Fix or remove Slide Numbers inserted from Storyline

Dec 29, 2020

Jennifer Kurtinitis
By Jennifer Kurtinitis

I have a course that was recently converted from flash/HTML5 to HTML5 only. Something funky happened in the conversion and the slide numbers that had been inserted from SL look fine on the slide except for when a popup is clicked. Then, something happens and the numbers are transposed on top of each other. To top it off, I am unable to edit or remove the numbers (I can't even click the box). Ideally I would like to edit, but if that's not possible, I would like to remove it. Does anyone know how to do either of those things?

This is what it looks like when I arrive on the slide:

regular view

This is how it looks when I click a pop up:

Pop up

This is what it looks like when editing the slide. 

Slide view

Here is an example of the trigger settings:

triggers

4 Replies
Judy Nollet
over 3 years ago12/29/20 at 2:35 pm (UTC)

Hi, Jennifer,

It's hard to troubleshoot without seeing the file. Based on the images, I'd guess that a copy of the slide-numbering text box is on the layer, which makes it appear on top of the one on the base. If so, you should just be able to delete the extra text box from the layer. 

  • FYI: The project uses custom variables for the slide numbering. Variables are displayed by entering the percentage sign followed by the variable name followed by another percentage sign. That's why you're seeing %currentSlide% of %totalSlides%" when you're editing the file. 

As for not being able to select an object for editing: check the timeline. The objects were probably locked. For example, the image below shows that 2 of the 3 items on the timeline are locked:

Locking is handy when you're editing and want to be sure you don't accidentally move an object. Just deselect/unlock the objects on the timeline, and they'll be editable.

Jennifer Kurtinitis
over 3 years ago12/29/20 at 3:45 pm (UTC)

Thanks for the reply Judy. That is what I also thought, but in playing with locking and unlocking the objects, I was still unable to click on the slide numbers (which seemed odd since I can click on everything else on the screen).  I've attached the file if you'd like to take a closer look. 

Judy Nollet
over 3 years ago12/29/20 at 9:55 pm (UTC)

Hi, Jennifer,

Having the file helped me find the problem. 

First, the slide numbering wasn't clickable because it's on the Master layout. Which makes sense, since it's used on all the slides. 

 

TIP: All objects on a given slide are listed in the timeline. Objects on the Master don't appear on the timeline (except for placeholders, which are designed to be edited on slides). So if you don't see a given object on the timeline, check the Master! 

Looking at the Masters, it appears that the #2 Master & its layouts are used throughout. However, the program says the #1 Master is used. It seems that the layers somehow got the #1 Master applied as their layout, instead of one of the Feedback Master layouts. I don't know how, because I've never seen that. (It might be a holdover from an earlier version?)

Anyway, the #1 Master layout also has a text box for slide numbering. And it's got slightly different formatting. Because the #1 layout was used for the layers, that slide-number text box shows up on top of the one on the base when a layer is revealed. 

The easiest fix was to delete that extra text box from Slide Master #1, which I did in the attached file.  (Another option would have been to create a new, blank Feedback Master, and then apply that layout to all the layers.) 

Good luck finishing off your project!

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