Two Audio tracks in one slide?

Report · Jun 25, 2007

I've looked everywhere for what ought to be a simple answer to a simple question, but can't find one...

Is there any way to have more than one audio recording in a single slide in Captivate 2.0? Let's say I want to have a soft music track playing in the background, plus an audio clip from a narrator going at the same time. Or I've got the same audio track that I'm going to use over and over again ("Click the NEXT button"), and I just want to have it play at the conclusion of another narrated track. Surely there's got to be a way to do something this obvious, and yet I've scoured the instructions and the internet, and can't find anything. When I attempt to drag a second recording into a slide, it replaces the existing recording with the new one. The assumption seems to be that nobody would ever want more than one audio track on a single slide, either concurrently or sequentially. Am I just missing something obvious?

Report · Jun 25, 2007

I've wondered about this too. How about being able to trigger a voice answer if someone clicks a button. Does anyone know if it is something that could be implmented easily with JavaScript?

Report · Jun 25, 2007

HI Wilma and Ralph and welcome to our community to each of you!

As you have seen, you may only have a single audio file attached to the slide in Captivate. However, you can also attach audio to almost any object. So one way to get a "second track" if you will, is to insert perhaps a transparent caption with no text. Then attach the second clip to the caption.

Note that you may also assign a "Background Audio" track to the project. This track may play constantly and loop if desired.

Cheers... Rick

Report · Jun 27, 2007

Sounds like a great solution--thanks!

Report · Jul 10, 2007

I agree with Wilma...I have been trying to figure how to start an audio clip when I click on a button. However, any time I add audio to anything on the slide, it automatically starts when the slide starts. I am somewhat dumbfounded at the limits this program has thus far...especially considering the price, it should be much better. I had Flash 5 back in 2000 and expected this to be similar in functionality, but so far it is a joke. I am having difficulty with almost everything I want to do. Are there any plans to update this program any time soon?

Report · Jul 12, 2007

spjarrell, sorry to see you are unhappy but it looks to me like it is just a case of frustration with your own level of expertise. Osmosis is hardly ever the best way to handle the learning curve for new software. You have to actually put forth an effort, do some study, and - probably most important, don't be afraid to ask questions right here.

Did you notice that Adobe Community Expert Rick gave Wilma a full and complete solution to her problem? What made you think this program would be similar in any way to something you owned seven years ago? Did someone tell you this is "Just like Flash was back in 2000?". If so, you need to change your vendors because this one is lying to you.

I'll help with your only question, to wit ...

quote:

I have been trying to figure how to start an audio clip when I click on a button. However, any time I add audio to anything on the slide, it automatically starts when the slide starts.

Any audio you add will begin playing when that object first appears on the time-line or is activated by an action. If you want audio to play when a button is clicked, place the audio on the slide or object that will immediately follow the button-click action.

For instance, you can put the audio on the following slide, and set the button's properties for a "successful" click-action to "Go To Next Slide".

Or perhaps you would rather attach the audio to an invisible highlight box (create the highlight with "0" for a border, and "100%" for Fill Transparency) ... then position the highlight box on the time-line so it appears immediately after the button (which is pausing the slide?), then set the button properties on "successful" click to "Continue".

When the button is clicked, the slide will "continue" down the time-line for that same slide, and will immediately come to the invisible highlight box which in turn will immediately begin playing the audio. There are any number of ways to accomplish what you want - these are a few that come immediately to mind, and hopefully will be of some help to you.

P.S. Welcome to the User2User forums. We are always happy to help, but please ask your question to see if there is a simple solution before condemning the product. Most user issues are just a matter of knowing the tricks and advanced uses, but the experts here prefer to help those who don't come on with "attitude".
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