Support

The TechnoKids CDs are data CDs. What this means is that they do not automatically install files. Instead, you must manually open the CD to view the contents. To do this:

1. Place the CD into the drive.
2. Click the START button and select COMPUTER or MY COMPUTER.
3. Right click the CD drive icon.
4. From the menu select OPEN.
5. A window will open that displays a collection of folders. Each folder is a project.
6. Double click on a folder to display the contents. You will notice there is a teacher guide, workbook and resource folder. You need Abobe Reader to view the teacher guide and workbook. You can download this software for FREE from www.adobe.com

Method 1: Watch the Splash Screen
You can examine the Office splash screen as your version of office launches. Start any of your office programs and watch as the program loads. A splash screen will appear indicating the version office you have installed.

Method 2: Use the Program Help Menu
Launch Microsoft Office Word. When the program is open, look for the Menu bar, it will be at the top of the window and will contain text options such as File, Edit, and View. If you have a Menu bar, this suggests Office 2000, XP, or 2003. Click the Help menu. Click About Microsoft Word. It will reveal the office version. If you do not have a Menu bar, you most likely have a Ribbon, which is a band of tabs along the top of the window. The Ribbon, suggests you have Office 2007. But to be sure, click the Office Button (top left corner). Click Word Options and then click Resources. Look for About Microsoft Office located near the bottom of the window. The version is revealed here.

Method 3: Study the Program List
Often the Office version will be listed beside the program name in the Program list. Click START. Click All Programs. Click Microsoft Office. Look for a version identifier listed after the program name.

Method 4: Use the Add or Remove Programs Dialog Box
You can examine the version information of the installed Office program or of the individual Office products by checking the list of installed products.

Windows Vista Users:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click Programs.
3. Click Programs and Features.
4. Scroll through the list of installed programs to locate Microsoft Office.
5. Read the Office version.

Windows XP Users:

1. Open the Control Panel
2. Double click Add or Remove Programs
3. Scroll through the list of installed programs to locate Microsoft Office.
4. Read the Office version.

In some TechnoKids projects, the read-only property must be removed from a file to allow users to edit the content. This situation applies to database files, as well as sample files in TechnoHTML. A quick way to remove a read-only property from files is to edit the folder settings. To do this, right click on the folder, select PROPERTIES, and then click inside the read-only box. Select Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files, and then click OK. This action removes the read-only property from all subfolders and files within the folder.

What is frustrating to many users is that although all the files can now be edited because the read-only property is no longer active, when they look at the properties on the folder, the read-only property has returned. This is a known Windows related issue. The Windows operating system does not apply the read-only property to folders, just files inside the folder. Any changes to the folder's read-only box will only affect the files inside the folder, then the read-only box will default back to blue when you check it again. Do not become frustrated. As long as your students can access the files and complete their work, do not worry about the status of the read-only check box.

The TechnoKids CDs are data CDs. What this means is that they do not automatically install files. Instead, you must manually open the CD to view the contents. To do this:

1. Place the CD into the drive.
2. Click the START button and select COMPUTER or MY COMPUTER.
3. Right click the CD drive icon.
4. From the menu select OPEN.
5. A window will open that displays a collection of folders. Each folder is a project.
6. Double click on a folder to display the contents. You will notice there is a teacher guide, workbook and resource folder. You need Abobe Reader to view the teacher guide and workbook. You can download this software for FREE from www.adobe.com
7. On each Data CD is a set of projects. Each project has a teacher guide, workbook, and resource files. In the resource files folder is a subfolder that is the name of the project (for example, TechnoMovie has a Movie folder). This Movie subfolder contains files that the students need such as templates and sample files. This subfolder must be copied to a location where students have access. If you have a server, the subfolder can be placed in a shared location on the server. Copy the resource folder for each project.

Databases can cause you some issues. The easiest way to use a TechnoKids database is to place it on the local computer OR put a copy into EACH student folder. If you do this with the database, rarely do you encounter any issues. However, you may want to SHARE the ONE database with all students. This requires that the database be split. The instructions to share a database are included in the teacher guide. Sometimes, splitting a database can cause issues depending on how your network is set up.

A common problem is saving records. You may get an error message stating you can't save this record at this time. This can be very frustrating especially if all your students have completed their record and now can't save the entry. Sometimes, this will only happen on one or two computers, while the rest of the machines are able to save their records. Try the following suggestions listing in the database troubleshooting document.

Microsoft Access has some difficulty inserting images. This program requires special graphic filters to be able to add images. These graphic filters came with the program Microsoft PhotoEditor, which was part of Microsoft Office 2000. However, if you have a newer version of Microsoft Office, this program is no longer available. At this time, Microsoft has not re-released Microsoft PhotoEditor, nor added the graphic filters to their new photo editing program Microsoft Office Picture Manager. But don’t panic – there is a solution!

There are two methods for adding pictures. The first method can be used if you have Microsoft PhotoEditor installed, or if there is photo-editing software that has the graphic filters Microsoft Access needs (Our team had mixed results with various software and often could not figure out why some computers would insert a picture, while others did not).

The second method can be used no matter what software is installed, because it has students copy the image from Microsoft Paint, and then paste the picture into the open form. Try the first method – if it doesn’t work, use the second method.

View the support document Database Pictures for step by step instructions.

Typically, this problem is related to the fact that the read-only property has not been removed from the database file. If this is the case, information cannot be added, deleted, or edited. To remove the read-only property:

1. Select the database. DO NOT OPEN THE FILE.
2. Right click the mouse on the database.
3. From the menu, select PROPERTIES.
4. Remove the check mark from the READ-ONLY box.
5. Click OK.

