Forum Discussion
Articulate Storyline: Export to Google Drive
On the Articulate user days in Utrecht (2015), we held a session about exporting Articulate Storyline variables to Google Drive (Spreadsheet). This export is achieved via JavaScript (jQuery).
Use the button Source to download the Storyline project. If you want the same lay-out as the example above, please install the following fonts (see source file):
- flaticons-stroke.ttf
- fontawesome-webfont.ttf
Why do you want to make an export to Google Drive?
- No LMS (or database) available;
- Store more information than just the test results. You can export all Storyline variables to Google Drive.
Why using Javascript?
Besides using Javascript it's also possible to embed a Google form as WEB object. This is a lot easier than using Javascript.
We have chosen for Javascript because we would like the ability to change the appearance of the form. In addition, we want to collect data across multiple slides and then store them in Google Drive.
UPDATE 2017-06-06:
There is also an article available for importing records of a Google Spreadsheet into Storyline:
Articulate Storyline: Import from Google Drive
UPDATE 18-10-2018: PROBLEMS WITH NEW SPREADSHEET, TRY TO USE A TEMPLATE
Google changed somthing within the mechanism of storing variables into a Google Spreadsheet. Creating a new spreadsheet can give you problems for storing variables. Before you try the steps below, please use a template:
Go to the page below and use the button Use this template:
https://drive.google.com/previewtemplate?id=1vrqb9ykwCSxzjcBIpYO7P9AXPyh37J3HviSwhZvYc_U&mode=public
And go further with step 4 below!
Export to Google Drive
The export consists of several steps. Some steps take place on the side of Google. For these steps you will need a Google account. The remaining steps take place in Articulate Storyline.
Below you'll find the steps to create the export to Google Drive:
1. Login with your Google account
Go to the page below and login with your credentials:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/
2. Create a new spreadsheet
Click on the Plus-sign (+) to create a new spreadsheet.
3. Rename the sheet to DATA
Give the spreadsheet a title and change the name of the sheet to DATA.
4. Add extra columns
Add extra columns you would like to use. Probably these columns will have the same name as the variables in Articulate Storyline. As example: the column names name, email and message like in the source project.
You can add the column date in the spreadsheet, if you would like to save the date when the form is sent to Google.
The column names needs to be identical to the variable names in Articulate Storyline. The column names are case sensitive.
5. Copy the ID of your form
Find out your spreadsheet ‘key’ by looking in the address bar, the key is the long series of letters and numbers after /d/ and before /edit: Like:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AzBuim89ma_ght1-O14cksVzXrQL5Vh4XnRqY9OM_gc/edit#gid=0
The KEY will be = 1AzBuim89ma_ght1-O14cksVzXrQL5Vh4XnRqY9OM_gc
Save this KEY in a Notepad file to keep safe, or other application, you will need this ID in step 8.
6. Open the Script Editor
Open the script editor Tools, Script Editor.
7. Paste custom script
If you are using the template, then you can skip this step. The code is already in the template available. If not, paste the script below, which is needed for importing the Storyline variables into this spreadsheet:
// 1. Enter sheet name where data is to be written below
var SHEET_NAME = "DATA";
// 2. Enter the KEY of your form
var KEY = "KEY"
// 3. Run > setup
// 4. Publish > Deploy as web app
// - enter Project Version name and click 'Save New Version'
// - set security level and enable service (most likely execute as 'me' and access 'anyone, even anonymously)
// 5. Copy the 'Current web app URL' and post this in your form/script action
// 6. Insert column names on your destination sheet matching the parameter names of the data you are passing in (exactly matching case)
var SCRIPT_PROP = PropertiesService.getScriptProperties(); // new property service
// If you don't want to expose either GET or POST methods you can comment out the appropriate function
function doGet(e){
return handleResponse(e);
}
function doPost(e){
return handleResponse(e);
}
function handleResponse(e) {
// shortly after my original solution Google announced the LockService[1]
// this prevents concurrent access overwritting data
// [1] http://googleappsdeveloper.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/concurrency-and-google-apps-script.html
// we want a public lock, one that locks for all invocations
var lock = LockService.getPublicLock();
lock.waitLock(30000); // wait 30 seconds before conceding defeat.
try {
// next set where we write the data - you could write to multiple/alternate destinations
var doc = SpreadsheetApp.openById(SCRIPT_PROP.getProperty(KEY));
var sheet = doc.getSheetByName(SHEET_NAME);
// we'll assume header is in row 1 but you can override with header_row in GET/POST data
var headRow = e.parameter.header_row || 1;
var headers = sheet.getRange(1, 1, 1, sheet.getLastColumn()).getValues()[0];
var nextRow = sheet.getLastRow()+1; // get next row
var row = [];
// loop through the header columns
for (i in headers){
if (headers[i] == "Timestamp"){ // special case if you include a 'Timestamp' column
row.push(new Date());
} else { // else use header name to get data
row.push(e.parameter[headers[i]]);
}
}
// more efficient to set values as [][] array than individually
sheet.getRange(nextRow, 1, 1, row.length).setValues([row]);
// return json success results
return ContentService
.createTextOutput(JSON.stringify({"result":"success", "row": nextRow}))
.setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JSON);
} catch(e){
// if error return this
return ContentService
.createTextOutput(JSON.stringify({"result":"error", "error": e})) .setMimeType(ContentService.MimeType.JSON);
} finally { //release lock
lock.releaseLock();
}
}
function setup() {
var doc = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
SCRIPT_PROP.setProperty(KEY, doc.getId());
}
8. Paste your key
There is one place in the script where it says var KEY = "KEY". Copy and paste your key between the "".
