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SnapDragon Overview

SnapDragon is an editor for making an origami folding toy to print and fold. You may know about this handmade toy by another name — Fortune Teller, Cootie Catcher, Chatterbox, Whirlybird, Salt Cellar, or Pepper Pot.

SnapDragon makes it easy to create your own, unique Fortune Tellers on your device using text, color and images from your Camera Roll.

SnapDragon Fortune Tellers make it possible to create unique invitations, party favors, learning tools, event promotion because you can print multiple copies of the SnapDragon PDF on your printer!

  • Easy to follow, illustrated folding instructions.

  • Save or Share as a PDF.

  • Share the .snapd file to edit on other iOS devices with the SnapDragon app.

  • Create and save an unlimited number of Fortune Tellers on your device or iCloud.

1.Add a new project or open a template

Tap the green '+' to start new Fortune Teller.
Tap red star to find saved projects.
Tap a template to open it.

SnapDragon divides projects into 4 sections — top, open left, open right, and inside — each with an editor.

Swipe to move between sections.

This is the last page.

Tap the bottom section to open its editor to create the inside, hidden messages.

2. Tap a ‘+’ to open the editor for that panel

Here is an inside section divided into two parts. Each half is edited separately.

The top tool bar sets section to image or text.

This example is set to text. A tap in the text box brings up the keyboard and the controls.

Pick image instead to add a picture from the camera roll or camera.

Try using Pinch-and-Zoom. It is an easy way to position and re-size to get your text or image exactly the way you want.

Tips for using the editor

Note the icon at the top of each of the edit screens. It shows the panel currently being edited.


Editing images and text —

  • To enter text, tap the screen (or text box) to bring up the keyboard.  Tap anywhere to dismiss the keyboard.  

  • Orient image and text alignment to the light horizontal and vertical guide lines.

  • When centered, text will automatically size to fit the area — square, diamond or triangle .  

  • Adjust the size and placement of text by adding extra lines or spaces or use Pinch/Zoom.

  • Rotate and position text and images.

  • Re-center images or text with a a double-tap or with the Magic Wand button.

3. Preview in SnapDragon Player before printing

At any time tap Player to see an animation of the fortune teller opening and closing. It finishes with the PDF completely unfolded.

Drag the progress bar to control opening, closing and unfolding.

Use Pinch-and-Zoom to rotate a paused image to check it out from different angles.

Here’s the PDF. Notice how the image and text on some of the panels 'look funny’. That’s because SnapDragon morphs content on the inside panels to look right when read at an angle during play.

If your printer is not printing the full image: Open More […] on Home screen and choose “Set Print Safe Margin" to add a margin to the project.

4. Print, Trim, & Fold

This is the trimmed PDF ready to fold!

This PDF can be printed or shared.

Projects have the unique file type, .snapd . Share this file to edit projects on other devices.

Easy to follow, illustrated folding instructions are included in the app.

To find them, go to the home page, open More '[•••] in the upper right and choose Folding Instructions.

5. Final Step — Save project

Use the SAVE button on the Home page and final Review page to save the project’s unique editable .snapd file.

To save the PDF, use Share on a PDF page.

Using the Q&A editor

The Q&A Editor was inspired by a grade school teacher who wanted to quickly add text to create a study aid for students she tutors. It’s a straightforward way to add question and answer pairs to a Fortune Teller.

The Q&A editor makes it easy to add paired panels. This is especially helpful for building learning tools. Fortune tellers can be a useful a learning aid in many subjects — math tables, definitions, spelling words, facts, and more.

Begin on the home page with a tap to the green ‘+’ to start a new project.

Then, tap the Q&A icon along the top to open the editor.

The top of the editor is a graphic showing the break out of the panels. As questions and answers are added you instantly see how they will appear in the Fortune Teller in the graphic.

Add question and answer pairs by tapping a row in the list and let Snap Dragon handle placing the content.

The tool bar controls the overall format and style of the fortune teller.

Tools:

  • Set Switch to either 2 or 4 Fortune Teller panels.

  • Wrench opens project level tools that affect the entire list, such as changing the font or background color.

  • Play opens preview (Tap <Back in Preview will return to the Q&A editor.)

  • Printer builds PDF to review or open Share to Print.

  • T on right of each row opens unique settings for row.