Key workflows

    Adobe Captivate-Adobe Photoshop Workflow

    Prototype faster using Adobe Photoshop integration with Adobe Captivate. For example, you can create your user interface prototypes as layered PSD files. Next, import the PSD files into Adobe Captivate. Adobe Captivate supports animation of Photoshop layers. You can adjust the timing of each layer and add interactivity to make your prototype feel like the actual application in action. For more information, see the Adobe Captivate Using Guide.

    Working with Adobe Photoshop files

    This release features Adobe Photoshop round-tripping with Adobe Captivate. The Photoshop (PSD) files that you import to Adobe Captivate are linked to the source. You can start Adobe Photoshop (to edit the files) from within Adobe Captivate.

    Also, if you update the source file, Adobe Captivate lets you update the files in the library and the changes reflect in the slide.

    Note: This feature is available only in Adobe Captivate that is installed as a part of Adobe eLearning Suite.

    Import Photoshop files

    You can import a PSD file into your Adobe Captivate project, while preserving Photoshop features. You can select and import separate layers of the PSD file, or you can flatten selected layers and import them as a single image.

    Each imported layer is treated as a separate image within the Adobe Captivate project. In the library, a folder with the PSD name is created and each imported layer is stored in it in PNG format.

    You can resize the imported images to the size of your Adobe Captivate project. You can also apply all other available image-editing properties of Adobe Captivate.

    When importing a PSD file, you can select and import layer comps. A layer comp is a Photoshop feature that allows you to create, manage, and view multiple versions of a layout in a single Photoshop file. See Photoshop Help for more information on this feature.

    1. In an open project, select File > Import > Photoshop File.

      Note: Alternatively, you can use Insert > Image or you can also drag-and-drop the PSD file to the slide.

    2. In the Import dialog box, do one of the following:

      • To select separate layers of the PSD file, select the Layers option and select each layer that you want to import. To merge the selected layers before importing, select Merge Layers.

        Note: Importing each layer separately increases the size of your image file. To reduce the size of the image, you can merge the layers.

        To import the layers that you have not imported before, repeat the above steps and choose the required layers. The layers get added to the corresponding PSD folder in the Library.

      • To flatten the layers and then import them as a single image, select Flattened Image.

        Note: When you flatten layers, you cannot edit each layer separately within Adobe Captivate. Use this option only if you are sure that layer editing is not required and the image is ready to use.

      • To import any layer comps, click Multiple and select the layer comp from the drop-down list. The layers in the selected layer comps appear. Select the check boxes corresponding to the layer comps you want to import.

    3. Select Scale According To Stage Size to automatically resize the image to the size of your Adobe Captivate project.

    Reusing PSD items in the Library

    You can reuse PSD items, such as layers and layer comps, using one or all of the following ways:

    • To reuse a PSD item in a slide, drag-and-drop the item from the Library onto the slide.

    • To reuse a PSD item in a different project, open the target project. Then, drag-and-drop the item from the current project’s Library into the target project. You can also copy and paste the item into the target project.

      Alternatively, in the target project, select File > Import > External Library, and open the project from which you want to import the PSD items. When the Library panel of the selected project appears, select the item and drag-and-drop it into the current project.

      If a PSD file by the same name exists in the target project, Adobe Captivate matches the modified date of the two files. If the dates are same, the layers get copied into the corresponding PSD file folder in the Library. If not, the layers are copied as normal images.

    Edit PSD files

     In the slide or PSD folder in the library, select the imported PSD file, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS), and then select Edit PSD Source File.

    You can also edit the file from image properties (Window > Properties).

    Update PSD files

    If the files in the Adobe Captivate library and the original files are not in sync, the status column in the library changes from to .

    To update and bring the resource on slide in sync with the source,

    • Select the PSD on stage, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS), and then select Update from Source.

    • Click Update in the Property Inspector (Window > Properties).

    • Click the status icon in the library.

    • Select the PSD folder in the library, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS), and then select Update from Source.

      Note: The first two options update the PSD both on stage and in library. The last two options update the resource only in the library and the updated resources do not take effect on stage.

    If you remove or relocate the PSD, then a question mark icon appears in the status column. Click to relink. You can do this also from the Image Properties dialog box.

    The procedure for linking to a new PSD file is same as importing a new PSD file.

    Adobe Captivate-Adobe Flash Workflow

    Add configurable widgets to your eLearning content, without having to create them for each project. Create a widget in Adobe Flash Professional, according to the Adobe Captivate widget specifications. This widget can be plugged into any Adobe Captivate project and configured to display as required.

    Capture screens in Adobe Captivate, import Adobe Captivate SWF and FLA files to Adobe Flash, enrich these files with simulations and interactivity, and create new Flash modules. For more information, see the Adobe Captivate Using Guide.

    Use different question types and templates in Flash learning interactions to create powerful quizzes. The learning interaction output contains the logic to tabulate the scores in the reporting format required by learning management systems. For more information, see the Using Adobe eLearning Suite Extensions guide

    Adobe Flash round-tripping

    You can instantly update the SWF files in Adobe Captivate by editing the source FLA files in Adobe Flash. You can launch Adobe Flash from within Adobe Captivate.
    Note: This feature is available only in Adobe Captivate that is installed as a part of Adobe eLearning Suite.

