Essentials of Adobe Captivate 3

Learn by doing via this step-by-step workbook

If you are an instructional designer or technical writer, you have no doubt spent years attempting to perfect the art of teaching programs using fewer and fewer words. If you are in the business of educating, you know how difficult this job can be.

These days, interactive lessons that can be viewed over the Internet or from a CD are all the rage.

There are many programs that can be used to capture a computer's screen, mouse action and audio. Unfortunately, the resulting movies can be huge--a five minute lesson could easily gobble up nearly 100mb of storage space on a hard drive. Downloading a file that large will take a lot of time, even if a user has a fast Internet connection. Large file sizes are just part of the problem. The movies may not be cross-platform (they may not work on both Macs and PCs). Interactivity is a feature most of the "mouse capture" applications do not support. And there are few of these programs that allow images to be imported.

In short, the technology for creating interactive lessons WAS bad. But not anymore. Using Captivate, you can capture screen shots on your computer and quickly turn them into lessons (movies). The movies you create can be interactive--you can add images, captions, rollovers, clickable areas, typing areas and sound effects.

Note: To complete the lessons presented in this book, you will need the following software and hardware: Intel Pentium 4, Intel Centrino, Intel Xeon, or Intel Core Duo (or compatible) processor, Microsoft® Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows 2000 with Service Pack 2, or Windows Vista™ Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (certified for 32-bit editions), 512 MB of RAM (1GB recommended), 700 MB of available hard-disk space (additional free space required during installation), DVD-ROM drive, 800 X 600 screen resolution (1,024 x 768 recommended), Internet or phone connection required for product activation, Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later, Adobe Flash® Player 7 or later, Microphone to record audio, Speakers and sound card.

Captivate does not come with this book. The software can be purchased directly from Adobe.

This book includes the following lessons:

Introducing Captivate

• Start Adobe Captivate 3 and Set General Preferences
• Open and Close Existing Projects
• View Project Information and Open Slides
• Preview a Project
• Zoom Closer to a Slide
• View the Library and Timeline

Recording

• Step Through a Script
• Set the Recording Type and Options
• Record a Project Manually
• Record a Demonstration
• Record an Assessment Simulation
• Record a Training Assessment
• Record a Custom Project
• Record a Project in Different Languages
• Record a Project in Multiple Modes at One Time

Text Captions and The Timeline

• Duplicate a Slide and Hide the Mouse
• Insert, Resize and Move Text Captions
• Change Text Caption Properties
• Change an Object’s Slide Position and Size
• View the Timeline
• Change a Slide’s Display Time
• Change Timeline View Settings
• Use the Timeline to Set Text Caption Display Times
• Show/Hide Timeline Objects
• Use Options to Control Object Timing
• Set Mouse Properties
• Check Spelling
• Align Slide Objects

Images

• Insert and Delete Slides
• Insert an Image
• Set Image Size and Slide Position
• Use the Library
• Manage Unused Images
• Create an Image Transparency
• Create an Image Watermark
• Replace an Image
• Set Image Timing Options and Transition Effects
• Work With Image Stacks
• Add a Visual Mouse Click and Click Sound

Pointer Paths, Buttons and Highlight Boxes

• Change the Pointer Path
• Change the Pointer Type
• Edit a Slide and Object Display Times
• Insert a Text Button
• Set a Button’s Options
• Insert an Image Button
• Insert and Format a Highlight Box

Converting Demonstrations into Simulations

• Hide the Mouse
• Replace Phrases
• Insert a Click Box
• Set Click Box Options
• Change a Slide’s Display Time
• Set a Text Caption Transition
• Insert a Text Entry Box

Rollovers and Zoom Areas

• Insert a Rollover Caption
• Set Rollover Area Properties
• Insert a Rollover Image
• Insert a Zoom Area
• Insert a Rollover Slidelet
• Set Rollover Slidelet Properties
• Format and Position a Slidelet
• Insert a Caption into a Slidelet
• Insert an Image into a Slidelet

Slide Labels, Notes and Audio

• Add a Slide Label
• Add a Slide Note
• Add a Sound Effect to an Object
• Add Background Music to a Project
• Calibrate a Microphone
• Record a Slide Note
• Edit an Audio File
• Insert Silence

Animation and Flash Video

• Change a Project’s Frame Rate
• Add Animation to a Slide
• Change an Animation’s Slide Position
• Insert Text Animation
• Add Flash Video

Importing and Branching

• Import PowerPoint Animation
• Import PowerPoint Backgrounds
• Resize a Project
• Import Project Slides and Objects
• Label a Slide
• Use Buttons to Create a Branch
• Explore the Branching Tab
• Export the Branching View
• Create a Slide Group
• Work with a Slide Group

Skins and Templates

• Apply a BMP Playbar
• Apply a Skin
• Edit and Save a Skin
• Delete a Skin
• Add a Loading Screen
• Create a Project Template
• Create a New Project From a Template
• Record Additional Slides
• Edit a Template

Compliant Movies, Bandwidth and Publishing

• Enable 508 Compliance
• Add Accessibility Text
• Add Closed Captions
• Link to a Web Site
• Set Project Information
• Check Bandwidth
• Publish a Flash (SWF)
• Publish Word Handouts
• Export Captions
• Perform a “Round Trip” From Word

Creating Quizzes

• Set Quiz Preferences
• Insert a Question Slide
• Add an Image to a Question Slide
• Reuse a Slide Background
• Format the Question Title
• Use the Slide Grid
• Format the Progress Indicator
• Create and Rename Question Pools
• Add Questions to Question Pools
• Insert Random Question Slides

MenuBuilder

• Publish a Standalone Project
• Create a MenuBuilder Project
• Add Text Items to a Menu
• Format Styles
• Edit Text Items
• Export a MenuBuilder Project

Learning Management Systems

• Set Reporting Options
• Create a Manifest File
• Adjust Slide Object Interaction
• Publish a Content Package
• Create an LMS Account
• Create an LMS Lesson
• Create an LMS Course
• Create an LMS Curriculum
• Test an E-Learning Course

Book Specifications:

ISBN: 1932733175 | Spiral Bound | 298 pages | Page Size, 8 1/2 x 11 inches
Retail Price: $35.00

See also:

Attend a Live, Virtual Class on Adobe Captivate

Adobe Captivate 3: Script Writing and Production Guide

Online, interactive Captivate 3 lessons

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