Custom Flash/Lectora Development

[hem99004]

Hey guys I'm actually a flash developer but we've been doing so much elearning that I guess I could call myself a Lectora developer as well. Anyway, if anyone needs some help with an overflow of Lectora stuff, or you are interested in some custom flash stuff let me know. I currently use Flash 8 / AS 2.0 (and I'm beta testing some Flash 9 / AS 3.0) I do a lot of XML driven flash and build a lot of custom templates, as well as audio/video controls, tabbed activities, games, etc... I've been using flash for 4 years, and lectora for 2 (currently v. 2006 and I plan to update as new releases come available). I'd be glad to provide some examples and additional info if you're interested. Edited By: Hemingway on 2007-7-31 15:27:30

[hem99004]

I've had a few questions about using Flash with Lectora so I thought I'd post some audio controls that I've built. You are welcome to take them and use them wherever you'd like. Click on the image of the controls below to download them.How to use the controls in LectoraTo use the controls you will first need to attach your mp3’s to the Lectora document by doing the following:1. Right click on the title and select "properties" to open the title properties box.2. Click the "Additional Files" tab, and then click "Add File"3. Browse to the mp3 files you would like to add, select them and press "Open." If you need to add more files repeat steps 2 and 3 till you've added all the mp3's to be included in your title, then click "OK."Now when you publish the course your MP3 files will be included in the published folder.Now you will need to place the mp3 player on a page and tell it which mp3 to play. To do this:1. Click on the page where you would like to have a mp3 play and press the “Add Animation” button. 2. Import the mp3Controls.swf file you downloaded and click on the "Parameters" tab. 3. You may add parameters to be passed to the flash movie by pressing the "Add" button. There are a few parameters you may want to add. For the first one put “wmode” (no quotes) in the name field and “transparent” (no quotes) in the Value field. This will set the background of the .swf to transparent. This is useful if the background color of your Lectora title is not white, since a white box will appear around the player if this parameter is not set. Once you enter the information click "OK" and press the "Add" button again. For the second parameter put “flashvars” (again no quotes) in the Name field and “my_mp3=yourMp3.mp3” where yourMp3.mp3 is the name of the mp3 file you added to the title. By default the player is set to auto play the mp3 so the mp3 will start playing as soon as enough of it has loaded – if you want the user to have to press the play button for the clip to begin you can add this optional text to the Value filed: “&auto_play=false” so the whole thing would look like: “my_mp3=yourMp3.mp3&auto_play=false” When you’re done press "OK", and then "OK" again, and the player will appear.4. Move it wherever you would like on the page. If you have more than one page where an MP3 needs to play you don’t have to import the player again, just press the “Add Animation” button, select “mp3Controls.swf” from the drop down list, and change the parameters to point to the new mp3.mp3 Player Functionality1. The Pause and Play buttons toggle as you press them.2. The Rewind button will rewind and Stop the mp33. The Scrubber shows your position in the mp3 file, after the file has loaded completely it becomes active and allows you to drag it to different positions in the clip. If the clip is paused and you drag it, when you release it, it will begin playing the clip in that spot.4. The volume control will always start in the middle and you have to change it from there. Yes it is possible to change it in one player and have it in that same place anytime you open another player but I didn't build that into this one - sorry.5. The position counter will only show how many seconds you are into an mp3 while it is loading, once it is loaded it will show both how far you are into it, as well as, how long the clip is.Advantages to using Flash ControlsJust a few quick thoughts on some of the pros to using flash controls. 1. File size. The actual flash mp3 player is only 2K so on even a slow connection they will only have to wait a second before the player appears and starts loading the sound.2. Streaming. Since the player streams the MP3 you can actually start listening to the clip before all of it has loaded. 3. Customization. You control the look/feel of the control as well as the functionality.4. Reusability. The player can be used over and over again to play any MP3. Also, the user only has to load the player once - on all the other pages in your course the player will be cached and show up immediately. Disadvantages to Using Flash Controls1. The end user has to have flash installed for the mp3 player to work. This version of the player is compatible with flash player 8 and above, although it might work with flash player 7.2. With this player only mp3 files are supported.3. It won't run in a course which is published to an executable or CD since it links to an external file. For it to work in those the mp3 would actually have to be embedded in the flash file.Sorry that was so long. But feel free to use it and feel free to give me any feedback you may have.Edited By: Hemingway on 2008-1-23 14:3:47

[whorah]

Hey Hemingway... This is sweet.... thanks for this. In another post I inquired if you have other players for your video elements so we dont have to use the default embedded ones provided or called by Lectora.Any of these tips and tricks are greatly appreciated. Thank you for sharing with us.Bradley

[prunen]

This is wonderful! Is there a parameter that I can put that if the next page button is selected before the audio ends that it will stop the audio presently being played on the page?This is wonderful! Is there a parameter that I can put that if the next page button is selected before the audio ends that it will stop the audio presently being played on the page?

[hem99004]

Nancy,There isn't a parameter to stop the sound when you go to the next page - I assume you want it to stop where it is so if the come back to that page they don't have to scrub through it. On the other hand, if you are clicking the next button and the sound is still playing as you are in the next page then that is an issue. I'm not sure how that could happen though since the flash player should be closed as you go to the next page. Anyway, let me know what you're trying to accomplish and maybe I can tweak the sound player.-Mark

[garvin]

Great stuff!Is there any variation of the player that could allow me to embed the mp3 in the flash player as I need to publish my course to an executable?

[hem99004]

I can give you the source fla to play with. If anyone else is interested in the source PM me.I can give you the source fla to play with. If anyone else is interested in the source PM me.

[visum]

I'm having trouble with Flash movies in a Lectora course. When I preview my course, the movies (animations) play correctly; however, when I publish and view in html only the border with control buttons displays. The animations that appear inside this border won't play...I'm using Lectora 2005.I'm having trouble with Flash movies in a Lectora course. When I preview my course, the movies (animations) play correctly; however, when I publish and view in html only the border with control buttons displays. The animations that appear inside this border won't play...I'm using Lectora 2005.

[hem99004]

If the flash movie is loading in another flash movie - so two .swf files are associated to make it play, the second file would either need to be attached as an additional file at the title level, or you could copy the second file into the Lectora generated HTML folder. If there aren't two files and only one, but it isn't playing - what program did you create it in? If the flash movie is loading in another flash movie - so two .swf files are associated to make it play, the second file would either need to be attached as an additional file at the title level, or you could copy the second file into the Lectora generated HTML folder. If there aren't two files and only one, but it isn't playing - what program did you create it in?

[visum]

That corrected the issue! Thanks!Now...any idea how to get the course to bookmark which Flash page the learner exits? We found this post (tp://community.trivantis.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3078&PN=1) ; however, the 'Parameter' tab mentioned is NOT available in 2005. I've been told I'll need to add an 'additional file' to the title that sets the parameters, but I'm not sure exactly how to set the parameters from an outside html file.