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Publish projects as MP4 files with Adobe Captivate Classic

  1. Captivate Classic User Guide
  2. Introduction to Captivate
    1. What's New in Adobe Captivate
    2. Adobe Captivate System Requirements
    3. Responsive Project Design with Adobe Captivate
  3. Captivate Classic Release Notes
    1.  Adobe Captivate Classic 11.8.3 Release Notes
    2. Adobe Captivate Classic 11.8.2 Release Notes
    3. Adobe Captivate 11.8.1 Release Notes
    4. Adobe Captivate 11.8 Release Notes
    5. What's New in Adobe Captivate (2019 release) Update 5
    6. What's New in Adobe Captivate (2019 release) Update 2
    7. Adobe Captivate Release Notes
  4. Create Projects
    1. Create different types of projects in Adobe Captivate
    2. Customize the size of an Adobe Captivate project
    3. Responsive Project Design with Adobe Captivate
    4. Create Virtual Reality (VR) projects
    5. Work with responsive text in Adobe Captivate
    6. Work with themes in Adobe Captivate
    7. How to apply view specific properties in responsive projects
    8. How to create backup files for Adobe Captivate projects
    9. Asset panel
    10. Create branching and forced navigation in Captivate
    11. Replace image on the stage
  5. Add and Manage Objects
    1. Work with multi-state objects in Adobe Captivate
    2. Object effects
    3. Insert web objects in Adobe Captivate projects
    4. Work with object styles in Adobe Captivate
    5. How to rotate objects in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to manage objects with the Main Options toolbar
    7. How to merge objects in a slide
    8. How to manage objects in the library
    9. How to group objects in Adobe Captivate
    10. Edit object information using the Advanced Interaction panel
    11. How to copy, paste, and duplicate objects in Adobe Captivate
    12. Control the visibility of objects
    13. How to change the display order of objects in Adobe Captivate
    14. Apply shadows to objects
    15. How to align objects in Adobe Captivate
    16. How to add reflection to objects in Adobe Captivate
    17. Import assets into a Captivate project
  6. Slides
    1. Add slides to an Adobe Captivate project
    2. Editing slides in an Adobe Captivate project
    3. Delete Adobe Captivate project slides
    4. Change slide order in Adobe Captivate
    5. Set slide properties in Adobe Captivate
    6. Add and convert slide notes to audio files with Adobe Captivate
    7. Set up knowledge check slides in Adobe Captivate
    8. How to add slide transitions in Adobe Captivate
    9. How to work with master slides in Adobe Captivate
    10. How to lock Adobe Captivate slides
    11. How to hide or exclude slides in an Adobe Captivate project
    12. How to group and ungroup slides in Adobe Captivate
  7. Timeline and grids
    1. Use rulers and guides
    2. Work with grids in Adobe Captivate
    3. Work with the timeline
    4. Shortcut keys in Adobe Captivate
    5. Working with the filmstrip
    6. How to customize the Adobe Captivate workspace
    7. How to use the Adobe Captivate Library
    8. How to use the Branching panel in Adobe Captivate
  8. Create Quizzes
    1. Insert question slides in Adobe Captivate projects
    2. Set quiz preferences for Adobe Captivate
    3. How to enable learners to submit all quiz responses simultaneously
    4. How to set up question slides with Adobe Captivate
    5. Using random question slides in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to allow users to return to quiz
    7. Import questions from CSV format files
    8. Import questions from GIFT format files
    9. How to insert pretests in Adobe Captivate
  9. Audio
    1. How to insert audio into an Adobe Captivate project
    2. How to preview audio in Adobe Captivate
    3. How to edit audio files with Adobe Captivate
    4. View audio details in Adobe Captivate
    5. Set audio recording preferences and recording audio
    6. How to export audio from Adobe Captivate
  10. Video
    1. Slide videos
