Storyline 360: Variables, triggers, and lightboxes

Hey Cheryl - thanks for sharing your file and allowing me to take a look.

Your state is not adjusting because there does not appear to be a trigger that is adjusting the corresponding variable:

What should be adjusting the variable to True?

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks for sharing your file with us! Unfortunately there isn't a way to restart the timeline of Side 1.1 FAQs since you cannot add a trigger to the red X button on a Lightbox slide. Instead, you might want to try adding these triggers to each hotspot. Be sure the "Change state" trigger is on top of the "Lightbox" trigger, since you'll want the change state to happen first. 

I made the change in your file - take a peek, and let me know if this set up will work for you!

Leslie, I removed all the other scenes related to several of the variables for simplicity sake. The only variables that apply to these groups are the FAQComplete and FAQPageComplete. The last slide in each scene is set to change the variable to True when the timeline starts.

Thanks Cheryl - I appreciate you popping in with an update as I was confused.

Looks like Alyssa was assisting you as well. How close are you with her attached solution/file?

I see how that part is working, Alyssa. Thank you very much for that. But why doesn't it work the other way using variable changes when the timeline starts? I need to get the main menu item to change state based on the changed variable. It's working for all main menu sections except the one with the lightboxes, and I don't get why the lightbox can't use a "when timeline starts" trigger to change a variable. I hope that makes sense!

I understand what you're saying, Cheryl. The reason why the triggers aren't working is because the state of the icon is triggered to change to Complete when the timeline starts on Slide 1.1. However, the timeline of Slide 1.1 is not restarting each time a lightbox is closed. You can tell the timeline is not restarting because the seekbar below the slide does not reload.

I added two additional triggers to the file I attached previously. These triggers will change the arrow icon on the Menu slide to a checkmark once the learner has viewed all 6 lightboxes on the FAQ page. Here is a link to the published version for quick testing.

I "think" I understand. : ) So the bottom line is the starting of a lightbox is not the same physical change as the timeline starting on a slide. I'll accept that and your trigger setup above. That's perfect! Thank so much, Alyssa!

That's correct, Cheryl! And I'm glad the trigger set up I suggested will work for you. Good luck on this project, and be sure to reach out if you encounter any more snags along the way!

I was proud of myself for setting these variables up with no issues, particularly the dual level part. I've used variables in the past but not a ton, and this time through it was quick and easy. Then I was excited about the lightboxes because this was my first time using them (many thanks to David and Tom in the Live sessions). So I'm glad there's a way to make those state changes work.

Thanks again so much! Cheryl

ps - thanks for the reminder on naming my objects. Bad habit.

You should be proud! Variables are not an easy thing to master. Lightboxes are also a little tricky in how they behave - it took me a while to wrap my head around how those work, myself.

You're welcome - always glad to help!