Quite often I create groups out of pictures, shapes and text boxes. As seen in the attachment, where I created groups out of the green circles, a textbox (cm) and the line leading to the text box.
Now I would like that group to be revealed, when the learner clicks a button. However, it seems that I cannot add a trigger to the whole group but have to add 4 triggers, for each object. I would love to have a choice here, that also let's me add a trigger to a whole group.
Or is there another way to do that? Thx in advance and best regards Roland
Instead of using groups, have you tried adding the smaller objects to the Normal state of the largest object? That's a good way to get around this issue. I explain a little more about this technique in this article.
Hi Allison, using states instead of groups does work, but it's not as easy or natural a part of my workflow as using groups. I too have wished that groups could have states, just like buttons, so I could hide or show the whole group with a single trigger. I can apply animations to groups, but I can't apply state changes.
What's nice about groups is that you can simply click into them to edit their constituent parts, whereas with button states, you have to leave the timeline and drill into the state in order to make adjustments or changes. It does work, but it is more clicks and hence interrupts the flow of development more.
I get it! Have you tried putting those objects on a layer and adding a "show layer" trigger? Maybe you'll find that less cumbersome than working with states.
In regards to your comment about adding states to groups: I think that that adding states to groups is a bit more complex than it may appear at first glance. For example, let's say you've added a state to a group. What happens if you ungroup those objects? Does the state get deleted? And what if you add states to individual objects, and then you group them and add states to the group. Does the group state override the individual object states? Or do they coexist?
Thx for the support and the little intermezzo chat. Very helpflul and instructive for a newbie like me. I'm just getting the real gist of how to useflully use states and your discussion has helped a few pennies to drop ;-).
And Allison, I work a lot with "show layer" triggers, maybe because working with states was more confusing for me to work with.
Yeah, sometimes I put these things on a layer, but often I've already got layers used for another purpose, so adding additional layers just to allow for a triggered show/hide creates other problems (like, it sometimes makes it impossible to leave "Hide other Layers" checked, which means I'd then have to manually manage the show/hide of the main layers).
Anyway, I take your point about the possible unintended consequences of allowing groups to have states. There would be some issues to work out. The main thing I usually want is the ability to show and hide the group, so maybe a simpler show group/hide group trigger would satisfy most of my needs. I'll consider submitting a feature request, but I suspect it would end up pretty low on the development priority list, if it made it onto the list at all. I know I've already submitted feature requests that I personally would rank as a higher priority.
Of course! I would encourage you to try out putting objects on the Normal layer, as I suggested earlier, as it's really a handy solution. I understand it's not your normal work flow, but I think it's just a question of habit. Once you get used to it, I think you'll find it's not so hard after all. ;)
I agree that it should be possible to hide/show groups. Managing triggers for individual state changes gets hard to manage when there are multiple items and more than one group.
Also, it would be great if a trigger can toggle an object on/off - when a button is clicked, for example.
I'm working with Markers and when one is clicked, I want to show an image. When another marker on the same layer is clicked, I want that image hidden. It's cumbersome to add all the change state triggers to hide that image when markers other than the one used to show it are clicked. It would be so great if anything shown when the marker text box is open could be hidden when the text box is closed.
If you're using the default markers, they should automatically close as soon as you open another one.
If you've created your own markers, all you need to do is select all of them, right click, and add them to the same button set so that only one of them can be selected at a time. Here's a tutorial that explains how to do that.
I hope that helps! :) Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you SO MUCH for this hint! I came to this thread searching for "triggers on groups" and read your article about buttons. Adding more content to any state of - in my case - a character is simply amazing. Works like a charm, and has saved me tons of work in a course where the learner can choose from four different Avatars. Thank you!
11 Replies
Hi Roland,
Instead of using groups, have you tried adding the smaller objects to the Normal state of the largest object? That's a good way to get around this issue. I explain a little more about this technique in this article.
I hope that helps!
Hi Allison, using states instead of groups does work, but it's not as easy or natural a part of my workflow as using groups. I too have wished that groups could have states, just like buttons, so I could hide or show the whole group with a single trigger. I can apply animations to groups, but I can't apply state changes.
What's nice about groups is that you can simply click into them to edit their constituent parts, whereas with button states, you have to leave the timeline and drill into the state in order to make adjustments or changes. It does work, but it is more clicks and hence interrupts the flow of development more.
Cheers!
-Ray
I get it! Have you tried putting those objects on a layer and adding a "show layer" trigger? Maybe you'll find that less cumbersome than working with states.
In regards to your comment about adding states to groups: I think that that adding states to groups is a bit more complex than it may appear at first glance. For example, let's say you've added a state to a group. What happens if you ungroup those objects? Does the state get deleted? And what if you add states to individual objects, and then you group them and add states to the group. Does the group state override the individual object states? Or do they coexist?
All that being said, you can certainly submit that as a feature request.
Hello you guys,
Thx for the support and the little intermezzo chat. Very helpflul and instructive for a newbie like me. I'm just getting the real gist of how to useflully use states and your discussion has helped a few pennies to drop ;-).
And Allison, I work a lot with "show layer" triggers, maybe because working with states was more confusing for me to work with.
Best regards and have a great day
Roland
You're welcome! I hope you're able to use one of these solutions :)
Hi Allison,
Yeah, sometimes I put these things on a layer, but often I've already got layers used for another purpose, so adding additional layers just to allow for a triggered show/hide creates other problems (like, it sometimes makes it impossible to leave "Hide other Layers" checked, which means I'd then have to manually manage the show/hide of the main layers).
Anyway, I take your point about the possible unintended consequences of allowing groups to have states. There would be some issues to work out. The main thing I usually want is the ability to show and hide the group, so maybe a simpler show group/hide group trigger would satisfy most of my needs. I'll consider submitting a feature request, but I suspect it would end up pretty low on the development priority list, if it made it onto the list at all. I know I've already submitted feature requests that I personally would rank as a higher priority.
Anyway, thanks for hearing me out.
Cheers!
-Ray
Of course! I would encourage you to try out putting objects on the Normal layer, as I suggested earlier, as it's really a handy solution. I understand it's not your normal work flow, but I think it's just a question of habit. Once you get used to it, I think you'll find it's not so hard after all. ;)
I agree that it should be possible to hide/show groups. Managing triggers for individual state changes gets hard to manage when there are multiple items and more than one group.
Also, it would be great if a trigger can toggle an object on/off - when a button is clicked, for example.
I'm working with Markers and when one is clicked, I want to show an image. When another marker on the same layer is clicked, I want that image hidden. It's cumbersome to add all the change state triggers to hide that image when markers other than the one used to show it are clicked. It would be so great if anything shown when the marker text box is open could be hidden when the text box is closed.
Hi Jan,
If you're using the default markers, they should automatically close as soon as you open another one.
If you've created your own markers, all you need to do is select all of them, right click, and add them to the same button set so that only one of them can be selected at a time. Here's a tutorial that explains how to do that.
I hope that helps! :) Let me know if you have any other questions.
Dear Allison,
Thank you SO MUCH for this hint! I came to this thread searching for "triggers on groups" and read your article about buttons. Adding more content to any state of - in my case - a character is simply amazing. Works like a charm, and has saved me tons of work in a course where the learner can choose from four different Avatars. Thank you!
Have a nice weekend,
Nina
You're welcome! I'm so glad to hear it's been so useful to you. :) Have a great weekend
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