View illustrated step by step instructions to remove the read-only property.

The TechnoKids databases are constructed to prevent students from accidentally editing the content of a record. For this reason, the database records are locked. This can be a problem if you add information to a form but do not complete the fields in one working session. Once you click away from the record, it is "locked" and cannot be edited. You must add ALL content to a database form AT ONE TIME.

If your students have partially completed records, there are instructions that will allow you to edit the TechnoKids database. See the statement, I would like to be able to edit or delete a record in a database, but it is locked, below for step by step instructions.

The TechnoKids databases are constructed to prevent students from accidentally editing the content of a record. For this reason, the database records are locked. This can be a problem, if you want to edit or delete a record. You can edit the properties of the database:

Access 2000/XP/2003:

1. Open the database.
2. If you can't see the database objects, from the Window menu, select UNHIDE. Click OK.
3. Right click on the form you want to edit, and select DESIGN VIEW.
4. In design view, right click the BLACK SQUARE at the TOP of the form.
5. Select PROPERTIES.
6. Click the DATA tab. From the list of options change Allow Deletions to YES and Allow Edits to YES. Close the dialog box.
7. From the View menu, select FORM VIEW.
8. To delete a record: Scroll through the records to find a record you do not want. From the Form View toolbar, click DELETE RECORD. Click YES.
9. To edit a record: Make any changes directly on the form for the record.
10. TIP: You may want to reset Allow Deletions to NO and Allow Edits to NO to stop students from altering the content of the database, once the changes are made.

Access 2007:

1. Open the database.
2. If you can't see the database objects in the navigation pane, click the Office button. Click ACCESS OPTIONS. Click CURRENT DATABASE. Click inside the check box DISPLAY NAVIGATION PANE. Click OK. Close the database. Reopen the database.
3. Right click on the form you want to edit in the navigation pane, and select DESIGN VIEW (You may need to click on the navigation pane bar to expand it).
4. In design view, right click the BLACK SQUARE at the TOP of the form.
5. Select PROPERTIES.
6. Click the DATA tab. From the list of options change Allow Deletions to YES and Allow Edits to YES. Close the dialog box.
7. From the Form Design Tools Design tab, select FORM VIEW.
8. To delete a record: Scroll through the records to find a record you do not want. From the Home tab, click the Delete arrow. From the list, select DELETE RECORD. Click YES.
9. To edit a record: Make any changes directly on the form for the record.
10. TIP: You may want to reset Allow Deletions to NO and Allow Edits to NO to stop students from altering the content of the database, once the changes are made.

Remove the Read-Only Property on the database:

1. Locate the folder containing the TechnoKids database on the computer.
2. Open the TechnoKids database folder.
3. Right click on the database and select PROPERTIES.
4. Clear the Read-Only option and then click OK.

Refer to the support document for illustrated, step by step instructions.

Refer to the support document for step by step instructions.

Refer to the support document for step by step instructions.

Refer to the support document for step by step instructions.

You may wish to add the photographs for your students into the database. In this case, the students should type the information into the form. Afterwards, you open the database and insert the photos. Refer to the support document for step by step instructions.

You may have more than one graphic program installed on your computer. Graphic files such as gif, jpg, or bmp, when double clicked will open into a "default" program. To be able to open bitmapped files (bmp) in Microsoft Paint, you may need to change the default program. To do this:

Windows XP:

1. Click once on a bitmapped picture.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key.
3. Right click on the bitmapped image.
4. Select OPEN WITH from the menu.
5. From the menu, click CHOOSE PROGRAM…
6. In Recommended Programs, select PAINT.
7. Click to select the box marked Always use the selected program to open this kind of file.
8. Click OK. The picture opens in Paint.

View the support document Default Image Program XP to see or print illustrated instructions.

Windows Vista:

1. Click once on a bitmapped picture.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key.
3. Right click on the bitmapped image.
4. Select OPEN WITH from the menu.
5. From the menu, click CHOOSE DEFAULT PROGRAM…
6. In Recommended Programs, select PAINT.
7. Click to select the box marked Always use the selected program to open this kind of file.
8. Click OK. The picture opens in Paint.

View the support document Default Image Program Vista to see or print illustrated instructions.

When you take digital photos with your camera, the images are jpegs. In addition, often the digital photos are large. For many TechnoKids activities, you need the images to be 24-bit bitmaps and for some tasks, it is easier to work with the photos if they are smaller.

Follow the instructions in the support document to learn how to take a “batch” of photos and convert the file type from jpegs to 24-bit bitmaps, as well as how to reduce the file size. This means that you will be able to alter quickly the file type and size of all photos in a folder, without having to edit them individually.

Newer versions of Microsoft Office do not come with a media CD. This is not an issue if the computer has access to the Internet because the clip art can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. However, if the computer does not have Internet access, the computer will have very little clip art. There are several solutions to this problem:

1. Locally Install Clip Art using the Office XP Media Content CD: The Office XP Media Content CD contains approximately 35,000 clips that are a subset of the clips that are available on the Microsoft Office Online Clip Art and Media Web site. The Office XP Media Content CD was included with Microsoft Office XP Professional, Microsoft Office XP Standard, and Microsoft Publisher 2002 Deluxe Edition. Insert the CD and follow the prompts to install clip art. For additional instructions consult the Microsoft Help and Support article 897754.
2. Install Clip Art using the Office XP Media Content CD on a Network: The Office XP Media Content CD contains approximately 35,000 clips that are a subset of the clips that are available on the Microsoft Office Online Clip Art and Media Web site. The Office XP Media Content CD was included with Microsoft Office XP Professional, Microsoft Office XP Standard, and Microsoft Publisher 2002 Deluxe Edition. For instructions consult the Microsoft Help and Support article 897754 or view the TechnoKids support document .
3. Create a Media CD: If you do not have access to an Office XP Media Content CD or the Internet, you will need to to create your own Media CD. Acquire access to a computer that is connected to the Internet and has a CD burning device. Follow the Download Clip Art Instructions to create a media CD that can be used to import clip art into the Microsoft Clip Organizer, on computers without Internet access.
4. Visit your local office supply or software retailer and purchase a clip art CD.

