Embed Web Objects - Google Spreadsheet
Jul 22, 2016
By
Bobbi Bailey
I am trying to embed a Google Spreadsheet into SL2. I want the spreadsheet to open within the slide of the story, and have selected "Display in Slide" option. However, when I publish, the web object opens the Excel program and displays externally of my SL2 project. Any ideas?
The Google Doc address is below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FDPpQCH1LJDqxejUnbGcHNY1nymvNmtCA04eBdo7l8M/pub?output=xlsx
My .story and published .zip files are attached.
Any assistance is greatly appreciated!
Bobbi
23 Replies
Hi Bobbi,
When I open that Google doc link right from this forum thread, it downloads an .xls file vs. opening in Google docs as I'd expect - so I'd look at the URL you're grabbing to share as a part of your web object.
Ashley,
I have it as an .xls file because The user needs to be able to manipulate the data. Publishing it as an html on google docs doesn't allow the data to be manipulated.
Hi Bobbi,
I just create a simple Google sheets doc and embedded it in my course here. I double checked that I set the editing rights for anyone, and I'm able to view it in the slide and add in any additional information. So it seems to be based on how you link the file and what you allow for in terms of editing.
Ashley,
When I try to look at your file (link in your last response), I get an error. See screen capture attached.
Hi Bobbi - Looks like a Tempshare link, which is only good for 10 days and Ashley's response was from 28 days ago.
Did you take a look at the explanation shared and check your permissions?
I got caught up in other priorities and had to put this on the back burner for a bit. I am just now getting back to it. I was unable to see Ashley's example, so can't see how she has her settings, in order to compare mine.
Actually... what would be ideal (and not sure if it is possible), is I would like to have an excel file as a resource document (and therefore housed within the course itself). I would like to be able to have the excel file open in a lightbox and have the user be able manipulate the data.
Basically, we have some quiz questions that the user needs to use a spreadsheet (that is pre-populated with formulas) to calculate and arrive at an answer. We do not want the excel file to open externally of the course.
Hi Bobbi!
How about this:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/tempshare-stage.storyline.articulate.com/sto_1aqi86decaa91hkofubcnpbqf9/story.html
Leslie,
Almost!!! Even though the user clicks the red "x" to close the lightbox (without saving), google docs still saves any changes the user makes. Basically, the spreadsheet will have formulas in it to conduct calculations, in order for the user to derive an answer to a test question. We cannot have the actual document be edited (saved).
Is there a way to add the spreadsheet to the resources and then have that pulled into the lightbox? Ideally, I'd like to get away from google docs all together... any other suggestions?
I do not Bobbi - I apologize. Hopefully someone in the community will be able to chime in and offer their suggestions for your design need.
Hi Bobbi,
Glad that Leslie was able to find an example to share with you here - and although it doesn't work as you'd expect, the Google doc is actually controlling the saving behavior. It saves pretty much automatically so there isn't a way around that.
Ashley,
Is there a way to embed an excel spreadsheet without using google docs? As I mentioned in my earlier posts, ultimately, that would be the preference.
I've used a local web object to embed a pdf fillable form. This would probably work for the excel spreadsheet as well.
I have an example file I can provide. I'll try to explain how this is set up:
You create a folder that must be stored in the same location as your story file. In my example, the file is called "webobject1". Within this folder, you place the document (pdf, excel, etc.) that the user will be opening up within the course. Also in this folder you have a html file - this must be named "index.html". You can create this html file in Notepad or WordPad. This file contains some very basic html coding that references the document. On the Storyline slide where you want to embed the document, you click Insert > WebObject - and instead of entering a web address for a link you click on the folder icon and navigate to the web object folder.
Attached is a zip file with my example files. Slide #1.4 is where the local object appears.
Hi Bobbi,
Not a way that I know of - although as Melanie shared, that method of using a local web object may work for you. I just don't know how it would work in connection with being able to update and see the changes across all the users.
I am going to test Melanie's method. I don't want changes to be seen across all users, which is why I am having an issue with Google docs... it updates and saves, which in the case for which we need it, is bad.
Here's a video tutorial on local web objects you might find useful! (It is done the same in Presenter and Storyline.)
https://player.vimeo.com/video/204927865
Not sure if I am doing something incorrect, or if it won't work with Excel. I am getting an error "A plugin is needed to display this content".
I've attached my test file... along with an image of the error I am getting.
Local web objects may not work when testing from a local drive. Can you try to publish and put online to your LMS, or to SCORM Cloud?
From SCORM cloud, I get the following error: "Oops! Page not found! It looks like the file you were looking for is missing or has moved. If you feel you reached this message in error, please let us know at support@scorm.com"
But when I look at the file structure, the files are there (story_content > WebObjects > 6UHWWgh8DBY > Index.html (and the .xls file).
Can you try with an excel file? I'm wondering if this will work with excel.
I think the problem is the basic html coding I've used doesn't work to display an excel file format. I'm looking for different html coding but I'm a super-basic user with html, so perhaps someone else could chime in on this?
Also, if you can publish the excel file as a web page and then link to that, it should work. I am reading some information about being able to publish an excel file as a web page format, but don't really understand that. Sorry!
Here's a tutorial that might be helpful. They've used Live.com to host the excel file. https://player.vimeo.com/video/204869869
Hi there, I've embedded this code snippet in Rise and could not get it to work. Am I missing something?
<iframe width="424" height="577" seamless frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vT9XPW-bIG5aHBhKtK2LMe02dffOj9Or3iyrmqQF_92lcl5G_NA28HZoXoPu66z4KrCPtZrrMR10Qvn/pubchart?oid=2010405187&format=interactive"></iframe>
Hi JB,
I embedded that code in a Rise lesson for URL/Embed and the Block Media type - Embed, and both worked to show me this:
Do you see an error message when trying to use this code? If you see an Invalid Embed code message, take a look at the possible solutions here. I was able to copy and paste your code from ELH directly into Rise using the Chrome browser. So perhaps give that a try as well!
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