2010 – Page 3 – The Logical Blog

November 16, 2010

Adobe Captivate 5: WYSIWYG Placeholders

by Kevin Siegel

Over the past few months I've been creating more and more Project Templates for my customers. Some of the most important things you can add to a Project Template are placeholders. What are placeholders? As the name implies, placeholders hold a spot on a slide or within a project for specific objects. For instance, if you always want a Text Animation of the first slide of a project, you can insert a Text Animation Placeholder, set the animation, and other Properties.

There are several placeholders you can add to a Project Template including Text Captions, Images, Animation and even Recording Slides.

When a Captivate developer creates a new project based on a Project Template, the placeholders will be available for use. And since placeholders retain their predefined Properties, all that a developer needs to do is double-click the placeholder and add the content. The developer does not need to spend time worrying such things as Caption Type, Character Family or Size.

While placeholders are great timesavers, there are a few problem. First, when placeholder objects are inserted onto templates slides, they won't be visible when you preview or publish the template. In addition, placeholders have an annoying feature… they aren't WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) when they're created. In fact, the formatting you apply to a placeholder only shows itself once the template is being used by a new project.

Let's take a look at the text caption placeholder in the image below. I formatted the caption so that it used the HaloBlue Caption type and the font formatting was set to Verdana, Regular, 16. However, even though the Properties panel verifies my formatting, the placeholder is less than cooperative. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I would assume that the Properties didn't take and I'd try to format the placeholder over and over and over and over again.

A placeholder that is not WYSIWYG.

The formatting won't be WYSIWYG until the template is called into service. If one of your developers were to double-click the placeholders, it would show its true formatting.

Since I'm a visual person, I really need to see how something is going to look before I'm comfortable. In short, I really need my WYSIWYG.

If you're like me, you'll love this little trick. While working in a Project Template (you cannot insert placeholders into a regular Captivate project), insert a standard text caption (not a text caption placeholder).

Format the caption as you normally would. In the image below, you can see that I've formatted the caption using the HaloBlue Caption type and the font formatting was set to Verdana, Regular 16.

A text caption that is WYSIWYG.

While the appearance of the caption is indeed WYSIWYG, there is a problem. The caption isn't a placeholder so it won't behave like a placeholder once the template is placed into service.

So here's the trick… delete the text caption. And BAM! Instead of the caption actually being deleted, the caption converts to a placeholder.

A placeholder that is not WYSIWYG.

The formatting of the placeholder is no longer WYSIWYG but my goal was achieved–I visually confirmed the desired format and left the developer with a placeholder. However, when developers use the template and double-click the placeholder, the formatting will already be set. Cool!

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Looking to learn Adobe Captivate 5? We are now offering Beginner and Advanced classes, as well as a half-day course on Advanced Actions. Both Windows and Macintosh developers can attend the classes.

November 12, 2010

Adobe RoboHelp Question of the Week: Can I Export/Import SSLs?

I have duplicated and set up a Single Source Layout. Can I export the layout so that I can use it in other projects?

Answer (provided by Kevin Siegel):

There is no direct way to do it within RoboHelp. However, you can do it "behind the scenes." If you don't have experience editing code, I would advise against the following technique since it's pretty easy to trash the file.

First, copy the SSL support file from within your project folder and paste it into the new project's folder. The SSL file is called name.ssl (for instance, mycool.ssl).

From within the new project folder, open rhlayout.apj file using Notepad.

Add this line of code to the file:

<layout>
<name>name of the ssl here</name>
<type>6</type>
<id>1000</id>
</layout>

Reopen the RoboHelp project and your new SSL will appear on the SSL pod.

November 12, 2010

Audio Basics for eLearning

Are you an eLearning developer planning to include voiceover audio in your eLearning lessons? Great idea… audio will enhance the learner experience. Good audio will enhance the learner experience. But what about bad audio? Well… bad audio might still work, but it could also diminish the effectiveness of your lesson.

Looking to get a jump start on the road to creating quality audio for your eLearning lessons? Not sure how to get started? We've got you covered! Attend this live, 3-hour online class and learn the basics of creating good sound for your eLearning projects that will improve the quality of your courses.

Instructor: Rick Zanotti

Click here to learn more or to sign up.

November 12, 2010

Acrobat: SendNow is Live!

by David R. Mankin

I have written articles about Adobe's ever-growing Cloud which started with an application called Buzzword. Adobe then added Presentations and then Tables.

