FARID Help

Please click on the anchor points to obtain help on a particular subject.

Images:

There are a number of linked images available in this program. Clicking on areas of the image may take you to more detailed images, and information or question facilities may be available depending on which user mode is active.

Labels may appear over the images, or outlines of the main structures may be obtained.

Moving to a new Image

There are two ways of changing from the current image to another.

Firstly you may click the mouse on an area of interest on the current image which may present another image (if available).

Secondly you may click on the Map button to see a range of images available in that section of the dissection.

See Map above for a discussion of how elements in the map work.

Histology

Approximately 300 histology slides are available. If an histology image is to be shown a microscope icon appears at the top of the screen (instead of the dissecting scisors).

The histology slides are only labled generally. An approximate guide to the magnification of each image from the disc is given. These are inaccurate, as it only takes the lens magnification into account, but at least it provides an indication of scale.

To exit from a histology slide it is usually best to click the Go Back button, although you may also go to the Map.

Labeling

Labels appear in the top left corner of the screen as you move the mouse button over an image, as long as the current user mode is either Browsing or Browse & Test. Labels do not appear (and Information is not available) when Test is the active mode.

Labels also indicate (in Browsing and Browse & Test modes) the active places where you may click to change image.

Not all labeled images have more detailed images available to them, but further information may be obtained by typing an appropriate keyword after clicking on the Information button.

Help

Help is available wherever you see a ? symbol. Clicking on the ? will bring you directly to this help area.

Map

The Map allows you rapid access to any part of the dissection and any image in the dissection. When the Map button is highlighted on an image it illustrates that you have reached a card from which few (if any) escape links are available.

You may need to go to the map to select a new area or a new image. (See the Map section below for a more comprehensive discussion of the features of the map.)

Information:

Information: To locate a particular structure or to find out more information click on the Information button and type a word of interest or the name of a structure when prompted.

If your word is a structure and is present on the image a pointer will indicate the location of the structure and related textual information will appear if it is available.

If the structure you requested isn't visible on the current image only text will appear if text is available.

If an asterisk follows a word you may click on it to return more textual information.

The Information button always attempts to find some relevant information from the textual database but does not anticipate every request you may make.

You may enter three letter abbreviations for structure names. Every corresponding definition will be returned. Some common mis-spellings (and Americanisations) of structure names are supported by this program.

To search the keyword database for a string of characters, type the characters and then type an asterisk. To search ALL the text databases for a string of characters, type the string and type two asterisks. All corresponding definitions will be returned.

Questions

Questions: Self-testing may be undertaken by clicking on the Questions button. You are prompted to identify an organ or structure on the current image by a random series of textual questions.

To answer a question correctly you simply click the mouse on any part of the organ or structure on the image. For example the question Please click on the foot of the rat. may be answered by clicking on any one of the rats feet.

Having answered correctly you will be presented with another question until you complete all the questions associated with the image or until you Cancel the series.

Failing to identify the location of a structure results in a choice between attempting the question again or being shown the actual location by the pointer.

Your results are kept under the Certificate button.

Certificate

Clicking on the Certificate button shows a table of the results from your attempts at answering the questions.

The score is recorded as correct first attempts, correct second attempts and the number of cancelled questions.

A cancelled question is treated as an incorrect answer! (To print your results, hold down the Apple command key while depressing the P key on the keyboard. Ensure you are attached to a printer first!)

Click on the return arrow (or hit the return key on your keyboard) to go back to your most recent image.

Outline

Outline diagrammatically illustrates the boundaries of anatomical structures you may not be able to discern in an image.

Usual facilities will not be available when viewing an outlined image.

Click anywhere on the screen to return to the original image. While pointing to an outlined structure and clicking to return to the full image the structure becomes labeled on your return.

Go Back

You can click the Go Back button (backward facing arrow at the bottom of the tools) to retrace your steps through the image cards.

The Go Back button cannot take you to the Map.

HyperText

Words marked with an asterisk (*) in the information text box which appears after entering a supported keyword have additional information available.

Click on a marked word to reveal the associated information. (See Information for directions for getting additional information.)

