Forum Discussion
Expor data to google sheet and pdf
Hello, excellent idea to focus knowledge. Can you help me with two issues that I have been trying to solve for some time and surely for you it is very easy.
I consider that exporting the information of the variables that we create in storyline to google, sheets, pdf, word, etc, for users is important to document the experiences and information for further consultation and decision making, create custom boards, but more powerful as an example: https://miro.com/.
Considering the above:
1. How do I export the data of two, three, four, n.. storyline variables to the google shets columns?
2. ¿How do I generate a pdf with the data of two, three, four, n.. storyline variables and control the properties of the pdf, letter, legal, tabloid, etc.. and can I customize a background for that pdf. ?
Thanks,
Julio Cesar Bonilla Pardo
Although there are quite some posts about these topics to find in the community, i will list some of them and make a follow-up showing how to get this working. Steps to get into are:
Reading data from Google Sheets or a database
Showing read data in Storyline
Saving and/or updating data to Google Sheets or a database
Creating a PDF from the data in Storyline
Downloading the PDF
So lets first list the posts that tackle these steps in some way ( as there are alternatives for most steps )
Reading data from Google Sheets:
https://community.articulate.com/discussions/discuss/articulate-storyline-export-to-google-drive/899261
This older article from Bastiaan Timmer still works fine, and with this as basics you sure can get reading and writing data to Google Sheets working. Watch the changes over time Google and Articulate made, as things will differ.
Other approaches are using Google cloud functions to read/write and update data. It is more reliant and quicker, but you need to know how to make them in the Google console.
https://medium.com/@sakkeerhussainp/google-sheet-as-your-database-for-node-js-backend-a79fc5a6edd9
As both these solutions do ask some scripting knowledge ( Articulate should add a foolproof method for users without hassle ) there are offcourse external commercial solutions.
https://cluelabs.com/elearning-widgets
Cluelabs offers simple straightforward widgets anyone can quickly use. They tend to be slow, way slower then direct API-access as above, and i did notice missing variables in the past. So be aware of that.
https://discoverelearninguk.com/store/elearning-magic-toolkit-for-storyline/
Chris Hodgson's Magic Toolkit for sure does magic. But limited to Wordpress. So if you plan to add your
courses on Wordpress, this plugin is a must-have.
https://www.eblog.nrzmalik.com/tutorials/storyline/https://www.eblog.nrzmalik.com/how-to-print-completion-certificates-in-articulate-storyline-single-step-solution/
He is really one of the best Storyline developers around. Superhero in its own right. Only thing preventing that, is the 'rule' Articulate has in its 'Hero-programme'.
Quote:Avoid activities conflicting with their Super Heroes role. Super Heroes don’t develop business relationships with Articulate competitors.
Come on Articulate. Skip this rule as its limiting your horizon. True heroes are not limited to any one supplier. Oh sorry, i cannot help you, you work in another tool too.
https://www.elearningfreak.com/Brian Batt's plugin. Can use xApi to save your data.
Thats it for now.Thank you for the shoutout MathNotermans-9! I developed the eLM Toolkit for this exact reason, to make porting and reusing variable data out of Storyline for any specific purpose, including loading back into other Storyline activities, as simple as possible.
Plus, WordPress is a fantastic open source solution for hosting and building learning experiences/programmes built with Storyline intended to be accessible via the web.
