Troubleshooting
The following sections describe how to troubleshoot the most common issues encountered in SMART Notebook. If your problem is not listed, or none of the solutions help resolve the issue you are experiencing, check out the following resource:
| The knowledge base contains articles to help with advanced troubleshooting. Search your issue to see if any of the published resources offer a solution to your issue. |
Identify your SMART Notebook version
Tip
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I can’t find the feature (such as Extend Page and Dual Page) I’m looking for in Notebook 23.
As of SMART Notebook 23 (for Windows), some features are deprecated, and others are being improved and will be available again in a future release . If you use a deprecated feature regularly, there is a quick way to switch back to Notebook 22 (version 22.2).
Note
SMART Notebook 22.2 is included in the SMART Notebook 23 download.
To access Notebook 22 from Notebook 23
Click View
Notebook 22.The file opens in SMART Notebook 22 (version 22.2).
Tip
You can choose to have SMART Notebook 22 open by default. Go to Edit
Preferences and select which version of SMART Notebook you want to open by default next time you open the software.
Although most of Notebook’s features have been included in the latest release, some features have been deprecated, and others are coming soon.
Note
The following table highlights only the differences. Features not listed here are the same in both versions.
Feature
Notebook 23.2
Notebook 22.2
Canvas size (extend page)
Extend Page is available.
You can also select from the following page sizes:
4:3
16:9 “regular”
16:9 “large”
The 16:9 page sizes are available for those who want more space on a page. These sizes are designed to make the file compatible across SMART software products.
Pages have a fixed width, at a 4:3 ratio by default. However, you can click Extend Page to get more space.
Dual Page view
This feature is not currently available.
This feature is available.
Cross-product compatibility
With 16:9 sizes, Notebook lessons that are shared to Lumio or opened on a SMART Board display with iQ will display at the appropriate ratio and will not be resized.
Lessons saved from iQ and opened again in Notebook will show the same page that was shown in iQ.
When lessons are opened on displays with iQ, the pages are resized to fit and have black bars on either side of the page. This is because 4:3 content is made to fit on a 4:3 screen.
Lessons saved from iQ and opened again in Notebook could have missing content due to the differences in page (canvas) sizes across SMART products
Pressure Ink
Can create and erase pressure ink on supported SMART Board displays.
Pressure ink is not supported and will be displayed as regular digital ink.
Transparent View
This is a depreciated feature, as SMART Ink (included with SMART Notebook) already provides this feature.
Use SMART Ink to make notes over Windows applications, Microsoft Office files, and PDF documents. Learn more about SMART Ink.
This feature is available in SMART Notebook 22. However, you can also use SMART Ink to perform the same actions.
Dual-write Mode
Because the current line of SMART Board displays supports multiple users interacting with the display simultaneously, this feature was deprecated.
This feature is available. However, it is only applicable for SMART Board D600 series interactive whiteboards.
3D Models
Manipulation of 3D Models is not supported. A 2D placeholder will be rendered in place of 3D models in existing documents.
This feature is available.
Mixed Reality
This feature was last supported with the SMART Document Camera 450. Newer models of the document camera (SDC-550 and 650) do not support the use of the mixed reality map and cube.
This feature is available. However, you must have a SDC-450 with a mixed reality mat and cube to use it.
SMART Notebook Math Tools
This feature has been replaced with the new Editable Math Equation feature.
This feature can be activated if you have an existing product key. Product keys for Math Tools are no longer available (as of 2017).
Concept Maps
Existing concept maps will appear, but you won’t be able to edit them or create new ones.
You can view and manipulate existing concept maps and create new ones.
Link to Tool
This is a deprecated feature.
Most SMART Board interactive displays and whiteboards support object recognition, allowing you to quickly distinguish between pen, finger, and palm eraser.
This feature is supported.
The Link to Tool feature was intended to provide a way to quickly switch between pen, finger, and a palm eraser to those using Notebook on displays without object recognition.
“Show All Links” and “Show All Links When Page Opens”
This is a deprecated feature. However, you can link objects and launch the links using a corner icon. This makes objects with links easily identifiable as they appear with a link icon on the page
This feature exists in the View menu. When turned on, an animation appears to indicate any linked objects on the page. Full screen page border
There is no longer a blue border that appears around the page space when viewed in full-screen mode.
This feature is supported. Insert Picture From Scanner
This is a deprecated feature. As a workaround, scanned images can be saved and then inserted as a regular image.
This feature is supported. Text-in-shape
Existing text-in-shapes are displayed but cannot be created. This feature will be available again in an upcoming release.
In the meantime, you can group text with a shape to obtain a similar result.
This feature is supported. Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I can’t find the feature I’m looking for in Notebook 24.
As of SMART Notebook 23 (for Windows), some features were deprecated, and others are being improved and will be available again in a future release . If you use a deprecated feature regularly, there is a quick way to switch back to Notebook 22 (version 22.2).
Note
SMART Notebook 22.2 is included in the SMART Notebook 24 download.
To access Notebook 22 from Notebook 24
Click View
Notebook 22.The file opens in SMART Notebook 22 (version 22.2).
