The new custom variables in Adobe Captivate 4 make it fairly easy to capture, store and display your users name. Once stored you can also add the name to the Certificate widget and use it in many other ways. It is not immediately obvious just how you might achieve this, so I put together a quick demo that should show you all you need to know.
Captivate 4: How to capture, store and display your user’s name
March 22, 2009 by stevehoward999
Posted in Adobe, Captivate, eLearning | 60 Comments
60 Responses
Leave a reply to David Freeman Cancel reply
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Thanks for the Captivate demo of Captivate variables. It’s one thing to read about it, it’s a beautiful thing to see it in action over and over again if need be. It’s a powerful presentation tool, and what better way to promote it, but to use it.
Glad you like it!
Let me know if you have any requests 🙂
Hello I am following your instructions but I am getting an undefined message in the certificate box. Can you please help?
Can you elaborate? Where and when do you see the ‘undefined’ message? Can you share a screenshot?
hi jim
i want a timer on my priject when go to end slide timer automatic stop
help me
(sorry i cant write english corrctly)
sadegh_455@yahoo.com
Thank you!
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the demo
I would like to know if exist a free LMS that support Captivate with students authentications, admin, etc.
Thanks
I think Moodle is the best-known free LMS. Lots of schools use it.
Steve, this is a great option I did not know about until now. Thanks! By the way, do you know if you can capture the name entered if reporting it back through Connect or another LMS? I am going to try it out myself, just wondered if you’ve done this.
The quick answer is, I think, Yes. But the longer answer is I’ve not done it, so I’m not exactly sure how.
These new custom variables in Captivate are accessible to external code (i.e. JavaScript in the container HTML). So you could, for instance, modify the existing html wrapper and/or JavaScript API code to grab the name from the Captivate movie and sent it to the LMS.
You can also ‘call’ external JavaScript functions from within Captivate 4. This would allow you to ‘send’ your custom userName variable to an external JavaScript function that handles sending the name to the LMS.
However, I think this is all moot since the user will usually have logged into the LMS so the LMS will already know who the use is.
Great, thank you, Steve. Sounds like there may be some options.
Steve,
First, I think this was very valuable! I love that I can now welcome the person the their training by name. Now I just need to figure out how to capture the users name and other information when I send the results of the training via email.
If you have any suggestions on how to include this in information in the reporting function that would be great.
Also, could you explain how to insert the user name into the Certificate widget? If not, could you direct me to a place that might have this information?
@jlockler I’m glad you found this useful.
To answer your question about the Certificate widget, I think RJ’s demos here answer that https://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/_a295153/introducingels/ in particular, look at demo 3.
If you still have questions after checking that out, please come back and ask them. I’ll try to help you out.
Good demo!
The demo below also illustrates how you can collect user information before a quiz/course, use the user information to customize question feedback messages, display user information on a quiz completion certificate, use JavaScript to display quiz results and other information, and give the participant the option to post their quiz results to a database.
You can test to demo here (http://www.myshbp.com/captivate/cap4demo.htm.
Thanks…
Isaac – great example of what can be done, but nothing about how – in particular the first form that collects the name and address info.
Edit the default caption text in the following file *before* you capture your simulation:-
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 4\CaptureTextTemplates_English.rdl
E.g. change
Object Name="TitleBar" DefaultTemplate="Click the %s title bar"
to
Object Name="TitleBar" DefaultTemplate="$$userName$$, click the %s title bar"
Make sure that you also create a userName variable in your Captivate file. Now, whenever you click on a titlebar when capturing a demo, the user name will be displayed in the ‘click the xxx titlebar” instruction.
Steve
I did not understand this bit, can you please help me as i am trying to capture users details as in the link on the post above.
Make sure that you also create a userName variable in your Captivate file. Now, whenever you click on a titlebar when capturing a demo, the user name will be displayed in the ‘click the xxx titlebar” instruction.
Thanks
Paul
@Paul
“Make sure that you also create a userName variable in your Captivate file. “
In Captivate, select Project > Actions (or press Shift+F9)
“Now, whenever you click on a titlebar when capturing a demo, the user name will be displayed in the ‘click the xxx titlebar” instruction”
You’ve been looking at instructions to add the user’s name to the captions that are automatically generated by Captivate. So the instructions I gave will modify the standard auto-generated text to include the user’s name. I mention titlebar in the instructions simply as a for-instance. I could as easily have said “menu button” or anything.
Steve
Thank you – very helpful.
I am creating a captivqte Quiz and I have done all the things intended for the quiz and the quiz looks fine but the one problem I am facing right now is how can I get user information sent to my mail and can I put an Information form at the begining as the form as this
Name:
Email Id:
Country:
Reason for taking the test:
and so on.
Like the one shown in http://www.myshbp.com/captivate/cap4demo.htm. but the thing is I do not know much or how to with Java Scripts as it goes.
There’s no quick answer to this.
Captivate has a built-in email feature, but it seems to me that I often read that it does not work as expected.
