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Boardmaker 7 Help

Boardmaker 7 Help

Boardmaker FAQs & Guidance

We're aware of some issues preventing customers from properly using Boardmaker 7 and understand how frustrating this can be. To help get you up and running more smoothly, here's a set of frequently asked questions and answers.

Installation & Software Updates 

How do I update to Boardmaker Editor 7.2.0?

Users on Boardmaker Editor 7.1.0 will see an Update Available button in the Editor. Click Update Available and follow the prompts to Download and Update.

Users on version 7.0.4 or older will need to uninstall Boardmaker 7 Editor, download 7.2.0 from here, and then install. Chromebook users will update from Google Play Store, with no uninstallation necessary for Chromebooks

What are the steps customers will need to take to update to Boardmaker 7.1.0?

  1. Mac and Windows Customers will need to uninstall all previous versionsofBoardmaker prior to installing 7.1.0. 
  2. After the software has been uninstalled, download the new versions here.

How do I backup files from the Chromebook editor?

  1. Open the Files app on your Chromebook
  2. Expand the Boardmaker 7 Editor Folder
  3. Open a second instance of the Files App and create a new folder called Boardmaker Back Up in a location outside of the Boardmaker 7 Editor folder, for ex. in your Google Drive
  4. In the Boardmaker 7 Editor folder, select all individual files and folders
  5. Copy your selections and paste them into your Boardmaker Back Up folder
  6. Uninstall Boardmaker 7 Editor by doing the following:
    a. Open the Play Store
    b. Select in the search bar and search for Boardmaker 7 Editor
    c. Select Boardmaker 7 Editor in the list of results
    d. Select Uninstall button
    e. In the confirmation window, select Uninstall
  7. With the Play Store window still open, select Install on the Boardmaker 7 Editor page
  8. After installation is complete, open the Boardmaker 7 Editor application but do not add licensing information or sign in
  9. Close the application
  10. Open the Files app and navigate to your Boardmaker Back Up folder and open it
  11. Go back to the Files app, and open a new window
  12. Navigate to the Boardmaker 7 Editor folder and open it
  13. Arrange the two windows so they are side by side
  14. In your Boardmaker Back Up folder open the Activities folder and copy and paste each individual file and folder that shows within the Activities folder into the corresponding Boardmaker 7 Editor Activities folder
  15. Repeat Step 14 to copy the rest of the individual files and folders from your Boardmaker Back Up folder into the corresponding Boardmaker 7 Editor Templates, Media, appcenter, and errors folders
    a. NOTE: Make sure you are copying the Activities files and folders into Activities, Templates files and folders into Templates, etc.
  16. Copy any other individual files and folders you may have from Boardmaker Back Up to your Boardmaker 7 Editor folder
  17. Launch Boardmaker 7 Editor

How do I manually uninstall and reinstall Boardmaker 7?

Please do the manual steps below. Note: If you are part of an organization, you may need your IT Dept to push/install this software for you.

Windows

  1. From the Windows start menu, open Settings on your device 
  2. Select Apps 
  3. Under the Apps & features section, select the Boardmaker 7 Editor and/or Boardmaker 7 Student Center
  4. Click Uninstall 
  5. You will be prompted to confirm that you wish to uninstall; select Uninstall again to confirm 
  6. You will see a window that shows the progress of the uninstall. You may also be asked if you want to allow the software to make a change to your machine. Select Yes when you see this window 
  7. After the software has been uninstalled, download the new versions here
  8. After the download is complete, double click on the file to let the installer run.

Mac

  1. In your Finder window, open Applications

  2. Select the Boardmaker 7 app icon then drag it to the trash can to delete

  3. In the Applications folder, select the Utilities Folder (this step only applies if on version 7.1.0 or higher)

  4. Double click “Uninstall TD Updater” (this step only applies if on version 7.1.0 or higher)

  5. Enter your admin password (this step only applies if on version 7.1.0 or higher)

  6. After the software has been uninstalled, download the new versions here 

  7. After the download is complete, double click on the file to run the installation.

  8. Enter your admin password

  9. At the end of installation, select Move to Trash

What is included with 7.0.5 on Chromebook?

Release 7.0.5 corrected an issue with template availability on Chromebooks.

What changes will users see after installing the Boardmaker 7 Editor with the TD Updater?

Customers will now be notified from inside the software when a new update is available and given the ability to control when new updates are applied, without the need for them to manually uninstall/reinstall to receive future updates.

Why is the TD Updater only available for Windows and Mac? What about Chromebook users?

Chromebook users will continue to recieve updates to the Boardmaker 7 Editor through the Google Play Store.

How will I know if the TD Updater is working? Will you continue to provide announcments about new updates when they are released?

We will continue to notify users of future Boardmaker 7 Editor improvements. In addition, users will now be notified of new updates directly through the Boardmaker 7 Editor application.

Is it possible for an IT department to turn off updates on instructors' machines?

Yes. IT departments that deploy the software through a push install will have the ability to turn off "Auto Check for Updates" and "Auto Download Updates" through optional paramerts that can be set during the push install. If the software is installed manually these settings can also be turned off directly through the TD Updater aplications that gets installed with the application.

Can an IT department turn off automatic check/download updates for just the Student Center and not the Editor, or vice versa?

No. Turning off Check for Updates and/or Automatically Download Updates turns them off for all Boardmaker 7 applications installed on those devices. Please see our IT Deployment Guide for additional advanced installation support.

Where is the formal documentation for IT Depts, identifying what this update is, how does it get installed, how to configure settings, etc. ?

Please see the Boardmaker 7 IT Deployment Guide for advanced installation support, including information on push controls and related parameters.

