TEB Variable

[kennetht72107201]

I have a variable number that is assigned from a TEB. However, if that TEB variable is changed, my Adv. Action to show/hide a smart object is not functioning as it should.

Here is the AA:

If any of the conditions are true:

vProd greater or equal to 98

vProd lesser or equal to 120

Action:

Show variYes

Hide variNo

ELSE:

Show variNo

Hide variYes

If I enter 100, the variYes should show. It does not. If I type in 75, variNo should show. It does. After the first time entering a number, if I enter a new number, the variable changes but, neither variYes or variNo show/hides. The variable is changing as intended but the visibility of the smart objects (variYes/variNo) are not showing properly.

[RodWard]

If I understand you correctly, you want the variYes object to display if a number between 98 to 120 is entered into the TEB, correct?

Try changing the way the Condition is evaluated from "IF ANY" to "IF ALL" conditions are TRUE. Make sure there is an AND beside each of the condition line statements. That way it will be evaluating all numbers within that 98 to 120 range.

With TEBs you need to remember that they have an Active and an Inactive side, separated by their Pause Point on the timeline.  You can only use their Success event to execute an Action on the Active side of their Pause Point on the timeline.  So after you have clicked the Submit button for the TEB, which then executes the Success action, your TEB timeline is now in the Inactive side of the Pause Point and no further action will be executed unless you get back over to the Active side again.

There are a couple of ways to achieve this:

One way is to add an action line to the Conditional Action AFTER the HIDE/SHOW actions that rewinds the timeline playhead back the required number of frames until it would be again in front of the Pause Point.

However, my personal preference is to just get rid of the Submit button from the TEB and add another Smart Shape button to the slide instead, label it as Submit, and have that button execute the Conditional Action that evaluates the current value of the TEB's associated variable (where the entered value is stored).  If you set the Smart Shape button to Unlimited Attempts, then the user can happily enter values into the TEB forever and each time they click the Smart Shape button it will execute the Conditional Action to evaluate the variable and show or hide the relevant object.

Many Captivate users don't realise that anything you type into a TEB is immediately written to its associated variable.  It doesn't need the normally present Submit button for this to happen.  So you can get rid of the default button and use another button to execute the action that evaluates the variable value as often as you want.

[kennetht72107201]

Thanks. The pause makes sense. I tried the variable conditions both ways and got the same results. I'll try the other method of getting rid of the submit button and using a Smart Shape instead. I noticed that the variable was changing immediately, which is something I want. Is it possible to remove the pause from the submit button? I have a custom Next button that pauses the slide anyway and I want the user to be able to change the variable as much as they want before going to the next slide.

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

I still don't think you have set up the conditions correctly.  When I tested it mine looked like this:

TEBs always pause the timeline somewhere. (I think Adobe feels there's not much point showing a TEB unless you intend allowing the user enough time to enter something in it.)

If you use the Smart Shape button as I suggest, you can use its own pause behavior to make sure the slide does not advance.

[kennetht72107201]

Is there an article on how to use a smart shape as a submit button for a TEB? I'm not understanding how that would work. Also, am I deleting the submit button on the TEB or hiding it? When I add a submit button and assign it to the AA, the smart shape submit button doesn't show up on preview.

[RodWard]

The Conditional Action evaluates the value of the TEB's associated variable.  The Smart Shape button just executes the Conditional Action. 

If you delete the Submit button that usually comes with the TEB it's not lost forever.  You can always just bring it back again by checking the Show Button option in the TEB Properties.

[kennetht72107201]

I've deleted the submit button for the TEB, but the TEB still shows a pause. How do I eliminate that? Also, I have two navigation buttons that pause. Could this also be a cause of the text entry not working properly? I still think there is something wrong with the advance actions since I cannot get one or the other of the smart objects to show when the variable changes. I didn't think it would be this difficult to process a variable and then determine which object to show. Frustrating!

[Lilybiri]

Please show a screenshot of the timeline, it would be good to see where the pausing point of the TEB and the Shape button are.

[kennetht72107201]

I've included a shot of the timeline and the adv. action...also, I didn't assign the variable (varProd) when I created it.

[Lilybiri]

Sorry but I cannot see the pausing points in your timeline at all, because it is incomplete horizontally. In the visible part I see 4 interactive objects, but cannot see anything else that is relevant. Moreover the shape variSubmit, which is probably your shape button, is totally out of the screenshot.

Did you associate that variable with the TEB?

[kennetht72107201]

Here is the entire screen:

[Lilybiri]

This is a different slide, several interactive objects are missing on this screenshot which were present on the first screenshot?

Did you associate the TEB variTest with the defined user variable varProd?

The pausing point of the TEB is totally at the end of the slide (I would never do that), and the Submit shape button is not pausing at all. What is the Success action of the TEB? Have the Submit button pause the slide before its end, please!

Maybe this article could be useful:

Pausing Captivate's Timeline - Captivate blog

[kennetht72107201]

I actually removed the navigation at the top. I did associate the TEB with the variable (vProd). What another user told me was that I cannot re-enter another number because once the slide is paused, the TEB and it's submit button won't initiate the adv. action (see comments earlier in the thread). It was suggested to remove the TEB's submit button and use a smart shape as a button and not have it pause. The problem is, I can't uncheck the pause on the TEB. What I have done is put a smart shape on the Master slide that pauses the presentation.

I guess the real question is: How do I allow a user to change the number in the TEB multiple times and have the variable function based on the number they input and then continue with the presentation once they are finished 'playing' with the TEB?

The second question is: Why isn't a my conditional action working with a range of numbers but working when it's an exact number? An IF AND is not working with two conditions and an IF OR is not working with two conditions, but an IF ELSE is working as it should.

[Lilybiri]

You don't have to repeat what you want, not in bold, I have read everything in this thread. There is more than one way to do this, but I followed the work flow that Rod explained, which you seem not totally to understand.

Please, give the shape button a pausing point that is before the pausing point of the TEB which you have pushed to the end of the slide. At that moment, the playhead will stop at the pausing point of the shape button. If that shape button has Infinite attempts, the playhead will remain at that same location and the user can click it as many times as he want. Each time he clicks on that shape button, the Success event occurs, and the conditional action will be executed. I am now repeating in my words what Rod has already explained before.

I have another approach, but I never explained it to avoid confusion for you. Rod clearly mentioned this for the custom Submit button which is the shape button. Maybe you overlooked this, because your shape button is NOT pausing.

"...you can use its own pause behavior to make sure the slide does not advance."

[kennetht72107201]

Your explanation makes more sense with me. I'm sorry I didn't understand it previously. I'm still trying to understand why my range of numbers is not working but when it's an exact number it does work. I appreciate your help.

[kennetht72107201]

All is working. I had to re-think how Captivate was interpreting the Conditional Adv. Action. So instead of looking for a range between 98-120....I changed it so it was looking for anything BUT that range. Worked!