CP9: weird behavior with branching using advanced options

[3dward66]

I've done a search for this but was not able to find the answer.

Captivate 9.0.2.437

Window 7 64-bit

For multiple-choice questions (MCQs), I create branching using the Advanced Answer Option. When the learner clicks an incorrect choice, a shared action is triggered that increment the user variable MaxAttempts by 1 and take the learner to a corresponding remediation slide. The learner clicks the Continue button on a remediation slide to return to the quiz question if MaxAttempts is less than 2; learner is taken to the next slide if MaxAttempts is not less than 2. The number of attempts in the Quiz properties for the MCQ slide is 2, so if they answer incorrectly twice, when they click Continue on the remediation slide, they'll get the question scored as incorrect and move on.

This works well with the first MCQ if there are multiple, or when there is only one MCQ. However, things get hairy if there are more than one. I have tried to reset MaxAttempts to 0 using the Assign action (Assign MaxAttempts with 0) but this does not work, so I think Captivate is not resetting it to 0...?

Also, for the final MCQ, I have it jumping to the Quiz Results slide On success or after the last attempt, but it does not do it; instead it jumps to the slide after the Results slide. Any suggestions?

[RodWard]

You mention you are not able to reassign the MaxAttempts user variable back to 0.

How are you executing that Assign action?  At what point and with what event?

[3dward66]

Thanks for the quick reply, Rod.

In the Quiz pane properties of the MCQ I have a shared action set to run on success and after the last attempt. One of the actions is to assign MaxAtt to 0.

[RodWard]

Can you show us a screenshot of what this Shared Action looks like?  Is it the same Shared Action regardless of whether ON Success or ON Last Attempt?

[3dward66]

Yes, same action. Below is a screen shot:

Here are the parameters:

[RodWard]

OK.  Looking back at your original post you have stated:

"The learner clicks the Continue button on a remediation slide to return to the quiz question if MaxAttempts is less than 2; learner is taken to the next slide if MaxAttempts is not less than 2."

I would assume from this that the button on your remediation slide must be executing a Conditional Action that looks at the current value of MaxAttempts and then decides whether to return the learner back to the quiz question (IF MaxAttempts is Less Than 2) or to the next quiz slide after that one (IF MaxAttempts is Equal to 2). 

Is that the case?  Are you using the Return to Quiz action on the remediation slide?

[3dward66]

The Continue button on the remediation slides uses a user variable to return to the quiz slide, not the Return to Quiz command. If MaxAtt is less than 2, returns to the quiz slide, else it moves to the next question or slide:

[3dward66]

I've also tried using the Return to Quiz action on the Continue button on the remediation slides instead of the shared action. It successfully returns me to the MCQ, but it is giving the learner infinite attempts even though I have the No. of Attempts in the Quiz properties pane of the MCQ set to 2.

[RodWard]

Yes that is exactly how the Return to Quiz function currently works.

However, you can use the ON Slide ENTER event of the quiz question with a Conditional Action that looks at your MaxAttempts variable and if it's OK allow them to continue on that slide or ELSE jump to the next slide.

That would be a better solution than what you are trying to do with hard coding the remediation slide buttons to jump to specific slides.

[3dward66]

Thanks, Rod. I tried changing the On Enter action to jump to the next slide if MaxAttempts is 2, but it does not jump.

I am abandoning this technique as I'm spending too much time, and was hoping to go back to the Advanced Answer Option with feedback, hoping this would be a simpler process, but it is turning out not to be. I will ask about that in a more appropriate forum.

[RodWard]

Do you perhaps have the Quiz > Settings > Required set to something other than Optional?

If your setting there requires the learner to get every question correct then that would explain why the On ENTER action is not allowing the user to jump to the next slide.  It's also possible your ON ENTER action is not set up correctly.

[3dward66]

I have the setting set to Answer all.... I want them to answer every question, but it is not a requirement that they get the answer correct.

I originally came up with this concept because I wasn't getting what I wanted from the Advanced Answer Option with feedback. Per another thread, I think I've got it to work, and it doesn't require me to use Advanced Actions or Shared Actions, so I will use that method.

Thanks for your answers.