Adobe Captivate is widely known for its robust capabilities in eLearning content creation, but did you know it also offers several hidden features that can significantly enhance your projects? Below are 10 hidden features in Adobe Captivate you might not know about, but they can significantly improve your course design and functionality.
- Distribute buttons horizontally
When creating interactive content, you often need multiple buttons arranged in a uniform manner. Adobe Captivate allows you to distribute buttons horizontally within a content block easily. You can add multiple buttons to a component, and when more than one button is present, they are automatically distributed evenly across the horizontal plane.
To achieve this, select the button component on the slide, navigate to the Visual Properties Inspector, and adjust the number of buttons and their distribution. By increasing the number of buttons, you can ensure that they are evenly spaced without manual alignment.
- Set custom project dimensions
Creating content tailored to specific devices is essential in modern eLearning solutions. Adobe Captivate allows you to set custom project dimensions for your course. You can select dimensions suitable for desktop, tablet, or mobile screens, ensuring that your content is responsive and visually appealing across devices
To set custom dimensions, navigate to Project Properties, select from the available screen size options, or input your custom width and height. This flexibility ensures that your project looks perfect regardless of screen size.
- Set curvature of cards in widgets
The card component in any widget or interactive component enhances its visual appeal. Did you know you can adjust the curvature of cards within this Click to Reveal widget? This customization adds a subtle design touch that makes your courses visually engaging.
To modify the card’s curvature, go to the Visual Properties Inspector and adjust the border radius of the card widget. You can apply this change to one or all four corners of the card, depending on the style you desire.
- Drag and drop for quizzes
Drag-and-drop interactions are a powerful way to engage learners, and Adobe Captivate makes it easy to integrate drag-and-drop features into quizzes. This allows learners to actively engage with the content by dragging objects and placing them in the correct position, which is especially effective for matching or categorization tasks.
The question slides currently lack drag-and-drop interactivity. To enable this feature, you must check the box under the Reporting section in the Visual Properties Inspector.
- Set fonts for different devices in the Visual Properties Inspector
It’s important to maintain readability and consistency across different devices. Captivate allows you to set different fonts for desktop, tablet, and mobile in the Visual Properties Inspector. This ensures that the text size and style are optimized for each device type without compromising the design.
To configure this, go to the Visual Properties Inspector, select the text, and adjust the font size and style specifically for each device mode.
- Set different padding for speech bubbles in Characters media block
When using character dialogues, speech bubbles play a crucial role in creating a narrative. Adobe Captivate allows you to customize the padding within speech bubbles to ensure that text is well-spaced and readable, no matter the character’s size or position.
Select the “SPEECH BUBBLE” in Visual Properties Inspector and then modify the padding values for top, bottom, left, and right, allowing for a cleaner look.
- Download a certificate
Adobe Captivate has a built-in Certificate Widget to include if you want to give the sense of achieving something from your eLearning course. This feature is handy for compliance training, professional development courses, or any program requiring formal recognition.
After setting up the certificate widget, you can toggle the “Certificate download” option under Settings category of the Visual Properties Inspector.
- Change input type for input fields
Interactive forms are commonly used in eLearning courses, and Captivate’s input fields can be tailored to your specific needs. You can easily change the input type for text fields to accept specific data formats, such as text, numbers, passwords, or dates.
To do so, select the Input Field, navigate to Settings under Visual Properties Inspector and select the input type that best suits your project. This flexibility allows you to create forms that capture accurate data in the format you require.
- Enable content locking in widgets
Adobe Captivate allows you to lock content until an action is completed by enabling content locking in widgets. This is particularly useful for guided learning paths, where learners must complete certain interactions before moving forward.
To enable this, go to the widget’s Settings section and toggle on the “Move to the next slide when the widget completes.” This ensures that learners engage fully with the content before advancing.
- Use hyperlinks to files
Often, you may want to include additional resources in your eLearning modules, such as PDFs or Word documents. Captivate allows you to embed hyperlinks to files within your course. When learners click these links, the associated file will download automatically.
To use this feature, select the text or object to hyperlink, then go to the “LINK” components, choose the “Open a file” option, and upload the file you want learners to access. This is a great way to provide supplemental learning materials directly within your course.
Conclusion
These hidden features in Adobe Captivate demonstrate its versatility and power in creating engaging and dynamic eLearning content. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a newbie incorporating these tools can significantly enhance your project’s functionality and learner experience.
