I have lately installed Storyline 2 on my laptop. There seems to be an issue with copying and pasting via keyboard shortcuts. [Strg+V] and [Strg+V] on my German keyboard layout do not work reliably when I want to copy shapes from the base layer and paste them onto another layer.
Outside Storyline the shortcuts are working fine. Using the Copy and Paste commands from the Home tab in Storyline is also working fine.
Are you using the German or English Interface while within Storyline? I know we've got a colleague in Germany as well so I'm going to ask her if she's run into similar issues with this, as I don't have the same keyboard set up. Also is it only copying things from the base to the layers that causes this? If you were to copy/paste text in from within Microsoft word does that work normally?
Thanks for your reply. The German [Strg] key does the same as the English [Ctrl] key; there's no difference between them. I am using the English version of Articulate, but a German Windows.
I've tried - all without success - to copy a shape from base layer to another layer, to copy a shape from another layer to the base layer, to copy a shape between two not-base layers. Same happens when I try to copy text boxes.
If I use the buttons from the home tab instead, it works absolutely fine. Copied texts from Word are working fine as well.
I've tried to find any hint here in the forum. There was an old thread describing that Articulate crashes when you try to paste something without having clicked the slide or the layer before pasting. At first I thought it has nothing to do with my problem, but then I tried to only paste after having clicked the layer. This works actually. But why do I have to click to be able to use a keyboard shortcut while the click is not necessary when I use a button? I would still say that it's a bug. What do you think?
So when you're trying to copy/paste onto a layer or other slide, how are you indicating where you'd like it to copy to if you have clicked that slide/layer? I'm trying to replicate it using my English UI and Windows and all the copy/paste keyboard shortcuts and Home tab choices work the same for me - but the element you mentioned in terms of
At first I thought it has nothing to do with my problem, but then I tried to only paste after having clicked the layer. This works actually. But why do I have to click to be able to use a keyboard shortcut while the click is not necessary when I use a button? I would still say that it's a bug. What do you think?
Gave me some pause as I'm not sure I'm following the same steps as you mentioned here. Does Storyline crash for you though - or it just doesn't appear to paste the item?
about how I indicate where exactly I want to paste:
When I copy a few shapes from the base layer and paste them on a top layer, I expect the shapes to be pasted to the same position as on the base layer. This happens by the way, if Storyline understands, that I want to paste.
What I do is this:
1. Select the shapes from a base layer (using a held-down [Ctrl] key to select several by clicking them).
2. Copy the selected shapes with [Ctrl] + [C].
3. Click the name of my top layer in the Slide Layers floating window, so the top layer is shown in the Storyline main window.
4. Hit [Ctrl] + [V] to paste the Shapes.
This fourth step is where nothing happens. Storyline does not crash, but it does not paste the copied shapes either when I use the [Ctrl]+[V] to paste. When I use the Paste button from the Home tab, the shape is pasted.
But: If I add a step more to my workflow, it suddenly works:
1. Select the shapes from a base layer (using a held-down [Ctrl] key to select several by clicking them).
2. Copy the selected shapes with [Ctrl] + [C].
3. Click the name of my top layer in the Slide Layers floating window, so the top layer is shown in the Storyline main window.
4. Click anywhere on the top layer.
5. Hit [Ctrl] + [V] to paste the Shapes.
In this case the shapes are pasted.
So in my opinion the bug is, that [Ctrl]+[V] does not work exactly as the Paste button, because with the shortcut you have to click the slide before pasting works, but with the button you don't have to.
I hope this explanation was in rich enough detail so you can really try out the steps I did.
Thanks again for your help and have a nice weekend,
Nina
Thanks Nina for sharing those steps - I was able to follow it exactly and the Paste shortcut keys worked when I hadn't clicked anywhere on the layer but just on the layer as listed in the side bar. I recorded a quick video of it in with Peek and uploaded it here. The video says Storyline 1 - but that's just a typo! It's Storyline 2.
Thanks for your video! I've checked the version as you explained. It is Update 11: 1609.3020. Next I've recreated a new file as yours, just with one slide, a few shapes, and an additional layer. There the copy & paste works fine, precisely as expected (which left me totally confused). The file I am working with and which is giving me this copy & paste trouble is an older one which has been converted from Storyline 1 to Storyline 2. Maybe that's the cause of the issue!
I guess I can work with this knowledge in mind because new files will work fine. But maybe it's something worth knowing for the support team so they can have a look into the file conversion engine?
