Setting the slide duration via “properties->timing” tab

[andreasw9603204]

Hi,

I have an issue with setting the slide duration via the properties area. Very often I want to reduce the duration of a slide to the point right AFTER the mouse object ceases its movement, i.e. 0.1 seconds later. When I type in the desired value in the “timing” tab, on some slides the duration does not change. Increasing the slide duration works always but I can’t reduce the duration.

The mouse is in these cases the only object with a definite timing, so it seems there should be no problem. Most often the only other object is a highlight box with a variable timing ending simultaneously with the slide. I added a screenshot for an example timeline where I would like to reduce the slide duration to 2.4, but it does not work.

When using drag&drop directly in the timeline, I can decrease the duration to the desired point, no problem. However in projects with many slides it would be much easier to be able to type in the specific time in the “timing” tab in the slide properties.

The problem occurs virtually in all the software simulations that I work on, but only on like half of the slides. Recordings were made with different Captivate versions on different PCs. Since I fail to see the difference between these slides, I am at a loss.

Hope you can help, thanks in advance!

[Meganrcmacd]

This happens if you have some objects set to display for a specific time, rather than rest of slide, if that time extends beyond the time you are trying to make the slide. In those cases, you should be able to fix the problem by just setting the objects on the slide to display until the desired time, and then reduce the slide time.

Hope that works for you!

[Lilybiri]

It is impossible to see on the screenshot if the Highlight box is timed 'for the rest of the slide' or for a specific time.

If it is timed for a specific time, and since the end point of its timeline is not linked to the end point of the slide timeline (if that were the case a red triangle would have appeared) it is not possible to decrease the slide duration in the Timing Properties. Two possible solutions:

1. either set the Highlight box to display for the rest of the slide (CTRL-E)
2. make it stick to the end of the slide timeline - no shortcut possible, trial and error

All this is still not a viable solution for your goal, because you have to screen each individual slide timeline. Sorry.

[andreasw9603204]

Thanks for the quick answers to both of you. The highlight box is set to last for the rest of the slide, the text snippet “Für den Res...” in the timeline is just the beginning of the german translation of “last for the rest of the slide”. So no specific timing there, only a variable one. Is there another possible reason for this behavior?

It also occurs sometimes on slides, where the only object in the timeline is the mouse (besides the slide itself). Although the mouse object ends in the timeline before the desired point for the slide ending, it is still not possible to reduce the slide duration via the properties-timing tab on the right side of the screen. In these cases the only way to reduce timing is via drag&drop in the timeline. Here a screenshot:

Here I cannot reduce the slide duration to “2.6” without drag&drop. In fact if I extend the slide duration to 5 seconds (which is always possible via the properties->timing tab on the right side) and then try to reduce it back to “4” seconds, it does not work. In these cases the object on the slide has not changed its timing, so I do not know why I cannot “return” the slide to its original duration.

[Lilybiri]

Sorry, I understand German (being Flemish) but didn't see the mentioning in the highlight timeline (looking on a small screen here). I will try to double-check what is happening if you tell me which version (exact number) you are using?. BTW there are also shortcut keys to change the timeline, I am using them quite a lot:

Captivate Timelines: color coding and shortcut keys - Captivate blog

[Meganrcmacd]

I wonder if this is just as simple as a captivate bug. We started noticing in Cap 8 (I think that was the version at the time) that sometimes if you typed in a hyperlink or changed a value it auto-reversed/wouldn't take. You then had to compeltely close out of captivate and go back in for it to take (we also noticed access to certain properties would disappear unless we did the same thing). I know this sounds silly but could be worth doing a restart and seeing if the same slides give you the issue still - if not, maybe that's all it is.

Otherwise I'll leave it up to Lilybiri to troubleshoot

[Lilybiri]

Thanks for mentioning your observations! Always useful.

As far as I understand it correctly, the problem here only occurs in software simulation projects (demo mode) where the mouse object has been inserted by Captivate and its timeline is shorter than the slide timeline. That is the reason why I want to double-check once I know the correct version number. Did you have that problem with that type of projects and situation?

[Meganrcmacd]

I tested it in Version 7 very quickly this morning and it didn't seem to give me the same issue. I think you are right that the version # is needed to properly troubleshoot.

[andreasw9603204]

I am using the 2017 Release 10.0.0.192 right now, but the problem also occurred with different version of Captivate 9 and I think with 8 too. Issue occurs in software simulations with automatically inserted mouse objects that end “sooner” than the slide. Most often I only reposition the mouse (timing and X&Y coordinates), change the used mouse icon, add/remove click sound and so forth. Then with everything set I try to reduce the slide duration to a point AFTER the mouse object in the timeline.

I do not know whether it also occurs on normal slides. I worked almost exclusively with recordings in the last months.

Restarting the project (i. e. closing captivate completely and reopening it) does not help.

Thanks again for all the input. Fortunately it is no serious issue.

[Lilybiri]

My summary was correct, right?

I will double-check in CP2017 but will be bit later, have to hurry to a meeting now.

Just created a short software demo, but the mouse object is always stuck to the end of the timeline, I couldn't have any slide where that mouse object stopped before the end of the slide timeline.  Are you sure not to have edited the mouse duration?

[andreasw9603204]

Hey, your summary is correct except for the fact that after capturing I often manipulate the properties of the mouse object (or highlight boxes). I almost always change the timing of the mouse (for example to positions like in the screenshots). So the timing is set manually to end sooner than the slide. The screenshots show the final position before I try to reduce the slide duration after the timing of all objects on the slide is adjusted.

[Lilybiri · Accepted solution]

I suspect that the problem is linked with the fact that you take away the sticky end of the mouse object. For software simulations, where the mouse object is supposed to have a continuous look when the playhead moves to the next slide, it is logical to have the end of the mouse timeline stuck to the end of the slide timeline (red triangle). By changing the duration of the mouse timeline you do break that 'logical' link.

[MizStavy]

The good ol' reboot fix...