You can download clip art from the Microsoft website.

OFFICE 2007:

1. Open any Office program.
2. From the Insert tab, select CLIP ART, in the Illustrations group.
3. At the bottom of the Clip Art task pane, click CLIP ART ON OFFICE ONLINE.
4. You are now at the Microsoft Office Online website.
5. Search for and download the desired clip art to your Clip Art Organizer.

OFFICE XP or 2003:

1. Open any Office program.
2. From the Insert menu, select PICTURE. From the submenu, select CLIP ART.
3. At the bottom of the Clip Art task pane, click CLIP ART ON OFFICE ONLINE.
4. You are now at the Microsoft Office Online website.
5. Search for and download the desired clip art to your Clip Art Organizer.

OFFICE 2000:

1. Open any Office program.
2. From the Insert menu, select PICTURE. From the submenu, select CLIP ART.
3. At the top of the Clip Art dialog box, click CLIPS ONLINE.
4. You are now at the Microsoft Office Online website.
5. Search for and download the desired clip art to your Microsoft Clip Gallery.

NOTE: The first time you download a clip, you need to accept the Terms of Use and install a required ActiveX control.

You can copy clip art files from the Microsoft website and paste them into a Microsoft Office file, instead of downloading them into the Microsoft Clip Organizer.

Office 2007:

1. Open a Microsoft Office file.
2. From the Insert tab, click CLIP ART, in the Illustrations group.
3. At the bottom of the Clip Art task pane, click CLIP ART ON OFFICE ONLINE.
4. Type in a search word in the SEARCH box.
5. Find a clip art you like. Click the COPY icon below the clip. This places the clip onto the clipboard.
6. Close the web browser.
7. Right click the mouse in the Microsoft Office file, where you want to place the clip art. Select PASTE.

Office XP or 2003:

1. Open a Microsoft Office file.
2. From the Insert menu, click PICTURE.
3. Select CLIP ART.
4. At the bottom of the Clip Art task pane, click CLIP ART ON OFFICE ONLINE.
5. Type in a search word in the SEARCH box.
6. Find a clip art you like. Click the COPY icon below the clip. This places the clip onto the clipboard.
7. Close the web browser.
8. Right click on the PowerPoint slide, where you want to place the sound. Select PASTE.
9. Right click the mouse in the Microsoft Office file, where you want to place the clip art. Select PASTE.

Geocities announced they were no longer offering free web hosting. TechnoKids Inc. has been writing instructions in our web design technology projects explaining how to upload a website to the Internet for over ten years using Geocities as the recommended free web host. Geocities has been reliable and I am thankful our students were able to share their work with their friends and family using their services. Use the illustrated, step by step instructions to post files using an alternate free web host.

View the support document Register for Free Web-Hosting to see or print illustrated, step by step instructions.

Microsoft recently released an updated Internet Explorer web browser. The new web browser requires HTML coding to reach a strict standard. Some web pages do not view properly in Internet Explorer and compatibility view must be used to properly see the web page.

Many of the TechnoKids projects explain how to create a web page using Microsoft Publisher. The process of saving these files types to a web page can sometimes create a document that does not view properly in the updated browser, causing the navigation bar to no longer work. If you are creating a web page using Publisher ungroup everything. Your navigation bar will now work properly.

1. Open the file in MS Publisher.
2. From the Edit menu, select SELECT ALL.
3. From the Arrange menu, select UNGROUP.
4. Repeat for each page in the Publisher file.
5. Save the file as a web page and and then preview in Windows Internet Explorer.
6. Ensure that you have refreshed the browser page to view the most recent changes.

Microsoft recently released an updated Internet Explorer web browser. The new web browser requires HTML coding to reach a strict standard. Some web pages do not view properly in Internet Explorer and compatibility view must be used to properly see the web page.

Many of the TechnoKids projects explain how to create a web page from a PowerPoint file. The process of saving these files types to a web page can sometimes cause grouped pictures to layout on the wrong position on a slide. To solve this problem, you must ungroup the pictures:

1. Open PowerPoint and view the slide that has the issue. Check to see if any pictures are grouped.
2. Right click on the picture, point to Group and click UNGROUP from the menu.
3. Repeat this step on any additional slides.
4. Resave the presentation as a web page and then preview in Windows Internet Explorer.
5. Ensure that you have refreshed the browser page to view the most recent changes.

There are several reasons you may be unable to edit the HTML code in a TechnoKids file.

1. Remove Read-Only Property: The TechnoKids file may have the read-only property selected. To remove the read-only property:



1. Select the file. DO NOT OPEN THE FILE.
2. Right click the mouse on the file.
3. From the menu, select PROPERTIES.
4. Remove the check mark from the READ-ONLY box.
5. Click OK.
2. Use Internet Explorer: You must be using Internet Explorer to edit the TechnoKids files. This program will open the source code into NOTEPAD. Please note, there are known issues with editing HTML code in TechnoKids files when using FireFox.
3. Save Changes: You must save the changes made to the TechnoKids file in NOTEPAD.
4. Refresh Browser Window: It is a good idea to refresh the web browser window to display the changes to the HTML file.
5. Individual Student Folder: Often TechnoKids files can be placed in a shared location. However, the TechnoKids HTML files, must be placed in EACH student's folder.
6. Permissions: If you are using a server, students must have read, write, and edit permissions set on the folder where the TechnoKids file is located.

