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Known Participant
November 24, 2016
Question

Shared Actions stop working on slides copied across to new presentation

  • November 24, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 539 views

Hi

Using Captivate 9.02.437 when I copy slides from one deck to a new deck the shared actions copy across, the parameters are all correct but the shared actions will not work at all.

Nor will they work with copies made of them in the library.

If I re-create the shared actions using the Advanced Actions, save them back out as new versions then attach them to the buttons and redo the parameters then they work as they did in the original presentation.

Anyone else seen this behaviour?

Any suggestions welcomed, this needs to be solved as there are hundreds of slides to be copied in dozens of decks.

 

Thanks

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2 replies

BatsninjaAuthor
Known Participant
November 24, 2016

Thanks for the feedback Lilly. I'm afraid I perhaps have not really explained my situation.

1. I want to copy a set of slides with shared actions to a new file to clean it of several hundred variables and clutter and then copy them to other presentations as well.

2. This should seemingly work since the shared actions are copied, the parameters are set up and all point to the correct objects so there should be nothing to fix.

3. Thanks for the advice on descriptions, I have been struggling with this issue for several days now, recreating scripts and copying files so descriptions have tended to fall by the wayside.

By the way there are no duplicate names, only in as much as the variables are called state01 etc. and the object states are called state01 etc. and it would be odd if that was the cause of the shared actions not working in copied slides.

Thanks anyway

Lilybiri
Legend
November 24, 2016

I had the most strange problems when a name was reused in many use cases. That is why I always recommend to avoid it. It is the reason I always start variables with v_, to identify them as variables (same with other objects). You may think this sounds 'odd' but typing a few characters more can avoid unexpected problems. Personally I use always the same system of labeling. Do not forget that both states and variables can be used as parameters.

I understand that you wanted to copy slides, something I had to do as well when clearing up projects with tons of advanced actions and variables, due to a bad approach and lack of preparation (for clients). When you copy objects to a new file, the names are not preserved, but intelligent naming will keep the original name, followed by a number. Actions triggered by slide events are more dangerous when copying than actions triggered by other events, I experienced that as well.

BatsninjaAuthor
Known Participant
November 24, 2016

Thanks for the suggestion Lily.

Sadly changing the variable names to V_State01 etc. to make them unique from the state names of State01 etc. made no difference to the problem.

Lilybiri
Legend
November 24, 2016

You can objects with advanced actions attached. Shared actions are meant to

be dragged to the new library, and you'll have to define the parameters in

the other project because copied objects will not retain the same name. I

have several posts about shared actions on my blog: http://blog.lilybiri.com

BatsninjaAuthor
Known Participant
November 24, 2016

Thanks Lily

The slides I copy from one project to another do update the parameters settings to the new copied objects (as they do if you copy slides within the same object - part of the reason we are using shared actions).

However the newly copied shared action does not work and even if I reset the parameters and save the action still no joy.

However if I delete the copied actions then import the original shared actions to the new project and update the parameters then they work.

Interestingly a simple shared action of sound beep will copy across with the slide from one project to another with no problems.

It looks like an issue with the variables (but they are all the same and seem to copy across correctly) or there is a bug with the copying of shared actions that use conditional actions maybe.

Thanks so far.

BatsninjaAuthor
Known Participant
November 24, 2016

It seems to be using conditional actions is the problem.

A slide with simple shared action that assigns a variable with a new value (with a parameter for the assigned value) copies across to a new project and plays OK.

But using a conditional shared action with an if/else statement to change variable between two values does not work when copied across, despite there being no parameters to set.