What we’re doing about Flash (updated 01/16/2020)

Hi Daniel,

We're aware of some issues folks had with SL2 and the HTML5 output - it's something we shared with our QA team and helped drive the focus for Storyline3 and Articulate 360 on HTML5 output and making that experience the best it can be. Take a look at the trial and let me know if you have any questions about upgrading! 

I am evaluating Storyline 3. All my old animations are swf files, they run well in Storyline 1, but how do I use them in Storyline 3? Is there any converter that can convert the swf animation to a video (avi or mp4 file). I tried a lot of the online ones and one PC based one (Wondersoft Converter) but the conversion results in only the last frame of the animation being displayed in  the video. Is anybody else having this issue? Thanks!

Hi Mandar,

The SWF files are still supported in Storyline 3, but if you publish with HTML5 first or only those files will not play in the HTML5 output. 

We don't have a converter inside Storyline, outside of file types being re-encoded to MP4s, but that doesn't happen for SWF files. 

I hope you're able to find a conversion tool that fits your needs! 

Hi, 

I'm hoping you can help with an issue that I'm sure is Flash/HTML5 related.

I've published a variety of courses using Storyline2 with the option of including HTML5 output as well as the standard Flash output without a problem. All courses play in both Flash and non flash browsers apart from 1. That specific course is created and published in exactly the same way as the others but will not open when accessed via chrome on a windows machine, i just get a spinning wheel and no content.

I downloaded a trial version of storyline 3 and republished it using the HTML5/Flash option and it still won't play in windows & Chrome. Interestingly, when i try and preview the project in Storyline 3 i also get a spinning wheel with nothing displayed. Very odd.

I have no other issues with any other content created using Storyline 2 so I can only assume its a problem with this specific course? I've attached it so you can take a look.

Any help would be great

Hey Fabio!

Thanks for sharing your file for us to take a look.

I imported your file into a new project and still ran into a problem previewing the entire course. I took it scene by scene and I believe the culprit is Scene 3. 

Take a look, perhaps you can recreate these slides and be good to go :)

Can anyone help me???

My courses are not displaying in Edge 2017 after publishing them in HTML5. This is the case for both SL2 and 3. Most of our users on our learning platform use Edge and cannot change their browser to Chrome as this is against their company policy. I have suggested to our technical team that we publish all courses to HTML5 with Flash back up as this seems to work in Edge 2017. However they are concerned with the use of Flash as it is being phased out.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to how to fix this problem?

Thanks in advance :)

Hi Hazel!

Your users shouldn't have any problems viewing Storyline 3 HTML5 content on Microsoft Edge, although the only supported browser for Storyline 2 HTML5 content is Google Chrome. 

Is the Storyline 3 content hosted on a learning management system? If so, try testing it in another LMS to see if that makes a difference. SCORM Cloud is a handy tool for LMS testing--let me know if you'd like some help with that!

Hi Alyssa

We're not hosting content in an LMS of any sort, and are publishing it for the web. Users are being directed to the URL directly. We're not worried about getting responses from the modules being produced. What we are having trouble with is some of the animations and shapes not displaying in Edge 2017 when published for web.

Here are two screen shots attached of the same slide. One is viewed on Edge 2015 and the other is Edge 2017. In the Edge 2017 version the blue shape doesn't display leaving it looking incomplete and broken. This is just one example of many.

Any suggestions would be appreciated :)

Thanks for the screenshots, Hazel. I definitely wouldn't expect slide objects to go missing, so I'd like to take a closer look at your Storyline 3 file. If you don't mind sharing it, you can either attach it in a new thread comment, or send it to me privately by clicking here. 

Hi Hazel, thanks for sending me your file! I tested it and responded to you via email. We can keep the conversation going through your case!

You've brought up a very important point, Stephen.

Fast-forward 2020, millions of flash-authored files will be stranded!

