FAQ: whiteboard, collaboration, boards, images, zoom

The same as the traditional whiteboard extended with all the benefits that a virtual version can provide: infinite space and zoom levels, shape recognition, unlimited color palette, highlighter, and much more. Using the built-in voice/video chat or Skype, Hangouts gives an incredible opportunity to communicate better. Typical use-cases:

• Private tutoring, distance learning
• Classrooms at any level
• Designing layouts, workflows and prototypes with a team
• Data- and process visualization
• Casual, ad-hoc presentation, meeting notes
• Virtual whiteboard
• Visual facilitation

• Zoomable user interface, vector graphics
• Device independence (pure html5 + javascript web app)
• Lightweight
• Lightning-fast, real-time synchronization
• Reliable disconnection-handling
• Permanent, shareable board URL-s
• Customization options

On devices with a physical keyboard, place a dot anywhere and start typing. On touch devices, long tap to an empty space until the virtual keyboard comes up and you can start typing. Click out from the text box to close it and draw again.

If you want to edit a text, select the text by long-pressing and click again. Alternatively, select the text by long-pressing and press any key.

Trick: if you miss a conventional text tool, you can use the Sticky Notes tool with a transparent background.

Click the pen icon twice and the colors are shown. The portable tool panel (if enabled in the Settings) also contains the colors. There are 3 basic colors in the Free plan and 12 custom colors in the Pro plan. The teammates of a Pro user can access 12 colors as well. You can see what color your teammate is using from the dot next to their profile icon at the bottom right.

Click the pen icon twice to open the tool panel. There are three options for line thickness.

Advanced tip: You can set your preferred values for the line thickness by customizing your whiteboard.

The usual Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V (on Windows) or Cmd+C and Cmd+V (on Mac) keyboard shortcuts work. You can paste images and text from the clipboard by pressing Ctrl/Cmd+V. You can clone any object or a group of objects on the whiteboard by selecting them and pressing Ctrl/Cmd+V. On touch screen devices, use the CLONE button after selection.

Advanced tip: You can copy a group of objects from one whiteboard into another whiteboard opened in another tab.

You can insert images using various methods:
• by selecting 'Insert (image, PDF, video)' from the menu.
• by using the insert icon if the 'Display insert icon' is enabled in the Settings
• by copy-paste using the hotkeys Ctrl + V or Command + V
• by drag-and-drop

You can insert images from the web via a direct image link or upload them from your local machine. Furthermore, you have the option to insert resources (images, PDFs, audio, and video) from Dropbox, just make sure the file's access is set to 'Anyone with the link' under the Share menu.

Best practice: after importing images or PDFs (which are converted to images), consider locking them to prevent accidental erasing or selection.

Use the Insert (image, PDF, video) in the menu or click the insert icon (if enabled in Settings). You can insert videos and audios from the web using direct links to media files (mp4, mp3, webm). Uploading videos directly from your device is not supported. Dropbox can be used to insert media files, but make sure the file's access is set to 'Anyone with the link' under the Share menu. YouTube links are not supported.

You can share a board via the board link. Anyone with the board link can access the board. For details see How does collaboration work?

Collaboration only works between different accounts and browsers. Follow these steps:

• 1. Both tutor and student register an account and log in to the app.
• 2. Tutor creates a new board by Create Board from the Menu.
• 3. Tutor's profile icon appears at the bottom right corner.
• 4. Unique board link appears in the URL address bar.
• 5. Tutor chooses Invite People from the Menu and types the student's email.
• 6. Student opens the board link in the invitation email.
• 7. Student asked to log in if he is not logged in.
• 8. Student's profile icon appears next to the tutor's profile icon.
• 9. Done. The content of the board is synced instantly.
• 10.(Optional) Enable Mirror View from the bottom right corner.

Enable the Mirror View option from the bottom right corner of an active board. If it is on, the team members will constantly see the same position on the canvas. To put it this way, your screens will be synced. Since different devices usually have screens with different dimensions, a dashed line indicates the area that everyone sees.

If you are ready with your board and you want to show others what you have done, publish the board by choosing Share to View from the menu – to get the published board.

Anyone with the generated link can view, move and zoom the board with Ziteboard viewer, but they can’t edit or collaborate. It’s the presentation mode of Ziteboard.

If you want to collaborate with others, share a board. See How does collaboration work?

If you share the board via Facebook / Twitter, a clickable preview will be attached to your post. You can also embed the zoomable view in your blog or website.

The Public board can be accessed by anyone with the board link, however, you can only access a private board if you are the owner or you are invited/shared by the owner based on your Ziteboard account email. To control access to your board, open the board and click the SHARE button in My Boards. The Private board is a Pro feature.

• Arrows and Page up/down for moving the canvas or selected objects.
• Shift + drag for selecting objects in a rectangular area.
• Ctrl + long click for selecting objects individually.
• “aa” for arrow tool (on/off)
• “ll” for line tool (on/off)
• “rr” for rectangles (on/off)
• “cc” for circle tool (on/off)
• “ff” for freehand
• Ctrl + c or cmd + c for copy
• Ctrl + v or cmd + v for paste
• Ctrl + z or cmd + z or backspace for undo
• Ctrl + y or cmd + shift + z for redo
• Ctrl + plus for zoom in
• Ctrl + minus for zoom out
• Space for zoom tool
• ESC for hiding menu

Additionally, you can set your own hotkeys in the Settings of the Menu.