You can build this yourself by cfreating the appropriate JavaScript code and passing the User Name etc to an attached JavaScript function. I don’t have a solution to this at hand, but you may find good resources for this information on the Adoeb Captivate forums
http://forums.adobe.com/community/adobe_captivate
HTH
Steve
I, too, am very excited about the Certificate widget…however…I need to use a bespoke certificate image. I don’t have Adobe CS4, either. Is there anywant to alter the certificate image without it?
Cheers
Annie (eLearning Developer, NHS, Yorkshire, England)
Hi Annie,
what you need is Flash CS3 or Flash CS4 and any graphic tool you care to use, or just use Flash. Looks like the original graphics are all Flash-generated, not bitmap or jpg or anything. Find the Flash source files here:-
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 4\Gallery\Widgets\Certificate.wdgt — Flash AS 2.0 version
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 4\Gallery\Widgets\Certificate_AS3.wdgt — Flash AS 3.0 version
If you do not have Flash, then perhaps you can get somone who does to help you customise your certificate. I could do it if you wish, or just get any local Flash developer.
Thanks Steve – would I be able to edit the flash using (sorry to mention the G-word but…) Gimp?
Oops Gimp has flash-phobia. Right, I’ve emailed all my fellow elearning developers in neighbouring (and more financially-empowered) Trusts to see if they will take pity on their colleague who has to a toolbox of Captivate 4, MS Paint & Photoshop 5.0 to work with, to see if they will tweek my widget. 🙂
Cheers
Annie
Yeah Gimp is an image editor. Not sure if there are any reliable free Flash file editors – I expect not.
You need someone with Flash. If they only have Paint/Photoshop/Gimp etc., they cannot help you.
My original AS2 version of the Captivate Certificate widget is corrupted, I think. I don’t seem to get the tab “Widget Parameters” anymore in the .swf version. Do you know how to fix this or where I can get another AS2 copy of the .fla file and .swf file (certificate widget).
Many thanks.
Winston
My first guess is that if you reinstall Captivate, the original file will be restored. I’ve never explored the Captivate installation CD, but maybe the widget source files are there? If you have a complete machine backup, you should also be abe to get the file from there.
If all of these fail, let me know and I can email you the original.
Steve
I was wondering if there is a way using Adobe Connect with Captivate to capture the user’s name when they access the Captivate course through the Connect LMS and have it appear in the Certificate (i.e. without them having to enter their name anywhere). We are using SSO on our Connect Server, so the system records who has accessed the course automatically. How to call that information into the Certificate?
We are currently working on a project that uses Captivate 4 for a board game at work.
Question 1-We have used SCORM to upload test results to Blackboard. As it turns out, it only capture the answers, time duration of the test and pass or fail results. The reality is that we also want to capture the questions that co…rrelated to the answers(correct and incorrect). But, it is not showing that.
Question 2-The guidebook and the online sources showed that there is a Objective ID & Interaction ID, but I only see Interaction ID on the game that I created. Where can you find Objective ID or turn on the option?
It would be greatly appreciated if you know the answers to my questions!!
Hello Steve, I was wondering if there is a way to send some user info to a database using Captivate 4, like the user name, e-mail, and ect.
I would really appreciate if you could help me out here.
There is no *native* way to do this.
The common approach is to edit the JS files that Captivate uses to achieve this. There is a complete tutorial here http://www.connectusers.com/tutorials/2009/03/track_proprietary/
HTH
Steve
Hi, Steve!
Which limitations applied by Captivate 4 (AS2, AS3) for action Execute Javascript (especially interest length of code)?
Can you show example, how call function from js-file, which dynamically loaded by Executing a JavaScript and inserted by appendChild or insertBefore to the html-page?
Many thanks.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for this post. I’m trying to do something I would have thought really simple but it’s causing me huge problems.
How do I validate that the user has entered a name and not just left the field blank?
Cheers,
Rob.
Have you tried a small script
if UserName = “”
Yes I have. Do you mean Captivate script or Javascript? The captivate script is something like – Check If Username is equal to ”.
I tried putting some script in the lost focus of the text entry box and also in the on exit for the form.
It seems that if the user doesn’t enter anything in the field the variable isn’t initialised or has a value of null (which I can’t test for). If I enter a value in the field and then delete it out it works, but of course that is not an option.
I tried initialising the variable to ”, doesn’t work.
I’m thinking I’ll have to do something in Javascript but if Captivate can’t validate that a text box doesn’t have anything in it, it is not worth continuing to use it.
Does it work for you to simply initialize the variable as “Type your name here”?
Some things I’ve learnt –
When doing a comparison to a Value you do not include quotes arounf the value e.g.
Check If (Name is equal to abc) as opposed to
Check If (Name is equal to ‘abc’)
This means you can’t test for an empty string i.e. ”
The On Losing Focus event doesn’t get triggered unless the user types something in the text box and then tabs out. If they just tab in and tab out the event doesn’t fire.
To test for an empty string you need to do a comparison against another variable not initialised.
Good time!
