The Logical Blog by IconLogic

eLEARNING DEVELOPMENT: Polly Want a Voice?

by Kevin Siegel, CTT, COTP

When it comes to audio in eLearning, my experience strongly suggests that adding voiceover audio to your project enhances the learner experience. Does this mean that you need to hire professional voiceover talent? Absolutely not. If you’ve got the budget, hiring professional talent is the best way to go. However, home-grown audio featuring you as the voiceover talent works great. I know, I know, you hate your voice. Most of us do! (Yikes, I mean we hate the sound of our own voice, not yours.) Rest-assured that your voice is far better than you think and, it’s perfectly appropriate for eLearning. Nevertheless, there are times when you simply don’t want to use your own voice, and you cannot afford to hire professional talent. In these instances, Text-to-Speech (TTS) is a wonder.

 

Some of the top eLearning development tools include TTS for free. But what if you don’t like the free voice choices or quality that come with your eLearning tools? Worse, what if your eLearning tool doesn’t include TTS at all? The good news is you can search the web and find vendors that create TTS. The price ranges from free to expensive. One of the best tools I’ve found is provided by Amazon: Polly.

 

 

Once you click the Get started with Amazon Polly button, you’ll need to either sign into your Amazon Web Services (AWS) portal or create a new account. Once logged into your AWS account, you'll find Amazon Polly grouped with Machine Learning.

 

 

Using Amazon Polly is as simple as typing your text, selecting a language, picking a voice, listening to the results and, if satisfied, downloading the file as an MP3. In this example, I wanted to see how well Polly handled a tongue-twister so I typed out a portion of the famous Peter Piper tongue-twister most of us learned as children. Then I selected Matthew as my voice. 

 

 

I listened to the audio and it sounded great (far better than I was expecting and, in my opinion, better than the Speech Agents that are included with Adobe Captivate and NeoSpeech).

 

The ultimate test was adding the voice to my eLearning tool so I tested Adobe Captivate and TechSmith Camtasia. The results? A+ for both. What about Articulate Storyline? A+++++ Why? While Adobe Captivate ships with NeoSpeech for its TTS (and the voice quality is okay), Storyline’s TTS feature uses Polly and it’s built-in. You will need to have internet access to use Polly in Storyline but you won’t have to login to the AWS site (a great time-saver).

 

Polly is great and I'd suggest giving the service a try. As mentioned, Polly is included for free with Storyline. But if your want to use Polly with Captivate or Camtasia (or with other tools like Presenter), here's a pricing chart you might find useful. (Note that thanks to the Free tier, you can create a signficant amount of TTS without having to pull out your credit card.)

 

 

If you'd like to hear how awesome Polly does with TTS, here's a short video clip for your listening pleasure.

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Polly and TTS in general. Good? Bad? Which tools/vendors have you found that work the best? Please post your comments below.

 

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Kevin Siegel, CTT, COTP, is the founder and president of IconLogic. Following a career in Public Affairs with the U.S. Coast Guard and in private industry, Kevin has spent decades as a technical communicator, classroom and online trainer, public speaker, and has written hundreds of computer training books for adult learners. He has been recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide.

ARTICULATE STORYLINE: Dial-Up Interactivity with Custom Dials

by Kevin Siegel, COTP

With Articulate Storyline, adding a high-level of interactivity is pretty easy if you begin with some of the built-in Interactive Objects. Take dials for instance. If you visit the Storyline 360 Insert tab on the Ribbon, Interactive Objects area, you'll find Button, Slider, Dial, Hotspot, Input, and Marker. If you click the Dial tool, you'll find three built-in Dials that are totally drag-and-drop ready. (You won't need to add any Triggers to the object to allow learners to drag the dial.)

 

 

The first image below shows one of the default dials that was added to a Storyline slide. The second image is an animated GIF that demonstrates how a learner can interact with the dial. (I've included a link to a video of the interaction if the animated gif does not play in your email application. Click the second image below to see the video.)

 

 

Dials are cool, but wouldn't it be better if you could make any image or shape a dial (essentially create your own interactive object) without the need for programming? It turns out that custom dials in Storyline are a snap. In the image below, I've added an image to a Storyline slide. It's a simple character that can be added via Insert > Characters.

 

 

To convert an object to a dial, ensure that the object is selected and choose Insert > Interactive Objects > Convert to Dial.

