Save Captivate cpvc files to SharePoint

[JEL888]

Hello,

Have found old forum and articles (2011) on this issue, but without resolution.  I assume that by now it's been solved.  If you want to save projects (.cptx and .cpvc files) to SharePoint (because multiple persons will be working on creating projects and need to save and later publish to one library) how is this done without getting the error message that an instance of Captivate is already using this file?

Here an old article that shows the same error I receive now: Discussion | eLearning | Page 784417

Has anyone resolved this?  Thanks!

[Paul Wilson CTDP]

Adobe Captivate project files are not compatible with this type of process. Every time I have worked for an organization I have to download the latest copy of the file, work on it locally and upload it back to it's network location. Any time I have attempted to work on CPTX files from a network location, SharePoint or not, it always ends badly for that project file.

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

Agreed. 

The error messages about the project file already being used by another person will NOT be an issue if all you do is use the Sharepoint site to be the backup location for CPTX or CPCV files that have been copied up to that location AFTER having been saved and closed down locally on the developer's own hard drive.

While Sharepoint might be considered as a repository for storing backups of the project files, it doesn't usually end up being a good location from which to distribute the final published output to the end users.

[JEL888]

Thank you both for answering so quickly!  So if I understand correctly, if we work on our projects locally then via Explorer save the files in a SharePoint Library as backup that's fine.  But if we then open the backup files from the SharePoint location within Captivate (using Captivate's access to that folder), modify the project in Captivate and then save back to SharePoint (as before), this may corrupt the project?  So, that would mean I have to keep the working copies of all projects in a local folder (the default Captivate folder for example or one we create that speaks to everyone) and only use the backup copies for emergencies (putting them back into this local folder before opening in Captivate)?

[RodWard]

Correct.  Never use Captivate to directly open any CPTX file that is not already on your computer hard drive.  Never use Captivate to save the CPTX directly back to the network.  Upload or download your project CPTX files using Windows Explorer or whatever other file management tool SharePoint prefers.

Doing this will help avoid any corruption of the project files.

Another thing you need to be aware of is that Captivate CPTX files 'remember' the original file path location of any image, video, sound files or animation assets that were used in the project.  If another developer opens that same CPTX (after downloading it from your SharePoint or network drive) the assets in the library will not be able to connect to the original file path locations because they are unlikely to be in the same locations on that user's computer.  The copies in the CPTX library will still be there, but updating those items will be somewhat more complicated because you'd either have to delete and reinsert the asset, or else try to change the path.  Either of these is more trouble than necessary.  So I usually recommend that ONE particular developer is regarded as the 'owner' of a given project file and even if others DO work on it for any reason they should leave it to the owner to change assets, or else forget about the whole idea of updating assets outside the CPTX and then using the right-click UPDATE feature.

[JEL888]

Hello Rod,

Thanks! Crystal clear ont he first part, then our plan with work there to use Explorer as our transfer mechanism for the project files.

However on the second part, you lost me a little bit, so could you tell me if you think there’ll be an issue if we work like this: We will have two computers dedicated to working on projects (due to licenses) and each project member (8 individuals) will use these to create projects (vidéos in particular, but later it could be other type of Captivate projects) that they’ll put in a particular Explorer folder to transfer to the SharePoint (let’s call this our backup). Then we’ll all open back up our project files (by transferring them back to the Explorer for opening by Captivate from there.) The only reason we use the SharePoint is to make sure that we have a safe backup place and that in the end, when the projects are all complete, they’re on a shared (entreprise) location.

Jane

[RodWard]

Sounds fine to me.  Just use Sharepoint as the web-based file server it was designed to be.

If you can, try to have both of the development PCs have exactly the same folder structure to hold any files or assets that might be used in your CPTX files. 

So for example, if you both have a C:/Projects folder to contain all project-related files, and in that folder you both have a C:/Projects/CPTX folder and a C:/Projects/Graphics folder and a C:/Projects/Audio folder and you only insert graphics from the Graphics folder and sound files from the Audio folder at these locations, then you could feasibly both have copies of all the same assets on both machines and the Captivate project files wouldn't know that you were using different machines.  If you had a change to one of the graphics (e.g.a logo changes) then you could place the updated logo file in the graphics folders on both machines and then right-click > Update the logos in each relevant CPTX file no matter which PC you were using.

Just an idea that might make your lives easier.

[JEL888]

Hello Rod,

Thanks!

Setting up the folders the same way is a good idea (I’d hope the person doing so would think to do it the same way, but I’m mention it just the same); however I think that each project team member will likely use (and probably should use) the same PC they worked on for a said project as to not have issues with the file path (as you explained earlier) for Captivate. For now we’ll only have one path, something like C:/Captivate/Projects/Videos (with .CPVC files in it).

Jane