Many free web hosts have a minimum age requirement. If your students do not meet that requirement, you can still post their web pages using the free host. Instead, of having each student register for an account, create a teacher account. You can then upload your students web pages using the teacher account. To do this:

1. Register to create a teacher account.
2. Login to the account.
3. Open the File Manager.
4. Create a studentname folder.
5. Select the studentname folder.
6. Upload the web page files into the studentname folder.
7. The URL of the studentname account is http:/teachername.freehosting.net/studentname/index.html

Your students can create web pages, but not upload them to the Internet. You can have your students share their work by having the web page file open on the computer and have others view it on the screen.

Older versions of Internet Explorer used to display source code in Notepad, when View Source was selected. This made it easy to edit the code and then view the changes in the browser window. To open a web page in HTML in the latest version of Internet Explorer:

1. Open the web page in Internet Explorer.
2. Make sure you can see the menu bar. If you cannot, right click beside the tabs and select from the menu, Menu Bar.
3. From the File menu, select Edit with Notepad.
4. The web page will open in Notepad. You will now be able to edit the code, save the changes, and then refresh the browser window to view the changes.

Try the following suggestions:

• You cannot just upload the index.htm file. You must also upload the contents of the index_files folder. This folder contains all of your pictures. Using the File Manager create a sub-directory folder called index_files and then upload the picture files into the subfolder.
• Ensure the index_files folder was named correctly.
• Verify that the pictures were uploaded to the correct location. Make sure that the pictures are in the index_files sub-directory folder in the File Manager and NOT in the same place as the index.htm file. If the files are in the wrong place, select the files, and then click the Choose a Destination arrow and select index_files. Click Move.

You need to open the website in the Office program and compress the pictures. You will then need to re-upload the files.

Office 2010

1. Double click on any picture in the document.
2. On the Picture Tools Format tab, find the Adjust group.
3. Click Compress Pictures.
4. In the Compress Pictures dialog box, set the options as follows:
1. Remove the checkmark in the Apply only to this picture box.
2. Select Delete cropped areas of pictures.
3. Select the Target output as Screen.
5. Click OK.

Office 2007

1. Double click on any picture in the document.
2. On the Picture Tools Format tab, find the Adjust group.
3. Click Compress Pictures.
4. In the Compress Pictures dialog box, make sure that the checkbox Apply to selected pictures only is clear. Click Options…
5. Set the options as follows:
1. automatically perform basic compression on save
2. delete cropped areas of pictures
3. screen
6. Click OK.
7. Click OK again.

Office 2003

1. Double click on any picture in the document.
2. On the Picture tab, click the Compress button.
3. In the Compress Pictures dialog box select the following options:
1. Selected pictures
2. Web/Screen
3. Compress pictures
4. Delete cropped areas of pictures
1. Click OK.

Try the following suggestions:

• This may mean that a picture is missing. Go back to the index_files sub-directory in the File Manager. Look to see what image is missing and upload it.
• The picture might be the wrong file type. If using Office 2010, reopen your links web page in Microsoft Word. Right click on the picture. Select Save as Picture. Type in a File name and click the Save as type arrow and select JPG. Delete the old picture and insert the newly saved image. Now re-save the file as a web page overwriting your old index and index_files. Re-upload the web page files.

This may mean that the image inserted from the clip gallery was not a JPG or GIF file type. It is likely it was a WMF file type. This type of file cannot be uploaded to the Internet. To solve the problem:

1. Open your web page in the Office program.
2. Delete the old image and insert a new bullet or divider from the clip gallery. Make sure that it is the correct file type. To do this, rest your mouse pointer over a divider that you like. Read the file name. It must say JPG or GIF in the description box. DO NOT USE A WMF!
3. Now re-save the file as a web page overwriting your old index and index_files.
4. Re-upload the web page files.

1. Open your web page in the Office program.
2. Make the correction to the hyperlink.
3. Test it to make sure it is working.
4. Now re-save the file as a web page overwriting your old index and index_files.
5. Re-upload the file index using the file manager.

Click the Refresh tool in Internet Explorer to reload the page.

TechnoKids has several templates that use macros to load a custom toolbar. To run a macro the computer security settings must be set to Medium. This level of security causes the computer to prompt the user to enable the macro, each time the file is opened.

In PowerPoint 2003 and previous:

1. From the Tools menu, select MACRO.
2. On the Security Level tab, click MEDIUM. DO NOT change the security setting to LOW.
3. On the Trusted Publishers tab, put a check mark next to Trust all installed add-ins and templates.
4. Click OK.
5. Now when the user opens a file that contains macros, PowerPoint will display a warning dialog box and offer the chance to enable the macros or not.

DO NOT change the security setting to LOW. Neither TechnoKids Inc. nor Microsoft recommend lower security settings. While the Medium-level security dialogs can be a nuisance when you use the same macro-enabled files repeatedly, it keeps your computer safe.

Custom toolbars can be created in PowerPoint 2003 and earlier.

1. Open PowerPoint.
2. From the Tools menu, click CUSTOMIZE, and then click the Toolbars tab.
3. In the Toolbars box, select the custom toolbar you want to delete.
4. Click DELETE.

