Order for Click Boxes- or other methods of clicking through an image in order.

[lmdenton10]

I'm using Captivate 8.0.3.290.

I have an image which has a series of numbers (1-60) scattered across the page.  The idea is for the user to click on each number in order as they find it.  I thought I could do this with click boxes by having On Success set to "Enable" with it enabling the next box which is over the next number.  At first glance this was working correctly, in reality it is allowing any box to be clicked on in any order.  Anyone have any ideas on how to set this up correctly?  I'm relatively new to Captivate so any tips are welcome.

Thanks.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

Visually, what would you like to have happen if the user clicks correctly and what would you like it do if they click on the wrong spot?

[lmdenton10]

I was ok with nothing visually, but if there were a way strike out the number once it's been clicked, that would be even better.  I've currently got it set to make a sound but a mark threw would be more effective.  If they click on the wrong spot, the preference would be for nothing to happen at all.

In the non virtual setting of this activity you just cross out each number as you find it on the sheet and see how many you can get in an allotted time frame.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

This could be rather tedious but I think it could be done. I’d like to emphasise that this is just what I would do. It doesn’t mean that this is the only way to achieve this but here is my take.

1.      I would create 60 shapes and label them so it’s clear which one is shape 1, 2 and so on.

2.      Place the shapes over each of the numbers on your image in the proper order.

3.      Select all of the shapes and make them transparent (no fill, no outline)

4.      Check off ‘Use as Button’ so that all the shapes are now clickable buttons that can trigger an action.

5.      Select all the shapes except shape #1 and click on the eyeball icon in your Properties panel (this will make all but the first one hidden from your output)

6.      One by one set the actions for each shape to ‘Show’ the next shape used as a button. In other words, the action for shape#1 will be to show Shape#2 and so on. This will have the effect of only enabling the next shape as a clickable item. All the shapes covering the higher numbers will not appear until their previous counterpart has been clicked.

If you wanted to get into Advanced Actions you could take a step further and have another 60 objects like an X or a checkmark and have the advanced action not only make the next shape visible (and clickable) but also ‘Show’ the x or checkmark.

[Lilybiri]

I am sorry, but Paul forgot that his work flow will only be valid if you stagger all the shape buttons on the timeline. Using a simple action like 'Show' in Captivate 8 will release the playhead and you'll not be able at all to click the other shape buttons, if their pausing time is all at the same moment. Creating a timeline with 60 staggered shape buttons is quite a hassle and increases not only the slide duration but also the file size. You need a standard advanced action if you have all shape buttons timed at the same moment. Have a look at this video:

Simple vs Standard actions

Having 60 advanced actions on one slide will bloat your project. At least you should use a shared action. 

It can be done with click boxes as well, there is no specific reason why a shape button would be better, maybe Paul can explain? You'll need a standard (shared) action as well. Difference is that a click box is invisible to the user by default, that its pausing point is always at the end of its timeline and that Hiding is exactly the same as Disabling (you should use Hide). However with shape buttons, for HTML output you have to be careful: Showing will not always enable the button and Hiding will not always disable the button. To be careful you have always to use both actions (unless you only use SWF output, which is more reliable).

Since you need an advanced or shared action anyway and if you want to offer a visual clue when  a number has been clicked, this could be a possible work flow (screenshots from small example with three clickable regions):

1. Create the visual clue in/on the image; in this screenshot you'll see the numbers have a 'strike through' attribute
   
2. Cover each number with a shape button, that has the number, no stroke and fill with same color. I used an On Enter action for the slide to Disable (not Hide) all shape buttons except the first one (which is selected here, I grouped the shape buttons, hence the big bounding box). When published no borders are visible.
   
3. For shape buttons: choose Infinite attempts, there will never be a Failure action in that case
4. Create a shared action that
   1. Disables the present shape button
   2. Hides the present shape button    this will result in showing the strike through version on the image
   3. Enables the next shape button

[lmdenton10]

Ok thanks.  This is the same direction I was heading down, but still a little unclear on a few things.  Perhaps they tie in together:

1. Creating a shared action as opposed to 60 individual advanced actions

2. Is there a way to disable all additional boxes in one line of the advanced action, or do I need to have a separate line for each box to disable?

3. You mentioned grouping them together.  What is the value in this?

Thanks

[Lilybiri]

Will you use click boxes or other interactive objects? You cannot disable a group of interactive objects, but you can hide a group of interactive objects. Since for a click box disabling is same as hiding....

The only way I know to disable all interactive objects at once is using CpExtra widget by InfoSemantics (with #syntax).

[lmdenton10]

Sorry, for the delay this got sidelined and I'm just getting back to it.  My plan is to keep it simple and just use the click boxes with the advanced actions.  Otherwise an alternative has been presented that I create a separate slide for each number minimizing the click boxes per slide to one, but increasing the number of slides greatly.  I guess my question, is how do you set up the advanced action to disable/hide the group of click boxes? 

