Digital Workshop

I have created some HTML5 content (186 page eBook) in a digital publishing application that doesn't export using SCORM. The published export (see screenshot below) package includes several folders holding assets, resources, JavaScript and HTML files. This package is self-contained and has all necessary files and assets to run if uploaded (or viewed on desktop browser).

If possible, I would like to include the entire package in an Opus HTML5 SCORM publication, so that I can add additional materials and front-end interactions from Opus. (I could simply add a link to the eBook, at a separate URL, but this would not be useful for this project.) While Opus HTML5 publishing has an option to include additional files (which would also hopefully add them to the SCORM manifest), the add-files dialog cannot add folders, only files. The published eBook structure (folders, files, etc) needs to be kept intact in order for it to work properly, so files cannot be added without keeping their folders and folder paths.

So, is there any way to add the intact full package to an Opus HTML5 SCORM publication? (Or a work-around?)

Thank you for your help.


package contents (BTW the html5out folder has an HTML file for each of the 186 eBook pages)

Hi Stephen,

With a simple edit like this, I'd just create a formatted file list and add them to the <resource> child element in the imsmanifest.xml.

</mack>

Hi Mack,

Thank you for these suggestions.

Haven't played with a manifest, so not sure about which files to add? The eBook package has a large number of files in addition to the ordinary resource types like HTML, JS, JPEG, etc. For example, there are player files, configuration files. Does every file get added? Or, can I simply add the entire package as one folder to the manifest's <resource>. Do I need to specify each and every file within the eBook folder? If its each and every file within, there are 185 HTML files for the eBook's pages, plus a couple of hundred image (JPEG) files, and many, many more of other type files, nested in folders. Huge undertaking if all files need to be added.

If every file needs to be separately added (whew!), is there any order to adding these files to the <resource>? I noticed that in an ordinary Opus manifest, they seem to be alphabetical. And some files are omitted.

Please suggest which files need to be added and in what order, if any.

Another question: how does a user launch the eBook from within the Opus pub? The eBook has an index.html which is ordinarily used to launch it. Do I set a page in the pub with a button with the relative path URL, for example using SYSTEM_PUBLICATION_DIR, or another system variable? Any suggestions appreciated.

'Resources' elements are files that can be launched by the user. Opus SCORM packages only have one of these - the index.htm. Any file that is used by this 'Resources' element are listed as child 'resource' elements for the purpose of portability. Excluding these XML elements should not stop your package from working as long as the pointer to the 'resources' element is valid but if you're providing your content package to a third party LMS then this may be designed in a way that it needs to know what these files are - though I've never had cause to test this as I've always included a full list.

Yes, including that many extra files will be more than a whew! I'd be incline to automate this process. If your using bash under W10, then you can generate a text file of all the files and relative paths which can then be quickly customised in a decent code editor using find and replace and copied into the imsmanifest.

As for launching the e-book from the Opus output, yes, it needs to be relative - all SCORM links need to be because you don't the path when running in the LMS.

</mack>

Thanks Mack.

Seems like a huge amount of work. So, maybe best option would be to redo the eBook in Opus. A lot of cutting and pasting, text, images, but once done, will work perfectly as HTML5 SCORM.

eBook currently 8.5 x 11. 815 X 1056 is 8.5 x 11 @ 96 dpi. Looks OK.

The only difficulty with eBooks in process of being written are the additions, edits, since no reflowable text boxes, automatically adding a page if needed. Would be a nice feature addition one day.

Yes, I suppose Opus isn't really suitable for a book style project in the conventional sense.

Generating a file list to code should be quick job. If you need to try it, send me the file and I'll have a look.

</mack>

Thanks, Mack.

For now, the best path is to digitally publish the eBook to HTML5 using the third party app, possibly use another way to restrict access, safeguard use of exercises. Can see how it goes, but may return to Opus.

Absent flowable text, if you make edits, add a paragraph or two to a chapter, you would need to reformat the content, move it, illustrative images (and everything after these) to accommodate the new text. Specialized digital apps have this flowable capability which makes that task easier. But, digital apps don't publish to SCORM and so output would need super-costly server-based DRM to restrict access.

Still think, if not too difficult for DW to implement, that adding flowable text (could even be a plugin at extra cost) would be a nice feature for Opus Professional.

Cheers,

SCORM doesn't have to be an SCO and can just be a packaged Asset - which would be a collection of web materials that do not communicate with the LMS.

As for security, if your using the CoursePlay LMS, then you can always add either the JS (or adapt for PHP) verification code from the modules to lock non Opus content to verified users of the system.

</mack>

Mack,

Definitely "food for thought."

Not sure how to package the assets even if they do not communicate with an LMS? The digital publishing application's HTML5 export is a large package of folders and files (for example, one of the folders has 185 HTML files, each representing a page in the eBook, plus additional HTML, JSON, JS, image files), which I couldn't easily figure out how to package with an Opus SCORM HTML5 published export.

If I could put this large assets package inside an Opus SCORM "front end" pub that would simply point at the digital publishing package's index.html (to launch it), then hopefully I could include it all in an LMS (a different LMS which I have been using for more than a decade). The LMS would still be able to (1) restrict access (to preserve safeguards using the health exercises) and record when accessed and exited (which is all that I need). Opus SCORM pubs definitely work with this LMS.

I'm afraid the non-Opus SCORM content projects we do for clients don't go down the route of 'wrapping' the content in an Opus project but use PipWerks API with custom packaging.

I'm also not actually sure you are allowed to use the Opus SCORM API or packager if the content isn't primarily Opus based.

</mack>

Hi Mack,

Thank you again for these thoughts. I've gone a different route, using the digital software application to export HTML5, restricting it (as best I can) using some document.referrer scripting in its index page, and calling it as an external URL from an LMS that I've been using for a decade. Works well (for now ).

So, no need for PipWerks or Opus in this eLearning project.