Objects/layers on top of web objects

Feb 04, 2013

One of the tutorials talks about creating a custom lightbox using a layer and a close button.  I've followed the tutorial and added a close button to the upper right corner of my layer which consists of a web object.  However, when I publish, the web object is on top of the close button instead of the other way around.  I've made sure the button is moved to the front.  I've even tried creating an additional layer for just the close button.  No luck.

Also, I'm using "Timeline Ends" as the condition for when my "lightbox" will appear, but it seems like the lightbox is immediately reopening after I close it because the slide is already at the end of its timeline.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,

Steve

8 Replies
Catharine Gruver

Hi,

I'm having the same problem. My web objects seem to move themselves to the top of the stacking order once my course has been published, even if other objects are above it in the timeline at the bottom of my slide. Is there a way to circumvent this?

Also is it possible to use the same web object on multiple slides? I'm trying to guide users through a website, and I'd like them to click through the actual site (hence the web object). It would be great if I could keep referring to the same web object on multiple slides so that it shows my users' progress as they progress through the course. Is this possible?

Thanks, 

Catharine

Christine Hendrickson

Hi Catharine,

I think the issue comes in with the iFrame. When you view a web object in Flash, the object is actually displayed in an iFrame that sort of "hovers" over the other content. So, even if you place the web object over others in the timeline, it won't display this way once it's published. This is also known to cause some issues with player elements, as they'll sometimes appear behind the web object. Now, it looks like this isn't an issue with HTML5 content, however. Here's some additional information.

As for using the same web object more than once, you can certainly do this. You can copy and paste the web object onto other slides, or you can duplicate that slide, then design around it. Whichever option works best for you

I hope this makes sense. If you have any questions, please just let us know.

Thanks!

Catharine Gruver

Hi Christine,

Thanks for the information. It would be helpful, however, if the preview of the slide would show that this would be the case. If the web object couldn't be moved from the top of the stacking order in the timeline, it would indicate that the web object will always be on top of the other objects in the slide. As it is, it's kind of a surprise when you publish the course--at least it was to me.

Unfortunately, copying the web object or duplicating the slide doesn't work. When I move to the slide with the copied object, it returns me to the original webpage that I started from with the first web object. For example, if my web object starts me on the web page with this conversation and then I search for a topic on this page and then get a list of search results, when I move to the next slide the copied we object will start me back at this web page with this conversation. It won't let me continue from my search results. :( Do you have any other ideas of how to accomplish this?

Thanks for your help!

Catharine

Christine Hendrickson

Hi Catherine,

I apologize, I misunderstood your original question about copying the web object. Basically, it's just like sending someone a link. If they view the page that link goes to a second time, it'll be the same page. If you want the learners to see a different page or portion,  you'll need to provide the link to that specific section. The web object won't remember where you left off. 

Out of curiosity, would it be easier to just make an interactive screen recording? You could even do this of a site that requires their interaction, if you don't actually need them to submit something on the site. Just a thought

Catharine Gruver

Hi Christine,

No worries. I was probably unclear in expressing what I'm trying to achieve.

Basically, what I want people to do is have the opportunity to interact with an actual website. Some of the activities I want users to participate in require them to submit their personal information to view current information about their account.

I'm using Storyline as a shell to provide an introduction to the area of the site prior to exploring the site, to provide instructions about how to navigate the website while concurrently displaying the website without requiring two browser windows (which for some users could be a challenge), to ask reflective and quiz questions about the information they are seeing on the website, and finally to conclude the discussion of the part of the website that is focused on.

I see the course as a "training wheels" situation. Users are on a real bike (the actual website), but with some guidance provided by the course, so they don't get too far off course.

Thanks for sharing the idea of an interactive screen recording. I will have to think about what the best solution is.

Thanks,
Catharine

Christine Hendrickson

Hi Catharine,

I totally understand and I actually really like the way you'd like to have the course set up. Although, I was thinking about this again and it occurred to me that if you had it set up where the learner could "pick up" off of the external site, is there anything keeping them from continuing to move forward? I ask this because they'll be on a live page. The only way to truly break that up, would be to post web objects using different links to point to different sections of the site. If the site isn't set up to stop their interaction, they may get "out of sync" with your course. I'm not sure if this is a concern, though, just a thought that popped in while I was reading over your response.

What you could do is a step-by-step, interactive recording in Storyline of the site. Then, maybe near the end, have them run through the process again. You could possibly add an option to review the recording again, just in case they forget a step, or you could even set it up in writing on a separate slide that they could jump to through the menu, or notes... etc.

Just ideas In either case, good luck with the project. I hope it goes well!

Christine

Catharine Gruver

Hi Christine,

Thanks for the ideas. I'm not too worried about them getting ahead of the course, though they could through the live website. Since I want them to explore the webpage, if they do more of that than I'm guiding them to do, that's great. (I'm not sure how likely . . . )

I've been thinking through how to restructure everything using a demo. I'm probably just making things more complicated than they need to be. I just liked the idea of not having to redo the demo every time a little change was made to the website. With the live page, if some links were added or the style of the page changes, the user can still access everything--unless something to do with my course is changed.

Oh well. I think I'll probably end up doing some sort of demo. I'm not sure what that will look like yet, but I appreciate your ideas. :)

Thanks again,

Catharine

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