Printing

To print any of the screens in The Rat Stack (if there isn't a Print button available), hold down the Apple Command Key and depress P on the keyboard. Ensure there is a printer attached first!

You may have to select your printer from the chooser under the Apple Menu. (To toggle the HyperCard menu bar on and off, depress the Apple Command key and the spacebar at the same time.)

For further information about printing, consult your HyperCard manuals or help stacks.

Map:

The Map allows rapid access to any part of the dissection and any image in the dissection.

When the Map button is highlighted in the menu palette on an image it illustrates that there are few (if any) escape links available. You may need to go to the map to select a new area or a new image.

The Map records your movements through the program and visually represents this by highlighting the icons of the images you have visited.

Headings of sections are highlighted when you have visited all the images available in that section.

How to get to the Map

To get into the Map, click on the Map button on the image screens, or choose Map from under The Rat Stack menu in the menu bar.

The map presents a summary of all the images available in the program.

Headings/Sections

Each heading (or section) in the map illustrates an area of the dissection.

Clicking on a textual heading reveals icons of the images that are available in that part of the dissection.

The headings of the sections become highlighted (in black) when you have visited all of the images available.

Acessing Histology Images

When you click on the Histology button in the map, it shows the histology images associated with the current section (for example, if you are in External Features when you click the Histology button, you are shown External Features - Histology images), and both headings will be indicated.

One section, Muscle & Bone, is exclusively based on histology images.

Thumbnail Icons

Thumbnail icons represent the images available in each section of the program. Clicking an icon at the bottom of the Map screen takes you directly to the image represented by the icon.

Icons become highlighted when you have visited that image in the dissection.

Highlighted icons behave in exactly the same way as non-highlighted icons.

Change Mode

Change Mode allows you to change the current user mode. Click the mouse down on the Change Mode button in the Map to show a pop-up menu listing two user modes, Browse & Test and Input Text.

Drag to the desired mode and release the mouse to make your selection. When you return to an image the new mode will be operating.

(For a discussion of the modes click on the name of one you wish to know about.)

Your new selection should be marked with a tick.

Home (quit this program)

Clicking on the House button takes you to the Home card of HyperCard, effectively quitting from this program.

To re-enter, find a button which looks like a rat on a stack or choose Open Stack from the File menu. You may need to find the program among the files on your disk.

User Modes:

Two user modes offer different interactive facilities. Normal use of the program is based on Browse & Test, an owner with a password can update and expand this program using Input Text.

If you wish to change mode just click the mouse down over the Change Mode button which appears in the title bar in the Map screens. If you choose the pass-controlled mode Input Text you will be prompted for a password.

The new mode takes effect when you return to the images in the dissection.

Browse & Test

When Browsing you may investigate structures in the image by pointing to them with the mouse (you do not have to click the button).

A label will be visible while the mouse is over the structure. (Ignore the label flashing as you move around, this is an artifact of the way the labels are called.)

The Information button is also available but Questions are not. (See Information and Questions for details of each.)

The Question button is available and a tally of your results (correctly answered questions; correct after two attempts; and number of questions cancelled) is displayed when you click on the Certificate button.

When answering questions the structures in the image are not identified when you point to them with the mouse, nor can you obtain textual information via the Information button.

Input Text

Input Text is a pass controlled mode. Input Text allows you to add, delete or change keywords and their definitions which are presented via the hypertext facility at the top left of the screen. Definitions are presented following the entry of a supported keyword after a student clicks on the Information button.

See Word Definition below for more information about adding and deleting text.

You may also add new images and annotations. See Adding Images below for a description.

Word Definition:

Word Definition allows someone with access to the user mode Input Text to add, delete or change the text which appears in the hypertext box in the top left corner of the screen. They may also add images, annotations and video disc links.% % The Add Text button automatically cross links new text with the existing database of keywords and definitions and displays an asterisk (*) after any words with links to further information.

Add Text

To add (or change) the text in the database click on the Add Text button which appears after clicking on the Word Definition button. You are presented with a typing text area in which you are instructed to enter your keyword or definition as appropriate, and an instruction text area.

Two buttons, OK and Cancel, appear on the instruction text area. You may enter your new text directly and click on the OK button to confirm the entry. % % If you enter an existing keyword you are presented with the existing definition to tailor.

