Nodes

All about Nodes (aka pages)

Overview

Nodes are like pages within your Map. You move from Node to Node via Links and, of course, you can move around within a page. But all of the objects in a Node are presented on the same page.

You can make your Node very simple…

…or it can be quite complex, scrolling down for some way and including many different types of objects. You can insert Objects directly - simply use the Object Picker to select your object and find its shortcode; or you can directly type the shortcodes pointing into the text.

When the map is played, the shortcodes are turned into rich objects…

Node Attributes

The map author can assign certain attributes to a Node. Some of these are active during play; some are to help with design and authoring.

Root Node

In the Designer, a yellow star next to the node title shows that it is a root node.

During player mode, the map can be started at any Root Node. Normally, there is only one per map.

End Node

During player mode, the map can be completed at an End Node. This may or may not be a successful completion, depending on the author’s design.

Must Visit

During player mode, the user should visit this Node. This is not enforced but an internal flag is set - this can trigger other actions. The user does not know at the time, unless the author has set some sort of alert or message.

Must Avoid

During player mode, the user should not visit this Node. This is not enforced but an internal flag is set - this can trigger other actions. The user does not know at the time, unless the author has set some sort of alert or message.

Visit Once

During player mode, the user can only visit this Node once. This is enforced by the OLab player, with a few exceptions. Once the user has visited, other Links pointing to this Node are no longer visible.

Check out this example to see this in action.

Node color

During design mode, the author can set the color of a Node in the Map Designer. This has no effect during player mode - it does not change the background color of the Node, for example.

The colors are simply to help the author remember what certain sets of Nodes are for. The choice of colors is arbitrary for the author.

Node position

During design mode, the author can set the position of a Node in the Map Designer. This has no effect during player mode. The order in which the user can move from Node to Node during player mode is only set by the Link directions. It has been customary to move downwards and towards the right when laying out the map’s design. But this is entirely up to the author. It is easier to follow another author’s learning designs when the paths follow common conventions but the OLab player does not care -- it only cares about Link direction.

**insert two maps that are the same, one that is organized, one that is messy

**insert info about Sections and Ordered Links when that is available in the Designer.

Node size

During design mode, the author can set the size of a Node in the Map Designer by dragging the panel corner. This has no effect during player mode. It simply allows the author to see more or less of the Node’s contents during design mode.

Node locked

During design mode, the author can lock a Node in the Map Designer by clicking on the padlock in the Node title bar. This has no effect during player mode. It simply prevents the author from changing the Node in the Map Designer. This has several uses.

It does not prevent the author from changing the Node when using the Advanced Node Editor. It is not a security measure. It is simply a reminder to the author that the Node is fixed for some reason.