Articulate Storyline

The following FAQs will help you determine when to publish for Tin Can API, how to publish, and where to host your published content.

• Should I publish for Tin Can API?
• Storyline doesn't have an option to publish for Tin Can API. How do I get it?
• Where should Tin Can API content be hosted, in the LMS or an external server?
• Why am I getting a "Cannot Access Content" error when launching Tin Can API content in the Articulate Mobile Player?

Should I publish for Tin Can API?

If Tin Can API support is available for your LMS and you need to track results for learners who'll be using the Articulate Mobile Player app for iPad, then you should publish for Tin Can API.

You'll need to check with your LMS provider to see if Tin Can API support is available for your LMS. If your LMS provider doesn't yet support it, we recommend that you urge them to do so. Our white paper on Tin Can API implementation provides helpful information for your LMS provider.

Storyline doesn't have an option to publish for Tin Can API. How do I get it?

Tin Can API support was introduced in Update 1 for Storyline. To take advantage of the new features and fixes, download and install the latest version of Storyline from the link in your product confirmation email, or get it here.

For instructions on how to publish Storyline content to an LMS, including Tin Can API, check out this tutorial.

Where should Tin Can API content be hosted, in the LMS or an external server?

If your LMS supports the Tin Can API but hasn't yet enabled private content authorization for mobile apps, you'll need to host your published content on a server that is separate from your LMS. And, if you're hosting content on a separate server, you'll need to modify the Launch URL when publishing. Here's how:

1. In Storyline, go to the Home tab, and click Publish.
2. Select the LMS option on the left edge of the publishing window.
3. From the LMS drop-down list at the bottom of the window, select Tin Can API.
4. Click the Reporting and Tracking button.
5. In the Launch URL field, type the full URL to the story.html file where it'll be hosted on the external server. 
6. Click OK, and complete the publishing process.
7. Zip the published output.
8. Upload the zipped version of the published content to your LMS.
9. And upload the unzipped version to your external server.

If your LMS provider hasn't yet enabled private content authorization for mobile apps and you'd like to encourage them to do so, our white paper on Tin Can API implementation provides helpful information.

If, however, your LMS provider has already fully implemented the Tin Can API, including private content authorization for mobile apps, simply publish for LMS, zip the published output, and upload it directly to your LMS.

Why am I getting a "Cannot Access Content" error when launching Tin Can API content in the Articulate Mobile Player? 

If you're hosting Tin Can API content in your LMS (rather than an external server) but your LMS doesn't yet support private content authorization for mobile apps, you'll encounter a "Cannot Access Content" error message when attempting to launch the content in the Articulate Mobile Player app for iPad. Use either of the following options to correct it:

• Host your published content on a server that is separate from your LMS, and modify the Launch URL in the published output so it can communicate with your LMS. See the section above for details.
• Or, ask your LMS provider to support private content authorization for mobile apps. Our white paper on Tin Can API implementation provides helpful information.

Click here for more information on this error message.

See also:

• Implementing Tin Can to support Articulate content
• Publishing a Project for iPad or HTML5
• Publishing a Project for LMS
• "Cannot Access Content" error when launching a course in Articulate Mobile Player