Wireless Presenter Remote to Advance Flip Charts for Mac

[erindwalker]

While I realize that the Activslate is the best tool for this job, but we can't afford them at this time. I also know that the Activote can be used to advance or reverse a flip chart, but we only have a few of them available. My question is this: Is there a Macintosh compatible wireless (RF or Bluetooth) remote that you can use to advance or reverse a flip chart slide? If so, which one works well?

We are using white MacBooks running Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) and Activstudio 3.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Erin Walker

[ELJ]

Not sure what you mean about the ActiVote moving a flipchart back and forth?
We have just launched a new product called ActivRemote that looks like an ActiVote and can be programmed to do any shortcut key in any program. Hope this helps...

[erindwalker]

This is generally what we are looking for. Do you have pricing on this new product?

[gkelley]

You may be able to program your included Apple remote using Applescript to advance pages in Studio.

[erindwalker]

I like this idea. If I open Activstudio 3 as a dictionary in AppleScript, I can see that in the active applications -> document -> pages there is a next page and previous page option to call. I then would have to have a program that extends the use of the Apple Remote so it will work with Activstudio 3. I would imagine you could get it to work, but it just seems like this is so much work for a simple option.

The other way around this would be to have Activstudio use the page left and right buttons instead of the <command> left and right page button to advance slides, this would bring it in line with the way that Powerpoint and Keynote work and allow the use of available presentation remotes. Does anyone know if it is possible to change the next page and previous page key commands in Activestudio 3?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[jepatton]

The other way around this would be to have Activstudio use the page left and right buttons instead of the <command> left and right page button to advance slides, this would bring it in line with the way that Powerpoint and Keynote work and allow the use of available presentation remotes. Does anyone know if it is possible to change the next page and previous page key commands in Activestudio 3?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

You can do this pretty easily on the Mac by adding some custom keyboard shortcuts for Activstudio. Here is how:
1. Go to System Preferences - Keyboard & Mouse (in the Hardware row).
2. Click on the Keyboard Shortcuts tab, and then click the "+" button to add a new keyboard shortcut.
3. In the "Application" drop down, try to find Activstudio Professional 3.6. It probably won't be there by default, so you'll have to scroll down to the bottom to get Other ... That will take you to your applications folder, where you can then select Activstudio.
4. In the Menu Title box, type Next Page (exactly as it appears in the menu), and place the cursor in the Keyboard shortcut box. Then hit the right arrow key (or whatever you want to use as the keyboard shortcut) and then hit Add.
5. Repeat step 4 for Previous Page and the left arrow.
When you start Activstudio, your new shortcuts should work. If you decide you don't like them, you can delete these shortcuts by going back to System Preferences, selecting them one at a time and hitting the "-" key.

You can create a keyboard shortcut for any command that appears on a menu. I've made several, including command-L for Lock, and command-E to take me back to the Marquee Select tool.

I hope this helps!

[erindwalker]

June,

Thanks for the help! This works like a charm if I am using the keyboard, but it didn't change anything with the wireless presenter that we are working with like I had hoped. The flipchart will still not advance with the next and previous buttons on the remote.

Thanks for the assistance!

Erin

[LisaD]

I recently read about this product called Activremote. It seems to be what you are looking for. It may only be available in the US. Here's the link:

http://www.prometheanworld.com/server.php?show=nav.16875

Lisa

[turnip57]

Hi,

Sorry to gatecrash but i can't work out how to start a new thread.

I'm a trainee teacher trying to get my head around Promethean. I downloaded the viewer yesterday and that's fine for looking at .flp files but I can't open .pxf files. Are these part of Promethean too? Is there a viewer I can download to view the files?

Any advice would be gratefully received. I'm pulling my hair out trying to plan lessons and need these files off the school scheme of work.

Many thanks,

Emma

[LisaD]

I've never heard of that file type. Where did you get that file?

Lisa

[turnip57]

Hi,

There's a folder of starter activities in the school's science scheme of work folder and they're all .pxf files. I know they've got Promethean IWBs and some of the files are flipcharts, so I'm assuming .pxf files are something to do with that? Not sure though.

Emma.

[jepatton]

June,

Thanks for the help! This works like a charm if I am using the keyboard, but it didn't change anything with the wireless presenter that we are working with like I had hoped. The flipchart will still not advance with the next and previous buttons on the remote.

Thanks for the assistance!

Erin

I'm glad it helped! I'm sorry that it doesn't solve your problem though. :( We have a remote at school, and I may try to play with it next week (We're on vacation this week.) I'll let you know if I find anything interesting.

[davidlloyd]

Emma
.pxf isn't a file extension I'm familiar with. It may be some other software that the school uses. You'll need to talk to them.

Regarding whiteboard skills are you aware of the free Foundation course on www.Prometheanlearning.com?

[kevhogg]

A quick google indicates that the filetype may either be embroidery software related or something to do with astronomy.

[Louise Chew]

pxf is a flipchart created in a different promethean software - px!
It will open in v3 just like a normal .flp file.