Help Page
No Sound?
If you know your sound system is working, but clicking on one of the speaker
buttons on our Quiz page doesn't produce sound, you may need to enable Java if its disabled, or install it
if it isn't installed. See instructions below for checking to see if Java is disabled and enabling it if it
is. Or you can proceed to install the latest Sun Java Runtime Environment from the Sun Java website.
The installation is usually quick and usually fixes the problem.
System Requirements
On Windows machines, both Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer should work just fine.
In brief tests on Macs, Safari worked but Firefox ran into problems on the quiz page.
We are working on resolving these issues, of course, but in the meantime we suggest that Mac users use Safari.
Our pages have not been tested on other platforms or browsers, and we would appreciate input on what works
and what doesn't.
Our quiz page uses JavaScript to call Java applets, so you must have both Java and JavaScript
(or scripting) enabled for them to work properly (JavaScript is NOT the same as Java). If you don't have Java
at all, you can download it at the Sun Java website. You're machine will need
sound capability - speakers or headsets. Teachers or administrators who wish to record word sounds for
their own lessons will also need a microphone.
Enabling Java and JavaScript
- In Mozilla Firefox 1.5: Go to "Tools" in the menubar and click "Options". Select the "Content"
tab above. Make sure the boxes next to "Enable Java" and "Enable JavaScript" are both checked. Hit "OK".
You may have to refresh or restart the browser.
- In Mozilla Firefox 1.0: Go to "Tools" in the menubar and click "Options". Select the "Web
Features" tab on the left. Make sure the boxes next to "Enable Java" and "Enable JavaScript" are both checked.
Hit "OK". You may have to refresh or restart the browser.
- In Internet Explorer 5 and 6: In the Internet Explorer menubar go to Tools >> Internet Options.
When the box pops up, go to the "Advanced" tab and scroll down to the "Java(Sun)" section. The sections are
listed alphabetically, so the Java(Sun) section should be between the HTTP and Multimedia sections. If there is
no Java (Sun) section, installed from the Sun Java website. If the Jave (Sun)
section is there, check the box next to the "Use Java 2" version. Then select the "Security" tab and hit the
button (in the bottom half) that says
"Custom Level". Scroll down to the section entitled "scripting" and enable both "active scripting" and "scripting
of Java applets" by clicking the radio buttons labeled "enable". Click "OK". If you checked the "Use Java 2" version
you may need to restart your computer for this change to take affect.
- In Internet Explorer 3 and 4: Go to View>>Options. When the box pops up, go to the "Advanced" tab
and scroll down to the "Java(Sun)" section. The sections are
listed alphabetically, so the Java(Sun) section should be between the HTTP and Multimedia sections. If there is
no Java (Sun) section, installed from the Sun Java website. If the Jave (Sun)
section is there, Check the box next to the "Use Java 2" version. Click on "Security"
tab. If in 4, click Custom>>Settings. Enable Java. Click "OK".
- In Apple Safari 1.0: Select "Safari" from the top menu. Choose "Preferences". Choose "Security".
Select the checkbox next to "Enable JavaScript".
For more information on enabling Java, try
this article on Sun's site. For information on enabling JavaScript, try
Google's AdSense Help Center.
Troubleshooting
- For sound problems:
1) Is your sound on and plugged in, with the volume up?
2) Are you running the aforementioned required browsers, with both Java and JavaScript enabled?
3) The first time a sound is played, in a quiz or while making a lesson, it takes a moment. We're working on it, but for now this is perfectly normal.
4) Is the problem only on certain lessons or words? If so, the problem is probably with our database. Please notify us, and we'll fix it immediately.
5) Still can't figure it out? Get in touch via phone or email (listed below), and we'll help.
- If you get warnings on a quiz page that look something like this:
"Warning: Undefined index: lessonID in /var/www-spelling/quiz.php on line 12"
the problem is probably with your Javascript settings. See "enabling Javascript" above.
Tips and Tricks
The quiz page has been designed for your ease-of-use, so that you don't have to constantly
move your hands from mouse to keyboard and back. You must place the cursor on the first input box to hear the
sound, but after that you can press the tab key a few times to move on to the next word. If the word is ambiguous
("caught" versus "cot", for example), pressing Shift+Tab should send you back one space to the wider speaker button.
Hit enter to hear the computer give a clarifying phrase or sentence, if one exists. Of course, if you wish to jump
around on the page you can always place the cursor in other text input boxes, or click on the speaker button to
hear the word again.
Still Having Trouble? Contact Us!
You can call John Tanner's cell phone at (626) 484-8636 at any time. If you can
be sitting in front of your computer when you call, we have a good chance of quickly resolving problems.
Tanner Learning is a division of Tanner Research, located in Monrovia.
You can also send us snail mail, addressed as follows:
Attn: Tanner-Learning Administrators
Tanner Research
825 South Myrtle Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016