Manual
Contents
Introduction
GCompris is a complete a Free educational software which contains a wide range of activities. It proposes a set of various activities aimed to cover several fields such as the functioning of the computer - mouse, keyboard...-, general learnings - reading, writing, foreign languages, algebra - as well as various activities such as memory and logic games, scientific experiments...
Today, you can find many softwares which propose individually parts of GCompris activities. Unfortunately, it is difficult to follow and maintain them and each one offers different graphic interfaces of more or less good quality. The purpose of GCompris is to provide with a development platform for educational activities. GCompris is part of GNU project and is placed under GPL license.
Minimal configuration
- Processor : Pentium 2 166Mhz
- Read only memory (RAM) : 32 Mega Bytes
- Operating system : GNU/Linux, BSD, MacOSX, Windows
- Video : A 3D card is NOT required.
Installation
The software is delivered under several forms. Follow the process according to your case.
- GNU/Linux : Use the packages delivered by GNU/Linux. If GCompris is not packaged in your Linux distribution, please contact them to ask for the inclusion of GCompris in your Linux distribution.
- Windows : Delivered under a classic installer for Windows. Windows version is limited to a number of activities, you can contribute to GCompris development and obtain the activation code for a fee.
- MacOSX : Porting in progress.
The user interface
The interface is designed to be easy to use for small children. GCompris is controlled with a mouse, it cannot be used without a mouse or a pointing system.
Main window
When you start the game, GCompris shows out a graphic interface which presents the list of activities and a control bar at the bottom.
Each icon represents an activity. When the mouse is set on it, the activity is highlighted and the name, the description, the author of the activity are displayed in the description area.
Around each one, you can find small icons which give additional information about the activity. A simple click on the icon will lead you to an activity or a menu of activities.
An icon indicates if a good functioning of sound support is required for an activity :
- Soundspeaker : The audio files are settled for this activity.
- Soundspeaker with a red cross : The audio files are not installed in the present language.
The stars indicates the age group adapted to each game :
1, 2 or 3 stars - from 2 to 6 years old.
1, 2 or 3 complex stars - more than 6.
At the bottom of the screen there is a control bar of GCompris. The following icons are described below from the right to the left (the icons are only displayed if they are available in the activity) :
Home - Leaves the running activity, returns to the previous menu.
Thumb - Validate, confirm your answer. Some activities do not detect automatically if the child has completed the task. In this case, you have to click on this icon. It is possible to you use the "enter" key on your keyboard.
Dice - The present level is displayed. Click on the dice to select another level. Generally, the activities propose several levels whose numbers depend on the activity. In GCompris, it is possible to go to next level without having completed the running level.
Lips - Ask GCompris to repeat the question.
Interrogation mark - Display the help dialog box. Sometimes, an activity can be too complex to be described easily in the description area. In this case, this function gives access to additional information.
Tool box - Configuration menu. The configuration persists and is saved in the user repertory under the name .config/gcompris/gcompris.conf. This is a text file which can be manually edited.
Tux and his plane - Information box on GCompris, presents the main contributors and the version of the software.
Night - Quit GCompris. You can also use the short cut on your keyboard 'ctrl-q'.
Kiosk mode
When you use GCompris with small children or on a self-service kiosk, you can disable a certain number of options :
- gcompris --disable-quit : disable the "quit" button.
- gcompris --disable-config : disable the "configuration" button
Both options can of course be combined.
Notes on the internationalization
Gcompris is internationalized and is available in more than 50 languages. If you want to check if your language is available, you can start GCompris and select your language in the option of configuration. Be careful, your operating system must support your language so that GCompris can use it. If you find a red cross while selecting a language in GCompris, this means that your system doesn't support it, even if a translation is available in GCompris.
On GNU/Linux, if your language is not available, select another language support on your distribution to add it. In most cases, you have to install a package 'locale-xx' or 'language-pack-xx' additional - xx is a language code such as 'En' for English -.
If your language is not supported, you can contribute to the software and add the transation of your language. If you are interested, you can contact the translation group of the Gnome project for your language.
You can check the level of translation for your language on the gnome web site.
Language learning
You can use GCompris in a foreign language you are learning. Select a foreign language in the menu of configuration. Don't forget to install the audio optional modules for this language in your GNU/Linux distribution. Windows'version is provided with all audio support which are available.
Through the administration's module, it is possible to configurate more precisely some activities with the audio set of a language while using GCompris in another language.
Administering GCompris
GCompris proposes a very powerful administration module in order to simplify its use at school. This module was elaborated to satisfy different ways of using GCompris so that it can be as simple as possible.
Activity selection
GCompris proposes a hundred of activities. it is not useful to propose all the activities to children. A possible approach can be the introduction of the activities little by little following the evolution of children. This will keep their curiosity awaken and avoid that they lose time in activities which can be too complex for them.
There are two different ways of selecting the activities :
- By levels or intervals of levels. In this case, you use GCompris'levels (1 to 6 stars), You can choose a specific level such as 1 star, or an interval of levels - from 2 to 4 stars -.
- By activity. In this mode, you can tick or tick out each activity or all the activities of a same section.
Profile creation
A profile permits to assemble a behaviour model of GCompris under a unic name. It is possible to create profiles without any links to users, groups or class.
If you want to use GCompris with children of different group of ages, you can create a profile for each one. For each profile, you will be able to associate a set of activities.
