Designing Interactive Layouts; General Purpose Input/Output - Black Box iCompel ICOMP-ICC User Manual

4. Enhancing Your Displays
When developing such HTML applications, you will likely require a large number of files. In order for the iCC to keep track of
these files during channel publishing and layout package creation, follow these rules:
Initiate the application from a single HTML file (you can redirect from here to other files as required). Add that file to the
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playlist.
Place all additional files in a single subdirectory named [pagename]_files, where [pagename] is the name of the
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initiating HTML file (without its extension). Locate that subdirectory in the directory containing the initiating HTML file.

4.2.1 Designing Interactive Layouts

You can design layouts that respond to user input in various ways:
Send an Advance To command to play a specific item or start a playlist.
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Change the current layout.
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Change the size and position of a zone.
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Display hidden zones.
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Send a signal to another device through the RS-232 port or adapter.
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You might find the following general guidance helpful when developing interactive layouts.
Develop a Storyboard:
Advance planning is particularly important when designing a layout that smoothly offers choices and options to users. A
storyboard is a plan based on a series of sketches of individual scenes. Storyboarding is very effective technique when
designing interaction sequences. You can create a storyboard with sketches of screen layouts or simply with a flowchart. The
important point is to detail all possible outcomes at each stage of interaction.
Provide Material for Optional Actions:
You must make sure that you have collected and uploaded all the media files you require for any possible scenarios controlled
by interaction events. Before you start implementing your interaction events, create playlists for zones that include all the
necessary Advance To commands and rendezvous points.
Trade-Offs Between Display Change Methods:
You can change the display in response to an interaction either by changing the size and show/hide properties of a zone or by
using a Change Layout command. Each method has advantages and disadvantages:
Method
Change zone size and show/hide
properties
Use Change Layout command

4.2.2 General Purpose Input/Output

The player can respond to changes in voltages generated by a GPIO device such as a motion sensor or a pressure mat. The
player receives those inputs through its RS-232 port or adapter. It can also send output signals. For more details see the
RS-232 Technical Reference.
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Advantages
Very fast transition
Resets all media players
Disadvantages
Continues using existing media
players
Slower, visible transition