Import Storyline project into another

Aug 30, 2012

Hello!  I just started using Storyline this week.  My first project is a software simulation.  I created a simulation in one SL project and would like to import it into another SL project.  I've watched/read the tutorials and it seems to be a very straightfoward process.  However, when I do it, I get a blank scene after the import.  None of my slides show up but a new scene is created with whatever I name it.

My process: New slide/Import/Storyline/select my .story file/Open/Select all slides/Import - I'm inserting into a new scene.

Am I missing something?

Thank you!

44 Replies
Peter Anderson

Welcome to Heroes, Julie

Unfortunately, it sounds like you're running into an issue that we're aware of, and working hard to get fixed for the next update. In the meantime, the current workaround is to import the story that doesn't have screen recordings into the one that does (rather than the reverse). If you need to make a different version of an existing project, you can duplicate the .story file, then add or delete slides as required in the new version of the project. 

Sorry for the trouble, but I hope that helps for now.

Dan DeCort

Any update on this? It's critical that I'm able to import scenes from a Storyline project that contain screen recordings into another Storyline project that contains screen recordings. We were really depending on this feature to finish our project, in fact we can't finish our project without a significant amount or rework.

Hopefully this fix is coming very soon?

Peter Anderson

Hey Dan, 

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, but I can't specify exactly when this will be fixed, only that I know our guys are hard at work on it, and your software should update automatically when it is fixed. In the meantime, you may be able to work around the behavior using one of the following methods:

  • If you want to merge two Storyline projects and one of them does not contain any screen recordings, import that story into the one that does contain screen recordings (rather than the other way around).
  • If you need to make a duplicate or slightly different version of an existing project, make a copy of the story file. Then modify the new story as necessary. 

Hope that helps until we can get you a fix, and sorry again for the inconvenience. 

Dan DeCort

Unfortunately, neither of those options will work. I HAVE to be able to import screen recording scenes into an existing project with screen recording scenes, otherwise I have to re-capture a large amount of slides, reimport audio, re-add my text etc.

Is there some way to disassociate the slides from the video capture and just use individual screenshots without recreating those slides? Essentially convert the screen-recording slides to slides with a static screenshot image? Then they could be considered non-screen recording slides and then I could import them to my other project with screen recordings? Even if I dropped in a screenshot that I exported from the video editor back into the same slide, the screen recording is still associated with that slide, and won't import.

i would have actually had everything in one storyline project, but because of another bug with saving large projects with lots of screen recordings (kept getting out of memory errors - tons of threads on this as well), I was forced to split my course up. Now because of yet another bug, I'm forced into yet another work-around. Sorry to rant, but no way should there be bugs this large in a commercially available product, especially one this expensive.

This bug is going to literally cost me days of work if this isn't possible or resolved soon. Unfortunately your bug has not changed my deadline. I'm starting to feel more like a beta tester than someone who bought a final finished product. I'm not sure I would consider using Storyline for software simulation projects in the future, I never had issues even close to this with captivate. I love the concept of your product, and I want it to be awesome and a game-changer for e-Learning development, I really do... but you have got to get these bugs worked out.

Jill McNair

Help!  I need some sort of workaround too!  

I have a client who recorded 11 separate step-by-step simulations.  These 11 simulation files need to be combined into three different courses.  I thought my best option would be to use Storyline version 1 and import all 11 simulation files into one file, then follow the advice above to import my base document into the sim file.  

I tested this idea.  Unfortunately the new version of Storyline would not open the file (where I imported several sim files), because it said the file was from a prior version.  Why can't the new version of Storyline open the version 1 file?  I am out of ideas except to build the whole thing in version 1 (but there are problems with that too), or build the 500 pages of simulations from scratch, which is not very feasible.  

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Jill

Jeff C

I have exactly the same issues with this bug ridden software. There is no way I can complete until these issues are sorted out.

Even after deleting everything in the project yesterday I did not have enough memory to save as SL did not release the memory - another mornings work wasted.

