Hey all! I seem to be confusing myself on trying to add a simple Hotspot on the attached file. When I preview, the HotSpot isn't doing anything. Can someone take a look at the file and guide me in the right direction? All the examples I find have multiple layers, and adding layers doesn't seem to fix things for me either. ny help to get me started would be great!
1. Whenever you click on an object, if it has a Selected state, there is built-in magic to change it to Selected state, without you needing to create a trigger to do so. So your hotspot trigger is doing something that doesn't need to be done. The same holds true for the Visited state. That is one reason that when you preview the slide, you see a pointer everywhere on the picture. Delete the Selected and Visited states, and you will see the pointer only when you hover over the hotspot.
2. Since the Selected state is the same as the Normal state, even when it changes the state of the picture, you won't notice it. Change the trigger on the hotspot to Change state of Picture1 to Hidden, and you will be able to see results.
Sorry if I'm missing something here. I removed what I had and added a trigger "Change State of Picture 1 to hidden when user clicks BoB1" and all I get is a blank slide on click. I'm just shooting for a simple "find the hidden object" type interaction. Thanks and any further help is greatly appreciated.
I think Walt was using that as an example of how the hotspot trigger needs to accomplish something visible if you expect to see a change, like hiding the picture (which is why it went to a blank slide). What do you want to have happen when they click on the hotspot - a pop-up that says "Yup - that's it!"? That's what would be on the layer, and the hotspot trigger would take you to that layer. If you want to simply record that they have clicked on a particular area of the slide (like the swimmer), you can have the hotspot trigger change a variable.
All I was trying to do is have the Hotspot show when/if it's clicked. In this case, it's an object on the bottom of a pool you can't see due to glare. When some one clicks on the area, I just want the hotspot area to become visible to show they did identify the area. I hope that makes sense.
I'll try what you said about the layer and see if I can make that work. Thanks.
Ok, now that we know what you are trying to do, here are a couple of ideas. First, hotspots never become visible, so that idea may not be the best. Second, these triggers are never a good idea.
If you use a built-in state (those are the ones whose names show up on the drop-down menu when you create a new state), like visited, or Selected, they come with built-in magic. All you have to do is create the state, and when they are clicked they do what they are supposed to do. But, if you create a trigger to duplicate that action, you run a very real risk of causing conflicts, which can result in spectacular, but seldom useful results. So delete those triggers.
Third, if you use a hotspot, because it is clickable, the hand pointer shows up when the mouse is above it, which kind of gives away its location. You can avoid that by giving the whole picture a Selected state, which makes it clickable, so the hand shows up all the time, just like you did
Check the attached sample, which has two ideas. In both of them, there is a rectangle above the clickable spot. It has no outline, but it DOES have a fill. Right click it, and set its transparency to 100%. That way, it can't be seen, but it can be clicked. In the first slide, clicking it changes its state to Selected. In the second slide, clicking it shows a layer that has the same message as the first slide, and also a button to advance.
Walt, thank you. That helps a lot. Other platforms we are looking at as well has the hotspot become visible when you click it, so that was in my mind on how it was "supposed" to work. Thanks for the clarification and the help on this.
Now it makes sense. The built-in states can be a little confusing because they don't show up when you view an object's states (all you see is Normal). You also don't necessarily know what the default view of something like Hover would be (although Hidden is rather obvious). But for what you are trying to do Walt is right - don't use a hotspot. Use an object with transparent fill and no border. Once you add a trigger changing the state of the object to the built-in state, that state will show up under the States tab at the bottom and you can see it and modify it if you want.
8 Replies
Two things:
1. Whenever you click on an object, if it has a Selected state, there is built-in magic to change it to Selected state, without you needing to create a trigger to do so. So your hotspot trigger is doing something that doesn't need to be done. The same holds true for the Visited state. That is one reason that when you preview the slide, you see a pointer everywhere on the picture. Delete the Selected and Visited states, and you will see the pointer only when you hover over the hotspot.
2. Since the Selected state is the same as the Normal state, even when it changes the state of the picture, you won't notice it. Change the trigger on the hotspot to Change state of Picture1 to Hidden, and you will be able to see results.
Sorry if I'm missing something here. I removed what I had and added a trigger "Change State of Picture 1 to hidden when user clicks BoB1" and all I get is a blank slide on click. I'm just shooting for a simple "find the hidden object" type interaction. Thanks and any further help is greatly appreciated.
I think Walt was using that as an example of how the hotspot trigger needs to accomplish something visible if you expect to see a change, like hiding the picture (which is why it went to a blank slide). What do you want to have happen when they click on the hotspot - a pop-up that says "Yup - that's it!"? That's what would be on the layer, and the hotspot trigger would take you to that layer. If you want to simply record that they have clicked on a particular area of the slide (like the swimmer), you can have the hotspot trigger change a variable.
Have you tried a Pick One freeform slide?
All I was trying to do is have the Hotspot show when/if it's clicked. In this case, it's an object on the bottom of a pool you can't see due to glare. When some one clicks on the area, I just want the hotspot area to become visible to show they did identify the area. I hope that makes sense.
I'll try what you said about the layer and see if I can make that work. Thanks.
Ok, now that we know what you are trying to do, here are a couple of ideas.
First, hotspots never become visible, so that idea may not be the best. Second, these triggers are never a good idea.
If you use a built-in state (those are the ones whose names show up on the drop-down menu when you create a new state), like visited, or Selected, they come with built-in magic. All you have to do is create the state, and when they are clicked they do what they are supposed to do. But, if you create a trigger to duplicate that action, you run a very real risk of causing conflicts, which can result in spectacular, but seldom useful results. So delete those triggers.
Third, if you use a hotspot, because it is clickable, the hand pointer shows up when the mouse is above it, which kind of gives away its location. You can avoid that by giving the whole picture a Selected state, which makes it clickable, so the hand shows up all the time, just like you did
Check the attached sample, which has two ideas. In both of them, there is a rectangle above the clickable spot. It has no outline, but it DOES have a fill. Right click it, and set its transparency to 100%. That way, it can't be seen, but it can be clicked. In the first slide, clicking it changes its state to Selected. In the second slide, clicking it shows a layer that has the same message as the first slide, and also a button to advance.
Check them out, and it should get you started.
Walt, thank you. That helps a lot. Other platforms we are looking at as well has the hotspot become visible when you click it, so that was in my mind on how it was "supposed" to work. Thanks for the clarification and the help on this.
Now it makes sense. The built-in states can be a little confusing because they don't show up when you view an object's states (all you see is Normal). You also don't necessarily know what the default view of something like Hover would be (although Hidden is rather obvious). But for what you are trying to do Walt is right - don't use a hotspot. Use an object with transparent fill and no border. Once you add a trigger changing the state of the object to the built-in state, that state will show up under the States tab at the bottom and you can see it and modify it if you want.
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.