Transcript issues

Oct 06, 2015

Sandy Mason
By Sandy Mason

Help!  There are gremlins in my Storyline transcripts that I can't get rid of.  Normal procedure is to copy and paste from a word document with formatting and paste.  This frequently used process has worked fine up until now and I have 2 different files that are affected.

When viewing the slide(video) with transcript 3/4 the way down the transcript is cut off ( 3/4 of the bottom half of the next line onwards).  Then there is a huge gap (where actual text should be) before the transcript continues... from the start (starting few paragraphs only) - it doesn't start at the top of the transcript though, it starts after the gap.

I have tried everything possible both in word and Storyline, including using a new slide, a new file, and typing directly into the notes, before passing to a colleague who also has had no luck in performing this exorcism.

Any suggestions are very much welcomed.

12 Replies
Wendy Farmer
over 8 years ago10/07/15 at 12:06 am (UTC)

Hi Sandy

here are a couple of things I would try:

1. copy the content from word to notepad and then into Storyline - might strip out any 'hidden formatting that Word might lovingly and secretly added in

2. Creating a new project and import your current project in

3. Check that the text colour in the notes panel is not white - so highlight it all and change to red and then back to your chosen colour just to make sure the big spacing you are seeing is not hidden text

Other than that - if you want to upload the story file and say which slides are affected someone might be able to take a look and see if anything stands out.

Good luck!

Sandy Mason
over 8 years ago10/07/15 at 2:33 am (UTC)

Hi Wendy

Many thanks for your tips, very much appreciated.

I had tried those options - 1 & 3 didn't work, when trying to preview I get a Storyline Error Report, option 2 didn't work either.

I can get half of each file to work, however when I combine them directly into Storyline, or into a new word document I still get the same problem.  I can't identify the page and haven't had a need to enter any tables.

The only common factor seems to be that this is happening on 2 files near the bottom (but not the same area), around where the slide size ends  (above the sound for video).

Attached is a mock file / partial transcript of the document.

Sandy Mason
over 8 years ago10/07/15 at 10:15 pm (UTC)

Hmm  you've strayed off course from my original issue.

The screenshot of weird text is actually perfectly fine - it was a mock up, I simply de-identified any reference to people and places.  Yes the transcript is 20 pages but the actual document is a lot bigger - I couldn't reduce it any less to show the issue.

If you open the earlier attached Storyline file, locate the approximate area as per attached example (the text may not marry as it may have been from the other gremlin file)  you'll see the area I mean.  And a reminder that if I scroll pass this blank area that the transcript starts at the beginning again (only the first few paragraphs though).

I hope this helps you to help me as it's driving my crazy - even creating a complete new file doesn't work.  For the meantime I've had to put a note in the transcript tab to advise that the transcript can be located in the resource file if required.  This gets the job done, however as there are about 6 other resources like this consistency has gone out the window regarding the 2 files with transcript issues.

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard
over 8 years ago10/08/15 at 2:44 pm (UTC)

Hi Sandy, 

Ok so just to confirm I'm going through the correct steps...

  • Export the file for Translation to Word
  • Import the newly created Word file (no changes made to the Word doc?)
  • Preview the course and see odd emptiness within the Notes panel

Does it always cut the transcript off at one point? It's a lot of text for one notes section at 20 pages, so perhaps it's worth breaking it up anyway as that's a fair amount to scroll through in that small panel. 

Sandy Mason
over 8 years ago10/08/15 at 8:54 pm (UTC)

Hi Ashley, thanks for not giving up on me:)

My process is:

  • prepare transcript in Word using template
  • copy and paste (with formatting) into Notes in Storyline
  • preview slide with video and transcript to check transcript

I've created 4 files already with about 6 more to go - 2 of these files are affected with this transcript issue. 

I don't believe it has anything to do with the size of the transcript or video as the 2 affected files are a third of the size of the ones I've already done.

The cutting off point is just above the arrow as per attachment, and the other file shows the location just above the sound icon - but it does seem to move around the lower end slightly.  It doesn't matter whether I reduce or increase the amount of text the cut off location seems to be around the same approximate lower scale area.

Did you scroll pass the blank area and see how the beginning starts again?

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard
over 8 years ago10/09/15 at 4:13 pm (UTC)

Hi Sandy,

Ok - it looks like I was way off base on what you were doing! I tried stripping the text after that blank spot out, and then the formatting issues disappeared - so it's definitely something in that section of text. I added in my own text past that point, and it was all displaying normally.

So again, a different behavior than you're seeing - as reducing text to that point allowed it to display fine. Adding in my own text after that point (with your problematic text removed) also allowed it to work fine. 

I know you mentioned you're setting it up in Word - and the formatting issue could be a part of this. So you may want to try creating it in Notepad or entering it directly into Storyline. Since you're only seeing it on two files as well, I'd look at confirming that the files are saved locally as described here. 

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