If a module has been created in Storyline 360, but a colleague only has Storyline 2 why can't they open the file? Even if I were to have 360 & Storyline 2 on the one desktop, I can't even copy and paste across from 360 back to Storyline 2 which means I loose my 360 newly created content.
I'm so disappointed/in despair!!!! I have just taken over a job role from the previous designer - did tonnes of of work on trial 360 as we had time for handover and now cannot use all the files/work I've done.
I think this is seriously disgusting - now I have to remake from scratch again in SL2 with the deadline of next week. Other software providers provide support for at least 1 version down. I just think this is just incredibly smug and awful.
Sorry that you've found yourself in this position but I think you're being unfair about Articulate being smug and awful.
They have been upfront about the different version compatibility and advise against using a trial version for production work. It's no different using Captivate and trying to open files created in one version in another.
Perhaps you could contact the Articulate Success Team who may be able to help you.
That's the reason, in my team, we only installed the trial versions to take a look at the new features. Even though we loved 360, we're waiting for a go ahead from our management in terms of upgrade to the latest. While previously, we used to have auto upgrades with no extra costs, this time we're mulling for options even though there are some promotional discounts or so. In that case, we might even stick with Storyline 2. :(
Thanks everyone. At least in Adobe and Microsoft you have some compatibility.
I'm new to SL - had to start on 360 straight away, on the first day - given the trial from the IT team. I now need to remake all the work - there's no help from SL so I just have to redo everything. Happy new year...
I have just had exactly the same issue happen to me. I've just created a months worth of work on Storyline 360, and now wish to go back to using my version of Storyline 2 because I'm happy with it, but can't open any of the files. I have a deadline TODAY.
Honestly, I'm so angry, they've set this thing up so you get bullied into buying 360.
I understand people being upset about having to recreate their work in a lower version. However, Articulate has been very clear about the fact that 360 is not backward compatible.
I'm totally new to this product and obviously didn't get what was going on when I signed up. I thought I read everything on the website, but I found out yesterday you can just buy Storyline 2 licenses vs. the whole 360 shebang. Today I find out here that there is a difference between 360 and SL2! I am happy to have 360, but I'm worried about not being able to share my files with colleagues (and in this community). Are most people on SL2? I did notice that most of the .story files I've downloaded from this site ask me to upgrade them when I open them. Now I get it.
Hey there, Holly! Welcome to Articulate...glad to have you. You're right that Storyline 360 is a new and different build than Storyline 2, which was initially released in 2014. We've got an awesome fan base for Storyline 2, and people are also really excited about Articulate 360 since it was launched in November last year!
Wow. I hate it when you can't choose to export as a lower version, especially when a product is new. The reason people are making this mistake (despite Articulate being very clear) is because it has been common practice to have the ability to export one version down, at least for a period of time. That's also why some people are referring to this approach as bullying and awful. What a drag.
You're absolutely right about this. It has been accepted practice for many applications, especially media creation tools, to make their newer versions backward compatible.
I really like this product, but it's more than just a drag that it lacks this functionality. It almost seems calculated against the user for some reason.
I'm already reeling from this discovery, and now I find I can't even copy and paste the slide elements properly (just brings them in as images) from 360 back into SL2 to try to rebuild it, so I can share with my team who all have SL2.
Really folks, I can't even copy elements from 360 to SL2?
With the latest version of Storyline 3 or 360, you can copy objects or groups of objects from Storyline and paste them into other applications (including older versions of Storyline).
Shapes, images, text boxes, or selected multiple objects will now copy, as arranged, to your clipboard with bitmap and png data. The program into which you paste the content will determine if the png or bitmap data is used, and will display as follows:
◂bitmap: image will display with a white background ◂png: image will display the original shape/group of shapes with no background. (MS Office will read this data).
If you have a single audio or video, you can copy and paste those into applications that support media file paths.
Highlighting and copying text within a text box will give you .txt or .rtf format for pasting.
I hope that helps with the copy paste set up you're using and alleviates some of the work trying to move SL360 files back to SL2.
