Limit to number of button actions?
Sep 07, 2023
Hi Smart Storyline folk.
I built this ridiculously complicated slide with 32 buttons that trigger a state change to show definitions for a bunch of regulations but they seem to get stuck after clicking a few. The triggers are correct, but after clicking a few of the definitions, one seems to get stuck and renders the rest of the buttons to a helpless state where they will no longer show their definition. It varies which button makes them stick, as well as which number of clicks breaks it.
It's the regulations layer. All of the triggers are programmed the same. All of the definitions objects are initially set to hidden and the trigger makes them visible.
What am I missing here?
5 Replies
The text boxes with the definitions have solid fills (or, at least, some of them do; I didn't check every one).
Because there are no triggers to hide a definition after it is set to Normal, a definition won't appear if it is below another definition with a solid fill.
The relatively easy fix for this:
By the way, I noticed that the buttons have different colors for their visited states. If that's intentional, there should be an explanation of what each color stands for. If not, then use the Formal Painter to give all the buttons the same Visited state.
BRILLIANT! Thanks Judy. I never thought to make the definitions states. The colors are supposed to indicate if it's a consumer reg (yellow) or asset security state (green), or neither (blue) but I guess I haven't made that terribly clear. I'll fix that. The goal is to help them see that regs do different things, and this is their first exposure to them so I'm doing things with familiarity at this point.
Thanks for your help!
Your issue stems from the definitions position in the timeline. The EXPEDITED FUNDS AVAILABILITY ACT (REG CC) Definition is at the top in the timeline with other definitions below it. As a result, it masks the other state changes happening behind it. Think of the order in the timeline (top to bottom) as a stack of objects of equal size. You can only see the top one.
I can think of two feasible solutions:
Create new states of the Directions text box equal to the Definition. Have the state of the Directions text box change state to match the button clicked. It would work within your existing layer.
The second option is to have the Federal Regulation link to a new page. Then you can use layers to show the definition equal to the button clicked.
See attached. I did three examples of state changes for the directions text box. They are highlighted with a red arrow. I did the first 5 (Left column, top down) examples of using layers.
Close but no cigar!
Garth, I implemented your put it on another slide idea but kept it with the changing states as you and and Judy suggested. I also fiddled with the directions and put them on a separate layer to try to clear that up.
BUT!!!! Nothing is showing in the changing text box where the definition is supposed to show. My triggers appear to look just like yours. Changing text box is at the top of the timeline so nothing is blocking it. Can anyone see what I've missed in the fix?
This is getting uglier and uglier. I'm open for suggestions of a way to display these 32 regs that isn't so cluttered if anyone has some insights.
Thanks!!
It's a weird quirk that Storyline doesn't like text boxes with no text in the Normal state. That somehow confuses the program.
In the attached file, I just added a few spaces to the Normal state of the Changing Text text box, and now the triggers work.
Bottom line: There's need to be some text in the Normal state of a text box. It doesn't have to be visible to the user, but the program needs to "see" it. 😊