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Known Participant
December 9, 2013
Question

CP7 and handout print format

  • December 9, 2013
  • 2 replies
  • 3531 views

Is there a way to change the default size of the images in the Handout print format in Captivate 7.  We'd like to have two slides per page but without that awful 3 inch margin on both sides.  When you uncheck the Use Table in Output you lose the ability to select the number of slides per page.

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    2 replies

    Participating Frequently
    February 19, 2014

    The handout template is hard coded. But, working with the other templates and the Word Output document, I was able to create a template that will allow you to publish the Word images and slide notes in Word. And, you can customize the placement on the page and image sizes.

    Here are instructions (I'm using Captivate 6 BTW):

    1. Make all of your slide notes into closed captioning.

    I was able to find the computer code to call the closed captions, but not the slide notes. So you have to drop some audio onto each slide (I'm using 1 second of silence generated in Audacity) and click the button that will turn your slide notes into closed captions. Don't worry...these won't display in your published project unless you have your skin set to display them.

    2. Open a new Word document.

    3. Copy and paste the script below into your Word document. This script as is will print 2 slides per page with slide notes above the images.

    [CPDefaultItemTemplates[CPTemplates[TIMEBLOCK[CPContentInsert]TIMEBLOCK]CPTemplates]CPDefaultItemTemplates]

    [CPCapturedSlide

    [CPBlockInsert][CPTemplates[CC1[CPCC]CC1]

    [CCN[CPCC]CCN]CPTemplates]

    [CPSlideImage][size:282x214]

    CPCapturedSlide]

    [CPContentSlide

    [CPBlockInsert][CPTemplates[CC1[CPCC]CC1]

    [CCN[CPCC]CCN]CPTemplates]

    [CPSlideImage][size:282x214]

    CPContentSlide]

    4. Adjust the script to your liking:

    1. Change the image size. This is set to 282 x 214. But you can change the image size to whatever you want it to be. If you make the size larger, fewer will fit on a page.

    2. Move the slide notes, if you want. This is set to put the slide notes above the images. To put the notes below the images, move the [CPBlockInsert][CPTemplates[CC1[CPCC]CC1]

    [CCN[CPCC]CCN]CPTemplates] to below [CPSlideImage][size:282x214]. Be sure to move both instances, and don't copy/paste...move!

    3. Use Word's formatting options to change the page display. For example, if you use Word to center the code about slide images, the slides will be centered on the page when you publish. You can add your company's logo in the header. Type CPMovieTitle into one place to print the project title...either header or footer. It won't work if you put it in more than one place for reasons known only to Captivate. You can put page numbers or dates in the footer. You can change the font for the slide notes by highlighting the notes code (see #3 above) and making it larger, smaller, different, bold, italic, etc., etc., etc. Whatever you would do with Word to format your handouts, do in this document.

    4. Add anything that you want to print on every page outside the [ ] blocks. For instance, if you want to blank lines to print under the notes, you can add before the code for the images.

    5. Save the Word document in .doc format with a memorable name where you can find it. You don't have to save with the templates in the Captivate program file.

    6. Publish to Print. In the upper, right corner, in the Type section, click the button with ... It's to the right of Handout. That will open a window which will allow you to browse to find and select your Word document. The Layout Options won't do anything, so no need to mess with them. Set the rest of your settings...like project title and publish location and publish.

    Things that I don't know, but would like to:

    1. Will this work in Captivate 7? Will someone try and let us know?

    2. Can you save the Word file in .docx format?

    3. Can you set the Word doc to landscape instead of portrait? (I'll bet that you can, but haven't tried it.)

    4. What Word options won't work? I know that you can't put this code inside a Word table. Using column and page breaks, I got mine to print with the slide notes on the left and images on the right. Other than that, who knows? Word is a big program, so you'll just have to test.

    5. What is the code to call the slide notes? I've called Adobe support twice and can't get a straight answer. If we all start calling and emailing, maybe they'll tell us.

    So, I hope this helps. There are so many threads about this and I can't repost everywhere. So, please link to this thread if you see another one where this info will help.

    Happy printing!

    Rebecca

    Known Participant
    February 21, 2014

    Rebecca I tried this with CP7 and it would only bring up the info on the first slide.

    When I saved it as a *.docx Captivate 7 wouldn’t find it to use.

    Thanks for looking into this.

    Susan

    Participating Frequently
    February 21, 2014

    Will you look to see what format the Word templates are in CP7?  Are they .doc or .docx?  I'd say .doc if CP 7 wouldn't recognize them when saved in .docx format.

    Try to copy the entire code again on a second page in Word, and run again?  It might work that way.  If you look at the Step by Step or Storyboard templates that are shipped with CP 6, the code is repeated on a second page.  So, that might work in CP 7.  As I have it will work in CP 6. 

    Wish I had access to CP 7.  I'm sure I could figure it out.  When my company upgrades, I'll troubleshoot and post for CP 7.

    Also...I heard back from Adobe support saying that the tags are hard coded, which we already knew.  I responded with the closed caption tag and asked them to send the corresponding tag for slide notes. 

    So, if everyone will start asking them for the slide notes tag, we may get them to give it to us. 

    Rebecca

    Inspiring
    December 10, 2013

    Have a look at the templates in the installation folder

    C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 7 (32 Bit)\Gallery\PrintOutput

    (or the equavelent on your machine)

    The word documents in this folder are templates that specify how individual items are published.

    I don't know how to achieve what you want.. but there is scope to experiment!

    Lilybiri
    Legend
    December 10, 2013

    Hmmm,.... handouts don't have a template, didn't you know that @cammeraguy Or do you have one, then you are privileged. At least since many versions there has never been one.

    @Susan, I'm sorry, print output needs at least bit of 'refurbishing'. Since quite a few versions I don't use the default handouts anymore but create my own template and use Snagit for the screenshots.

    Lilybiri

    Tara Aukerman
    Inspiring
    May 1, 2014

    Lieve, you don't seem like one to waste much time. Can you share your process?

    Do you mean you created your own template using CP's code, or that you manually copy text out of your projects as well as capturing the screenshots?