 

 

The selected image is instantly converted to an interactive dial.

 

 

I added a few more shapes and some text to my slide, implemented a few states (the smiley face you see is actually three states: Normal, Tired, and Sad), added a few Triggers, and the results appear in the animated GIF below. (Please don't judge the example below on appearance or silliness, I quickly threw it together as a proof of concept for you... plus I'm no designer. With a little TLC from a designer, there's no limits to the awesomeness you can create.)

 

 

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If you'd like to learn more about Storyline, Triggers, States, and Interactive objects, check out our live, online Articulate Storyline classes.

 

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Kevin Siegel, CTT, COTP, is the founder and president of IconLogic. Following a career in Public Affairs with the U.S. Coast Guard and in private industry, Kevin has spent decades as a technical communicator, classroom and online trainer, public speaker, and has written hundreds of computer training books for adult learners. He has been recognized by Adobe as one of the top trainers world-wide.

WHITEBOARD ANIMATIONS: Plan Your Way to Success

by Karin Rex, COTP

Do you have a story to tell? A lesson to teach? A product to market? In the battle for online engagement, video is KING. By 2019, 80% of ALL web traffic will be video. 64% of customers say they are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video. 59% of decision makers would rather watch a video than read a blog or article.** On top of that – whiteboard animations are FUN and easy to create with VideoScribe!

 

For maximum engagement, PLAN your whiteboard animation videos! (Prepare, Layout, Adorn, Nuance)

 

 

Prepare

 

• What is your ONE GOAL for the video?
• What is the maximum LENGTH of the video?
• Who is your AUDIENCE?
• What is the WIIFM for your audience? (Answers the question “what’s in it for me?”)

 

Layout

 

• Create a storyboard that includes descriptions of onscreen elements, onscreen text, and any voiceover scripting. (This will act as a roadmap for your video.)
• Envision a visual HOOK or THEME for your video. (If you are teaching “The Flower Theory of Persuasion,” you might include images of flowers, for example.)
• Come up with a CALL TO ACTION for your video. What do you want your audience to DO after they watch your video?

 

Adorn (AKA the “fun part”)

 

• Let your imagination run wild! Explore the image bank by searching sideways. (Don’t just search for flowers, for example, also search for garden, seed, sunshine, dirt, shovel, etc.)
• Remember that you can IMPORT graphics into most whiteboard animation programs.
• Do not draw every element. Spice up your video by using the FADE and MOVE IN animations judiciously as well.
• Add voiceover or music – or both!

 

Nuance (AKA the “other fun part”)

 

• Preview your video.
• Modify the animation timings.
• Repeat until perfect! (This can take hours sometimes!)
• Publish & upload.

 

That’s all it takes to PLAN your whiteboard animation video.

 

Want to take VideoScribe out for a ride? Sign up for our new 3-hour quick start class on VideoScribe. Invest just 3 hours and you will come away with the ability to fully create entertaining and engaging whiteboard animations. CLASS IS TOMORROW but there is still time to sign up! (Note: A free trial to VideoScribe is required to actively participate in this course. The free trial lasts for 7 days, so please time your free subscription to coincide with this class.)

 

**Statistics are from Hubspot.

 

 

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Geeky Girl Karin Rex is an online learning pioneer and whiteboard animation evangelist. Since 1989, Karin has owned Geeky Girl, LLC, a boutique learning organization, where she devotes her time to writing, course development (instructor led and eLearning), and teaching.

 

Karin has authored several technology books, including: Office 2010 Demystified (McGraw-Hill) and hundreds of user guides, reference manuals, and tutorials. She’s also developed an extensive number of learning programs for a wide variety of global clients.

 

Karin is a Certified Online Training Professional (COTP), certified synchronous facilitator, designer, and producer, with a master’s degree in professional writing. Additionally, Karin teaches undergraduate writing courses for Penn State University and is the Instructional Design Lead for InSync Training.

 

ADOBE CAPTIVATE: It All Adds Up With Calculations

by Lori Smith, COTP

Did you know that Adobe Captivate can perform some pretty high-end math? If you’re new to Captivate, I'll bet that you didn’t! Even if you’ve been using Captivate for eons, asking an eLearning development tool to do calculations is not something that likely comes to mind when starting a project. 

