Automatic Flash Dates
If you’re anything like me, you probably get really tired of always writing the date on your flipchart pages.
On the plus side, ActivStudio does feature a timestamp function. Whenever you click the Timestamp icon (shown opposite) you end up getting something like this: 
Unfortunately this is far too small for any pupils to read from across a classroom. It’s a text object, which means you can edit it and change the font size, but this is far from an ideal solution.
The flipcharts below each contain a Flash object, which has been programmed to automatically update itself with the current date in a large, friendly font whenever you open the flipchart.
There’s three fonts to choose from:
Full instructions are included on each version of the flipchart. To download, right click on any of the different dates above and select Save Target As…
I was wondering if there is a way of copying the date across to my other flipcharts as this is a GREAT idea. Problem is all my other flipcharts (and there are a lot as I write the SOWs for the departments!) don’t have this great little tool. Ideas on this?
Hi Dawson,
If you want you can add the autodate object to your toolbox resource area, i.e. the empty column on the right hand side of the main toolbox.
Just make sure actions are switched off then you can drag the object around and resize it or whatever.
To add it to the toolbox just drag it in. Then you’ll be able to add it to any other flipcharts just by clicking on the icon. Position it wherever you want then switch actions back on and click on it to update it. Voila!
That’s all I’ve got to say about that. Hope this helps
This is a fantastic object! I have been looking for an automatic date for ages - I would love to know how to create it. I know I am asking a lot but would it be possible to edit the date so that the box is not as deep as it takes up quite a large area of the page. I tried dragging onto the toolbox. The object was there but unfortunately the icon was not visible - I could still drag it onto the page but have to remember where it is on the toolbox.
Thanks.
Hey Linda, thanks for the comments! If you switch object actions off then the date object can be resized the same way as any other object. Try resizing it vertically if you want to make it slightly narrower.
In response to your point about the toolbox icon, there’s not much that can be done about that unfortunately… the icon is simply a miniaturised picture of the object, which is mostly white hence why it’s nearly invisble.
Sadly it’s a limitation of ActivStudio that you can’t set up the icons in the resource area… oh well. Maybe an idea for Version 4!
Thanks for the date Tim.
Fantastic!