Hello All:

This is an announcement for a prototype version of 'The Vertebrate
World', a HyperCard 2.0 stack that I am developing as a teaching
aid.  I have sent some earlier versions to a number of you, but
because of the growing size of the stacks as well as the number of
requests, I am posting this version to the archives.

'The Vertebrate World' will be a series of (at least) seven stacks,
each covering a class of vertebrates.  The stacks will contain
descriptive (e.g. taxonomy, physical description), geographical
distribution, and ecological and behavioral information.  Each stack
will have dozens to thousands of pictures, as well as range maps and
sounds (e.g., bird and frog calls) for many of the species.  In this
version, I have included representatives from five of these classes:
bony fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.  Please note
that these contain only a few species each!  Needless to say, the
final product will require distribution on CD-ROM, but I hope to have
the final version sufficiently compartmentalized to permit portions
of the final project copied onto other media such as hard disk
drives.  I would also like the user to be able to pick and choose 
individual cards to create custom 'lessons'.  In this spirit, I am
uploading the stacks as individual files.  Each stack is self-
contained, and contains all the important handlers in the stack script
(those of you stackheads who are not biologists can therefore download
only one stack if you are curious as to how it works).  If you do not
download the entire set, however, you will obviously not be able to
transfer to the missing stacks.
 
For those that have been keeping in touch with the development thus
far, I have made a number of substantial changes, and I have now
improved the stack to the point where I feel I have an adequate
prototype to use for demonstrations.  The next step is to try and
obtain some funding for the tools I need to continue (any suggestions
in this area would be appreciated).

Besides the picture XCMD scripts that I worked out with the aid of 
your generous suggestions, the features of this stack are:

1)  A custom control palette to change stacks, as well as to navigate
within a stack.  The class Agnatha is represented by the icon on the
far left of the bottom row of the control palette by what (I hope) is
obviously a lamprey attached to a fish.  Using the FrontWindow XCMD
(included with the stacks) prevents the control palette from being
trapped behind the picture window when changing cards.

2)  I have also added the showList XFCN from the Apple Power Tools
stack, and used it to display alphabetized lists of species.  You can
use these lists to locate any animal in the stack by scientific or
common name.  At present, these lists can be updated using the 'Update'
button as new cards are added, but this will not be necessary when
the project is completed (as the list information can be stored in
hidden fields).  I therefore plan to remove the buttons that activate
these handlers from the list dialogs at that time.

3)  There are some sample menus (only two so far, however).
One moves you from stack to stack (optionally using Command-#,
where # is a number from 1-7.  The menu item that corresponds to
the class of vertebrates you are currently viewing also has a
checkmark.  The Help menu items still do not work except for the
HyperCard help command.  You will need to type Command-Q to quit.

4)  I have added two range maps to the stack (for the turtles), and
they can be displayed by clicking on the 'Geographical Distribution'
field for each species.  Clicking on the map or anywhere on the card
background (not in a field or the control palette) makes them go away
again (as does changing cards).  I have also added four bird calls, and
two big cat roars that correspond to the appropriate species in the bird
and mammal stacks.  I have also included one frog call (played when the
amphibian stack is opened).  Both the map and the sound commands are
generic, i.e., they only work when a certain text string advertising
their presence is present in the appropriate field.

5) There are also a number of custom resources (including version
resources for the 'Get Info' box in the Finder) that I'll leave to
you to discover.

I hope you find these worthwhile.  Please feel free to pass along any
suggestions you may have as to the content and interface design.  I
would also be most appreciative of any donations of graphics (especially
color, any format) and sounds you might like to make.

Thanks again for all of your help in the construction so far,

Eric L. Peters

( Please note new EMAIL address:     elpeters@LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU )

* Eric L. Peters                                 Voice:    (303) 491-5343 *
* Department of Radiological Health Sciences       FAX:          491-0623 *
* Colorado State University                                               *
* Fort Collins, CO 80523           INTERNET: elpeters@LAMAR.COLOSTATE.EDU *

.