 

Let's say that you need to create an annual healthcare enrollment lesson for your employees. Everyone knows that Open Enrollment time is not exactly the most fun or easy thing to figure out. Employees are given tons of information and often left sorting through confusing documents or boring lecture. Using Captivate, you can create an eLearning lesson with interactive text entry boxes that will help pique the learner's interest. 

 

In the image below, I created a form that allows employees to put in the cost for three selections and then calculate the total by clicking the "Calculate My Cost" button.

 

 

Here's how you get the form to work using Captivate. First, add four new user variables via Project > Variables named MedicalCost, DentalCost, RetirementCost, and AnnualDeduction. (Keep in mind that it’s always a good idea to fill in a the default value and description for your variables.) 

 

 

 

After you’ve created the variables, ensure each variable is associated with the Text Entry Box. Go to the Properties inspector for each Text Entry Box and select the appropriate variable.

 

 

Create an advanced action via Project > Advanced Actions. 

 

I named my Advanced Action calculateMyCost. In the action, I’ve used the Expression command to add my variables together. You can only add two things at a time. so I added the MedicalCost and the DentalCost and saved it in the variable AnnualDeduction. Next, I took that total, AnnualDeduction, and added it to the RetirementCost again (saving it in the AnnualDeduction variable).

 

 

That’s it for the action.

 

The last step in the process is to attach the advanced action to the "Calculate My Cost button" via the Properties inspector.

 

 

Was the process I wrote about above intimidating? If you’re not sure what all these variable and action things are, join me for my Variables and Actions series of mini courses. 101 starts off with the basics. We add a new twist to each class, so by the time you finish 401, you’ve got a solid handle on all of the ins and outs of variables and actions... with some great practice along with way.

 

If you'd like to test out the form for yourself, here's a link.

 

***

Lori Smith, COTP, is IconLogic's lead programmer and Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Captivate. Lori has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from MIT as well as a Master’s in electrical engineering from George Mason University. She has been working in the field of software engineering for more than 20 years. During that time she worked as an embedded software engineer at Raytheon (E-Systems) and ARINC.

eLEARNING: Create a Course with Impact

by Alex Genadinik

Given the powerful eLearning tools available today (Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, and TechSmith Camtasia to name just a few of your options), it's easier than ever to create eLearning. What’s not so easy is creating a course that will have a positive impact on your learners and, if you’re making your content available commercially, make money for you.

 

For an asynchronous course to have both impact and sell well, you should ensure the following:

• Your course has clear, achievable learner goals
• Your course has good videos and high quality audio
• The eCommerce page where your learners will purchase/take the course is easy to use and provides a positive learner experience
• You are marketing your course (if you just throw your course up on a Learning Management System or web server, it's not likely that anyone will actually find it)

While there are additional aspects that go into the creation of a quality eLearning course, let’s focus on the learner and what is most important to them.

 

While some people take online courses to improve at their hobbies or explore interests, most eLearning students take courses for practical purposes. Those practical purposes range from acquiring skills to getting a job, switching careers, growing faster at a current career, starting or growing a business, or making side income. 

 

When planning a course, you should take the learner’s career or business goals into account by planning to create a course that helps them with a specific skill or set of skills that they can put to practical use. That means staying away from too much theory and aiming for the course to be practically applicable.

 

That will not only help your students get the most out of the course, but it will also help your marketing. For instance, when you begin to promote your course, you will immediately have a compelling headline for it. If the premise of your course is compelling, it will naturally attract students. Conversely, if the premise is bland, then not only will the course likely be mediocre in terms of helping your learners, but it will also be unlikely to sell very well.

 

For example, I recently created an eLearning course that helps people sell products on eBay (the course is available on AliExpress). Whether you agree that selling stuff on eBay is great business model or not, such a strong premise for a course has made it compelling to many people, and the course is selling far beyond my expectations. (If you are interested in this course or any of my other courses, here is a link to several Udemy course discounts. The courses include business, marketing, entrepreneurship, and some technical courses.)

 

If you keep the words “impact and learner benefits” in mind when planning your next eLearning course, you will go a long-way toward ensuring a successful course (for both the learner and for you).

 

***

 

Alex Genadinik is a successful entrepreneur and a prolific Udemy instructor (he's created more than 120 courses) teaching business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Alex is also a bestselling author on Amazon.com. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from San Jose State University.

