I was wondering if it is possible to lock the length of a slides timeline to the length of the audio. I am finding that as I try to sync my animations and audio, the length of the timeline changes and I am constantly re-adjusting the timeline. This is turn throws my animations out of sync again. Perhaps I am missing something?
Think you could attach your file here so we could have a look? Or if you'd rather send the file privately, you can upload it on the second page of this link.
is there any update on this issues? I am having the same problem. Is there any way to set a default length for the timeline but still keep it flexible in case other objects are added that exceed the default length?
Welcome to Heroes! The default for any slide when you begin (without audio or video is 5 seconds), which you can always adjust. When you insert objects like audio and video, the timeline will update automatically based on what you inserted. If you want the timeline to be longer, you'll just click on the far right side of the current timeline and drag it out to the right as far as you need.
Here are some helpful directions on editing the objects within the timeline.
thank you for your reply, I know the link about editing objects. But I´m afraid it is not what I am looking for.
What I need is for the timeline to automatically adjust to the last object or to the longest object. Especially after I remove an object, I want it to adjust to the second last object, etc.
So if I add a large audio file and then edit it to match the animation on my slide, the timeline should not remain as long as the initial audio file but adjust to my edited one.
Right now this doesn´t happen and it is a bit annoying to have to drag the timeline every time.
Is there anywhere I can set the length of the timeline per slide?
Sorry that it doesn't solve your problem. The timeline will adjust when you add a piece that is longer than its current setting, but not when you take something out. You'd have to drag the timeline back to match the last object.
Is there any update on this issue? We're having issues with several timelines snapping back to being much longer than the audio clips after we drag them back and save them. It's happening directly after we save, close, and re-open, so it's not an issue of pasting a longer object. We also have all objects set to "show until end" so I don't think it's an issue of an object that's too long. Is there a way to lock the timeline yet? Or another solution to this issue?
There isn't a way to lock the timeline, but if your files aren't saving - that's something we'll want to take a look at further. First, I'd want to confirm that you're working with local project files as described here. Next, is it just this one file you're working on? You may want to look at importing the file into a new project as described here. Both those links are for Storyline2, but it is a similar set up for Storyline 1.
If you're still having difficulty after checking into those, can you share a copy of the .story file here with us?
I am having the same problem described by Robyn. Even though I have set the timeline to length desired as the last step of work on a slide...and save...when I go to preview the scene additional time has been added to the timeline. Please tell me this has been fixed since a year ago. I am continuously adjusting timelines and feels like I am getting nowhere. Help!
There isn't a way to lock the timeline length, but if you're seeing it change after you've confirmed it's set at X seconds I think it's something we'd want to take a look at and see if there is anything else occurring. You can post it here using the "Add attachment" button and we'll want to see the .story file.
In addition to Ashley's suggestion, I wasn't sure if you were perhaps utilizing cue points.
You may find that aligning objects to cue points unexpectedly lengthens the timeline when those objects are set to Show Until End. This issue was fixed in Update 5 for Articulate Storyline. See this article for more information.
Is this issue resolved? I am having the some problem as Kim. I just checked and I do have the latest updates. However, I can change the timeline on a slide to say, 35 seconds, then after saving it and reopening the file it might be set back at 90 seconds instead.
Are you aligning objects to the playhead perhaps? We've seen that still be an issue with extending the timeline but the cue points behavior was resolved.
I have trying to lock the the timeline but same thing happen again & again, its being very irritating we have to same thing (timeline length adjusted) several time.
Hi! I have the same issue. All of my layers' timelines keep resetting to 35 secs each, after some time. I didn't even realize that, but then I kept receiving the same comments from my team about these "long silences" after the audio has finished. Kind of embarassing and annoying too. I want to resolve that before the project goes live. Considering that this discussion is 6 yrs old is not getting my hopes up. :(
I'm sorry to say we haven't been able to reproduce this yet to get to the bottom of it. Have you seen any particular steps cause the timeline to continue expanding to cause this extra silence and time? If so, it'd be helpful to know your exact steps, and with your permission, we can take a look at your project file to investigate what's happening. You can share it publicly here, or send it to our Support Team privately.