9. Run the script
Run the script via Run, Run function, setup. The first time you run the script it will ask for permission to run. You will need to grant it. If you run the script for a second time you won't get any popup. This is an indication it has run successfully.
10. Deploy a web app
Go to Publish, Deploy as web app. Enter a project name (optional) and set security level. Choose for Me and access Anyone, even anonymously. Click on the button Deploy to create the web app.
11. Copy the Current web app URL
Copy the 'Current web app URL' and paste it in a Notepad file to keep safe.
Example URL:
https://script.google.com/macros/s/AKfycbyoP8c3_wlons5PSHx1W8PWJx4pn7t3ch-_IxTz0dVIKFw1AGLN/exec
12. Add jQuery library
In Articulate, add a trigger to run javascript (Execute Javascript) and use the code below.
This code will add the jQuery library to this project, so you won't have to change the HTML files after publishing the project. The jQuery library is needed for exporting the information to Google Drive.
var head = document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];
var script = document.createElement('script');
script.src = '//code.jquery.com/jquery-1.11.0.min.js';
script.type = 'text/javascript';
head.appendChild(script)
13. Store information
Add another trigger to run Javascript (Execute Javascript). You can use the code below.
Replace the value Current web app URL for the webapp url you've saved in step 11.
Below the webapp URL, you can place the column names of the spreadsheet and the Storyline variables. Please be aware of the comma if you add multiple variables.
var player = GetPlayer();
//PLACE YOUR WEB APP URL
WEB_APP_URL = "Current web app URL";
// STORE ARTICULATE STORYLINE VARIABLES
// "Columnname_Google_Spreadsheet" : player.GetVar("Name_Storyline_Variable")
// ATTENTION: Use a comma if you use multiple Storyline variables
storyline =
{
"date" : new Date().toJSON().slice(0,10), //STORE DATE
"name" : player.GetVar("name"),
"email" : player.GetVar("email"),
"message" : player.GetVar("message")
}
Don't delete the row below, if you would like to save the date when the form is sent:
"date" : new Date().toJSON().slice(0,10), //STORE DATE
14. Export code to Google Drive
Latest Javascript code. Add another trigger to run Javascript (Execute Javascript). You can use the code below. This trigger will send the information from step 13 to Google Drive.
//DELAY SO JQUERY LIBRARY IS LOADED
setTimeout(function (){
//Export to Google
$.ajax({
url: WEB_APP_URL,
type: "POST",
data : storyline,
success: function(data)
{
console.log(data);
},
error: function(err) {
console.log('Error:', err);
}
});
return false;
}, 1000);
15. Publish to SCORM or WEB format
Publish your articulate project to WEB or SCORM format. You need to host it on a WEB server or somewhere like SCORM cloud (or a LMS).
This export will work in Flash and HTML5 output. You can't use the Articulate Mobile Player, because it won't support Javascript code.
Thank You
Thanks Kate Robertson for making the blog post below:
Exporting Variables into a Google Spreadsheet
I started with your setup and then have tried to simplify the steps by changing the Javascript code and importing the JQuery Library.
- jeffCommunity Member
Great explanation Bastiaan.
- MirandaLeeCommunity Member
Can't wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing.
- NicoleDuclosCommunity Member
Thank you for the great directions!
- KevinThornSuper Hero
Great example and explanation using jQuery. Thanks Bastiaan!
- BastiaanTimmerPartner
Thanks for the replies!
- LynnWahlCommunity Member
Out of all the tutorials on this, this is the only one I've actually managed to make work. Thank you so much for the templates. I flubbed it the first few times by adding the triggers myself on the first slide of the Articulate template provided rather than changing the Web App URL on the last slide where you already had everything there. Now that I see what's going on, I can add it to any of my projects. Thanks again!
Glad that this was able to assist you here Lynn. I've flubbed on courses/techniques as well and it's all a part of the learning I think. I do appreciate the feedback and glad to hear that you are well on your way.
- MarkWoolwineCommunity Member
Does anyone know if you can have have multiple posts to spreadsheets in one storyline file. For example if i want to post the data from one set of variables to Spreadsheet A and a survey at the to Spreadsheet B... so that survey results would be anonymous.
- BastiaanTimmerPartner
Hi Mark,
You can! In the above example you'll see a reference to the Google Spreadsheet in the JavaScript code in Storyline.
So you can use this same code on another slide of your project and change the reference to Spreadsheet B. And then you maybe will need to adjust the variables.
But it's definitely possible!
Best regards,
Bastiaan
Hi Mark! This is not something I would be able to assist you with and I know most of this forum thread is a bit dated. Just wanted to mention that you are welcome to reach out to users directly if needed via the 'Contact Me' option on their user profile.
- WillieThomas-d7Community Member
Hi,
I`ve been working on this project for a couple of days now. I getting a bit frustrated and my boss is breathing down my neck.
Pretty straight forward? I`m trying to get inputted data form storyline2 into a google doc. I`ve tried various method discussed of various forums and this is the closest I`ve gotten so far.
the problem is my doc is being updated sporadically and when it does update it`s with the term `undefined`.