BUG? Mouse Pointers Jitters/Movement after Screen Recording
Jan 07, 2015
Hi folks,
Happy New Year!
I hope someone may be able to point me in the right direction, or confirm that this is in fact a bug within Storyline 2 (it also occurs in Storyline 1). *Note: all latest patches/updates have been applied.
After I record a screen demo using the Record Screen function within Storyline, any mouse cursor movements see the actual mouse jump location on the screen between slides. What I mean by this is that, for example: in slide 1 the mouse cursor may move to a new position on the screen, then on the subsequent slide you see the mouse cursor jump to a new location, though always in the general proximity of where it should in fact be (ie: the final cursor location from the last slide.).
Now, this doesn't always happen though I would estimate it would occur to some greater or lesser extent between slides in about 60-70% of instances. The cursor "jump" can be as little as maybe 10-20 pixels, though this is noticeable unfortunately and make the demo seem less authentic and smooth.
It's almost as if Storyline isn't accurately keeping track of the final position of the mouse cursor from the previous slide, or is somehow skewing the starting cursor co-ordinates on the following slide.
I have done some experimenting and this bug/error/feature seems to happen when both manually added and automated (ie: cursor path added by Storyline) instances. Also, it seems to occur when using 'Straight Pointer Path' or not. Even when stripping out all signs of the cursor from the scene and then manually adding a cursor back in still doesn't get around the cursor 'jumping' between slides. I can replicate this issue in any Storyline Simulation recorded demos.
I have recorded a brief video (attached) which helps describe the problem I am seeing - I have highlighted the mouse cursor jumps/skips with a red arrow.
Any help much appreciated as this is really detracting from the demos we are creating with Storyline.
Thanks in advance,
Simon
18 Replies
Hi Simon,
Thanks for the video and detailed explanation here. I'd like to take a look at one of your .story files, as I haven't seen this in my own screen recordings. You can post a sample .story file here and also, please confirm that you're working on local project files as described here.
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for the reply.
I can confirm that the .story files (along with the Storyline installation) are local to the machine from which I am recording and editing the demos.
Please find attached a quick recording demo I created to show the mouse cursor jumping between slides.
All the best,
Simon
Hi Ashley,
I was wondering if you'd had time to look at the example file I attached in my last message?
Thanks for your help,
Simon
Hi Simon,
My apologies - it looks like I missed your first reply, and it may just be the email issues I had earlier this week. Taking a look at the recording now.
Hi Simon,
I see the movement as you mentioned - but I'm not able to recreate this in a new file. In my new file, the mouse pointer stays where it last left off in terms of clicking until it's ready to move to the next location. It looks like in your recording there may have been additional movements that occurred during your recording that are not shown/captured as a part of step by step mode - or that there are elements which you edited and deleted?
Do you see this behavior in all your recordings or just recording of that program?
I am having the same kind of issue. I recorded a demonstration, but had to add and remove some slides. On a couple of the slides, I want the mouse to appear, but not move. I adjusted the location of the mouse to be exactly in the same spot on both slides, but on the second slide, the mouse moves over to the left slightly. No matter what I do.
Hi Kari,
If the mouse is not moving on these slides you added, you should be able to duplicate the slide once you've added the mouse cursor image and have it remain in the same spot.
OK, but what if you have two different slides, but want the mouse to remain in the exact same spot? I try and align them, but the second one always seems to move, and its usually just slightly. Doesn't the application remember the position of the cursor on the previous slide, and start from there? Is there any way to control the starting point of the mouse?
Enhancement request: add a "align mouse to previous slide" option. Trying to align the mouse is a painful activity.
Hi Kari,
That sounds like a good feature request - and maybe I'm misunderstanding how your slides are set up, but if I were presented with that issue I'd duplicate the slide and leave the mouse cursor so that it's in the same exact spot and change the content as needed.
In regards to Storyline's screen recording, it should remember it from slide to slide - but since you mentioned adding and deleting slides, it sounded like you were making some additional customization and therefore changing the normal behavior of how Storyline will transition from slide to slide. If you're adding in your own mouse cursors, there is a tutorial here on the options available including the starting point.
Hi all, I have the same experience that the mouse pointer moves slightly between slides. The strange thing is that it moves only when I navigate in a web-browser, not when i click on folders and files on my desktop.
Hi Olle,
Is it a particular web application you're recording or just recording within any web browser? We typically recommend recording in Internet Explorer (the latest update 11) for the best results.
I have personally encountered the issue when I recorded in Internet Explorer 10 and don't currently have the ability to upgrade to IE 11.
Also, in response to your earlier question, the issue occurs when I have recorded extra slides and need to delete some of the extra slides inbetween.
For example, I recorded:
* slide one of screen A
* slide two of screen A
* slide three of screen B
Both slides of A have mouse movement, but there are no movements on the slide of Screen B. I need to remove slide two. Once deleted, I can't get the mouse on slide three (screen B) to sit still in the location that the mouse ended up on slide one (screen A).
So you see now why duplicating the slide doesn't work. The background is different. Even if it worked, that is a TON of rework for a course, to basically have to duplicate every slide this happens on.
Does that make sense?
Yes, this is the same issue I've been experiencing. It's really annoying.
I have tried to find different work-arounds, but unfortunately nothing seems to work.
I am hoping that this may be addressed and fixed in an upcoming service pack, as it is making my screen recordings look sloppy and unprofessional.
Kind Regards,
Simon
When I am testing it seems to work better in Explorer 11. Unfortunately I am producing a course for an application that runs in Explorer 8.
Hi Kari,
If you're deleting slides in between, that sounds expected as the mouse isn't tracked from slide A to slide C - but relying on B in between as I previously mentioned. I know you already mentioned sharing your thought in a feature request, so thanks for sending that along.
Olle, the latest version of any browser is always what we'd recommend using, as it'll be better at reporting to Storyline how to capture all elements and allow Storyline to track and use that information within the screen recording.
Hi Ashley,
Do you know if Kari's feature suggestion (great idea by the way), would make it into the next patch update or release? I only ask as this is quite a big deal for the work I am doing, and is unfortunately leaving me to look at alternatives such as Captivate.
Thanks,
Simon
Hi Simon,
Unfortunately I don't know the status of any feature requests or fixes for the next version, and we don't share that information publicly either. The best thing to do is submit a feature request yourself, and then also you'll want to follow along with Articulate on our Facebook, Twitter page and our Word of Mouth blog to see what's new and coming up!
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