Tips for setting up an Adobe Captivate project for export

Let's say you reach a point in your project development where you want to customize your content with Flash. Use the following requirements and options for your Adobe Captivate content to make your export experience a pleasant one.

Movie settings

Ensure that you have specified the following movie settings before you export your Adobe Captivate project to Flash:

• Movie size: Specify the Stage size you will use in your final published piece.
• Frame rate: Adjust the frame rate to that of your target frame rate. Having a different frame rate than your target Flash project adversely affects the way your Adobe Captivate animations run.
• Loading screen: Set which preloading movie or graphic your Flash project uses.
• Project end options: Specify your action as desired. Fades and slide transitions are ignored in the export process.

Note: Remember that changing things in Adobe Captivate is easy but changing them once they are in Flash is not.

Quiz Track (LMS) settings

Adobe Captivate 2 now exports all tracking and LMS (Learning Management System) interface information to Flash. This is great news. As a result, you must ensure that all your Quiz Track settings are correct. Once you start working on your project in Flash, you will need to change ActionScript code to change these settings.

Beware of the following factors:

• LMS: Select the LMS you will be using. If you are using SCORM, make sure you have completed the manifest information screen.
• Quiz settings: Ensure that the review and result messages appear as desired.
• Pass or fail options: Check the options on this tab to ensure that the pass level is correct and the actions are as you intend them to be.

External media settings

External media is not something you generally think about when working on an Adobe Captivate project. However, when you export to Flash, you need to make sure that all external animations are grouped into the same location. Ideally this would be in the same directory as your project file or a subdirectory of that location. Flash Video (FLV) files are the only items that Adobe Captivate stores externally.

Branching settings

If you have implemented branching in your project, take special care to ensure that all your branches are correct and functioning as you desire. This is not something you want to change when you are working on your project in the Flash environment. I recommend using the Branching Tab and Advanced interaction screen in Adobe Captivate.

Beware of the following factors:

• Ensure that your branch instructions for each slide are correct
• Make sure there are no orphaned slides

Captured typing and screen changes

Many times when you create an Adobe Captivate project, your project will contain capture artifacts. It is best to exclude screen change layers and typing capture layers from the content. This is particularly the case when creating e-learning content or an interactive software demonstration.

If you are not going to use something in the Adobe Captivate timeline, remove it. It just becomes unnecessary clutter in the Flash project.

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