Overlapping Hotspots
Oct 28, 2022
By
Stefan K
If the mouse is moved over a certain row an object should change its state.
At the same, if the mouse is moved over a certain column another object should change its state.
So I kinda want to recreate a table an visually show the user the current mouse position.
So far so good, I've create a grid of hotspots (one for each row and each column). The triggers I set only work for the hotspot that lies on top. Is there a way to make overlapping hotspots work?
I know I could just create a hotspot for each cell - but that would mean I have to create 600 hotspots and the same amount of triggers. If I could work with overlapping rows and columns I would just need 20 rows, 30 columns and 50 triggers.
4 Replies
Stefan - no, I don't think overlapping hotspots will work - the software won't know what action you are intending to take other than the one on top.
Instead, why not use layers - one for each column, row, or cell - to show the user what each mouse position does? And you can easily set the layer to appear on a "when mouse pointer hovers over" trigger. That way you can also set up additional information/data/images/audio/video/etc. for each cell in the table.
And are you sure you want to use a table of that size? Honestly, if I were a learner looking at that, I would probably just click "next" and try to avoid attempting to read it.
Good luck!
Hi Joe,
Thanks you. I know a table of that size sounds unusable, but it is part of a software simulation I am creating and the table is part of that particular software.
Do you have experience with working with a lot of hotspots? Do you think having 600 hotspots will incease loading time?
Stefan - no, (un)fortunately, I don't have experience working with a lot (>>10) hotspots. Will having 600 increase loading time? My gut says it will, especially with the functionality you want to add to each hotspot.
For that specific question, though, I would reach out to Articulate Support and see what they can advise.
If you can't change the size of the table, perhaps you could set up different scenes with separate *sections* of the table. I would do anything you could to make it easy for the learners.
Good luck!
Stefan,
I'm not sure I agree with your numbers. If you have 50 triggers, you can only have 50 actions. In that case, you could have two different actions for each row, and a few left over. It wouldn't matter which column was chosen. If you need a different action for each of the intersections, you have 600 intersections, and that means 600 triggers, no matter how you initiate them.
I made a mockup, with two rows and thee columns, one-tenth of what you suggest. One slide is named 600 triggers, and it allows for a distinct interaction for each intersection and takes six triggers (plus a couple of overhead for the text box). Multiply two by ten, and three by ten and you have 600.
Another slide is named 50 triggers. It still has 600 intersections, but if you are going to use only 50 triggers, you are going to be limited to 50 actions..
All triggers change the value in the text box but you can create them with any action.
The third slide is named 1200 triggers, and it works the way I think you are envisioning it. It has 12 triggers, but one is used to clear the states back to blank. If you don't need it, it cuts the total triggers needed for a matrix of 20 X 30 from 1200 to 1100.
Here are two samples that allow you to hover, and one that allows you to click on one spot, and choose a row with the first click, and a column with the second.
I strongly agree with Joe's suggestions.