Most of us are not tied to just one computer. It's likely that you use multiple devices throughout the day (a PC or two, a smartphone). It just doesn't make sense to have your valuable files sitting exclusively on just one of your devices. At some point you will need to access a specific file from more than one device. This is exactly why cloud computing is so valuable, and increasingly more necessary.

If you've ever tried to email someone a large attachment, you have probably run into email attachment size limitations. How then can you send a 15 megabyte email attachment? You'll love Adobe's new cloud-based SendNow service! If you already have an Acrobat.com account, you can log in and begin using SendNow immediately.

To use the SendNow feature, simply click Select File to locate your file. Type the email address of your intended recipient, jot a note to accompany the file and then click Send Now.

SendNow

Your file will be uploaded into Acrobat.com and scanned for viruses. An email is then sent to your intended recipient, and they can then download the file from the SendNow server.

The SendNow service is multi-tiered, and pricing is very reasonable, considering that it offers a method of sending files (up to 2 Gigabytes in the Plus pricing, and 20 Gigabytes of online storage) from any machine TO any machine. There's a less expensive Basic plan, and heck–I'm using it for free to write this article and test it out!

Here's where I get to tie it in perfectly with Acrobat itself. In the soon-to-be-released Acrobat X, you can use the Share panel and send a file using SendNow. Easy, and awesome!

Want to learn a ton about Acrobat? Sign up for one of my live, online Acrobat classes.

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About the author: David R. Mankin is a Certified Technical Trainer, desktop publisher, computer graphic artist, and Web page developer. And if that wasn't enough, of course David is an Adobe-certified expert in Adobe Acrobat.

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November 12, 2010

Grammar Workshop: i.e. versus e.g. and such as versus like

by Jennie Ruby

Interrupting a sentence to explain a term or give examples of a concept is a way to get your reader to see immediately how the new information relates to the real world. But how to introduce the interruption is something many writers are shaky on. Should I use e.g.? Should I use the words "such as" or the word "like"? Is i.e. the same as e.g.? Where do the commas go with all of these? Here is a guide to simplify your choice of interruption style:

i.e. = that is
e.g.= for example
such as introduces a list of some of, but not all of, the examples of your topic
like introduces a model, but not the exact example [Do not use like to give a partial list of examples.]

And here are some examples of all of those:

Your remittance, i.e., your payment, must be mailed to our business address.
Classic rock songs, e.g., "Stairway to Heaven," Back in Black," and "Hotel California," often contain long guitar solos. [incomplete list of examples"]
Fresh farm produce, for example, eggs, lettuce, and tomatoes, can be found at the open market every Sunday morning.
Desktop publishing programs, such as QuarkXPress, PageMaker, and FrameMaker, enable you to create publication-quality page designs. [incomplete list of examples-note that there is no comma after the words such as]
On-line business cards, like printed business cards, can help spread the word about your company. [like them, but not them]

The abbreviated interruptions should be used in technical or academic writing or when brevity is needed. For a smoother-sounding writing style, use only the full words when interrupting sentences in text. Now, interrupt yourself with confidence!

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Are you an eLearning developer who has been tasked with creating an effective voiceover script? If so, consider attending my Writing Effective eLearning Voiceover Scripts class. I also teach the Writing Training Documents and eLearning Scripts class.

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About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007" to her credit. She is a publishing professional with more than 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.

November 11, 2010

PowerPoint 2007 & 2010: How to Extract Audio & Images from a Presentation, Part II

by AJ George

Last week I showed you an easy way to extract audio and image files from a presentation. The problem with that method is that it only works on files created in PowerPoint 2007 or 2010. What if you received a file created in an older version that didn't have the updated file extension? This week I will show you an alternate way to do this in both PowerPoint 2007 and 2010.

In PowerPoint 2007, you will save the project as an html file.

Open the presentation in PowerPoint 2007.
Click the Office button and choose Save As.
The Save As dialog box opens.
From the Save As drop-down menu, choose Web page.
Select a storage location for your folder and give it a name.
Click Save.
Locate the new HTML file folder on your hard-drive.
Within this folder is a sub-folder by the same name followed by _files (e.g. HTMLme_files).
Open the _files folder.
Included inside the folder are all of the audio and image files used in the presentation.

With the newest edition of PowerPoint, the option to save as a web page has been removed, so the method used in PowerPoint 2007 will no longer work. Here is a workaround for saving your presentation as an HTML file in PowerPoint 2010.

