iPad output...
Jan 08, 2013
By
mark nunn
Hi,
Just wondered if there was a way of getting your Storyline course on the iPad without having to host it online and download the content to the iPad.
Reason being is that we work on projects that hold customers proprietary or restricted information and don't really want this being out in the public domain.
At the moment we just need a solution for testing on the iPad without online hosting.
So if anyone has any ideas of getting round this or whether there is any future plans to make the Articulate App have an option in iTunes to add courses and content straight from your local computer. (Which I seen done with other content creation apps).
Thanks in advance,
Mark.
14 Replies
Hi Mark,
Since this is for testing purposes, why not password protect a local webserver which hosts these courses before accessing the output folder(s)?
Or just use a shared dropbox folder between developers only.
Hope it helps,
Alex
Thanks for the quick response.
I'm thinking that a local websever would require Wi-Fi to connect and download which then be a problem as being "Wi-Fi " the servers would not be as secure..
Dropbox is still going to be on a public network and you storing somebody's sensitive material on a global server.
Not necessarily. You could setup a local XAMPP server and host the courses there. Not setting NAT on your router would mean the courses can only be accessible through your local network.
Having your beta-courses published with "Allow Download for offline use" enabled, you can then download the published story through Articulate Mobile Player using your private address on the LAN (e.g. 192.168.1.10/demo01/story.html). Once you download to your iPad(s), you can then remove the published output from the local server.
Essentially, it is the same process you would follow with iTunes, only with a few more clicks.
Alex
Hi to you both. Interesting posts, as I've been trying to work through the same issue. And, thanks for your response, Alexandros, for your thoughts on this same topic, with my question of a few hours earlier. It really appears that there is not an elegant work around to getting a course onto an iPad, unless it is first posted either to Dropbox or onto a web enabled server/web site, correct? I'm beginning to see this as another tech step, if for no other reason.... let's say that a freelancer does not have internal IT support, and has a third party managing or maintaining their website. A simple process of backing up to an iPad, with iTunes, via a sync wire, and through a PC is a very easy proposition, while the process of setting up a course onto a server, adding courses onto an existing website, that is probably hosted by GoDaddy or similar, while not hard, may be beyond what a freelancer is able to do, without experiencing a cost adder.. He/she would have to "pay" for someone to handle this step, be it their web host person, tech support person or ?... Thoughts?
Very good point Dave and it goes nicely along side my issue. It would be great to have the function in iTunes to drop and drag and add you content.
Alex, thanks for that other reply, but I've still got to use Wi-Fi to get my content which is not secure for the work we do.
Cheers
Hi Mark and Dave,
Mark, your only other option at this point (since you are located in the UK), is to Jailbreak your iPad and use a "USB app" from Cydia to be able to move stuff over from your PC. This way, you could move folders over like you would using iTunes, i.e. using the iPad cable and Windows explorer.
I realise this may have to be done to a series of iPads, so it may not be feasible in your case, but I think it's as close as it can get, with regards to satisfying your requirements.
Unfortunately, this does not apply to Dave (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/10/jailbreaking-now-legal-under-dmca-for-smartphones-but-not-tablets/).
Hope it helps,
Alex
So.... just to fully understand... the only way to place a course (without a jailbreak) onto or into an iPad is.... via a wireless, dowload methodolgy? There is no physical way to place a course into an iPad via a physical wire? Correct?
In short, yes you are correct.
However :
You could use iFunBox (http://www.i-funbox.com/) which claims to be able to support "Portable Disk" functionality without jailbreaking. I have not tested this though and this is why I remain cautious about the quality of the app, or if it does indeed work as advertised, so use "at your own risk".
Outside that, a stock iPad provides very little freedom.
I'll give that a go Alex thanks.
I agree with your iPad comment, shame most of our client want to use iPads otherwise our lives would be easier!
Alex and Mark... Thanks for your thoughts on this... and yes, about the iPad comments... it appears the only way in... is by going around... not the best, and a bit more costly (time/extra resources). Thanks, again!
Lets hold out for the Heroes! ;o)
Fingers crossed this works for you, keep us posted!
Hi all,
I am trying to work out a way to deliver Storyline content to iPads offline, without an LMS. There are quite a few roadblocks that I am running into and I am hoping some of you may have at least a few answers. Thanks in advance.
In brief, the situation is that the client has hired a third-party vendor to create a custom CMS as well as an iPad app that will (supposedly) run the html5 content. Aside from this being completely new and completely untested (as well as obviously untested with Storyline), I have a number of other concerns:
1. HTML5 Compatibility.
Chart states that only one video or audio resource can be used per slide. Does this mean that if I want to have (2) videos on one slide, (activated by “tap” and opening in a new window, or layer, or lightbox), the user will not be able to view the second video after the first is completed? Is there a solution that might work best here of the “new window, layer, lightbox” options? Or will I have to make a new screen with a condition to mark off the first video if it has already been watched?
2. Publish options.
The ultimate deliverable is to be viewed on iPad offline. However it will not be viewed through Articulate Mobile App. There is a custom app being developed for this purpose. When I publish, should I just choose html5? Or should I also check the Articulate Mobile and enable viewing offline boxes?
3. Tracking/TIN CAN.
The content is to be downloaded for offline viewing on iPad from a custom CMS and a custom app. However, there is a request to track the following data: 1) unique ID – to be entered on screen 1 by user and tracked as a variable; 2) time spent in course; 3) course completion. The CMS is not SCORM/AICC compliant. We are trying to find out if it can useTin Can.
- If it can, will we be able to track these three data points – perhaps by adding a button instructing the course to put user back online and send that data?
- If it can’t, any other ideas for how we might report on this data?
Leslie, the developers at my company have told me that the answer to your first question is that a separate slide must be used for each audio and/or video resource - you cannot have 2 on the same slide, when viewed via iPad. On the iPad, it will play the first media resource, but have no way to initiate any media after that - there is no "auto-play" available.
We have gotten around this in the past by using multiple slides that are identical, except for the playable media.
Downside: this locks the user into a forced navigational path within the course.
hth,
- kl
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