Can you copy a Zoom Region?
Mar 18, 2013
By
Joyce Hensen
I'm working with a course where I would like to have "the same zoom" on multiple slides. I found how to change the zoom speed, but I don't find anything that tells me the zoom size and position. I also don't seem to have functionality to copy and paste a zoom region from one slide to another. Is there anyway, other than eye-balling it, to make identical zoom sizes on multiple slides? The timing will be different, but I want the size and placement to match.
52 Replies
No, the best way I find is to build once then duplicate the slide
Rats! I have already built the all of the slides. Thanks anyway.
I was wishing you could copy a zoom region as well. Or, failing that, specify the exact dimensions (or at least one dimension and let Storyline calculate the other dimension like a locked aspect ratio item you're re-sizing) and locations of the zoom region the way you can specify the location and dimension of a rectangle shape.
In a simulation, the screens are changing based on the action in the simulation, and you can't really copy the slide and ....
Wait, wait, wait... I think I see the solution!!!! On the slides in a sim where you need to zoom in, stop the simulation. Then create another simulation, this time zooming in to a tighter focus on the area you want to concentrate on. Then stitch the simulations together....
So, I guess the lesson here is record it once, just to get a feel for what you're doing, and then plan a more elaborate simulation based on the needs of the application and the learner.
Dang! Wish I had thought of that a week ago.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for sharing that idea here, and I'm glad you figured out something that would work for you, although I'm sorry it took a week! In regards to your initial thoughts on copying a zoom region or specifying the size, I'd encourage you to submit those as feature requests.
I was in Chris' situation, however I had to duplicate "zoom regions" on a software simulation screen capture in "try mode". What I tried to do first, was to (1) duplicate a slide with a zoomed region, and (2) copy the content from another slide to the duplicate. However this did not work, as it seems that one cannot copy screen captured content from slide to slide!!
My solution was to focus/zoom into one corner of my work area, and click back and forth between the slide that contained the correct zoom region, and the next slide where I wanted to match the zoom region. I started in the top left corner to align the original zoom region with the zoom region on the next slide, then moved to the bottom right corner of each to finish. Throughout this process, I continued to click back and forth between slides to "eyeball" the dashed lines.
Although I was manually matching the zoom regions, zooming in on my work space proved to save time, as it enabled me to accurately align the zoom regions between slides.
My solution has been to stick post-it notes to my screen at the top left and bottom right points of the zoom region... probably not ideal but it worked fine.
Hi Sean,
Thanks for sharing here - whatever works, right? :-)
Clever!
I have the same problem.
Currently I display the ruler, grid & guide, then I try to align the different zoom on the grid.
It's not accurate but better than nothing. However it would be great to have something that we can simply duplicate from a slide to an other.
Thanks for sharing Jean and Welcome to the community!
What you may also wish to try, as I wanted to pan between pages in a system simulation, is to insert a shape onto the first page, align it with the Zoom/Focus area, then cut it and paste it onto the second page. Your area & location is now defined by this shape and you can then insert a zoom area around this shape which you can pan from, to the second zoom area on page two.
Move the shape to the position of the second Zoom/Focus area on page two, then cut and paste it into page 3 etc. Perfect panning between areas on different pages. Just remember to Start the first Zoom/Focus at the beginning of the timeline and have both Zoom/Focus areas touching in the timeline.
Thanks for sharing Bruce!
I know this is from a while ago (I don't believe this is still supported) but good thinking Bruce! Saved me sometime :)
Cool! So glad you found this thread! That's precisely the reason why we don't archive older discussions. :)
Another option that works is to duplicate the entire slide, then put your new content under the saved zoom area.
Thanks Joyce - problem is these slides are a result of a"view step by step" screen recording, so at times I want to show the next steps but essentially have the same zoom area, else it seems like its "bouncing around".
We should be able to set the position and size of the zoom window, relative to the slide itself, like we can with shapes/etc. (Or copy & paste them). Was that ever a suggested feature?
Hi Kevan! I know I've seen that feature requested here in ELH before, and you're welcome to add your voice in the form of a feature request. Thanks for being a part of the community!
I'm sure I've made that request before. Maybe more voices will move it up on the programing priority list!
Very good idea, Bruce. This is going to help me on my current project.
Thanks Bruce Roberts. Love your idea.
So glad that this older conversation was able to help you out as well, Jane :) Thanks for chiming in to share.
Hi Wish we could do a copy and paste of a zoom area. 80 slides later my client says "can you make this section bigger on the simulation. The answer is I can zoom it in but I have to do it manually for all slides that need it (all 80). Whew!!! Please help me out guys. This is well over due as a functionality in articulate.
Many many thanks
To my knowledge you still cannot do this. However, if you want to put it in exactly the same place for all 80 slides, I suggest that you make a rectangle that is the exact size and position you want for your zoom. Paste that to each of the slides, and then "draw" your zoom to match the area. Delete the extra rectangle when you are finished. It isn't elegant, but it works.
Wow...this has really been an issue for 7+ years with no resolution? Can the product team finally get around to this one? It's kind of a big thing. - Thanks.
Agreed Michael Massaro - this is a substantial pain point and it's amazing that this hasn't been prioritized in over 7 years. Copy and paste of a rectangle (zoom) seems like an easy win. C'mon Articulate!