Performance Considerations

In some cases, content developers require setting the bookmark or other LMSSetValue on a page turn by page turn basis, or even more frequently, to monitor and capture user progress through the course. If an LMSCommit function is called with each page turn, the resulting content will be slow to operate and will place an undue overhead on the LMS system by forwarding a TCP/IP data update and request against the LMS and requiring response before the content frameset is free to respond to user interaction. It is unacceptable for a content developer to run the LMSCommit this frequently, and Skillport will not support such content. In general, the LMSCommit(“”) call should happen only once every 10-15 minutes, or at the completion of a module/lesson point, providing that the lesson point is every 10-15 minutes, or at the onunload event. It is prudent to place the LMSCommit with the LMSFinish command within a single function to run against the onunload event.

Skillport LMS/RTE only supports the cmi.core.credit value returning credit value and does not support the cmi.core.lesson_mode value as an optional data model element. SCORM interprets this as normal mode. Because of this interpretation, Skillsoft anticipates that all SCORM SCOs that set data model elements expect such values persist within the Skillport LMS for credit and in normal modes, not browse or review modes.

Best practice and SCORM conformance requires that the SCO call LMSFinish to terminate the session and persist that data when the user closes the browser window or finishes the session.

If such a LMSFinish call is not received before the termination of the RTE during a session, the LMS/RTE assumes that it has received a LMSFinish call and attempts to persist orphaned data set by the SCORM SCO and to ensure that the session is correctly terminated. This error trap for unknown circumstances and desktop environments may interfere with the correct operation of the SCO. Developers should not rely on circumstances where data model elements are set and LMSFinish not called to avoid persisting the data. SCORM 1.2 conformance using the ADL test suite requires that the SCO MUST call LMSFinish because Skillport requires the LMSFinish call.