I've seen several posts regarding what you can and can't do with SL2 in regard to older SL1 files, and what goes into upgrading.
Articulate answers all your questions on their support page, but you have to go look for it. I wrote a piece a couple weeks ago that explains a few things with direct links to those Articulate support articles.
Nice, Kevin! I'm using the "SL1" or "SL2" in my project names now.
One thing I'm not happy about is how SL2 "takes over" the name for a SL1 project it opens. Not a big fan of that. Personally, I find it a "rude" behavior.
So if I opened a SL1 project--say "MYProject-SL1.story--with SL2, it "takes over the name, and if I have to right things, I need to go into Explorer and manual rename files to what I want or do "save as" and possibly end up with too many multiple copies of everything..
I'd prefer it if SL2, after opening a SL1 project, told me that I had to first rename it to something new that I wanted. Again, not a big fan of programs presumptuously doing this for me.
I've made a feature request on this also. If anyone agrees, I'd urge them to do so, too. The more "votes" the better.
Yep, I created the habit of adding "SL1" and "SL2" to my naming conventions early on. I only suspect six months or so of this behavior until all my projects and clients are on the SL2 platform. May be longer, but there will certainly be a transition period.
I'm not so sure I'd agree that it's a "rude" behavior so much as it's pretty typical when you have two versions of the same software on the same computer. Since Articulate products use the Microsoft Office framework (or whatever it's called), it may be an MS thing. I'm not an engineer so I have no empirical evidence to debate, but a similar behavior occurred when I had PPT 2010 and PPT 2013 on the same computer.
I don't see it as "taking over" either. As I've learned while having both versions on the same computer, the newer version will supersede any previous versions as the default opening program for Windows Explorer. Again, not an engineer so I don't know if this is a Windows thing, a software engineering protocol, or something that's out of Articulate's control.
If you think about it, it's actually a smooth operation. You open an SL1 file by double-clicking it in Windows Explorer (as mentioned, probably an Windows protocol thing that opens the newer version by default), and SL2 automatically recognizes if you want a back up copy. That back up copy of SL1 is created in the background and then seamlessly your new SL2 file is open from an older SL1 file.
The *only* thing that's manual on your part is to ensure you "Save As" with a new naming convention to include "SL2" in the filename, or after saving and closing manually rename the file. I do the latter only because the "Save As" creates a third file: original SL1 backup copy, the new SL2 file of the original name, and now a new file where "SL2" was added to the filename. Instead, I just truck along in that new SL2 project as normal until I save and close. Then go directly to that file and rename it by adding "SL2" to the filename. This is a one time step that's just a habit that I created. A temporary one at that.
I do like your suggestion about prompting me to rename the new SL2 file upon opening the SL1 file. Once again, not an engineer but my guess it's something a bit more involved than a future software update and would have to considered for SL3. Maybe not.
Thanks, Kevin. Yeah, maybe "rude" is too strong. I'm dealing with a difficult client issue (when marketing people think they know e-learning and apply their standards absolutely to e-learning) so I'm in a bit of a bad funk.
Not to be argumentative, I just don't like it. So let's agree to disagree. I don't find it smooth at all. It destroys any custom naming scheme I've done for a SL1 project and takes over the file name, forcing me to go to Windows Explorer to set things right by renaming files.
Just one thing in a long line of SL "features" that cause extra keystrokes. As much as I love SL2, we need more things in it that require less keystrokes, IMVHO.
I'm racking my brain for the names but I've used other programs that forced you to rename a file once opened in a new version. I'm probably dreaming (or senile or both ) but I thought a earlier version of Studio did that.
5 Replies
Thanks for sharing Kevin
Clear and concise with good "best practices" Tx, Kevin!
Nice, Kevin!
I'm using the "SL1" or "SL2" in my project names now.
One thing I'm not happy about is how SL2 "takes over" the name for a SL1 project it opens. Not a big fan of that. Personally, I find it a "rude" behavior.
So if I opened a SL1 project--say "MYProject-SL1.story--with SL2, it "takes over the name, and if I have to right things, I need to go into Explorer and manual rename files to what I want or do "save as" and possibly end up with too many multiple copies of everything..
I'd prefer it if SL2, after opening a SL1 project, told me that I had to first rename it to something new that I wanted. Again, not a big fan of programs presumptuously doing this for me.
I've made a feature request on this also. If anyone agrees, I'd urge them to do so, too. The more "votes" the better.
Thanks Gerry,
Yep, I created the habit of adding "SL1" and "SL2" to my naming conventions early on. I only suspect six months or so of this behavior until all my projects and clients are on the SL2 platform. May be longer, but there will certainly be a transition period.
I'm not so sure I'd agree that it's a "rude" behavior so much as it's pretty typical when you have two versions of the same software on the same computer. Since Articulate products use the Microsoft Office framework (or whatever it's called), it may be an MS thing. I'm not an engineer so I have no empirical evidence to debate, but a similar behavior occurred when I had PPT 2010 and PPT 2013 on the same computer.
I don't see it as "taking over" either. As I've learned while having both versions on the same computer, the newer version will supersede any previous versions as the default opening program for Windows Explorer. Again, not an engineer so I don't know if this is a Windows thing, a software engineering protocol, or something that's out of Articulate's control.
If you think about it, it's actually a smooth operation. You open an SL1 file by double-clicking it in Windows Explorer (as mentioned, probably an Windows protocol thing that opens the newer version by default), and SL2 automatically recognizes if you want a back up copy. That back up copy of SL1 is created in the background and then seamlessly your new SL2 file is open from an older SL1 file.
The *only* thing that's manual on your part is to ensure you "Save As" with a new naming convention to include "SL2" in the filename, or after saving and closing manually rename the file. I do the latter only because the "Save As" creates a third file: original SL1 backup copy, the new SL2 file of the original name, and now a new file where "SL2" was added to the filename. Instead, I just truck along in that new SL2 project as normal until I save and close. Then go directly to that file and rename it by adding "SL2" to the filename. This is a one time step that's just a habit that I created. A temporary one at that.
I do like your suggestion about prompting me to rename the new SL2 file upon opening the SL1 file. Once again, not an engineer but my guess it's something a bit more involved than a future software update and would have to considered for SL3. Maybe not.
Thanks, Kevin. Yeah, maybe "rude" is too strong.
I'm dealing with a difficult client issue (when marketing people think they know e-learning and apply their standards absolutely to e-learning) so I'm in a bit of a bad funk. 
Not to be argumentative, I just don't like it. So let's agree to disagree. I don't find it smooth at all. It destroys any custom naming scheme I've done for a SL1 project and takes over the file name, forcing me to go to Windows Explorer to set things right by renaming files.
Just one thing in a long line of SL "features" that cause extra keystrokes. As much as I love SL2, we need more things in it that require less keystrokes, IMVHO.
I'm racking my brain for the names but I've used other programs that forced you to rename a file once opened in a new version. I'm probably dreaming (or senile or both
) but I thought a earlier version of Studio did that.
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.