We’ll delete it when done troubleshooting.
Thanks in advance for your help to track down this nasty bug!
Hi and sorry for the late response. I managed to work around this by setting the slide to go the next layer when the timeline reaches X seconds, instead of when the timeline ends. It's fine by me like that.
I'm experiencing something similar. I have an audio file on each aslide, and I made each timeline end when the audio ends. Every time I add an object to a timeline, the timeline defaults back to some longer time. I have to keep going back and shortening the timeline to the length where the audio ends. Any advice? Or should I submit a ticket. Thanks!
Thanks for reaching out and letting us know that you are running into a similar issue.
It sounds like you are able to consistently reproduce the problem, so that is certainly something we would want to take a look at.
With your permission, I'd like you to share your project file with our support engineers to investigate what's happening. You can share it privately by uploading it here. It will be deleted when troubleshooting is complete.
As stated by another person earlier in this thread, I constantly received feedback from the SME Reviewers that there are "long pauses" between slides. Every - and I do mean every - time I make a content, video or image change to a slide, the timeline magically extends itself - sometimes to 80+ seconds.
When you are creating multiple courses, with multiple modules in Articulate, and pending deadlines - it would be amazing and wonderful (and expected) that the timeline would not extend at all - unless it is to the longest object... or... if the designer proactively changes the timeline.
This happens all day - every day - and is a significant time impact to recheck the timeline on every course. My average eLearning course has 50+ slides. S The last eLearning course had 100+ change requests... since I do this 9 to 15 hours a day - the impact is real.
32 Replies
Hi Ian!
Think you could attach your file here so we could have a look? Or if you'd rather send the file privately, you can upload it on the second page of this link.
Thanks!
is there any update on this issues? I am having the same problem. Is there any way to set a default length for the timeline but still keep it flexible in case other objects are added that exceed the default length?
Hi Anca,
Welcome to Heroes! The default for any slide when you begin (without audio or video is 5 seconds), which you can always adjust. When you insert objects like audio and video, the timeline will update automatically based on what you inserted. If you want the timeline to be longer, you'll just click on the far right side of the current timeline and drag it out to the right as far as you need.
Here are some helpful directions on editing the objects within the timeline.
Please let us know if you need anything else!
Hi Ashley,
thank you for your reply, I know the link about editing objects. But I´m afraid it is not what I am looking for.
What I need is for the timeline to automatically adjust to the last object or to the longest object. Especially after I remove an object, I want it to adjust to the second last object, etc.
So if I add a large audio file and then edit it to match the animation on my slide, the timeline should not remain as long as the initial audio file but adjust to my edited one.
Right now this doesn´t happen and it is a bit annoying to have to drag the timeline every time.
Is there anywhere I can set the length of the timeline per slide?
Hi Anca,
To my knowledge there is no way of auto adjusting the timeline in this way (I also have the same issue).
Sorry I can't be of more help
Hi Harri,
I thought as much :(
Thank you!
Hi Anca,
Sorry that it doesn't solve your problem. The timeline will adjust when you add a piece that is longer than its current setting, but not when you take something out. You'd have to drag the timeline back to match the last object.
Have you submitted this as a feature request?
Hi,
Is there any update on this issue? We're having issues with several timelines snapping back to being much longer than the audio clips after we drag them back and save them. It's happening directly after we save, close, and re-open, so it's not an issue of pasting a longer object. We also have all objects set to "show until end" so I don't think it's an issue of an object that's too long. Is there a way to lock the timeline yet? Or another solution to this issue?
Best,
Robyn
Hi Robyn,
There isn't a way to lock the timeline, but if your files aren't saving - that's something we'll want to take a look at further. First, I'd want to confirm that you're working with local project files as described here. Next, is it just this one file you're working on? You may want to look at importing the file into a new project as described here. Both those links are for Storyline2, but it is a similar set up for Storyline 1.
If you're still having difficulty after checking into those, can you share a copy of the .story file here with us?