 

 

eLearning: Compare Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, and TechSmith Camtasia

Welcome to the eLearning tool slug-fest. In this corner, it's Adobe Captivate. Over there? It's Articulate Storyline. And because this isn't a two-tool fight, look over there and you'll see TechSmith Camtasia. Attend this power hour and see demonstrations of all three tools. If you'd like to follow-along with your instructor, install trial versions of Adobe Captivate, Articulate Storyline, and TechSmith Camtasia (Mac or PC). Watch as your instructor, a seasoned eLearning developer and certified online training professional, puts each of these tools through its paces, compares their strengths and weaknesses, and helps you pick the tool that is right for you!

If you'd like to attend this live, online class, you can sign up here: http://www.iconlogic.com/compare-elearning-tools.html

The video below is a sample from a recent class.

 

ADOBE CAPTIVATE: Continue Playing Project Option

by Lori Smith, COTP

I’ve been teaching and developing projects in Adobe Captivate for years. My particular area of strength is advanced actions. Just when I think I know everything about Captivate, a seemingly teeny, tiny option gets added by the Adobe engineers and I end up looking silly. 

 

Standard Actions, such as Show can be used to easily show a hidden object. The problem is that the project will continue playing after the action occurs (after the shape appears). If you wanted something else to happen while the learner is still on the slide (perhaps another object appearing), it’s too late because the learner has automatically been taken to the next slide after the hidden object appeared. 

 

To get around the problem in the past, you needed to create an advanced action that showed the hidden object instead of using a standard action. Why would you need an advanced action for something so simple? Because the Continue Playing Project behavior does not automatically occur with advanced actions like it did with standard actions.

 

That was so yesterday! There is now one of those teeny, tiny deals I mentioned earlier on the Properties inspector: a simple checkbox on the Actions tab labeled Continue Playing the Project. It is checked by default so if you use a standard action to show an object, you’ll still end up on the next slide. However, if you want to keep the learner on the current slide, all you have to do is deselect Continue Playing the Project. (In the simple scenario I mentioned above, there’s no longer a need to create the advanced action.)

 

 

The Continue Playing the Project checkbox originally appeared in Captivate 9. I missed it. In prior versions, it wasn’t possible to stop a project from continuing to play if you used a standard action. Because Continue Playing the Project is selected by default in both Captivate 9 and 2017, it’s an easy option to overlook, especially if you’ve been developing in Captivate for years like me. 

 

Though the Continue Playing the Project option means that you no longer need to create an advanced action for the behavior I’ve described above, you will still need to create advanced actions if you want an interactive object to perform multiple actions once clicked. If advanced actions have you a bit intimidated, join me for my Captivate Variable and Action Deep Dive series. The 101 class starts with the basics. As we move through 201, 301, and 401, we will continue to build your skills and practice with Captivate Variables and Advanced Actions.

 

***

 

Lori Smith, COTP, is IconLogic's lead programmer and Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Captivate. Lori has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from MIT as well as a Master’s in electrical engineering from George Mason University. She has been working in the field of software engineering for more than 20 years.  During that time she worked as an embedded software engineer at Raytheon (E-Systems) and ARINC.

 

 

eLEARNING: The Struggle for Online Attention

by Karin Rex, COTP

Which of the following statements do you think are true?

 

A. By 2019, 80% of ALL web traffic will be video.

 

B. 64% of customers say they are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video. 

 

C. 59% of decision-makers would rather watch a video than read a blog or article.

 

If you said all three, you are correct (Source: Hubspot, 2017). 

 

The impact of video is astounding... and growing! Whiteboard videos have proven to be especially attention-getting as they allow a story to unfold in front of your eyes on a blank canvas.

 

Why Whiteboard Animation Works

 

Whiteboard animation, or scribing, is a novel take on video that has been proven to be three times more likely to be shared than a talking head video. Scribing brings a message to life through visual metaphors, captivating the viewer and holding attention until the last scene plays out. Why?

 

Viewer Completion. One of the secrets of video scribing is the concept known to artists as “viewer completion.” When you see two circles and a curved lined, your mind instantly jumps to the conclusion that you’re seeing a human face. Your brain fills in the details, completing the image.

 

Viewer Anticipation. Scribe videos also kindle viewer anticipation by inviting the brain to speculate about what is being drawn. Anticipation creates surprise which then rewards the brain with dopamine. Viewer anticipation helps explain how mesmerizing whiteboard videos can be–it can be tough to tear your eyes away from them.

