For users of previous versions of Master Spell. Here's a quick update on what's changed and what's new:
Registration
There are now two levels of registrationΓÇöStandard Edition and Classroom Edition. Those who register as students or regular have all restrictions removed except a 5-pupil limit in the Class Editor site licensed and world-wide licensed registered users have no set limitations.
The type of registration is reflected in the About box.
Pupils and Tests folders
All tests should be stored in the Tests folder inside the Master Spell folder. Any tests that you've created will now appear in the Test menu for quick loading.
All pupils should now be stored in the Pupils folder inside the Master Spell folder. All pupils will now appear in the new Pupil menu for quick loading. When a new pupil is created, you are no longer asked for a place to save the pupil. All new pupils are placed in the Pupils folder. Additionally, a class of pupils consists of all of the pupils in the Pupils folder when using the new Class Editor.
Both the Test and Pupil menu support dynamic updating without relaunching Master Spell.
If either of these folders are missing, Master Spell will recreate the missing folder(s).
Class Editor
The Editor menu has been changed to the Teacher menu and now contains a new item called "Edit Class…". The Class Editor will take a look at all of the pupils in the Pupils folder and allow changing of many of the settings for each pupil. Settings can be selectively applied to several pupils at once by clicking and dragging through the list of pupils. To select multiple non-contiguous pupils, hold down the Command key and click each pupil.
Note: There is a 5 pupil limit in the Class Editor unless a site license or world-wide license was purchased.
To create new pupils, just do it the same old way. If you will be setting all of the pupil passwords, you may also turn off the requirement for pupil passwords and set them all in the Class Editor then later turn the pupil password requirement on.
Tip: To allow the pupils to set their own passwords at login time, set the pupil's password to "password" in the Class Editor.
To delete pupils, remove the pupil files from the Pupils folder.
Two-tier Password System
To require either the Teacher password or Pupil passwords, select the appropriate items in the Preferences dialog which can be found in the Edit menu.
Master Spell will ask for an initial passwords when the requirement is set. The teacher password is the "Master Key" (heh heh) to all of the pupil files.
The teacher can always change the teacher password and can decide whether or not to allow the students to change their password all in the Preferences dialog.
Requiring the teacher password will by itself keep pupils out of the Preferences Dialog, the Test Editor and the Class Editor.
There is now an Unload Pupil item in the Pupil menu so that a pupil can log out and reprotect other students from seeing his/her history.
Passwords are case insensitive.
The teacher can reset any or all Pupil passwords so that the pupil is asked to provide the password when the pupil file is loaded. To do this, set the password for the pupil to ΓÇ£passwordΓÇ¥ from within the Class Editor.
Pupil Restrictions
All pupil restrictions can be set from within the Preferences dialog. This includes:
ΓÇó Disable New Pupil Creation
ΓÇó Lock Test Selection
ΓÇó Lock Number of Words
ΓÇó Lock Integrate Trouble Words
ΓÇó Disable History Clearing
ΓÇó Disable Pupil Password Chaning
Other Small Things
The Test Editor has been made easier to use when creating tests. I've added many more keyboard shortcuts.
If there are other features you would like to see to make Master Spell work better in your classroom or at home, you can always write me: jaylicht@kagi.com
