Next and Prev on slide layers

Hi John,

Can you explain a little further? I'm probably misunderstanding your question, but here's some info to get started:

The default Previous and Next buttons are on the base layer and show/work on all layers.

If you hide these and create custom buttons on a specific layer, they stay on the layer.

On the base layer, you can apply a trigger to the Next and Prev buttons. The same buttons can be viewed on all the slide layers, but when I try to apply a trigger to the same buttons on the slide layers, the trigger always defaults to the base layer.

Is there a way to use the buttons on the slide layers, without creating a custom button.

I dislike the learner having to click on two types of buttons to advance through the presentation.

If not, I will just get rid of the Next and Prev all together, and use custom buttons all the way through. I just thought there would be an easier way.

Hi John,

I'm still not "seeing" what you're trying to do. Perhaps someone else will chime in. And/or, could you upload an example?

Ok, so I create a slide with two layers.

When I play the slide, the Next and Prev buttons appear on every layer.

Is there a way to place a trigger on the Next and Prev buttons on the layers of the slide? The only way I have figured out to advance between layers, is to place my own custom Next and Prev buttons.....seems a waste of time considering the buttons are already there.

Please help.

John, I am searching for the same option you write about. And I, too, do not want to create a different set of  Next or Back buttons either to create the action of advancing to another slide from a layer, either. The trigger from the Base Layer does only advance on default.  I have not seen a follow-up to your question with a resolution. I will keep researching.

The next and previous buttons are part of the player, player triggers on show on the base layer.  You need to add conditions to the next previous button if you want them to do specific things when layers are open

unfortunately I dont  know how to create conditions, I think they are be beyond my scope of understanding how to write them.   i see where the symbol  is to start a condition, but after that i am lost.

thank you for your response. if it is simple to create i might be able to copy it.

thanks again.

y

How does everyone else advance between their layers? It just seems a waste of time to have to make custom buttons for the layers.

Perhaps I am using layers in a way they were not intended.

I use states or variables to advance beween layers and add conditions

I have created my own 'lightbox' effect with a 'Close' button on the top right hand corner (I did this before I knew lightboxes existed).  The issue I have is that although this works well, I can't stop the PREV/NEXT buttons showing at the bottom of each layer.  What I want the user to do is just close the window to go back to the main layer and then go PREV/NEXT from there.    I agree that it is confusing to show PREV/NEXT in addition to other navigation as the user can inadvertently miss content out and it looks a little clumsy having to explain what to do each time.   It would be nice in the Properties of each layer if you could hide the PREV/NEXT buttons too?   Or am I going to have to undo what I've done and use lightboxes for this?

Cheryl,

Click on the little gear on the slide layer (on the right), and you can turn off the Next and Prev buttons.

Phil, can you expand on your states and variables comment? I would like to know how you use them.

Cheryl, I dont see any need to remove the Next/Prev buttons when on layers.  As an instructional/Elearning Designer it is your skill that determines the navigation, it is possible to "program" the Next/Prev buttons to advance the layers or to stop the layers from being missed.

It is the nature of Storyline to give you the flexibility you need to build what you want, it mat be better to use slides instead of layers here, but that is your design skills that decide that.

Storyline is a blank canvas, you need to work with it to develop what you need

HI john, you can add conditions on the next button to only advance when those conditions are met.

You could increment a variable (I would actually assign values ) when each layer opens, or if you use buttons base it on the visited state

So, why can I not just add a trigger on the layer for the prev and next button? Every time I try, it slides it to the base layer.

the prev/next are player triggers, player triggers are always organised on the base layer

The prev/next work globally on a slide not on layers

Can you give me an example of how you use a condition to advance a layer to another layer or slide? Or, do you always advance from the base layer?

Cheryl,

Click on the little gear on the slide layer (on the right), and you can turn off the Next and Prev buttons.

The settings button for each layer does not include options to switch on/off the navigation, that's only on the base layer..

Hi Phil, Is there anyway to show additional layers by having the user click the mouse.  For example, in powerpoint, when you click the mouse, the next text box would appear.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Dan,

I took a stab at answering your question in this thread. One way is to use custom next buttons, as mentioned early on in this post. Let us know if that would work for you.