Getting started

With SMART Notebook software, you can create .notebook files that include graphics, text, tables, lines, shapes, animations and more. Present your file and keep your class’s attention as you move and interact with these objects. When your class provides comments and suggestions, write their input on the page using digital ink. You can open .notebook files in SMART Notebook software on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer. You can also export your file in a variety of formats, including HTML and PDF.

When you start SMART Notebook software the first time, an interactive tutorial file opens automatically. You can read the tutorial to learn more about the software and the new features in the latest release. When you’re done, select File > New to create a new, blank file.

SMART Notebook 16 software now allows you to sign in with your Google, Office 365 or Microsoft account. (Sign in is required to create and play some SMART lab activities.) If you sign in with one of these accounts, you will not have to sign in each time you want to use SMART response 2 or other activities that require account sign in.

Note 

When SMART software is updated, the sign-in feature automatically logs users out of their accounts. Users must sign in again to create and play SMART lab activities.

To sign in to your account

You may be prompted to sign in to your email account in certain situations. To sign in, select Account from the Notebook menu.

You can then choose from several accounts for sign in.

If you selected Sign in with Google, you will be directed to the Google sign-in page. After signing in to your Google account, the You’re all set! dialog box appears, indicating that you have been signed in.

If you selected Office 365 (school) sign in, you will be directed to the Microsoft sign in page. Enter your account details and press Sign In. After signing in to your Microsoft account, the You’re all set! dialog box appears, indicating that you have been signed in.

If you selected the Microsoft (personal) sign in, you will be directed to the Microsoft personal sign in page. Enter your account details and press Sign In. After signing in to your Microsoft account, the You’re all set! dialog box appears, indicating that you have been signed in.

See Using SMART response 2 for more activity ID information.

Note 

If you decide to skip the sign in process you might not be able to use the activity that’s prompting you to sign in.

You will be prompted to sign in

  • When using the SMART lab Creation Wizard for the first time

  • When using the SMART response 2, Shout It Out! and Monster Quiz activities

  • When using the Hand out activity

When you start the software subsequent times, a new blank file opens automatically. To open the tutorial, select Help > Tutorial.

The SMART Notebook software user interface consists of the following components:

  • Menu

  • Toolbar

  • Tabs (Page Sorter, Gallery, Attachments, Properties, and Add-ons)

  • Page area

The menu contains all the commands you can use to manage files and objects in SMART Notebook software.

From the toolbar, you can select and use a variety of commands. The buttons on the toolbar are organized in panels.

Panel

Description

Actions

The Actions panel of the toolbar includes buttons for browsing and making changes to .notebook files:

Add-ons

If you install SMART Notebook add-ons, an add-on panel appears to the right of the Actions panel:

Tools

The Tools panel includes buttons for creating and working with basic objects on pages:

Contextual

When you select one of the buttons in the Tools panel, additional buttons appear. For example, if you select Pens , the following additional buttons appear:

Press the Pen Types button to select a pen type and then press one of the line type buttons to write or draw digital ink in that line type. You can customize a selected line type using the options in the Properties tab and then save your changes for future use (see Changing object properties).

The three property selectors beside the line type buttons enable you to set the color, thickness, style and transparency of digital ink.

If you click any of the other buttons in the Tools panel, similar sets of additional buttons appear.

Note 

The commands in the toolbar are also accessible from the menu.

You can add, remove and change the position of buttons on the toolbar by pressing Customize the toolbar (see Customizing the toolbar).

By default, the toolbar appears at the top of the SMART Notebook software window. However, you can move it to the bottom of the window by pressing Move toolbar to top/bottom of window . This is useful in situations where you or your students can’t reach the toolbar when it’s at the top of the window.

The Page Sorter displays all of the pages in the open file as thumbnails and automatically updates these thumbnails as you change the contents of the pages.

Using the Page Sorter, you can do the following:

To open the Page Sorter, press Page Sorter.

You can move the Page Sorter from one side of the SMART Notebook software window to the other by pressing Move Sidebar.

You can resize the Page Sorter by dragging its border left or right. You can also hide the Page Sorter when you aren’t using it by selecting the Auto-hide check box. (To display the Page Sorter when it’s hidden, press Page Sorter.)

Note 

For Windows operating systems: if you reduce the Page Sorter to its minimum size, the auto-hide feature turns on automatically.

The Gallery tab contains clip art, backgrounds, multimedia content, files and pages that you can use in your lessons, and displays preview images of this content. The Gallery tab also provides access to other online resources. For more information, see Inserting content from the Gallery.

You can also include your own content and content from other teachers in your school in the Gallery tab.

To open the Gallery tab, press Gallery .

You can move the Gallery tab from one side of the SMART Notebook software window to the other by pressing Move Sidebar.

You can resize the Gallery tab by dragging its border left or right. You can also hide the Gallery tab when you aren’t using it by selecting the Auto-hide check box. (To display the Gallery tab when it’s hidden, press Gallery .)

Note 

For Windows operating systems: if you reduce the Gallery tab to its minimum size, the auto-hide feature turns on automatically.

The Attachments tab displays the files and web pages attached to the current file.

To open the Attachments tab, press Attachments.

You can move the Attachments tab from one side of the SMART Notebook software window to the other by pressing Move Sidebar.

You can resize the Attachments tab by dragging its border left or right. You can also hide the Attachments tab when you aren’t using it by selecting the Auto-hide check box. (To display the Attachments tab when it’s hidden, press Attachments .)

Note 

For Windows operating systems: if you reduce the Attachments tab to its minimum size, the auto-hide feature turns on automatically.

The Properties tab enables you to format objects on a page, including digital ink, shapes, lines, text and tables. Depending on the object you select, you can change the following:

  • The color, thickness and style of lines

  • The transparency and fill effects of objects

  • The font type, size and style of text

  • The animation of objects

The Properties tab displays only the options that are available for the object you select. For more information on displaying and setting object properties in the Properties tab, see Changing object properties.

To open the Properties tab, press Properties.

You can move the Properties tab from one side of the SMART Notebook software window to the other by pressing Move Sidebar.

You can resize the Properties tab by dragging its border left or right. You can also hide the Properties tab when you aren’t using it by selecting the Auto-hide check box. (To display the Properties tab when it’s hidden, press Properties.)

Note 

For Windows operating systems: if you reduce the Properties tab to its minimum size, the auto-hide feature turns on automatically.

The Add-ons tab enables you to work with SMART Notebook software add-ons.

To open the Add-ons tab, press Add-ons .

You can move the Add-ons tab from one side of the SMART Notebook software window to the other by pressing Move Sidebar.

You can resize the Add-ons tab by dragging its border left or right. You can also hide the Add-ons tab when you aren’t using it by selecting the Auto-hide check box. (To display the Add-ons tab when it’s hidden, press Add-ons .)

Note 

For Windows operating systems: if you reduce the Add-ons tab to its minimum size, the auto-hide feature turns on automatically.

The page area displays the contents of a selected page in a file. This is the area of the page where you create and work with objects.

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