Forum Discussion

StuartRice's avatar
StuartRice
Community Member
2 months ago

Variables across sessions in Storyline 360

Hello Learning Community:

I am struggling to find the exact question that I'm trying to answer, so I thought I would ask it here at the risk of being redundant or repetitive.

Our client wants to allow their learners to bookmark content in a Storyline course. They want these bookmarks to be persistent over sessions. I can't find an example of this happening across sessions (I've seen it answered for a single session). Is that possible? Would we need to engage some server/LMS side shenanigans to make it work if it's not native?

Thanks in advance for responses!

Stuart

storyline 360
  • JudyNollet's avatar
    JudyNollet
    Super Hero
    2 months ago

    When a Storyline course is published for and presented on an LMS, it stores the suspend/resume data in the LMS. That data includes the value of variables at the time the learner exits the course. So if your "bookmarking" uses variables, the programming would work from session to session. 

    When a Storyline course is presented on the web, there's no place for it to store the data needed to resume the course. Thus, the variable values would only persist while the course is open. They would revert to their default settings whenever the course is restarted. 

  • StuartRice's avatar
    StuartRice
    Community Member
    2 months ago

    Thank you Judy! So in theory, it should store the state of every variable? For example, we use a checkbox to determine whether they should review the slide, and we store the checked status in a variable array. Then when use closes the courses the array will be persistent to the next session. 

  • AndrewHanley's avatar
    AndrewHanley
    Community Member
    2 months ago

    Does it also depend on the SCORM version that the course is using, and in certain cases, the LMS too?

    I dont think SCORM 1.2 stores user created variables across sessions.

    SCORM 2004 4th Ed and xAPI certainly do.

    And I think Ive heard of mixed success with SCORM 2004 2nd and 3rd - it depends on the LMS in these cases perhaps?

    • MathNotermans-9's avatar
      MathNotermans-9
      Community Member
      2 months ago

      Scorm 1.2 also stores data, but the amount it can store is far smaller then Scorm 2004. Indeed the most important factor is your LMS. Some support 2004, some donot. Lets hope your does.

      • StuartRice's avatar
        StuartRice
        Community Member
        2 months ago

        Hi Math! So SCORM 2004 would be the best way to go. Do you have a place where I could look this up (or see more about this difference between SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004).

    • JudyNollet's avatar
      JudyNollet
      Super Hero
      2 months ago

      It's been soooooo long since I had to publish for SCORM 1.2. So I really can't say how it does storing custom variables. However, I can say SCORM 1.2 only stores a very limited amount of data, and using lots of custom variables and special states might exceed the limit. 

      In my experience with SCORM 2004-3rd edition, there were never any problems storing variable values. 

      And I think "it depends" is the standard answer when asking anything about LMSs. After all, the "same" LMS used by different companies could have different configurations that impact how courses are launched, stored, and completed. 

  • JoeFrancis's avatar
    JoeFrancis
    Community Member
    2 months ago
    You can start with these.
     
    Evolution of SCORM
    "Just like any technology, SCORM has evolved through the years. There are currently four different implementable versions of SCORM. SCORM 2004 has several different editions, and the latest version/next generation of SCORM is xAPI (Experience API) and cmi5. Furthermore, SCORM isn’t the only eLearning standard out there. Other standards like AICC HACP and IMS Common Cartridge have their place in the industry. This page will describe these common eLearning standards and provide recommendations about adoption of each..."
     
    SCORM 1.2 vs 2004: Pros and Cons of e-Learning Old-timers
    "Greatly overshadowed by xAPI and cmi5, the battle-hardened SCORM standard still bears the palm. This article unveils the key differences between SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004 and explains how the later version benefits course authors..."
     
    SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004
    "There are two SCORM versions you can work with: SCORM 1.2 and SCORM 2004. But what is the difference? And which version is newer? The answer to that question can be found in the three changes that the 2004 version brings to the table..."
     
    SCORM Run-Time Reference Guide
    "A comprehensive listing of the API, data model and error codes for SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions..."
     
    Storyline: Exceeding SCORM Suspend Data Limits

    "The suspend_data element for a Storyline SCORM course tells the learning management system (LMS) where you leave off when you exit the course and lets you resume the course later in the same place without having to start over. Storyline compresses suspend data, which means it isn't likely you'll exceed the suspend data limits imposed by some LMSs. However, if you do, the following information will help you resolve it..."

    Storyline 360: How to Send the Value of a Variable to an LMS/LRS
    "You can report the value of any variable to an LMS/LRS. View the following techniques, depending on the standard you used..."

    SCORM Publish Settings in Articulate Studio and Storyline Products
    "So you‘ve built an outstanding lesson using one of the Articulate tools, either Studio or Storyline, and it’s time to publish and upload it into your LMS. You’ve arrived at the publishing screen and have made your choice to publish as SCORM 1.2 or 2004, but are then asked to select how to 'Report status to the LMS.' What’s the difference between all of the options and how will each affect what’s reported to your LMS?.."
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