Quick Start: Using the PenPad and InSync Software

Introduction

The PenPad or TouchPad is a device for interacting with software being presented to a classroom or meeting. Much like a Smart Board, it can be used to annotate and superimpose notes and markup over other programs or it can be used as a whiteboard/drawing pad. Multiple pads can be used together to facilitate collaboration.

A “pen” device works with the pad to draw, write, and perform mouse functions (you can use the pen or mouse interchangeably; the pen emulates mouse clicks by tapping it on the pad or pressing the side button). Wireless Bluetooth connections allow the user to move about the room while operating the pad and the computer with which it is interacting.

The PenPads are installed along with two pieces of software:

InSync Live(primary focus of this document)

For annotating over live software programs. Typical uses include making notes on the screen while using any software program or on a running PowerPoint slide show.

InSync Live will allow you to toggle between running the program and using that program’s normal controls (e.g., Next Slide, Insert, typing text into a document with the keyboard) or using InSync to make notes on the screen, like one transparency on top of another on an Overhead projector.

InSync Notes(see “About InSync Notes” on page 5 of this document)

Creates simple “note card” slides for presentation (JPG format) which themselves can be annotated while being presented. Images produced can be inserted into Office and other documents.

InSync will allow you to record your notations and demonstrations and export them to a variety of video formats. Audio recording is an option.

Setup

After the required installation program is run on your computer, the PenPad can be connected to your computer in either of two ways:

Via USB cable

Via Bluetooth transceiver

Starting InSync Live

After connecting the PenPad, launch InSync Live by double-clicking its icon on the desktop or selecting from the Start menu.

The InSync Live Toolbar

(Using the InSync Toolbarfollows on page 3; see page 5 for InSync Notes information)

Major Sections of the Toolbar:

PowerPoint & Drawing Board Functions

Annotation Tools

Recording Tools

Using the InSync Live Toolbar

The InSync Live toolbar sits above the regular Windows toolbar and is made up of three main sections plus some control tools for managing the program and the layout of the toolbar itself.

Major Sections/Control Tools

  • A Start button at the far left includes setup-type functions and export tools
  • A Customize button at the far right allows users to set preferences and layout of the toolbar
  • A “PC Pen” button will hide the Windows Taskbar (to provide more desktop area to work with)
  • A “Pinup” button will hide the InSync Taskbar (move the pointer off screen below the Windows Taskbar to reveal the InSync Taskbar; click the Pinup button again to return the InSync Taskbar to its normal location)
  • Exit the program using either the InSync Start button to the right or the Exit button (blue square) to the right

PowerPoint and Drawing Board Functions

  • Used when annotating over a PowerPoint slide show
  • With a PPT slide presentation running, allows advancing the slides and clearing the annotation without closing the overlay
  • Can switch to a white board (or black board) then return to the PowerPoint show
  • Can capture a drawing and export it as an image file

Annotation Tools

  • Drawing tools are Pencil (thin, sharp stroke),brush (wider, softer stroke) and drawing objects (straight line, rectangle, ellipse)
  • Drawing tool characteristics can be changed by clicking icons for color and line weight. The selection of available colors is customizable from Start>System Setup.
  • Two Erase tools: Click Erase All to delete all marking on the screen. Click the other tool to target specific markings (just touch the eraser to the marking anywhere—you don’t have to “rub out” the whole stroke)
  • Undo and Redo deletes or repeats the last action

Recording Tools

  • (See Recording, Exporting and Saving below)

Recording, Exporting and Saving

Whatever you do with the PenPad (with or without another program running) can be saved in one form or another.

Record your actions and an audio track

Note: The PenPad does not have a microphone built in. You must connect a microphone to your computer.

  1. To capture audio along with the video, open the
  2. InSync Start menu and choose Record Sound.
  3. Launch the application program (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) that you wish to annotate.
  4. Click the Record button.
  5. The record button will change to a pause button.
  6. Pausing will change it back to a record button.
  7. You can click Pause & Record repeatedly. Each time you click Record adds to the same recording.
  8. You can make annotations while paused (it may look like a jump cut during playback)
  9. Click the Save icon to end the recording and save it to a local disk
  10. A Save As dialog window will appear
  11. Choose a storage drive location and a file name
  12. The file format is AVI
  13. Click the Edit button to Playback or to Edit your recording.
  14. Editing is limited in InSync largely to start and stop points. The saved file may be edited in other common video programs like Pinnacle Studio.

Exporting from InSync Live

Export to a separate image file (.gif, .bmp, jpg, etc.)

This can be done either when annotating whatever program you have open (Office or other application) or when using the InSync whiteboard/blackboard.

  1. After marking up a page in the active document or application, click the InSync Start menu.
  2. Choose Export Image from the Start menu
  3. Choose a file format in the Save As dialogue window.
  4. Choose a filename and location
  5. The image will include a capture of the application being used in the background and your annotation in the foreground
  6. The saved image file can be inserted into any project that accepts the format you chose.
  7. Note that image files created this way will be larger (in terms of file size) than would be the case with many other graphics programs. You may wish to optimize the image in another program like Fireworks before inserting it into a document where file size is an issue.

Export image captures directly to an Office document

This is done only while annotating an open Office document, such as a Word or PowerPoint file. It is a way of saving your annotation into the original slide show or Word document.

  1. After marking up a page in the document, click the Insert Into Office icon.
  2. The annotation on the current page will be captured as one image and will be pasted onto the current page of the original slide show.
  3. This image can then be altered in size (using standard image handles to drag the dimensions) or moved to other places in the active document.
  4. This image can be deleted at any time in order to restore the original page to its pre-annotated condition.

About InSync Notes

InSync Notes is very similar to InSync Live’s Whiteboard/blackboard function with these exceptions and additional features:

  • Open InSync Notes by clicking its icon or selecting from the Start menu.
  • A series of whiteboard screens may be strung together to create a slide show.
  • Click the Index icon to view all slides in a sidebar.
  • Click the New Notes icon to create additional slides.
  • Text may be keyed into the whiteboard by clicking the Text icon and typing in the text box that appears
  • A library of drawing objects (arrows and icons) is available for insertion into slides
  • Click the Insert Picture icon to access the library.
  • Annotations, objects and text boxes may be repositioned on the slide using the Rove tool to grab and drag.
  • Start Menu>Set Background allows users to insert a picture from the built-in library over which you can annotate. The library includes a variety of images like musical staffs (write in your own musical notation) and a basketball court (diagram plays).

Flash Tutorials

These animated tutorials show in some depth how to use the individual InSync tools.

Intro:

Library of tool tutorials:

Using the PenPad.docPage 1 of 6Foster, Nov. 26, 2007