Captivate products can display data from a Google Sheets file in graphic layers. This article describes how to link Google Sheets file data to graphic layers from your Layers workspace.
Connect Google Sheets file data to a graphic layer
- In Captivate's playout interface, open a project (if a project isn't already open) and select a graphic layer from the Layers workspace.
Tip: Want to customize a graphic in the Designer and add new variables? See Create variables in graphics.
- Navigate to the Data Controller column and select the cell (Select a data source) drop down for the selected graphic layer and choose Productivity> Google > Sheets > New Input.
Tip: To remove an input from a graphic layer navigate to the Preview panel. Click the link data button, then right click on the data source name and choose Remove input.
Note: Multiple graphic layers can be assigned to read from the same Google Sheets file if you are using separate tabs, for instance. However, if you play/out or in from the Google Sheets controller panel it will affect all graphic layers connected. You will want to use your play-out controls from the project panel ONLY, if you are utilizing this workflow.
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This will generate a URL in the Layer Properties panel that can be copied then pasted to your internet browser. Depending on your browser settings, this window may automatically open in your browser.
- Sign into your Google account as prompted by the browser tab. A message will then appear confirming the link between Captivate and your Google Account.
- Return to Captivate and the third tab of Layer Properties will now display Folders from your Google Drive that contain any sheets. Explore these folders to find the sheet that you wish to connect to the selected graphic layer that is now connected to the Google Sheets data controller.
6. Selecting a Slides project will display an interface that displays all the slides that your Slides project contains. This interface is where you will control and playout Slides from your Slides project. Slides that are selected for playout will be displayed on the graphic layer that is connected to the Google Slides data controller.
Note: Sheets must be formatted so they can be properly interpreted by Captivate. Read Connect spreadsheet data to a graphic layer to learn about this formatting. Please note that block mode is not supported within Google Sheets at this time.
7. Click on the red icons to link data columns. This will launch a preview of your graphic layer. Use your cursor to navigate the preview. Hovering your cursor over variable enabled visual elements will display a bounding box as an indication that data can be linked to. This bounding box will also show a small tooltip that displays that visual element's variable name and variable type. Click on a visual element that contains a variable to link the data from the sheet to that variable. Read Create Variables in Graphics to learn about the different types of variables.
Important! Variable names do not have to match data column names for a link to be established.
8. Once your data columns have been linked to the desired variable enabled visual elements it will be denoted by a green link icon. Rows of sheet will now behave as an instance of data that will update the graphic layer with information from that row. Clicking the play button of any row will update the graphic layer to display that information.
Tips
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- Use the Find search tool to use keywords to quickly find where specific information from your sheet can be found within the interface. Matching keywords will highlight cells where that information exists. Note: If the sheet you are connected to has been updated with new information or edits, you can use the refresh button to actualize these changes onto the sheet within the interface in Captivate.
Playout controls
There a variety of controls provided to manage the way your graphic will behave for playout once it has been connected to a sheet.
Start Auto play
The interface allows you to play through each row of your sheet automatically while the graphic layer is live. The Start Auto Play button to enables this feature and can be re-toggled to turn it off. The setting to the right of the Start Auto Play is used to customize the delay (in seconds) before the next row of information is automatically displayed. Variable enabled visual elements that have been connected will animate out before the next set of information automatically animates in.
Manual playout
The far right columns of the sheet can be used for manually playout rows of information from your sheet. The top Play next icon is used for playing the next line of information. For example; if you selected the second row of information and click the play next button, then the third row of information will play next.
Clicking the play button on any row of information will use that row for playout. Clicking the play button on any other row will queue the previous row of information to animate out before the selected row for playout animates in.