TABLE OF CONTENTS



DAKboard now has a Whiteboard block available on all Paid Subscription plans. This block can be used with your Custom Screens on any Touchscreen Display. As with our other touch-enabled features you can also use this with a connected Mouse. This article will introduce you to this new feature and what you will need to make it work.


IMPORTANT:


A touch or input device is required. This block performs best on CPU v4 (Pi 4) or greater hardware. The Whiteboard content will be removed when the display device is rebooted or the browser is restarted and the content written on the board is device/tab specific.


Add a Whiteboard Block:

To add a Whiteboard block, log into your DAKboard account, click the Screens tab, click on the Custom Screen you want the block on, click the Add A Block button, and either Search for Whiteboard or open the Messaging tab to add the block. See below:



This will place the block on your Custom Screen and open the Block editor as seen below:



Set up your block as you desire, and connect it to your Touchscreen Display or device with an attached mouse. Make sure that your Whiteboard block is high up on your Block Layer tab and that no other blocks are covering it, or else you will not be able to use it. See our article Block Layers and How to Use Them for more details.


Whiteboard Formatting:

As with all DAKboard items, customization is key. With the new Whiteboard block, this is no different. Below is the Formatting page and a breakdown of all the Settings you have available:



The formatting options are described below:

  • Pen: This controls the size and color of your point of contact for writing on the board. You can select Thin, Medium, or Thick for your size. The color palette works the same as with other color options on DAKboard. You can open the Color Palette selector, choose a color, or enter its Hexidecimal Color code and save it to modify the color.
  • Text: This can be used with the Block Title and onscreen controls to make them larger. You can also affect the font for the Block Title and its Color with this tool. As of the writing of this article, the Align feature does not work.
  • Background: This option allows you to select from the Whiteboard or Blackboard presets, or you can use the Color, Gradient, and Blur options to make a custom-colored Whiteboard.
  • Block Title:  This option allows you to set a Block Title you can use for targeting your Whiteboard with Custom CSS or to simply place a Title on the block itself. You can set this to be hidden or Visible with the eye icon toggle.

Now to all Blocks is the Advanced section. In this dropdown, you can use the more advanced features available with all blocks. This includes setting a block as a Linked block, adjusting the position by pixels, and resizing the block as a percentage of the Screen Width or Height. This can be used for more precise placement of the block.


Using Your Whiteboard:

Once your Whiteboard block has been added to your Custom Screen, assign that screen to a Display that has either a Touchscreen or USB mouse connected to it. Then you can draw on the with your finger or using the USB mouse as seen below:



This is great for leaving quick notes, or just to have some fun with your DAKboard Display. Remember, this data is only visible on the individual display so even if you have a Whiteboard linked and shared with other screens, those screens will not see what is written on another display.