I'm glad the video helped isolate the issue a bit further. I'll look a bit deeper into the behavior with upgrading a file from SL1 to SL2 and see if I can get that same behavior to occur - but it's good to know you're all set with a work around and the know how of working on brand new files as well. Have you seen it on all your files you're upgrading from SL1 to SL2? If it's just this file it may also be an issue with that specific file. Did you look at confirming that you're working on project files as detailed here? Also you could look at importing it into a new Storyline file to see if that resolves any of the odd behavior.
Thanks again for sharing more specifics and I'm glad we were able to narrow it down some!
Hi Nina, as you wrote you have to add one more step if you use the keyboard shortcut, I think you also have this step when you use the button but it's like a "hidden" step.
I try to explain what I mean: There is more than one "Paste" Button in Storyline. First one on the home tab, second one at "Triggers" sidebar and third one at layer menue. All this three buttons use strg+v. Therefore using the shortcut you have to be a bit more precicse which option do you want ;) by click inside the page, the triggers oder the layer area.
Great if this is easier with new courses, but I can comprehend why this happened.
About the second link: I've not imported the old Storyline file into a new one by any of the descriptions mentioned, but instead simply opened the old file in Storyline 2. Then I was asked if I would like to upgrade it to the new format and I said yes.
Other files: I've just tried with another one. To be able to recreate the error I've simply opened this file as well and let Storyline do the upgrade. Guess what: Copying and pasting via keyboard shortcuts works! So it is obviously not a bug in the software but instead a problem with my file. As the file is nearly finished I could happily live with this and we could stop spending time for any further research.
Just out of curiosity, how could I solve such a thing? I have no idea where this error comes from. Would importing everything into a new file do the trick?
Often if it's just one file and you already confirmed to be following the guidelines about working locally and project file naming conventions there isn't much else to do to solve it. You could try importing it as I mentioned as that often resolves odd behavior, but it isn't a guarantee.
I'm glad to hear it's just that one file and that we were able to figure it out. :)
I have had this issue a LOT with Storyline2 and now Storyline 360. It will let you copy and paste some things from one slide or layer to the next, but after a while it just crashes. Text boxes seem to cause it to crash every time no matter what. It doesn't matter if you use the shortcut keys or right-click or the commands on the home tab. This drives me nuts because I copy/paste quite a bit, so I can quickly make sure an item is in the exact same place on every screen. Yes I know I can right-click and use the size and position pop-up, but copy/paste is much quicker.
PLEASE work this bug out! Attached is the error I get every time.
Sorry to hear that you've run into an issue with your software crashing. I would be a bit frustrated as well.
I know you mentioned both Storyline 2 and Storyline 360, but are these the same courses or do you experience the issue when working in any course.
I know we had a few users report for Storyline 2, but we were not able to reproduce and (as you can see in this thread) seemed file specific.
If it's specific files, I certainly encourage you to import your slides into a new project to see if that alleviates the issue. If it's all files, please repair your software to see if that helps and be sure that you are working locally both with the software and with your files.
I have not seen this reported for SL360 though, so if this is something consistently happening, we would want to take a look and I encourage you to work with our support team here.
I know this is an older thread but I haven't found a newer one to report to add my two cents to...If there is a newer thread feel free to point me in that direction.
I am also having a lot of issues with Storyline 360 crashing after copy/pasting. I get the same error message as Wendy V. I am also having a TON of issues with slides moving themselves to a new location (for example, one slide in a scene suddenly being in a new location within the same scene after that slide was either copied from or pasted onto). For me it is primarily when using keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste, although I am also having problems after using shortcuts to Cut or Duplicate. Like Wendy mentioned, it often works fine for awhile and then crashes, or then starts to act buggy with slides moving to new locations. Not sure if the issues are tied to the CTRL key somehow, or a clipboard getting overloaded and causing issues, or....?
This is not file specific for me. I have also been using and following all the typical best practices (working locally, importing to a new file, etc etc) but I will also try a software repair and getting in touch with the support team.
I didn't find a support case for you yet, but that's definitely the best idea so we can get to the bottom of what you're running into! I'll go ahead and open a case for you, and you'll see a notification of that shortly.
I've not seen slides mysteriously move from one scene to another from using copy/paste elsewhere in the course, so it's an odd situation! If you can let the Support Team know what update of Storyline 360 you're on, that'll also be helpful info. (The latest is Storyline 360, build 3.22.17236.0)
I'll follow along in your case too so that I can share any updates back in this discussion!
Thanks, Ashley, for opening the support case, I had not yet had a chance
to. To clarify--slides are not moving to different scenes. They are moving
WITHIN a scene :)
Ah, good distinction, Katie! Still odd and unexpected though - so I'm glad I set up that case with our Support team. You should be hearing from them shortly.
