Settings

To view program settings press F8 or choose this option from main menu.

Which windows should be viewed?

Users can choose the type of graphics. This option can changethe appearance of the main framework. It will also change the colors and shape of the helping keyboard, helping hands, copying text and statistics. Typing tutorial also offers graphics for children.

Four switch options are available which simply show or hide windows inside the main framework. One option is to have only the text for copying and no other information. 

The last option switches between colored and standard keyboard appearance. Colored version defines for each key and for each finger a correct color which can be also used for each character.

Teaching method using colors is described here.

Choose font and colors for text

This dialog contains a sample view where you can see the current font and color settings. You can select font, size of font, text colors, background color and cursor shape.

If you enable "Color fingering", then a different color or shade is used for each character depending on which hand and finger is being used. In the case that one character is typed as a sequence of several keystrokes, then only one dominant color is used. For example if users copy the character "R", then SHIFT+"r" combination is used. The dominant key is "r", therefore users can see color of the left index finger.

Teaching method with colors is described here.

Select sounds for correct stroke and error stroke

When the user makes a mistake, then it is useful to be informed about this error. There is a standard graphic view for each error and this dialog also offers sound notifications. The type and volume can be set for this error stroke. "Disable all sounds" cancels all sound completely.

Metronome settings

It is important to start learning along with a key stroke rhythm. A usual problem is that beginners speed up and slow down when typing and this causes mistakes. Metronome helps to keep rhythm during text copying. User can choose type of sound and speed of metronome. Default settings is using metronome speed which is calculated from lesson speed limit. It is set to 120% of lesson speed limit, because mistakes usually slow down typing and there should be a reserve to reach speed limit.

If an 120% option is not selected, then the bottom slider can be used to define any speed.

Editor response in case of error or inactivity

The editors response to typing errors can be different. The default settings doesn't allow groups of errors, therefore users cannot make more then one error in that moment. Groups of errors can appear if a user forgets to type the first character of a word, and continues with text copying. All the next characters are wrong, because these are in the wrong position. Group of errors can be created usually when user is using higher typing speed.

The next practical option is to force user to use the Backspace key after each mistake ("Student has to correct last error by use of Backspace"). This option should be used for last typing lessons when there are already used enough characters. Backspace can be used any time during typing lesson. Use of the Backspace key doesn't change number of errors. It is always counted without dependency on user error correction.

Program Typing tutorial offers an option for an automatic interruption timer. Pause is automatically activated when there is no key stroke for 5 seconds. This option can be disabled also in this dialog.

The timer is also interrupted when users switch to another application. If Typing tutorial loses focus for the main window, then it stores the last timer value and when users return to Typing tutorial focus, then timer continues with last known value.