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Work with multi-state objects in Adobe Captivate Classic

  1. Captivate Classic User Guide
  2. Introduction to Captivate
    1. What's New in Adobe Captivate
    2. Adobe Captivate System Requirements
    3. Responsive Project Design with Adobe Captivate
  3. Captivate Classic Release Notes
    1.  Adobe Captivate Classic 11.8.3 Release Notes
    2. Adobe Captivate Classic 11.8.2 Release Notes
    3. Adobe Captivate 11.8.1 Release Notes
    4. Adobe Captivate 11.8 Release Notes
    5. What's New in Adobe Captivate (2019 release) Update 5
    6. What's New in Adobe Captivate (2019 release) Update 2
    7. Adobe Captivate Release Notes
  4. Create Projects
    1. Create different types of projects in Adobe Captivate
    2. Customize the size of an Adobe Captivate project
    3. Responsive Project Design with Adobe Captivate
    4. Create Virtual Reality (VR) projects
    5. Work with responsive text in Adobe Captivate
    6. Work with themes in Adobe Captivate
    7. How to apply view specific properties in responsive projects
    8. How to create backup files for Adobe Captivate projects
    9. Asset panel
    10. Create branching and forced navigation in Captivate
    11. Replace image on the stage
  5. Add and Manage Objects
    1. Work with multi-state objects in Adobe Captivate
    2. Object effects
    3. Insert web objects in Adobe Captivate projects
    4. Work with object styles in Adobe Captivate
    5. How to rotate objects in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to manage objects with the Main Options toolbar
    7. How to merge objects in a slide
    8. How to manage objects in the library
    9. How to group objects in Adobe Captivate
    10. Edit object information using the Advanced Interaction panel
    11. How to copy, paste, and duplicate objects in Adobe Captivate
    12. Control the visibility of objects
    13. How to change the display order of objects in Adobe Captivate
    14. Apply shadows to objects
    15. How to align objects in Adobe Captivate
    16. How to add reflection to objects in Adobe Captivate
    17. Import assets into a Captivate project
  6. Slides
    1. Add slides to an Adobe Captivate project
    2. Editing slides in an Adobe Captivate project
    3. Delete Adobe Captivate project slides
    4. Change slide order in Adobe Captivate
    5. Set slide properties in Adobe Captivate
    6. Add and convert slide notes to audio files with Adobe Captivate
    7. Set up knowledge check slides in Adobe Captivate
    8. How to add slide transitions in Adobe Captivate
    9. How to work with master slides in Adobe Captivate
    10. How to lock Adobe Captivate slides
    11. How to hide or exclude slides in an Adobe Captivate project
    12. How to group and ungroup slides in Adobe Captivate
  7. Timeline and grids
    1. Use rulers and guides
    2. Work with grids in Adobe Captivate
    3. Work with the timeline
    4. Shortcut keys in Adobe Captivate
    5. Working with the filmstrip
    6. How to customize the Adobe Captivate workspace
    7. How to use the Adobe Captivate Library
    8. How to use the Branching panel in Adobe Captivate
  8. Create Quizzes
    1. Insert question slides in Adobe Captivate projects
    2. Set quiz preferences for Adobe Captivate
    3. How to enable learners to submit all quiz responses simultaneously
    4. How to set up question slides with Adobe Captivate
    5. Using random question slides in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to allow users to return to quiz
    7. Import questions from CSV format files
    8. Import questions from GIFT format files
    9. How to insert pretests in Adobe Captivate
  9. Audio
    1. How to insert audio into an Adobe Captivate project
    2. How to preview audio in Adobe Captivate
    3. How to edit audio files with Adobe Captivate
    4. View audio details in Adobe Captivate
    5. Set audio recording preferences and recording audio
    6. How to export audio from Adobe Captivate
  10. Video
    1. Slide videos
    2. Work with event videos in Adobe Captivate