For instance, it is possible to create a profile 'grade 1' or a profile 'grade 2'.
To launch the administration module, find the start menu on your desktop or on a command line with gcompris -a.
Using a profile
Start GCompris with the option --profile 'mon profil' :
gcompris --profile 'cycle 1'
To get informed of the list of existing profiles :
gcompris --profile-list
Of course to simplify the start of GCompris in a particular profile, the easiest is to create a new launcher for your desktop and to associate it to a command including the correct options.
Activity configuration
The profiles permit mainly to specify a list of activities but you can also personalize the behaviour of each one whenever it is possible on the activity.
The activities marked with an icon 
can be directly configurated in the administration module. For example, You can configurate some activities to function in English.
User and class creation
If you want to set up a personalized follow-up, you can create a user profile for each pupil. This option will permit them to identify entering their user name when they start GCompris. GCompris will save for each child the list of activities which are accomplished or not.
GCompris is very flexible, you can group all the children in the default class if you don't use GCompris in several classes. You can also create classes without mentioning children. It will give you the possibility to define profiles for your classes.
Groups creation
A group is a number of pupils from different classes. It is an optional function, you can use GCompris, create users and define profiles without creating any groups.
The creation of groups will help you if your functioning mode is based on user groups which are composed of small groups of classes but also of groups of children from the same class or even of children who have not been associated to a class.
Reporting
Each activity lets appear a bonus image when the child has accomplished it or not. GCompris keeps in its internal base all the results for each child or for the default user.
You can display the results for all the pupils or for one particularly. A button permits to erase all the tracks.
Identification
If you have created user profiles in GCompris, and if you start GCompris with a profile, a connexion screen will appear.
There are two identification modes : a 'list' mode on which you have to find your name. This mode can be interesting to help the child read his name. The second mode asks the child to enter his name. It can help the child learn how to use the keyboard.
Deployment
If you administer a school network, you can over load the configuration options of your users by yours. To edit a configuration file, the easiest way is to create one from GCompris. Simply configure GCompris as you wish, quit it and copy the created configuration file in the system one. From it, you can remove the options you don't want to be compulsory.
Configuration file example:
music=1
fx=1
screensize=1
fullscreen=1
timer=1
key="default"
GNU/Linux
On GNU/Linux, the configuration file is in the user directory under ~/.config/gcompris/gcompris.conf
You must copy your own system configuration file under /etc/gcompris.conf
Windows
On Windows, the configuration file is in C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR USER\.config\gcompris\gcompris.conf
You must put the system configuration file at the GCompris's root installation directory. By default, it's C:\Program Files\Gcompris
On Windows, it makes sense to put at least the line 'key="your 6 digit key"'. This way, all users on this PC won't have to activate GCompris.
On school networks, you can simply copy this file using your deployment system.
Portable GCompris
Portable software is a class of software that is suitable for use on portable drives such as a USB (thumb) drive or iPod, although any external hard drive could theoretically be used. The concept of carrying one's favored applications, utilities, and files on a portable drive for use on any computer is one which has evolved considerably in recent years.
GCompris can be made portable very easily by installing it on the target thumb drive and adding in its directory a gcompris.conf configuration file which includes a local user and configuration directory. The directory are specified as relative to the gcompris.exe binary.
Configuration file example:
user_dir="../My GCompris"
config_dir="../GCompris_config"
key="your 6 digit key if you have it"
Useful options
Running GCompris from a console with the --help option will display all the parameters it accepts:
- -f, --fullscreen run gcompris in fullscreen mode.
- -w, --window run gcompris in window mode.
- -s, --sound run gcompris with sound enabled.
- -m, --mute run gcompris without sound.
- -c, --cursor run gcompris with the default gnome cursor.
- -d, --difficulty display only activities with this difficulty level.
- -D, --debug display debug informations on the console.
- -v, --version Print the version of gcompris
- -x, --noxf86vm Disable XF86VidMode (No screen resolution change).
- -l, --root-menu Run gcompris with local menu (e.g -l /reading will let you play only activities in the reading directory, -l /strategy/connect4 only the connect4 activity)
- -L, --local-activity Run GCompris with local activity directory added to menu
- -a, --administration Run GCompris in administration and user-management mode
- -b, --database Use alternate database for profiles [$HOME/.config/gcompris/gcompris_sqlite.db]
- -j, --logs Use alternate database for logs
- --create-db Create the alternate database for profiles
- --reread-menu Re-read XML Menus and store them in the database
- -p, --profile Set the profile to use. Use 'gcompris -a' to create profiles
- --profile-list List all available profiles. Use 'gcompris -a' to create profiles
- --config-dir Config directory location: [$HOME/.config/gcompris]. Alternate is to set $XDG_CONFIG_HOME.
- --user-dir The location of user directories: [$HOME/My GCompris]
- --experimental Run the experimental activities
- --disable-quit Disable the quit button
- --disable-config Disable the config button
- --display-resource Display the resources on stdout based on the selected activities
- --server GCompris will get images, sounds and activity data from this server if not found locally.
- --web-only Only when --server is provided, disable check for local resource first. Data are always taken from the web server.
- --cache-dir In server mode, specify the cache directory used to avoid useless downloads.
- -g, --drag-mode Global drag and drop mode: normal, 2clicks, both. Default mode is normal.
- --nobackimg Do not display the background images of activities.