I am having the same problem described by Robyn. Even though I have set the timeline to length desired as the last step of work on a slide...and save...when I go to preview the scene additional time has been added to the timeline. Please tell me this has been fixed since a year ago. I am continuously adjusting timelines and feels like I am getting nowhere. Help!
Hi Kim,
There isn't a way to lock the timeline length, but if you're seeing it change after you've confirmed it's set at X seconds I think it's something we'd want to take a look at and see if there is anything else occurring. You can post it here using the "Add attachment" button and we'll want to see the .story file.
Hi Kim!
In addition to Ashley's suggestion, I wasn't sure if you were perhaps utilizing cue points.
You may find that aligning objects to cue points unexpectedly lengthens the timeline when those objects are set to Show Until End. This issue was fixed in Update 5 for Articulate Storyline. See this article for more information.
Is this issue resolved? I am having the some problem as Kim. I just checked and I do have the latest updates. However, I can change the timeline on a slide to say, 35 seconds, then after saving it and reopening the file it might be set back at 90 seconds instead.
Hey Darla,
Are you aligning objects to the playhead perhaps? We've seen that still be an issue with extending the timeline but the cue points behavior was resolved.
if you shorten the timeline, then lock the offending object, any changes will keep the timeline to where it was.
Good reminder Sam about the ability to lock things onto the timeline. Darla, you'll just use the little lock icon to the left of the item.
I have trying to lock the the timeline but same thing happen again & again, its being very irritating we have to same thing (timeline length adjusted) several time.
Hello Susanta--sorry about that! We never want working in Storyline to be an irritating experience.
Can you tell me more about what you're seeing? What were you doing just before the timeline changed in length?
Also, what version of Storyline are you using?
Hi! I have the same issue. All of my layers' timelines keep resetting to 35 secs each, after some time. I didn't even realize that, but then I kept receiving the same comments from my team about these "long silences" after the audio has finished. Kind of embarassing and annoying too. I want to resolve that before the project goes live. Considering that this discussion is 6 yrs old is not getting my hopes up. :(
Hi Alexandra,
I'm sorry to say we haven't been able to reproduce this yet to get to the bottom of it. Have you seen any particular steps cause the timeline to continue expanding to cause this extra silence and time? If so, it'd be helpful to know your exact steps, and with your permission, we can take a look at your project file to investigate what's happening. You can share it publicly here, or send it to our Support Team privately.
We’ll delete it when done troubleshooting.
Thanks in advance for your help to track down this nasty bug!
Hi and sorry for the late response. I managed to work around this by setting the slide to go the next layer when the timeline reaches X seconds, instead of when the timeline ends. It's fine by me like that.
Thanks for popping back in to share what's working well for you, Alexandra :)
I'm experiencing something similar. I have an audio file on each aslide, and I made each timeline end when the audio ends. Every time I add an object to a timeline, the timeline defaults back to some longer time. I have to keep going back and shortening the timeline to the length where the audio ends. Any advice? Or should I submit a ticket. Thanks!
Hi Dave,
Thanks for reaching out and letting us know that you are running into a similar issue.
It sounds like you are able to consistently reproduce the problem, so that is certainly something we would want to take a look at.
With your permission, I'd like you to share your project file with our support engineers to investigate what's happening. You can share it privately by uploading it here. It will be deleted when troubleshooting is complete.
Has this been resolved or a workaround developed?
As stated by another person earlier in this thread, I constantly received feedback from the SME Reviewers that there are "long pauses" between slides. Every - and I do mean every - time I make a content, video or image change to a slide, the timeline magically extends itself - sometimes to 80+ seconds.
When you are creating multiple courses, with multiple modules in Articulate, and pending deadlines - it would be amazing and wonderful (and expected) that the timeline would not extend at all - unless it is to the longest object... or... if the designer proactively changes the timeline.
This happens all day - every day - and is a significant time impact to recheck the timeline on every course. My average eLearning course has 50+ slides. S The last eLearning course had 100+ change requests... since I do this 9 to 15 hours a day - the impact is real.