Text Entry Field, "Enter" Key

Aug 28, 2012

Hopefully this question isn't too amateur!

I am building a "try it" software simulation. I want the user to enter some text and then click on a hot spot on the screen. I don't want them to be able to advance to the next slide by hitting the "Enter" key. I want to make sure they click the hot spot after entering the correct text. Is there some way of preventing the "Enter" key from advancing the user?

Thanks in advance for the help.

28 Replies
Peter Anderson

Hi Keith

Here's how Storyline handles the Enter key in data entry fields:

*  If the data entry field is tall enough to accommodate more than one line of text, the Enter key will add a line break (return), so the user can start a new paragraph.

*  If the data entry field is only tall enough for a single line of text, the Enter key will assign the user's response to the text field's variable. In other words, it will submit the user's response.

This article has more information, but you may want to try making your data entry field taller so an Enter key won't automatically submit the answer.

Alan Ball

different question on the same thought...

I just peer reviewed a bunch of Storyline files for a colleague on a software sim and having to hit enter at the end of a text entry in this case is superfluous and is interrupting the flow of the simulation. There are multiple items on the screen of the system we're simulating and I don't want to train my learners in bad practices.  they don't need to press ENTER at the end of each field.  Am I missing something that we need to change so they don't need to hit enter after each text entry?  if there isn't a way currently, there really NEEDS to be a way in some future update.

Crystal Horn

Hi Ramona -- thanks for checking in.  This discussion took a couple of angles, so I wanted to clarify what you were after.

Do you need to disable the Enter key from submitting a text entry?  If so, is making the text entry field a little taller (to create a line break with the Enter key, rather than submitting the inputted text) an option for you?

Thanks for the additional context; it helps us document your perspectives for our team when considering feature requests.

Jeanette Cereske

The workaround does not address my issue either. When I add a data entry input, I need to be able to select a key (any key) or a click to complete the data entry. This is how a lot of software works and if our job is to create software simulations, only being able to use Enter to enter data is a major roadblock to creating authentic simulations.

I submitted a feature request and I hope we will see this feature soon. 

 

Jeanette Cereske

Hi Alyssa,

I need three things:

1. Submit a data entry field with a hot spot on a graded slide.

2. Submit a data entry field with a hot spot on a regular slide (not graded).

3. Submit a data entry field with any key on a regular slide (not graded).

I see that you can submit data entry fields with keys other than Enter on a graded slide, but I also need to be able to do it on a slide that is not a graded. slide. When I'm on a non-graded slide, there is no form tab and no way to select a key.

thanks,

Jeanette

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Jeannette,

For your non-graded slides are you using Survey slides or slides that you built and inserted a text entry? 

For a survey slide you should still see a submit trigger in slide view - but you won't have the same option Alyssa shared in form view. You can edit the Submit trigger (look for it in the trigger panel on the right side) to have it submit based on any other user interaction.

If you're using a text entry on a standard slide, you can create your own triggers for what should happen when a user completes their text. The text entries are captured into variables, but those are not reported to your LMS (only question slides will capture that data for the LMS). 

Hope that helps! 

Jeanette Cereske

Thanks Ashley. I am not using survey slides and I am aware of the variables that are created with text entry.

Do any of your suggestions enable me to do the following? 

1. Submit a data entry field with a hot spot instead of a keystroke on a graded slide.

2. Submit a data entry field with a hot spot instead of a keystroke on a regular slide (not graded or survey slide).

3. Submit a data entry field with any key on a regular slide (not graded or survey slide).

thanks,

Jeanette

 

Alyssa Gomez

Hi Jeanette, thanks for detailing those options!

Option 1 is definitely possible, and I've attached a sample file you can use as a guide. 

Options 2 and 3 could be possible, but I'd like to know more. When you say you want to "submit" the data entry field on a regular slide, what does that mean?

  • Do you need to access that data?
  • Do you need to recall it later in the course?
  • Do you simply want to jump to the next slide?
Jeanette Cereske

Thanks Alyssa. answers below:

In most cases, I would need access to the data and would want it to appear on the next slide. For example, if I were simulating a transaction where the learner enters the title of a report, then immediately clicks Save (no keystroke to enter the title) I would want what they have just entered to display on the next slide. 

Alyssa Gomez

Ah, that makes sense! You can set that up using a variable reference, no graded or survey slide needed.

I made a few changes to the file I attached in my previous post:

  1. I removed the freeform text entry slide, so now it is a "regular slide."
  2. I added a second slide with a variable reference.

Have a look, and let me know if this will work for you!

Jeanette Cereske

Thank you Alyssa. I think this will work!

Two more questions:

1. If I want to display that text later in the course, I can use the variable reference, correct?

2. Is there a way to do this on a graded slide? Using my example again, if I want them to enter the name of the report and award points regardless of what they enter, is that possible?

Alyssa Gomez

Great questions, Jeanette!

  1. Yes, you'll want to use these steps to create a variable reference. That will display the text later in the course. 
  2. A graded slide will require you to define acceptable answers, and it sounds like you want to award points for anything the learner types as an answer. You may be able to make it work by selecting Feedback: None and using the same point value for correct and incorrect answers. 

Marta Burda-Stys
Peter Anderson

Hi Keith

Here's how Storyline handles the Enter key in data entry fields:

*  If the data entry field is tall enough to accommodate more than one line of text, the Enter key will add a line break (return), so the user can start a new paragraph.

*  If the data entry field is only tall enough for a single line of text, the Enter key will assign the user's response to the text field's variable. In other words, it will submit the user's response.

This article has more information, but you may want to try making your data entry field taller so an Enter key won't automatically submit the answer.

Hi Peter,

I've come across this discussion as I'm having problem with text-entry boxes in my software simulation. I do want "enter" to submit the entry, but the box is too tall (it accomodates more than one line of text) and it doesn't work - how do I change the box not to be too tall (it has to be only tall enough for a single line of text)? I guess Storyline inserted a text-entry slide that was too big compared to what is in the software, I manually changed the size of the field but this setting I don't know how to change. I can add triggermanually  (as instructed in this article https://articulate.com/support/article/how-the-enter-key-behaves-in-data-entry-fields) but still - how do I get rid of this problem in the box itself (please find attached screenshot to know what I mean).

kind regards,

Marta

Vincent Scoma

Hi Marta,

Happy to help! It sounds like you may need to add a submit key interaction by pressing a specific key. Do you have the Enter key listed in the "Submit Keys" field in Form View: 

If you need our help to take a look at your file, we're always more than happy to help! You can share files to this thread or you’re always welcome to share them privately here. We'll let you know our findings and will delete it after having a closer look!

Marta Burda-Stys

Hi Vincent, thanks for the tip but I found out that the answer is submitted when I press enter for the second time - because of the size of the box. Ok, I can create a trigger to avoid that and the first enter will submit the answer but then I'm still left with this scroll on the slide - how can I get rid of that?

Please find attached a screenshot of the original text entry box created by SL, scroll on the slide after I changed the size of the text entry box and story file itself.

In the past I used to change the size of the text entry box (made it smaller) all the time and I didn't gat any scrolls - why did I get it now? I was recording demo moodle site - is the site uncompatible with SL recoring tool and creates weird problems?

Thank you for your help!

Kind regards,

Marta