Publishing to Skillport

When you have finished creating a presentation, you can publish it directly to your Skillport site(s). Follow the steps below to package and publish your content.

Important Notes:

• When publishing a mobile/desktop presentation, ensure that each slide with audio contains the same audio file types. If not, you will be prompted to add any missing audio files before publishing can continue.
• You must have valid Publisher license in order to publish directly to your Skillport site(s).

Before Publishing to Skillport

If you publish a course to the Desktop, and then want to publish that same course to Skillport without using the direct publish option available in Dialogue Design, you must first zip the course file as outlined below.

After publishing the course to the Desktop, navigate to the folder where the course is published. The Default location is C: Local Disk/Skillsoft Direct Publish/<Course Name>/Content/CCA. If you change the location in Step 2 of 2 in the Dialog Design publishing window, then the remainder of the path, "<Course Name>/Content/CCA" is appended to the location you entered.

Once you have navigated to the CCA folder, zip the course folder with the course ID, as shown in the image below. Publish the zipped course file to Skillport.

Attempting to publish an unzipped course file will display an invalid course type error and you will not be allowed to proceed

Note: This requirement does not apply to courses that are not previously published to the Desktop.

To publish your presentation to Skillport

1. From the File menu, select Publish to Skillport, or click in the toolbar.

   Step 1 of 6 of the Publishing dialog box displays.

2. Enter the session properties. You can also check for Accessibility; this will tell you which images do not contain alternate text. You can also enter session properties by:

   Use the Session Properties dialog box to specify the session properties. In order to publish a session, all the mandatory fields (denoted by *) must be entered.

   

   Field/Button	Description
   Language	Defines the language of the course. The Course Language will be available for all course formats, and its value will be remembered globally across the application and any changes made will be persisted during subsequent publishes. Click to view available language options. The default language is English. Brazilian Portuguese Canadian French Cantonese Castilian Spanish Chinese Dutch English French German Greek Hindi Indian English Italian Japanese Korean Latin American Spanish Polish Russian Traditional Chinese Turkish Note: For any Course Language chosen, the course is packaged into the corresponding language version of the player. The Course launch page and the Course menu pages will be displayed in the selected language. It is assumed that all the external content brought into the presentation by the user (i.e. Word, Excel, etc) is already encoded in the desired language and the MS Office conversion method to HTML will correspondingly encode the generated HTML pages in that particular language.
   Session ID	An identifier used by Skillport to categorize and file the session. This field can be a maximum of 32 alpha-numeric characters. Acceptable characters are upper and lower case letters and the digits 0 through 9. You can use underscores, but not spaces. The field does not accept any other language characters as input. For example: Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Greek. Contact your Skillport Administrator for the Session ID/Session Number to use. For example: eng_733. Note: If you intend to publish the session in Skillport, make sure that the session ID does not start with a numerical value as this will cause an error if you use the Skillport Compatibility Toolkit to package the course.
   Session Title	The name of the session. This should be a short one line phrase, with a maximum of 1024 characters. Acceptable characters are any valid keyboard character including spaces. For example: Computer Telephony Integration.
   Duration	The expected duration of the session: Calculated - Displays the calculated actual duration of the presentation. Value to use - Allows you to enter a duration. The initial value is the same as the calculated value. If this field is left blank, the calculated value is used. If you enter a value, that will be used as the duration. The duration must be a whole number, three digits maximum, representing the value in minutes. For example: 60.
   Session Overview	A brief description of the session. This should be a one line phrase or a short paragraph, no longer than 1024 characters. Acceptable characters are any valid keyboard character, except [] (square brackets). Spaces are also valid. For example: The session explains CTI and related concepts and provides guidance on CTI implementation.
   Audience	The type(s) of learners for which the content has been developed. This should be a one line phrase or a short paragraph, no longer than 1024 characters. Acceptable characters are any valid keyboard character including spaces. For example: Managerial and operational staff.
   Prerequisites	The knowledge the learner should have, or the session(s) that the learner should have completed, prior to taking the session. This should be a one line phrase or a short paragraph, no longer than 1024 characters. Acceptable characters are any valid keyboard character including spaces. For example: A general knowledge of voice and data networking.
   Objective	A summary statement of what learners will be able to do when they complete the session. This should be a one line phrase or a short paragraph, no longer than 2000 characters. Acceptable characters are any valid keyboard character, except quotation marks. Spaces are also valid. For example: To explain CTI and related concepts and to provide guidance on CTI implementation.
   Check Accessibility	Allows you to check the web accessibility of the course.

   • Selecting Edit > Session properties, or by
   • Clicking on the toolbar.

   Once you've entered the session properties, click Next.

   Step 2 of 6 of the Publishing dialog box displays.

3. If required, select the Include a references page check box to add session references and/or SCORM metadata. You can also preview your presentation in a browser if desired. Click Next.

   Use the SCORM metadata dialog box to set or edit commonly used SCORM metadata for a session. This is part of the step 3 of 3 of the Publishing Wizard process. All mandatory fields must be entered.

   

   Click here for information on the General tab fields.

