Lock buttons

[gfran75001]

Hello,

I'm creating a learning path  where buttons (module access)  have prer equ isites. How do I lock the modules?  Do I use advanced actions for this or is there an automated Captivate function? I am not a programmer so it is a bit of a struggle to execute advanced actions.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks.

[Lilybiri]

May I ask some questions? Which version are you using, please (exact number, as appears under Help, About Captivate)?

You talk about modules: are those individual courses/Captivate files or are they in one course/Captivate file?

Are you uploading to a LMS? Normally if you have a Captivate file for each module, locking other modules is a functionality of the LMS.

[gfran75001]

Hello Lilybiri,

Thanks for your message.

I'm using Captivate 9 and I'm creating  m o d u l e s  & submodules in one Captivate file.

I know how it works in an LMS but I'm working with a client who wants the raw Captivate file with locked buttons.

Best,

Gyzel

[Lilybiri]

Latest version of 9? That should be 9.0.2.437 (look under Help, About Captivate..).

You don't 'lock' buttons, but you have two choices:

1. If you want them to remain 'visible, you have to disable the buttons
2. If you don't want them to be visible until certain conditions have been validated, you can Hide them

You'll need conditional advanced (or shared) actions to Enable them, or to Show them. There is no automatic feature to do so, but you can post more details about one particular work flow you want, and could help you with setting up the action. I am not a programmer neither, but have many examples of advanced and shared actions on my blog.

[gfran75001]

Yes, the latest version.

The learning path would be on the landing page so learners would go back to this page to access other modules. There would be

5 buttons which represent 5 modules.

Button 1 = Module 1

Learners should finish module 1 to be able to access module 2.

Question: How do I show/hide buttons to a particular set of users given the prerequisites.

Thanks

[Lilybiri · Accepted solution]

Supposing you have 5 (shape) buttons in the dashboard slide, which allow the user to jump to a specific chapter. I will label the buttons Bt_One, Bt_Two..... Bt_Five. Since they have to access the modules/chapters in sequence tje setup will not be that hard:

• Make all buttons, except Bt_One invisible in output using the Eye button in their properties panel.
• Each module/chapter will have a Back button on the last slide, correct? At this moment that button will have a simple action 'Jump to Dashboard' (I labeled the landing page 'Dashboard'). You will have to replace that simple action by a standard action with two commands:
  • Show Bt_Two
  • Jump to Dashboard
• The example above is for the Back button at the end of the first module; you'll have to create duplicates of this action and edit the first command (or you could use a shared action, with the items marked in italic as parameters).

There are many other possibilities to solve this, but what I offer here is the easiest one IMO.

Sorry, had a typo because you wanted to hide/show instead of enable/disable.  Forgot: this will keep the already visited buttons/modules active, Be sure to have the pausing point at the same location for the 5 buttons on the landing page. Maybe have a read of my latest blog post:

Pausing Captivate's Timeline - Captivate blog

[gfran75001]

I'll try what you've suggested and might seek further assistance if I get stuck.

Thanks again.

Gyzel

[gfran75001]

Hello again Lilybiri,

Could you point me to a link or easy reference material I can purchase online for Captivate's advanced actions/javascript?

I need to get a good grasp on how to trigger advance actions properly.

Thanks

Gyzel

[Lilybiri]

For advanced actions, you could check my blog. I planned a book but do not

think anyone wants to pay for a book. Rod Ward has a book for earlier

version, but the new features are not included. Shared actions are rather

important to me.

Sorry, have to answer by phone, due to construction, no electricity here.

Have a look at http://blog.lilybiri.com

[gfran75001]

So here is the thing -  I would like to show all buttons but disable say M2-M4 (which corresponds to modules with prerequisites. How do I do that?

Thanks very much.

[Captiv8r]

Personally, I would try to do it by using copies of the button images. Superimpose them on top of the real button images. Then hide the real button images until your criteria has been satisfied. Then in the advanced actions for the criteria, I'd show the real button and hide the image.

Cheers... Rick

[gfran75001]

Hello Rick,

If I superimpose the "copy" buttons, will the rollover still work? I'd like users to be able to still rollover and see the module titles.

What do I put on the advanced actions? I'm sorry, I've never really used advanced actions...

Thanks a lot for your help.

Best

[Lilybiri]

Will label the buttons Bt_M1, Bt_M2, Bt_M3 and Bt_M4.

Create a user variable v_counter, with a default value of 0.

For the Return button at the end of each chapter, use this simple standard action:

    Increment v_counter by 1

    Jump to Dashboard

For On Enter of the dashboard slide, use a conditional action with 5 decisions:

First decision 'Start'    when the user gets to the slide the first time

   IF v_counter is equal to 0

        Disable Bt_M2

        Disable Bt_M3

        Disable Bt_M4

Second decision 'Second'    when the user has finished first part

   IF v_counter is equal to 1

        Enable Bt_M2

Third decision 'Third'    when the user has finished second part

   IF v_counter is equal to 2

        Enable Bt_M3

Fourth decision 'Fourth'    when the user has finished third part

   IF v_counter is equal to 3

        Enable Bt_M4

The advantage of this approach is that you can easily reset the original situation, you just have to re-assign the value 0 to the variable.

[Lilybiri]

Rick's approach needs a lot more objects, aligning, advanced actions with more commands. If you are aiming at other devices than desktop/laptop personally I try to avoid everything what is increasing file size. Moreover if you forget to hide the image and it is sitting over the interactive button, the behavior will be different when publishing for SWF and HTML: the interactive object will remain active for SWF output, not necessary for HTML output.

Sorry, Rick, this is just meant as extra warning. The issues with differences between HTML and SWF output didn't occur when only SWF was possible in earlier versions (where your approach was perhaps the only one).

Same for the InBuilt states: you can have unexpected results. I would really not recommend the work flow with static images and interactive (shape) buttons.

[gfran75001]

Thanks for the heads up. I am working on a responsive project so yes, this is very good point!

[Lilybiri]

My recommendations are even more valid for responsive projects. You will

have to position image and button for each breakpoint. That os already

challenging. The advanced actions needed for that work flow will be more

complicated as well.

[gfran75001]

Hello Lilybiri,

I sent you an email (address I got from your blog) about this as I might need screenshots as how I can employ the actions you mentioned above.

Rick has given an alternative solution. I'd like to try both of your suggestions and see which one I find the easiest for me as I might have to redo the same type of action several times.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

G