Sync Audio with Closed Captions in Adobe Captivate Without Using A Scrollbar

Maybe you have quite a bit of audio narration on ONE slide, but you only want a few lines dedicated to the closed caption box because the cc box covers up your slide content.

This step-by-step instructional tutorial will show you how to create a scrolling effect for you closed captions that is synced with the audio narration.

Watch the video to see the how to accomplish this and then, if you need to, follow the written instructions below:

There are actually two ways to accomplish this. 

One way is similar to the way I showed you in a previous post on syncing the video audio with closed captions. Here are the steps for doing it with audio attached to your slide:

1.   Assuming you’ve already recorded your audio narration or inserted the audio onto the slide, select the slide you want to attach the closed captions to.

2.     Then, in the main toolbar, go to Audio, select Edit, then Edit Slide

3.     At the top of the dialog box, click the closed captioning button

4.     There are 3 ways to zoom your audio on the timeline

a.   Use the scroll bar at the top to zoom in or out of the audio timeline.  

b.   Or roll your mouse over the number until you see a double-headed arrow, then click and hold your mouse while you drag your mouse to zoom in our out

c.  Alternatively you can type a number

5.   Click the play button to listen to your audio and then click Pause (the same button as Play) (FYI: don’t click the Stop button it will take you back to the beginning) to pause the audio.

6.   Click the large Plus sign and either type in the audio or copy and paste the audio into the row. NOTE: do not click Enter on your keyboard to get to the next row.

7.   Then Click play again until you get to a good stopping place and click Pause

8.   Click the plus sign and copy/paste or type in your narration

9.   Click the play icon until your reach a good stopping place and then click pause

10. Click the Plus sign, copy/paste your text

11. Repeat until you are done

12. Notice that there are numbered markers on your timeline

13. To change the Closed Captions Settings Click the CC Project Settings button from within the dialog box and make the adjustments you want to make

a.   By default the background is set at 50% transparent, which, in my opinion can get a little confusing to the student if there is anything underneath. However, if you have buttons underneath the closed caption box, then the student will not be able to see them

b.   These are considerations you need to think about when you are creating the course.  In this case there is a logo in the bottom right hand corner and I don’t want my closed caption text to be over the logo so I’m going to make it 100% alpha, so that the CC box is not transparent at all

c.    Make any other adjustments to the font and click ok

14. Click Save, then click Close

15. By default-closed captions is turned off, so you need to go to Project, in your main toolbar, and select Skin Editor, then click on the Closed Caption check box.

16. Notice that the Slide Notes now has all your text inserted.

17. Then preview your slide. Go to the preview icon or use your F keys

18. As you can see the audio scrolls synced perfectly with the audio

Another way to accomplish the same result is to add your text to the Slide notes first

1.   Go to the slide you want and add the closed captions to. Again, I’m assuming you’ve already recorded or imported onto you slide

2.   Select the Slide Notes tab (if you can’t see it go to Window and select Slide Notes)

3.   Then click the Plus sign to add a row and type or paste your first text. Then click the + sign to add your next line and add your text. Continue this until you have added all your text

4.   Click the Closed Caption check box. If you click the top box it will check them all 

5.   NOTE: If you want to change the order of the audio in the Slide Notes, click the top of the specific slide notes, it will be a blue color, hold your mouse down and drag it to the location you want

6.   Then click the closed caption button and you will see the same dialog box we had before

7.   Listen to the audio and if you need to change the location the slide markers, roll your mouse over the marker until you see a hand and then click and drag it to the location you want

8.   Then click save, and then click Close

9.   Preview!