How do I create a trigger for a group of shapes

Jun 05, 2019

I have an object that appears when a user clicks on a hotpot. It is not a layer. I want the object to appear on top of the background. Then I want the user to click the close shape (which is a separate oval with an X in the upper right-hand corner of the object) to Change The State of the object to Hidden, so they can click the next object. Of course I want the oval with an X to disappear as well. So I grouped the oval with an X shape and the object together. But when I created a trigger to "Change The State of the" object to Hidden, it doesn't recognize the group of the oval with an X shape and the object (it doesn't appear in the list of things I can make disappear). So the oval with an X shape stays visible even when the object disappears. 

How do I get the oval with an X to disappear with the object if what I am trying to get to disappear is an object, not a layer?

Thank you!

11 Replies
Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Deirdre,

Love that you're digging into Storyline and all creative ways to add triggers. I'd love to take a look at your .story file to follow the set up and logic you're working with here (I'm a visual person!). Are you able to share a copy of it with us? You can upload it by clicking here and using the Add Attachment button. 

Deirdre Sherman

Ashley,

I typed up a long, detailed response, and added the slide only to find out that my company prohibits me from uploading anything here. 

So, imagine a slide with a picture of a web page that is divided into 4 horizontal sections (I have hotspots on each rectangular section. The user hovers of an horizontal section, and a red border appears. The user clicks the section, and a larger (close-up) image of that section appears. Now, how do I make that larger close-up image go away so the user can now click on the next horizontal section to see yet another larger close-up image?

I have created small circular shapes with large Xs and placed them at the upper right-hand corner of each larger close-up image. But as I mentioned, there's no way to create a trigger that makes two objects disappear (or a group of objects). 

I am sure there's a work around, as I can't be the only one wanting to do this...

Deirdre Sherman

I cannot upload anything, not even a blank document. 

Really, what I need to know how to do is this:

  1. I have 5 objects, 4 have hotspots  - user clicks  hotspot 1 - displays object 1 (on top of base object)
  2. User clicks hotspot 2 and displays object 2 (on top of base object)
  3. and so on.

But each time user clicks on a hotspot and displays an object, they need to be able to close (or hide) that object so they can display the next object. 

Sorry for the explanation - I hope it's clear. 

Deirdre Sherman

Update - I ended up just creating a trigger for each object to "Change state of object to" hidden "when user clicks outside of object".

I don't know why i didn't think of it earlier - it would have saved me headache. I guess I'm so used to that little X in the top right-hand corner that closes stuff....

Still..if anyone knows of another way...please let me know. 

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Deirdre,

I would have suggested using a layer to showcase the new zoomed in image and the X mark. That way the trigger could say "Hide layer when the user clicks the X icon". 

You could also group the items together and add a trigger to a group. Here's a tutorial on how to group objects. 

Hope both those ideas help!

Deirdre Sherman

Hi Ashley,

I am learning there are many ways to accomplish things in Storyline.

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but how do you create ONE trigger that "hides group"? When I create a trigger to "hide an object" it is only that, ONE object, not a group. The group doesn't appear in the list of things I can hide. I know I can create multiple triggers off the same object, or for the same object, but that can get messy. 

What am i missing? 

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