Using CLIO Functions
Overview
There are several functions that have been created for use in the interface or other activity types that were included as part of the CLIO web application, making it so they can be integrated into new activity types.
Interface
These functions are used to control various underlying parts of the CLIO Interface.
getCurrentURL
Description: Returns an object with information about the current URL.
Arguments: none
Example:
getCurrentURL();
Output:
{
"url": "http://10.0.0.50//clio/development/?program=NICOToothSleuth&activity=pathfinder",
"base": "http://10.0.0.50//clio/development/",
"hash": "",
"program": "NICOToothSleuth",
"activity": "pathfinder",
"menu": ""
}
removeBodyClassByPrefix
Description: Removes all classes from body that begin with a prefix.
Arguments: prefix
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| prefix | The prefix for the classes to be removed from the body element. | String |
Example:
removeBodyClassByPrefix("theme_");
Output:
(All classes that start with “theme_” will be removed from the “body” object.)
removeSelectorClassByPrefix
Description: Removes all classes from the selector that begin with a prefix.
Arguments: selector, prefix
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| selector | An ID (“#unique_id”) or class (“.class”) selector. | Valid element class or id |
| prefix | The prefix for the classes to be removed from the selected element. | String |
Example:
removeBodyClassByPrefix("#menu_content_wrapper", "menu_");
Output:
(All classes beginning with “menu_” will be removed from the element with the id of “menu_content_wrapper”)
applyTheme
Description: Loads the selected theme from the CLIO theme folder and applies it, unless there is an accessibility contrast mode enabled. This does not automatically remove existing theme classes and should be used in conjunction with removeBodyClassByPrefix(“theme_”).
Arguments: theme
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| theme | The name of the theme, not including the “theme_” prefix. | String |
Example:
applyTheme("default");
Output:
(Loads the “theme_default.css” stylesheet from the CLIO web application’s “theme” folder, contained within the “css” folder. Then, CLIO will verify that an accessibility contrast mode is not enabled before applying the “theme_default” class to the “body” element.)
AJAX
These functions are used to asynchronously load and parse various types of data without needing to reload the web application through the use of AJAX (or AJAJ).
parseJSONContent
Description: Returns an object parsed from a JSON file.
Arguments: file
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| file | The JSON file to be loaded and parsed. | Relative location from the CLIO JS directory. |
Example:
parseJSONContent(“test.json”);
Output:
{
“Test”: “Content”
}
loadHTML
Description: Returns an HTML string parsed from an HTML file.
Arguments: file
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| file | The HTML file to be loaded and parsed. | Relative location from the CLIO JS directory. |
Example:
var template = loadHTML(“template.html”);
$(“#activity_content”).html(template)
Output:
(Creates a variable containing the contents of the “template.html” file, and uses it to replace the HTML content of the “activity_content” container.)
parseDirectory
Description: Returns an array of strings containing the name of each file in a directory.
Arguments: directory
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| directory | The directory to be parsed. | Relative location from the CLIO JS directory. |
Example:
var directory_contents = parseDirectory(“contents/”);
Output:
[
“Test”,
“Test2”,
“Test3”
]
loadScript
Description: Loads a script from a URL before adding it to the DOM and initializing it for use.
Arguments: url
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| url | The JavaScript file to be loaded. | Relative location from the CLIO JS directory. |
Example:
loadScript(“test.js”);
Output:
(The “test.js” JavaScript file is loaded and appended to the “Head” element.)
Rich Text
These functions are used to parse the BBCode-like format that the interface uses to encode rich text into plain text.
BBCodeParser.process
Description: Decodes the BBCode-like tag system into more usable HTML.
Arguments: content
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| content | A string to be decoded into HTML. | Text with embedded BBCode tags |
Example:
BBCodeParser.process(“[p][b]Title[/b][i]This[/i] is a test.[/p]”)
Output:
<p><b>Title</b><i>This</i> is a test.</p>
Settings
These functions are used to get and set various settings in LocalStorage. These are use specifically by the Settings menu.
clearSettings
Description: Resets all settings by clearing the HTML5 LocalStorage cache.
Arguments: none
Example:
clearSettings();
Output:
(The LocalStorage cache is emptied.)
getSetting
Description: Retrieves a setting from the LocalStorage cache by its name, or returns a default if field is empty.