What Settings are available in the TD Updater?

The TD Updater allows users to turn on/off Auto-Check for Updates and Auto-Download for Updates. When Auto-Check for Updates is turned off users will not be notified of new updates and will have to Check for Updates to see if a new update is available. When Automatically Download is turned off, new updates will not be downloaded until the user initiates the update.

What troubleshooting tools are available in the TD Updater?

If an update is unsuccessful, the TD Updater will offer users the ability to Rollback and/or Repair. Rollback uninstalls the current version of the software and reinstalls the previous version if an user is having trouble using the software after an update. Note: This option will only be available for future updates. It is not possible to rollback to version 7.0.4 from version 7.1.0. Users will be given the option to Repair an update if the initial update fails. Using the repair option will reinstall the latest release version.

Why did you create a separate TD Updater tool instead of building the update functionality into the Boardmaker 7 Editor?

The TD Updater was built as a separate application based on current best practices. Creating a separate tool also allows us to use the same update mechanism for the Boardmaker 7 Editor and, eventually the Boardmaker 7 Student Center, so that customers who are using both applications can update through a single tool.

How long will it take for the software to update when a new update is initiated?

Update length will vary bases on an array of variables, including the size of the update, internet speed and bandwidth, computer specs, and the process used to deploy the update.

Does the Student Center also get updates through the TD Updater?

Currently, the TD Updater is only available for the Boardmaker 7 Editor. The TD Updater may be made available for the Boardmaker 7 Student Center in a future release of the Student Center. Customers will be notified when this is available.

What happens if my computer shuts down while I am in the middle of downloading or applying an update?

If the update is interrupted because of a system restart you will need to reinitiate the update through the application or through the TD Updater.

If I turn off updates for my instructors, how will I need to update their devices?

Please see the Boardmaker 7 IT Deployment Guide for advanced installation support, including information on push controls and related parameters.

Why does my entire screen turn white while using the Editor?

We are aware of a problem and working on a fix. In the meantime we have a workaround that can be found here.

Why does my Editor show the rocket logo on the left, but the right side is blank?

We implemented a fix for this in Boardmaker 7.1.0. If you haven’t yet updated, please update. If the problem persists after updating, please contact support.

Why aren’t my activities syncing between the Editor and website?

The release of the 7.0.4 version of the Editor in July included many improvements to syncing. Best practices for syncing are: saving to correct folder, not using any special characters in the title, file sizes under 120MB, returning to the dashboard of the editor after saving, and allowing the Editor to stay open until the activity syncs.

What do I do if when I try to click on my activity thumbnail, I do not see an edit option?

Yes, but you won't be able to receive any additional updates to the software until you install 7.2.0.

Which templates are being added back?

Boardmaker 7.2.0 re-introduces several templates that had previously been removed. For the full list of available templates, click here.  

What is the latest version of the software and how do I check which version I'm using?

Windows, Mac, Chromebook are now on version 7.2.0

Windows/Chromebook/Mac/ipad 

  1. Open the Boardmaker 7 Student Center  
  2. Click on the "Menu" button in the top left corner next to the 3 dots  
  3. Select "Settings” then select “About"  
  4. The version number will be listed  here

What URLs do I need to whitelist if I am working in an organization that blocks traffic coming from some outside websites?

Customers may be required to whitelist certain addresses to be able to successfully install the software and login with their subscription account, student account or activate a perpetual license or trial. View the complete list here.

Boardmaker 7 Student Center

Why does my screen go blank on my iPad with iOS 15.x after the first activity?

We are aware of an issue for users who are using iPads on iOS 15.x or iOS devices that do not meet our requirements that causes the screen to go grey on the 2nd activity. Try tapping “Menu” twice as a workaround.

What was included in the latest Boardmaker 7 Student Center Release?

To view the most updated release notes, click here.

Printing/creating/editing

How will the 7.0.4 release improve my print experience?

Release 7.0.4 corrected a bug where print preview was sometimes blank after creating a PDF. Additionally, the “open after creating” option in the create PDF flow now works on Chromebooks.

What should I do if I can’t open some of the Activities to Go in my Editor?

If you do not see thumbnails of Activities-to-Go activities you have added to your curriculum in the My Curriculum section of the Boardmaker Editor, you may be able to access the activities in the Editor through the Open menu. Read this guide here.

PODD

What should I do if my PODD books aren’t working properly in Boardmaker 7?

We are currently experiencing issues in the conversion process and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible. Please visit our PODD in Boardmaker 7 page for assistance with PODD printing.

Speed/load times

What should I do if it takes a long time for the Editor or Student Center to load?

We’re aware of this issue and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Error messages & pop ups

What should I do if am getting an ‘initializing file handler’ error and then my Mac freezes?

Please update your operating system and this should quickly solve your issue.

What should I do if I get a malicious software pop-up when trying to install Editor on my Mac?

This issue was addressed with the release of Boardmaker 7.0.4 on July 8, 2021.

Symbols & images

What should I do if my images aren’t loading properly in Core First Learning, Expedition Education, Reading Avenue and Book Bridge?

We’re aware of this issue and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Printing & saving

How do I save Boardmaker 7 activities when editing on a Chromebook?

We have created a support article on this topic.

How do I create a PDF or print from a Chromebook?

We have created a support article on this topic.

Why aren’t my activities syncing between the Editor and website?

The release of the 7.0.4 version of the Editor in July included many improvements to syncing. Best practices for syncing are: saving to correct folder, not using any special characters in the title, file sizes under 120MB, returning to the dashboard of the editor after saving, and allowing the Editor to stay open until the activity syncs.