Audio for individual slides is added as single audio "objects" that are handled in the same way as animations. They are included in the animations list automatically so that you can control when they play. You can have them play before or after other animations, or at the same time as other animations, using the same methods that you use for controlling the order of normal animations. If you have background audio activated it will play at the same time as the individual audio objects, i.e. audio objects don't stop the background audio.
Inserting the audio element
1.Select the slide where you want to add audio.
2.Select the tool in the tab and choose From File or Record Audio (see further below for instructions on recording audio). If you choose a file it must be an MP3 audio file.
3.A dialog is displayed asking you how you want to insert the audio object:
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This inserts a visible audio object that can be controlled by the user. By default it does not play automatically. The user must click on it to make it play, and again to make it stop.
You can also make it play automatically by selecting it and assigning the Play animation to it in the tab. Then the user can click to replay it or to stop it.
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This adds the audio object in the animation sequence of the slide. It will then play automatically when its position in the sequence is reached. You can move it around in the animation sequence like any other animated element (see below).
By default audio object is invisible when the Xplain is viewed by the user. However, you can make it visible by selecting it and activating Show Player Controls in the section in the pane on the right. The user can then start and stop it with the player controls.
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4.A blue audio icon with an animation number and the duration of the audio is inserted in the slide.
Reduce volume of other sounds and stop other sounds
When a voice-over is playing you want the user to be able to understand it. You can improve this by using the option to automatically reduce the volume of other sounds when an audio object is playing. Select the audio object, then you can adjust the relative volume of all other audio (background audio and any other audio objects playing at the same time) with the option in in the pane.
Stop audios on slide stops or pauses all other audios that are currently playing excluding the background audio. Reduce other audio by reduces the relative volume of all other audios currently playing including the background audio.
Audio with player controls: Formatting and positioning the audio object
A visible audio object with player controls is really just a Play/Stop button shape. It is shown in the editor as it will appear in your Xplain presentation. You can position and format it like a normal shape, with a couple of restrictions:
•The fill property of the audio object can be transparent but its outline cannot be.
•If you select "no outline" the outline will be displayed in white.
•Invisible audio objects (Show Player Controls disabled) are still visible in the editor.
Audio in animation sequence: Defining when the audio starts to play
If the audio is inserted in the animation sequence it will play when its animation sequence number is reached. This works the same way as any other animation, except that the audio plays instead of an element appearing or moving.
1.Select the audio icon (use the list if the icon is covered by another element) and switch to the tab.
2.Make sure that is selected in the animations list. This is the only animation you can select for audio objects.
3.Use the tool to make the audio play before or after other animations. Select Start with Previous to make an animation play at the same time as the audio, or vice-versa. (This only applies if there are animations, of course.)
4.Set a delay before the audio starts and a pause after it finishes, if you wish. You can't change the duration of an audio object. |