Microsoft recently released an updated Internet Explorer web browser. The new web browser requires HTML coding to reach a strict standard. Some web pages do not view properly in Internet Explorer and compatibility view must be used to properly see the web page. Many of the TechnoKids projects explain how to create a web page from a PowerPoint file. The process of saving these files types to a web page can sometimes cause grouped pictures to layout on the wrong position on a slide. To solve this problem, you must ungroup the pictures:

1. Open PowerPoint and view the slide that has the issue. Check to see if any pictures are grouped.
2. Right click on the picture, point to Group and click UNGROUP from the menu.
3. Repeat this step on any additional slides.
4. Resave the presentation as a web page and then preview in Windows Internet Explorer.
5. Ensure that you have refreshed the browser page to view the most recent changes.

There are several reasons you may be unable to download sounds from the clip gallery.

1. Use Internet Explorer: Set your web browser to Internet Explorer. Using other browsers to access the Microsoft Office Online website can result in download issues.
2. Download Privileges: See your System Administrator to be sure the user account has download privileges. If it does not, you can copy and paste the sound clips, instead of downloading them into the Microsoft Clip Organizer:
   
   PowerPoint 2007:
   
   
   1. Open a file in PowerPoint.
   2. From the Insert tab, click SOUND, in the Media Clips group.
   3. Select SOUND FROM CLIP ORGANIZER.
   4. At the bottom of the Clip Art task pane, click CLIP ART ON OFFICE ONLINE.
   5. Type in a search word in the SEARCH box. Click the Search arrow and select SOUNDS.
   6. Find a sound you like. Click the COPY icon below the sound clip. This places the clip onto the clipboard.
   7. Close the web browser.
   8. Right click on the PowerPoint slide, where you want to place the sound. Select PASTE.
   9. When prompted, set if you want the sound clip to play automatically or when clicked by the mouse.
   
   PowerPoint XP or 2003:
   
   
   1. Open a file in PowerPoint.
   2. From the Insert menu, click MOVIES AND SOUND.
   3. Select SOUND FROM CLIP ORGANIZER.
   4. At the bottom of the Clip Art task pane, click CLIP ART ON OFFICE ONLINE.
   5. Type in a search word in the SEARCH box. Click the Search arrow and select SOUNDS.
   6. Find a sound you like. Click the COPY icon below the sound clip. This places the clip onto the clipboard.
   7. Close the web browser.
   8. Right click on the PowerPoint slide, where you want to place the sound. Select PASTE.
   9. When prompted, set if you want the sound clip to play automatically or when clicked by the mouse.
3. Update Internet Explorer: Ensure your browser is up to date.
1. Internet Explorer 7 or earlier, click TOOLS – WINDOWS UPDATE.
2. Internet Explorer 8 or later, click SAFETY – WINDOWS UPDATE.
4. Delete Temporary Internet Files: If you try to download clips but receive an error message that says: The system cannot find the file specified - Return code: 80070002, try this:
   
   
   1. Open Windows Internet Explorer.
   2. On the Tools menu, click INTERNET OPTIONS.
   3. On the General tab, locate Browsing History and click DELETE.
   4. Check the box beside Temporary Internet files and click DELETE.
   5. Wait for the temporary files to be deleted. (This may take several minutes.)
   6. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.
   
   NOTE:The first time you download a clip, you need to accept the Terms of Use and install a required ActiveX control.

There are many reasons a video may not run in a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Refer to the suggestions below to correct the problem:

1. Determine Compatibility: PowerPoint will play an advanced streaming format (.asf), audio video interleave (.avi), moving picture experts group (.mpg or .mpeg), or windows media video (.wmv). A simple method to determine if your video is compatible is to open the program Windows Media Player. If the video plays in the program, it should run in PowerPoint. However, if the video fails to play then it is likely an incompatible file type. In this case, you can try the following options:
1. Create a Link to the Video File: An action button can be added to a slide, that when clicked opens the video in a program that will play the file. This solution will work for any video type, as long as the computer has a program installed that plays the file. Refer to the Link to Video document.
2. Convert the Video File: Download a free video converter program such as RAD Video Tools. Convert the video to avi format.
2. Place the Video in the Same Folder as the Presentation: The video should be in the same folder as the presentation. Move the video into the correct location. Now re-insert the video onto the slide.
3. Rename the Video File: Problems can occur if the directory path to the video file is too long. In this case, a white box may appear in place of the video. To resolve this issue, rename the file and then move it into the same folder as the presentation. Now re-insert the video onto the slide.
4. Reduce the File Size: Video files can be quite large. For this reason, you may wish to reduce the file size using Windows Movie Maker. To do this:
1. Open Windows Movie Maker.
2. Import the video file and drag it into the timeline.
3. Publish the file to "this computer" and set the destination and file size as desired.
4. Insert the video into PowerPoint.

Some motion clips in the Microsoft Clip Gallery may only loop once or twice. However, you may want them to loop forever, which means they will move for the entire time. This may be the case, if you insert a motion clip into a PowerPoint presentation and you want it to play continuously while on a slide. If you are having problems with the motion clip stopping, you can fix the problem. To do this, you will need to download the free software GIMP. It will allow you to save a copy of the file, with a "loop forever" property. For detailed instructions review the Loop Motion Clips Forever document.

Microsoft recently released an updated Internet Explorer web browser. The new web browser requires HTML coding to reach a strict standard. Some web pages do not view properly in Internet Explorer and compatibility view must be used to properly see the web page. Many of the TechnoKids projects explain how to create a web page using Microsoft Publisher. The process of saving these files types to a web page can sometimes create a document that does not view properly in the updated browser, causing the navigation bar to no longer work.

Solution 1

1. Open the file in MS Publisher.
2. From the Edit menu, select SELECT ALL.
3. From the Arrange menu, select UNGROUP.
4. Repeat for each page in the Publisher file.
5. Save the file as a web page and and then preview in Windows Internet Explorer.
6. Ensure that you have refreshed the browser page to view the most recent changes.

