Script components make it possible to use simple script language to operate on components of a given element (i.e. to display components, change them, animate them, use them in tests, etc.). This makes it possible to create interactive presentations, animation, video subtitling, drag-and-drop tests, hyperlinks to the Internet, e-mail links, etc.

To create a script do the following:

1. create an element in the desired shape
2. add a script component from the Compose toolbar
3. right-click the component and choose Script on the pop-up menu
4. write the script and choose OK

While writing the script, use the script editor’s pop-up menu that makes it possible to insert full command syntax into the editor (right-click the editor to open the pop-up menu).

For example, to repeatedly play music from a sound component number 3 (see below), you could write:

PLAY 3
GOTO 1

To view component number tags click 148 speed-button on the Edit toolbar, or choose Component Order on the element pop-up menu. Note, that when you right-click within the element window, you will either open a component pop-up menu (if you click over a component) or element pop-up menu (when you click an empty area within the element).

The best way to learn more about scripts is to inspect script components within multimedia collections shipped with SuperMemo, e.g. Cross Country, Advanced English, Video English, Easy English, etc. (samples of these can be found on SuperDemo CD-ROM or in MegaMix 99). Alternatively you can download a free collection Advanced Tests with SuperMemo from SuperMemo Library.

Note: apostrophe is reserved in scripts for delimiting string variables. If you need to include an apostrophe in a string, use a backquote instead. For example:

TEXTOUT 3 'I`m delighted to have met Monica'

Script commands used in SuperMemo

1. To insert a comment into the script, put it in a separate line and precede it with a semicolon
   Syntax: ;<Comment>
2. To dismiss the currently displayed element use DISMISS
   Syntax: DISMISS
3. To display a given registry image in an image component use DISPLAY. Its first argument is the number of the image component in the element. Its second argument is the name of the image registry member
   Syntax: DISPLAY <Component> <Image Registry member>
4. To start a Drag&Match exercise, use DRAGMATCH. For multiple labels and multiple images use
   Syntax: DRAGMATCH [<Label List>] [<Image list>]
   For example: DRAGMATCH [1,3,4,5] [6,7,8,9]
   For single image component with specified hit areas and multiple labels use
   Syntax: DRAGMATCH <Component> [<Label List>] [<Rectangle List>]
   For example: DRAGMATCH 1 [1,2] [(100,100,30,20),(150,200,50,20)]
   Use Edit Hit-Area on the image pop-up menu to determine the positions of rectangles without worrying about coordinates.
5. To determine if labels erase background of the image on which they are dropped in Drag&Match exercises, use DRAGTEXTMODE
   Syntax: DRAGTEXTMODE OPAQUE|TRANSPARENT
6. To display another element of the collection use ELEMENT with the number of the element as the argument
   Syntax: ELEMENT <Number>
7. To change a font in a text, sound or Spell-Pad component, use FONT.
   Syntax: FONT <Component> <Font registry member>
8. To execute a frame of an animation sequence, use FRAME. The <Component> argument specifies the image component within which the animation is executed (alternatively, BACKGROUND can be used to execute animation in element entire background). <Image Registry member> indicate the image that makes up the executed frame
   Syntax: FRAME <Component>|BACKGROUND <Image Registry member>
9. To change the flow of script execution use GOTO with script label or script line as an argument:
   Syntax: GOTO <Label>|<Line>
10. To hide a component use HIDE
    Syntax: HIDE <Component>
11. To design Point&Click exercises use HITTEST. Use an image that displays the hit area as the first argument, and a list of points that specify the correct hit area.
    Syntax: HITTEST <Component> [<list of points: (x1,y1)(x2,y2), etc.>]
    For example: HITTEST 1 [(10,10),(100,10),(100,100),(10,100)]
    Use Edit Hit-Area on the image pop-up menu to determine the position of the hit area without worrying about coordinates. The hit area may include no more than five points
12. To jump to a particular label in the script you need to define the label with LABEL.
    Syntax: LABEL <Name>
13. To simulate the learning procedure (as if the user pressed the button Learn) use LEARN
    Syntax: LEARN
14. To switch SuperMemo to a selected difficulty level use LEVEL
    Syntax: LEVEL BEGINNER|BASIC|MIDDLE|PROFESSIONAL
15. To make the users send an e-mail use MAILTO
    Syntax: MAILTO <Address> <Subject> <Body text> <Name>
16. To display a message or warning use MESSAGE
    Syntax: MESSAGE <Text>
17. To set SuperMemo in one of its access modes (Read-Only, Learn-Only or Full Access), use MODE
    Syntax: MODE READ|LEARN|FULL
18. To move a component to a new location use MOVE:
    Syntax: MOVE <Component> <X> <Y>
19. To show or hide the navigation toolbar of the element window, use NAVIGATION
    Syntax: NAVIGATION ON|OFF
20. To play a sound, video, script or execute a binary object, use PLAY:
    Syntax: PLAY <Component> <Registry member>
21. To show a hidden component, use SHOW:
    Syntax: SHOW <Component>
22. To play a sound or video without suspending the execution of the script use START:
    Syntax: START <Component>
23. To show or hide the status bar use STATUS
    Syntax: STATUS ON|OFF
24. To stop the script use STOP:
    Syntax: STOP
25. To display a particular text in a text component use TEXTOUT:
    Syntax: TEXTOUT <Component> '<Text>'
26. To open the Question of the Day dialog box use TIPS:
    Syntax: TIPS
27. To change the display status of a component (from hide to show, or from show to hide), use TOGGLE.
    Syntax: TOGGLE <Component>
28. To translate a text component to the currently selected translation language choose TRANSLATE (see Tools : Options : Language for interface and collection translation options).
    Syntax: TRANSLATE <Component>
29. To play user recorded sound in the sound component use UPLAY (to display the recorder panel in sound components check Recorder on sound component pop-up menu)
    Syntax: UPLAY <Component>
30. To make SuperMemo display a selected page from the world wide web, use URL
    Syntax: URL http://<web address>
31. To suspend the execution of a script for a number of milliseconds use WAIT
    Syntax: WAIT <Milliseconds>
32. To suspend the execution of a script until a given frame is displayed in a video sequence, or until a given position is reached in a sound track, use WAITFRAME with the frame or position as an argument
    Syntax: WAITFRAME <Component> <Frame>
33. To suspend the execution of a script until a grade is provided (e.g. in Drag&Match exercises or Point&Click exercises) use WAITGRADE
    Syntax: WAITGRADE