drag and drop target

Oct 30, 2012

Still struggling to discover how to get my drag and drop items behind the target rather than in front of it.  I don't like the visual of the paper sticking on front of a rubbish bin rather than inside it.  Help please.

14 Replies
Frances Steinberg

That's a possibility, but I still don't like the visual of it sitting in front even temporarily, just looks wrong, like they've missed putting it inside.  I've tried to experiment with layers and transparent objects but I haven't found a combination that works but that could be a product of my low skill level.

Frances Steinberg

The two problems with that is that it still goes in front of the object, which I find annoying--it looks like you've missed putting it in the trash can but have placed it in front of it.  The second problem is that if I were placing it onto a file, I'd want all the elements to be filed to be seen as entering the file.  I know this is picky, but I find it a very annoying visual--Storyline is generally so classy looking, this just seems amateurish.

Phil Mayor

I dont think the implementation of drag and drop is amateurish, you would need to think this through yourself and create the result you need.

I would change the state to hidden when dropped, add a sound of paper filing when dropped and change the state of the object being dropped on to show that a sheet of paper has been added.

If you ensure the folder is above the drop object in the timeline then it will go behind (just tested that).  

Frances Steinberg

I think drag and drop is very classy, I was just saying that paper going in front of a file or trash can looked amateurish.  OK, I understand the bit about the state change when dropped but I have a whole series of things for them to file in two different baskets so I'm not sure what you mean about the folder above the object in the timeline.  Would you mind clarifying for me?

David Anderson

Hi Frances -

I'm attaching a screenshot and a demo file that shows how to set the drag item to hidden when dropped on a correct target.

This raises a good question around interaction design since this activity was set to delay feedback until all objects were dropped.

I like your idea of hiding drag items once they're dropped on a target. There's a level-clearing aspect to removing objects from the screen. Clearing the items and having a submit button could be confusing since you're combining immediate and delayed feedback techniques.

It may be best to remove submit button and provide feedback after each item is dropped (correct and/or incorrect) and then a final feedback message once the activity is completed. Here's an example of an interaction that uses a hide trigger for each complete drag item. 

Frances Steinberg

Thanks, Dave.  I'm having the same problem with your example.  I can get one object to hide when I drop it on an object, but I can't get other objects to hide if I drop them on the same target.  I know that note 2 is the only one you have set on hide, but if I set the others to hide when they reach the same target, they don't do it separately.  Depending on which one you drage first, it can make both of them disappear from the screen because the change is "when object dropped on" so if affects all of them.  The example with the flowers has them all hiding when they hit different targets.  See attached. 

Rebecca Fleisch Cordeiro

Hi Frances,

I THINK it's because the Prescribing the Symptoms trigger is incorrect.

I double-clicked the Trapezoid 1 object in the Triggers pane and set it up so

  • Action: Change state of
  • On Object: Text Box 2 Prescribing the Symptoms
  • To state: Hidden
  • When: Object dropped on
  • Object: Prescribing the Symptoms
  • Dropped on: check the Trapezoid 1 box (your Directive box)

You should probably also change the Imperfect Client in the same way, but it would be dropped on Trapezoid 2

Let us know if that fixes it.

Beth Bruner

Is there a way to keep the drop target on top without hiding the dragged items after they've been dropped? I don't want to provide feedback until all items have been dropped, and I'd prefer if students could decide to change their answers in the middle of the activity. Hiding the dragged items once they're dropped doesn't allow students an opportunity to see what they've already done, if needed.

I feel like this functionality should be standard. I can't think of a time when I would ever want the dragged item to show in front of the drop target. Maybe it's just me.