Launching a PDF

[11ev11]

I am trying to create buttons to open PDF documents that I have added to the course. I am using the following Action, On Click - Launch a program/document - Use Attached File - Attached File: xyz.pdf .
In test this works correctly. When I publish it to SCORm my links open the PDF in the same window as the course and not a new window. This essentially will kick users out of the course when they open a PDF document. I can’t find a place to specify to open in a new window. (I have checked all my IE settings.)

[eLdev]

Hi Evelyn,

Instead of using "Launch a program/document", use "Go To", select "Web Address" as your target and input the exact filename of your PDF as the address you want to open. Now you will be able to set it to launch in a new window. Just make sure your PDF is still attached to your title as an external file.

Why does this work? The "go to web address" action accepts both absolute and relative URL paths. For example, if you put "http://www.mywebsite.com" in the web address box, it would take you to mywebsite.com, but if you put 'images/myBackgroundImage.jpg' it would look in the images folder of the published course to open a file called "myBackgroundImage.jpg". Because the external PDF lives in the root folder of the published course, you need only input the filename and the course will find and launch it.

[SteveR]

You could try this;
On: Mouse Click
Action: Go To
Target: Chapter, Page or Section
Name: Page 1
Check the Open in New Window box

[DavidS]

I've not tried eLdev's solution, but I'm definitely going to give it a try the next time I need it!

What I've done in the past is create a separate page to open the PDF. (I think this is what SteveR was indicating as well.)

So let's say I create a page called PDFpage. I set my Launch Document action to be on the PDFpage as an On Show action. Then on the button to show the PDF, I set it to Go To PDFPage, Open in new window.

This way, when the user clicks the button it opens the PDFpage in a new window and then automatically loads the PDF in that window.

[benpitman]

I HIGHLY recommend eLdev's solution. It is THE way to go.

[jcereske]

Using eLdev's solution worked great in my course.

[blucero]

I've tried eLdev's suggestion for launching a pdf doc with no luck after publishing to exe. Appears to work in html. I've added the document from the Title Properties/Additional files tab. I then went to the page where I have a button for launching the PDF doc. When I run the title, I get the following: Server not found. Firefox can't find the server at t_d_manual_june2010.pdf. The Web address is the exact name of the PDF file. Any reasons why this isn't working? Thanks!

[benpitman]

You can't just Run the title. You need to publish it to HTML and click the Preview button.

[lrichmtg]

You can't just Run the title. You need to publish it to HTML and click the Preview button.

I think the issue she's having is that she needs it to compile as a .exe, not html.

Solution:
Create a new "hidden page" -- Personally, I'd create a different chapter for it.

Page: Name -- [yourpdfpagename]

Action: launch PDF
On: Show
Action: Launch a program/document
Use Attached file (check this box)
Add file (your file you want to show)

**start edit**

Action: closeThisWindowOnPDFLaunch
On: Show
Action: Exit Title/Close Window

**end edit**

Now that you've done that, go to your button that doesn't work now.
Modify the Action/On Click
Action: Go To
Target: Chapter, Section, or Page
Name: [yourpdfpagename]
Open in New Window (check this box)

The issue is that by using HTML -- even though you were using relative links, Lectora was appending "http" at the front, breaking the link.

Hope that helps!
Lisa

**edit description**

Of course, you're layering "windows" now -- so having the extra "launch" window up is cumbersome. Add this action to close this extra window once the PDF is launched. This way, once the learner closes the PDF, they will just see the page they launched it from.

Finally, you might consider making the physical size of that page very small -- like 1 px by 1 px to be less distracting to the learner.

[benpitman]

I was able to successfully launch the PDF in a .exe putting the Launch action on the original button, not having to set up a separate page.