This section gives an overview of the tools and functions available in ActivInspire's toolboxes and toolbars:
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For full details of the tools and functions provided in ActivInspire, see Reference > Tools. For a summary of the tools and functions available in each menu and popup menu in ActivInspire, see Reference > Menus and Popup Menus. You can customize the Main Toolbox and Object Edit Toolbar to contain any combination of tools to suit your needs. For details, see Choosing your tools. |
The Main Toolbox contains the following tools and menu items by default.
Tool/Menu item |
Studio |
Primary |
Description |
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Main Menu |
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Opens the Main Menu. This gives you access to the same menus as the Menubar. |
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Switch Profile |
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Opens a popup box showing the available profiles, to quickly switch from one profile to another. |
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Desktop Annotate |
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Makes your computer's live desktop the background of your flipchart page. Lets you annotate the desktop and interact with other applications. |
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Desktop Tools |
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Minimizes ActivInspire and launches the Desktop Tools. |
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Previous Page |
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Displays the previous flipchart page.
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Next Page |
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Displays the next flipchart page. Adds a new flipchart page, if you click it on the last page of a flipchart. |
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Start/Stop Flipchart Vote |
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Opens the 'Voting Summary' Box. Only enabled (green) if the current page contains a prepared voting question.
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Using Learner Response Systems > Prepared questions -Using the Question Wizard |
Express Poll |
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Lets you ask your students a quick question and display voting results instantly. |
Using Learner Response Systems > Quick question and ExpressPoll |
Color Palette |
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see Pen Tray |
In ActivInspire Studio, lets you select the color of text, highlighter, lines and shapes, filling objects, etc. To select a color not included in the Color Palette, right-click on the color you want to change and select a color, or create your own custom color. |
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Width Selectors |
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see Pen Tray |
In ActivInspire Studio, lets you select a different size for your Eraser, Highlight or Pen. To change the size, ensure the tool is selected, then do one of the following:
You can change the outline width of annotations, lines and shapes just by selecting the object and clicking on a pen width. |
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Select |
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Lets you select and interact with objects on the flipchart page. |
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Tools |
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Opens the Tools Menu. |
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Pen |
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Writes or draws on your flipchart. In ActivInspire Primary, it also opens the Pen Tray at the bottom of the ActivInspire window. |
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Highlighter |
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see Pen Tray |
Emphasizes areas of your flipchart with translucent color. |
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Eraser |
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see Pen Tray |
Permanently erases Pen, Highlight and Magic Ink annotations from your flipchart. |
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Fill |
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Fills a selected object or page with color. In ActivInspire Primary, it also opens the Fill Tray at the bottom of the ActivInspire window. |
First steps with ActivInspire > Adding and manipulating shapes |
Shape |
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Opens the Shapes Menu, to let you select a shape, then draw it. |
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Connector |
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Connects objects or shapes with a Connector line. |
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Insert Media From File |
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Opens a Dialog Box from which you can browse to, select and insert graphics, videos or other files into the flipchart page. |
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Text |
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Adds text you type at your computer keyboard. |
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Resource Browser |
not applicable |
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Opens the Resource Browser. |
A tour of ActivInspire > Exploring ActivInspire Primary > Resource Browser |
Page Browser |
not applicable |
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Opens the Page Browser. |
A tour of ActivInspire > Exploring ActivInspire Primary > Page Browser |
Clear |
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Deletes items from the current page: |
First steps with ActivInspire > Deleting stuff
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Annotations
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Deletes anything drawn with the Pen, Highlight or Magic Ink. |
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Objects |
Deletes all images, shapes and text. |
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Grid |
Deletes any grid. |
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Background
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Deletes any background. |
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Page |
Deletes all objects from the current page. |
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Reset Page |
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Resets the current page to the state it was in when it was last saved. For new, unsaved flipcharts, clears the current page. |
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Undo |
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Undoes or redoes your last action, for example, Fill. Click repeatedly to undo or redo as many actions as required. |
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Redo |
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Edit-user defined buttons |
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Visible when the Main Toolbox is not rolled in or rolled up. Opens the 'User defined buttons' Tab in the 'Edit Profiles' Dialog Box. You can assign properties to a button, for example to open a file or run a program. You can also add a tooltip to identify the button. |
In ActivInspire Primary, some tools that are available in the Main Toolbox in ActivInspire Studio, are instead provided in the Pen Tray, for easy access by smaller learners.
The Pen Tray opens, when you on click the Pen . The Pen Tray contains the following tools:
Tool |
Description |
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Highlighters |
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Three highlighters of different thicknesses. |
A tour of ActivInspire > Exploring ActivInspire Primary > Pen Tray |
Pens |
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Six pens of different thicknesses. |
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Erasers |
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Three erasers of different thicknesses. |
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Color |
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Along the bottom edge of the tray:
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The Fill Tray opens, when you on click the Fill Tool. It contains
A range of colors from which you can select the color for the Fill Tool.
Some blank color slots on which you can right-click to pick or mix your own color.
The Dual Fill Tray is identical to the Fill Tray, except for the tray color.
The Dual Pen Tray contains the same tools as the Pen Tray, except for the Erasers.
Desktop Tools are available in the form of a 'Wonderwheel' when you minimize ActivInspire. It contains tools that can be used over the desktop. Desktop Tools close automatically when you restore the ActivInspire window.
To move Desktop Tools, click in the center of the Wonderwheel and drag the tools to their new location.
