API.Initialize() never called. Perpetual "Loading..."

[bart_lewis]

Using Catptivate 5, I am outputting for SCORM 2004. When I run this without an LMS, it runs fine, but when launched from the LMS, it perpetually says "Loading...".

I did some Javascript debugging in the files that are output with the Captivate SCORM Package. I noticed that is does find the API, but it never calls API.Initialize().

Doing some logging within the "function Captivate_DoFSCommand(command, args)" function, I notice it gets "cpSlideChanged" as the "command" parameter in an endless loop. Never anything else.

Any ideas at all?

[bart_lewis]

Solved:

OK, so my Captivate file (I finally found out) was unhappy getting extra arguments passed into it. Near the end of the generated HTML file in the SCORM package is a line that looks like this.

strURLParams += (strURLParams==""?"?":"&") + "SCORM_API=" + g_zAPIVersion + "&SCORM_TYPE=" + g_intAPIType;

Peeking into my "strURLParams" variable, I noticed it had a value of:

"?userCmiId=42&width=1024&height=768&SCORM_API=undefined&SCORM_TYPE=1.0"

I figured out this was causing problems by changing the above code to this:

strURLParams = "?SCORM_API=" + g_zAPIVersion + "&SCORM_TYPE=" + g_intAPIType;

Once I figured out that those extra params were in fact the culprit, I just made sure (on the LMS side) that they were not passed to the captivate html file in the first place.

Life is good again.

[Guest]

Can you talk me through the steps as to how you did this?

Iam stuggling with the same problem.

Thanks

[bart_lewis]

1. Package your Captivate file form SCORM.

2. Unzip the contents into a local folder.

3. Open the html file with the same name as your course.

4. Find the following line of code:

strURLParams += (strURLParams==""?"?":"&") + "SCORM_API=" + g_zAPIVersion + "&SCORM_TYPE=" + g_intAPIType;

5. Change that line of code to this:

strURLParams = "?SCORM_API=" + g_zAPIVersion + "&SCORM_TYPE=" + g_intAPIType;

6. Save the html file and zip up all the files.

7. Upload zip to LMS.

Alternatively, if possible, just make sure your LMS is not passing any URL parameters when it launches the SCO.

[randywalker]

This seems to resolve the issue I was having in this thread:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/701718

Is this a safe fix? Or are there other consequences of altering that line of code?

[bart_lewis]

When your LMS launches the SCO, what does the URL look like? What parameters is the LMS passing in?

[randywalker]

This is the URL (obfuscated, of course )

http://XYZ.EXAMPLE.net/docent/lms/scorm/aicc_frameset.html?lesson_url=http%3A%2F%2FXYZ.EXAMPLE.net%2Fen%2FXYZ123%2FXYZ123.htm%3Fserver_scheme%3Dhttp%26server_realport%3D80&title=Test%20Course&codebase=http%3A%2F%2FXYZ.EXAMPLE.net%3A80%2Fdocent%2Flms%2Fscorm&aicc_sid=1259854%2CA1&aicc_url=http%3A%2F%2FXYZ.EXAMPLE.net%2Fdocent%2Fbin%2Fdocentisapi.dll%2Flms%2CXYZ.EXAMPLE.net%2C2151%2FSQN%3D-63373300%2CCMD%3DGET%2Cfile%3Daicc_catcher.jsm%2CSVR%3DABC.EXAMPLE.net%3A9020%2CSID%3DABC.EXAMPLE.NET%3A9020-3FEF-2-EBBDDA96-0000066C%2F

[bart_lewis]

It does not appear that any of that information is intended for use by the Captivate file itself, so I think you'd be fine modifying the Javascript line as noted previously. Of course, test it and make sure it operates as you'd expect to make sure.

Keep in mind that this solution of rewriting that Javascript line is a stop-gap. The correct place to fix this bug is within the internals of Captivate. But, until Adobe releases a patch to resolve this issue, this is about as good as we've got.

In actuality, the LMS should never be passing in URL params to SCOs. LMS to SCO communication should always be done through SCORM API calls. So, I'm not sure why they (Adobe/Captivate) are trying to pass these params into the Captivate Flash file in the first place... but I digress.

[randywalker]

Awesome, thanks! We'll look into getting Docent to stop passing the parameters to the SCO.

Should I file a bug for Captivate about this?

[bart_lewis]

You're welcome.

Yes! I guess I could have done that too. I just assumed/hoped that Adobe read this forum now and then, and I didn't bother looking for the spot to file a bug.

[randywalker]

Bug filed. Hooray!

[Captiv8r]

Hi Bart

Indeed Adobe folks may pop in from time to time, but largely the forums are user-to-user. And the more users that decide to cram the channel Adobe listens to about bugs (the Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form) the more likely it is to see a patch emerge or the bug fixed in a future release.

Reporting link is in my sig line.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links Begin learning Captivate 5 moments from now! $29.95 Captivate Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Adobe Certified Captivate Training SorcererStone Blog Captivate eBooks

[Guest]

I understand the general idea of how to do this, but how do you save the .htm file as an .htm again?

When i try to do this i can only save it as a .txt file.

Any suggestions?

[bart_lewis]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=save+file+as+html+notepad&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

[lovat]

I can see this symptom when running the course locally, not within an LMS.

Do you think this fix would work for that situation too?

Greg

[michal_mal]

Hi all, I have the same issue, topic freezes on gray 'loading' screen. I changed the strURLParams var code inside HTML file, reloaded package to LMS and still the same behavior... Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

Michal

[Guest]

Hi Michal,

What is the reporting option you have set ? Is it SCORM 1.2 or SCORM 2004. Let me know.

I can share the templates. You can use them to fix this issue.

You can also mail me directly at ashwin at adobe dot com.

-Ashwin Bharghav B

Adobe Captivate Team

[michal_mal]

Hi Ashwin,

Thank you for reply. I just noticed that the initial fix was for SCORM 2004, and I'm publishing for 1.2.

Thanks,

Michal

[mike_m_]

Anyone found a solution for a 'loading...' screen freezing and SCORM 1.2 package?

Thanks,
Michal

[Guest]

Hi Michal,

Did changing strURLParams solve the issue ? For details go through blog https://blogs.adobe.com/captivate/2011/03/solution-to-captivate-scorm-course-freeze-issue-on-some-lm...

If this does not solve the issue then please do share the LMS details and sample Cp project with the issue.

Thanks,

Deepak

Adobe Captivate

[switlen3]

I'm having the same issue however I'm using AICC instead of SCORM. Do you think this is the same issue ... i.e. will this resolve my problem since I'm using AICC HACP instead of an API interface?

Thanks for any feedback.