Hi Rais,

It is a good point - and what we're working towards with our updates and new tools! Scroll back up to Justin's original post to see what we've got cooking! 😀

I'm assuming that when you re-wrote the HTML5 engine from SL2 to 3; you introduced the bug where WOs have opaque backgrounds. I'm really hoping it doesn't take until 2020 to get that bug fixed..!

Help. When I publish a course, the Google Chrome does not detect it and jump to html5, which causes the test results at then end of a test not to appear. I have customer phoning to say they get a white screen or the the final results do not advance. So if I give them the html5 link, it works. This is a new problem to me. Can you comment on this? Hopefully I am explaining  this so you understand.

Hi Daniel, 

Browsers such as Chrome have started to block Flash by default which causes some issues with our original file (story.html) determining if it should load the Flash or HTML5 content. You can use the directions here to point directly to the HTML5 output or if using Storyline 3/360 publish for HTML5 only. 

Hi Ray, 

It's an issue w've shared with our team and investigating as a possible software bug, so we'll keep you posted. Sorry for any issues this is causing you. 

I am using Studio '13 and publishing a course. I can obtain an html5 option, but I cannot turn off the default of presentation.html - Therefore I must ensure that the customer uses html5 ONLY  - is this correct and it will run properly on all browsers, correct? -- before sending course, I can just delete presentation.html, correct? and force a customer only to have an presentation.html5  for all browsers?

Hi Ashley. Can you clarify please.

In the main post you state that 'Articulate 360, Storyline 3, and Studio ‘13 rely on Flash for authoring'. In your reply above you just say you must have Flash installed to author in the Articulate tools such as Storyline and Studio. So does it matter what version of the Articulate tools you have as to whether Flash is needed for authoring? I for one didn't realise I also needed Flash to use S3, never mind view content.

And a question. Why did Articulate release 360 and S3 that need Flash to author knowing full well this would be a problem further down the road.

My company is cracking down on Flash and it is no longer being approved for use.  Does this mean that I will not be able to use Storyline 3 as my authoring tool?

Hi Daniel,

Studio '13 and HTML5 will run properly on the browsers documented here:

I wouldn't recommend deleting any files, although I know others in the community have done so - it's not something I can help with. 

Hi N,

Happy to clarify! 

As of today (Sept 2017) all Storyline and Studio versions require Flash for the author to create content.

Adobe is ending support for Flash in 2020 - and Articulate 360 was released in 2016. We know that a Flash free world is important for a lot of our users, so we're working towards that end date set by Adobe. 

If you're using Articulate 360 - you can author in Rise, Flash free! It's web based and strictly HTML5. 

Hope that helps. 🙂

Hi Kathy, 

I'm sorry to hear that! You're probably not alone - but it's a bit preemptive as Adobe is still supporting it and updating it until 2020. Another 2 1/2 years to go! 

Storyline 3 relies on an author having Flash installed on their systems, but you could publish for HTML5 only and share that content with your users. 

Hi Ashley, 

Thanks for the succinct and quick answer to this question.  

"As of today (Sept 2017) all Storyline and Studio versions require Flash for the author to create content.

Adobe is ending support for Flash in 2020 - and Articulate 360 was released in 2016. We know that a Flash free world is important for a lot of our users, so we're working towards that end date set by Adobe." 

The fear I, and I suspect  others have, is that Articulate is focusing on development for Rise as a Flash Free alternative to Storyline or Presenter, and that you will be phasing out these two products past 2020 because of the Flash issue. 

Can you confirm that Articulate is actively rebuilding the core code for Storyline and Presenter so that it is Flash independent and has a viable life past 2020? 

Thanks 
Steve 

Hi, Steve.

Desktop authoring isn't going away any time soon, and we are deeply invested in its ongoing growth.  In fact, you're going to see some amazing new features and improvements coming in the next few months.

As Ashley mentioned, you can already publish flash-free from Storyline and Studio--we just need to make desktop authoring work without Flash, and we are absolutely doing that.

Rise isn't a replacement for desktop authoring--here is how we see pros deciding when to use both!