Is JavaScript Needed? Storyline 360 vs. JavaScript Code Offerings

Adding JavaScript code to a Storyline 360 course can extend its capabilities and interactivity. With that said, the availability of some functionality within Storyline 360 has removed the need to add custom JavaScript code to your courses, depending upon the type of functionality you’re looking to add.

 

I have compiled the information below with links to supporting resources to provide instructional designers with resources to add custom functionality to Storyline 360 courses using “out of the box” programming or custom JavaScript code.  

 

Global note: Whenever JavaScript code is used within a Storyline course, the course must be published in order to view and test the code. JavaScript code will not run in Preview mode within Storyline. Also, JavaScript is not supported in the Articulate Mobile Player app.

 

Random Number Generation

Random numbers can be generated both with "out of the box" Storyline 360 programming and with custom JavaScript code.

Storyline 360 Resources: 

• Video Demonstration
• Articulate Article

JavaScript Resource:

• Articulate Article (Section: Generate a Random Number)

Storyline 360 vs. JavaScript: Storyline 360 offers random number generation without custom code, rounded to the nearest integer using a method similar to the Math.floor() method (Learn More). If you want to include decimal points in your random number, or if you want to specify the method used to round the random number to the nearest integer, you may want to use JavaScript code.

 

Launch Email Message & Specify Contents

To launch an email message from within Storyline 360 and specify the contents of the email, such as including plain text or exporting the values of the variables within your course, custom JavaScript code will need to be added.

JavaScript Resources:

• Articulate Article (Section: Launch New Email Message)
• My Article - Export Variable Values via Email Message using JavaScript

 

Grant Course Completion in LMS Based on Branching Path Completion

When publishing a Storyline course for LMS use, course completion can be tracked via percentage or number of slides viewed, the learner's completion of a quiz, or via a "complete course" trigger. If various branching paths are used, completion can be tracked via a results slide or "complete course" trigger. No JavaScript programming is need to accomplish this. 

Storyline Resource:

• My Article - Grant Course Completion in LMS Based on Branching Path Completion

 

Search Functionality

To enable users to search for content within a course, two methods can be used: the search function can be enabled within the Storyline 360 player, or custom JavaScript code can be added to the course.

Storyline 360 Resource: 

• Articulate Article (Section: Choosing Player Controls)

JavaScript Resource:

• My Article - Build Custom Search within Storyline using JavaScript

Storyline 360 vs. JavaScript: Storyline 360 offers search functionality within the player, so a user can search for any text within the course from any slide within the course. The user can then view the slide that the text is present on by selecting it from the list of search results in the player. If using JavaScript, code would need to be added to the slide or slides applicable to enable search functionality on those slides. The search criteria would need to be specified within the code, and custom triggers can be added to this functionality. If for example, you want a lightbox to appear when the user enters specific search terms, this could be accomplished by combining JavaScript & Storyline triggers.

 

Display Date / Time

To display the date and/or date and time within a Storyline course, custom JavaScript code will need to be added.

JavaScript Resource:

• Articulate Article (Section: Change the Value of a Storyline Variable)

 

 

Print Course Content

Within Storyline 360, you can allow the user to print the results slide of your course by using the trigger "Print Results" and specifying the results slide. If you want to enable the user to print any content within your course, JavaScript code will need to be added.

Storyline Resource:

• Articulate Article (Section: Choose Result Slide Features)

JavaScript Resource:

• Articulate Article (Sections: Print Current Slide & Print Completion Certificate) 

 

Hope this helps! Happy programming!