 

Scribes are Judged Differently

 

If you’ve ever tried to make your own professional video, you know how difficult it is to produce anything that resembles what a high-price videographer using professional equipment can create. The visual simplicity of whiteboard animations puts them in a category of their own and lets them be judged differently. On top of that, with today’s software, anybody can learn how to make a professional-looking scribe.

 

Watching a scribe is an immersive experience, which gives them great staying power. A scribe reveals information gradually, sparking curiosity and allowing information to be processed one small chunk at a time. When viewer anticipation and viewer completion kick in, the message is processed at a deeper level and the message is more likely to be retained. 

 

The Data

 

Cognitive psychologist Richard E. Mayer established that combining images with a voiceover to be the most effective way of communicating information – 50-75% better, in fact. Three groups were studied:

 

• Group 1 listened to the content. 
• Group 2 watched the content. 
• Group 3 listened and watched the content simultaneously. 

 

The result was kind of a no-brainer: those in the Group 3 had more accurate recall and retained the information longer.

 

Mayer’s research also concluded that people learn best when corresponding words and pictures are presented closely together; people learn better from animation and narration than from animation and onscreen text, and people learn better when extraneous material is not included. (In other words, the simpler the better.) Does that sound familiar? These are pretty much the central principles of video scribing!

 

Scribe vs. Talking Head

 

Sparkol, makers of VideoScribe, sent 1,000 people a whiteboard animation and another 1,000 people a talking head video, both of which used the same audio file and provided the same content (a business coach making a pitch for new clients). After watching, viewers answered a set of questions that tested their comprehension, retention, enjoyment, and inclination to respond positively to the pitch. 

 

The scribe video outperformed the talking head video in all tests.

 

Those who had seen the scribe performed better in four out of five memory tests. The scribe was three times more likely to be shared and more than twice as likely to be recommended. Twice as many scribe viewers said they would buy the service. The scribe video came out on top in all age brackets and for both sexes. 

 

Examples

 

To see scribing in action, check out a few of these examples:

 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkahn9v81k8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKlgn-yDBQc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcft5B1c-JE

And here's a sample video that I created with VideoScribe to promote my IconLogic class: Whiteboard Animation with VideoScribe.

Learn to Mesmerize

There’s something mesmerizing about a drawing coming to life. People are drawn to scribe videos like a crowd gathering around a portrait artist at the fair. In my new three-hour intensive course, you will learn to tell your first story using VideoScribe.

 

***

 

Geeky Girl Karin Rex is an online learning pioneer and whiteboard animation evangelist. Since 1989, Karin has owned Geeky Girl, LLC, a boutique learning organization, where she devotes her time to writing, course development (instructor led and eLearning), and teaching.

 

Karin has authored several technology books, including: Office 2010 Demystified (McGraw-Hill) and hundreds of user guides, reference manuals, and tutorials. She’s also developed an extensive number of learning programs for a wide variety of global clients.

 

Karin is a Certified Online Training Professional (COTP), certified synchronous facilitator, designer, and producer, with a master’s degree in professional writing. Additionally, Karin teaches undergraduate writing courses for Penn State University and is the Instructional Design Lead for InSync Training.

ARTICULATE STORYLINE 360: Publishing to Video

by Kal Hadi, COTP

When teaching my students how to publish Articulate Storyline projects during my beginner class, I often get the following question:

 

Student: “How do I publish my project as a video (MP4)?”

 

Me: “You can’t.”

 

Cue the crickets along with disappointed comments in the chat pod, especially from Adobe Captivate users (Captivate has been able to publish projects as a video for years). 

 

Why would a Storyline developer want to publish a project as a video (especially when you lose any interactivity you've built into the slides)? Video files are self-contained. They can be viewed on just about any device without the need for a web browser. You can email the video output to a colleague who does not have Storyline, so they can view your slides. And published videos can be uploaded into video streaming servers such as YouTube and Vimeo. 

 

Given that publishing as a video has been a requested Storyline feature for some time, I’m happy to report that Articulate Storyline 360 now allows you to publish a single video of a Slide, a Scene, or the Entire Course. 

 

There are some settings and best practice options in the Publish to Video dialog box we’ll discuss.