I love Presenter, but this entire 360 setup seems like a huge cash grab to me. Paying monthly forever for something is not the model I want. Lease for life! No thanks. There is NO reason to not make these files backwards compatible. This REALLY bums me out. I just got a file from another department in my company, and couldn't open it. Now I know why. They have 360 and we have SL2. Money already spent by both departments. Totally lame. Fix this, for real.
This is a huge disappointment for our team. I usually recommend this software but this is too much. Not making this backwards compatible is a decision I cannot understand at all.
The failure to support export of source from Storyline 3 to Storyline 2 it beyond mindboggling. I am sure I'm not the only one who has numerous clients (currently the vast majority) who require Storyline 2. Who would upgrade when it makes it impossible deliver source in a format clients can use?
Even if Articulate made it clear regarding backwards compatibility, it is still a bad move. Especially when we had to get 360 because of one client, and we have another client now that has SL2, so they cannot use our files. This really is unacceptable. This 360 and SL3 business is just a scam to get money at the cost of our convenience. Not happy.
You have an awesome fan base that you have forgotten, There are no update no ability to add or do more. It seems that Articulate have put everything in to 360 and unless you upgrade you can just get on with it... I am so disappointing I have a trial with Adobe Captivate which is also Mac compatible, with out adding more software to my list.
I built some client content on Articulate 360 with the full intention of buying as an essential tool for my eLearning company. Unfortunately, things have not worked out as planned and I have now accepted a job back in corporate. As such, I can't justify the hefty Articulate 360 annual fees for something that I will hardly use. I thought that I could simply downgrade the content to Articulate 2 as I already have a licenses for that. How wrong I was!
This lack of backwards compatibility means that I will have to rebuild all the content on SL2, which will take many hours. I am so over Articulate as I also did not like the way they handled the HD screen size on SL2. I get the feeling that Articulate puts profit before customer loyalty.
24 Replies
Hi Leanne
files created in Sl360 can't be opened in SL2. SL360 is not backwards compatible.
OK thanks Matthew & Wendy. I should have realised this. A timely reminder for those using a trial version and creating new content - DON'T.
I'm so disappointed/in despair!!!! I have just taken over a job role from the previous designer - did tonnes of of work on trial 360 as we had time for handover and now cannot use all the files/work I've done.
I think this is seriously disgusting - now I have to remake from scratch again in SL2 with the deadline of next week.
Other software providers provide support for at least 1 version down. I just think this is just incredibly smug and awful.
Seriously thinking of dumping this product :(
You can still use the published output from a trial version of 360.
I realise that, but all the work I did on the SL360 I cannot save down to SL2.
The publishing output is pointless when I dont have the working file to use in future.
Sorry that you've found yourself in this position but I think you're being unfair about Articulate being smug and awful.
They have been upfront about the different version compatibility and advise against using a trial version for production work. It's no different using Captivate and trying to open files created in one version in another.
Perhaps you could contact the Articulate Success Team who may be able to help you.
Good luck.
That's the reason, in my team, we only installed the trial versions to take a look at the new features. Even though we loved 360, we're waiting for a go ahead from our management in terms of upgrade to the latest. While previously, we used to have auto upgrades with no extra costs, this time we're mulling for options even though there are some promotional discounts or so. In that case, we might even stick with Storyline 2. :(
Thanks everyone.
At least in Adobe and Microsoft you have some compatibility.
I'm new to SL - had to start on 360 straight away, on the first day - given the trial from the IT team. I now need to remake all the work - there's no help from SL so I just have to redo everything. Happy new year...
I have just had exactly the same issue happen to me. I've just created a months worth of work on Storyline 360, and now wish to go back to using my version of Storyline 2 because I'm happy with it, but can't open any of the files. I have a deadline TODAY.
Honestly, I'm so angry, they've set this thing up so you get bullied into buying 360.
I understand people being upset about having to recreate their work in a lower version. However, Articulate has been very clear about the fact that 360 is not backward compatible.
