pipwerks AS2 SCORM Class - LMS Initialize Failed with SumTotal V7.2

[Fraser Hay]

We use the pipwerks ActionScript 2.0 SCORM API wrapper (v1.1) for our
Scorm 2004 courses. We have used this successfully for a number of our
customers with no problem. Thanks to Philip Hutchison for developing
this.

We have recently been contacted by a customer who is using SumTotal
V7.2 that has been experiencing LMS Initialize Failed when launching
the course. This does not happen all the time. It has been tested by
250 users and only 15 are experiencing this issue.

In the Flash file I call
var success:Boolean = scorm.connect();
When this fails I call the 'LMS Initialize Failed' message.

Any advice on how to resolve this?

Thanks

[Philip Hutchison]

Hi Fraser

If I were in your shoes, my first step would be to ensure the JavaScript wrapper's debugging is enabled (pipwerks.debug.isActive = true in the JavaScript) and read the messages it outputs to console.log; these messages will often tell you where the script failed, and sometimes why.

For example, is it saying "no response from server", "connection already active", "API is null" or something else?

There are also many environmental variables at play, for example:

Do the errors only occur with a particular browser?

Do the errors only occur with a particular version of Flash Player?

- philip

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[Estes Ethan]

Fraser, debugging will help as Phillip said.

3 key things I would look at: network latency/congestion, proxy servers and antivirus scanners. These wreck havok with elearning and can be at a client machine level. So it can be hard to diagnose (especially when it's lms deployed assets vs say your runtime failing to be returned a requested audio file or something). If the LMS is hosted by SumTotal for your client it's worse as often IT never bothers to test the impact of users accessing that type of content externally from their intranet. Also often employees machines are not verified to match the standard spec given to you to target as the playback standard.

-EÆ

Thanks

--

[MOLOKO]

Hiya

If it's not happening all the time it's probably not something you are able to do anything about. The code is working correctly in that it connects when it is able and fails with an error on the occasions it is not able to connect.

However, having been in this position many a time myself I know it can be quite a challenge getting the client to understand that it's not your course that's at fault.

It doesn't help that SumTotal is - shall we say - not the most robust of learning management systems ;-)

Matt

[John Campbell]

How does your content handle this case?  You might consider putting up a message saying that you are unable to establish communication with the LMS at this time and have them restart the content or try again later.

I had a client who had their system on a government network which typically is loaded with so many "security" bits that it's nearly unusable.  They had similar complaints in a small, but consistent, %ge of their learners and I suggested they check for an active API and give a warning message to the learner indicating what to do.  They did and it immediately stopped all call center requests even though the problem persists.

Sometimes you can't fix the issue, but you can "manage" it.

take care,

jpc

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[Fraser Hay]

Thanks for all your help! I've sent a test version to the client which
has the JavaScript wrapper's debugging enabled and shows the messages.
I am waiting for them to load this on their LMS.

John, I just show a message saying "LMS Initialize Failed" but I think
it would be much better to show a message like you mention.

Thanks again,
Fraser