Solution 2

Be sure that your office version has all available patches and service releases. Check for updates:

1. PowerPoint 2007: From the Office Button, click POWERPOINT OPTIONS, click RESOURCES, then GET UPDATES.
2. PowerPoint 2003: From the Help menu, click CHECK FOR UPDATES and install any recommended service packs and updates.
3. Earlier versions: Try visiting Office Update and apply recommended updates.

Microsoft recently released an updated Internet Explorer web browser. The new web browser requires HTML coding to reach a strict standard. Some web pages do not view properly in Internet Explorer and compatibility view must be used to properly see the web page. The process of saving Publisher files to a web page can sometimes create a document that does not view properly in the updated browser. Try ungrouping the pictures.

1. Open the file in MS Publisher.
2. From the Edit menu, select SELECT ALL.
3. From the Arrange menu, select UNGROUP.
4. Repeat for each page in the Publisher file.
5. Save the file as a web page and and then preview in Windows Internet Explorer.
6. Ensure that you have refreshed the browser page to view the most recent changes.

When you resize, crop, or alter a picture file, often Microsoft Publisher will create two picture files. One is the original picture and the other file is the edited image. To eliminate this problem, it is a good idea to compress the pictures to prepare the document for posting to the Internet.

Publisher 2007

1. Open the Publisher file.
2. Click on an image.
3. If the Picture toolbar does not appear automatically, from the View menu, select TOOLBARS. Click PICTURE.
4. On the Picture toolbar, click COMPRESS PICTURES.
5. Select Compression options:
1. Check Delete cropped areas of pictures
2. Check Remove OLE data
3. Check Resample pictures
4. Check Convert to JPEG where appropriate
5. Select WEB as the Target Output
6. Select Apply to all pictures in the publication
6. Click COMPRESS.
7. Click YES.

Publisher XP or 2003

1. Open the Publisher file.
2. Click on an image.
3. If the Picture toolbar does not appear automatically, from the View menu, select TOOLBARS. Click PICTURE.
4. On the Picture toolbar, click COMPRESS PICTURES.
5. Select Compression options:
1. Check All pictures in document
2. Check Web/Screen
3. Check Compress pictures
4. Check Delete cropped areas of pictures
5. Select WEB as the Target Output
6. Click OK.
7. Click Apply.

TechnoKids has several projects where students produce a booklet in Microsoft Word. There are known issues when printing two pages per sheet in Office 2007. The pictures in a Word 2007 booklet may not print properly. To solve this problem, resave the document as a Word 97-2003 file.

1. Click the Office Button and choose SAVE AS.
2. In the Save as type box, click the drop down arrow and choose WORD 97-2003 DOCUMENT.
3. Click SAVE.
4. Now print the document.

PhotoFiltre is FREE photo editing software. This software has plug-ins that allow you to produce fabulous effects. The plug-ins must be placed manually into the correct location on the computer to work properly.

A. Install the Software

1. Download PhotoFiltre V6: http://photofiltre.free.fr/utils/PhotoFiltre-en.zip
2. As an Administrator, install the software on each individual workstation.

B. Copy the Plug-in Files

1. In the resource files for a TechnoKids project will be a PhotoFiltre folder. Open the folder.
2. Double click to open the Plug-ins folder.
3. Press and hold the CTRL key on the keyboard and click to select each of the following:
1. CollerDedans.pfl
2. ContactSheet.pfl
4. Right click on the selected files and select COPY.

C. Paste the Plug-in Files

1. Click the START button and choose COMPUTER.
2. Navigate to C:\Program Files\PhotoFiltre\Plugins.
3. Right click on a blank area of the folder and select PASTE.

D. Enable the Plug-ins

1. Open PhotoFiltre by double clicking the desktop shortcut or start from the Programs menu.
2. Click the View menu and select PLUG-INS from the list.
3. The Plug-ins toolbar appears along the left side of the program window.

PhotoFiltre must be installed locally on EACH computer in your lab. The plug-ins must then be manually copied and then pasted into the C://Program Files/PhotoFiltre/Plugins folder on EACH computer. If the plug-ins are not active, you may need to adjust the Write priviledges on the PhotoFiltre folder.

1. Log in as a user with Administrative privileges.
2. Go to C:\Program Files.
3. Right click on the PhotoFiltre folder and select Properties.
4. Click the Security tab.
5. In the Group or user name box, select Users (computer name\users).
6. In the Permissions area, allow the WRITE entry for this user.
7. Click OK.
8. Log off and then log in as a student user.
9. Run PhotoFiltre. Click the View menu, and select Plug-ins bar.
10. Check that the Plug-ins are working correctly.

To use many of the features in PhotoFiltre the user needs to have Read/Write permissions to the PhotoFiltre directory. Often a teacher or IT personnel who have "Administrator" privileges do the program installation. When the program is tested, everything appears to be working properly. However, when a student logs into the computer, they may receive an error message when performing certain photo-editing tasks. To resolve this issue:

Solution 1

1. Log on to the workstation with Administrative rights.
2. Go to C:\Program Files.
3. Right click on the PhotoFiltre folder and select SHARE....
4. Click the Security tab and then from the list of group or user names, find USERS.
5. In the Permissions area, look to see if the following have check marks in the ALLOW column:
   
   
   1. Read & Execute
   2. List Folder Contents
   3. Read
   4. Write
6. By default the first three should be selected, however the Write option is likely not selected. If this is the case, click EDIT and place a check mark beside the Write option under ALLOW.
7. Click APPLY and then click OK to close all open dialog boxes.
8. Log off and then log in as a student and try the PhotoFiltre task.

