1. Configuring Hot Potatoes
Each Hot Potatoes program comes with its own configuration file, which
contains the standard screen colours, button captions, and program functions
which are applied when you save the quiz.
To modify any of these items, and therefore customise the quiz you are
currently creating, from within the program click Options > Configure Output,
or simply click the configuration icon on the tool bar:
Overview of the various configuration Outputs -Apart from Custom and
CGI which are excluded in this tutorial.
• JClose • JMix
• JCross • JQuiz
• JMatch

2. J Cloze - Titles/Instructions

3. J Cloze - Prompts/Feedback
• Correct: this is where you
type in the feedback the
students will see once
they have completed the
exercise successfully.
• Some answers incorrect:
feedback when a student
fills in one or more of the
gaps incorrectly goes in
this field.
• Next correct letter added:
if you choose to include a
"Hint" button in your
exercise, this is where you
can put a message for
your students - using the
"Hint" button will cost your
students points.
• Your score is: this is the
message displayed along
with the student's score.

4. J Cloze - Buttons
• Caption for "Check Answer"
button: this is where you input
the word or picture (version 6
only) that your students will
click on to check their answers.
• Caption for "OK" button: this
the button your students will
click to dismiss the feedback
from the program when they
have selected an answer.
• Include "Hint" button: this
allows you to decide whether to
include a button, and change
its caption, that allows students
to get the next letter of the gap.
Bear in mind that students lose
points for using the "Hint"
button.
• Include "Clue" button for each
gap: when gapping a word, you
are given the option of putting
in a clue for your students for
that particular gap. If you have
chosen to do this, ticking this
check box will generate your
chosen caption (default is [?])
next to each gap. Try to keep
this caption short otherwise
your exercise will look messy
and confusing.
• Navigation: this part of the
screen appears in all the Hot
Potatoes programs. It allows
you to create a series of
exercises that students can
navigate to, one from the other.

5. J Cloze - Appearance
• Output font face
This is the list of fonts
that will be used for text
in the web pages.
They should be
specified in order of
preference, separated
by commas.
• To select a colour click
on the icon next to the
item and choose a
colour from the palette.

6. J Cloze - Timer
Allows you to set a time for the students to complete the exercise

7. J Cloze - Other
• Include word list with text:
allows you to include a
list of the gapped words
from the text, mixed up, in
a box at the top of the
page, to make the
exercise a little easier.
• Make answer case
sensitive: allows you to
switch on or off case
sensitivity on the Web
page

8. J Cross - Titles/Instructions

9. J Cross - Prompts/Feedback
• Clues across: this is the
caption your students will
see for the words going
across when they click on
the clue number in the grid.
• Clues down: this is the
caption your students will
see for the words going
down when they click on the
clue number in the grid.
• Correct: feedback for a
correctly completed
crossword.
• Some answers incorrect: this
is the message displayed
when some of the answers
are incorrect.
• Correct letter added:
message given to students
who click on the Hint button.
• Your score is: message
preceding percentage score
when a student clicks on the
check button.

10. J Cross - Buttons
• Caption for "Check Answer"
button: this is where you
input the word or picture
(version 6 only) that your
students will click on to check
their answers.
• Caption for "Enter Answer"
button: this is where you
input the word or picture
(version 6 only) that your
students will click on to enter
their answer into the
crossword grid.
• Caption for "OK" button: this
the button your students will
click to dismiss the feedback
from the program when they
have selected an answer.
• Include "Hint" button: this
allows you to decide whether
to include a button, and
change its caption, that
allows students to get the
next letter of the gap. Bear in
mind that students lose
points for using the "Hint"
button.
• Navigation: this part of the
screen appears in all the Hot
Potatoes programs. It allows
you to create a series of
exercises that students can
navigate to, one from the
other.

11. J Cross - Appearance
• Output font face
This is the list of fonts
that will be used for text
in the web pages.
They should be
specified in order of
preference, separated
by commas.
• To select a colour click
on the icon next to the
item and choose a
colour from the palette.

12. J Cross -Timer
Allows you to set a time for the students to complete the exercise

13. J Cross - Other
• Show all clues below
the crossword grid:
Puts all the clues at
the bottom of the
page. If this is left
unchecked the user
will need to click on a
number in the grid to
see the clue for that
number.
• Create a separate
linked file containing
the JavaScript code:
By ticking this box all
the JavaScript code
which is normally in
the head of the
exercise (and which
contains the
questions answers
etc.) will be put into a
separate file, with the
same file name, but
with the extension .js
instead of .htm
• NB If you use this
function you must put
both files in the same
folder on your web
browser.

14. J Match - Titles/Instructions

15. J Match - Prompts/Feedback
• "Correct" indicator: this is
the word or image that your
students will see once they
have correctly identified a
match and clicked on the
Check button. Version 6
output can use an image
here.
• "Incorrect" indicator: this is
the word or image that your
students will see if they
have not correctly identified
a match and clicked on the
Check button. version 6
output can use an image
here
• Your score is: message
preceding percentage score
when a student clicks on
the check button.
• Guess correct: this is the
feedback your students will
see if they have correct
matches.
• Guess incorrect: this is the
feedback your students will
see if they have incorrect
matches.

16. J Match - Buttons
• Caption for "Check
Answer" button: this is
where you input the word
or picture (version 6 only)
that your students will
click on to check their
answers.
• Caption for "OK" button:
this the button your
students will click to
dismiss the feedback from
the program when they
have selected an answer.
• Navigation: this part of the
screen appears in all the
Hot Potatoes programs. It
allows you to create a
series of exercises that
students can navigate to,
one form the other. If you
have created a contents
page for students to begin
their exercises from, make
sure you include a "Go to
Contents" button.

