July 28, 2019
Back or Undo Button to retrace steps in non-linear branching course
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July 28, 2019
Back or Undo Button to retrace steps in non-linear branching course
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In Captivate 10 (2017 release), I’m looking for direction on how to allow a user to move Back along a non-linear path in a branching module (a choose your own adventure type of module). There are no quizzes involved; the slide navigation consists of linked text on each page that they select to move forward. Considering that alternate branches in the path will often meet up again further downstream, the Back function would need to follow the exact path a learner took to arrive on that slide, potentially all the way to the starting point.

I’m a novice at Advanced Actions in Captivate, but getting better. My hope is that there is a reasonable way of implementing this logic – thank you!

11 Comments
2019-07-29 20:15:59
2019-07-29 20:15:59

In your case, it may be easier to use javascript. If you have multiple links to different slides in a text, try the following:
On the first slide you have to define a variable to save the way. This code has to execute on slide enter.

// declare array
var path = [];

On the decision slides you have to execute this little script on enter:

$(‘div[id^=”HL”]’).on(“click”, manageLearningPath);
function manageLearningPath() {
// get current slide number and store it in path
path[path.length] = cpInfoCurrentSlide;
}

This hangs a function to all (!) Links in the text on the slide. On click this will cause the current slide number to be stored in the variable.
Now you have to make a button of a shape and show it for the remaining project.
The back button have to execute the following javascript:

// read last slide number and go to it
cpCmndGotoSlide = path.pop()-1;

Now you can make links to slides as you wish. It doesn’t matter, which way depends. But you should not use other links than for the branching on decision slides.

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Carsten Kopschütz
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2019-07-30 11:51:58
2019-07-30 11:51:58
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Carsten Kopschütz
's comment

Thank you Carsten, I appreciate your time on this! I have no real Java Script experience, but I recognize enough of what you’ve provided to follow the logic. I’ll need to see about pulling in an SME from IT to get it programmed in.

Your last caution gives me pause, though: several of my pages include web links in a text caption to resource documents. How does this become a problem with using this JS?

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2019-07-29 12:29:51
2019-07-29 12:29:51

Another thought I’ve had is how it could be similar to an ‘Undo’ button, where their last so many choices are captured and they can undo those choices thereby moving them backward along the path they took. I have no clue what the logic of an Undo button looks like, either, but as I said – willing to learn!

 

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JimGarland12
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2019-07-30 08:40:55
2019-07-30 08:40:55
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JimGarland12
's comment

An Undo button can be as complicated as creating a tracking trail for visited slides.  For Knowledge Check slides the inbuilt programming takes are of ti, same for Questions when the Retake button is clicked on the score slide.

Some effects, and state changes can be undone by re-entering the slide (have lot of examples on my blog). But choices made in custom interactions need an advanced actions to undo them. Some learning interactions allow undo, as does Drag&Drop.

Long answer, just to explain the possible problems you may encounter for such a button

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2019-07-29 12:22:33
2019-07-29 12:22:33

Thanks Lieve. Your assumptions are correct – some slides will be used in multiple branches, and there won’t be any ‘straight and narrow’ sequences within. Any branch could subdivide, or need to be expanded later. The module is a tool that will guide new customer service reps through the myriad of questions and decisions that will come up during their call flow. For those reasons, I was thinking it would need to be a variable and AA’s that basically captured a breadcrumb for each particular learner. But I’m open to any method that gets me there effectively.

Also, please tell me about the authorized version – are older versions of 10 not supported?

Thanks!
Jim

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JimGarland12
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2019-07-29 13:00:35
2019-07-29 13:00:35
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JimGarland12
's comment

I am known to find a solution without JS whenever possible, but in this case I would use JS to build an array for those ‘breadcrumb trail’.  It looks way yo complicated to track this with advanced/shared actions.

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Lieve Weymeis
's comment
2019-07-29 22:45:51
2019-07-29 22:45:51
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Lieve Weymeis
's comment

Really hoping to not go down that road, for lack of time and lack of an SME on JS. I appreciate your putting it in perspective.

Can you tell me with your question about ‘authorized’ versions of Captivate 10, is there a concern if I’m running 10.0.0.192? Are there bugs that I should be aware of and avoiding?

Thanks!

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JimGarland12
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2019-07-30 08:43:12
2019-07-30 08:43:12
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JimGarland12
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There has been a change in reistering policy with Adobe months ago, which affects mostly the CC applications. However a while ago Saurav Gosh (from Staff) posted an article about which versions are authorized, which was 10.0.1.299 for CP2017. I have searched that link to the blog, but it seems to have disappeared, or may be updated at this moment and will reappear soon.

A more pragmatic reason is that all the patches released for CP2017 fixed a lot of bugs,.

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Lieve Weymeis
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2019-07-30 11:41:01
2019-07-30 11:41:01
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Lieve Weymeis
's comment

That’s helpful, thanks. I think I ran into one of those bugs: when I get 4 or more buttons placed on the first slide of my module, the Master Slide goes blank, taking my buttons and titling with it (going to go check my other post for responses on that one, next.)

I appreciate your help, Lieve. Are you able to post a link to your blog?

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JimGarland12
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2019-07-30 11:45:59
2019-07-30 11:45:59
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JimGarland12
's comment

You’ll find the link to my website in my profile, and that site has a direct link to my blog.

Links need moderation here, and that can take a while.

BTW I answered in the same sense to your question about shape buttons. There was indeed a problem with more than 3 shape buttons on the master slide, but I don’t remember anything about master slide disappearance when you have that same amount on the first slide.

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2019-07-29 08:13:15
2019-07-29 08:13:15

You already understood that you’ll need to setup custom navigation, never use the default buttons on a playbar.  Not so easy to explain in text when I don’t have more details: are some slides used in multiple branches, do you have sequences of slides to be visited, once you are in a branch etc….For sequences it could be as easy as having a shape button on a master slide, except for the first slide in the sequence. For slides used in several branches it could be tougher.

Are you on 10.0.1.299 which is the only authorized version for CP2017.

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