Solution 2

This solution involves making a change to the registry, so you may wish to back up this file before beginning. This Microsoft Help and Support Article will tell you how to make a back up of the registry.

1. Log on to a workstation as an Administrator .
2. Click START and select RUN.
3. Type regedt32 and click OK.
4. From the registry window, click HKEY_Local Machine. The tree will expand.
5. Click SOFTWARE.
6. Click MICROSOFT.
7. Click SHARED TOOLS.
8. Then right click on the Graphic Filters folder and select PERMISSIONS.
9. Select USERS from the list of users and groups and click to ALLOW FULL CONTROL.
10. Exit the registry.
11. Log off and log in as a student and trying the PhotoFiltre task.

TechnoKids PDF files are copyright protected allowing you only printing abilities. You do not have permission to copy text or pictures from any TechnoKids document. Please refer to your site license agreement, Part 6 (c), The Licensee may not translate, reverse engineer, de-compile, disassemble, or create derivative works based upon the Curriculum or any part thereof.

TechnoKids PDF files are copyright protected allowing you only printing abilities. You do not have permission to copy text or pictures from any TechnoKids document. Please refer to your site license agreement, Part 6 (c), The Licensee may not translate, reverse engineer, de-compile, disassemble, or create derivative works based upon the Curriculum or any part thereof.

There are several causes of printer-related problems. Refer to the solutions below:

1. Update Adobe Reader: Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe Reader. TechnoKids documents are compatible with Adobe Reader 7 or later. Visit www.adobe.com to update your software.
2. Update Printer Drivers: Ensure that you have the latest drivers for your printer. Visit the manufacturer's website to see if there are any available updates.
3. Print Another Document: Determine if the issue is related to the file. Try to print another PDF file. Does it print? If yes, then the issue may be related to the file. However, if it does not, the issue may be related to the version of PDF software installed.
4. Print from Another Computer: Determine if the issue is related to the computer. Try to print the PDF file from another computer. Does it print? If yes, then the issue may be related to the file. However, if it does not, the issue may be related to computer settings.
5. Print PDF File as an Image: Sometimes PDF files fail to print properly, resulting in output consisting of only a header sheet or part of the file. Often an error message is produced. If your PDF file fails to print, try the following method:
1. After opening the .pdf file, go to the File menu and select PRINT.
2. In the Print window, select the printer you want, then click the ADVANCED button in the lower left corner.
3. You can check the box labeled PRINT AS IMAGE. However, while this usually works, it creates a huge file and can take a very long time to print.
4. Click OK to close the dialog box.
5. Click OK to print the document.

Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe Reader. TechnoKids documents are compatible with Adobe Reader 6 or later. Visit www.adobe.com to update your software.

Try the following suggestions:

1. Ensure that you are connected to the Internet using Windows Internet Explorer as your browser.
2. If you are using a later version of Windows Internet Explorer (7 or later), the log in box may open in a new tab. Check the open tabs across the top of the Internet Explorer window.
3. Instead of clicking on the link in your email, copy and paste the link into your browser window.
4. Verify that you are using the correct username and password provided in the email from TechnoKids Inc.
5. Make sure you download in a timely fashion. Your username and password expire 21 days after the email is sent.
6. You may not have download privileges associated with your user profile. Contact your System Administrator to have your security privileges adjusted.
7. Passwords are case sensitive. Ensure that the CAPS LOCK key on the keyboard is not active.

A "zipped" file is compressed to save space when transferring from place to place. Windows XP and later have basic built-in zip capabilities so that you can compress and extract files by using the Compressed (zipped) Folder feature. Folders compressed by using this feature are identified by a zippered folder icon. Follow the directions to extract the file:

1. Locate the icon with a zipper on it, indicating that it is compressed.
2. Right click on the compressed file.
3. Choose EXTRACT ALL from the menu.
4. The folder will decompress to the same location where the zipped file is located.

There are a number of excellent zip utilities available that have good Help systems and supporting web sites, including the following: PentaZip, PKZip, PowerArchiver, StuffIt, StuffIt (MAC), and WinZip. If you are not sure which utility to use, most programs offer a 30-day limited trial period where you can download and try the utility for free.

This error occurs when the file did not properly download. It indicates that the download is corrupt. Try the following suggestions:

1. Use Internet Explorer, not Firefox.
2. Instead of clicking on the link in your email, copy and paste the link into your browser window.
3. Type the username and password provided in the email from TechnoKids Inc.
4. Click SAVE not OPEN.
5. Select the destination to download the file. (The desktop is a suitable location, because then the file is easy to find)
6. Use compression software to extract the files.


If using the compression software built into Windows:

1. Right click on the compressed file.
2. Choose EXTRACT ALL from the menu.
3. The folder will decompress to the same location where the zipped file is located.
If using WinZip:

1. Right click on the compressed file.
2. Choose Extract to Here from the menu.
3. The folder will decompress to the same location where the zipped file is located.

Sometimes if you have installed third party compression software, the Windows XP compression utility is no longer available by default. Another cause of the problem is software installed on the computer is mistakenly associated with the .zip file extension. You can reset Windows XP to use its own built-in zip utility. To reset the compressed folder association follow the steps below:

1. Click Start.
2. Click Run…
3. Enter regsvr32 zipfldr.dll into the Open: field.
4. Click OK.

The TechnoKids documents are designed to print on letter sized paper (8.5" x 11"). However, many international customers use other paper sizes. You can adjust the pdf files and Word documents to print to a different paper size:

Method 1: Print from Microsoft Word

Office 2007

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Click the Office button.
3. Select Print.
4. In the Zoom area of the Print dialog box, select A5 (or another paper size) from the scale to paper size box.
5. Click OK.

