Slide loading issue

try change the input field from multiline to single line

have a look

https://community.articulate.com/discussions/articulate-storyline/loading-dots-always-appear-after-visiting-2-slides

It was specifically the code that looked up the search value on a google sheet using the API. It wasn't dealing with empty rows correctly. Here's what ChatGPT said about it:

To avoid the potential issue related to the toString method, you can modify the code to perform additional checks before accessing properties or methods that may result in errors when dealing with undefined values. Here's the modified code:

In this modified version:

Additional checks are added to ensure that data and its properties are not undefined before accessing them.
Before accessing row[0], row[1], row[2], and row[3], checks are added to ensure that they exist and are not undefined. If they are undefined, default values (empty strings) are used to avoid errors.

So now the code has been modified to avoid this and the dots.

I see the symptom happening too.

From your Storyline file you have 2 web objects on Slide 1.4.
It is these causing the issues. You have them set to a local drive and resource, unavailable in Review.

Hi Andrew, I thought about that so I initially removed them but the issue continued. If you go directly to 1.4 you'll see they load no problem.

Also.... I had a quick look over the rest of the JS, and there is a lot of duplication happening.

Maybe consider using seperate JS calls for setting of the variables, and parsing of the XML data. It will mean you eliminate any duplication, which is going to make future code changes/additions much much easier.

I added a new slide (with the web objects and without) and it's the same. Something happens between when you click on one of the search results and the loading of whatever the next slide is regardless of its content

OK. I'll have another look...

Assuming those web objects arent the issue, then the Developer Console messages are telling me that the JS is failing to find necessary data. So, the next place I would look is the XML data itself. Check that every one of your JS var sets on each slide are definitely correct.

I believe you may have got one of the JS variables incorrectly set - maybe accessing the wrong level/node/child from the XML?
Without being able to see the XML its impossible for me to know for sure, but I would manually trace out to the console each JS variable after setting it from the XML, that will tell you for sure if its set correctly.

Good luck! :)

Thanks Andrew. I've updated the review version to include the XML files and it all seems to pull in the data correctly but the problem is still there. I'm sure it's something tiny but for the life of me I can't see an issue!

Always hate problems like this when I'm coding. Horrible to find, and 99% of the time something small and innocent looking.

Like you, I cant see anything inherently wrong with the Storyline file you sent.
If the web objects arent the issue, and all the JS and XML variables are lining up correctly, then Ive no idea. (sorry!)

Could it be one of those annoying SL bugs on a slide? Sometimes you have to create a brand new project to get rid of those.
WHile it's annoying, if it was my project, this is what I would do - start a new project, and only focus on the bit you know is the problem - pulling in the XML data for "aspirin", and setting start and stop dates accordingly.
If that works, then start building around it, if not, at least you've confirmed the problem is that exact thing.

Sorry I cant be of more help on this one!