    3. Differences between events and synchronized videos in Adobe Captivate
  11. Interactive Objects
    1. Add interactive buttons to your Captivate projects
    2. Create click boxes in Adobe Captivate
    3. Add text entry boxes with Adobe Captivate
    4. How to add audio to boxes and buttons
    5. How to add JavaScript to boxes and buttons in Adobe Captivate
  12. Interactions
    1. Create drag-and-drop interactions in Adobe Captivate
    2. Use Adobe Captivate variables in widgets
    3. Set the properties of widgets with Adobe Captivate
    4. How to create static, interactive, and question widgets in Adobe Captivate
    5. How to add widgets to your Adobe Captivate project
  13. Non-interactive objects
    1. Create and edit smart shapes
    2. Edit and create text captions with Captivate
    3. How to use images and rollover images with Captivate
    4. How to customize smart shapes in Adobe Captivate
    5. How to create zoom areas in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to set audio for noninteractive objects
    7. How to create rollover slidelets in Adobe Captivate
    8. How to create rollover captions in Adobe Captivate
    9. Change mouse properties in Adobe Captivate
    10. Use highlight boxes in Captivate
    11. Work with swatches in Adobe Captivate
    12. Fix size and position of non-interactive objects
    13. Add animations to a Adobe Captivate project
  14. Advanced Editing and Project Reviews
    1. How to link Adobe Captivate projects
    2. Import, export, and delete content
    3. Skins
    4. Create accessible projects in Adobe Captivate
    5. Create a table of contents (TOC) with Adobe Captivate
    6. Resize Adobe Captivate projects
    7. Projects and project preferences
    8. How to preview projects in Adobe Captivate
  15. Variables and Advanced Actions
    1. Adobe Captivate variables
    2. How to create user-defined variables in Adobe Captivate
    3. Advanced actions in Adobe Captivate
    4. Shared actions in Adobe Captivate projects
    5. Edit or delete user-defined variables in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to assign advanced actions to an event
  16. Record Projects
    1. Create interactive videos
    2. Automatic and manual recording with Captivate
    3. Set recording preferences in Adobe Captivate
    4. Record video demonstrations with Adobe Captivate
    5. How to record software simulations in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to pause recording
  17. Publish Projects
    1. Preview and publish responsive projects
    2. Publish project to Adobe Captivate Prime
    3. Publish projects as HTML5 files with Adobe Captivate
    4. Publish projects as executable files
    5. Publish projects as MP4 files with Adobe Captivate
    6. Set publishing preferences in Adobe Captivate
    7. Using web fonts from Adobe Fonts in Adobe Captivate
    8. Report quiz results to an internal server
  18. Use Adobe Captivate with Other Applications
    1. Import and edit PowerPoint presentations in Captivate
    2. Upload an Adobe Captivate project to a Learning Management System
    3. Learn about the Common JavaScript interface for Adobe Captivate
    4. How to publish Captivate projects to Microsoft Word
    5. Using Adobe Connect with Captivate
    6. How to add Captivate projects to a RoboHelp online help system
    7. How to package multiple SCOs using the Adobe Multi-SCORM Packager
  19. Troubleshoot Adobe Captivate
    1. Resolve known issues and limitations in the latest versions of Adobe Captivate, Adobe FrameMaker, and Adobe RoboHelp.
    2. Early build for Captivate (2019 release) on macOS Big Sur (macOS 11)
    3. Hotfix for VR content not playing on devices
    4. Configure SSL for Live Preview on Devices
    5. Captivate (2019 release) activation issues on macOS Catalina
    6. Captivate responsive courses will not auto-play on browsers
    7. Issues with Asset panel in Adobe Captivate (2019 release)
    8. Error 103 while installing Adobe Captivate
    9. Issues when previewing a Captivate project

