A few months ago I wrote about the dilemma of trying to load Captivate SWFs into an ActionScript 3-based parent SWF.
Dilemma solved!
I present to you the ActionScript 3 class LegacyCaptivateLoader. This class utilizes ExternalInterface and a proxy SWF to facilitate sending commands to and querying data from an ActionScript 2-based Captivate SWF.
For those who are willing to give it a shot, I present to you a simple HTML and JavaScript template for inductive learning-style questions (ungraded, customized feedback for each answer selected).
By popular demand, the SCORM API Wrapper for JavaScript has a new feature: the ability to specify what version of the SCORM API should be used.
Also, I converted the AS2 demonstration FLA to Flash 8 format and posted it as a separate ZIP file.
JavaScript SCORM_API_Wrapper.js now at v1.1.3. Includes important typo correction.
SCORM.as classes (AS2 & AS3) now at v1.01. Includes check for ExternalInterface availability and presence of required pipwerks JavaScript wrapper.
Two small but important edits.
Found a small bug when using the wrapper with Flash (AS2): functions that return string values (such as SCORM.data.get()) were coming out ‘undefined’. (grr)
Explicitly typing the return value as a string seems to make Flash happy.
Some small edits to the wrapper: Fixed a few typos in debug statements Added extra error-checking during SCORM.connection.initialize; if connection cannot be made AND no error code is given, display notice that server has not responded. Related links: Original SCORM API Wrapper journal entry pipwerks.com SCORM page
I’ve been a longtime user of the ADL wrapper (with code from the late Claude Ostyn), and to be honest, it’s pretty much met my needs. But I was never completely comfortable with the wrapper for two reasons: 1) The code is hard to read with confusing and overly complicated looking variable names, and 2) the code made heavy use of global variables, which in this Web 2.0 world is a big no-no. This past week I decided to roll up my sleeves and make a new SCORM API wrapper that takes care of these issues.
I just got Captivate 3, and eagerly installed it to see if any improvements have been made regarding JavaScript and Actionscript handling. Short answer: nope.
For the last week, I’ve been doggedly attempting to create a hybrid of Flash-to-JavaScript communication techniques for creating cross-browser SCORM-conformant courses that work with almost any version of Flash Player. Today I threw in the towel. Here’s my story.