You can bind your own hotkeys to pre-defined actions. You can select this option from the Settings in the Menu. For example, if you want to bind the ‘Unlock All’ action to shift + u, you should open Menu > Settings > HOTKEYS; select the Unlock All action in the list. Then click the dot to start recording and hit the key shift and the key u. Optionally, type out the buttons you have selected for your own reference in the reminder input.

You can zoom an individual item, a group of items, or the whole canvas. For items, first, you need to select them.

On touch screen, use the two-finger pinch gesture. On laptops with touchpads or trackpads, move two fingers vertically. On laptops with mouse, simply scroll. Alternatively, you can use the zoom buttons at the center of the right-hand side of the screen. You can also try Ctrl + plus and Ctrl + minus on Windows or set your own hotkeys for zooming in the Settings.

You can rotate an individual item, a group of items, or the whole canvas. For items, first, you need to select them. For the canvas, first you need to enable Canvas rotation from the Settings.

On touch screens, use the two-finger rotation gesture. On laptops with touchpads or trackpads, move two fingers horizontally. On laptop with mouse, hold Shift and scroll.

You can rotate a selected image by 90° with the button displayed after the image is selected.

Select the image (or any other object) with long press/tap and zoom — see How do I zoom section. You can use the resize the image by dragging from the right bottom corner as well.

There are two different methods to select items.

On laptop devices:
• you can select a single item by a long press on it
• you can select a group of items by holding Shift and dragging
• you can select items individually by holding Ctrl (or Cmd) and clicking on each item
• you can use the select tool, just like on touch screen devices

On touch screen devices:
• you can select a single item by a long tap on it
• with select tool: you can select multiple items by dragging your finger across them
• with select tool: you can select one item by a tap on it
• to display the select tool: enable 'Display select icon' or 'Display portable tool panel' in the Settings

Once items are selected, you can move, zoom, and scale them. Various buttons are displayed after selection to enhance your editing experience.

The first two buttons help you adjust the layering of items, allowing you to position them above or below others. The LOCK button locks the items. The CLONE button duplicates the selected item or group of items. For editable items like text, sticky notes, math formulas, or graphs, an EDIT button also appears. For video and audio items, you'll find PLAY and PAUSE buttons. Additionally, the navigation box offers its own set of buttons.

To safeguard an image from accidental deletion, perform a long click or tap on the image to activate the LOCK button. Once an item is locked, it becomes non-erasable and non-selectable. You can unlock all locked objects simultaneously by clicking the move-zoom icon and selecting 'Unlock all'.

If Shape recognition is enabled in the Settings, Ziteboard automatically recognizes your intentions when you draw a shape and it will automatically perfect it to circles, rectangles, and straight lines.

Shape tools are available from the pen panel (after clicking the pen icon twice). Select straight lines, rectangles or circles. Click again the icons for deselection. Go back to hand-drawn lines by deselecting all shape tools.

Using hotkeys is also convenient. Hit double the initial letter of the shapes to turn on/off the tool, that is:

• 'll' for line
• 'rr' for rectangle
• 'cc' for circle
• 'aa' for arrow

You can combine 'aa' with 'll' for straight arrows.

Advanced tip: with the line tool, you can draw any polygons (e.g. triangle) by exposing the joining lines feature: if a line segment starts close enough to where the previous line ends, then they will be perfectly joined.

You’ll find the marker / highlighter in the pen menu. Although it’s a PRO feature – it’s definitely worth it. Highlight any text or objects with the color of your choice. If you want to delete all the markers at once, click the eraser icon twice and choose Delete Markers.

Click the teamwork icon in the bottom right corner to find the Laser Pointer checkbox. If Laser Pointer is turned on, then participants of the teamwork will see your mouse/cursor’s position. If you turn it off, you will still receive the others’. This tool is dependent on Mirror View, so first, you need to turn on Mirror View.

Best practice: instead of Laser Pointer use the highlighter to show and mark things. When you are done, delete the mess by clicking the Delete Markers in the eraser panel. Even you can set a hotkey for this action.

Open the board that you want to be copied and wait for the content to load. Close the board. The content remains on the canvas, so you can save it as a new board.

Click the Export as … in the Menu. There are several supported formats for different purposes.

Choose PNG if you only need a quick snapshot of the visible screen.

Choose SVG if you need scalable vector graphics of the whole board. This option is ideal for use in software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and other professional tools.

When you choose PDF export a special area of the infinite canvas will be exported. This area is equivalent to a column of A4 pages. Before you export or even before you start working it's worth enabling the 'Display A4 pages' option in the Settings. You can even customize the paper format, such as switching from A4 portrait to B5 landscape, or adjust the number of pages.

Choose 'Full Board Backup' to create a file that, when inserted back, restores the board to a fully editable state.

If you'd like exports without the Ziteboard logo, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Only Pro users can initiate board chat by clicking the board title at the bottom left corner of a board in live teamwork. Free users connected to the particular board can use the board chat thereafter. Voice and video chat is also available from the board chat panel.

You and the other team member open the same board. The Pro user starts the board chat from the bottom left corner (see How do I text chat?). The Pro user clicks the audio or the video chat icon and waits for the connection to be established. The other team member is notified about the chat request. You both need to give permission in the browser when it is required to allow access to the camera and the microphone. Please prefer Google Chrome as the browser you use, but on Ipad, Safari 12+ is required. The audio-video chat only supports 1:1, but no conference calls.

You can check the browser's permission by clicking the green lock in the URL address bar.

Ziteboard is a subscription-based service, which means that your plan renews every month or year (depending on the term you choose). You can cancel your subscription at any time during your plan term to cancel the auto-renewal of your subscription.

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