Arguments: setting_name, setting_default
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| setting_name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
| setting_default | Value returned when there is nothing found in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
Example:
setSetting(“setting__theme”,”aqua”)
getSetting(“setting__theme”,”default”)
Output:
aqua
setSetting
Description: Saves a setting in the LocalStorage cache by a unique name.
Arguments: setting_name, user_setting
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| setting_name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
| user_setting | A string to be in the LocalStorage cache under the above name. | String |
Example:
setSetting(“setting__theme”,”aqua”)
getSetting(“setting__theme”,”default”)
Output:
aqua
Accessibility
These functions are used to get and set various accessibility settings in SessionStorage. These are use specifically by the Accessibility menu.
clearAccessability
Description: Manually resets accessibility options by returning them to defaults. This is used by the Accessibility menu "Reset Accessibility button" to reset options without reloading the page.
Arguments: none
Example:
clearAccessibility();
Output:
(All accessibility settings are returned to their default states and the dropdown menus are updated.)
getAccessibility
Description: Retrieves an accessibility setting from the SessionStorage cache by its name, or returns a default if field is empty.
Arguments: setting_name, setting_default
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| setting_name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
| setting_default | Returned when there is nothing found in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
Example:
setAccessibility(“accessibility__colorblind”,”true”)
getAccessibility(“accessibility__colorblind”,”false”)
Output:
true
setAccessibility
Description: Saves an accessibility setting in the SessionStorage cache by a unique name.
Arguments: setting_name, user_setting
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| setting_name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
| user_setting | A string to be in the SessionStorage cache under the above name. | String |
Example:
setAccessibility(“accessibility__colorblind”,”true”)
getAccessibility(“accessibility__colorblind”,”false”)
Output:
true
LocalStorage
These functions are used to get and set strings and JSON objects from the HTML LocalStorage cache. The LocalStorage cache persists between different sessions, even if the web browser is closed.
getLocal
Description: Retrieves a string from the LocalStorage cache by a unique name, or returns a default if there is nothing found in the cache.
Arguments: name, setting_default
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
| setting_default | Returned when there is nothing found in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
Example:
setLocal(“test_setting”,”true”)
getLocal(“test_setting”,”false”)
Output:
true
setLocal
Description: Saves a string to the LocalStorage cache by a unique name.
Arguments: name, user_setting
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
| user_setting | A string to be saved to the LocalStorage cache by the unique identifier entered above. | String |
Example:
setLocal(“test_setting”,”true”)
getLocal(“test_setting”,”false”)
Output:
true
getLocalObject
Description: Retrieves an object from the LocalStorage cache by a unique name, or returns a default if there is nothing found in the cache.
Arguments: name, setting_default
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
| setting_default | A default string that is returned when there is nothing found in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
Example:
var object_variable = {“key”:”value”};
setLocalObject(“test_object”,object_variable);
getLocalObject(“test_object”,””);
Output:
{“key”:”value”}
setLocalObject
Description: Saves an object to the LocalStorage cache by a unique name.
Arguments: name, user_setting
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the LocalStorage cache. | String |
| user_setting | An object to be saved to the LocalStorage cache under the unique name selected above. | String |
Example:
var object_variable = {“key”:”value”};
setLocalObject(“test_object”,object_variable);
getLocalObject(“test_object”,””);
Output:
{“key”:”value”}
SessionStorage
These functions are used to get and set strings and JSON objects within the HTML SessionStorage cache. The SessionStorage cache exists only for the current session of the application, such as a single tab or window, and is cleared when ended.
getSession
Description: Retrieves a string from the SessionStorage cache by a unique name, or returns a default if there is nothing found in the cache.
Arguments: name, setting_default
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
| setting_default | A default string that is returned when there is nothing found in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
Example:
setSession(“test_setting”,”true”)
getSession(“test_setting”,”false”)
Output:
true
setSession
Description: Saves a string to the SessionStorage cache by a unique name.
Arguments: name, user_setting
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
| user_setting | A string to be saved to the SessionStorage cache by the unique identifier entered above. | String |
Example:
setSession(“test_setting”,”true”)
getSession(“test_setting”,”false”)
Output:
true
getSessionObject
Description: Retrieves an object from the SessionStorage cache by a unique name, or returns a default if there is nothing found in the cache.
Arguments: name, setting_default
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
| setting_default | A default string that is returned when there is nothing found in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
Example:
var object_variable = {“key”:”value”};
setSessionObject(“test_object”,object_variable);
getSessionObject(“test_object”,””);
Output:
{“key”:”value”}
setSessionObject
Description: Saves an object to the SessionStorage cache by a unique name.
