Have More Questions?
Have more questions? Contact Scholarly Communication and Publishing at scpub@library.illinois.edu for more information and guidance or visit our website.
FAQs
You will need to request a registration key from Scalar via the request form. If you are still having trouble, contact the Alliance for Networking Visual Culture at alliance4nvc@gmail.com.
The page layouts for Scalar automatically place the key image in the center of the page and at a fixed size, a placement which does not always focus on a meaningful portion of the image. Rather than upload a new, cropped version of the image and creating duplicate items, we can move and resize the existing image on the page using CSS in the page editor. The code that is used will be different for each page layout.
In each case, go to Edit Page and locate the Styling tab. Choose CSS.
Book Splash or Splash
The default code for the image in Scalar is controlled by the following:
.splash {
background-size: cover;
background-position: center center;
}
Edit the size and/or position by percentages or pixels.
Image Header
.image_header {
background-size: cover;
background-position: center center;
}
Edit the size and/or position by percentages or pixels.
Say you need an image to annotate another image. Or a timestamp in a video with a page. With Scalar’s flexible structure, you can do that too.
In the basic instructions for annotations, you start with the item you want to annotate. Now, Instead, you’ll go to the secondary item—the one you want added as an annotation to the first item. On the page edit screen, under the “Relationships” tab, select Choose the media that it annotates. You can manually enter the x, y coordinates for the image or the time-stamp for the video.
Widgets
Widgets allow one to add maps, timelines, visualizations, click-through media galleries, and stylish summaries of related content to Scalar pages using the same formatting options as with media. One can add each of these interactive components anywhere on a page; above, below or within any paragraph. One can also choose to link a widget to text in the main body, that is, to reference a map or timeline the same way one would reference an image or video in Scalar.
When attempting to create a widget, check that all the necessary fields are satisfied. If the User’s Guide says a widget requires a thumbnail, check that the item has a thumbnail set under the “Styling” tab on the Page Editor. If a widget is not working as expected, it is likely because something has been left blank.
Annotations
With Scalar, you can create interactive annotations for images and videos in addition to annotations for plain text.
Third Party Plugins and Platforms
If Scalar’s built-in widgets don’t quite suit your needs, Scalar allows for embedding on third party material into Scalar Pages. Check out these options for extending the interactivity of your Scalar book.
Text Annotation
- ScribleIf Scalar’s built-in Hypothes.is editor is not quite what you need, try Scrible, a free bookmarklet which enables users to highlight, color, or manipulate text on webpages. Users can save the pages they have marked up to their Scrible library as well as create specific permalinks to those pages. Scrible is ideal for readers who wish to conduct and/or share research while viewing Scalar articles, books or projects.
Maps
- Story MapsStory Maps is a free, online platform enabling users to create rich informational environments in which interactive maps are linked to responsive multimedia panels. Users can choose between a number of different templates or "apps."
- NeatlineNeatline, hailed as a "geotemporal exhibit-builder," allows users to plot and annotate artifacts (letters, photographs, paintings; any visual material) on maps as well as link particular views of those maps (and thus artifacts) to events in a timeline. Neatline is perfect for creating a narrative sequence of geo-referenced events supported by user-accessible artifactual evidence.
Timelines
- TimelineJSTimelineJS is a Javascript and CSS based tool for creating media-rich, interactive timelines. While more of a tool kit than a platform, TimelineJS is incredibly easy to use. Using TimelineJS' sample Google spreadsheet, one simply adds dates, text and links to media into appropriate columns. Links to media can include video (Youtube, Vimeo and DailyMotion), audio, images (Flickr), Google Maps, Google+ status updates and even Twitter posts. Once you've saved the Google spreadsheet and made it public, simply copy and paste the spreadsheet's URL into TimelineJS' generator and then use the iframe embed code it produces.
- Tiki-TokiTiki-Toki is a web-based platform which allows users to create visually striking timelines. Users can add video clips, images, audio, hyperlinks, and RSS feeds. Users also have the freedom to customize the overall look and feel of the timeline by adding color and an image to the background as well as choosing a layout and color scheme. While one can create one Tiki-Toki timeline with a free account, a paid account is required to embed your timeline into a website.
Data Visualizations
- Tableau PublicTableau Public is a free version of the desktop platform, focused on quickly combining, shaping, and cleaning data for visualization. In addition to statistical charts, Tableau allows you to create custom maps for your data.
Further Resources
- Creating a custom network visualization using the Scalar API ExplorerZoë Wilkinson Saldaña talks about creating network visualization using Scalar’s API explorer to export data about the pages and tags between pages, prepared the network data with Python and various packages (NetworkX, BeautifulSoup, etc.), and wrote a custom network visualization using D3.js and Canvas.
- A Prototype of Automated Web Archiving, Emulation, and Server PreservationThe development team at Rhizome launched a web archiving prototype designed to capture the original experience of browsing a website. They tested the prototype with Scalar and have made the project available for use.
Troubleshooting
Sometimes playing with CSS and JavaScript can have unintended consequences. If an experiment goes awry, restore content to a past version using the Book Dashboard.
Select the Version number listed next to an item to get to the Version Editor. Delete the corrupted versions of the item to restore access.
When experimenting with custom code, it is good practice to use a sandbox account which is separate from the server. Students and faculty at the University of Illinois can contact scpub@library.illinois.edu to request access to the Library’s sandbox account.
Publishing Something? We can help!
The Illinois Open Publishing Network (IOPN) team can help you navigate the process of starting a journal or digital publication. We provide advising and resources related to digital publishing, open access and scholarly communications, and copyright.
We provide access to the local installation of Scalar and technical support for faculty seeking publication. Request a consultation to learn more.
For students working on class projects, contact scpub@library.illinois.edu or Dan Tracy at dtracy@illinois.edu with questions.
