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MaileMan
Known Participant
June 16, 2014
Question

Can I convert old Captivate written SWF files into HTML 5

  • June 16, 2014
  • 3 replies
  • 333 views

Hi,

I am currently running CP7 and will shortly be upgrading to CP8. However, some basic swfs (not scorm compliant) we created around 3 years ago using CP4 are needed to be compatible with Ipads.

What can I do to make this happen?

  • We cannot locate many of the original .cp files
  • cp4 files that we can find will not open with cp7 (this has HTML 5 publish setting)
  • Any video conversion tools we have found do not convert the swf files properly, (they just contain 'Recordings' of software being used). Usually to do with actionscript.

Any help would be greatfuly received.

Chris

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    M
    MaileManAuthor
    Known Participant
    June 17, 2014

    Hi all.

    Thanks very much for all of your swift responses. Overnight I have come up with an alternative...I am sure that you guys would have come up with this but perhaps I did not explain the content very well. Basically the are 4 minute demos of how to use various pieces of software (no other interactions). There are approx 120 so redoing from scratch is a painful option.

    What we have implemented as a test for one, is to run the swf in the browser as we then 'record' using cp7. That recording is then published as mp4 as this fits the bill for what we want to get out of it. Essentially an mp4 version of the existing built recording.

    Thanks for all of help though.

    Erik Lord
    Erik Lord
    Inspiring
    June 16, 2014

    Well, I'd say the short answer is 'yes' but with significant caveats...

    1. TLC is correct though if you can't find the CP source files. Best you can do with those published projects is try to convert them to MP4, as you have. That should be possible but, as you may be saying, they will not be interactive...of course, as MP4 files are pretty much straightforward linear video files.

    2. The CP4 source files you do find can possibly be updated, also as TLC suggests, but you do need to open and save them in successive versions of CP - i.e. open/save the CP4 in version 5, then that version in CP6, then that version in CP7.

    If you get through that, you'll want to closely review the result in CP7 though - there's a good chance several things will need to be adjusted (i..e callout placement, text styles) after the conversions. Additionally, CP used Actionscript 2 in CP4, I'm pretty sure, with CP5 being AS3...so if your pieces use any custom scripting, AS2 SWF integrations, or third-party widgets, those will have to be upgraded too.

    RodWard
    Community Expert
    RodWardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 17, 2014

    I'm going to go against the flow here and tell you that, if you're intention is to have your courses as HTML5, you should probably seriously consider ditching your old courses and start from scratch redeveloping them again.

    If you're looking at HTML5 output for mobile devices then it's VERY likely you will be wanting responsive output as well, not just HTML5.  There IS a difference. But I'm seeing time and again on these forums that elearning developers are unaware you CANNOT simply upgrade older Captivate projects to Cp8 and end up with responsive output. 

    Since you'd have to totally redevelop the content anyway to get responsive output, bite the bullet now and start again, or else decide NOW that you will never want those courses to be responsive. 

    Your choice...

    TLCMediaDesign
    TLCMediaDesign
    Inspiring
    June 16, 2014

    The short answer is no.

    You would need to update the old files through different versions of Captivate and then fix the non-html5 compatible issues.

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