAV sound files, but not Macintosh sounds. Mac users must use WAV files to make their stacks with sounds work cross-platform. You can convert your sounds to WAV format on a Mac withSndConverter Pro 2.3Ä, which will also convert to the cross-platform AIFF format, or Brian's Sound Tool, available at the Shareware Music Machine site. These programs also convert WAV to a Mac sound.
Graphics
There is no problem with Mac graphic file in a stack. HyperStudio 1.0 for Windows recognizes Mac graphic files placed in a stack as well as GIF and JPEG file formats. HyperStudio 3.0 for Mac also recognizes GIF and JPEG graphic files. Earlier Mac versions do not.
HyperLogo
Special HyperLogo scripts may not transfer from Macs to Windows. When scripting "save stack" information to files along directory paths, Macs and Windows do so differently.
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The Project Planner
Save NickNacks Planner as a text file and use it to design your collaborative project. The planner guides you throught the steps to developing a successful project.
All About Video GamesCreating with HyperStudio
A second grader researched how video games were made and demonstrated what he learned by making his own multimedia game with HyperStudio. His game can be downloaded from an FTP directory and his research seen on the WWW.
Journey to Jupiter.Demonstrating Understanding with HyperStudio
A fifth grader participating in NASA's Online to Jupiter Project made a Hyperstudio stack about what she learned. Her stack was posted for downloading in a public FTP directory. Download project(281K)
Signs of Spring Collaborating with HyperStudio
Grade 1 and 2 students across the USA shared observations of Spring's arrival in a weekly HyperStudio magazine of their art and stories. Their art was posted on the WWW and a sample of the stacks they shared was made available for FTP download. Download project
Voting with HyperStudio
Multi-disciplinary project using a HyperStudio stack for presidential voting. The WeVote stacks for Mac and Windows were modified from an original by Bill Lynn, author of the Exploring HyperLogo. Download Mac version
