Playing audio with a trigger

Jan 01, 2020

In Storyline 360, I often create an object, then create a trigger set to play audio when the user clicks on that object. I usually create the audio by using "record mic" when creating the trigger. The audio files then appear in the timeline, of course. However, sometimes the audio plays when I click on the object, and sometimes the audio starts playing when the timeline starts. I suspect this is a bug, because I usually have several objects with associated audio on one slide, and some will play when I click on the object and some will play when the timeline starts, even though I've created them all in the same way. Any ideas? Thanks.

6 Replies
Rachel Thorn

Hi Jeff, thanks so much for sharing that. Using layers is a good workaround. I've been using markers but for some slides layers are going to be better.

I've seen on another thread that if the audio appears in the timeline as a waveform, then it'll play when the timeline starts, but if it's an audio icon then it plays when triggered. What I don't understand is how Storyline chooses between the two and how you can tell it which of the two you want.

Jeff Forrer

Hello, I will give a shot explain, however Heroes or Articulate staff may have a better answer ;0)

In short I believe with a waveform (layers in files I posted), the timeline and seekbar match the audio file, with an audio icon (once controlled by triggers) the timeline is now independent of the audio file, thus not represented necessarily of the timeline of the audio.

Further details, when you record audio or import an audio file such as a .wav/.mp3 file, it will show on the timeline as a waveform.  And yes, it ill play with the slide timeline or layer timeline when played.  The timeline will extend to the length of the audio file. Let's say the audio is 10 sec long, then the timeline will be 10 sec long and the seek bar will be the length of the audio file on that slide and the audio thus can be controlled by the seek bar.

In my example file above, each audio file is left as waveform and the layers are controlled via triggers vs. the audio file itself, this way the timeline on the layers are representative of the audio file length and seek bar along with it. 

However, once you apply a trigger to the audio file, the audio waveform changes to an audio icon on the timeline.  I believe this is because your triggers now have control over the audio file, and that representation on the timeline is a now a placeholder for the audio.  The audio file now is independent of the main timeline.

Hope that is not too confusing.  

Rachel Thorn

Hi Jeff

Thanks for taking the time to reply again. That does make sense. The issue I'm having is that it isn't working as it's supposed to. I apply a trigger to an audio file and if I'm lucky it works properly, and if I'm unlucky it plays when the timeline starts. Sometimes reordering the triggers tricks it into working correctly. Sometimes closing Storyline and reopening it and re-recording the audio works.

Thanks for your input.

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