Objects can have multiple states within Captivate Classic. This feature allows you to develop interactive content easily without using multiple objects, or "hide and show" techniques in a single project.

Using  a single object with multiple states, you can unclutter your project timeline and reduce timeline complexity. For example, to change image color based on user's actions, you can use different colored states for a single image.

To work with multi-state objects, keep these features of multi-state objects in mind:

  • Each object now can have multiple states. 
  • Interactive objects have in-built states. 
  • Users can customize the states of static and interactive objects. 
  • Button and smart shapes have in-built states with associated styles. 
  • Objects with multiple states can be added to regular slides only.

Support for multi-state objects

All smart shapes, text captions, objects, and media can have multiple states.

Question slide buttons, and drag-and-drop buttons do not support states.

Note:

Feedback captions, rollover objects, and text entry box buttons have in-built states, but they do not support adding custom states. 

Add states to an object

  1. To add a state to an object, select the object and click + on the right of Object State in the Property Inspector. Enter a name for the state in the dialog that pops up and click OK.

    Adding new states to an object
    Adding new states to an object

  2. Click State View to open the State view where you can see the original object and the new state you have created.

    Click State View to see the object and its states
    State view

    The object in focus is highlighted in the project slide. You can choose to add some characters or supplementary objects as part of the object in focus.

    You can also see that there are two instances of the object. One is the original object in its normal (default) state, and the other is the new state of the object.

  3. Edit the properties of the object making sure that you are doing the edits in the new state of the object.

    Note:

    Some edits you can do are modifying the shape, color, and size. 

  4. Trigger an action for any object with a custom state by clicking Set Action to Object State directly from the Object State panel as shown here.

    Triggering an action for a custom state
    Triggering an action for a custom state

    Note:

    Use the Go to next state and Go to previous state actions to create interactive slideshows to allow the learner to move back and forth between different states.

    You can also use the Change state of action. This action enables you to trigger a custom state based on a user's action.

  5. Select Retain State on Slide Revisit for a particular state if you want the object to retain that state when a learner revisits that slide.

    Setting Retain State on Slide Revisit
    Retain states when users revisit that slide

Move objects and their states

When you move an object that has multiple states, by default the respective states and additional state items move in relation to the object.

An object with multiple states
An object with multiple states

Object states and additional state items move in relation to the object
Object states and additional state items move in relation to the object

Delete/reset state

While creating the states, to go back to normal state, right-click on any state in the left pane, and choose reset state.

You can delete any states apart from default and normal state of an object. Delete and reset states options are available in the right-click pop-up window of state. 

To exit State view and return to your slide, click exit state button in the toolbar. 

Objects and their in-built states

Captivate Classic provides the following in-built states that you can customize according to your requirement. You can choose the type by using the State drop-down and clicking each state.

Object type In-built states
Text captions, highlight boxes, smart shapes, images, characters, videos, animations, text animations, equations, and web objects. Custom state - Custom states are supported for static and interactive objects. Users can trigger them through the 'change state of' action.
Button or smart shape used as a button
  • Normal - the default state of an object
  • Rollover - the state when a user hovers mouse cursor over the button
  • Down - the state when a user clicks the button
Drag and drop interactions  (for more information, see Multi-state objects in drag and drop interactions)
Drop sources
  • DragOver
  • DropAccept
  • DropReject
  • DragStart
Drop targets
  • DragOver
  • DropAccept
  • DropReject
  • DropCorrect
  • DropIncorrect

The Drop Correct and Drop Incorrect states are triggered based on the Drag and Drop evaluation of the user's action when they submit their action.

The default state for every object is Normal.

You can add new states using Property inspector and also make your states as default state for an object. To make your state the default state, simply choose the state, click the drop-down icon next it, and make it the default state.

You can pre-define project properties for normal, down and rollover states in Object Style Manager as well. 

Note:

The Set As default option is not available for interactive objects.

For drag and drop interactions, the in-built states cannot be set as default states.

Effects behavior when objects have multiple states

When an effect is added to an object, the effect is applicable for all the states of an object. 

In addition, an effect plays across all states of an object. For example, if an object changes state mid-effect, the behavior of the effect does not change in any way.

Sample usage

Some samples depicting the usage of object states during interactive content development are shown below:

Changing the colors of the dress based on user's click action
Changing the colors of the dress based on user's click action

Using characters to demonstrate the response for user's choice in a question slide
Using characters to demonstrate the response for user's choice in a question slide

Scenario 1  - To change the colors of the dress (object) based on user's click action on respective color codes (shown below the object). 

Scenario 2 - To use characters to demonstrate the response for users choice in question slide, use object states and change the character's actions.

Property flow for multi-state objects in responsive projects

Property flow in a responsive project is across all states and views.

Captivate Classic maintains a parent-child relationship among the breakpoints from Desktop-to-Tablet views and Tablet-to-Mobile views respectively. The object states created in a particular breakpoint flow to the lower breakpoint views unless you modify the state for a particular view and break the link.

Example to demonstrate this relationship

For example, if you create a button, and add/edit states in a responsive project, the object and its states get added in all the other breakpoints.

If you make any edits to these object states in Desktop view, these edits are present in all the other breakpoints. 