Corruption of the project is regular but not obvious for several days. I eventually discovered that by copying the project to a w7 64bit computer corrupted projects flash the small story view screens. No point trying to fix them - just more wasted work deleted.

Does anyone know if it is possible to export to Captivate? Or can a SL project call another SL project, this would at least get rid of the low memory and inability to copy video problems.

Peter Anderson

Peter Anderson said:

Hey Dan, 

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, but I can't specify exactly when this will be fixed, only that I know our guys are hard at work on it, and your software should update automatically when it is fixed. In the meantime, you may be able to work around the behavior using one of the following methods:

  • If you want to merge two Storyline projects and one of them does not contain any screen recordings, import that story into the one that does contain screen recordings (rather than the other way around).
  • If you need to make a duplicate or slightly different version of an existing project, make a copy of the story file. Then modify the new story as necessary. 

Hope that helps until we can get you a fix, and sorry again for the inconvenience. 


Hi @Karen, welcome to Heroes!

I'm curious to know if you've tried the above workarounds? Please let me know if they aren't doing the trick for you and I'll be happy to assist you further. 

@Jeff - 

It sounds like you may be experiencing some pretty unexpected behavior. Are you bale to open a support ticket and send us your file so we can take a closer look and try to get things running smoothly for you? Thanks!

keren Cohen

Peter Anderson said:

Peter Anderson said:

Hey Dan, 

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, but I can't specify exactly when this will be fixed, only that I know our guys are hard at work on it, and your software should update automatically when it is fixed. In the meantime, you may be able to work around the behavior using one of the following methods:

  • If you want to merge two Storyline projects and one of them does not contain any screen recordings, import that story into the one that does contain screen recordings (rather than the other way around).
  • If you need to make a duplicate or slightly different version of an existing project, make a copy of the story file. Then modify the new story as necessary. 

Hope that helps until we can get you a fix, and sorry again for the inconvenience. 


Hi @Karen, welcome to Heroes!

I'm curious to know if you've tried the above workarounds? Please let me know if they aren't doing the trick for you and I'll be happy to assist you further. 

@Jeff - 

It sounds like you may be experiencing some pretty unexpected behavior. Are you bale to open a support ticket and send us your file so we can take a closer look and try to get things running smoothly for you? Thanks!

HI Jeff, it is still not working to me ..no matter what i am trying, could you pls tell me how can i remove the new S.L last release this is the only way i know for sure it will work. thanks Keren

Florian Martin

I've had the same problem. In addition, I'm unable to copy/paste slides. This is incredibly annoying and costs my company and its clients a lot of time/money.

Up until now, I've been able to circumvent the problem by doing more work, but now I really need to import one Storyline project into another. For the record, I am trying to import screen recordings.

I'm going to open a support ticket.

Please help!

Michael OConnor

Hi Florian

From what I can work out, you can't simply import screen recordings between projects. You can, however, import storyline projects (containing a single scene) into another (master) project. There is an issue with this, which has been addressed and will be available in the next update. Maybe one of the Articulate staff members like Peter can direct you to a temporary fix or advise when the update/patch is due for release.?

Regards

Peter Anderson

Peter Anderson said:

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, but I can't specify exactly when this will be fixed, only that I know our guys are hard at work on it, and your software should update automatically when it is fixed. In the meantime, you may be able to work around the behavior using one of the following methods:

  • If you want to merge two Storyline projects and one of them does not contain any screen recordings, import that story into the one that does contain screen recordings (rather than the other way around).
  • If you need to make a duplicate or slightly different version of an existing project, make a copy of the story file. Then modify the new story as necessary. 

Hope that helps until we can get you a fix, and sorry again for the inconvenience. 


Hi everyone, 

The Storyline screen recording import issue will be resolved in our next update, which will be released soon. In the meantime, the workarounds above should hopefully allow you to continue with your project. Please let me know if you have any specific questions about the workarounds. Thanks, and apologies for any inconvenience. 

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