Office 2000/XP/2003

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. From the File menu, select Print.
3. In the Zoom area of the Print dialog box, select A5 (or another paper size) from the scale to paper size box.
4. Click OK.

Method 2: Print from Adobe Reader (Free PDF Software)

1. Open the document in Adobe Reader.
2. From the File menu, select Print.
3. Click Properties.
4. Click the Paper/Quality tab.
5. From the Paper Options area select A5 (or another paper size).
6. Click OK.
7. Once you return to the Printer dialog box, look for the Page Scaling option.
8. Select to Shrink to Printable Area .
9. Click OK.

Method 3: Convert a Word File to PDF and then Print using Adobe Reader

Some Microsoft Word documents will not scale properly if there is a drawing canvas or other objects on the page. In this case, often the text or pictures will be cut from the right side of the page. To avoid this problem, you can convert the file to a PDF document and then print using Adobe Reader.

Office 2007

1. Install a free PDF Maker from Microsoft -2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS.
2. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
3. Click the Office button.
4. Select Save As.
5. Select PDF or XPS
6. Select a location to save the file. Click Publish. The document will now have the filename documentname.pdf.
7. Close Microsoft Word
8. Open the document in Adobe Reader.
9. From the File menu, select Print.
10. Click Properties.
11. Click the Paper/Quality tab.
12. From the Paper Options area select A5 (or another paper size).
13. Click OK.
14. Once you return to the Printer dialog box, look for the Page Scaling option.
15. Select to Shrink to Printable Area .
16. Click OK.

Office 2000/XP/2003

1. Install a free PDF Maker such as Primo PDF Maker.
2. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
3. From the File menu, select Print .
4. From the Print dialog box, select PrimoPDF (or other PDF Maker printer) as the printer.
5. Click OK.
6. If using PrimoPDF Maker, select Custom. Select a location to save the file and then click Create PDF. The document will now have the filename documentname.pdf.
7. Close Microsoft Word
8. Open the document in Adobe Reader.
9. From the File menu, select Print.
10. Click Properties.
11. Click the Paper/Quality tab.
12. From the Paper Options area select A5 (or another paper size).
13. Click OK.
14. Once you return to the Printer dialog box, look for the Page Scaling option.
15. Select to Shrink to Printable Area .
16. Click OK.

This isn’t a TechnoKids Computer Curriculum related issue. Instead, it is a known Vista issue. This is an intermittent problem, and seems to be associated with folders that are copied from/to other hard drives. The issue is not related to the TechnoKids files or folder. Instead, the issue is caused by the operating system. There are several things you can do to delete the folder. Try each of the suggestions below:

1. Make sure you have the latest updates for Vista.
2. Restart the computer. Now try to delete the folder.
3. Login as an administrator on the computer. Now try to delete the folder.
4. Change access rights on the folder, to give the user full control. Now try to delete the folder.
5. Make a new folder. Drag the unwanted folder, into the new one. Now try to delete the folder.
6. Open the folder and delete each file one at a time until it is empty. Once the folder is empty, try to delete the folder. If that does not work, restart the computer. Now try to delete the empty folder.
7. Use another computer on the network to delete the folder.
8. Rename the folder. Now try to delete it.

Animations in Kid Pix Deluxe 4 conflict with the latest version of QuickTime (7.1.5 or later) when used in combination with Windows Vista®. In order to use this feature in Kid Pix Deluxe 4 do one of the following:

Option 1: Install Kid Pix Deluxe Update

1. Download the Kid Pix Deluxe Update.
2. Unzip the folder.
3. Double click the KP_Update file to begin installation.
4. When prompted, click Allow.
5. Click OK to each of the prompts.

Option 2: Install an Older Version of QuickTime

1. Download an older version of QuickTime.
2. You may need to enable the Flash utility. To enable Flash files in QuickTime, open the QuickTime player and click Edit – Preferences – QuickTime Preferences. Click the Advanced tab. In the Media Types area, click to select Enable playback of Flash tracks.

The MovieMaker software that comes with Windows XP and Vista does not permit the use of quicktime videos. The video files must be converted. This can be done using a free conversion program. View the support document How to Convert a Quicktime Video for step by step instructions.

Try the following options:

Option 1: Save As an Office 2003 File

1. Open Pocketful of Poems in Microsoft Word.
2. Click the Office button.
3. Click Save As.
4. Select Word 97-2003 Document.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Print on the Quick Access toolbar.
7. In the Zoom area, click the Pages per sheet arrow and select 2 pages.
8. In the Zoom area, click the Scale to paper size arrow and select Letter.
9. Click OK.

Option 2: Change the Border Line

1. Open Pocketful of Poems in Microsoft Word.
2. Click Borders and Shading.
3. Click the Page Border tab.
4. In the Settings area, click Box.
5. In the Style box, click the Solid Line.
6. The width should change to 1/2 point.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Print on the Quick Access toolbar.
9. In the Zoom area, click the Pages per sheet arrow and select 2 pages.
10. In the Zoom area, click the Scale to paper size arrow and select Letter.
11. Click OK.

Option 3: Convert the File to PDF

1. Install the 2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS, which is a free download from Microsoft.
2. Open Pocketful of Poems in Microsoft Word.
3. Click the Office button.
4. Click Save As.
5. Select PDF or XPS.
6. In the Optimize size area, click Minimum size.
7. Click Publish.
8. With the PDF file open in Adobe Reader, select Print from the File menu.
9. Select Multiple pages per sheet in the Page Scaling area.
10. Set the Pages per sheet to 2 by 1.
11. Click OK.