I am trying to figure out how I can add a Word Doc of PDF file in Storyline that will be open when the learner moves to the slide not just in the resources tab.
You can add an "Open URL/file" trigger to any object.
Another option (if the file isn't too long): create screenshots of the page(s), and insert them in a scrolling field. That, however, doesn't allow the user to save the file or keep it open separately as they move to other slides.
If you put the file in the resources, and publish it, SL packages it into the project's published folder. Then, you can create it on the slide as an object that opens with a trigger (open when timeline starts). The URL will need to be relative to the location of the story.html file. I published it, then moved the .story file in with the story.html file in the published folder, and use the regular open URL trigger to find it. But be careful, that will create a fully qualified URL. You then have to create a trigger from scratch, and type in only the part starting with "story_content".) Once you have found it and have the URL correct, you can republish it, because SL will package the file with the same name and location as the first time.
I tried this, and it works, except:
When you view a .pdf in a browser, you turn control over to the browser. If this will be used entirely internally, you may be able to control which browser is used, and maybe even how the browser treats PDF files.
If you open it automatically in the same browser window, when the learner returns to the slide, it will reopen the PDF.
If you open it automatically in a different browser window, when the learner returns to the slide, it will give them to option to Resume or Restart. Resume will reopen the PDF, and Restart will start the project from the beginning.
If you open it on a learner action (click), you can return to the slide that opened it.
If you opened it in a new browser window, you have to instruct the learner to close that window to get back to the project, and the instructions will have to be part of the PDF.
If you opened it in the same browser window, you have to instruct the learner to use the browser's previous button.
All of this is dependent on how the browser is set up to handle PDF files.
In short, you can have it automatically open, but I can't find a way you can get out of it. Of course, I don't know everything.
You can open it on a user action, but the results will be the same as using the Resources tab, only it will take more work to get it done.
Maybe somebody else will have a better way. Good luck.
3 Replies
Hi, Martin,
You can add an "Open URL/file" trigger to any object.
Another option (if the file isn't too long): create screenshots of the page(s), and insert them in a scrolling field. That, however, doesn't allow the user to save the file or keep it open separately as they move to other slides.
The file will not be accessible once the course has been launched. I cannot have a link to the file that is outside the course.
If you put the file in the resources, and publish it, SL packages it into the project's published folder. Then, you can create it on the slide as an object that opens with a trigger (open when timeline starts). The URL will need to be relative to the location of the story.html file. I published it, then moved the .story file in with the story.html file in the published folder, and use the regular open URL trigger to find it. But be careful, that will create a fully qualified URL. You then have to create a trigger from scratch, and type in only the part starting with "story_content".) Once you have found it and have the URL correct, you can republish it, because SL will package the file with the same name and location as the first time.
I tried this, and it works, except:
When you view a .pdf in a browser, you turn control over to the browser. If this will be used entirely internally, you may be able to control which browser is used, and maybe even how the browser treats PDF files.
If you open it automatically in the same browser window, when the learner returns to the slide, it will reopen the PDF.
If you open it automatically in a different browser window, when the learner returns to the slide, it will give them to option to Resume or Restart. Resume will reopen the PDF, and Restart will start the project from the beginning.
If you open it on a learner action (click), you can return to the slide that opened it.
If you opened it in a new browser window, you have to instruct the learner to close that window to get back to the project, and the instructions will have to be part of the PDF.
If you opened it in the same browser window, you have to instruct the learner to use the browser's previous button.
All of this is dependent on how the browser is set up to handle PDF files.
In short, you can have it automatically open, but I can't find a way you can get out of it. Of course, I don't know everything.
You can open it on a user action, but the results will be the same as using the Resources tab, only it will take more work to get it done.
Maybe somebody else will have a better way. Good luck.