Advance action requires two clicks?

[EBC]

Having a bit of trouble with a seemingly straightforward advanced action. Three stacked Lesson boxes, to be used a buttons. When learner clicks Lesson 1 box/button, Lessons 2 and 3 collapse (Lesson 1 box remains visible) and three images Ease In (these will eventually be used as buttons to dig deeper). For this sample I only have the 3 Lesson boxes and one image (to keep it simple). Image below, including Timeline.

The Advanced Action (below) applies 3 effects. The problem: the collapse effects happen on the first click, as intended, but the image ease in requires a second click. An additional detail: the image EaseIn always happens AFTER the collapses, even if I reorder steps and change timing. Note: I have fiddled with Pause intervals for Lesson buttons...no change. Any ideas why the double click might be necessary? Seems like a simple Advanced Action otherwise...

[Lilybiri]

Why is one of the 3 a non-interactive shape?

For the two other buttons you have moved the pausing point to the last frame, I never do that because it can lead to issues, especally sin since you have timed effects. Are the two buttons set to Infinite attempts or not?

What are the timings of the effects?

Which version? It is not CP2017, an older version, but which one? Please the full version number.

[EBC]

Thanks for response! I have only been testing the first Lesson button, so did not really do much with Lesson 3 button. I have moved Pause point from default 1.5 sec to full slide length thinking that might have an effect…nope. Timing effects: Image EaseIn - Start 0, Duration 1; Collapse – Start 1, Duration 1. I have also adjusted these timings with no effect. The collapses always happen first, then the image entrance requires a second click.

Captivate version 9.0.0.223. Thanks!

[Lilybiri]

Before exploring more, please upgrade ASAP to 9.0.2.437. You missed 3 patches and the original version you are using was buggy for effects.

[EBC]

I have updated. Issue remains.

[Lilybiri]

How did you test, will try to recreate something similar in a small project. Is it meant for HTML output? If yes, please test only with Preview HTML in Browser (F11) if this is a non-responsive project.

Do you want the image to come in from outside? Did you create a custom motion path in that case and was the image not hidden initially?

[EBC]

Current plan is for swf output. I have been previewing in Captivate (Project or Next 5 Slides).

[Lilybiri]

Still to SWF? With desktop browsers that do not install Flash player anymore by default?   EOL of Flash player announced for next year but browsers seem to accelerate that death.

Do buttons have Iniinite Attempts?

Where is the image on the slide when starting? Problem with Entrance effects like the one you use is that the position of the object on the stage is the END position. But I suspect you don't want the image to be present from the start, but coming in. You will need to create a custom motion path in that case, cannot be done with the canned Entrance effect.

[EBC]

Yes, Infinite Attempts ticked. Preview HTML in browser yields same issue. Image is JPEG.

[Lilybiri]

My answer probably crossed yours. You need to use a custom effect for the entrance of the image, not a canned Entrance effect.

[EBC]

Hmmm…is there a reason for that? So to generate the desired Custom effect I would need to create in the regular workspace and then save it so it appears in Custom window?

[EBC]

Were you able to get this to work? I added Custom animation, and now do not see image Entrance no matter how many times I click. But this is interesting: When I untick the little eyeball next to Object Name, making the photo visible all the time, the Custom Entrance effect works. Only problem is that it sits on screen from the start, then blinks off and makes the proper entry as programmed for the Custom effect. Am I missing something?

[Lilybiri]

Works perfectly when previewwing HTML in Browser for e. Sorry, forgot how difficult it was to have a combination of effects working in SWF becaue I don't use that output anymore since a long time.  There were often that type of issues, my workaround was then to use a timed effect and micronavigation. moving the playhead to where the timed effect started.

[EBC]

Hmmm…not for me. Could you post your Advanced Action? Did you create Custom Entrance?

[Lilybiri]

I have set thte image as invisile in output, because it started with a little part on the stage:

[EBC]

I see that you have applied two actions to the image: a first a named effect (curious what that does) and a Show. I used one Custom effect for the image. It was an EaseIn effect that I applied and then saved as a Custom effect. Sounds like your method works, but mine does not!

[Lilybiri]

I explained before why I added the Show command, because the image is partially on the slide as starting point for the Motion path. I suspect you don't know how to create a custom effect to be applied by an advanced action? Each custom effect has to be saved and given a name, in this case I used a Dutch name. It is a motion path with the wanted length to have the image sliding on the slide, and with some easing applied to it. Contrary to the canned Entrance effect, with a motion path you can choose the start and ending points. Very long ago I wrote an article explaining how to create a custom effect, maybe I will refurbish it, but will be for CP2017, not for your version. Have a look at:

Editing motion effects and reusing custom effects

[EBC]

I can create and save a custom effect, and it works just like yours when I add a Show command first. But I don't want the learner to see an image briefly then have it blink off, the slide back in when the Custom effect plays. Is the Show action necessary?

[Lilybiri]

Yes, because I did hide that image in Output, so that you don't see it before the effect is applied. That is the reason for that Show command in my advanced action.

[EBC]

Here is the result I see when I duplicate your advanced actions: Image appears onscreen briefly (because of Show Action), then blinks off and slides in (the effect I am after) and Lesson bars collapse. Image is set as Hide on Output, but it seems like that Show command is causing the premature appearance of the image. Yours does not do that?

[Lilybiri]

Did you test with Preview HTML in Browser? Is the Show command after the Apply Effect? You could try to add a Delay Next actions by... with small time before the Show command. I didn't see the image appearing briefly, but it starts almost off screen.

[EBC]

Okay, I’ll work through this. Thanks for working through this with me!