A framework for testing things using pointers.
Pointerly is a framework to help with the creation of experiments which involve using pointers. It provides functionality to complete tasks including displaying shapes on the screen, handling events such as clicks, and keeping track of mouse position.
It is able to keep track of the state of the experiment throughout, including mouse positions, mouse clicks, screen size, and shapes that are displayed on the screen. This logged data can be replayed, allowing an experiment run to be watched back at a later point. With a correctly set up browser, collected data is stored on the file system of the machine, removing any need to remember to move data around between experiment participants.
- Use a browser that includes high resolution timing
- Use a browser with FileSystem support to store data
If running Pointerly in Chrome using the local file system (the URL starts with file:
), set the --allow-file-access-from-files
flag for access to the FileSystem.
When putting the Chrome into full screen, use the keyboard shortcuts. This will ensure that events relating to hovering work correctly, rather than requiring clicks (as is the case when using View > Enter Presentation Mode).
Data stored in the FileSystem in Chrome can be found in the File System
folder within the User Data Directory.
Documentation can be found within the docs/
folder. Reading through the source code can also help clarify issues if the documentation is missing something.