Dashboard and Menu Items
Dashboard
Use the Dashboard to get a status overview of your players and jump into common BrightAuthor:connected tasks.
1. Content Mode
This toggle switches between Local content and BSN.cloud content:
Local: Author presentations using content files located on your Mac or PC, and publish them using the Standalone, Local Network, or Web Folder publishing modes. Presentations authored with Local content cannot be directly accessed when BSN.cloud mode is selected; content must first be uploaded to BSN.cloud before it can be accessed.
BSN.cloud: Author presentations and feeds using content files that have been uploaded to your BSN.cloud network. This option requires a BSN Content Cloud subscription. Presentations authored with BSN.cloud content cannot be accessed when Local content mode is selected.
This toggle button is only available in the desktop version of BrightAuthor:connected. The browser version of BrightAuthor:connected uses BSN.cloud content only.
2. Nav Bar
Use the Nav Bar to navigate among the different sections of BrightAuthor:connected. Select the down arrow next to a heading to see additional options (for example, the dropdown menu under Dashboard allows you to access Network Status information).
3. Player Status Overview
This bar provides a quick overview of player health. Players must first have been added before their health can be displayed. The following statuses can appear in the status-overview bar:
Healthy: The player has checked in less than 5 minutes ago.
Connection Lost: The player has not checked in for 5 to 15 minutes.
Inactive: The player has not checked in for 15 or more minutes. There can be several reasons for an inactive player; please see this FAQ for a full list of causes.
Disconnected: The player has no subscription, or its subscription has expired (BSN Content Cloud networks only; subscriptions are not required during the Beta period).
Click the Player Status Overview bar to jump to the Network tab, where you can get more detailed information about the current status of your players
4. Recent presentations
This pane provides a list of recently created/edited presentations. As noted above, you will only see locally saved presentations when Local content is selected. Select Manage Presentations >> to see all saved presentations.
5. Activate Player
Activate a player for BSN.cloud.
6. New Presentation
Create a new presentation.
7. Manage Content
Manage content files on your BSN.cloud network (this feature does not apply to local storage).
8. Manage Schedule
Create or modify presentation schedules for players.
9. Manage Network
Manage players that have been added to your BSN.cloud network.
10. Get Help
Link to training and support resources.
11. Subscription Information
This section provides the following dynamic subscription information:
The subscription type
The total number of subscriptions available and the number that are in use
The number of days remaining on those subscriptions
The expiration date of the Content Cloud subscriptions
Menu Items
When BrightAuthor:connected is launched, three menus will appear in the menu bar along the top of the window. These menus offer additional functionality.
BA connected
About BA connected
Displays which version of BrightAuthor:connected you are running, as well as copyright information.
Check for Updates...
This allows you to see if there are new BrightAuthor:connected versions, and to update your BrightAuthor:connected if you choose to do so.
Quit BA connected
Use this, or the corresponding key command, to quit the application.
File
New/Open/Import/Recent
These tools allow you to create a new presentation or schedule, open or import an existing presentation, and list recent presentations that can be reopened.
Close <Presentation Name>
This allows you to close the current presentation.
Save <Presentation Name>/Save As.../Export <Presentation Name>
These tools let you to save or export the current presentation, or to save it with a new name.
Edit
Undo/Redo
These tools allow you to undo or redo a previous action in the application.
Cut/Copy/Paste
These tools let you cut, copy, or paste information within the presentation.
Import States/Export States
These tools let you import and export presentation states.
Import Variables/Export Variables
These tools allow you to import and export user variables, which can save time when you are creating multiple presentations that use the same set of variables.
Replace Media File
This allows you to replace files within media states, but only in a local presentation. You will be prompted to save any unsaved changes.