Home‎ > ‎

Backgrounds

A grey or white background is boring. We are going to learn how to customize our programs and make them more colorful and interesting. We can either add a repeating pattern background or an image background to it.

1. Adding a built-in pattern background
    We will add the background to the card. So we need to open up the "Card Inspector". 

   There are 2 ways.

   1. Click on "Object", then "Card Inspector"

                            

      2.   or right-click on the card and select "Card Property Inspector"
 
                             

   Then go to the drop-down menu item - "Colors and Patterns". Click on the empty square to the right of the label "Background"

                             

   Select your pattern - there are many, many to choose from. Experiment, have some fun

                                 
                            



2. Adding your own image background

   I am going to add a sunset photo to mine using "File" - "Import as Control" - "Image File"

   We will see that it covers up my buttons, and then learn how to move it to the background by using the "Move to Back" or using the layer controls in the   Property Inspector

                 My Program
                           


   Adding a Background
    Find a good background for your game, then click on "File", "Import as Control", "Image File..." and find the background you have saved on your computer (jpg, or similar)

                          

   The image will appear on your card but it will probably be covering up your button or maze, and everything else. We need to move it to the background.    This can be done in at least two ways, You should try both so that you will be familiar with the capabilities of the graphics.

   Move Image to Background - #1
  • Click on "Object" on the Edit bar, then "Send to Back"
                          

   Move Image to Background - #2
  • Right-click on the image and select "Property Inspector" 
                         

  • click on "Basic Properties" and select "Size and Position".
                        

  • At the bottom, see that it is shown as a higher layer (e.g. here it is 6)
                       

  • Change the layer to "1" - the bottom-most layer and the other elements will be on top
  • (either type 1 or use the up/down direction icons there)
                       

   That's it. 

   Just know that every object is on it's own layer and you can change them to your advantage. Most of the time, you will do this for backgrounds or situations like when someone goes into a cave or behind something

Screenshots - Adding a Background
Comments