Arguments: name, user_setting
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| name | A unique identifier used to store a string in the SessionStorage cache. | String |
| user_setting | An object to be saved to the SessionStorage cache under the unique name selected above. | String |
Example:
var object_variable = {“key”:”value”};
setSessionObject(“test_object”,object_variable);
getSessionObject(“test_object”,””);
Output:
{“key”:”value”}
Program
These functions are used to load new CLIO programs and information about them.
requestPrograms
Description: Retrieves an array with the name of each Program available within the CLIO “content” folder.
Arguments: none
Example:
requestPrograms();
Output:
[“Default”,”Examples”,”ScienceProgram”]
loadProgramDetails
Description: Retrieves an object containing the information stored within a Program’s “@About.json” file.
Arguments: program
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
Example:
loadProgramDetails(“Default”);
Output:
{
"Institution":"CLIO Museums",
"Program":"Getting Started",
"Description":"Learn more about the different types of activities available on the kiosk.",
"About":"The CLIO kiosk can be used to create pop-up exhibits with interactive activities.",
"DefaultMenu":"Exhibit"
}
Activity
These functions are used to load activities and the information about them. They can also be used to create new types of meta activities.
requestActivities
Description: Retrieves an array containing the name of all non-hidden activities within a Program’s “@Activities” folder.
Arguments: program
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
Example:
requestActivities(“Default”);
Output:
[
“future”,
”hardware”,
”kioskimages”,
”meta”,
”microcomputers”,
”microcomputertype”,
”micromania”,
”protoparts”,
”prototype”,
”raspberrypi”,
”richtext”,
”theteam”,
”types”,
”videoexample”
]
loadActivityDetails
Arguments: program, activity
Description: Retrieves an object containing the data within an Activity’s configuration JSON file.
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
| activity | Unique name of an Activity contained within the Programs “@Activity” folder. | String |
Example:
loadActivityDetails(“Default”,”meta”);
Output:
{
"Activity":{
"Type":"Meta",
"Audience":"newbie",
"Grouping":{
"Section":"CLIO",
"Exhibit":"MuseWeb 2020"
},
"Configuration":{
"Hidden":"false",
"Theme":"default",
"Accessibility":"true",
"Subheader":"false"
},
"Info":{
"Title":"Meta Activity",
"Preview":"milkyway.jpg",
"Description": "Link different activities together into one meta activity.",
"Video":""
}
},
"Content":{
"1":{
"Preview":"clio_bg.png",
"Description":"Custom Description 1",
"Program":"Default",
"Activity":"future"
},
"2":{
"Preview":"clio_bg.png",
"Description":"Custom Description 2",
"Program":"Default",
"Activity":"hardware"
},
"3":{
"Preview":"clio_bg.png",
"Description":"Custom Description 3",
"Program":"Default",
"Activity":"kioskimages"
},
"4":{
"Preview":"clio_bg.png",
"Description":"Custom Description 4",
"Program":"Default",
"Activity":"kioskobjects"
}
}
}
loadActivity
Description: Configures the CLIO interface to display a fullscreen interactive activity, used for both Facilitator Mode and Exhibit Mode.
Arguments: program, activity
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
| activity | Unique name of an Activity contained within the Programs “@Activity” folder. | String |
Example:
loadActivity(“Default”,”meta”);
Output:
(The CLIO Interface menu is configured to show a Home button on the left side, as well as an info and accessibility button on the right. If the interface is in Facilitator Mode, there is also a quick button to add and remove the activity from Exhibit Mode. The activity is loaded into the “activity_content” container which fills the rest of the screen.)
returnHome
Description: Clears and hides the activity container before returning to the appropriate interface for either Facilitator Mode or Exhibit Mode.
Arguments: none
Example:
returnHome();
Output:
(The CLIO Interface returns to the appropriate interface for the current Mode. If in Exhibit Mode, the carousel is displayed. If in Facilitator Mode, the Activities menu is displayed.)
getActivityTypes
Description: Returns an object containing the unique identifier of each available Activity Type, which also contains the friendly title and its description.