Tip
You can choose to have SMART Notebook 22 open by default. Go to Edit
Preferences and select the version of SMART Notebook you want to open by default next time you open the software.
Although most of Notebook’s features are included in the latest release, some features have been deprecated, and others are coming soon.
Note
The following table highlights only the differences. Features not listed here are the same in both versions.
Feature
Notebook 24
Notebook 22.2
Canvas size (extend page)
Extend Page is available.
You can also select from the following page sizes:
4:3
16:9 “regular”
16:9 “large”
The 16:9 page sizes are available for those who want more space on a page. These sizes are designed to make the file compatible across SMART software products.
Pages have a fixed width, at a 4:3 ratio by default. However, you can click Extend Page to get more space.
Cross-product compatibility
With 16:9 sizes, Notebook lessons that are shared to Lumio or opened on a SMART Board display with iQ will display at the appropriate ratio and will not be resized.
Lessons saved from iQ and opened again in Notebook will show the same page that was shown in iQ.
When lessons are opened on displays with iQ, the pages are resized to fit and have black bars on either side of the page. This is because 4:3 content is made to fit on a 4:3 screen.
Lessons saved from iQ and opened again in Notebook could have missing content due to the differences in page (canvas) sizes across SMART products
Pressure Ink
Can create and erase pressure ink on supported SMART Board displays.
Pressure ink is not supported and will be displayed as regular digital ink.
Transparent View
This is a depreciated feature, as SMART Ink (included with SMART Notebook) already provides this feature.
Use SMART Ink to make notes over Windows applications, Microsoft Office files, and PDF documents. Learn more about SMART Ink.
This feature is available in SMART Notebook 22. However, you can also use SMART Ink to perform the same actions.
Dual-write Mode
Because the current line of SMART Board displays supports multiple users interacting with the display simultaneously, this feature was deprecated.
This feature is available. However, it is only applicable for SMART Board D600 series interactive whiteboards.
3D Models
Manipulation of 3D Models is not supported. A 2D placeholder will be rendered in place of 3D models in existing documents.
This feature is available.
Mixed Reality
This feature was last supported with the SMART Document Camera 450. Newer models of the document camera (SDC-550 and 650) do not support the use of the mixed reality map and cube.
This feature is available. However, you must have a SDC-450 with a mixed reality mat and cube to use it.
SMART Notebook Math Tools
This feature has been replaced with the new Editable Math Equation feature.
This feature can be activated if you have an existing product key. Product keys for Math Tools are no longer available (as of 2017).
Concept Maps
Existing concept maps will appear, but you won’t be able to edit them or create new ones.
You can view and manipulate existing concept maps and create new ones.
Link to Tool
This is a deprecated feature.
Most SMART Board interactive displays and whiteboards support object recognition, allowing you to quickly distinguish between pen, finger, and palm eraser.
This feature is supported.
The Link to Tool feature was intended to provide a way to quickly switch between pen, finger, and a palm eraser to those using Notebook on displays without object recognition.
“Show All Links” and “Show All Links When Page Opens”
This is a deprecated feature. However, you can link objects and launch the links using a corner icon. This makes objects with links easily identifiable as they appear with a link icon on the page
This feature exists in the View menu. When turned on, an animation appears to indicate any linked objects on the page. Full screen page border
There is no longer a blue border that appears around the page space when viewed in full-screen mode.
This feature is supported. Insert Picture From Scanner
This is a deprecated feature. As a workaround, scanned images can be saved and then inserted as a regular image.
This feature is supported. Text-in-shape
Existing text-in-shapes are displayed but cannot be created. This feature will be available again in an upcoming release.
In the meantime, you can group text with a shape to obtain a similar result.
This feature is supported. Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
Floating toolbar and pen/ink settings issues (default thickness, color, and style settings)
When you change the pen’s settings, such as color or line thickness, they don’t save.
If you want to change SMART Notebook’s default pen and ink settings, you must save the changes using the Save Tool Properties button in the Properties tab. See
For SMART Board 6000 or 7000 series interactive displays, the pens’ properties (color, thickness, and so on) are reset to their original settings to match the physical pens’ color when pens are returned to the pen tray on the display. To change these original settings, use the SMART Settings dialog.
Note
This will change SMART Ink’s default settings, which means that the new settings you choose will appear when you use the pen to write in any program, including SMART Notebook on the display.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
The floating toolbar for SMART Ink won’t close/open
The following links provide instructions for turning SMART Ink on or off and opening or closing the SMART Ink toolbar:
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I’m having subscription issues.
I have a subscription but I can’t access the full version.
The email you are using to sign in is not the one that was provisioned in the SMART Admin Portal by your school’s administrator, or you haven’t yet been provisioned..
If your subscription is managed by your school, contact your school’s IT administrator (or the person in charge of managing subscriptions) and ask them to either provide what email you should use to sign in, or provision the email you want to use to sign in to your SMART Account.
Your SMART Account that you use to access Notebook is provisioned in SMART’s Global service region, but you are signed in to your SMART Account using the European service region (or vice versa).