    Using Adobe Flash to edit animation objects and widgets

    1. Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the animation or the widget and then select Edit With Flash. The FLA file that is associated with the SWF file is opened for editing in Adobe Flash.

    2. Edit the FLA file, generate a SWF file output, and then save the file in the same location where the original SWF file was saved. Also, use the same name for the new SWF file.

    All instances of the SWF file used in the Adobe Captivate project get automatically updated.

    You can also open Adobe Flash manually and edit the FLA file associated with the SWF file. However, you can manually synchronize the files by selecting Update in the right-click menu. at the corner of the object or widget indicates that the SWF file is not synchronized with its source. indicates that the SWF file is up-to-date and indicates that the SWF file is not available.

    Replacing animation SWF files

    Do one of the following in the Properties panel:

    • Click the hyperlinked SWF file, browse to the location where the replacement SWF file is located, and click Open.

    • Click Swap. In the Select Animation From the Library dialog box, select the replacement SWF file in the project’s library. Using this dialog box, you can also import SWF files saved in other locations and then select the file to replace the current one.

    Record application in Adobe Flash

    You can now record applications in all Adobe Captivate recording modes from within the Adobe Flash workspace (without launching Adobe Captivate). For infomation on recording, see Recording Projects.

    1. In Adobe Flash Professional CS5, select Command > Record Application.

    2. Click the recording icon and then start recording.

    Note: This feature is available only in Adobe Captivate that is installed as a part of Adobe eLearning Suite.

    Adobe Captivate-Adobe Device Central Workflow

    In Adobe eLearning Suite, Adobe Device Central is tightly integrated with Adobe Captivate. This integration helps you preview and test your eLearning content on a broad range of devices.

    Create a mobile project

    1. Do one of the following:

      • In Adobe Captivate, select File > New Mobile Project. Adobe Device Central opens. Select File > New Document In > Captivate and proceed with step 2.

      • In Adobe Device Central, select File > New Document In > Captivate.

    2. Specify the Flash Player version and the type of project you want to create.

    3. Specify the width and height for the project and click Create.

      Adobe Captivate opens and lets you work on the created project.

    4. Publish the project as a SWF file.

    5. Preview the project using the Emulate tab and change the project as necessary.

    For more information, see the Adobe Device Central documentation.

    Preview a mobile project

    • In Adobe Captivate, select File > Preview > In Device Central.

    • In Adobe Device Central, click Emulate and then select File > Open File. Navigate to the SWF output file of the Adobe Captivate project and click Open.

    Adobe Captivate 5.0 - Adobe Soundbooth workflow

    In Adobe eLearning Suite, Adobe Soundbooth is integrated with Adobe Captivate 5.0. This integration lets you seamlessly export audio in bulk from Adobe Captivate to enhance the audio in Adobe Soundbooth.

    For more information, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_cp_au_workflow_en.

    Adobe Captivate 5.5 - Adobe Audition workflow (2.5)

    You can seamlessly export the audio clips in Adobe Captivate 5.5 projects, enhance them in Adobe Audition, and then import them back to Adobe Captivate.

    For more information, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_cp_au_workflow_en.

    Adobe Captivate-Adobe Bridge workflow

    In Adobe eLearning Suite, Adobe Bridge is integrated with Adobe Captivate. This integration lets you easily organize, browse, locate, and import shared creative assets while authoring in Adobe Captivate.

    You can perform the following actions to implement an Adobe Captivate-Adobe Bridge workflow:

    • Select any content asset from Bridge and insert it in an Adobe Captivate slide.

    • Drag-and-drop audio, video, and other types of media from Bridge into the Adobe Captivate library.

    • Select a PSD file in Bridge and edit it in Adobe Captivate.

    Access Bridge from Adobe Captivate

    To launch Bridge from within Adobe Captivate, select File > Browse.

     Select File > Browse.
    Note: Alternatively, you can click the Browse Bridge Connection tool button.

    Switch to Adobe Captivate from Bridge

    You can quickly return to Adobe Captivate from Bridge.

     Select File > Return to Adobe Captivate.

    Place assets in Adobe Captivate

    From Bridge, you can place selected assets in Adobe Captivate by dragging them into Adobe Captivate or using the In Captivate option from the Place menu.

     Select File > Place > In Captivate.

    Adobe Captivate-Adobe Acrobat Pro Workflow

    Host the course created in Adobe Captivate as a virtual classroom or as a self-paced course using Adobe Acrobat Pro (sold separately). Manage enrollment and notification and track learning effectiveness by generating robust reports.

    Adobe Captivate-Adobe Dreamweaver Workflow

    Use the Dreamweaver templates to quickly design an e-learning course on topics such as new hire training, soft skills training, and medical procedure training.

    CourseBuilder extensions provide question templates that you can use with Dreamweaver. You can use CourseBuilder to generate the HTML wrapper with the JavaScript files required to communicate results with your LMS, without worrying about how JavaScript works.

    For more information on Dreamweaver templates and CourseBuilder interactions, see the Using Adobe eLearning Suite Extensions guide.

    Using Adobe Multi SCO Packager to create a single course

    You can combine multiple projects containing interactions (SCOs or scorable objects) using the Adobe Multi SCO Packager. When you publish the file containing multiple SCOs, a ZIP file containing all the SCOs and a manifest file are generated. You can directly upload the generated ZIP file to an LMS. The TOC menu of the file is similar to the TOC that is generated for SWF files.