no audio on timeline

May 23, 2014

I just started having this issue yesterday. I insert a sound on a slide and play the timeline to set cue points. The first time I play the sound it works fine. After that, though, when I try to play it the timeline runs but there is no audio. If I open the sound file, it plays fine in the audio editor. It also plays if I preview the slide.

I've tried removing and re-inserting the audio file, closing and re-opening the project, opening a previous version of the project, and opening the project on a different computer. It is probably something I'm just missing, but I cannot figure out how to make it play in the timeline after that first time so I can get my timings set. This has never happened in any other Storyline project I have made.

8 Replies
Rick Sell

I have been having the same issue. However, it is only on certain layered slides. But I found a resolution!

The issue arises if I set a slide with layers to automatically play one of those layers when the user goes to that slide. The slide will preview perfectly, and the audio on the other layers will play in the audio editor, but will not play when I play the other layers in their timelines. The first layer displays, but its audio does not play. I can only think that the first layer interferes with the other layers' ability to display images or play audio.

Here is the remedy. On a layer that will not play, right click on that layer in the Slide Layer area. Click Properties. Select "Pause timeline of base layer" Click OK. The audio will play in the other timelines.

Just be sure to go back and de-select the Pause checkbox.

Hope this helps!

Diane Sudman

After reading some other tutorials on this site (I love the e-Learning Heroes community!) I have realized what is happening and why I am having this issue. I had tracked the problem to the fact that I am tying the audio to a custom button. When I read this tutorial (http://www.articulate.com/support/storyline/seekbar-doesnt-control-triggered-audio), I learned that when using a custom button to play audio, it separates the audio from the timeline. It all clicked for me when I read this sentence: "Audio that plays only when triggered is divorced from the slide's timeline, since it requires certain conditions to be met first (such as clicking a button)."  Since I had asked the question on here, I wanted to be sure and provide information on the resolution.

Heather Lalla

I am having an issue with my audio not showing up on a layers timeline.  I have a base layer that has a video and I have multiple layers that will appear when the timeline reaches the cue points associated with the layer.  I recorded audio on each of the layers.  I was able to record, publish and go back in and edit the audio.  It's been a few days and I have go back in and do a few more edits, but there are NO audio files in the timeline in any of the layers!  When I go to audio files for this slide there are no audio clips.  However, when I play the slide there IS audio.  Where did it go and how to I get the audio files to appear in all the layers?