Skip to main content
B
Bustergoof
Inspiring
February 3, 2015
Question

Slide plays OK on its own but fails in project using cpInfoCurrentFrame in actions.

  • February 3, 2015
  • 3 replies
  • 349 views

Hi,

We are using the latest Captivate 8 with the latest patch...

The project is set to 10 fps to do the calculation easily.

So, I have a slide that is using the cpInfoCurrentFrame to set a variable (FirstFrameIn) to whatever the frame number is.

I then have a group of advanced actions that use this variable to jump back and forth on the timeline. They do that by adding the number of frames their content is away from to the (FirstFrameIn) and then jump off to that frame.

Layed out on the time line there is a submit for each block of content. The submit resets the value of the (FirstFrameIn) to a new block of content on the timeline and then jumps there to do the next block of user selections.

This works much like individual slides on one slide.



This example timeline explains the process.

This all works fine if the slide is run on its own. But the moment I run it in a project or with any other slide. The action code breaks into an nonsensical mess where buttons do whatever they choose to do.

Oh and another thing is my timeline vanishes from time to time.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    B
    BustergoofAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 3, 2015

    Thanks Gents,

    Captivate is very flexible if you can root out right handles on variables. I figured this out, It just required a second variable that stored, and was used to reset the FirstFrameIn to its original value once timeline had moved.

    Re using Captivate the way it was meant to be used; This "is" how it was meant to be used, why do we have advanced actions and System variables? I was doing things this way to minimize how many Advanced actions I have to use. As the need for unique names for objects on each slide. Requires new advanced actions for each newly named object. Which is utterly ridiculous if you are a programmer used to reusing functions. I can create a whole slideshow on one slide using an average of 10/3 lined AA's for an entire project regardless of how many slides.

    Thanks for replying BTW.

    Lilybiri
    Lilybiri
    Legend
    February 3, 2015

    Still do not agree, you can have objects timed for the rest of the project (and hide them when not needed) to keep a unique ID or you can use shared actions with parameters, to avoid having to duplicate and edit advanced actions. I still believe you are missing some alternatives that work much easier because they fit better in Captivate's design. Frame navigation is not what Captivate is doing well, sorry, has nothing to do with its feature of variables and advanced/shared actions. Interesting discussion.

    Just an anecdote: in 2013 I presented a session about developing for mobile with Captivate (before the responsive projects appeared) with Sarah Gilbert. From her I learned that to keep file size small advanced actions can help because you limit the number of slides and frames (which is not the case for you). But I explored the new shared actions and discovered that replacing 'her' advanced actions by instances of the same shared actions succeeded in reducing the file size to about 55% of the original one.

    B
    BustergoofAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 3, 2015

    Hey Lilybiri,

    Shared actions are great. But I don't want to be adding slide after slide and connecting them to shared actions for each. This process gives me options of needing very little objects and controlling them with minimal AA's. For example if I group a response so that it has one graphic, one button to close and one text box. I can just hide and show the group over and over again. For the text box I just set the .text value to a new set of text depending on where in the timeline the user is. If I was to do this with slides it would be 3 times the work and AA's.

    Lilybiri
    Lilybiri
    Legend
    February 3, 2015

    You didn't post any screenshot of the advanced actions, but in this case although I'm a big fan of shared/advanced actions (would largely have preferred shared actions in this case) I totally agree with Rod. Captivate is not really designed for 'micro-navigation' as is Flash, where frame events are possible. I will use it only in very specific situations but here I would have navigated between shorter slides. It is a misunderstanding with many people that this will increase file size, or change the user experience. On the contrary, a mess of advanced actions like you have on this slide, will slow down everything and it can end up going crazy. Shared actions are working bit more smoothly, but I repeat, don't use Captivate this way. It is a thankful brain exercise, but not appropriate for this tool.

    RodWard
    Community Expert
    RodWardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 3, 2015

    ‌I would suggest that you are far better off just going with using Captivate in the way it was designed to work. Break this up into separate slides and you will have fewer issues and much more flexible options when it comes to interactivity because each slide will have an on enter event availablefor use to trigger actions.

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices