This seems to be a Chrome issue, but I'm going to ask anyway. Our LMS launches, we register, and the course starts in a new window. When the user accesses a resource, it opens as a new tab with the LMS and hides the course. The user sometimes thinks they need to start the course again, not realizing that it is simply minimized -- causing frustration of course. How can I assure that a resource is opened in a new window -- not tab. IE11 works fine so this is why I think it is Chrome, but ... I'm going to ask anyway!
Greetings, Lynn. Great question, and you're right!
There isn't a setting in Storyline to ensure resources open in a new window rather than a new tab, as this is based on the specific browser's configuration.
I found this related discussion with a JavaScript solution that can hopefully help. The community may have other approaches to this, so I'll open the floor to them!
We can open the Resources in Lightbox slide, where we link the icons or buttons to the external files. We can change the link settings to open in new window. (Refer the link).
I think I may have a solution to opening links from the Resources tab in a new browser window rather than a new tab (it works on SCORM Cloud and our LMS, Workday Learning, in Chrome and Edge).
The solution involves creating an HTML file for each resource and linking that in the Resources tab rather than the resource itself – works for both embedded resources and URLs.
In the above example, "Resource.pdf" is the document that would normally be associated with the resource in the player. You can adjust the figures in the "width=800,height=600" section to suite your needs. You can also use a URL in the first argument e.g. ”https://www.articulate.com” This will open a new tab in the LMS window, create a new window containing the resource on top of the Storyline window then close the tab in the LMS window.
In the Resources tab in the Storyline player, attach each new HTML file NOT the original resource or link. If you are using an embedded resource, once published you will need to amend the SCORM .zip file to include each original resource file in the ‘story_content/external_files’ folder as well as the HTML file which will have automatically been added. (You can’t add them to the Resources tab for them to be automatically included as they will appear as duplicates in the list and you’re back to the initial problem of opening in new tab not window if selected.)
Thanks for sharing. I noticed that in Review 360, this works perfectly for the course author, but not for the reviewer.
When I tested my course in SCORM Cloud, the resource opens in a new window, but the course window still gets minimized, so I'm seeing the SCORM Cloud "we launched your course in a new window" tab in the background instead of the course. Any suggestions?
Hello! I just switched over from Captivate and I'm having fun learning all of Storyline's bells and whistles. I know of a simple JavaScript version of what Paul listed above for opening URLs in a separate window. The JavaScript came from Paul Wilson, a Captivate expert. You can check out his YouTube tutorial here, beginning at minute 2:00 (https://youtu.be/Nfm4N4jTlsU).
I've used this in Storyline on a link I created for the player topbar and it works great on MS Edge and Google Chrome. For my project, under Browser Settings (Player > Other > Browser Settings), the "Launch player in new window (creates launch page)" is unchecked because I don't want the launch page. This also helps because the player will open in fullscreen mode, so when the link is clicked the file opens in a smaller window that is completely separate from the LMS window, and you can still see the player behind it. I hope this helps!
Paul, I'm not getting the same results in SCORM Cloud for Storyline 360. When I tested my course in SCORM Cloud, the resource opens in a new window, but the course window still gets minimized, so I'm seeing the SCORM Cloud "we launched your course in a new window" tab in the background instead of the course. In addition, Full Screen seems to toggle off anytime I use a link or click on the Resource Tab links. Any suggestions?
7 Replies
Greetings, Lynn. Great question, and you're right!
There isn't a setting in Storyline to ensure resources open in a new window rather than a new tab, as this is based on the specific browser's configuration.
I found this related discussion with a JavaScript solution that can hopefully help. The community may have other approaches to this, so I'll open the floor to them!
Hello!
I have a similar issue. Do we have a solution now? The JavaScript solution in the other discussion thread does not work.
Thank you,
Shirin
Hi Shirin,
We can open the Resources in Lightbox slide, where we link the icons or buttons to the external files. We can change the link settings to open in new window. (Refer the link).
I think I may have a solution to opening links from the Resources tab in a new browser window rather than a new tab (it works on SCORM Cloud and our LMS, Workday Learning, in Chrome and Edge).
The solution involves creating an HTML file for each resource and linking that in the Resources tab rather than the resource itself – works for both embedded resources and URLs.
HTML code
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.open("Resource.pdf","myWindow", "width=800,height=600");
window.close();
</script>
</body>
</html>
In the above example, "Resource.pdf" is the document that would normally be associated with the resource in the player. You can adjust the figures in the "width=800,height=600" section to suite your needs. You can also use a URL in the first argument e.g. ”https://www.articulate.com”
This will open a new tab in the LMS window, create a new window containing the resource on top of the Storyline window then close the tab in the LMS window.
In the Resources tab in the Storyline player, attach each new HTML file NOT the original resource or link. If you are using an embedded resource, once published you will need to amend the SCORM .zip file to include each original resource file in the ‘story_content/external_files’ folder as well as the HTML file which will have automatically been added. (You can’t add them to the Resources tab for them to be automatically included as they will appear as duplicates in the list and you’re back to the initial problem of opening in new tab not window if selected.)
Thanks for sharing. I noticed that in Review 360, this works perfectly for the course author, but not for the reviewer.
When I tested my course in SCORM Cloud, the resource opens in a new window, but the course window still gets minimized, so I'm seeing the SCORM Cloud "we launched your course in a new window" tab in the background instead of the course. Any suggestions?
Hello! I just switched over from Captivate and I'm having fun learning all of Storyline's bells and whistles. I know of a simple JavaScript version of what Paul listed above for opening URLs in a separate window. The JavaScript came from Paul Wilson, a Captivate expert. You can check out his YouTube tutorial here, beginning at minute 2:00 (https://youtu.be/Nfm4N4jTlsU).
window.open("https://YOUR-URL", "WINDOW-NAME/TITLE", "height=700,width=1024,left=25,top=25");
I've used this in Storyline on a link I created for the player topbar and it works great on MS Edge and Google Chrome. For my project, under Browser Settings (Player > Other > Browser Settings), the "Launch player in new window (creates launch page)" is unchecked because I don't want the launch page. This also helps because the player will open in fullscreen mode, so when the link is clicked the file opens in a smaller window that is completely separate from the LMS window, and you can still see the player behind it. I hope this helps!
Paul, I'm not getting the same results in SCORM Cloud for Storyline 360. When I tested my course in SCORM Cloud, the resource opens in a new window, but the course window still gets minimized, so I'm seeing the SCORM Cloud "we launched your course in a new window" tab in the background instead of the course. In addition, Full Screen seems to toggle off anytime I use a link or click on the Resource Tab links. Any suggestions?