Macintosh Help
Please call (480) 472-7288, (480) 472-7281, or technical support (602) 402-8451 for help with any Macintosh related problems. Click here to send an email.
Getting started with a Macintosh
What type of Macintosh processor I have?
Installing the plug-ins on an Intel Mac
Installing the plug-ins on a PowerPC Mac
Quitting the timesheet calendar before taking a test and other test-taking topics
Downloading, Saving, and Opening Worksheets or Proof Quizzes on a Mac
What browser do I use?
If you have a Macintosh, we recommend using the latest version
of Safari for
distance learning courses.
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What
type of Macintosh processor I have?
Click on the blue apple (found on the upper left corner of the main menu bar)
and select 'About This Mac' from the drop down menu.
After the word 'Processor:'
look for the words PowerPC or Intel. If you see anything about Intel, then
you have Macintosh with an Intel processor.
Installing the plug-ins on an Intel
Mac This picture appears when the installation is complete.
Quit the installer. Next, you will install the Xtras
that run the quizzes and tests. Go to the next step.
If you
do not have the MDLPCD, follow the instructions below.
You will be installing
the a) Authorware Web Player then b) the Xtras that run the quizzes and tests..
1) Open the 'Applications' folder from the 'Hard Drive.'
2) Find Safari. Select the Safari icon. Do not open it yet.
With Safari selected, hold down command and the letter i (
→ i) at the same time on
your keyboard to open the application information window. Check the box next
to the words "Open Using Rosetta." Close the
'Safari.app Info' window.
3) Download
the Authorware web player to your desktop. Double-click on 'Mac_AW7_Install'
and run the installer.
Authorware
Web Player installer
as it appears on the Desktop.
Double-click on the installer. You will see this
picture.
4) Open Safari, click on the word 'Safari.'
Make sure pop-ups are not blocked.
5) Go to http://www.mdlp.org/go to
install additional plug-ins that are needed to take quizzes and tests. You
will see 'Checking settings...' then the diagnostic page should load. Before
the diagnostic page loads you may get a message asking if you want to run or
allow Authorware. Please allow Authorware to be installed. When the diagnostic
is complete, you should have all green checks.
Hold down command and the letter q ( → q)
at the same time on your keyboard to quit the diagnostic page. RunA7M (Authorware)
will close in 5 seconds. Your computer may seem frozen during the 5 seconds
it takes for Authorware to close.
Note: If the diagnostic page displays a red check
next to Internet connection, quizzes
and tests will not download. This happens because the internet connection
between your computer and our server is blocked. If you are using a wireless
connection, try resolving this issue by turning off Airport on your computer
and plugging your Mac directly into the cable modem (this could be the Airport
modem). Once you have resolved the problem, the diagnostic page should display
all green checks and quizzes and tests should download. Macintosh users who
are unable to resolve the problem should consider using a Windows computer
to take quizzes and tests.
6) Quit the Safari browser again.
7) Open Safari and log in to your student page. Go
to the 'How To Movies' page and watch the movies about how to get started,
how to send a message to your teacher, and how to upload assignments.
This is very important!
Quit the timesheet
calendar by holding down command and the letter q ( → q)
at the same time on your keyboard before clicking on the course link. When you quit the timesheet
calendar, the program takes exactly 5 seconds to quit. It will seem as if your
computer is frozen. After 5 seconds, the timesheet calendar will be gone and
you will be able to click on the course link. Please refer to the information
about downloading worksheets and taking quizzes and tests at the bottom of
this page.
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Installing
the plug-ins for a PowerPC Mac
If you do not have the MDLPCD, follow the instructions below.
You will be installing the a) Authorware Web Player then
b) the Xtras that run the quizzes and tests.
1) Download the Authorware
web player to your desktop. Double-click on 'Mac_AW7_Install' and run the
installer.
Authorware Web Player
installer
as it appears on the Desktop.
Double-click on the installer.
You will see this picture.
This picture appears when the installation
is complete. Quit the installer. Next, you will install the Xtras that run
the quizzes and tests. Go to the next step.
2) Open Safari, click on the word 'Safari.'
Make sure pop-ups are not blocked.
3) Go to http://www.mdlp.org/go to
install additional plug-ins that are needed to take quizzes and tests. You
will see 'Checking settings...' then the diagnostic page should load. Before
the diagnostic page loads you may get a message asking if you want to run or
allow Authorware. Please allow Authorware to be installed. When the diagnostic
is complete, you should have all green checks.
Hold down command and the letter q ( → q)
at the same time on your keyboard to quit the diagnostic page. RunA7M (Authorware)
will close in 5 seconds. Your computer may seem frozen during the 5 seconds
it takes for Authorware to close.
Note: If the diagnostic page displays a red check
next to Internet connection, quizzes
and tests will not download. This happens because the internet connection
between your computer and our server is blocked. If you are using a wireless
connection, try resolving this issue by turning off Airport on your computer
and plugging your Mac directly into the cable modem (this could be the Airport
modem). Once you have resolved the problem, the diagnostic page should display
all green checks and quizzes and tests should download. Macintosh users who
are unable to resolve the problem should consider using a Windows computer
to take quizzes and tests.
