One layer for all

Today we had a wonderful Dutch Storyline meeting (http://www.courseware.nl/Nieuws/Articulate-Gebruikersdagen-2014-populair).

One of the presenters was David Anderson (thanks for the inspiring presentation). I presented (on paper) a way to use one layer on multiple slides (ideal for popups etc.).

You can read and download the example from my (Dutch) site (http://www.dorna.nl/1-layer-voor-verschillende-slides/). This is how it works:

• Add the universal layer to the top masterslide (including a button to hide the universal layer)
• Add a true/false variable triggerLayer.
• Add a trigger to the base layer of the masterslide:
  Show layer universal layer When triggerLayer changes.

Now everything is prepared to use the layer. On each slide you want a popup add the next trigger to a hyperlink, button, hotspot etc.

• Toggle variable triggerLayer When the user clicks

Toggle?

True becomes False and False becomes True. The operator you need for this is ‘= NOT Assignment’.

And Lightbox slides....?

This method has two advantages to Lightbox slides:

• Lightbox slides are often used for extra (non-mandatory) information. The slides however do count for the number of slides viewed. So when the student does not open the information slide the percentage of viewed slides will not be 100%.
• Lightbox slides are presented in a fixed way. With the universal slide you have more flexibility.

I attached the SL1-version of the demo to this post. Hope this helps you.

Ps. Jeff Kortenbosch and The Courseware Company thanks for this inspiring event!