   Field/Button/Check Box	Description
   Catalog	Name of the identification/cataloging scheme for the Learning Object. The Catalog name can be a maximum of 1000 characters. The default is SkillSoft Course Catalog.
   Entry	Value of the Identifier for the Learning Object. This field cannot be edited.
   Keyword(s)	Allows you to enter keywords. There can be up to ten keywords. Each phrase can be a maximum of 1000 chars and in total a maximum of 10,000 chars. If left blank, the course title will be entered as a keyword.
   Version	The version of the Learning Object. The version can contain a maximum of 50 chars. If left blank, the version will display as Unavailable.
   Status	Allows you to enter the status as either Draft/Revised/Final/Unavailable. The default is Final.
   Cost	Yes/No. If Yes, more information can be entered in the Description field. The default is No.
   Copyright and other restrictions	Yes/No. If Yes, more information can be entered in the Description field. The default is Yes.
   Description	A brief description of the cost/copyright. This should be a short phrase, with a maximum of 1000 chars. The Description field is blank by default.
   Set as default for new presentations	If selected, all values entered here will be made default for new presentations.

   

   Click here for information on the Educational tab fields.

   Field/Checkbox	Description
   Interactivity Type	Defines the type of interactivity. Can be any of the following: Active Expositive Mixed
   Learning Resource Type	Defines the type of Learning resource. Can be any of the following: Exercise Simulation Questionnaire Diagram Figure Graph Index Slide Table Narrative Text Exam Experiment Problem Statement Self Assessment Lecture
   Interactivity Level	Defines the level of interactivity required. Can be any of the following: Very Low Low Medium High Very High
   Semantic Density	Can be any of the following: Very Low Low Medium High Very High
   Intended End User Role	Defines the end user role. Can be any of the following: Teacher Author Learner Manager The default is Learner.
   Context	Can be any of the following: School Higher Education Training Other
   Typical Age Range	Defines the typical age range. Either/both fields can be blank. When entered, should be positive integers less than 200. The minimum age cannot be higher than the maximum age. If the minimum age is left blank, the field will be set in metadata as zero. SCORM requires formats for either minimum age to maximum age or a minimum age.
   Difficulty	Defines the difficulty level of the session. Very Easy Easy Medium Difficult Very Difficult
   Set as default for new presentations	If selected, all subsequent new presentations will have these metadata values by default, in anticipation of later being edited by the user. Note: All values entered for the metadata fields are stored as part of the presentation (.PRS) file and will be remembered for subsequent on-demand publish operations on that presentation.

   Use the Session Reference dialog box to include a references page if required. Select the Include a reference page check box to enable all the fields in the dialog box. If included, this page can be accessed through the SkillSoft Course Player (SCP) when References is clicked.

   How to

   Add a session reference page

   To add a Session Reference page

   1. From the Edit menu select Session Reference.
   2. The Session Properties dialog box will be displayed. This is also Step 2 of 3 of the Publishing Wizard process. For more information, see Publishing a Presentation.
   3. Enter the necessary information:
      • Title
      • Description
      • Add file(s) (internal resource) and/or URL(s) (external resource).

   Add a single file

   To add a single file

   1. In the Session Reference dialog box click Add File.
   2. When the Internal Resource dialog box displays select the Single File option.

      This will enable the File text box and disable the Local web folder options.

   3. Click Browse to select a Word, Excel, PDF or PowerPoint file to add to the Session Reference page.
   4. Select the file and enter a title for the resource. Click OK for the resource file to be copied to the Presentation (.prs) file.

   Add a URL

   To add a URL (External Resource)

   1. In the Session Reference dialog box click Add URL.

      The External Resource dialog box displays.

   2. Enter a name for the URL and the URL.
   3. Provide a brief description of the URL.
   4. Click OK to add the URL.

   Add a local web folder

   To add a local web folder

   1. In the Session Reference dialog box click Add File.
   2. When the Internal Resource dialog box displays select the Local web folder option.

      This will enable the Folder textbox and File drop- down box and disable the Single File options.

   3. Click Browse to select local HTM/HTML web pages to add to the Session Reference page.

      Notes:

      Ensure that the folder on your hard disk contains the required web pages along with all its associated objects, images, style sheets, fonts, flash movies, etc.

      When the folder is selected, the drop-down box is filled with all the HTM and HTML files in that folder (not the sub folders) in alphabetical order. If any of the following pages are found, it will be made the default page in the drop-down box: index.html, index.htm, default.html, default.htm. If none of these are present in the folder, the default page will be the first entry in the drop- down box.

      Ensure that objects in the web page are not referenced by absolute paths since the web page may appear to work fine in both the Preview in Browser mode and in the published course, but such objects will not appear when the course is moved to a different computer or uploaded to Skillport. This also applies to exclusive local fonts that may be used in the web pages.

      If you wish to have several web pages from the website folder to link to the Session Reference page, you can add each one as a separate internal resource.

      Select the folder and enter a title and brief description for the selected resource. Click OK for the web folder to be copied to the presentation (.prs) file.