Arguments: none
Example:
getActivityTypes();
Output:
{
"AnnotatedImage": {
"Name": "Annotated Image",
"Description": "[p]This activity superimposes two images over each other, with a divider that can be dragged to show the visual difference between them. By default, this activity will generate small buttons at the specified coordinates that can be used to open full screen pop-up displays with rich text content. The buttons can also be hidden, creating customizable hot areas that open the corresponding informational pop-up when touched. You can also choose to enable a ‘hint’ button that will reveal these hot areas to the user if touched. This activity can be used to compare two disparate images, overlay new information on an image, or show different views of the same object.[/p]"
}
}
Audience
These functions are used to load information about the audiences that are tied to a Program.
getAudiences
Description: Returns an object containing the unique identifier of each available Audience for the selected Program, which also contains the friendly title and its description.
Arguments: program
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
Example:
getAudiences(“Default”);
Output:
{
"newbie": {
"Name": "New to Tech",
"Description": "[p]Activities are designed for people who don't have much previous experience with technology.[/p]"
},
"techie": {
"Name": "Tech Enthusiast",
"Description": "[p]Activities are designed for people who have a foundational understanding of collection of difference technologies.[/p]"
},
"coder": {
"Name": "Tech Developer",
"Description": "[p]Activities are designed for people who have written code and developed programs.[/p]"
}
}
Discussions
These functions are used to load discussions that are displayed in the Facilitation menu when in Facilitator Mode.
requestFacilitationDiscussions
Description: Retrieves an array containing the name of all non-hidden activities within a Program’s “@Activities” folder.
Arguments: program
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
Example:
requestActivities(“Default”);
Output:
[
"1_Hardware.json",
"2_Software.json",
"3_Interface.json",
"4_FacilitatorMode.json",
"5_Activities.json",
"6_Settings.json",
"7_Accessibility.json",
"8_ExhibitMode.json"
]
loadDiscussionDetails
Description: Retrieves an object containing the data stored within the specific Discussions JSON file.
Arguments: program, discussion
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| program | Unique name of a Program contained within the CLIO “content” folder. | String |
| discussion | Unique name of a discussion JSON file contained within the Programs “@Activity” folder. | String |
Example:
loadDiscussionDetails(“Default”,”1_Hardware”);
Output:
{
"Name": "Hardware",
"Description": "[p]What kind of hardware went into making this kiosk?[/p]",
"Discussion": {
"Basic": "[p]This is a basic explainer of open hardware. 3D printing was also used to make the case, which is a combination of open source software and open hardware.[/p]",
"Advanced": "[p]This is a more indepth explainer of the filament used; PLA and TPU. They are biodegradable. We use parts provided primarily by Raspberry Pi and Adafruit.[/p]"
}
}
Scrollbars
These functions are used to load the custom scrollbar.
initializeContainerScrollBar
Description: Initializes the custom interface scrollbar on the selected container.
Arguments: container, show_scrollbar, auto_dragger_length, show_scroll_buttons
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| container | ID of the container to create the scrollbar. | String |
| show_scrollbar | Enable the scrollbar by default, even when not in use. | "true" or "false" |
| auto_dragger_length | Enable the scrollbar to resize based on the amount of content in the container. | "true" or "false" |
| show_scroll_buttons | Enable the scroll buttons at the top and bottom of the scroll bar. | "true" or "false" |
Example:
initializeContainerScrollBar("#activity_content",true,true,true)
Output:
(A scrollbar is added to the "#activity_content" container with a scroll bar, automatically sized dragger bar and scroll buttons.)
destroyScrollbar
Description: Destroys the custom interface scrollbar around the selected container.
Arguments: container
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| container | ID of the container to destroy the scrollbar. | String |
Example:
destroyScrollbar(“#activity_content”);
Output:
(The vertical scrollbar around the container with the ID of “activity_content” is destroyed.)
Look Closer
These functions are used to create and destroy Look Closer pop-ups, which are used within the interface for prompts and modal windows, as well as by activity types to display rich text and media.
createLookCloserPopUp
Description: Creates a Look Closer pop-up window that covers the full screen.
Arguments: options
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| options | An object containing the configuration settings for the Look Closer window. | Object |
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Configure the display of the header. | "default", "success", "warning", or "error" |
| Text | A plain text string to display at the top of the pop-up. | String |
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| Scrollbar | Configure the scrollbar. | “true”,”false”, or ”auto” |
| Argument | Description | Expected Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| Scrollbar | Configure the scrollbar. | “true”,”false”, or ”auto” |