Open the PowerPoint presentation in PowerPoint 2010.
Press [Alt] [F11] on your keyboard.
Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications opens.
Press [Ctrl] [G] on your keyboard.
The Immediate window opens within Microsoft VBA.
Copy and paste the following text into the Immediate window:
ActivePresentation.SaveAs "<Drive>:\users\<username>\desktop\<filename>.htm", ppSaveAsHTML, msoFalse
Press [Enter] on your keyboard.
In PowerPoint, where your presentation once had the filename you had given it, it now says <filename>.htm (upon saving the presentation the title bar will revert back to its original name).
Navigate to where your PowerPoint presentation is saved. There is now a folder with the same name as your presentation followed by _files. (Example: HTMLme_files)
Open the new folder.
Included inside the folder are all of the audio and image files used in the presentation.

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About the author: AJ George is IconLogic's lead Technical Writer and author of both "PowerPoint 2007: The Essentials" and "PowerPoint 2008 for the Macintosh: The Essentials."

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November 11, 2010

Audio for eLearning: What’s that Popping Sound?

by Rick Zanotti

Have you ever listened to an eLearning lesson and heard annoying popping sounds as the narrator spoke? I'm betting that you're nodding your head right about now.

The popping sounds are called plosives, as in "explosives," or P-pops. If you've recorded your own audio for an eLearning project, I'm betting you're guilty of creating your own plosives at least a few times.

Plosives occur when we say consonants (like words beginning with the letter P) with too much air. The air causes the microphone to create the "popping" sound, which can be distracting to learners.

Fortunately, preventing plosives is fairly easy and can be accomplished in one of two ways:

You can learn good microphone and breathing techniques. (I'll be covering some of these in my upcoming Audio Basics for eLearning online class.) This option is great, but it could take a long time to master. If you're busy, it's probably not a good option for you.
Use a Pop Filter.
A pop filter usually sells for under $20. It's a nylon-like mesh device that is placed inches away from your microphone. While a simple device, a pop filter actually stops strong puffs of air from hitting your microphone and virtually eliminates plosives.

Here is a link to some pop filters you can buy from amazon.com.

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About the author: Rick Zanotti is an instructional designer, multimedia author, voice-over talent, video producer and Management consultant with more than 35 years of experience in IT and Learning. He has managed multi-million dollar projects and believes in a simple and practical approach to providing solutions. Rick founded RELATE Corporation 26 years ago, a successful eLearning and media development company. Rick teaches our Audio Basics for eLearning online class.

November 9, 2010

Adobe Captivate 5: Republish and Wait? Not Anymore!

by Kevin Siegel

You've produced your Captivate project in record time. The only thing left to do is Publish the project. Anyone who has published a Captivate project knows it is a simple process of choosing File > Publish and setting the appropriate options. Of course, at some point you do actually need to click the Publish button. And what happens then? Well, to be honest, after clicking the Publish button, even a quick developer hits the wall. Why? It takes time for Captivate project to publish. How much time? Depending on the amount of memory you have on your system, it could take several minutes.

Adobe ran some time trials on how long it took to publish a large project (254 slides) using Captivate 4. On their test systems, it took just over 1:45 to publish the project. That may not seem like a long time, but that's nearly two minutes of twiddling your thumbs while the project is published. During that time, you cannot do anything in the project. Make a change (even a minor change) and need to republish? Publishing the updated project will take another full 1:45, even if the change you made to the project was minor.

When Adobe created Captivate 5, they wanted to decrease your twiddle time. To that end, Adobe came up with a feature called the incremental publish engine.

So let's take a look at the publish time in Captivate 5 as compared to Captivate 4. As mentioned above, a large Captivate 4 project (254 slides) took just over 1:45 to publish. The same project was published using Captivate 5. The results? Captivate 5 published the project in 2:05. Yeee hahhh! Ummm… wait a minute. Thanks to the wonderful incremental publish engine, Captivate 5 is now even slower? I don't know about you but anything that makes me work slower isn't a good thing.

While it appears that the incremental publish engine is a problem, it's actually a wonderful enhancement. While it might take a bit longer to perform an initial publish, republishing the project after you've made changes is going to return some fantastic results.

Remember that it took the same amount of time to republish a project in Captivate 4, even if the changes were minor (1:45). How did Captivate 5 do? Adobe made the minor changes to the version 5 project and republished. Hold on to your hats… it took a mere 6 seconds to publish the changes (a time savings of more than 95%). Bam! Imagine how much time you are going to save publishing with Captivate 5. How was this minor miracle performed? Thanks to Captivate's new incremental publish engine, only the slides that actually had changes were republished.

