Tessellation HyperCard Tips

HyperCard is a Macintosh program that is good to use with students because it is so open-ended. With a few preliminary reminders, it will be quite easy to complete the directions given on the HyperCard & Tessellation pages.

If you are already familiar with HyperCard, you may wish to go on without reading further.

HyperCard & Tessellations || ...with Rotations || ...with Reflections

The following directions are not intended to be a complete guide for HyperCard, but reminders to use with a class where the primary objective is to use the tools of HyperCard to tessellate.

1. Open HyperCard.
2. Make a new stack. Name it "tess".
3. Drag the toolbox down so that it is accessible (on the card).
4. Double click on the rectangle tool [which will select draw filled].
5. Holding the shift key with one hand, draw a square [preferably black].
6. Select the lasso.
... the remainder of the directions are on the HyperCard & Tessellations pages.

How to open a new stack.

After opening HyperCard, go to "file", select "new stack".
A window will appear on the screen with a place to type in a file name.
Type an appropriate name - for example, "Tess".
Press return.
A blank white card will appear on the screen.
You have made a new stack which contains one card.

Check the version of HyperCard that you have!
If your software is labeled "HyperCard Player" you have a limited version of HyperCard. You will need to purchase a full version of HyperCard in order to have use of the tools.
If your software is labeled "HyperCard" but there are no paint tools in your menu, probably all you need to do is set the userlevel higher.

Setting Userlevel - Method #1 [short term correction]
- push the "command" key and "m"
- a message box will appear
- type the following: set userlevel to 5
- push return
- the menu bar should now include the "tools".

Setting Userlevel - Method #2 [long term correction]
- open HyperCard
- the "Home" stack should be the stack that opens.
- go to the last card in the stack [push the left arrow key one time]
- push the "command" key and "m"
- a message box will appear
- type the following: magic
- push return
- you should see all 5 userlevels
- slide the arrow marker up to the top
- 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 should be black
- the menu bar should now include the "tools".

Tools in the first column

1. Browse tool
2. Marching ants (for copy/paste)
3. Paint brush
4. Spray paint
5. Paint bucket (to fill a shape with pattern)
6. Font tool (to paint text on the card)

Tools in the second column

7. Button tool (to make/edit buttons
8. Lasso (for copy/paste)
9. Eraser
10. Rectangle Tool
11. Oval Tool
12. Polygon Tool

Tools in the third column

13. Field tool (to make/edit fields)
14. Pencil
15. Line tool
16. Rounded rectangle tool
17. Curving line tool
18. Continuous line tool

Hint: When you use the tools, click on the word "Tools" in the menubar, and drag the toolbox down onto the screen. The toolbox should be visible without having to go to the menubar each time.

Paint Brush Styles

To select a different style for the paint brush, double click on the "paint brush" in the toolbox. The following menu will appear. Select the style by clicking on it.

Patterns

Click on "patterns" in the menubar
and drag the patternbox down onto
the screen. If the black pattern is selected,
the paint brush will draw in black.

Line Widths

To select a different width for the line, double click on the "line" in the toolbox. The following menu will appear:

Select the style by clicking on it.

Polygon Tool

To select a different polygon, double click on the "polygon" in the toolbox. The following menu will appear:

Select the style by clicking on it.

How to draw a square.
- select the rectangle tool
- hold the "shift " key and draw
- you will notice that with the shift key pressed you cannot make a rectangle, only a square.

How to use the lasso.
- select the lasso tool.
- move the mouse so that the lasso is positioned at the beginning of what you would like to move
- click and with the mouse pressed down, move through the area of selection.
- once you have completed the loop, release. [be careful not to click!]
- the area selected will be blinking

How to make a new card.
- go to "Edit" in the menubar.
- select "new card" and release.
- to go easily between different cards in a stack, just use the right or left arrow keys on the keyboard.

How to print. - select the browse tool [VERY important]
- go to "File" in the menubar.
- select "print card" if you would just like to print the one card.
OR
- select "print stack" if you would like to print all of the cards in the stack.