Creating and Printing a File Based on Text Entry Answers

@ssneg 60885 wrote:

What didn't you like about formatting? Maybe it can be fixed?

Google Chrome (and probably other modern browsers) can save to PDF instead of printing via the standard print dialog.

You can also generate a downloadable PDF using JSPDF (http://parall.ax/products/jspdf).

My course uses a 720x540 interface with standard navigation and interface buttons such as glossary, resources, etc. I want to generate a PDF document that looks like a nicely formatted document rather than a print-out of a page in an e-learning course. It will consist of a series of questions and the answers that the student typed into the course.

There's a link here that describes how to do a similar thing in Articulate Storyline: http://elearningbrothers.com/6-steps-on-how-to-make-a-printable-results-page-in-articulate-storyline/. Maybe the same or similar JavaScript would work in Lectora. Maybe the JSPDF product you mentioned would do that, too. I haven't tried using JavaScript with Lectora (or other elearning software) and am not sure how it works. I need specific step-by-step instructions. Thanks!

I looked at the Bros. solution and I can say three things:

1. Well done.

2. It still doesn't let you save a document, just print it.

3. Implementing this in Lectora is much easier. Storyline needed so much custom stuff and JavaScript because it cannot print out a page without it but Lectora can.

What you need to is to create a separate page for the summary. Disinherit all unnecessary items from your course. Fill it with textboxes that contain all questions and answers laid out the way you want. You can even make this page custom sized, much longer vertically than other pages. Format everything to your liking.

Then you use a lot of OnShow-ChangeContents actions to populate the textboxes with learner's answers. There is a in your course, use those. Add one final OnShow action to print the whole page.

Finally, make sure that the "print button" in your main course leads to this page. When the learner goes there, it'll populate the boxes with texts and print it.

If I can find time for that, I'll try to implement it and do a blog.

What didn't you like about formatting? Maybe it can be fixed?

Google Chrome (and probably other modern browsers) can save to PDF instead of printing via the standard print dialog.

You can also generate a downloadable PDF using JSPDF (http://parall.ax/products/jspdf).

Yes, JSPDF will do it. This is the sort of implementation you'd ask from a professional e-learning developers. I'm sure you know some, there's a special thread with contacts somewhere and of course there's a link to my firm's website in my signature.

@ssneg 60887 wrote:

I looked at the Bros. solution and I can say three things:

1. Well done.

2. It still doesn't let you save a document, just print it.

3. Implementing this in Lectora is much easier. Storyline needed so much custom stuff and JavaScript because it cannot print out a page without it but Lectora can.

What you need to is to create a separate page for the summary. Disinherit all unnecessary items from your course. Fill it with textboxes that contain all questions and answers laid out the way you want. You can even make this page custom sized, much longer vertically than other pages. Format everything to your liking.

Then you use a lot of OnShow-ChangeContents actions to populate the textboxes with learner's answers. There is a in your course, use those. Add one final OnShow action to print the whole page.

Finally, make sure that the "print button" in your main course leads to this page. When the learner goes there, it'll populate the boxes with texts and print it.

If I can find time for that, I'll try to implement it and do a blog.

Thanks, that is excellent advice for printing the page. I haven't tried it yet but I think it will work. However, I'd really like to be able to generate a PDF file with the text because my course needs to be fully accessible to blind people, and they could use a screen reader on a PDF file, but can't read a printed page. Can the JSPDF program you mentioned before generate a PDF file on the fly within a Lectora course? If so, how do I do it?

Thanks!

Similar to the suggestion in ssneg's post, I created a separate results page that shows test scores and also provides several text input boxes for students to complete in order to submit for a certificate for successful completion of the course. The page itself works great. The problem is printing the page. I can obtain a 1-page print, but much of the data on the page only prints partially. Data entered into a user text entry field prints nicely. But, text entered into a static text field as labels or general text on the form looks like the bottom of the text is cut off. For example, when printing the word POSTTEST, all that comes through on the printed page is the top portion of each of those letters. I have tried enlarging the actual text field; that does not solve the problem I also tried another suggestion I found out on the forum, which was, in the text field properties options, to select the "Convert to Image" option. That did not resolve the problem. This is happening with ALL the static text fields on the form, not just one of them as well as the text fields populated using a variable value. In fact, the only text that prints well is the data entered into the user entry fields and the labels on the radio buttons. Any suggestions regarding how this printing problem can be corrected?