I'm totally new to this product and obviously didn't get what was going on when I signed up. I thought I read everything on the website, but I found out yesterday you can just buy Storyline 2 licenses vs. the whole 360 shebang. Today I find out here that there is a difference between 360 and SL2! I am happy to have 360, but I'm worried about not being able to share my files with colleagues (and in this community). Are most people on SL2? I did notice that most of the .story files I've downloaded from this site ask me to upgrade them when I open them. Now I get it.
Hey there, Holly! Welcome to Articulate...glad to have you. You're right that Storyline 360 is a new and different build than Storyline 2, which was initially released in 2014. We've got an awesome fan base for Storyline 2, and people are also really excited about Articulate 360 since it was launched in November last year!
Here's a handy comparison chart of features between the different versions of Storyline. And for more information on Storyline 2, you can have a look here. If you need any help deciding what works best for you, please feel free to reach out to our customer success team!
Wow. I hate it when you can't choose to export as a lower version, especially when a product is new. The reason people are making this mistake (despite Articulate being very clear) is because it has been common practice to have the ability to export one version down, at least for a period of time. That's also why some people are referring to this approach as bullying and awful. What a drag.
@Darcy:
You're absolutely right about this. It has been accepted practice for many applications, especially media creation tools, to make their newer versions backward compatible.
I really like this product, but it's more than just a drag that it lacks this functionality. It almost seems calculated against the user for some reason.
I just hope they listen to us and see what other large corps have done and at the very least make their product one version down compatible.
Its really strange (and intere$ting?) that they'd make the decision to not support previous users.
I wanted to clarify that we still offer support for other, older versions of Articulate software. You'll see our support policy documented here.
I'm already reeling from this discovery, and now I find I can't even copy and paste the slide elements properly (just brings them in as images) from 360 back into SL2 to try to rebuild it, so I can share with my team who all have SL2.
Really folks, I can't even copy elements from 360 to SL2?
Hi Carl,
With the latest version of Storyline 3 or 360, you can copy objects or groups of objects from Storyline and paste them into other applications (including older versions of Storyline).
◂bitmap: image will display with a white background
◂png: image will display the original shape/group of shapes with no background.
(MS Office will read this data).
I hope that helps with the copy paste set up you're using and alleviates some of the work trying to move SL360 files back to SL2.
I love Presenter, but this entire 360 setup seems like a huge cash grab to me. Paying monthly forever for something is not the model I want. Lease for life! No thanks. There is NO reason to not make these files backwards compatible. This REALLY bums me out. I just got a file from another department in my company, and couldn't open it. Now I know why. They have 360 and we have SL2. Money already spent by both departments. Totally lame. Fix this, for real.
This is a huge disappointment for our team. I usually recommend this software but this is too much. Not making this backwards compatible is a decision I cannot understand at all.
My 2 cents, FWIW.
The failure to support export of source from Storyline 3 to Storyline 2 it beyond mindboggling. I am sure I'm not the only one who has numerous clients (currently the vast majority) who require Storyline 2. Who would upgrade when it makes it impossible deliver source in a format clients can use?
Even if Articulate made it clear regarding backwards compatibility, it is still a bad move. Especially when we had to get 360 because of one client, and we have another client now that has SL2, so they cannot use our files. This really is unacceptable. This 360 and SL3 business is just a scam to get money at the cost of our convenience. Not happy.
You have an awesome fan base that you have forgotten, There are no update no ability to add or do more. It seems that Articulate have put everything in to 360 and unless you upgrade you can just get on with it... I am so disappointing I have a trial with Adobe Captivate which is also Mac compatible, with out adding more software to my list.
I built some client content on Articulate 360 with the full intention of buying as an essential tool for my eLearning company. Unfortunately, things have not worked out as planned and I have now accepted a job back in corporate. As such, I can't justify the hefty Articulate 360 annual fees for something that I will hardly use. I thought that I could simply downgrade the content to Articulate 2 as I already have a licenses for that. How wrong I was!
This lack of backwards compatibility means that I will have to rebuild all the content on SL2, which will take many hours. I am so over Articulate as I also did not like the way they handled the HD screen size on SL2. I get the feeling that Articulate puts profit before customer loyalty.
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