   Edit a resource

   To edit a resource

   Note: When you add reference files and web folders, they are embedded into your presentation. If you update these resources on your hard disk, ensure that you edit the updated Internal Resource from Dialogue Design and replace it with the updated reference file or web folder. This can be done in Edit mode.

   1. Select the resource from the table.
   2. Click Edit.

      The Internal Resource screen displays.

   3. Select the folder with the modified contents.

   

   Click here for session references field descriptions.

   Field/Button	Description
   Include a references page	Select the check box to include a references page in the published course. This option is not selected by default.
   Title	A title for the reference page.
   Description	A brief description of the reference page.
   Add File	Allows you to add an internal resource (Word, Excel, PDF, PowerPoint) file to the table immediately following the selected resource or to the end of the list if a resource is not selected.
   Add URL	Allows you to add an external resource (website) to the table immediately following the selected resource or to the end of the list if a resource is not selected.
   Edit	Allows you to edit a selected resource from the table, which was entered previously.
   Remove	Allows you to delete a selected resource from the table.
   Preview in Browser	Opens a preview page of the course reference page in your default browser.
   	Moves the selected resource above the previous resource. It is disabled if the selected resource is the first resource in the table or if a resource is not selected.
   	Moves the selected resource below the next resource. It is disabled if the selected resource is the last resource in the list or if a resource is not selected.

   Internal Resource Dialog Box

   

   Click here for internal resources field descriptions.

   Field/Button	Description
   Name	A name for the file.
   Single File	Allows you to select and add a Word, Excel, PDF or PowerPoint file to the Session Reference page.
   Local Web Folder	Allows you to select and add local HTM/HTML web pages to the Session reference page.
   File	When the web folder is chosen, the File drop-down box will display all the HTM and HTML files in that folder (except sub folders) in alphabetical order. You can then select the default file.
   Description	A brief description of the added resource.

   External Resource Dialog Box

   

   Click here for external resources field descriptions.

   Field/Button	Description
   Name	A name for the URL.
   URL	Allows you to enter a URL.
   Description	A brief description of the URL.

   Step 3 of 6 of the Publishing dialog box displays.

4. Enter the session settings into the various fields and click Next.

   Use the Settings Dialog Box to specify the screen resolution, vendor information, and version number for your presentation.

   

   Field/Button	Description
   Screen Resolution	Defines the resolution for the published session. Screen resolution can be either: 1024 x 768 800 x 600 The default is 1024 x 768.
   Vendor Name	Represents the company or vendor who created the course content.
   Content Version (major.minor)	Represents the version of the content. The value must contain both major and minor values: Correct: 2.4 Incorrect: 2 Note: Use numerical values from 0-999, up to 4 character limit. A maximum of 3 characters for numeric values and 1 character for the decimal value is accepted.

   Step 4 of 6 of the Publishing dialog box displays.

5. A status appears as Dialogue Design packages the course content.

   The course content is now packaged for uploading to your Skillport site. A status of 100% and feedback stating "CCA course packaging completed successfully" indicates that your course has been packaged and is ready for publishing to your Skillport site(s).

   i

   When completed, step 5 of 6 of the Publishing dialog box displays. If the course content packaging fails, an error message will show in the feedback.

   Enter the login credentials of the Publisher site and click Login. A feedback message appears stating if the login was successful. Click Next.

   Enter the login credentials of the Publisher site and click Login.

   

   Field/Button	Description
   Publisher URL	The location of your company Publisher site. If you have more than one site, then all of the available sites will display in the drop down.
   Edit	Allows you to add or delete a Publisher site in the Publisher URL drop down menu. Use this dialog box to add or delete the URLs of Skillport site(s) you want to have available for publishing. Field/Button Description Add Enter a valid publisher URL and click Add to have the URL included in the drop-down list of Skillport site(s) available for publishing. Delete Deletes the selected URL and removes it from options in the Publisher URL drop-down menu. Cancel Cancels your edits and returns you to the Publisher URL selection dialog box.
   Company Code	Your SkillSoft Publisher company code.
   UserName	Your login ID for the Publisher site. Note: UserNames with a "@" character are not accepted. Ensure that the UserName does not contain this character prior to logging in.
   Password	Your password for the Publisher site.
   Use these proxy settings	This checkbox must be selected to use the proxy settings.
   Proxy Host	The host name of the proxy server.
   Proxy Port	The port number of the proxy server.
   User Name	Your login ID for the proxy server.
   Password	Your password for the proxy server.

   Step 6 of 6 of the Publishing dialog box displays.

6. Choose the Skillport site(s) you wish to publish your presentation to from those available in the drop down menu. You can either choose to publish and/or preview your course content. A status of 100% and feedback stating "Publish success" indicates that your course has been previewed/published to your Skillport site(s).

   You can choose to preview or publish your course to your Skillport site. If you have more than one Skillport site, the various sites will be listed in the drop down menu.

   

   Field/Button	Description
   Skillport Site for Publish:	The Skillport site(s) that you can publish your presentation to.
   Preview	Previews your course on a Skillport site.
   Publish	Publishes your course on a Skillport site.

   Click Finish to complete the publishing process.

   After you have published your content to your Skillport site(s), you can assign the content to learners.