    2. Work with event videos in Adobe Captivate
    3. Differences between events and synchronized videos in Adobe Captivate
  11. Interactive Objects
    1. Add interactive buttons to your Captivate projects
    2. Create click boxes in Adobe Captivate
    3. Add text entry boxes with Adobe Captivate
    4. How to add audio to boxes and buttons
    5. How to add JavaScript to boxes and buttons in Adobe Captivate
  12. Interactions
    1. Create drag-and-drop interactions in Adobe Captivate
    2. Use Adobe Captivate variables in widgets
    3. Set the properties of widgets with Adobe Captivate
    4. How to create static, interactive, and question widgets in Adobe Captivate
    5. How to add widgets to your Adobe Captivate project
  13. Non-interactive objects
    1. Create and edit smart shapes
    2. Edit and create text captions with Captivate
    3. How to use images and rollover images with Captivate
    4. How to customize smart shapes in Adobe Captivate
    5. How to create zoom areas in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to set audio for noninteractive objects
    7. How to create rollover slidelets in Adobe Captivate
    8. How to create rollover captions in Adobe Captivate
    9. Change mouse properties in Adobe Captivate
    10. Use highlight boxes in Captivate
    11. Work with swatches in Adobe Captivate
    12. Fix size and position of non-interactive objects
    13. Add animations to a Adobe Captivate project
  14. Advanced Editing and Project Reviews
    1. How to link Adobe Captivate projects
    2. Import, export, and delete content
    3. Skins
    4. Create accessible projects in Adobe Captivate
    5. Create a table of contents (TOC) with Adobe Captivate
    6. Resize Adobe Captivate projects
    7. Projects and project preferences
    8. How to preview projects in Adobe Captivate
  15. Variables and Advanced Actions
    1. Adobe Captivate variables
    2. How to create user-defined variables in Adobe Captivate
    3. Advanced actions in Adobe Captivate
    4. Shared actions in Adobe Captivate projects
    5. Edit or delete user-defined variables in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to assign advanced actions to an event
  16. Record Projects
    1. Create interactive videos
    2. Automatic and manual recording with Captivate
    3. Set recording preferences in Adobe Captivate
    4. Record video demonstrations with Adobe Captivate
    5. How to record software simulations in Adobe Captivate
    6. How to pause recording
  17. Publish Projects
    1. Preview and publish responsive projects
    2. Publish project to Adobe Captivate Prime
    3. Publish projects as HTML5 files with Adobe Captivate
    4. Publish projects as executable files
    5. Publish projects as MP4 files with Adobe Captivate
    6. Set publishing preferences in Adobe Captivate
    7. Using web fonts from Adobe Fonts in Adobe Captivate
    8. Report quiz results to an internal server
  18. Use Adobe Captivate with Other Applications
    1. Import and edit PowerPoint presentations in Captivate
    2. Upload an Adobe Captivate project to a Learning Management System
    3. Learn about the Common JavaScript interface for Adobe Captivate
    4. How to publish Captivate projects to Microsoft Word
    5. Using Adobe Connect with Captivate
    6. How to add Captivate projects to a RoboHelp online help system
    7. How to package multiple SCOs using the Adobe Multi-SCORM Packager
  19. Troubleshoot Adobe Captivate
    1. Resolve known issues and limitations in the latest versions of Adobe Captivate, Adobe FrameMaker, and Adobe RoboHelp.
    2. Early build for Captivate (2019 release) on macOS Big Sur (macOS 11)
    3. Hotfix for VR content not playing on devices
    4. Configure SSL for Live Preview on Devices
    5. Captivate (2019 release) activation issues on macOS Catalina
    6. Captivate responsive courses will not auto-play on browsers
    7. Issues with Asset panel in Adobe Captivate (2019 release)
    8. Error 103 while installing Adobe Captivate
    9. Issues when previewing a Captivate project
Note:

