Text conditions and results slide

Jun 28, 2021

I have two issues.  The first is that I have several slides where students have to submit answers in text boxes.  Slides 1.10 and 1.51.  I want them to enter information before moving to the next slide, but can't figure out how to put in the conditions.  I've looked on YouTube and the tutorial but don't seem to have the same wording.

The second issue I found is with the Results slide.  When I previewed the course after publishing the opening circle just kept spinning. 

3 Replies
Judy Nollet

Hi, Melanie,

The attached file has an edited version slide 1.10. Because text-entry variables don't adjust until the user clicks outside of the entry field, I added a button (called b-done) for the user to click to indicate they're done with their entries. I also created a new variable for tracking whether the text-entry variables are blank or not. (FYI: I renamed the text-entry fields and the associated variables with similar names. I suggest you get in that habit; it'll make troubleshooting much easier.)

You can use a similar process for other slides where you want to force a text entry.

As for your Results issue: the triggers are unassigned. That's why the slide can't load.  

That issue can arise if you import a Results slide from another course. To fix it, you need to edit the triggers to the course knows what score variables to use. If that doesn't work, just delete the current Results slide and insert a new one. 

Melanie Mornard

OK, now I've gotten myself in a pickle.  I added the b-done box and the Warning layer.  I tried to follow the directions and even went to slide 1.10 to see what you did.  I wrote out the trigger setting and entered the triggers into slide 1.11, tested the slide, and it didn't work.  

I did notice that when you go to put in Set Variable a whole list comes up but nothing with the name I gave the text box.  I tried both TextEntry and TextEntry1 but that didn't seen to help.

So then I thought I'd just remove all the triggers and start over,  Started doing that and ended up with the last text entry but it won't let me delete this.

Obviously I'm missing something when entering the triggers although the disable Next button did work, and when I entered something in the box that worked too when I clicked the b-done box.  So if I can get rid of the set text entry maybe I can start over.  This shouldn't be so much of a struggle, but at 75 ....

Judy Nollet

When you insert a text-entry field, SL automatically creates a TextEntry variable. When you insert another text-entry field, SL creates another variable and adds a number to its name. But the new field's name isn't numbered. So, for example, a slide with 2 new text-entry fields would look like this: 

Giving objects and variables more useful names is always a good idea. Note, though, that when you change the name of an object, that does not change the name of the associated variable: 

To change variable names, open the Variables window:

If you get confused about which variable belongs to which object on which slide, click the # in the Use Count column.

As you've seen, programming can get quite confusing when you don't immediately rename text-entry fields and their variables. I suggest you take the time to properly name everything, and then re-do the programming to control the Next button.