This article is for DEVELOPERS and PARTNERS who are integrating Snapplify Engage into the D2L Brightspace LMS.



Once you have created your course in D2L Brightspace and set up Snapplify Engage as an external learning tool, you can easily set up custom widgets.


Widgets are sections of content and the building blocks of the course’s homepage. Creating custom widgets enable you to adapt the content on your homepage according to your organisation’s needs and to include personalised information, such as links and specific settings. 


You’ll first need to create custom widgets, then add them to your course’s homepage.


Creating custom widgets in a D2L Brightspace course

  1. Log in to D2L Brightspace and navigate to your course.
  2. Follow the steps to start creating a custom widget. On the Properties tab, enter a name for your widget (see examples below), then click the ‘Save’ button.
  3. Navigate to the Content tab of the New Widget page, specify the widget content in the Contents textbox (see examples below for the text users will see), then click the ‘Save and Close’ button.


Your custom widget is added to the custom widget list.


Widget content examples

Use the following examples as templates for your widget content.


  1. To add the ‘Snapplify Get Started’ widget:

    Name: Snapplify Get Started

    Content:

    Welcome to Commerce 999 – a foundational course in your Commerce degree.

    This is the home for everything related to this course. We will share any important class announcements here, and you'll be able to access all your course materials and prescribed textbooks. 


    All your prescribed and recommended readings, as well as additional resources, are accessible through your institution’s Snapplify Engage account [to add a link to your institution’s Snapplify Engage instance, select the relevant text in the Contents textbox, click the ‘Insert Stuff’ icon in the toolbar, select Insert Link from the list of items that can be inserted, enter the URL and click ‘Next’, specify the link text, then click ‘Insert’ to link it as an external learning tool]. All the links you need can be found under the Content tab above.

    To read your prescribed and recommended books, you'll need to download the Snapplify Reader application from your preferred app store, or via the link below.


    On-screen layout:



  2. To add the ‘Download Snapplify Reader’ widget:


Downloading the Snapplify Reader enables users to access their e-content immediately.


Name: Download Snapplify Reader


Content:


To read your prescribed and recommended books, you'll need to download the Snapplify Reader application from your preferred app store, or via the link below.


On-screen layout:



3. To add the ‘Go To Snapplify Engage’ widget:


Going to Snapplify Engage enables users to purchase prescribed textbooks, or check out library books.


Name: Go To Snapplify Engage

Content:

Visit Snapplify Engage [to add a link to your institution’s Snapplify Engage instance, select the relevant text in the Contents textbox, click the ‘Insert Stuff’ icon in the toolbar, select Insert Link from the list of items that can be inserted, enter the URL and click ‘Next’, specify the link text, then click ‘Insert’ to link it as an external learning tool] to purchase your prescribed textbooks, get additional course resources, and browse our digital library to check out library books.


On-screen layout


4. To add the ‘Open in Snapplify Reader’ widget:

Opening titles in the Snapplify Reader enables users to read their books offline, wherever they go.


Name: Open in Snapplify Reader

Content:

Already have your prescribed books? Click on a title to open this book in your Reader application.


Add jacket images for each book and link each image to the book in the Snapplify Reader (see this article for how to find the URL for each title).


On-screen layout:

The next step is to add the custom widgets to your homepage. 


Need help? Use the live chat in the bottom right corner of your screen or email us at [email protected].