New and changed entries are automatically cross linked with the existing text in the database and an asterisk is added to the end of any word which is linked to additional information.

Punctuation is automatic, and the extra spaces which are entered into your text allow for enhanced database searching and text retrieval. Readability was sacrificed for speed.

To see newly added keywords, enter the word (as you originally spelled it) at the prompt when clicking on the Information button. If the new keyword is a structure visible on the current image the pointer appears and just your new text is displayed.

(See Bugs for more specific information about keywords and text.)

Delete Text

Deleting text from the database is as simple as clicking on the Delete Text button which appears after clicking on the Word Definition button. % % Enter the keyword you wish to delete and click OK to confirm your actions when prompted. If the program is unable to locate the keyword you are prompted for a new one, or you may Cancel the operation.

All hypertext links are removed when an explanation is deleted. (See notes for more specific information about keywords and text.)

A discussion of HyperText

Hypertext is a way of presenting a small amount of text which is usually linked to other pieces of related information. In this program hypertext links are represented by an asterisk (*) following the words where there is a link and hence further information available.

Click the marked word to see the extra information.

Notes about Add/Delete

When adding, deleting or changing keywords and definitions it is important to remember several details about the way the program works.

When adding a keyword:

1) You may type directly while the text is highlighted;
2) A keyword may be more than one word long, but the longer it is the less likely it will be entered by a user during the execution of the program;
3) The word Keyword: will be automatically deleted from a keyword.

When adding a definition/ explanation:
1) You may type directly while the text is highlighted;
2) The word Explanation: will be automatically deleted from your explanation.

When deleting a keyword or trying to enter a keyword to change the definition, you must spell the keyword exactly as it appears in the database. The Information button is a general purpose tool designed to approximate a response to a request for information from a user: it accepts abbreviations, mis-spellings and plural/singular and returns a near-enough definition. Word Definition requires an accurate match with the existing keyword. If you are trying to call up a keyword which results in the presentation of a certain definition, it is important to remember that if you have seen the text via the Information button it may be that the keyword you entered is not the only keyword possible.

Generally, for the definitions supplied with this program:

1) where possible the singular was used;
2) the text returned by entering a keyword at the Information button usually contains the actual keyword (or words) entered into the database.

This program automatically punctuates your input to a format suitable for saving and retrieval. For example:

• all carriage returns are removed.
• extra spaces before and after a keyword or explanation are removed.
• punctuation is spaced out automatically.
• Asterisks are added to explanations which link to existing keywords.

When you alter/change text it updates existing definitions or adds them to the first database available (each d/b containing about 30,000 characters).

If you lengthen existing definitions extensively the first database may become full and may fail to save your changes (you will be notified!).

If you wish to move a keyword into the second d/b to lengthen the definition etc., copy t he existing definition (after clicking on Add Text), cancel, and delete the keyword. Use Add Text to add the word again, pasting the old definition where you are prompted to type the new definition and making your changes.

If both databases are full, write to the authors at the address given in the About TRS option in The Rat Stack menu. Well attempt to send you another field or let you know how to create your own.

The Asterisk Programme

New text is automatically cross referenced into the existing database by the insertion of an asterisk (*) after words with further information available. This is for the hypertext facility which operates when a student clicks the mouse on a word followed by an asterisk in the text box at the top left of the screen.

New keywords added to the database are flagged in existing explanations if they occur, and unflagged when the keyword is deleted. (See the exercise below for an example.) Similarly, if the new explanation cites existing keywords these will be flagged in the new explanation.

A keyword is not cross-referenced with its own explanation.

Keywords longer than a single word will function with the hypertext facility. Multiple definitions may be returned if more than one match is achieved in the database (e.g. keywords small intestine and large intestine: entering the text intestine should call the definition for both.)

It is advisable to use distinctive words as keywords.

Adding Images

Add a new image by adding a new card. You will be prompted for appropriate information.

You should name a card R plus the corresponding number from the video disc (HyperCard button names should always begin with a letter-the scripts strip the R off when performing operations). If you are naming a diagram, snuggle an R at the front of the name and include the word diagram in the name, as this triggers some functions specific to diagrams when the program is executing (e.g. RLiver Diagram).