4) Quit the Safari browser again.
5) Open Safari and log in to your student page. Go to the 'How To Movies' page
and watch the movies about how to get started, how to send a message to your
teacher, and how to upload assignments.
This is very important!
Quit the timesheet calendar by holding down command and the letter q ( → q) at the same time on your keyboard before clicking on the course link.
Refer to the information about downloading worksheets and taking quizzes and tests at the bottom of this page.
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Quitting the timesheet calendar before taking a test and other test-taking topics
How to quit the Timesheet Calendar before taking a quiz or
test on a Mac
Quit the Timesheet Calendar and any other interactivities by holding down command and the letter q ( → q) on your keyboard before clicking on
a course link from the Student page and opening a quiz or test. Wait 5 seconds for Authorware (RunA7m) to
quit. Only one Authorware file can be open at a time.
To view interactivities as well as the contents of a web page, you may “toggle” between
the windows. If you not longer wish to view the interactivity, select it, then
press the (command) → q on the keyboard to quit.
Important: When you quit a test or interactivity, count to five
or six before clicking anywhere with your mouse. It takes a five or six seconds
for RunA7m to quit on a Mac.
When I click on the link to take a quiz or test, I get an error.
It says 'unable to download graphics.' What do I do?
Check the security settings on your computer. Click on the blue apple (found
on the upper left corner of the main menu bar) and select System Preferences
then open the Security icon. FileVault protection should
be turned be turned off. (If you need help with this, contact an Apple store
or the Apple website). If it is turned on, tests that contain graphics may not
download.
How do I see a hidden interactive page on my Mac?
“Toggle” between browser windows, by clicking on either the web
page or the interactivity. When you click on the web page, the interactivities
page will 'hide' behind the web page. See the prior question/answer above for
instructions on how to quit the interactivity. You may toggle back and forth
as often as you wish.
When I click on a quiz or test, a broken icon appears. I am directed to get the correct plugin.
What do I do?
You will need to insert the CD, and follow the instructions to install the Step 1, Authorware Web Player and
Step 2, install the additional plug-ins. If you no longer have a CD, please call technical support and someone will be glad to assist you.
When I click on a quiz or test, I get a 'buddyapi' error. What do I do?
Go to the following web page www.mdlp.org/diagnostic.htm to run the diagnostic page and install the additional plug-ins then quit the diagnostic page and Safari, reopen it and log in to the Student page. If you continue to see the 'buddyapi' error, please contact tech support.
I took a quiz or test and it did not send. What do I do?
If you have taken a quiz or test and it does not send, you will need to retrieve
it from your computer. Go to www.mdlp.org/testfinder/testfinder.htm.
A list of quizzes and tests that you have taken are displayed. Select the correct
quiz or test (it should also contain your name in the title). The file will
be placed in your Home folder (select 'Home' from the main toolbar on your
computer). Send the encrypted quiz or test to your instructor as an email attachment.
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Downloading, Saving, and Opening Worksheets or Proof Quizzes on a Mac
How do I download a worksheet? How do I open a worksheet?
Downloading a worksheet: If you are using Safari as your browser,
download the worksheet by holding down the 'option' key as you click on the
link.
Opening a worksheet: Some worksheets are saved as a
.rtf (rich text format) file. The default on some Macintosh computers is set
so that these files open in TextEdit. Worksheets will not display
correctly in TextEdit.
You will need to associate the worksheets or proof quizzes with a word processing program such
as Microsoft Word or ThinkFree Write (available through our
office). Follow the instructions below to associate these files with the correct software program:
Associating worksheets or proof quizzes with a word processing program:
a) Select the file (do not open it). Hold down command
-> i on your keyboard to open the information menu.
b) Click on the 'Open with:' arrow and select the word processing program (either ThinkFree Write or Microsoft Word) you wish to use from
the drop down menu.
c) You should see either ThinkFree Write or Microsoft Word under the words 'Open with.' You can also click the button Change All so that .rtf files downloaded in the future will automatically open with the word processing software.
The file should now open in the software program you selected. You may
also change the default program so that every time you open a .rtf file,
it opens in the correct program. Please call the Macintosh Specialist (480)
472-7288 if you continue to have problems opening a worksheet or other course
file.
How do I display the File or Folder menu?
If you wish to display the menu
for a File or Folder, press 'control' as you click on the file or folder.
The menu will pop up. You may select 'Open with' or 'Get Info' from here.
This replaces 'right click' on Windows. Other helpful shortcuts are listed
under 'Help' in the main toolbar on your Macintosh computer.
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If you need additional help, please call (480) 472-7288 or (480) 472-7281, or technical support (602) 402-8451 for help with any Macintosh related problems. Click here to send an email.