Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Hi,
I work within a UK Police service - building presentations of evidence for use at trial. We currently build the presentations using InDesign before exporting as a html microsite using the In5 plugin (we used to export to interactive PDFs before Flash became unsupported).
Another part of our role is to capture 360 imagery of crime scenes. We are looking at using Captivate's (360 slide template) to build virtual tours of crime scenes with hotspots and embedded media etc.
I have two questions:
1) Is it possible to export a captivate project for use in a 'standalone/local/offline' capacity.
2) Is it possible to hyperlink from my In5-created html microsite presentation to the captivate product - again, keeping everything local and offline?
Thanks Adobe Community
Have rather bad news. The collaboration between InDesign and Captivate (which I used a lot in the past) is completely gone. ID tries now to add interactive features, but to me, they are rather cumbersome compared with the interactivity possible in Captivate (which is also Adobe).
Standalone was possible before with the EXE output, but death of Flash Player killed that as well. The possibility to create an app (with PhoneGap) is gone as well. Only standalone output now is (passive) video, MP4.
...
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Have rather bad news. The collaboration between InDesign and Captivate (which I used a lot in the past) is completely gone. ID tries now to add interactive features, but to me, they are rather cumbersome compared with the interactivity possible in Captivate (which is also Adobe).
Standalone was possible before with the EXE output, but death of Flash Player killed that as well. The possibility to create an app (with PhoneGap) is gone as well. Only standalone output now is (passive) video, MP4.
HTML output in Captivate is like a website. It may be possible to run it from localhost but in many instances you'll lose functionality even if it works. It is meant to be deployed from a webserver. It should be possible to have a private server with limited access. That is certainly the case for 360 slides, you need a webserver. That answers also your last question: if the Captivate output is on a webserver, you can link to its URL. Not offline.
Offline: there are still applications around which allow to play SWF files. With exception for the 360 slides, which are not supported for SWF output, that could be a temporary workaround. Google for SWF File player.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Many thanks LilyBiri,
InDesign (with In5) actually works quite well for us; but that is only because the presentations we are putting together feature minimal interactivity or animated features. Essentially, as long as we can easily hyperlink to pages and play video and audio files - we are happy! I can see though that if more interactivity or animation were required then InDesign would have to make way for something like Xd (if it eventually becomes able to embed video and be exported offline).
As for Captivate, that's disappointing! We will have to stick (for now) with our current product which is something called Webshare2Go (FARO). Its not terrible but is quite disjointed and doesnt flow - its more functional than stunning! We essentially need something that can enable us to create 360 virtual tours of scenes - embedding images and media where required - but again - all offline.
I appreciate your input on this. Thank you.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
You're welcome. You miss a lot if you don't use Captivate however. But it may not be the application you need at this moment.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
I know - Captivate does look great - but the only bit we would require from it is its ability to involve the 360 imagery. With regards to the presentation work we do - it needs to be entriely didactic; walking a jury through a visual timeline of events. It needs to be clear and not required to be interactive. Although, maybe if we incorporated a quiz at the end we would know that they had been paying attention!
Thanks again
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
You cannot persuade me, after decaded of training and coaching, that a non-interactive presentation has the same efficiency to reach the goal as an interactive version. BTW I have a lot of educational degrees and experience, from flute teaching over university college topics in Building and Real Estate to adult training to help immigrants with a university degree to a job in Belgium. Adding some MCQs doesn't make a training interactive, a lot more is possible with Captivate. I wouldn't remain that passionate after so many years of using it if that was not the case.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Apologies - I didn't mean
@Lilybiri wrote:You cannot persuade me, after decaded of training and coaching, that a non-interactive presentation has the same efficiency to reach the goal as an interactive version. BTW I have a lot of educational degrees and experience, from flute teaching over university college topics in Building and Real Estate to adult training to help immigrants with a university degree to a job in Belgium. Adding some MCQs doesn't make a training interactive, a lot more is possible with Captivate. I wouldn't remain that passionate after so many years of using it if that was not the case.
Apologies, I didn't mean to offend. I absolutely agree with you; interactive is always going to be far more effective than non-interactive.
The issue we have is that we are restricted by how the presentations are used, by what material is in them and the particulars of how that information is disclosed to the jury in a trial. In that instance, a presentation that dictates information to the jury (albeit in a visually interesting and impact Ive manner) is the only option available to us. Thanks again for your advice 👍🏼
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Misunderstanding, I don't feel offended at all. I agreed that Captivate is not the right tool for your goals.