After much pulling of hair and gnashing of teeth, Module 6 is finished and ready for testing. I'll give it a run through in the morning and then ask Rob to give it a try. I vastly underestimated the time it would take to do a tutorial on a database that they changed the interface on. I had no idea that the changes were so different. It made it very trying, to say the least. I feel like each and every slide and caption of this tutorial has been pulled painfully out of me. I've never felt such relief to have something finished.
With any luck at all, none of the remaining database tutorials will have these issues. I would like to get them finished quickly.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Updates
I spent a large portion of today tweaking the first of the tutorials. I wanted to input the new widget that generates the completion certificate. I also cleaned up some other things I had notes on for them and got the newest versions uploaded to the test server. The member of the web team I've been dealing with in getting them uploaded to the live server has been quite responsive and they were live in no time at all.
Unfortunately, later in the day I was plagued with more technology problems. Will they ever stop???? In this case, the new computer for my computer decided to malfunction, in a variety of ways. First, a (seemingly) random number of keys would throw the computer into sleep mode. Then various keys stopped responding. And then certain keys decided to just input themselves where ever. It was a nightmare.
Luckily, the one thing this household is not short on is random computer parts. I went out and scavenged a keyboard from the garage. I managed to download the appropriate installation software and drivers (for Vista 64 bit, even) and got it installed. I had a moment of panic when nothing happened when I depressed the keys but then I realized that since it was a wireless keyboard and it hasn't been used in over a year, it most likely needed new batteries. Two new batteries and I'm able to work again.
As I've said before, I am most ready for these technology issues to STOP!
Unfortunately, later in the day I was plagued with more technology problems. Will they ever stop???? In this case, the new computer for my computer decided to malfunction, in a variety of ways. First, a (seemingly) random number of keys would throw the computer into sleep mode. Then various keys stopped responding. And then certain keys decided to just input themselves where ever. It was a nightmare.
Luckily, the one thing this household is not short on is random computer parts. I went out and scavenged a keyboard from the garage. I managed to download the appropriate installation software and drivers (for Vista 64 bit, even) and got it installed. I had a moment of panic when nothing happened when I depressed the keys but then I realized that since it was a wireless keyboard and it hasn't been used in over a year, it most likely needed new batteries. Two new batteries and I'm able to work again.
As I've said before, I am most ready for these technology issues to STOP!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Module 3: Basics of Database Searching
Well, despite numerous technical difficulties, after *many* hours spent over the past two weeks, I have recreated Module 3 and posted it online. I sent the request for it to go live this afternoon so it should be up by Monday.
On the plus side, the completion certificate widget works well, although there seems to be an issue printing it with the automatically generated print button. For some reason, using that button prints out a blank sheet. However, I added a notation on the page before the certificate, saying that if there were difficulties in printing it, to use the browser print button. Hopefully, that will alleviate any difficulties.
Also on the plus side, I managed to work in most of the comments and suggestions my husband had made when he previewed the last version (the one my computers ate) as I worked on this one. Consequently, there were only a couple of glitches and issues he had when he did the run through on the new version this morning. Of course, we'll see what the other librarians have to say after they've had a chance to view it.
On the plus side, the completion certificate widget works well, although there seems to be an issue printing it with the automatically generated print button. For some reason, using that button prints out a blank sheet. However, I added a notation on the page before the certificate, saying that if there were difficulties in printing it, to use the browser print button. Hopefully, that will alleviate any difficulties.
Also on the plus side, I managed to work in most of the comments and suggestions my husband had made when he previewed the last version (the one my computers ate) as I worked on this one. Consequently, there were only a couple of glitches and issues he had when he did the run through on the new version this morning. Of course, we'll see what the other librarians have to say after they've had a chance to view it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Limited success
After several frustrating hours today (see yesterday's post about my microphone not working with Captivate 4 on my new computer), I recorded audio today on my laptop. And then was frustrated when the file wouldn't open on this computer. Several hours worth of Internet searching of help and support forums for both Windows Vista and Adobe Captivate, I discovered that the problem was that Captivate doesn't play nice with the 64 bit version of Windows. Which was (and is) extremely disheartening, seeing as how that's what my new computer is running.
However, I found a fix that at least gets me around *some* of the issues I've been having. Captivate will now at least acknowledge the project that I recorded the audio for today and actually play the sound files. It still won't let me edit them with Captivate but at least they're there and I can play them to set the timing for captions and graphics.
I really hope that the worst of these problems is over. All in all, it's been a very frustrating several weeks, with all the technology problems that have plagued this project.
However, I found a fix that at least gets me around *some* of the issues I've been having. Captivate will now at least acknowledge the project that I recorded the audio for today and actually play the sound files. It still won't let me edit them with Captivate but at least they're there and I can play them to set the timing for captions and graphics.
I really hope that the worst of these problems is over. All in all, it's been a very frustrating several weeks, with all the technology problems that have plagued this project.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Technology
Technology continues to conspire against me. I have a brand new computer, a brand new microphone, and an activated copy of Captivate 4. My computer acknowledges and responds to my new microphone. Captivate allows me to choose my microphone as the input source for audio but then refuses to respond to it. It won't bring up the window to calibrate the input nor does anything happen when I click on the record button in the Audio Record window. It's very frustrating.