Tool |
Studio |
Primary |
Description |
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Restore ActivInspire |
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Maximizes ActivInspire and closes the Desktop Tools. |
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ExpressPoll |
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Lets you ask your students a quick question and display voting results instantly. |
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Promethean Planet |
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Opens the Promethean Planet website in your web browser.
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On-Screen Keyboard |
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Lets you add typed text to your flipchart while at the board. |
Reference > Tools > On-screen Keyboard More about ActivInspire > Working at the board > Using the On-screen Keyboard |
Camera |
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Lets you take a snapshot from the screen, for example, a picture on a website or flipchart. |
More about ActivInspire > Working at the board > Using the Camera |
Tickertape |
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Lets you create messages that scroll continuously across the screen. |
Reference > Tools > Tickertape More about ActivInspire > Working at the board > Using Tickertapes |
Clock |
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Lets you choose an analog or digital clock. You can set the display, choose count down or count up as desired. |
More about ActivInspire > Working at the board > Using the Clock |
Screen Recorder |
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Lets you record the actions on a flipchart, desktop flipchart, the desktop, or another application, saving them to a file and play them back as an animation. |
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Sound Recorder |
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Lets you record sounds if you have the required hardware. |
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Calculator |
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Lets you do math calculations at the board. |
Reference > Tools > Calculator More about ActivInspire > Number tools for all occasions > Using the Calculator |
Dice Roller |
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Lets you roll up to five dice. |
Reference > Tools > Dice Roller More about ActivInspire > Number tools for all occasions > Using the Dice Roller |
The Format Toolbar opens by default, whenever you work with the Text Tool. You can also open the Format Toolbar from the Notes Browser.
For details, see First steps with ActivInspire > Adding and formatting text.
You can access the following functions from the Format Toolbar:
Function |
Studio |
Primary |
Description |
Fonts |
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Lets you select a font from the drop-down menu. |
Font Size |
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Lets you select a font size from the drop-down menu. |
Increase Font Size |
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Increases or decreases the font size by two points at a time. |
Decrease Font Size |
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Bold |
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Lets you add bold or italic text, or changes the selected text to bold or italic. |
Italic |
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Underline |
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Lets you underline text, or underlines the selected text. |
Superscript |
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Lets you add text in superscript or subscript, or changes the selected text to subscript or superscript. |
Subscript |
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Text Color |
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Lets you select a text color or background color from the olor Palette, or mix and match your own color. |
Background Color |
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Align Left |
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Aligns text left, centered, or right. |
Center |
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Align Right |
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Increase Line Spacing |
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Increases or decreases the space between selected lines of text. |
Decrease Line Spacing |
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Increase Indent |
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Increases or decreases the indentation of the selected text. |
Decrease Indent |
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Bullets |
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Lets you turn text into a bulleted list. |
On-Screen Keyboard |
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Displays the On-Screen Keyboard that lets you create typed text at he board. |
Select All |
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Selects all the text in the currently selected text object. |
Text Symbols |
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Lets you select symbols from a drop-down list.
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Tool |
Studio |
Primary |
Description |
Click To List Likert Scale |
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Displays 'Likert Scale' answering options in the 'Voting Summary' Box and sends them to ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Number Question |
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Displays 'Number entry' answering options in the 'Voting Summary' Box and sends them to ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Text Question |
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Displays 'Text entry' answering options in the 'Voting Summary' Box and sends them to ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Multiple Choice |
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Displays 'Multiple choice' answering options in the 'Voting Summary' Box and sends them to ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Sort in Order |
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Displays 'Sort in Order' answering options in the 'Voting Summary' Box and sends them to ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Yes/No - True/False |
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Displays 'Yes/No or True/False' answering options in the 'Voting Summary' Box and sends them to ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Actions |
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Device Registration |
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Opens the 'Device Registration' Dialog Box to let you begin registering ActiVote or ActivExpression devices or ActivEngage clients. |
Assign Students To Devices |
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Opens the 'Assign students to devices' Dialog Box to let you import student names from a database. |
Close |
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Closes the voting Wonderwheel. |
Target ActivExpression Devices |
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Sets the type of device from which votes will be accepted in the current voting session. |
Target ActiVote Devices |
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The Dual Toolbox appears in the bottom left of the ActivInspire window by default. You can pin or drag and drop the Dual Toolbox. You cannot add or remove tools from this toolbox.
The Dual Toolbox contains the following tools:
Tool/Menu item |
Studio |
Primary |
Description |
Color Palette
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see Pen Tray |
Click a colour to select the olor for the Pen, Highlighter, or Shape Tools. Right click to access the Extended Color Palette, or create a custom olor. |
Width selectors |
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see Pen Tray |
Use presets or slider to set pen width. |
Select |
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Lets you select and interact with objects on the flipchart page. |
Fill |
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Fills a selected object or page with olor. In ActivInspire Primary, it also opens the Dual Fill Tray at the bottom of the ActivInspire window. |
Pen |
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Writes or draws on your flipchart. In ActivInspire Primary, it also opens the Dual Pen Tray at the bottom of the ActivInspire window. |
Highlighter |
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see Pen Tray |
Emphasizes areas of your flipchart with translucent olor. In ActivInspire Primary, it also opens the Dual Fill Tray at the bottom of the ActivInspire window. |
Shape |
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Opens the Shapes Menu, to let you select a shape, then draw it. |
Connector |
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Connects objects or shapes with a Connector line. |
Handwriting Recognition |
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Turns annotations into text. |
Shape Recognition |
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Turns free-hand drawings into shapes. |