I seem to be having trouble changing the state of an object. The change is triggered by a change in variable. The change in the variable is triggered on a layer of this slide. I have attached an incredibly basic example using the trigger theory I have in my real course. I seem to be forgetting a step which I've used correctly in the past multiple times, just can't identify what I'm forgetting. Please help!
Wendy, I do see that moving the state change trigger from the base layer to the layer that the variable is triggered to change on works. I'm afraid that my course is going to utilize a number of variables and triggers similar to the second example attached.
In this example (using a template from this site as a start), I was able to trigger the hexagon shapes on the base layer to change state upon a variable triggered on different slides. As I type this out, I realize that having the variables triggered on following slides may be the key. In the original example, I was adjusting the variable on layers, not new slides.
Do you know if this could be the problem? Maybe if I understood the theory in how triggers and variables work on layers vs. slides, I could troubleshoot my new course. Are there limitations on what you can trigger on layers, specifically with variables? I doubt that theory because you were able to use layers in the example you edited for me.
there is always more than one way to achieve something in SL as David has shown.
The issue with your trigger was when you have a slide with a layer and go to the layer and return the timeline of the slide does not restart so you can't utilise the 'when timeline starts' in the trigger...so I moved the trigger to the layer. Alternatively as David as shown you can trigger to the object state change when the variable 'layer1' changes which it does when the timeline of the layer starts.
If you are going from one slide to another slide and back - then your trigger 'when timeline starts' would work.
OH boy, now I understand the theory! I was not realizing that the timeline wasn't restarting! But that makes sense since I never actually left the slide (in the example using layers). Mind Blown!!
Thank you David and Wendy!!
If I only need to reference one variable in my trigger, I could use layers in my design. However, is it appropriate to say that if I want to trigger something by the changing of 4 variables, I would need to utilize multiple slides rather than layers in my design? I could use the "when timeline starts" with multiple conditions (each condition being that a unique variable has been triggered). I'm not sure how to do this or if it is possible when designing with layers.
Side note, in reading through related posts, I found a lot of people commenting on how they don't like to see a state change right when an object is clicked (a completion check mark for example). Is the solution to this moving to using multiple slides, rather than layers? Or is there a "delay" type of feature that could be used in the trigger?
I found a lot of people commenting on how they don't like to see a state change right when an object is clicked (a completion check mark for example)
Hi Jenny
this happens when you use the built in visited state. If you create a custom completed state and use that in a trigger then when the user is returned to the slide they should see the change of state and not when they initially clicked it. Remember also trigger order is important. In the attached example because we are showing a layer on click - it's quick enough to hide the visited state showing to the user until they close the layer and come back.
Regarding the use of layers or slides it's purely a personal decision.
If you use a hub slide that goes to other slides - you can utilise 'when timeline starts'
If you use a slide with layers you just need to be mindful if you are using a number of variables that you want to validate where you do that...see this rough sample of where a slide has layers and is validating variables...notice where the validation triggers are on each layer and then the main variable is on the base layer.
Hope that makes sense...shout out if you need more help.
Thank you for this additional example! I see how you triggered the variables on the click of the X which closes each layer. Also the use of the "master" variable triggered by the subordinate variables and how you placed that on each layer (as you instructed me in the first answer) rather than the base layer. Noted that this is located on every layer.
Thanks again for all of your help today!! I've learned alot!!
8 Replies
Hi Jenny
see attached. I moved the trigger to the layer and set it when the user clicks the close layer button
Hi Jenny,
Your trigger launches at the start of the slide's timeline, so it does not get triggered after the layer is visited and the variable is set.
If you launch the trigger when the variable changes, it will work as expected.
Wendy, I do see that moving the state change trigger from the base layer to the layer that the variable is triggered to change on works. I'm afraid that my course is going to utilize a number of variables and triggers similar to the second example attached.
In this example (using a template from this site as a start), I was able to trigger the hexagon shapes on the base layer to change state upon a variable triggered on different slides. As I type this out, I realize that having the variables triggered on following slides may be the key. In the original example, I was adjusting the variable on layers, not new slides.
Do you know if this could be the problem? Maybe if I understood the theory in how triggers and variables work on layers vs. slides, I could troubleshoot my new course. Are there limitations on what you can trigger on layers, specifically with variables? I doubt that theory because you were able to use layers in the example you edited for me.
Hi Jenny
there is always more than one way to achieve something in SL as David has shown.
The issue with your trigger was when you have a slide with a layer and go to the layer and return the timeline of the slide does not restart so you can't utilise the 'when timeline starts' in the trigger...so I moved the trigger to the layer. Alternatively as David as shown you can trigger to the object state change when the variable 'layer1' changes which it does when the timeline of the layer starts.
If you are going from one slide to another slide and back - then your trigger 'when timeline starts' would work.
OH boy, now I understand the theory! I was not realizing that the timeline wasn't restarting! But that makes sense since I never actually left the slide (in the example using layers). Mind Blown!!
Thank you David and Wendy!!
If I only need to reference one variable in my trigger, I could use layers in my design. However, is it appropriate to say that if I want to trigger something by the changing of 4 variables, I would need to utilize multiple slides rather than layers in my design? I could use the "when timeline starts" with multiple conditions (each condition being that a unique variable has been triggered). I'm not sure how to do this or if it is possible when designing with layers.
Side note, in reading through related posts, I found a lot of people commenting on how they don't like to see a state change right when an object is clicked (a completion check mark for example). Is the solution to this moving to using multiple slides, rather than layers? Or is there a "delay" type of feature that could be used in the trigger?
Hi Jenny
this happens when you use the built in visited state. If you create a custom completed state and use that in a trigger then when the user is returned to the slide they should see the change of state and not when they initially clicked it. Remember also trigger order is important. In the attached example because we are showing a layer on click - it's quick enough to hide the visited state showing to the user until they close the layer and come back.
Regarding the use of layers or slides it's purely a personal decision.
If you use a hub slide that goes to other slides - you can utilise 'when timeline starts'
If you use a slide with layers you just need to be mindful if you are using a number of variables that you want to validate where you do that...see this rough sample of where a slide has layers and is validating variables...notice where the validation triggers are on each layer and then the main variable is on the base layer.
Hope that makes sense...shout out if you need more help.
Thank you for this additional example! I see how you triggered the variables on the click of the X which closes each layer. Also the use of the "master" variable triggered by the subordinate variables and how you placed that on each layer (as you instructed me in the first answer) rather than the base layer. Noted that this is located on every layer.
Thanks again for all of your help today!! I've learned alot!!
All good Jenny - as I said there is always more than one way of doing stuff in SL so enjoy the ride of trying new things.
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.