16 Replies
Hi Nina,
Are you using the German or English Interface while within Storyline? I know we've got a colleague in Germany as well so I'm going to ask her if she's run into similar issues with this, as I don't have the same keyboard set up. Also is it only copying things from the base to the layers that causes this? If you were to copy/paste text in from within Microsoft word does that work normally?
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for your reply. The German [Strg] key does the same as the English [Ctrl] key; there's no difference between them. I am using the English version of Articulate, but a German Windows.
I've tried - all without success - to copy a shape from base layer to another layer, to copy a shape from another layer to the base layer, to copy a shape between two not-base layers. Same happens when I try to copy text boxes.
If I use the buttons from the home tab instead, it works absolutely fine. Copied texts from Word are working fine as well.
I've tried to find any hint here in the forum. There was an old thread describing that Articulate crashes when you try to paste something without having clicked the slide or the layer before pasting. At first I thought it has nothing to do with my problem, but then I tried to only paste after having clicked the layer. This works actually. But why do I have to click to be able to use a keyboard shortcut while the click is not necessary when I use a button? I would still say that it's a bug. What do you think?
Thanks again for your help and kind regards,
Nina
Hi Nina,
So when you're trying to copy/paste onto a layer or other slide, how are you indicating where you'd like it to copy to if you have clicked that slide/layer? I'm trying to replicate it using my English UI and Windows and all the copy/paste keyboard shortcuts and Home tab choices work the same for me - but the element you mentioned in terms of
At first I thought it has nothing to do with my problem, but then I tried to only paste after having clicked the layer. This works actually. But why do I have to click to be able to use a keyboard shortcut while the click is not necessary when I use a button? I would still say that it's a bug. What do you think?
Gave me some pause as I'm not sure I'm following the same steps as you mentioned here. Does Storyline crash for you though - or it just doesn't appear to paste the item?
Hi Ashley,
about how I indicate where exactly I want to paste:
When I copy a few shapes from the base layer and paste them on a top layer, I expect the shapes to be pasted to the same position as on the base layer. This happens by the way, if Storyline understands, that I want to paste.
What I do is this:
1. Select the shapes from a base layer (using a held-down [Ctrl] key to select several by clicking them).
2. Copy the selected shapes with [Ctrl] + [C].
3. Click the name of my top layer in the Slide Layers floating window, so the top layer is shown in the Storyline main window.
4. Hit [Ctrl] + [V] to paste the Shapes.
This fourth step is where nothing happens. Storyline does not crash, but it does not paste the copied shapes either when I use the [Ctrl]+[V] to paste. When I use the Paste button from the Home tab, the shape is pasted.
But: If I add a step more to my workflow, it suddenly works:
1. Select the shapes from a base layer (using a held-down [Ctrl] key to select several by clicking them).
2. Copy the selected shapes with [Ctrl] + [C].
3. Click the name of my top layer in the Slide Layers floating window, so the top layer is shown in the Storyline main window.
4. Click anywhere on the top layer.
5. Hit [Ctrl] + [V] to paste the Shapes.
In this case the shapes are pasted.
So in my opinion the bug is, that [Ctrl]+[V] does not work exactly as the Paste button, because with the shortcut you have to click the slide before pasting works, but with the button you don't have to.
I hope this explanation was in rich enough detail so you can really try out the steps I did.
Thanks again for your help and have a nice weekend,
Nina
Thanks Nina for sharing those steps - I was able to follow it exactly and the Paste shortcut keys worked when I hadn't clicked anywhere on the layer but just on the layer as listed in the side bar. I recorded a quick video of it in with Peek and uploaded it here. The video says Storyline 1 - but that's just a typo! It's Storyline 2.
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for your video! I've checked the version as you explained. It is Update 11: 1609.3020. Next I've recreated a new file as yours, just with one slide, a few shapes, and an additional layer. There the copy & paste works fine, precisely as expected (which left me totally confused). The file I am working with and which is giving me this copy & paste trouble is an older one which has been converted from Storyline 1 to Storyline 2. Maybe that's the cause of the issue!
I guess I can work with this knowledge in mind because new files will work fine. But maybe it's something worth knowing for the support team so they can have a look into the file conversion engine?
Thanks a million again for your help, Ashley.
Cheers from Hamburg,
Nina
Hi Nina,
I'm glad the video helped isolate the issue a bit further. I'll look a bit deeper into the behavior with upgrading a file from SL1 to SL2 and see if I can get that same behavior to occur - but it's good to know you're all set with a work around and the know how of working on brand new files as well. Have you seen it on all your files you're upgrading from SL1 to SL2? If it's just this file it may also be an issue with that specific file. Did you look at confirming that you're working on project files as detailed here? Also you could look at importing it into a new Storyline file to see if that resolves any of the odd behavior.
