Decision Icon Properties

Use the Decision Icon Properties dialog box to specify decision icon properties such as branching or setting time limits.

Preview

The Preview box is blank for the decision icon.

Time Limit

The Time Limit field represents the number of seconds the user can spend within a decision structure. Enter a number, a variable, or an expression in the field. As soon as the specified time elapses, Authorware interrupts the current activity, exits the decision structure, and moves to the next icon on the main flowline.

Show Time Remaining

Turn on Show Time Remaining to display a small alarm clock that shows time running out, according to the time limit specified in the Time Limit field.

Use the variable TimeExpired to determine whether Authorware stopped executing a decision structure because its time limit expired.

Repeat

Use the following Repeat options to set up the number of times Authorware loops back within a decision icon to determine whether it should branch again:

Fixed Number of Times repeats the decision structure according to a number, variable, or expression you enter. If the value is less than 1, no branching occurs and Authorware exits or bypasses the decision icon.

Until All Paths Used branches to all attached icons at least once before exiting the decision structure.

Until Click/Keypress executes the decision structure until the user presses a key or the mouse button. This option is useful for animations and other sequences that you want to repeat until the user stops them.

Until True evaluates a variable or expression that you enter each time Authorware encounters the decision icon. Authorware continues to loop through the decision structure as long as the result is false. When the result is true, Authorware exits the decision structure. For example, if you entered the variable VideoDone in this field, Authorware would continue executing the decision structure until the value of VideoDone changes to true (that is, when the current video sequence is finished playing).

Don't Repeat executes the decision structure just once, according to the Branch option you've selected. Authorware then exits the decision structure and moves to the next icon on the flowline.

Branch

Branch determines which icons Authorware branches to. The decision icon on the flowline contains a letter that identifies the type of branching you selected.

Sequentially (S) selects the first path the first time Authorware encounters the decision icon, the second path the second time, and so on.

This option is useful when you need to alternate between two options. Authorware remembers which path was last presented and presents the other path the next time. You must turn off Reset Paths on Entry to use this feature.

Randomly to Any Path (A) randomly selects a path when Authorware encounters the decision icon. When you select this option, the branching is truly random; Authorware may repeatedly branch to one path and never branch to others.

Randomly to Unused Path (U) randomly selects an unused path when Authorware encounters the decision icon. Authorware won't branch to any path twice until it has branched to every other path. This option ensures that all paths are displayed once before repeating paths.

To Calculated Path (C) enter a variable or expression that calculates which path Authorware should branch to. The integer value of this variable or expression determines which icon is selected: if it equals 1, Authorware branches to the first path; if it equals 2, Authorware branches to the second path, and so on.

Reset Paths on Entry resets the values related to the paths Authorware has already executed. This option applies if you chose the Branch option Sequentially or Randomly to Unused Path, in which Authorware keeps track of paths it has executed. When you reset the paths, Authorware erases the information about paths already taken. This option is useful if you want to use a decision structure from different locations in a piece and you need to reset the branching each time.