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Hit Area Component

The hit area turns any part of the user interface into a button that can activate one or more actions. Use the hit area component properties to set actions to your hit area, and to alter the hit area positioning on the canvas.

Access the hit area component properties by clicking on the hit area component after it has been placed on the canvas. The Hit Area Settings tab will appear in the component panel displaying a stack of horizontal tabs that are labeled and categorized as follows:

• Actions - Contains the property options used to set your hit area to trigger an action when clicked on by a user.
  
• Position, and ToolTip - Contains the property options used to adjust the size and position of the hit area and provide tooltip information to the user.
  

Scroll down to view descriptions of all the hit area component property options. Note that the property descriptions below are divided into the same categories found in the Hit Area Settings tab.

Hit Area Settings: Actions

Click the 'Actions' tab in the component panel to access the properties used to set your hit area to trigger an action when clicked on by a user.

• Add Action – Add actions to your hit area by clicking the ‘Add Action’ drop-down menu arrow, and then choosing one of the following actions:
  
  
  • None – This option does nothing and cannot be selected.
    
    
  • Step – Moves the sim forward by the value entered in ‘Time Units to Advance’ text entry box.
    
    
  • Step to End– Moves the sim to the last step (end step).
    
    
  • Step to Next – Moves the sim to the next step.
    
    
  • Go Back – Moves the sim backwards by the value entered in ‘Time Units to Rewind’ text entry box.
    
    
  • Save Run – Marks the current run as saved.
    
    
  • Goto Page – Sends the user to the page selected from the ‘Destination Page’ drop-down menu.
    
    
  • Reset Simulation – Resets the simulation without retaining the decision values from the previous run.
    
    
  • Logout of Simulation - Logs the user out of the sim.
    
    
  • Switch Tab – Switches tabs based on the entries in the ‘Tab Navigator to Change’ and ‘Tab to switch to’ drop-down menus.
    
    
  • Pause – Pauses action execution based on the time entered in the ‘Pause Time’ text entry box.
    
    
  • Set Decision - Sets decision in the model when the hit area is clicked. To set a decision, click the arrow on the ‘Variable to set’ drop-down menu, click ‘Browse’, choose a variable, and then enter a value in the ‘Value to set’ text entry box.
    
    
  • Start Timer – Starts the timer selected in the ‘Timer to start’ drop-down menu.
    
    
  • Stop Timer – Stops the timer selected in the ‘Timer to stop’ drop-down menu.
    
    
  • Reset Vars – Use this option to reset the simulation while retaining the decision values from the previous run.
    
    
  • Set Interface Variables – Sets an interface variable and value. Variables and values are entered in the ‘Variable to set’ and ‘Value to set’ text entry boxes.
    
    
  • Clone Run – Clones the run identified by the run ID entered in the ‘Run to Clone’ text entry box. Use this option to copy a simulation run you want to change without making changes to the original.
    
    
  • Goto Previous Page – Moves the sim to the page the user was previously on.
    
    
  • Name and Describe Run- Use this option to have the user input a name description for the current run into a pop-up modal dialog.
    
    
  • Name Run –Names the current simulation run with the name entered in the ‘Name To Set’ text entry box.
    
    
  • Set Default Run – Sets the run as the default run. This means all subsequent runs will be setup just like the current run. Note that this action can only be performed by facilitators.
    
    
  • Clear Default Run – Clears the default run and resets it as the model default. Note that this action can only be performed by facilitators.
    
    
  • Clear Run Count – Clears the run count for all users within the current group. This action is only useful in simulations where there is a run limit. Note that this action can only be performed by facilitators.
    
    
  • Clears Run Count User – Clears the run count of the user (via email address) typed into the user email input. This is only useful in simulations where there is a run limit. Note that this action can only be performed by facilitators.
    
    
• Remove Action – To remove an action, highlight a hit area action inside the list box, and then click ‘Remove Action’.
  
  

Hit Area Settings: Actions Tab

Hit Area Settings: Size, Position, and ToolTip

Click the ‘Size, Position, and ToolTip’ tab in the component panel to access the properties used to adjust the size and position of the hit area and provide tooltip information to the user.

• X - Enter a number in the ‘X’ text entry box to adjust the left and right positioning of the hit area on the canvas. A higher number moves the hit area to the right, and a lower number moves the hit area to the left.
  
  
• Y - Enter a number in the ‘Y’ text entry box to adjust the up and down positioning of the hit area on the canvas. A larger number will lower the position, and a smaller number moves the hit area higher.
  
  
• Width- Enter a number in the ‘Width’ text entry box to adjust the hit area width.
  
  
• Height - Enter a number in the ‘Height’ text entry box to adjust the hit area height.
  
  
• Tab Index - Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. The tabIe index property is -1 by default, meaning no tab index is set.
  
  
• Lock - Use the ‘Lock’ checkbox to lock the hit area ’s position in place on the canvas. A small lock icon will appear near the hit area. Click on the lock icon or uncheck the lock checkbox to unlock the hit area.
  
  
• Visible to Facilitator Only - Use the ‘Visible to Facilitator’ checkbox to restrict the hit area ‘s visibility to only be seen by facilitators.
  
  
• Tooltip - Enter in the details of the hit area in the ‘ToolTip’ text entry box. The details entered will appear on the screen when a user places their mouse cursor on or across the hit area.
  
  

Hit Area Settings: Size, Position, and ToolTip Tab

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