 

Under Size and Quality, there are a few choices:

• Dimensions. This is where you can select a size for video from a drop-down menu. If video size is not a factor, you can go as high as full 1080p HD for nice quality.
  
  
• You have two sliders for Video and Audio Quality that ranges from Low to Very High. There is of course a tradeoff between quality and file size. High is usually a good choice.
  
  
• “Set the same volume level for all audio” makes all sounds volume consistent throughout the project. If you want to keep the volume the same as you originally had it in the Storyline project, deselect this option.
  
  
• Prior to publishing, you can also control how the slides flow (or the Navigation). You can either follow the “next” button actions in your course, or show the slides sequentially based on their slide number (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, and so on).

If you need to publish a course to video, I suggest that you duplicate the project and prepare a copy for video output that automatically goes through all content flow without missing main content stored in layers. You’ll likely need to adjust the Triggers so they execute automatically. For example, if a user needs to click a button to show a specific layer, you can adjust the Triggers so one layer shows when the timeline of a previous layer end. 

 

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Looking for Storyline training? Check out these live, hands-on, online classes.

 

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Kal Hadi, COTP, is a Certified Adobe Instructor with CompTIA CTT+ credentials. He has over 15 years of experience in the field of computer graphics, imaging, and electronic publishing. He was recognized by Adobe as one of the top five trainers worldwide in 2009. He is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology Electronic Publishing graduate program. He is also the author of many books and papers in the fields of graphics and web publishing including IconLogic's Articulate Storyline books.

 

 

ADOBE CAPTIVATE: It's Gotta Be Friday Somewhere!

by Lori Smith, COTP

Happy Friday! Ok, maybe it's Friday when you're reading this, maybe it isn't. However, if it's not a Friday, let's pretend that it is.

 

You'd like your Adobe Captivate eLearning module to greet the learners with “Hello! It’s a lovely Friday to learn a little something. Let’s get started!” 

 

Are you wondering how to get Captivate to perform this little bit of magic? You could simply write the words “Hello! It’s a lovely Friday…” into a Text Caption or Smart Shape. However, the learner would only be greeted correctly once out of every seven days.

 

Instead of manually typing the day, let Captivate share the information with your learners. Believe it or not, Captivate already knows how to get the information: via a System Variable called cpInfoCurrentDay. 

 

If you wanted to have the day show up in a text caption, all you’d need to do is type the following text and the name of the Variable. 

 

 

I thought I had done pretty well... except this is what I ended up with:

 

 

What’s that “6” doing there? Captivate did exactly what was asked. I asked for current DAY, and the 6th day of the week appeared... Friday.

 

The reason for the confusion can be found in Captivate’s Variables dialog box (via the Project menu). The Description for cpInfoCurrentDay: “Day of the week as set on the user's computer. Values range from 1-7 starting with Sunday. Sunday=1, Monday=2, and so on.” And that explains why Friday displays as the number 6.

 

 

I’m going to show you how to create a quick Conditional Advanced Action that will ensure that 6 is displayed as Friday in my current project.

 

First, open the Variables dialog box and add a new User Variable called myDay. 

 

 

Replace the cpInfoCurrentDay variable in your caption with your new myDay variable.

 

 

Next, open the Advanced Actions dialog and create an action that looks like this (I named mine determineDay):

 

 

Be sure to create and fill in the Decision Blocks, one for each day of the week. As you create the Decision Blocks, remember to set the value for each appropriately (Sunday is 1, Monday is 2, etc. as shown in the images above and below).

 

 

Execute the advanced action somewhere in your project. (I’d suggest via the On Enter drop-down menu on the slide where you’ll want to display the day of the week. In the image below, I'm executing my determineDay action.)

 

 

Assuming it's Friday, preview the slide and you'll see this in your text caption:

 

 

***

 

Like this little action? Want to learn how to create more actions like this, and more complex ones too? Join me for my Captivate Variable and Action Deep Dive series. The 101 class starts with the basics. As we move through 201, 301, and 401, we will continue to build your skills and practice with Captivate Variables and Advanced Actions. Next? We conquer the world!

 

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Lori Smith, COTP, is IconLogic's lead programmer and Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) in Captivate. Lori has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from MIT as well as a Master’s in electrical engineering from George Mason University. She has been working in the field of software engineering for more than 20 years.  During that time she worked as an embedded software engineer at Raytheon (E-Systems) and ARINC.