Line style width increases when object is copied

Feb 21, 2013

Joshua Taylor
By Joshua Taylor

Hello,

I had formatted a caption in Storyline a certain way, and wished to continue using the same format and size on subsequent slides. It dawned on me that it wasn't the same though: each time I copied it, the width of the line border around it was increasing. If I copied the copy, and then copied that, the changes in width became quite dramatic: the original width of 5 px became 11, then 24, 54, 120, 268, 595, 1322 (at which point the border took up the majority of my screen), etc.

I know how to fix this issue- if I manually go back to the original caption and adjust the width of the line (even if I just type a new '5' over the current 5 px), then any copy made will stay at the 5 px width. I was just curious if this was a bug or an intentional design, and whether or not anyone else had ever encountered it. I'm not sure how it happened to me, as when I create a new caption and copy it the issue isn't reproduced. It has happened to me a few other times though, so this isn't an isolated occurrence.

Here's a quick screenshot, showing boxes with widths of 11, 24, 54 and 120, copied and pasted sequentially from a caption with an original width of 5.

20 Replies
Christine Hendrickson
11 years ago02/21/13 at 10:42 am (UTC)

Hi Joshua,

I've tried various methods to reproduce this, but I'm not having any luck. How are you creating the caption? Are you using a shape, text entry, etc.? 

I've tried this with defining a specific size with a text entry, without a defined size and applying the line width to both. I also tried using a shape and adjusting the line width. I've used the keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste the objects, as well as the shortcuts to duplicate them. I'm just not seeing the same thing.

Are you able to share a .STORY file with an object that's behaving like this, so I can take a look?

Joshua Taylor
11 years ago02/22/13 at 9:06 am (UTC)

Hi Christine,

It does seem to happen randomly- any time I've sought to replicate the issue I haven't had any luck, which is most perplexing! Try using the story I've attached, access the layer and copy the object within it, and please let me know if it happens to you as well.

Thanks!

-Josh

Christine Hendrickson
11 years ago02/22/13 at 10:10 am (UTC)

Hi Josh!

Thanks for the file

This was totally weird until I checked the weight for the Shape Outline. When viewing from my end, there was no defined weight for the outline. After changing the weight on the object to a defined weight (I chose "5"), I no longer saw this issue when copying the item. It looks like it happens when the weight isn't defined to begin with. 

Obviously not a complicated modification, but I'm attaching the file if you'd like to test this on your end, too.

Thanks!

Joshua Taylor
11 years ago02/22/13 at 12:20 pm (UTC)

Thanks Christine!

I too found that specifying a like weighting before copying solved the problem, I was mostly just curious to see what would cause it to increase with each generation, and if anyone else had experienced it before. Your explanation of the weighting on the original shape definitely makes sense though, cheers!

-Josh

James Bretzler
almost 3 years ago07/16/21 at 8:44 pm (UTC)

Yeah, this is happening to me as well. I had defined weights already and have been using the same text boxes (copies and pasted) to build out 8 different courses without issue (Save as the project, gut it and rebuild with the same infrastructure), and then it started to do this. I tried reinstalling Articulate360, it didn't change anything. 

Lauren Connelly
almost 3 years ago07/20/21 at 8:01 pm (UTC)

Hello James!

Thank you for bringing this to our attention! I just tried this same on my end, copying and pasting text boxes, and I do not see any change in the line style. I am using Storyline 360 (Build 3.53.25436.0). Are you using this version as well? I'm happy to take a look at your file as well. You can either attach it to this discussion or upload it privately in a support case.

Denise Schelsky
over 2 years ago08/09/21 at 10:27 pm (UTC)

This is happening to me as well, and I also had defined weights. If I go back into the formatting, and re-define the line weight, then it lets me copy it without anything changing.  I have several objects that are grouped, and it adds weight to some (but not all) of the components within the grouped object.    I have to fix this in so many places that I might as well start from scratch.  If I just Duplicate the slide, it copies correctly. But if I duplicate the layer, it increases the weights the same as when I copy and paste the object.  (I am on 3.50.24832.0)

Lauren Connelly
over 2 years ago08/10/21 at 4:29 pm (UTC)

Hello Denise!

Sorry, you're running into this issue as well! Are you finding this specifically happens with grouped objects? Our Support Engineers are best suited for finding the fix to this behavior, and you can reach out to them in a support case. It would be helpful to attach your .story file so they have a file to test.

Bernadette Neal
1 year ago03/20/23 at 5:10 pm (UTC)

I am having the same issue as described in the original post.

I had created a project using a rectangle shape that had no fill, but had an outline weight of 4px.

I needed to create several projects with the same look and wanted to keep the exact same shape in each. So I just did a "save as" of the first original project and renamed it each time. I opened one of these "new" projects and tried to...

1) copy the shape using the right click menu

2) duplicate the shape using ctrl+d

3) duplicate the shape by clicking on the shape, holding the ctrl button, and dragging.

In each case, the outline of the object kept duplicating. So, the original shape had an outline of 4px. The first copy made it 8px. When I copied the first copy, it made it 16px. And so on.

The "solution" is to completely start from scratch in creating the shape for each project.

So, I'm wondering if doing a "Save As" of the original project has something to do with this odd occurrence.

Jose Tansengco
1 year ago03/22/23 at 2:05 pm (UTC)

Hello Bernadette, 

Sorry to hear that you ran into this issue. I'm not seeing the same thing on my end when I followed the steps that you shared, so there's a chance that a specific set of actions need to be performed in order to properly observe this behavior. 

To troubleshoot the issue, try doing a repair of Storyline 360 to see if this helps address the behavior. If the issue persists, would it be alright if we asked you to make a recording of how you are arriving at the issue so we can attempt to replicate it? Here's how:

Ashley Ward
5 months ago12/12/23 at 1:04 pm (UTC)

I was told that I needed to open the object details and change the line width from there and the issue would not continue. That the issue was a corruption in my file. It was not fixed without my continuous intervention. Please formally report it; they said that it would only be addressed if a certain number of people reported it.

Best regards,

Ashley Ward
Technical Training and E-Learning Developer

Mobile +1 385 463 8210
ashley.ward@flsmidth.com

Steven Benassi
5 months ago12/15/23 at 6:21 pm (UTC)

Hi Stacy!

Sorry to hear you had trouble accessing the support page earlier this week! We identified an issue where some users were unable to access pages on Articulate.com. We've implemented a fix for the issues, and things are loading normally now.

I've created a support case on your behalf so our support engineers can take a closer look into the behavior you described. They should be reaching out to you shortly!

Also, it looks like part of your e-mail signature came through when you replied via e-mail. You can remove that if needed by clicking ‘Edit’ beneath your response.

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