HELP with Storyline trigger controls

I’m working on my course for Privacy by Design, Storyline Apply.   There are several slides which require the learner to access multiple layers before being permitted to move to the next slide.

I’m struggling to find a way to serve this requirement.  It was suggested to me in a CC to set up an external variable, have each layer set this variable to “TRUE”, and then, when they are all true, allow the NEXT button to be active.  I’ve looked at the variable list that is available, and it’s not clear to me how to proceed.

I have imagined setting up my own, numerical variable, and having each layer increment the variable by one upon completing a visit.  Then, when that variable reaches a number equal to the number of layers required, allowing the NEXT button to become active.

I would appreciate any help getting this done.  I can be reached most effectively by email at smuthler1973@gmail.com, or by text or phone at 570-916-1487.

Thank you in advance,

Steve Muthler

Don't use  built-in variables, they track system stuff. Create your own variable.

Numeric variables and adding number of visits are not suitable for this sort of project. What if the slide has three layers, and the learner visits layer 1, then wants to check something and visits layer 1 three times? They can advance without seeing the other two visits.

As long as they can't visit other slides (for example by using the built in menu), you can create a trigger that enables the  NEXT button when the state of [all the objects they have to click to visit the three layers] are in visited state. Then give each object a visited state. It can look different than the Normal state, to give a visual indication it has been visited, or it can merely be a copy of Normal state. In that case it will look the same, but when they are all visited NEXT will be enabled.  If you use built-in buttons, they come with a visited state. (I never do, because they also come with a lot of other baggage that I prefer not to use.)

You can learn more about navigation by studying the sample posted here: https://community.articulate.com/discussions/articulate-storyline/free-sample-restricted-and-free-random-navigation-using-variables-and-triggers   Note that moving in it takes you to different slides, but you can make slides with layers, and jump to those layers instead of other slides.  The Restricted Navigation and Mixed Navigation are what you want. It uses variables, so you can see how to use them.

You can also learn more at the User Guide: https://community.articulate.com/series/articulate-storyline-360/articles/articulate-storyline-360-user-guide-how-to-customize-the-menu   Scroll down to Restricting Navigation.

If you still can't get it, attach your .story file here, and someone can take a look at it and help you.

If you use a trigger to disable the object possessing the trigger, it will work (see the attached sample), but only after the first click. The first click executes all the triggers attached to that object, including the one to disable it. Then next time it is clicked, no action will result because it has been disabled.

I'm not real clear on what you want to accomplish, but here are some suggestions for disabling an object's triggers. (Disabled state leaves the object visible, but its triggers are not executed if it is clicked. Hidden, on the other hand, makes it both disabled and invisible.)  These are listed in the order of my personal preference.

You can set its initial state. (In the sample, the enable button has an initial state set to Selected.) 

You can change its state to disabled when the timeline starts.

You can change its state in response to an action, either by the learner, or the timeline. (In the sample, clicking the Disable button will disable it, while the Enable button will re-enable it.)

You can cover it with a transparent shape, and remove the shape in response to an action (either by the learner, or the timeline).

1. Trying to temporarily make tabs unavailable to trigger layers.
I've covered them with a no-fill rectangle, to be hidden when audio
ends. Doesn't seem to be working.

You're on the right track - covering them, then setting the state of the cover to hidden when audio ends.  The problem is that if you have an unfilled shape, there are no pixels inside it to intercept the click, which falls through to the tab. What you need to do is fill the shape, then make that fill transparent. Right click, choose Format shape, and set the transparency to 96 -97%. I've heard reports of it not working if set to 100%.

Another option is to set the tab with an initial state of Disabled, then change it to Normal when the audio ends.

When does the visited state of a layer get activated? Immediately upon
it's timeline beginning?

Any object with a visited state goes to Visited when it is clicked. It can be trusted to stay in that state until the slide is left. On return it is not always reliable.