Course Builder Terminology

Animation Library - Storage area for Sprites in a Graphic Design Output. Accessible from the View of a Design Output State

Animation Window- This window overlays a Design Window and contains the tools to develop frame-based animation sequences.

Author - The person who designs and creates courseware using Course Builder. 

Authoring Mode - The environment in which courseware is created using the Course Builder authoring program. 

Bookmark File - a file which can be created by Course Builder if course execution is stopped before the course complete.

Bridging- Transfer of course flow or execution to another State, Course Document, or external application.
Conditional Routing - Routing based on values of variables defined in the Condition Setup Dialog.

Course Map- This term refers to the area where the course flow chart is created.  It contains a visual representation of the sequencing and organization within a Course Builder course.  The Course Map displayed when a new course is opened is referred to as the top-level Course Map.

Courseware Document- a Course that is usually bridged to by a Courseware Application.  Courseware Documents cannot be opened without the Course Builder program.

Courseware Application - A file which when double-clicked begins running the Course Builder course it contains.  Course Builder allows you to save any of your work as a stand-alone Courseware Application.

Design Window - Provides a development environment for graphic background displays.  Text and object graphics are supported in the draw layer.  Pixel graphics capabilities can also be accessed with the paint tools.

Entrance - Located at the top center of a State, this is the termination point of a Route and is the point at which execution of a State is begun.

Exit - Located along the bottom of a State, they represent the point of departure from a State.  The Exit taken is determined by the evaluation of the information processed within the State.  Multiple Routes can originate from a single Exit.

Flow- Flow refers to the pattern of progression throughout the Course.  Routes, both conditional and unconditional, are the basic method of controlling flow. 

Group- The Group State provides a hierarchical method for organization of information within a course.  Special flow options of certain Group States can be selected which allow random questions or presentation of a user selectable list for execution.

Information Center - This contains Dialogs for entering the State name, type, and other attributes depending on the type of State. 
Input State - Those States that deal with acquiring information or action from the user. 

Output State - Those States that deal with presenting information to the user in the form of graphics, text, animation, sound, etc.

Report File- A Report File is generated when a Courseware Application that has been set up to create a performance report is run.

Routes - Routes begin at Exits and terminated at Entrances of States.  Routes can designate the sequence of execution for the States. 

Runtime - Runtime is the course as the student/user will view it, as opposed to the authoring environment used in development.  The runtime of a course can be viewed at any time by choosing Run from the Course menu.

Sprite - A collection of graphic objects that is stored in the Animation Library.  This graphic is moved through keyframes in the Animation Window.

Sprite Pose - Different positions of single sprite (like a walking figure).

State - A single rectangular block on the Course Map that performs a designated function. During authoring mode, the State is selected from a tool palette to perform a specific function when course flow is directed through it.  During runtime, the State carries out the data that was prepared in the authoring mode.

State View - The View is the lower two-thirds of the State and contains information which will be shown at runtime of the course.

User Variables- Text or numeric variables created by the author to hold information throughout the execution of a course.
User/Student - The end user of the courseware created with Course Builder.

Variable - An item with a value which will change throughout the course depending on user action. Variable values are often used to make branching decisions during runtime of the course.

Variable Substitution - Designated text in the course which will be replaced with the value of a variable when the course is run.