Better way of doing a 8x8 Question Matrix ?

[StuartCrucial]

Hi Guys,

I have recently finished a project for a client, which required the use of a 8x8 button Matrix, as a custom quiz, which at the time I though of doing it via 64 individual buttons, which thne required me to use 64 advanced actions.  Which wasn't too much of a pain until I needed to include 8 of the matrix's which then meant alot of buttons and a lot of actions.

My logic behind having an action per button was due to only one having a score, but each one having to be selectable and have that state be retained and then disabling the matrix.  I am sure There was a much better way now, but this project was my first expereince with Capativate. 

Just wondering if anyone has any tips on a better way of implamenting a 8x8 matrix, which would be easier to work with in terms of updates and the likes.

I was thinking a way of doing it via variables, but Would still require 64 variables per action, which would still very time consuming if updates needed to be made.

ANy advice or tips that you have would be greatly appeciated

Thanks
Stuart

[Lilybiri]

You are lucky if you didn't have issues with a project with that amount of advanced actions. Without knowing more about  those actions it is difficult to offer tips, just some general tips: use SHARED actions, much less leading to problems since you are reusing the same shared action over and over again. Take advantage of multistate objects (there is a Visited state for interactive objects). Avoid using image+overlay button but use shape buttons filled with images (which can be different in different states). Use grouping, resetting variables etc....

[StuartCrucial]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly on this Lily, Much appeciated

Suprisingly, I did not have too many issues with the functionality, just more when it cames to trouble shotting some little things trying to find the issue in the massive ammound of actions.  Needle in a hay stack kind of deal.

I never even knew Shared actions were a thing, So I will have a look into those, Would help a fair bit. 

Just as a example of the actions I was using.
I was setting each martix button to add to a variable, that would then disable the remaining unslected 63 buttons, and then cause  a "next" button to appear.  But due to the laout of the app, I actually needed Two matrixs per question, a smaller one on the main question slide, then a larger one once you clock on the smaller one, (made the text easier to read)

So it certainly seems like using shared actions would have saved me alot of time and sanity

[Lilybiri · Accepted solution]

That is why I told you were lucky. I had consultancy jobs with that amount of advanced actions and variables where I had to start from scratch because project became corrupted. Once I reduced 800 advanced actions to 20 Shared actions + 35 Advanced actions, variables from 750 to 45.

I blogged a lot about shared actions, presented a webinar about them, just hope I will be able to do that again, or to present on a conference but it seems not to be the case ever....

[StuartCrucial]

Very nice, 20 shared actions sounds so much more manageable.

I will have a read through your blog, and familiarise myself with Shaded actions,

Thanks again