There are days when I'm sure this project is never going to get done because I just keep hitting block wall after block wall. It's very difficult to maintain momentum and enthusiasm when you're being frustrated at every turn.
There are days when I'm sure this project is never going to get done because I just keep hitting block wall after block wall. It's very difficult to maintain momentum and enthusiasm when you're being frustrated at every turn.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Silver linings
In the week or so since my last post, I've come to see the silver lining in losing my data. In searching for support on the product, to see if there was any way to repair a damaged file, I discovered that Captivate 4 was out. So when I was working with Dwight to see if we could pull anything with the data recovery software, I asked if we were going to be upgrading to 4. The answer was the affirmative.
So I downloaded the newest version and have been using it to recreate the lost tutorial. And it has some really nice upgrades and features. I think this version will be better than the one I lost. What I really like is that there's a way for them to input their name at the beginning of the tutorial and once they have successfully completed the tutorial, it will generate a certificate of completion with their name, the name of the tutorial, and the date on it for them to print. I am absolutely thrilled with this ability and can't wait to see how it works in practice.
And now, back to creating those lost slides.
So I downloaded the newest version and have been using it to recreate the lost tutorial. And it has some really nice upgrades and features. I think this version will be better than the one I lost. What I really like is that there's a way for them to input their name at the beginning of the tutorial and once they have successfully completed the tutorial, it will generate a certificate of completion with their name, the name of the tutorial, and the date on it for them to print. I am absolutely thrilled with this ability and can't wait to see how it works in practice.
And now, back to creating those lost slides.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Too depressing for words
I realize that I haven't posted here in a while. First, it was because I was distracted getting the new house ready and moving and doing very little work that wasn't mental planning, on my tutorials. Once we got settled in, though, I set to work with a vengeance on the next tutorial, on the basics of database searching.
I completed this one on Friday and asked Rob to do a run through of it. He did, taking notes throughout in order to be able to give me comments and suggestions. I went through and made some changes based on those and then saved the project. Since some of the changes were going to necessitate my recording new audio, I then went to save the project onto my laptop (which is where I record all the audio) over the network. Something went wrong, however, and I was informed that the project hadn't been saved up there.
I didn't worry, because I had a saved version on my desktop and the previous version, minus the quiz but with all the audio, had been saved on my laptop. So I put it out of my mind and enjoyed Valentine's Day with my family. It was late Sunday night before I decided I would re-record the audio so I could get it published and posted online.
Only when I went to open it on my desktop, to pop it onto a flash drive to take upstairs to the laptop (I didn't want the same failure in saving it again), it wasn't there. According to my desktop, absolutely no version of this project exists. So I took a deep breathe and ran upstairs, thinking I'd be able to access the older version on my laptop and could just redo the quiz. After all, three weeks worth of work couldn't just disappear forever. Right?
Wrong. Although my laptop acknowledges that the file exists, it refuses to open it. Somehow, the saving had begun, wiping out the previous version, and when it failed it somehow damaged the file so that it can't be opened. I have spent the past two days, huddled with computer support and data retrieval software, trying desperately to find and restore anything of this project. All to no avail. I have come to the devastating conclusion that it's gone and I must try and recreate it. I'm already behind and this hasn't helped. And it depresses me to no end. Because I know that it will not be as good, that I'll forget something from the original.
Just shoot me now.
I completed this one on Friday and asked Rob to do a run through of it. He did, taking notes throughout in order to be able to give me comments and suggestions. I went through and made some changes based on those and then saved the project. Since some of the changes were going to necessitate my recording new audio, I then went to save the project onto my laptop (which is where I record all the audio) over the network. Something went wrong, however, and I was informed that the project hadn't been saved up there.
I didn't worry, because I had a saved version on my desktop and the previous version, minus the quiz but with all the audio, had been saved on my laptop. So I put it out of my mind and enjoyed Valentine's Day with my family. It was late Sunday night before I decided I would re-record the audio so I could get it published and posted online.
Only when I went to open it on my desktop, to pop it onto a flash drive to take upstairs to the laptop (I didn't want the same failure in saving it again), it wasn't there. According to my desktop, absolutely no version of this project exists. So I took a deep breathe and ran upstairs, thinking I'd be able to access the older version on my laptop and could just redo the quiz. After all, three weeks worth of work couldn't just disappear forever. Right?
Wrong. Although my laptop acknowledges that the file exists, it refuses to open it. Somehow, the saving had begun, wiping out the previous version, and when it failed it somehow damaged the file so that it can't be opened. I have spent the past two days, huddled with computer support and data retrieval software, trying desperately to find and restore anything of this project. All to no avail. I have come to the devastating conclusion that it's gone and I must try and recreate it. I'm already behind and this hasn't helped. And it depresses me to no end. Because I know that it will not be as good, that I'll forget something from the original.
Just shoot me now.
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