.cptl versus .cptx -- Zipped project files published within an LMS

[shonjc]

Hello:

Are there any differences between publishing from a .cptl file versus publishing from a .cptx file? I am most concerned that publishing from a .cptl will leave out information within the zipped package that is needed within our LMS (information that would be provided if published from a .cptx file).

Does anyone know whether there are problems publishing a zipped package created from a .cptl file within an LMS?

I've looked within this forum but there isn't much available about the difference between .cptl and .cptx - other than one is a template file and one is a project file - but I need to know if there are differences between the file types once the file is published and then uploaded within an LMS.

Thank you for any help/suggestions!

[RodWard]

You will probably have noticed the option in Captivate's File menu to start a New Project...from Template.

The CPTL was originally supposed to be a Captivate 'template' file that could be set up with all the settings and appearance required by a client and then used to spawn individual Captivate modules that all looked and worked the same.  It was intended to work similarly to MS Office products like PowerPoint where a PPTL file was the template used to create PPTX files.

Unfortunately, several versions ago Adobe developers inadvertently introduced a bug that meant if your CPTL happened to contain any pre-created User Variables or Advanced Actions, then every time those Variables and Advanced Actions were used in the project they would replicate like rabbits in the CPTX files.  This created huge issues for any developer creating or maintaining the projects.

See an article that explains the issue here: https://www.infosemantics.com.au/duplication-issues-in-adobe-captivate-cptl-templates/

In typical Adobe fashion, despite repeated requests by the community for this (and many other bugs) to be rectified, nothing has been done.

The best advice I can give you is DO NOT use CPTL files.   Just create CPTX files, and if you want to use them as a template to spawn other similar files, just set the file Properties to READ ONLY so that any changes require the user to Save As and create a new CPTX.  Easy.

[shonjc]

Hi, Rod:

First, thank you for your detailed answer. When I was searching the Forum, I came across your previous posts and am aware of the bug within .cptl files. The template our company uses was created by a contractor with that bug specifically in mind (we do not use Advanced Actions nor Variables).

Our use of a template file is for a very specific reason. Our team creates modules for software product training (incredibly technical) and using a template solves consistency issues between Developers. We have rigid guidelines for text and image formatting/placement on each slide type, and the use of the template solves Developer inconsistency through the use of placeholders. Not only that, we have heavily invested in the creation/maintenance of this template.

I appreciate your advice about not using .cptl files; however, I do not have the authority to make that decision for our team.

My question is whether there is a difference in the final, packaged .zip file when published from the .cptl file format versus published from the .cptx file format? 

Thank you!

[Lilybiri]

You cannot publish a cptl file directly. Rod gives you a very detailed explanation about its functionality as it was meant many versions ago and why you shouldn't use it anymore.

The design part of the former template files can almost completely be taken over by a Theme. The main difference between a theme, which can have placeholder objects on master slides, and a template is that you cannot have placeholder slides in a theme. More details in this older blog post:

http://blog.lilybiri.com/whats-in-a-theme-a-template

Meanwhile themes have been enhanced a lot in version 11.5, although personally I don't appreciate the use of multiple themes that much because from consultancy jobs this can lead to serious issues. More about the enhancements in:

http://blog.lilybiri.com/themes-are-time-savers-what-is-new-in-11-dot-5

[shonjc]

Hi:

"You cannot publish a cptl file directly." Unfortunately, that isn't correct. We are using the 2019 release of Captivate and can publish directly from a .cptl file. That's why I posed the question.

Our team has used the same template to develop modules for over a year. However, we have a new team member who is unfamiliar with template use and didn't know the process steps for creating a new project from a template file (the menu option Rod listed in his post). As a result, we now have completed and published lessons from the .cptl file format instead of the .cptx file format. 

My concern is whether there are elements missing from the .cptl zipped package and the .cptx zipped package that will impact data collection within our LMS. 

The Forum was my first stop. I'll create an Adobe support ticket and escalate the issue. 

Thank you again for your response - it is appreciated.

[Lilybiri]

That is new... since I never used cptl files since version 6 was unaware about this because that seems to be a recent change. My apologies. A cptl file used to be opened only with the option 'from template' . Strange that you didn't know this. What is messed up in that case with the publishing workflow, I plead my incompetence as well.

[shonjc]

No problem at all. I have only been using Captivate since 2019 and am unfamiliar with earlier version functionality. My experience with templates is also limited to the use of this very specific template; prior to contracting its creation, we did our homework and weighed the pros/cons of the investment. Since we knew we wouldn't use Advanced Actions/Variables (or very rarely), the consistency and placeholder benefits outweighed the negatives. 

Now, we're feeling a little pain because the process steps of creating a new project from a template file were not followed and we have completed and published modules from the .cptl file format. If those modules weren't live and being consumed by customers, we could easily correct by converting/republishing from .cptx.

I don't want to go down that path if it isn't necessary. I just don't know if there are elements missing from the published .cptl that impact data collection.

Anyway...I will create that support ticket.

Thank you again!

[RodWard]

I am not aware of there being any difference in the SCORM output between a published CPTX and CPTL file.  They both use the same SCORM template files to create the output.

Personally I don't see any benefit in using the CPTL file format over doing what I suggested (using CPTX files set to READ ONLY).  Once you spawn a CPTX from the CPTL they are not connected in any way from that point on.  So the only purpose of the template is to be a starting point for a new file.  It's just a 'cookie cutter'.  It does not help you maintain consistent look and feel across files that have already been created.  If it were to be REALLY useful, changing something in the parent template would ripple through the same changes to the children.  That's the way templates work for example in MS Word.  But not in Captivate.

Anyway, it's your choice how you use the CPTL files.  You're aware of the issues with them, which is what I was mainly concerned about.

[shonjc]

Thanks, Rod. Much appreciated!