I have problem with variables (both types – user and system)……
They are not initialized sometimes when movie is opened over 2 Mbps channel, but no problem over 100 Mbps.
When it’s occurs some captions are not shown (random question slides)
Now I’m know that flash-movies generated by Captivate 4 works unstable on slow speed channels with high traffic.
Steve,
I hope you can help! I am using text boxes on slides where I can navigate backwards and forwards. If I just navigate forward, my text boxes on each slide work just fine; however, if I navigate backwards to a slide, my text boxes behave unpredictably. Most times it won’t register the value I’m putting in, which is the correct one and should let me progress to the next slide.
Help! I can’t find anything like this on the adobe site.
Have you seen this before? Is it something with the lost focus option?
Thanks,
– Maria
Help! I thought I posted this last week but I don’t see it.
I’m working with Captivate 4 and having a problem with text boxes. They work just fine when I navigate forward; however, when I navigate backwards to a slide, they no longer seem to work when landed on.
Does anyone know how to fix this?
– Maria
Maria, I am not familiar ith this issue. Perhaps you could try the Captivate forum at Adobe.com? http://forums.adobe.com/community/adobe_captivate
OK here’s a new one…
I have a button which I’m trying to use as an overall close button (I want to close the browser and therefore the course/captivate movie) but every bit of javascript I place in the advanced actions never works. Is there something I’m missing?
Is there a default close project button in CP4?
Thanks
D
Dave,
there is a default close button, but it is only effective if you either publish as a standalone exe, or if you publish to an LMS. When you publish to a general web page, you run into Browser security issues which basically insist that you cannot close the browser window. At best you get a security error message.
I’ve not needed to address this issue in a long time, so perhaps the current solution is different, but in days of old you could try a couple of approaches:-
1 – launch your Captivate file from a JavaScript link in your main web page. For some reason this would allow you to then close the launched window using JavaScript.
2 – With or without 1, place your window close code in a function in your html, and call it from Captivate.
e.g. in the HTML (pigin code warning – I write JS once a year …)
function closeWindow(){
window.close()
}
In Captivate, execute JavaScript closeWindow()
If neither of those work, write back and I’ll be happy to look at it in more detail for you.
hi
i want a timer on my project when go to end slide timer automatic stop
help me
(sory i cant write english corrctly)
sadegh_455@yahoo.com
I am trying to mimic the clear button through advanced action or javascript but am stuck. I am trying to clear a users answer during a on enter slide function. I can’t seem to find any examples on how people are accomplishing this.
I can’t find any documentation on what code is attached to the clear button.
Scenario: User misses a question – module jumps to a feedback slide. User is then sent back to retry the question but unfortunately the previous answer is still being registered. I can’t change properties to allow multiple tries at the question because then i can’t trigger the jump to feedback slide. Anybody have a code snippet?
Anyway to duplicate the way the retake quiz button works using advanced actions or javascript? Want to clear a user’s response on a question without having to click on a button.
Can I do this in captivate 3? I haven’t been able to find any options for my variables. Thanks.
Sorry, no. Custom variables were added to Captivate 4.
I keep getting a undefined message in my certificate widget when I go to print the certificate or view it at the end fo the training…
I know how to creat the variables and capture the name in the textbox box but I do not know how to display, or what the order of merit is to get the user’s name to the certicate… and print.
Did you get this fixed? Can you expand on the messages you are getting? If you can’t provide the full text of the message, it makes suggesting fixes a little difficult.
Steve, used your tutorial on enetering name variable but unable to transfer that name to a widget certificate. Still have ‘undefined’ in the name section of the certificate. Could you please help?
Steve,
You are my hero!
Thanks Steve. Just what I was looking for. I noticed that you don’t need to retain the “Submit” button for Captivate to save the entered value. For example, I inserted a short form for user information (name, email, etc.) and just had an independent “Next” button to proceed to the next slide. All entered values were saved. Good stuff.
I am trying to create a demonstration using variables and advanced actions to create a simulation of typing in command line commands. I have the variable set to cmdPrompt in my Text Entry box. I want to setup something like this: cmdprompt>(enter temp) -> takes you with the jump to slide to the temp slide. I am getting jammed with the syntax of the advanced actions on how to setup the logic.
I have tried:
Check if (cmdPrompt is equal to temp)
Begin newline
Jump to slide temps.
I want to have multiple if-thens to setup for the fans, vpd and so on so that it looks like the user is actually typing in commands and receiving the correct output from the command
Bob I’ve read this a few times but I am not confident that I understand what you need to do. Can you take a step back and try t describe what you need to *achieve*, instead of *how* you are trying to do it?
I am posting results to the internal server using a Java Servlet instead of PHP. The results are posted successfully on running the Quiz on a standalone flash player. But posting the results from the browser is never successful. It keeps on connecting…
Can you help?
I can’t work out how to get the variable associated with the learning interaction – certificate that you can insert. I have the box and variable setup for the student name for them to enter then when they enter it I go to a new slide and it displays the name but when they get to the end and its time for the certificate to display it is blank.