Embedded PPT text and images not appearing, or appearing suddenly at wrong time

[Brandon]

I am driving myself crazy trying to figure this out, and so far have come up with nothing. Probably spent 10-15 development hours trying to solve this - - and can't. Please if anyone can help...

Using Vista (but getting same problem if I bring saved project files over to my XP box), Studio '09 etc.. I create timed text or graphic images to appear, or really any type of animation, in the Presenter published project. Published output is set to automatically advance each slide with no user prompting required. And this is what I get:

a) the text or images do not appear at all, when each new slide begins
b) appear ONLY after I "jog" the FF tab (albeit ruining it for the user by that point) - or -
c) sometimes if I 'reset' the slide (meaning mouse-click the slide from within the left navigation area), the prescribed sequence finally plays itself out OK

I have tried the remedy of starting over with "fresh" PPT slides, and bringing over the text/graphics objects, and re-naming, re-saving, re-publishing, but that didn't help...

For the record, I had worked on a project the better part of two years and never had these issues. Then I step away for a few months, and return to - -

Can someone please shed some light on this? I really am feeling lost.

Thank you,
Brandon

[daveperso]

Hi Brandon,

It sounds like you might need to send your files over to Articulate Support. They'll give you instructions on how to do that.

Are you using the latest version of Studio '09? Your PowerPoint version should be: 6.1.903.321. If it isn't, download the latest trial version, run it on top of your current version and then activate it with your serial number.

Then I would next check that you are publishing at 30 fps in Articulate -> Presenter Options -> Publish

Some animations, particularly SmartArt animations in PowerPoint 2007, will not publish correctly if you aren't using unique text in each SmartArt text box or if you are leaving them blank so you'll need to check those if you have any.

I sometimes find it much easier to time my animations using the Record Narration or Sync Animations tools and then setting the audio level to zero or removing the audio altogether. The timings should stick provided that you publish to 30 fps.

Regards

[Brandon]

Dave, thank you for the suggestions. I checked, and did all the things you recommended but nothing helped.

I submitted this case to Articulate Support July 2 (as well as sending the project files today), but have yet to hear from anyone.

Brandon

[Brandon]

Figured it out!

It had to do with the form of .swf file I was creating using Sorenson. And after reading this helpful doc:

I'm still not sure why using "F9" settings to create flash files in Sorenson screws up the PPT animations once they've all been put through Presenter... but that's been the result.

What does work is using a lower .swf setting for video to flash in Sorenson:

AUDIENCES
WEB
DOWNLOAD
FLASH
SWF (Flash 6+)
F6 (Med)
>> 30 FPS
>> "Embed file"

[Brandon]

Presenter - What's the best method for creating a Flash movie to use with Articulate software? - Knowledge Base

This was helpful...

[daveperso]

Hi Brandon,

Glad to hear you figured it out. Articulate normally supports Flash 9 but it won't like ActionScript 3 and yes, you must encode your Flash movies at 30 fps to get the timing right.

Regards