Forum Discussion
Is there a way to pass infromation between Rise and Storyline?
Is there a way to pass information between rise and storyline? I would like to be able to have interaction pass information so it can be accessed later. I also would like to be able to exchange information between different embedded storyline components in rise.
2 Replies
Unfortunately RISE doesn't have variables, so it is is difficult to pass specific information like learner input from RISE to Storyline. As you mention, it is possible to insert Storyline blocks in a Rise course which can then capture data input by the learner and store this information in Storyline variables.
The problem - which I suspect you are referring to in the second part of your post - is that, once you exit the Storyline block the data is lost. Re-entering the block will reset the variables to their original state.
We have developed RISE courses that do exchange information between embedded Storyline components and the way we do it is to store the Storyline variables in browser 'local storage'. This is similar to the way in which a website might store 'cookies'.
This works well. If the learner exits the course to resume it later, the data is still held in local storage and the course can be 'resumed'
BUT... if the learner exits the course and then clears the browser cache, or they try to resume the course on a different device or using a different browser, the data will be lost.
Update (2025):
Since I originally posted this, Rise has added Execute JavaScript blocks, which means Rise content can now write to and read from browser localStorage directly—without relying solely on embedded Storyline blocks to do this work.
In theory, this allows Rise itself to persist simple data (e.g., learner choices or state) across sessions in the same browser, using the same mechanism we previously implemented inside Storyline.
However, some important limitations remain:
- localStorage is still browser- and device-specific
→ Data is lost if the learner clears their cache, switches browsers, or resumes on another device. - Rise still has no native variable model
→ JavaScript can store/retrieve data, but there’s no built-in way to bind that data to Rise components or dynamically drive content in the way Storyline variables can. - There is still no supported mechanism to pass data from Rise JavaScript into Storyline variables after a Storyline block has loaded, or to maintain state across multiple Storyline blocks in a robust, LMS-tracked way.
So while Execute JavaScript blocks make Rise more flexible and open up some niche use cases (light persistence, experimentation, custom behaviors), they don’t fundamentally solve cross-block state management or true learner data persistence in a way that survives device or browser changes.
In short:
➡️ The workaround is now possible inside Rise, not just Storyline
➡️ But the same architectural constraints still apply
➡️ And for anything that truly depends on variables, logic, or durable learner state, Storyline remains the right tool- localStorage is still browser- and device-specific
