Build and test a handout

This walkthrough uses Splash 1.2.0. The 1.1.0 editor has a different layout.

Choose a starting point

Create a splash in Splash Manager and choose Handout if you want a window rather than a fullscreen display. Its empty editor offers two starting points:

• Start from scratch opens the object library. Each object has a short explanation: an image displays artwork, a hotspot makes part of it clickable, and a button gives players a labelled action.
• Use an existing prefab opens your reusable groups and available compendium prefabs. A configurable prefab asks for its settings before placing its objects.

You can open the object library again with Add object in the Objects panel.

Edit one thing at a time

Select an object on the canvas or in the object list. Its inspector has three sections:

• Appearance changes its visible content and artwork. Animation, effects and reusable presets have their own expandable sections.
• Placement changes its position, dimensions and layer order in the current state.
• Behaviour connects actions and shared values. Scripts, macros and macro data remain available through the advanced controls.

For text, choose left, centre or right with Align in Appearance and set its width in Placement. The width gives the letters room to align; it does not stretch them.

Selecting or adding a state opens that state’s settings. Give it a readable label and choose whether it should be Loaded on open. An object can have a different placement in each state; the eye button in the object list controls whether it belongs to the current state.

Arrange objects

Drag objects to move them and use their handles to resize. Drag a selection box around several objects to work on them together.

The workspace toolbar provides Duplicate, Group, Align and Layer controls. Aligning one object uses the handout edges; aligning several uses their shared bounds. Duplicating a group makes an independent copy and selects it. Undo reverses the operation.

Double-click a group to edit individual members. Press Escape to leave the group.

Share a value between objects

A Shared value gives related objects one piece of information to read or change. For example, an input can store an answer, a button can set it to yes, and another button can require that answer before revealing a clue.

Value-name fields suggest names already used in the handout. Choose one to reuse it, or type a new name. State pickers show your state labels, so you don’t need to remember their internal identifiers.

Incomplete built-in actions explain what needs filling in. The connection summary above the workspace lists actions needing attention before testing. An empty stored value is allowed; a value-changing action still needs a name for the value it changes.

Test a reveal

1. Keep Initial State loaded on open. Add a second state called Revealed and put a text clue in it.
2. In Initial State, add a button. In Behaviour, choose Set value, name the value answer, and set it to yes.
3. Add another button. Choose Change state, load Revealed, and unload Initial State. Add a condition requiring answer to equal yes.
4. Open Preview. Try the reveal button first: it should leave the initial state in place. Use the value-changing button, then try the reveal again.
5. Watch States and Current values in the test controls. Restart preview clears the runtime changes and opens the initial state again. Exit preview returns to editing.

Preview uses a local runtime and does not save the player’s answers or test progress into the authored handout. Restart also remains available if a handout closes itself.

Save and recover

The editor saves your changes as you work. Its status shows Saving… or Saved. Text fields keep their normal text undo; the workspace Undo and Redo buttons operate on the handout.

If saving fails, the editor keeps your draft and displays Retry save. Keep the window open and retry when the problem is resolved. You can continue editing or undoing while the draft is unsaved. Closing a rejected draft asks before discarding it; retrying saves the latest draft, including those further edits.