This text contains some tips to customize Tangram files. If you need general instructions for Tangram, refer to Help menu within the application. You can skip last 2 sections in this text without loosing any features of Tangram.
*More keyboard shortcut
1. Hold down shift key when select 'Reset' or 'Give up' to see animated movement.
2. During animation, click with control key down to stop animation after complete movement.
3. Click 'Next' button with shift or caps lock down to select pieces in reversed order.
4. 'esc' or 'clear' key for 'Reset'.
5. When animation, press option for smooth movement.
6. In editor, while working on the puzzle area, press option - up or down arrow to adjust size of pieces.
7. 'Reset' with control key down or 'piece outline' on will move to the initial position which does not need to flip to match.
8. Select 'Pick...' with option key down to see big puzzles. (Registered version)
9. In editor, click on the puzzle numer and type in new puzzle number and hit enter key to move directly to that puzzle.
*Difficulty setting
Some of puzzles are very difficult. Children, especially younger children might be frustrated when they can't find a clue. On the other hand, impatient users may peek solution before they try to solve the puzzle. Here are some examples how to set the difficulty by choosing proper preferences.
-very very easy: Piece outline=on, Start position=direction
Please note that new preference setting is effective from next puzzle. Save button also saves currently open file path. Try and experiment proper preferences for your own need.
*Customizing picture background (Hackers only)
You should know how to use ResEdit program to customize background and puzzle files. As other resource editing programs, ResEdit may damage files and disks unexpectedly or if not used properly. Please always make a backup copy before using ResEdit.
Use the tips described here at your own risk. But you are welcome to send questions or comments to the author. Some tips might not be avaiable in earlier versions.
Please do not distribute modified version of Tangram application. You may not sell or distribute Tangram files for profit without author's permission.
Now you can create or modify and use background picture files with up to 15 background pictures. Here is the way to create background picture files.
1. Select and copy 404 by 322 picture from any drawing or painting program.
2. Launch ResEdit program and open a Tangram background picture file or create new file. (creator=Tan3, file type=TanP)
3. Paste picture.
4. Renumber the PICT resource ID numbers in ascending order from 128.
5. Set the name of the PICT resource if you want to. If you leave the resource name blank, Tangram will recognize as 'Picture <number>'.
6. Open STR ID 1002 resource.
7. Type in total number of picture.
8. Save and quit ResEdit.
9. Launch Tangram, open the background file and select pictures by name under background menu.
Note:
1.If you think the background picture too good to enjoy by yourself, please send it to the author or distribute as a separate picture file with your own note. Please do not modify the original application and files.
2. If the number of picture exceed 15 or PICT resource ID number skips, Tangram may crash.
3. A picture with a few colors is recommended because too many colors may make the pieces hard to be seen.
*Puzzle file with faster Pick (Hackers only)
You may noticed that it takes some time to display all the miniature puzzles when you select 'Pick...' while working on a puzzle file you made. This may be inconvenient when you are working on slower machines.
You can display all the puzzles at once by adding a picture resource to a puzzle file.
1. Launch Tangram and open a puzzle file.
2. Select 'Pick...' menu item and wait until all the puzzles are displayed.
3. Capture the screen image by pressing shift-command-3 or using other screen capture DA or F-key.
4. Quit Tangram and open the captured picture file.
5. Select only picture of puzzles without extra space and copy picture.
6. Launch ResEdit and open the puzzle file.
7. Paste picture and set the PICT ID to 128.
8. Open PROB ID 1 resource. If the size of PROB 1 is 76, add 0001 at the end of hexnumbers. If the size is 46, add 31 zeros and 1 at the end of hexnumbers. The size of PROB 1 will be 78.
9. Save and quit ResEdit.
10. Send the intersting puzzle file to the author.(optional)
11. Your puzzle file will lose the PICT resource, if you modify it using Tangram editor.
