XStream Software Launches RapidBuilder® v4.1 Deluxe
Latest release of simulation/courseware authoring tool includes additional screen selection options when recording full-motion interactive screencasts.
OTTAWA, Canada, October 25, 2006 - XStream Software Inc., a leading developer of advanced software technologies for e-learning, content & assessment authoring, streaming media, learning management, and web-based communication/collaboration technologies, has released RapidBuilder v4.1 Deluxe, the newest version of its popular, interactive software simulation, courseware, and documentation authoring technology. This version provides several highly anticipated enhancements to the desktop capturing options and object property customizations available within the technology.
New features available in RapidBuilder v4.1 Deluxe include the following:
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New Options for Capturing Selected Screen Areas – There are new options available to the developer when selecting an area of the desktop screen to be captured. The coordinates (X1, Y1, X2, and Y2) of the selected screen area can be specified, or the height and width of the selected screen area can be specified (which is useful if the developer needs to specify the exact dimensions of the recorded simulation so that it can be precisely fitted into a particular playback window). Alternatively, for more precise selection, the developer can directly select an area of the actual desktop/application to be captured. Prior to recording, an adjustable selector box can be placed over the live desktop and repositioned/resized as desired. The area of the screen within the boundaries of the selector box will be captured. In addition to selecting the screen area prior to recording, the developer also has the option to dynamically adjust the location and size of the selected screen area during the actual recording session.
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Paragraph Validation Enhancements – RapidBuilder’s support for paragraph validation (based on keyword analysis of multi-sentence paragraphs typed in text-entry fields) has been enhanced with several new features. When specifying the list of keywords (and associated synonyms or related words) that must be included in the typed paragraph, the developer may now also specify a list of excluded words, which are single-word or multi-word text strings that cannot be included in the typed paragraph. In addition, the developer may also incorporate wildcard characters and spaces within the keywords, associated words, and excluded words that are specified.
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Customizable Events for Recorded Mouse Clicks – Recorded mouse click objects (hot spots) can now be configured to initiate a variety of different events, including playing audio clips, displaying pop-up text messages, linking to a specified frame/screen within the file, launching an external course or assessment file, or exiting playback of the current file.
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Multiple Trigger Actions for Hide/Show Events – The developer may now configure multiple trigger actions on a single source object in order to initiate different hide/show events (depending on the type of action that is performed on the source object).
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Set Functionality of Slider Control Object – The functionality of RapidBuilder’s Slider Control object can now be customized. The Slider Control object can be set to function either as both a progress indicator bar and a navigation tool (in which the user clicks and drags the slider node to rewind or fast forward through the file) or only as a progress indicator bar (without the ability to manually navigate through the file by clicking and dragging the slider node).
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Combo Box Validation Message – RapidBuilder’s Combo Box object now includes a facility for specifying a validation text message, which will be displayed in the event that the end user selects the correct item (or combination of items) from the combo box list during playback.
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Chroma Key for Hyperlink Button Images – The developer may now specify a chroma key for any Normal, Clicked, or Hover image added to a Hyperlink button object. A chroma key is the removal of a color from an image to reveal the area behind it (i.e., the removed color becomes transparent). Thus the developer may set any designated color within a Hyperlink image as transparent (allowing all or part of the area behind the loaded image to be visible).
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Enlarged Drop-Down Lists in Properties Window – The item drop-down lists used in the Properties windows have been enlarged to display up to 10 items/values in a single instance.
"RapidBuilder’s unique simulation capturing engine and feature-rich authoring capabilities have earned it a solid reputation among subject matter experts (SMEs), content developers, instructional designers, and others in the e-learning field," says Sunil K. Sethi , XStream Software's President and CEO. "This latest release is part of XStream’s continuing commitment to ensure that RapidBuilder delivers the very latest innovations in e-learning content development."
"One of RapidBuilder’s key attributes has always been its powerful continuous capturing capability, which enables users to fully record all live screen activity, motions, and interactions and then instantly generate the recording as a ready-made, interactive software simulation," adds Dr. Johnson Kuruvila, XStream Software's Vice President of Research & Development . "This latest version enhances that capability even more by incorporating new screen selection options that users have been requesting enthusiastically, including the ability to change the selected screen area on the fly as the recording is taking place."
About XStream Software
XStream Software Inc., a 6x brandon-hall.com award winner and a winner of several other prestigious awards, is an ISO-certified software/hardware development, services and sales organization. The company specializes in the research, design, development, marketing, sales and distribution of world class knowledge transfer (KT) products and services, which encompass (but are not limited to) e-Learning, multimedia content authoring, communication and collaboration, learning management, content and media management, and advanced sharing and exchange infrastructure. Related professional services offered by XStream include instructional design, content development, training delivery (both instructor led and web-based), systems implementation, mentoring and facilitation, and more. In addition, XStream offers technology transfer (TT) and design services encompassing blended sourcing services in the areas of research, design, development and implementation of custom hardware/software and embedded systems technologies. XStream has a base of 2,500+ corporate clients that use its products and services in small, mid-size, and large implementations spanning such industry domains as finance, banking and insurance, manufacturing, high technology, government and the military, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, utilities, retail and food services, as well as professional associations in multiple sectors.
To learn more, please visit www.xstreamsoftware.com , or call 613-731-9443, or send an e-mail to info@xstreamsoftware.com.
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