Sensory Boards

User Guide

Create communication boards in Open Board Format (OBF/OBZ)

Getting Started

Quick Start (With Pre-built Bundles)

If the symbol and annotation bundles have already been built:

1. Double-click index.html to open in your web browser
2. The application will load with symbols and annotations ready to use
3. No internet connection or web server required!

Using the Application

Home Screen

When you open the application, you'll see three options:

• Create New - Start a new communication board
• Load Board - Open a previously saved board or import OBF/OBZ files
• Manage - Organize and delete your saved boards

Creating a New Board

1. Click Create New on the home screen
2. Enter a name for your board
3. Choose the grid size (columns x rows)
4. Click Create

Editing Cells

Click any cell on your board to edit it. You can:

• Add a Label - Type text that appears on the cell
• Add a Symbol - Search your symbol library or upload an image
• Change Colors - Customize background and text colors
• Add Annotations - Small overlay images (requires a symbol first)
• Set Actions - Configure what happens when the cell is pressed

Finding Symbols

In the cell editor, use the Symbol Library tab:

1. Type in the search box to filter symbols
2. Click a symbol to add it to the selected cell
3. You can also:
   • Import individual images
   • Search online symbol libraries
   • Draw your own symbols

Saving Your Work

Your boards are automatically saved to your browser's storage as you work.

To export a board:

1. Click the Save button in the toolbar
2. Choose a format:
   • OBF - Single board file
   • OBZ - Multi-board package (if you have multiple boards)
3. The file will download to your computer

Loading Boards

To load a previously saved board:

1. Click Load Board on the home screen
2. Either:
   • Select from your saved boards list
   • Click Load OBF/OBZ to import a file

Settings

• Language - Change the interface language
• Default Grid Size - Set default columns and rows for new boards
• Default Colors - Set default colors for boards and cells
• Symbol Library - Load or reload symbol ZIP files
• Annotation Library - Load or reload annotation ZIP files

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl/Cmd + Z - Undo
• Ctrl/Cmd + Y - Redo
• Escape - Close editor / Return to previous screen
• Arrow Keys - Navigate between cells

Supported File Formats

Import:

• OBF (Open Board Format) - Single boards
• OBZ (Open Board Zip) - Multi-board packages

Export:

• OBF - Single board
• OBZ - All boards as a package

Symbol Libraries:

• ZIP files containing PNG, JPG, SVG, GIF, or WebP images

Tips and Tricks

• Quick Symbol Search - Start typing immediately after clicking a cell to search symbols
• Copy Cell Style - Right-click a cell to copy its formatting to other cells
• Batch Edit - Hold Shift and click multiple cells to edit them together
• Draw Your Own - Use the drawing tool to create custom symbols
• Online Search - Search OpenSymbols and other online libraries directly

Troubleshooting

Symbols not loading

• Make sure symbol bundles are built (see BUILD_INSTRUCTIONS.rtf)
• Or run from a local web server
• Check Settings to manually load a symbol ZIP file

Board not saving

• Check that your browser allows local storage
• Try using a different browser (Chrome or Firefox recommended)
• Export important boards as OBF/OBZ files as backup

Images not displaying

• Some browsers block certain image types in file:// mode
• Try running from a local web server
• Re-import the image in a different format (PNG recommended)

Application is slow

• Large symbol libraries may take time to load initially
• After first load, symbols are cached for faster access
• Try closing other browser tabs to free memory

Browser Compatibility

The application works best in:

• Google Chrome (recommended)
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari

Note: Internet Explorer is not supported.

Getting Help

For more information, visit:
https://www.sensoryapphouse.com

File Structure