If your new card has sexual orientation, type an F or an M in the SECOND line of the card script. If you want students to be shown a different card if they click on the Sex button, place the name of the alternative card in the FIRST line of the script of the new card.

Adding Annotations

When you add a new button you will be prompted for a name which appears as the annotation when a user moves the mouse within the area of the button.

You will also be prompted for additional information such as what video track to play depending on what settings the user has set to true.

For example, male rat, still frame, what image to go to when the user clicks on that button, what video to play on the way to the next image. This information needs to be defined for all the possible combinations of user settings.

Exercise

A simple exercise: Return to an image, click on the Word Definition button and click Add Text. Type your own name where it asks for a keyword and click OK.

Now type I am in charge of the text in this rat program. at the prompt for an explanation and click OK. (Note: it takes a few moments to insert the asterisks and add the text to the database. For text that has many matches in the database it may take up to a minute to complete the operation.)

Click on the Information button and type in your name (as a keyword) to show the definition you have added.

Clicking on any word followed by an asterisk will take you to linked text. You may delete your keyword by clicking on the Delete Text button and going through the delete program.

Note the removal of any relevant asterisk(s) from the database.

On-line instructions or questions also may be added this way. Let your users know what their keywords are!

Bugs

During execution of the program, particularly when Adding and Deleting Text, variables are constantly being updated and, in unusual circumstances, things may go (horribly) wrong.

Dont panic. Word Definition, Hide Buttons and Cancel are responsible for resetting variables and other parts of the program which undergo changes. Click the mouse on these buttons a couple of times (click the Questions button to get a Cancel button) to restore the settings. If this fails to eliminate error messages, quit to the desktop and then re-execute the program clicking the Questions and Cancel buttons on each card.

All your previous input will be retained if it had passed the Adding to Database stage.

It is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you BACK-UP any changed versions of the program.

When adding text the databases may become full. Unfortunately this program does not yet allow for more databases so you might be well advised to consult the authors for adding space for your own database.

The Video Disc

The video disc contains 54000 still frames, 2013 individual edits, of which 311 are short sequences (average 6.28 seconds each) and 1702 still frames. Many of the still frames and last-frame-in-a-sequence were written as perfect AA still images (field A written to field A and to field B). This makes the video perfect (!) and the still images perfect.

Two views of the dissection are always available: from over the dissector's shoulder, and from the side of the dissection. Over 300 histology slides are available, in addition to the dissection video.

FAQ

Why is the punctuation on the keyword/defintions spaced away from the words themselves? Because the program searches using the find facility which is much quicker than any other method. If the punctuation is attached then the find would have to find every word plus every possible combination of punctuation. (MUCH slower and subject to errors.)

A Note from the Author

Welcome to the Video Rat Stack, trial of my life. It has been 6 years in the making, much of it in my spare time.

It will never be finished.

I welcome your communciations, especially regarding inaccuracies (in the histology, for example?); bugs and requests for assistance regarding putting in your own information.

This program is enough of a shell to allow you to edit it easily. What we cannot do easily is add to the video disc.

The histology section was a bit of an afterthought, and it was difficult to integrate it. Those of you familiar with histological techniques will appreciate that I have no experience whatsoever. Hence the sorry state of the slides. As a zoologist, I felt that the slides still added something, so I left them in there.

I know the interactive video disc technology is out on a limb, but it is still just about the cheapest way of delivering full-screen, high quality interactive moving video.

I would like to think that we could obtain funding to transfer this into a QuickTime 2.0 CD ROM / WWW format, but, with a PhD to finish, I wont be tackling this task (directly) myself.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to everyone for all their input and support for this project, especially Graham, Dave and Steve, and the crew at Leeds Metropolitan Media Services: it wouldn't have made it without you.

Thanks to the Lord Dowding Fund for financial backing.

Love to my family: this work is dedicated to you.

Thanks to Iain for his continual encouragement and for driving the hardest bargains.

Thanks to Tone for the bullying and help with the evaluation.

Thanks and love especially to Tim, for putting up with me.

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