Adding a soundfile to keynote on an iPad

[pilgrimav8r]

Hi, I'm trying to add a 'click' sound to a presentation. It's a graphic of a piece of aviation navigation equipment with lots of individual buttons - I've created triggers for the sounds but I don't have a click sound (can I use the one that I can switch on/off on the iPad) ? When I go to the menu for importing a sound it only shows the foto directory.

Many thanks

 

[twerppoet]

Keynote for the iPad does not have the ability to add sound clips to actions. The only audio file you can add is a soundtrack for the entire presentation.

You can add links to text, shapes, and objects that will go to another slide, go to a website, or email; but there is no way to attache a sound to the action.

Adding media using the + button only allows for adding photos and videos, which must be in the Photos library to be accessible. I admit the music note part of the icon is misleading.

I have in the past added a sound track to an individual slide, by hocus-pocus. Basically it was a video that had only one unmoving picture, and a soundtrack. It was terribly inefficient. You could play the video by tapping on it, or by advancing the slide. There was no way to make it some kind of repeating sound/action button.


I could be wrong about this, but if I am the feature is well hidden and not mentioned in the help files. The word trigger does not show up in a search.

 

[pilgrimav8r]

Sorry if "trigger" confused matters 'object' perhaps was the word I was looking for. Basically using IPhoto and playing with individual pictures of all the buttons on the main picture, I've got identical (3d type) photos overlaid over and it looks very good. By touching individual button photos they look very much like they actually depress - Having seen the new audio file bit and went ooooooooh, I simply wanted to add a 'click' when touched, to give it a real feel (not that you could actually hear the real thing in the aircraft).

We have had this discussion before and I guess I'm asking too much of it. Pity though. I have in the past imported things from Keynote made on an Apple desktop machine and they worked, fonts, colours albeit I still think the basic colours are poor on the iPad version.

But thanks anyway.

 

[twerppoet]

No problem. Sorry I could not help more.

If you want interactive stuff you might need to step up from presentation software to a bit of programing. Chances are you can still show the results on a projector using AirPlay mirroring.

Both the Codea and Novo Card apps have the potential to do what you want, though there is considerably a higher learning curve involved, of course.

Novo Card is the less polished of the two apps, but it works more like a presentation app than Codea. Codea's strength is in physics modeling.

 

[pilgrimav8r]

Thx Twerppoet,

I just downloaded Codea and I'm very interested in what you said about some programming - can I ask where should I start? I don't want to read stuff that will just add another avenue to what I'm trying to achieve.



I'm trying to make items like this interactive. I have a thousand screenshots of what happens when the buttons are pressed. I've sat down this evening to watch the tutorials. I've gone as far as I can using keynote and just tapping the screen which works well but only in a presentation sequence.

I'm open to any suggestions.

Many thx

 

[twerppoet]

You know, I could have sworn I had a book an Lua, the programing language Codea is based on, but I can't find it. Maybe I only thought about buying it, but settled for the online stuff and what can be found in the app.

I'll just tell you what I remember doing. I'm not a professional programer, or even a very good amateur. The peak of my programing prowess was with the Commodore 64 and 128. Since then I've only dipped my toes into a few different environments (like Codea) done some (very) basic web page building.

I went through the first few chapters of the Lua manual to get familiar with how the language is put together. I can be found in the Getting Started section of the app, or here: The Programming Language Lua.

After that I opened a few of the sample apps and tried to figure out how they worked. When you pull up the keyboard to edit, there is an eye icon in the tool bar. Tapping this brings you to a help menu that give an overview of the commands, their types, and individual syntax descriptions. I made copies of the sample programs and began to tinker, to see how much I understood.

Eventually I took the plunge and started writing my own (simple) app, a pretty little line drawing thing I learned from a Vic 20 manual, and improved on through several other computers since. It's nothing like what you want to do. But, from what I've seen, Codea has all the tools you need to make your interactive device.

It will be a lot easier to learn Codea if you have a little programing back ground. If not, you may want to invest in the book suggested on the Lua site, as I believe it has introductory chapters on programing basics.


I was going to re-recommend Novo Card, as it's tools seem much more suited to your use, however I can not find any support for the app outside the developer's. I was hoping to find a site or two with shared stacks, so you could look over what it can do, and a community would help insure the app's future. As it is, I still think it would work well, but I don't know if it will continue to be around, and you are pretty much on your own learning how to use it.


The other option would be to go all out and learn to create iOS apps. You need a Mac, XCode, and eventually a paid developer account to put the app on your (or other's) device. The good news is that the app you are showing is pretty simple to implement in XCode. You can do most of it visually, laying out your buttons and display field, then linking them to actions.

Most of what you need is covered in the first few lessons of the Stanford iOS Programing Course on iTunes U. This link is for the upcoming spring course, so there are no videos yet. You can check out the earlier courses, but they will be for iOS 6, most likely.


There are probably other tools and apps out there that will do what you need, but these are the only options I am personally aware of.

 

[pilgrimav8r]

What a fabulous answer and sincerely I thank you for taking the time.

I've watched loads of lessons tonight on You Tube and there seems to be solution for most of what I see as problems ahead.

After such a good answer I think it's only fair to tell you my reasoning. When a professional pilot changes job, they possibly change aircraft type. Most Type Ratings nowadays consist of around 48 hours of simulation followed by not a great deal in the aircraft, even most tests are done in the sim! The idea is to get you to fly the aircraft and there is little time for Flight Management Systems (all similar) but very different! Sims @ several g's an hour, there is no time for simple button pushing so you just read and get better at it, hence my reason for trying to do it on an iPad.

Everybody seems to have one nowadays and we carry 2 attached to the aircraft I fly and they are superb albeit, the rules still say we carry the paper as well! But to be able to operate the FMS from lesson 1 would be a massive bonus. There are several more bits you could also apply the same reasoning too.

Again many thanks

 

[twerppoet]

It sounds like an interesting project. I hope it works.

Be sure to check the Codea Forums once you get started. A good place to ask questions, and see if any one else has been working on a similar app.

And if you don't mind, keep us up to date with how it goes.

 

[pilgrimav8r]

It's coming on a treat but there is lots to learn. Just to give you an idea, sounds buttons 64of all working and it's going to look like this.


Now I need a recommendation for a draw app, something like Coral draw, adobe illustrator etc.

 

[pilgrimav8r]

 

[twerppoet]

That's looking really good.

As for drawing app recommendations, Inkpad, maybe. I haven't really played with it, but it is vector based, will export as png, pdf, and svg, and comes well recommended in reviews. Pretty powerful for an iPad app.

I also have MiniDraw HD, which is ok for knocking out a quick SVG or PNG vector drawing.

Pretty much everything else I have is pixel based.


Hold in mind I'm no artist or designer. I just collect apps that sound cool in the vague hopes that someday I'll suddenly discover talent (and motivation). A plan that doesn't seem to be working very well.

 

[pilgrimav8r]

I am so surprised just how professional it works. I've a bit to go yet. The cursor/hook buttons are only there if requires as they are in the aircraft and easily turned off. Diagrammatic view of the manoeuvre only there to show students exactly what's they are programming. When it's time I'll give you access to it.

Many thanks again

 

[twerppoet]

That would be cool.

If you end up with something you think worth sharing with a wider audience, the support site talks about methods to publish your app to the App Store. You'd need a Mac, the XCode tools, and the paid ($99) developer account. It's something to think about.