Saving
Once a VUE map has been created, it can be saved in a variety of forms.
Selecting the classic File > Save As command brings up the following choices:
VUE: VUE files can be saved on the VUE site or to a drive. The user needs to have VUE installed to open this file.VPK (VUE package): This is the best format to share maps, especially the ones with resources. It collates all the resources, places them in a single (compressed-zipped) folder with the map, and changes the path to the resources to be relative to the map within the folder. This allows the movement of a map with its resources from one computer to another. VUE can open .vpk maps and.vpk maps can also be unzipped using a third party software.
Interactive Web Graphic – HTML: Saves the VUE map as an HTML file. The benefit of this choice is that the resources remain clickable, so that resource materials within the map can be accessed. The HTML file can then be published to a website.
PDF: Converts the map to Portable Document Format so that the map can be opened on most any operating system.
See additional PDF saving choices under File > Export Handouts and Notes (PDF).
JPEG: This is an image file format. Saving the VUE map as an image file allows someone without the VUE software to view the map.
PNG: Portable Network Graphics, a bit-mapped graphics format.
SVG: Scalable Vector Graphics, an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics.
RDF: Resource Description Framework file or RDF is a foundation for processing metadata. It provides interoperability between applications that exchange machine understandable information. When VUE maps are exported to RDF they can be used by other semantic web applications.
IMS Resource List – XML: The XML choice, or IMS Resource List, is a technical standard file type for educational technology systems. This choice enables the re-use and sharing of the content (concept maps) created. In the case of VUE, saving a concept map in IMS standard, such as Content Package or list enables other systems that understand IMS standards to re-use the concept maps.
Uploading to Repositories
The uploading feature in VUE is specifically designed for exporting, storing and sharing VUE data in digital repositories.
In order to upload or publish to a specific repository, the repository needs to be added first as a Resource in the Resources window. Otherwise, uploading is available only when the repository supports the feature and users have sufficient privileges to write to the repository.
Selecting File > Upload to Repository > Add publishable resources through Resource Window brings up the Content window and the following choices:
- Map Only
Saves only the map to a digital repository as a zipped file. Digital resources are not attached, but the resource paths are maintained, whether to a local computer or to the web. - Map and Resources
Creates a duplicate of all digital resources and uploads these resources and the map to a registered digital repository. The resources are accessible to all users viewing the map.