17. J Match - Appearance
• Output font face
This is the list of fonts
that will be used for text
in the web pages.
They should be
specified in order of
preference, separated
by commas.
• To select a colour click
on the icon next to the
item and choose a
colour from the palette.

18. J Match -Timer
Allows you to set a time for the students to complete the exercise

19. J Match - Other
• Show a limited number of
items each time the page
loads. This gives you the
option to use the same
exercise more than once.
• Shuffle order of questions
each time the page loads.
The questions will not
load in the same order
and two students sitting
next to each other will,
hopefully, not have the
same questions showing.
• Create a separate linked
file containing the
JavaScript code: By
ticking this box all the
JavaScript code which is
normally in the head of
the exercise (and which
contains the questions
answers etc.) will be put
into a separate file, with
the same file name, but
with the extension .js
instead of .htm
• NB If you use this
function you must put
both files in the same
folder on your web
browser.

20. J Mix - Titles/Instructions

21. J Mix - Prompts/Feedback
• Correct: this is the feedback your students will
see once they have correctly sequenced the
elements in your exercise and clicked on the
Check button.
• Incorrect: this is the message your students will
see if they have not correctly sequenced the
elements in your exercise and clicked on the
Check button.
• This much of your answer is correct: the program
will display the part(s) of the answer that have
been correctly sequenced.
• The next correct part is: this is the feedback your
students will see if they click on the Hint button.
• Remaining words: annotation for the words that
are left to sequence.
• Click on words to add them to the sentence: this
message will be displayed on the bottom left
hand side of your student's web browser.
Depending on the nature of your exercise, it is an
important attribute to modify.
• Your score is: wording displayed preceding the
score.
• These answers are also correct: if you have
selected the Show other correct answers check
box, this message will be displayed along with
the other correct answers.
• Show other correct answers: checking this box
will allow you to show your students any alternate
answers you have put in to your exercise.
• Always capitalise first letter: check this box if you
want the first letter in your student's answer to
have a capital letter. - For more information on
this function please tick and press the help
button in the Jmix program

22. J Mix - Buttons
• Caption for "Check Answer" button: this is
where you input the word or picture (version
6 only) that your students will click on to
check their answers.
• Caption for "OK" button: this the button your
students will click to dismiss the feedback
from the program when they have selected
an answer.
• Include "Undo" button: this optional button
allows your students to undo parts of the
exercise they have completed. It is a useful
feature and students will not be penalised
for using it. Version 6 exercises can use
images here.
• Include "Restart" button: this optional button
allows your students to restart the exercise
if they feel they have completely messed it
up. It is a useful feature and students will
not be penalised for using it. Version 6
exercises can use images here.
• Include "Hint" button: this allows you to
have a hint button. Version 6 exercises can
use images here. Students will be penalised
for using this button.
• Navigation: this part of the screen appears
in all the Hot Potatoes programs. It allows
you to create a series of exercises that
students can navigate to, one from the
other. If you have created a contents page
for students to begin their exercises from,
make sure you include a "Go to Contents"
button.

23. J Mix - Appearance
• Output font face
This is the list of fonts
that will be used for text
in the web pages.
They should be
specified in order of
preference, separated
by commas.
• To select a colour click
on the icon next to the
item and choose a
colour from the palette.

24. J Mix -Timer
Allows you to set a time for the students to complete the exercise

25. J Mix - Other
• Create a separate
linked file containing
the JavaScript code:
By ticking this box all
the JavaScript code
which is normally in
the head of the
exercise (and which
contains the questions
answers etc.) will be
put into a separate
file, with the same file
name, but with the
extension .js instead
of .htm
NB If you use this
function you must put
both files in the same
folder on your web
browser.

26. J Quiz - Titles/Instructions
• Instructions
Add any instruction
you wish to give to
the students here

27. J Quiz - Prompts/Feedback
• "Correct" indicator: this is the word or
image that your students will see once
they have correctly identified an answer.
• “Incorrect" indicator: this is the word or
image that your students will see if they
have not correctly identified an answer.
• Guess correct: this is the feedback your
students will see for a correct answer
once they have clicked on the Check
button.
• Guess incorrect: this is the feedback
your students will see for a incorrect
answer once they have clicked on the
Check button.
• Your score is: wording displayed
preceding the score.
• Questions answered correctly first time:
this message will be displayed once
your students have answered and
checked all their questions.
• Next correct letter in the answer : this is
the feedback your students will see if
they click on the Hint button.
• Please enter a guess: this is the
feedback your students will see if they
click on the Hint button before trying to
answer the question.

28. J Quiz - Buttons
• Caption for "Check Answer" button:
this is where you input the word or
picture that your students will click on
to check their answers.
• Caption for "OK" button: this the
button your students will click to
dismiss the feedback from the
program when they have selected an
answer.
• Include "Hint" button: this allows you
to have a hint button. Version 6
exercises can use images here.
Students will be penalised for using
this button.
• Include "Show Answer" button: this
optional button allows your students to
see the answer if they are really stuck.
It is a useful addition, but students will
lose all the points for that question if
they use this button. Version 6
exercises can use images here.
• Navigation: this part of the screen
appears in all the Hot Potatoes
programs. It allows you to create a
series of exercises that students can
navigate to, one from the other. If you
have created a contents page for
students to begin their exercises from,
make sure you include a "Go to
Contents" button.

29. J Quiz - Appearance
• Output font face
This is the list of fonts
that will be used for text
in the web pages.
They should be
specified in order of
preference, separated
by commas.
• To select a colour click
on the icon next to the
item and choose a
colour from the palette.

30. J Quiz -Timer
Allows you to set a time for the students to complete the exercise