Dare I say that your time savings will quickly pay for the upgrade fee from Captivate 4 to 5? Food for thought!

Note: If you do need to republish all of the slides in your Captivate 5 project, not just the slides that have changed, simply select Force re-publish all the slides in the Advanced Options area of the Publish dialog box.

Republish all slides.

To learn more about the incremental publish engine or review the time trials mentioned above, visit the Adobe Captivate blog.

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Looking to learn Adobe Captivate 5? We are now offering Beginner and Advanced classes, as well as a half-day course on Advanced Actions. Both Windows and Macintosh developers can attend the classes.

***

November 5, 2010

Microsoft Word: To Track or Not to Track Changes

by Jennie Ruby

Track Changes in Microsoft Word is an indispensible tool for editing, but it is not the best tool for the job in every editorial situation. You may find that both tiny details and big-picture edits cause you-and your reviewers-to want less tracking, not more.

For example, what if you are editing the text when you notice that PowerPoint has been spelled incorrectly as Power Point. Deleting the space with Track Changes turned on will create a mark that looks like this: Power-Point. Not only is that mark distracting, but it also looks a little as if you are adding a hyphen. Valuable production time could be wasted as your reviewers question that mark and try to change it. Making the change without tracking it is a good idea.

Aside from the time-wasting and distraction, another reason not to track a routine mechanical change is that you are not really giving the reviewers the choice of accepting or rejecting that change. Even if a reviewer of the edited document wanted Power Point to be printed with a space, you would not allow it, because PowerPoint is the proper name of the software. So there is no reason for the reviewer to see that you made what is really a standard correction.

Big-picture or substantive edits such as moving blocks of text may also not be ideal candidates for tracking changes. Although newer versions of Word (2007 and beyond) track and link moved text, you still have to first move, then edit the text to see any tracked changes within the moved text. If you edit first, then move the text, your changes are lost. For this reason, you may want to turn off tracking when you move the text, then turn it back on to edit the wording. You can tell the reviewers about the moved text in a cover letter.

Despite these contraindications, Word's Track Changes tool is still the way to go for indicating text edits for review. Using it judiciously actually helps extend, not limit, its usefulness.

Note: If you use Track Changes, consider coming to one of my half-day, live on-line classes. In three hours you may find enough shortcuts and new skills to save yourself days of work over the course of a year.

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About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007" to her credit. She is a publishing professional with more than 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.

November 4, 2010

Acrobat: Security Envelopes

by David R. Mankin

Acrobat will allow you to apply password security to a PDF file, therefore giving you control over who can open your file. There are times, however, that you may want to similarly control documents that are not PDF files.

Here's an example: I have six files that I want to email to a coworker. Because the files contain sensitive material, I don't want just anyone to be able to open them. One of the files is a PDF, but the others are not. A very slick method for securing the files would be to use Acrobat's Security Envelope feature. A Security Envelope is a PDF file (actually a PDF form) that has attached files. Since the Security Envelope itself is a PDF file, one can easily apply security to it, and therefore protect the attachments, regardless of the file type.

To start the process, click the Secure Task Button and choose Create Security Envelope.

Create Security Envelope

Click the Add File to Send button to browse for your attachments. You may do this process as many times as needed to find files in multiple locations.

Once you've collected your attachments, click Next. You will then be given the opportunity to select your desired envelope template. These are simply PDF forms, and you can create your own if you wish. I chose Interdepartment eEnvelope. I opted to send my Security Envelope later in the next screen.

The next screen will allow you to select a pre-defined Security Policy, or the opportunity to create one from scratch. (A Security Policy is a memorized security routine that can be applied and reused to PDF files quickly and efficiently). You can bypass security settings and apply them later, or not at all if you prefer.

You will end up with a single PDF file. In this case, it truly resembles an interdepartmental envelope–complete with red string and fastening grommets!

Finished security envelope

There are form fields ready to be filled with appropriate information. Once saved, the security is applied to the PDF file. The attachments are included inside the PDF, and covered by its security settings. If a user cannot open the PDF file (he/she does not have the open password, for example), they cannot get to the attachments.

A very cool feature that many folks have never seen! Want to learn more? Sign up for one of my live, online Acrobat classes.

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