Drag-and-drop mystery

Aug 15, 2014

I'm not sure if this is possible, but...

I've created a drag-and-drop interaction where the user needs to drag the numbered boxes to the correct column (what is the average of the two numbers?). The end result needs to look like a pyramid. I've achieved this with the current .story file; however, I'd like to do it so that you can drop the boxes into any of the drop targets in that column, rather than one specific box.

For example, for an average of 5.5, you can do the 5/6 box or the 6/5 box. Currently, you are required to put the 5/6 box in the top slot of the 5.5 column and the 6/5 in the bottom slot. I want to make it so that you can put either box into either of those slots, because those would both be the correct answer.

To see why I want to do this, try doing the interaction yourself before tackling the Storyline problem. You'll get frustrated almost immediately, because you know you have the right answer - but the stupid computer won't take it!

Also, I've tried all the different stacking options in the settings - none of them will get me the pyramid shape that I need.

Is there a way to do this?

21 Replies
Michel Koster

Hi StatEase,

I included a slide I made which has your problem solved.

Make states on all your objects (drop correct and drop incorrect)

Make triggers on all your objects (when dropped on target x, turn state to 'drop correct').. do this for all the correct drop targets for that shape.

Make triggers on all your objects (when dropped on target y, turn state to 'drop incorrect').. do this for all the incorrect drop targets for that shape.

Make it a 'pick one free form' (or T/F) and make triggers on the submit button to change True to selected when all objects are dropped correct and change False to selected when one your objects is 'dropped incorrect'.

And your done.

The slide I included isn't your piramid, but a simpler slide I made were you can see your problem solved.

(I only want to know how I can shuffle the shapes I start with, but I don't think you want to have that option, so your problem should be solved)

StatEase Admin

Michel, thank you, this looks promising. My problem now is that a) I'm working with grouped objects, and I can't change the state of grouped objects; and b) I can't get the dragged items to stay dropped when I preview it.

Rebecca, the video link you gave me takes me to my personal videos on youtube, not the Storyline ones.

StatEase Admin

Hi Rebecca,

The video was very helpful - I've now recreated my boxes as pictures and created new Drop Correct states for all my boxes. However, when I preview the slide (to test the boxes I've made triggers for), it doesn't drop the boxes - it snaps them back to their original place. What am I doing wrong here?

Rebecca Fleisch Cordeiro

Hi StatEase,

I took a quick look at your story and see that you've not yet converted it to a Pick One quiz. So you don't yet have in place the Correct and Incorrect buttons (which are placed offstage) that allow Storyline to score something as incorrect when it's placed in the wrong location. Since SL doesn't know what to do, it's snapping incorrectly placed objects back.

I think if you watch the video again, especially beginning at around 3:00, and or if you download my sample file and compare it to yours, you'll be able to move forward.

Let us know if that works for you!

StatEase Admin

I downloaded the file and compared it to my pyramid, and I watched the video again, and I made some changes. My boxes still refuse to drop properly. My personal next guesses for why they still snap back are a) I don't have triggers for all the drag items set up and b) the drop targets aren't exactly the same size as the drag items.

I've uploaded the changed version - do either of these guesses make sense? Is something wrong with the file itself?

Rebecca Fleisch Cordeiro

Hi StatEase,

There were two things going on with your file. I've uploaded it and I think it's working now (I added outline colors to the squares to help me know where to drop things...you can change those back or fix your original file in the way I've done).

First, although you'd added the Pick One freeform you hadn't "used" it. That is, you hadn't inserted the Correct and Incorrect buttons into the Pick One as choices...and therefore you also hadn't chosen the Correct button as the Correct answer.

Also, if you right click on any of your drag items, you'll see that the Drag Return option is not checked.For some reason it had been checked on your file (see screen shot)...I don't know why that was the case...I don't remember SL doing that be default in the past.

Anyway, it was preventing the incorrectly dragged items to be dropped. I unchecked all of these and I think you're now good to go.

Cleon McClure

Rebecca,  

Thanks so much for clear and simple instructions - and great training video..  I am so close to having this work.    All the features are good except that I don't want drag items (text boxes) to snap into the correct area or snap back to their original position.  I prefer the user drag the boxes anywhere on the screen with out the helpful snapping to position action.

 

Help please 

Cleon McClure

Hey Leslie McKerchie - I have another help need..  Attempting to have the questions reveal / display as the users completes the drag of both words to the on screen question..  I have it working for one word, but not both..  What additional conditional statement or variable feature do I need?

 

Thanks

Cleon

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