This is a another nice little button action that HyperStudio has that allows the user to add mystery and surprise to a text object.  Perfect for Halloween!  The Ghost Writer NBA makes text appear one letter at a time in a text box creating the illusion of a ghost writer composing at the user's keyboard.  

Adding Ghost Writer NBA to Text Objects

Making the Text Object Activate the NBA

The Magical Eraser

Some References to The Zone of Proximal Development 

Things to remember: 

• Ghost Writer places text in a text box.
• The Text Object must be added before the NBA is added.
• Ghost Writer is activated by a button.
• The button that activates Ghost Writer may be invisible and automatic.
• The Text Object itself can activate the Ghost Writer NBA.

Adding a Ghost Writer NBA to a text box

Here's how to do it:

• Open HyperStudio and create a few cards.  Save the stack.
• Add a text object but don't put anything in it!  
• Name your text object if you think you'll have more than one text object on that card.
• Add an invisible button with an automatic timer on it.
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• Check the New Button Actions checkbox in the "Things to Do:" column. The "New Button Actions" window opens.  That should not be a surprise to anyone!

• Notice that "HideShw2 NBA" is selected here?  You don't want that NBA this time.  Remember from last lesson, I'm simply saving space on the server by not making another image of this window.  
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• If you see the Ghost Writer NBA in the window at the top left, select it and click "Use this NBA".  
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• If you can't find the Ghost Writer NBA, it is in the "Disk Library".  Click the radio button next to "Disk Library" and you'll be taken to HyperStudio's NBA folder where you'll select the Ghost Writer NBA.  It will probably have an abbreviated name, so look carefully.  It's pretty obvious in the window below.

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• There are several other NBAs in this folder that you can use later, too, once you flounder around in the Zone of Proximal Development for what seems to be an interminable period (or a semester with the current instructor, whichever seems the longest).

Where were we? Ah, yes.  Double click on the Ghost Writer NBA, and a new window opens!

• In the window that opens, you first must choose "Use this NBA" and then a text box opens for you so you can type in the message you want the spirits to enter for you.
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• Hit OK a few times and Done a few more, and you'll be back to your card.
• Note:  If you have this timed with an automatic button, or if your browse hand is not selected, the NBA won't work.  Shift +Tab will get the browse hand for you, and you can simply go to another card and return and the Ghost will begin to write.

Making the Text Object activate the NBA

Here's how to do it:

• Add the text object where you want the Ghost to write.
• The Text Appearance  window opens. Choose a really scary text like "Chiller" if you have it!  Deselect "Draw scroll bar" and "Draw frame" because they're unsightly! 

• Now, choose "Actions", and you'll be in familiar territory at the edge of Vygotsky's ZPD.
• You'll be able to figure out what to do next.
• An important thing to remember is that once the Text Object becomes the NBA activator, it's only possible to edit the text area after you've cancelled the NBA.  If you try to edit, you continually reactivate the NBA and end up pulling out all your hair!

Imagine what you have here!  You can add other buttons with animations that really appeal to kids.  It's not just a Halloween thing.  But there's more....

The Magical Eraser Feature

Ghost Writer has a nifty little eraser feature that will delete the text you have entered.  You can use this to erase one letter, or you can use it to delete a word, sentence or the entire block of text.  Here's how you do it.

• Add another button to the card with the Ghost Writer text.

• Choose the Ghost Writer NBA again.  When you get to the box where you enter the text that Ghost Writer will use, enter this symbol: @  (the "at" symbol).

• This causes Ghost Writer to back up.  If you enter as many of these symbols as you have characters (letters, numbers, spaces, etc.), Ghost Writer erases everything.

• You can even speed up the erasing by typing {fast} or {faster} in curly brackets before entering @. 

• It's mind boggling!  I know!