Thanks again for sharing more specifics and I'm glad we were able to narrow it down some!
Hi Nina, as you wrote you have to add one more step if you use the keyboard shortcut, I think you also have this step when you use the button but it's like a "hidden" step.
I try to explain what I mean: There is more than one "Paste" Button in Storyline. First one on the home tab, second one at "Triggers" sidebar and third one at layer menue. All this three buttons use strg+v. Therefore using the shortcut you have to be a bit more precicse which option do you want ;) by click inside the page, the triggers oder the layer area.
Great if this is easier with new courses, but I can comprehend why this happened.
Hi Ashley,
I've done everything as in your first link, yes.
About the second link: I've not imported the old Storyline file into a new one by any of the descriptions mentioned, but instead simply opened the old file in Storyline 2. Then I was asked if I would like to upgrade it to the new format and I said yes.
Other files: I've just tried with another one. To be able to recreate the error I've simply opened this file as well and let Storyline do the upgrade. Guess what: Copying and pasting via keyboard shortcuts works! So it is obviously not a bug in the software but instead a problem with my file. As the file is nearly finished I could happily live with this and we could stop spending time for any further research.
Just out of curiosity, how could I solve such a thing? I have no idea where this error comes from. Would importing everything into a new file do the trick?
Thanks again for guiding me through this, Ashley!
Cheers,
Nina
Hi Nina,
Often if it's just one file and you already confirmed to be following the guidelines about working locally and project file naming conventions there isn't much else to do to solve it. You could try importing it as I mentioned as that often resolves odd behavior, but it isn't a guarantee.
I'm glad to hear it's just that one file and that we were able to figure it out. :)
I have had this issue a LOT with Storyline2 and now Storyline 360. It will let you copy and paste some things from one slide or layer to the next, but after a while it just crashes. Text boxes seem to cause it to crash every time no matter what. It doesn't matter if you use the shortcut keys or right-click or the commands on the home tab. This drives me nuts because I copy/paste quite a bit, so I can quickly make sure an item is in the exact same place on every screen. Yes I know I can right-click and use the size and position pop-up, but copy/paste is much quicker.
PLEASE work this bug out! Attached is the error I get every time.
Hello Wendy!
Sorry to hear that you've run into an issue with your software crashing. I would be a bit frustrated as well.
I know you mentioned both Storyline 2 and Storyline 360, but are these the same courses or do you experience the issue when working in any course.
I know we had a few users report for Storyline 2, but we were not able to reproduce and (as you can see in this thread) seemed file specific.
If it's specific files, I certainly encourage you to import your slides into a new project to see if that alleviates the issue. If it's all files, please repair your software to see if that helps and be sure that you are working locally both with the software and with your files.
I have not seen this reported for SL360 though, so if this is something consistently happening, we would want to take a look and I encourage you to work with our support team here.
I know this is an older thread but I haven't found a newer one to report to add my two cents to...If there is a newer thread feel free to point me in that direction.
I am also having a lot of issues with Storyline 360 crashing after copy/pasting. I get the same error message as Wendy V. I am also having a TON of issues with slides moving themselves to a new location (for example, one slide in a scene suddenly being in a new location within the same scene after that slide was either copied from or pasted onto). For me it is primarily when using keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste, although I am also having problems after using shortcuts to Cut or Duplicate. Like Wendy mentioned, it often works fine for awhile and then crashes, or then starts to act buggy with slides moving to new locations. Not sure if the issues are tied to the CTRL key somehow, or a clipboard getting overloaded and causing issues, or....?
This is not file specific for me. I have also been using and following all the typical best practices (working locally, importing to a new file, etc etc) but I will also try a software repair and getting in touch with the support team.
Hi Katie,
I didn't find a support case for you yet, but that's definitely the best idea so we can get to the bottom of what you're running into! I'll go ahead and open a case for you, and you'll see a notification of that shortly.
I've not seen slides mysteriously move from one scene to another from using copy/paste elsewhere in the course, so it's an odd situation! If you can let the Support Team know what update of Storyline 360 you're on, that'll also be helpful info. (The latest is Storyline 360, build 3.22.17236.0)
I'll follow along in your case too so that I can share any updates back in this discussion!
Thanks, Ashley, for opening the support case, I had not yet had a chance
to. To clarify--slides are not moving to different scenes. They are moving
WITHIN a scene :)
Ah, good distinction, Katie! Still odd and unexpected though - so I'm glad I set up that case with our Support team. You should be hearing from them shortly.
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.