This document is applicable only for blank or non-responsive projects made with Adobe Captivate Classic.

Adobe Captivate Classic lets you publish your projects as MP4 files by choosing any of the following presets:

  • Smart devices, such as, Android mobile devices, iPad, and iPhone.

  • YouTube formats, such as, YouTube Widescreen HD, and YouTube Widescreen SD.

  • Any custom settings.

When you select a smart device or a YouTube format, Adobe Captivate Classic automatically sets the optimum video settings for the chosen option.

If you have used a device or a YouTube preset while creating the project, an appropriate option is displayed automatically in the Publish dialog box.

  1. Click File > Publish.

    Alternatively, from the big button bar, click Publish > Publish to Computer.

    Publish options
    Publish options

  2. Select Publish as > Video from the Publish to My Computer dialog box. 

  3. Specify a title for the project.

  4. Specify a folder in which the project must be published. By default, the project is published in the folder specified in the project preferences.

  5. Click one of the options in the Customize Preset list.

    Adobe Captivate Classic automatically sets the video settings based on the option you select. If necessary, you can customize the settings by selecting the Customize Video Settings check box. For the description of the settings, see Video settings.

    Note:

    It is recommended that you retain the default settings for optimized outputs.

  6. To ensure that all your published lessons display your edits in the output, select Force re-publish all the slides from the Advanced Options area in the lower right of the Publish dialog box.

    The publishing time will go up, but all your edits make it to the published output. In short, enabling this option republishes all slides each time you make a change, even to just one of the  slides .

  7. Click Publish.

After publishing a project as an MP4 file, you can do the following:

  • Upload it to the device stores or to YouTube.

  • Distribute the file to your users as a stand-alone video over email or host it on your web server.

  • Stream or embed the MP4 file using Flash.

Video settings

Video settings options
Video settings options

Profile

The profile of the H.264 encoder/decoder.

The higher the profile, the higher is the complexity involved to encode or decode.

  • Baseline: For mobile and video conferencing applications
  • Main: For standard-definition digital TV broadcasts
  • High: For applications and devices dealing with high definition

Level

The degree of the required decoder for the selected profile. The higher the level, higher is the degree of complexity associated with the decoder.

Bitrate Encoding

The type of bit rate you want to use.

  • CBR: Constant Bit Rate. For every second of the video, the number of bits used is constant and is equal to the Target Bit Rate.
  • VBR, 1 Pass: Variable Bit Rate. Some frames require higher bits than others. If you select this option, the encoder decides how many bits to use in such cases. So, the actual bit rate of the video is between the target and maximum bit rate.

Target Bitrate

Number of bits per second to be used by the encoder.

Max Bitrate

The maximum bit rate to be used by the encoder. This option available only when you choose variable bit rate.

After specifying the video settings, click Test Settings to verify whether the custom settings are valid.

Some best practices while customizing the video settings:

  • The higher the profile or level, the greater is the chance of reducing the file size.

  • Constant bit rate provides a file with lower size compared to variable bit rate.

    When you specify a variable bitrate, the encoder decides when to use more bits to maintain good quality. The file size increases when more bits are used. You may encounter issues while streaming such files as more number of bits can be downloaded to show specific sections of a movie.

Upload projects to YouTube directly from Adobe Captivate Classic

  1. Click File > Publish to YouTube.

    Adobe Captivate Classic converts your project to an MP4 file at the back end. After the conversion is completed, the Adobe Captivate Classic Video Publisher dialog box, and the YouTube Login window appears.

  2. Specify your YouTube login credentials and select the I’ve Read Adobe Privacy Policy check box.

  3. Click Login.

  4. In the Adobe Captivate Classic Video Publisher dialog box, specify the title for the project, and type in a description.

  5. In the Tags field, type the tags for the project to optimize your users' search for the project. Use commas or semicolons to separate multiple tags.

    Generally, the tags are the search terms that your users use to search for your project on YouTube. Some examples are the subject of your project, or the key terms in the project, or the title.

  6. In the Category list, click a category to which your project belongs.

  7. Click one of the following options:

    • Public: To make your project available for everyone who accesses YouTube.
    • Private: To make your project available to only specific set of users. After uploading the file, log on to YouTube, and provide permissions for such users. For more information, see this website.
    • Unlisted: Only people who know the link to the video can view it (such as friends or family to whom you send the link). Unlisted videos do not appear in YouTube search results.
  8. Click Terms and Conditions, review them, and click Back.

  9. Select the I have read the terms and conditions check-box, and click Upload.

    The Adobe Captivate Classic Video Publisher displays a message indicating that the video is uploaded successfully.

  10. Click Send An email to send the YouTube URL to the required people over mail. The default email application configured on your machine is loaded, and the URL of the project appears in the default text of the email.

Download sample projects

To learn more about Captivate Classic and how you can create engaging learning content, download the following projects:

 Adobe

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