If your subscription is managed by your school, contact your school’s IT administrator (or the person in charge of managing subscriptions) and ask them what service region you should use to sign in to your SMART Account.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I want to renew my subscription but I can’t figure out how.
Your subscription is part of a group subscription and managed by your school. Contact your school’s IT administrator (or the person in charge of managing subscriptions) and ask them to renew your subscription. Or, if they have multiple subscriptions, have them provision you another subscription in the SMART Admin Portal that is active.
If you purchased your own subscription, renewals are automatic. You can manage your subscription from the user menu in Lumio.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I can’t find my product key.
The product key is recorded in the SMART Admin Portal.
The SMART Admin Portal sign in information and product key are given to the contacts provided when SMART Notebook software was purchased. Contact your technical administrator to obtain your SMART Notebook product key.
If you are the technical administrator, you should have received an email with your sign in credentials. Sign into the Admin Portal to view all SMART software product keys available to your organization.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I’m having issues connecting to a network.
Several components of SMART Notebook software (activation, activities, and assessments) require an active internet connection and access to URLs that might be blocked by a network firewall or other filters. Click below for a list of URLs that must be added to the allowlist.
I’m having issues using some Notebook features on my Mac, such as touch and recording.
In macOS High Sierra (10.13) and later, Apple has introduced security and privacy settings that affect SMART Notebook and related software. If you have not set these permissions correctly it may result in features such as touch and sound not behaving as expected when using SMART software.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I’m seeing errors when trying to install SMART Notebook.
Troubleshooting procedures for installation errors vary according to operating system, the specific error message, and the computer’s environment and specifications. Here are some general tips and tricks you can try if you run into an error message during installation.
Windows
Run Windows Update and apply any updates.
Restart the computer.
Run Scan to repair any problematic system files. See this support document for more information.
Run the installation again.
Mac computers
Run macOS updates and apply any updates.
Restart the computer.
Repair disk permissions (if applicable). See this Apple support site document for more information.
Run the installation again.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I’m having issues opening files / the file I’m trying to open is corrupt.
The file is running slowly when I open it.
Your file contains large pictures. Export an optimized version of the file (see
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
The Notebook file is corrupt and can’t be opened.
The file may be corrupted if you are trying to open a Notebook file and one of the following messages appear:
"Can’t open the file. "
"This file is corrupt and cannot be opened."
To fix this, create a new Notebook file. Drag the corrupted file into a blank page in the new file. If the corrupted file’s contents appear, save the file as a new file and it should open normally.
Tip
Create regular backups of important files to prevent data loss in the unlikely event that a file is corrupted.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I’m having issues with the toolbar.
I need the toolbar to be lower so it’s easier to reach.
Tap Move toolbar to top/bottom of window
to move the toolbar from the top of the window to the bottom.Tip
If you have a height-adjustable wall mount, you can also adjust the height of the interactive whiteboard or display so that students can reach it.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
Toolbar buttons described in this documentation don’t appear on the toolbar.
If a down arrow appears on the right side of the toolbar, press it to display additional toolbar buttons.
If the desired button you’re looking for doesn’t appear when you click the down arrow, you or another user might have removed the button (see Customizing the toolbar).
Don’t span more than a few buttons across rows to prevent the toolbar from being wider than the SMART Notebook software window.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I want to change the defaults on the SMART Notebook toolbar, like pen thickness or default text font.
Use the Properties tab to set tool defaults:
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
The Page Sorter, Gallery, Attachments, Properties, and other tabs keep disappearing.
Tap one of the tab’s icons to display it, and then clear the Auto-hide check box.
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I’m having issues editing objects such as shapes and images.
I’m trying to move or resize one object, but when I do it moves other objects too.
The objects are grouped. Any changes you make to one object affect the other objects. Select the objects, and then select Format
GroupUngroup to ungroup them. You can then move, resize or otherwise change the individual objects.For more information, see Positioning objects.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I want to move or make changes to an object, but I can’t.
The object is locked, which prevents you from making changes to it. To unlock the object, select it, press its lock icon
, and then select Unlock.Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I’m trying to fill an object with a picture but it’s either cut-off or appears as tiles.
When you fill an object with a picture that is larger than the object, the picture is cut off.
When you fill an object with a picture that is smaller than the object, the picture is tiled.
When filling an object with a picture, select Scale image to fit to resize the picture to fit the object:
For more information, see Setting image transparency.
Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I can’t interact with or create new Concept Maps.
To interact with Concept Maps, click View
Notebook 22. Creating new Concept Maps is not currently supported in SMART Notebook 23.Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I can’t interact with or create new Concept Maps.
To interact with Concept Maps, click View
Notebook 22. Creating new Concept Maps is not currently supported in SMART Notebook 24.Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I can’t manipulate the 3D objects on the page.
To manipulate 3D Objects, click View
Notebook 22. 3D object manipulation is not currently supported in SMART Notebook 23.Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.
I can’t manipulate the 3D objects on the page.
To manipulate 3D Objects, click View
Notebook 22. 3D object manipulation is not currently supported in SMART Notebook 24.Did this information help you solve the problem? Let us know.