Adobe Connect Pro questions (what format is used?)

[shawninvancouver]

Does anyone have any experience with publishing to Adobe Connect Pro?

How are the lessons published? It seems that they are not actually published as swf files. Is this true? It also seems that .cp files are uploaded?

Not SCORM?

How do I test this without actually publishing to the Adobe Connect Pro server? I cannot seem to output Adobe Connect Pro files without a URL (e.g. no folder output option).

Additionally, I may want to hire someone as a consultant who has advanced experienced with Adobe Connect Pro. Please send me info on how to contact you with the details.

Thank you.

[johndaigle]

Hi, Shawn

I think what may be confusing you is the publishing choice. There is a choice to publish to the Connect Pro server, but if you just want to test it locally, you instead publish as Flash SWF. If everything checks out, then you can publish to the Connect Pro server. Here are some basics with additional resources below:

1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Project > Publish Settings
   Then, tick the checkbox for Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional metadata. This will generate the proper XML and support files to send to the Connect server.
2. Go to Edit > Preferences > Project > Quiz and enable Reporting > Choose Acrobat Connect Pro
   

To test locally

1. go to Publish > Flash (Swf) > enter a project title such (e.g., Movie-ConnectVersion)
2. Tick Publish files to folder and Export HTML
3. Publish and View Output
4. If you then go to the Windows Explorer and look inside the \Movie-ConnectVersion folder you will see all the files that are generated for you to view it locally and test.

To then publish to the Connect Pro Server

1. Use the Publish to Adobe Connect Pro Server. Click the Change Server button to enter the server URL. 
2. The checkbox for including the .cp project files is optional. For example, if you are part of a team, or want to archive your project, you can store it on the Connect Server.
   
3. From here, some of the process has to do with whether your purpose is simply to display the movie in a Adobe Connect Meeting as opposed to using Connect as your LMS (if you have the Training module.)

Those are the basics. Here are some further resources to dig deeper.

Adobe Captivate's online help topic that explains in more detail.

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Captivate/4.0/Using/WS5b3ccc516d4fbf351e63e3d119e9582981-7ff6.html

There is a must-read forum similar to this one that focuses more on Adobe Connect Pro. Here is a link to the specific Adobe Captivate sub-forum.

http://www.connectusers.com/forums/cucbb/viewforum.php?id=50

Hope this helps.

John Daigle

Adobe Certified Captivate and RoboHelp Instructor

www.showmethedemo.com

[shawninvancouver]

Hello John,

Thank you for your quick and concise answer.

Perhaps I was not clear in my question. I understand how to publish in the various ways. What I wanted to know is what type of files are uploaded when I choose to publish to the Adobe Connect Pro server?

You answered my residual questions but I am still wondering is if Adobe Connect Pro files are simply SCORM format, or are they some other [proprietary] format?

>tick the checkbox for Adobe Acrobat Connect Professional metadata. \

>This will generate the proper XML and support files to send to the Connect server.

That appears to be SCORM type files... so perhaps you did answer my primary question after all.

The reason I ask is that, unlike other elearning tools (e.g. RWD uPerform, Lectora), I see virtually no reference to LMS or SCORM in the Captivate 4 publishing options. The only mention of these formats is in the quiz section. If I wanted to publish for another LMS server (e.g. Moodle), is this going to be possible (and how)?

[johndaigle]

Yes, they are "SCORM-type files" but Adobe Connect Pro uses a proprietary format (as opposed to strictly SCORM or AICC.)

>>"I see virtually no reference to LMS or SCORM in the Captivate 4 publishing options."<<

The reason is that you are looking in the wrong place . Instead, this info resides in the Edit > Preferences dialog I mentioned earlier.

>>"If I wanted to publish for another LMS server (e.g. Moodle), is this going to be possible (and how)?"<<

If you are publishing to a SCORM-compliant LMS (Moodle, etc.) you would first change the Edit > Preferences > Quiz > Reporting to "Standard" instead of Connect Pro which I previously mentioned. Then, select SCORM and modify your Manifest settings including the version of SCORM, etc. according to what your particular LMS requires, along with the many other options available to you in the Reporting dialog box. Obviously, it will take some planning and coordination with your LMS admin to determine the appropriate options.

Then, re-publish using the Flash (SWF) option and select .zip format. This becomes the "packaged" file which is the ultimate deliverable to the LMS administrator.

Many times, the process works as easily as we all would hope. It just works. Upload the Adobe Captivate .zip and watch your LMS track the results. But sometimes a particular LMS will implement the standards in a proprietary way .

Much is made of standards and compliance. The trouble is, that the LMS marketplace is filled with proprietary differentiation just enough to "break" learning content that is otherwise compliant. To overcome these glitches, custom editing of various XML and/or Javascript files is sometimes necessary.

If you need to know more, the "guru" on this subject is Andrew Chemey who has written several articles and tutorials on this subject for Adobe.

Developing SCORM Content for Use in Connect Pro by Andrew Chemey

http://www.connectusers.com/tutorials/2009/01/scorm_tracking/index.php#SampleFiles

john

John Daigle

Adobe Certified Captivate and RoboHelp Instructor

www.showmethedemo.com