If you make any edits to these object states in Tablet Portrait breakpoint, the link between the Tablet Portrait breakpoint and the Desktop breakpoint breaks. The object changes in the Desktop view no longer reflect in the Tablet Portrait and Mobile views. The objects in the Mobile view now reflect any object changes in the Tablet Portrait view.

Example to demonstrate how the relationship breaks

Consider the following example.

User adds a text entry box to the slide, selects the object, and clicks State View on the Property Inspector. User is working in Desktop view.

The State View opens showing the default states of the text entry box that are available. You can edit these states or create more states.

State view for a text entry box
State view for a text entry box

User edits the properties of the in-built states, or creates a state. In this example, the text entry box is made transparent in the Down state so that when a learner presses the Submit button, the button becomes transparent.

This change to the object state (which is done in Desktop view) flows across all the breakpoints. 

Editing an object state in Desktop view
Editing an object state in Desktop view

User next goes to the Tablet Portrait view and edits the Down state further. If these changes deal with responsive properties such as character properties, position, or size then the link between the Desktop view and the Tablet Portrait view breaks. The Desktop view does not reflect these changes.

From now on, all changes done in the Tablet Portrait view (for that object) flow to the mobile views.

Changes made in the Tablet view break the link
Changes made in the Tablet view break the link

Best practices to follow

  • Customize the normal state of the object before you add custom states
  • Mark the Smart shape as a button before you customize button properties 

Object properties that do not flow across states

There are some object properties that do not flow across states. 

Properties such as shadow and reflection, text effects, and audio properties do not flow across states. For example, if you have an object with multiple states, and if you add a glow to it, the glow is not visible in the other states. Add the glow again to all the states.

In addition, text with different formats applied to it does not automatically flow across states.

Consider the below example. The word different has a different format applied to it. You can see that the formatting has not flowed to the new state.

Example: The different formatting of the text caption does not flow to the new state
Example: The different formatting of the text caption does not flow to the new state

To make this text flow across states, right-click the text and select Apply text to all states.

Multi-state objects in drag and drop interactions

Drag and drop interactions provide lot of options where you can use the multi-state nature of objects.

Consider this simple drag-and-drop interaction (choose the correct answer) example below.

Basic matching type of drag-and-drop interaction
Basic matching type of drag-and-drop interaction

In the above interaction, the LDAP oval object is the drag target and the rectangular options on the right are the drag sources. The correct answer 389 is mapped to the LDAP drag target.

Each of these drop sources and the drop target have multiple states that you can customize to enhance the appearance and function of this interaction.

Available in-built states for the drop target
Available in-built states for the drop target

Available in-built states for the drop source
Available in-built states for the drop source

Add all these in-built states by selecting the object and clicking +  in the Object State panel in the Property Inspector.

Adding in-built states
Adding in-built states

You can set the appearance of each state of the drop target and drop source objects.

Drop target:

  • DragOver: This is the state of the object when the learner drags a source over the target. 
  • DropAccept: This is the state of the object when the learner drops an acceptable source over the target.
  • DropReject: This is the state of the object when the learner drops an unacceptable source over the target.
  • DropCorrect: This is the state of the object when the learner drops the correct answer over the target and submits the answer.
  • DropIncorrect: This is the state of the object when the learner drops the incorrect answer over the target and submits the answer.
Customized in-built states for a drop target
Customized in-built states for a drop target

Note:

See that in spite of the many states, the LPDAP object still is only one object on the timeline above, thus keeping the timeline clutter-free.

Similar to the drop target, you can add the in-built states to the drop source as well.

Drop source:

  • DragOver: This is the state of the object when you drag it over the target. 
  • DropAccept: This is the state of the object when you drag the acceptable source to the target.
  • DropReject: This is the state of the object when you drag the unacceptable source to the target.
  • DragStart: This is the state of the object when you start to drag the source toward the target. 
Note:

You can also add your own custom states to these objects to enhance your drag-and-drop interaction further.

From an expert: Adobe Captivate Classic and Multistate Objects

Watch this video to learn how you can use this feature to add and edit states to your objects.

Dr. Pooja Jaisingh

Download sample projects

To learn more about Captivate Classic and how you can create engaging learning content, download the following projects:

 Adobe

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