[Lilybiri]

Click boxes are not visible by default. It is possible to hide a group but it is not possible to disable a group of interactive objects.

[lmdenton10]

Ok.  I think I'm just getting confused now and seem to be going in circles...

The problem that exist is that I have multiple click boxes on a slide.  I want the user to only be able to click on them one box at a time in a specific order.  What is your recommendation for the best method to accomplish this?

[Lilybiri · Accepted solution]

Disable all the click boxes (you need one command for each of them, unless you would purchase the CpExtra widget from InfoSemantics) except the first one. Create a shared action that disables a click box (parameter 1) and enables the next click box (parameter 2). Apply that shared action to each click box, and define the proper parameters.

[lmdenton10]

Great thanks!  A lot simpler than I thought it would be.  The only issue left regarding this is to set for the first one.  Is there a way to only have the first click box clickable when you get on the screen?

[Lilybiri]

Of course, do not disable the first click box, as I wrote: Disable all the click boxes  except the first one.

[lmdenton10]

Maybe I'm missing something.  The only place I see to enable a shared action is from clicking "on success" "execute shared action" and then execute the action.  The only way success happens is if I click on the first box.  So, clicking on the first box enables the shared action which disables all but box 2, but there is no way that I understand to enable an action upon the slide showing up.  I suppose I could affect the timing so the remaining boxes don't appear for a few seconds.

[Lilybiri]

No, sorry. Use the On Enter event of the slide to do the disabling of all click boxes except the first one. This will be a standard advanced action, not a shared action.

All click boxes trigger the same shared action (with the right parameters), which will disable itself, enable the next click box and do whatever you want to do with that click box.

[lmdenton10]

Perhaps this should be a separate post, but it is related. Each of the click boxes are a part of the quiz. (Remember there are 49 click boxes per slide over 4 slides).  I want the user to be able to see some generic message "sorry you did not find all the numbers" or "congrats you have found them all" after each time that they try.  I've seen some stuff on advanced actions and variables, but can't quite get it figured out.  Any ideas?

[Lilybiri]

This is a different question, please start a new thread because this one is already very long. I'm asking this for the sake of other users. I participated in this thread but cannot remember everything (do answer too much questions daily). If you try to explain this in a new question, it would be easier. I can move this question to a new thread myself (as a moderator) but don't like to do that without asking you.

[lmdenton10]

Ok thanks.  I've opened up another question for it.

[lmdenton10]

I seem to be having another issue related to this activity.  (for the full details see here: Re: Resume Data Not Working Properly )

but essentially something related to the activity (perhaps the shared actions) are messing with the resume data logic.  Instead of remembering where you left off, if you've started or done this activity, it always takes you back to the start of the activity.  I've tried the suggestions on that thread with no success aside from recognizing that it is the activity causing the issues.

Any ideas?  Otherwise I will probably have to remove the activity as a separate course on its own which I'd rather not do if possible.

Thanks

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

Lilybiri is right. You will need to stagger the pauses of all these objects so as to not have the project continue. I’m sorry I just assumed that that would be known. I guess that’s why she's the MVP around here.

I would also use a shared action but some people still have trouble wrapping their brains around them. I know I did for a while.

As always I recommend what I would do given a certain challenge. I use shapes because that’s what I always use. There is no reason other than I can predict how it will respond but it really just comes down to personal preference. 

[Lilybiri]

But you don't have a reason to use shapes instead of click boxes! That is what I suspected. It was much more important to emphasize the staggering on the timeline IMO because that is what is really causing the problem to the OP, it doesn't matter which interactive object is used: with a simple action the playhead will be released in CP8.

As I told: there is a drawback to Shapes for HTML output: you have to hide and disable them, a Click box has only to be hidden.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

You only need to address the OP. There is really no reason to argue with me about what I’m suggesting.  I use shapes as buttons because I’ve never liked click boxes. Some people reach for a pencil, others reach for a pen. For me personal preference is enough of a reason and the OP can decide for themselves who is offering the best information and act on it.

[Lilybiri]

Paul, I am only interfering as moderator (something different from a MVP, have multiple functions) if an answer is causing confusion for the OP and/or for users who visit this thread later on. Your answer seemed to indicate that the click box should be replaced by a shape button to solve the issues. That was simply not correct. Replacing the click box by a shape button will not solve the original problem at all, which is probably due to the fact that simple actions are used instead of standard advanced actions.  It would be much easier for me if more people did  offer correct answers, it would save me tons of hours. Replacing simple action by standard action or staggering the click boxes on the timeline would have been appropriate and I would never have posted in this thread.

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

I did not indicate that the click box was the problem. I don't know where you got that. In fact I clearly stated up front “I’d like to emphasise that this is just what I would do. It doesn’t mean that this is the only way to achieve this but here is my take.”

I admit that I'm a novice next to you when it comes to offering assistance. I may take for granted that first time Adobe Captivate users will do certain things like stagger the shapes and pauses because it is what I would do out of instinct, but I'm learning and I will get better.