15 Replies Latest reply: Nov 12, 2014 11:18 AM by boboxjordan

Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 11, 2014 4:09 AM

Hi, I know there are quite a few posts and materials about this one but.. I can't get it right.

I read a lot and also did what an expert in that domain - Lilybiri - has proposed in her several blogs about the matter.

Actually, what I am looking for is an extremely simple thing. I use captivate 7. I have a project with 15 slides. The first 5 are with instructions about the asignment (we dont care about them for the timer). The last 10 are with the assignment itself. What I need is to count the time spent from Slide 6 to Slide 15. Tried the timer widget - it does not stop at slide 15 + it's looks cannot be customised. Also tried advanced actions and cpInfoElapsed... variable - apparently I am not that good to figure it out. The idea is to be able to tell the learner - you spent XX time to complete this assignment.

Would really appreciate a hand please.

Thank you in advance

Bobby

1. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 11, 2014 4:15 AM (in response to boboxjordan)

Normally this blog post: Display Time information - Captivate blog should provide you with all information you need. Some system variables have gotten another name: System variables in Captivate 6 - Captivate blog

Maybe you'll also have to store the end time at the end of slide 15 in a user variable, so that you can calculate and show it in a text container.
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2. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 11, 2014 4:28 AM (in response to Lilybiri)

Thank you Lilybiri, I tried that one some time ago but I think I must have hit a wall at certain moment. I will try it again and will report any issues I may encounter.
Thank you once again - actually I got most of my knowledge about variables from your works
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3. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 11, 2014 5:42 AM (in response to Lilybiri)

Hi Lilybiri,
I have tried your solution and I remember what was the wall I hit... let me explain the simple project I did.

- I have four slides
- On the first slide I hook the action StartOne
- On the second and all the rest I hook StartNext.

The issues I see are.
1st big one - The variable $$v_real includes also the time spent on the first slide. The first slide is instructions so it should not be included
2nd smaller one - The variable $$v_real shows a long number on the second slide (that is the first slide with the action StartNext hooked to it). Then, however, on the next slides it shows well in seconds.
You can have a look at the prototype here - all is explained: http://test.onlinetravelshop.org/elapsed_time/elapsed_time.htm
Thank you once again
B
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4. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 11, 2014 7:28 AM (in response to boboxjordan)
Apparently you didn't include the calculations to extract the minutes and seconds on the second slide. Can you tell:
which event did you use for StartOne (and post that action)
which event did you use for StartNext and, post that action.
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5. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 11, 2014 7:45 AM (in response to Lilybiri)

Using your way, I took screenshots.
The first two are of the action StartOne - it is triggered on entering the first slide.
The rest of the images are of the StartNext - trigered on Entering the second, third etc slides.
Thank you
B
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6. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 11, 2014 9:49 AM (in response to boboxjordan)

Hmm, cannot find the bug immediately. To debug, can you insert a text container on the first slide, displayed for rest of project and always on top? In that container, insert the variables v_real and cpInfoElapsedTimeMS. Normally the last statement in the mimicked standard action Elapsed is calculating the real time in seconds (dividing by 1000), and the last decision 'RealMin' will convert it to minutes if necessary. Can you look if that is happening when the second slide is entered?
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7. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 11, 2014 12:18 PM (in response to Lilybiri)

Ok, I did that.
On the first slide, the cpInfoElapsedTimeMS starts immediately to count. The v_real is empty.
On the second slide cpInfoElapsedTimeMS continues and the v_real shows the value for the whole first slide in seconds .
Please check the link I included in one of my previous posts. I have updated the project - you can see how it behaves.
Thank you
B
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8. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 11, 2014 12:33 PM (in response to boboxjordan)

Now the real time shows up correctly, right? Wonder what you changed...
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9. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 11, 2014 1:07 PM (in response to Lilybiri)

Well, mechanics seem to work, but there is one important detail. The time spent on the first slide adds to v_real. I don't want that because people may and will stay for several minutes in the first slide to check the instructions. I want v_real to start counting from when the user enters the second slide.

PS - BTW - I did not change anything and on the 2nd slide the seconds show ok ... Strange
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10. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 12, 2014 1:16 AM (in response to boboxjordan)

You will have to add a command that subtracts the time spent on the first slide from v_real. Hope you can figure it out? Sequence is important, you'll need another user variable to store that time On Enter for the second slide, then subtract it from v_real.
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11. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 12, 2014 2:31 AM (in response to Lilybiri)

This is what I have done

1. Created a variable v_first - a user variable to store the time spent on Slide 1
2. Created a standard advanced action TimeFirst and hooked it to the OnExit of the first slide. (Image 1)
3. Added an expression to the StartNext advanced action on the second slide - a command that subtracts the time spent on the first slide from v_real.
Expression is v_real = v_real - v_first (Image 2)

However, it is still the same - would you please have a look at the images? Also I have updated the project online.
Would you be able to give me a hand or show me the way ?
I woud appreciate that so much.
Thank you once again
B
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12. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 12, 2014 5:00 AM (in response to boboxjordan)

First question: how is the user navigating from that first slide? If it is by using a button with the action 'Go to Next Slide', the On Exit event for the first slide will never trigger the action you specified because the last frame of the slide is never visited.
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13. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 12, 2014 6:59 AM (in response to Lilybiri)

I think I got it now, but still stuff to be polished is there.
I also will have to check how I will organise it if more than 60 seconds are spent which will be the case. I will recheck your actions for RealMin etc.

This is what I did:

Added additional variable v__assignmentonlyfinalrealtime
Slide One - on the button Continue there is an action hooked (Image 1)
Slide Two - OnEnter has an action StartSecond hooked to it (Image 2)
Slide Three and all the rest - OnEnter has an action hooked to it (Image 3)

Only Issue so far. The variable v__assignmentonlyfinalrealtime is sometimes ! in MS...
I have updated the project online if you would like to have a look.
Thank you
B
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14. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

Lilybiri Nov 12, 2014 8:50 AM (in response to boboxjordan)

So sorry, I should have written a new article to explain a work flow, but was too busy (and jet lagged and with a bad cold due to flight). I couldn't find the energy.
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15. Re: Simple way to count the Elapsed Time from one slide to another

boboxjordan Nov 12, 2014 11:18 AM (in response to Lilybiri)

No worries, thank you for motivating me to find the answers and of course for the whole set up with variables.
I did another simplest project in which I managed to get rid of the issue with MS.
It is basically simple actions - but good for beginners like myself.
In practical terms, the idea for Elapsed time is a very good solution for projects where you need to benchmark the time of the learner to an expert or proficient user.
For instance, how fast would it take the learner to do a procedure.

About the issue with MS, what I did - I converted the MS to S ONLY at the end by dividing the final variable on 1000. Nothing else was converred from MS to seconds. This solved it.

Here is link to the prototype: http://test.onlinetravelshop.org/elapsed_time/third_elapsed_time.htm

I will later also use the conversion to RealMin from your work to do it so it displays in minutes when the time is more than 60 seconds
Great stuff, thank you
B
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