Ever lost a file? It’s a frustrating process. You look and search through drives, old drives and eventually you realise that the file has gone.
Don’t panic. It’s always possible to recreate the final or even develop a fresh solution that works better for their current needs.
Losing your Storyline files can leave you unable to update, localise, or republish your elearning courses.
It is more common than you realise. You might be reading this after losing a file but there are steps that you can take to rebuild your project.
Don’t worry. You might need to take some time, but there are clear steps to recover or rebuild your course.
What do you need to know?
. story files, also known as source files, are critical for making changes to your courses.
Without them, updates become impossible, and all you’re left with are published files.
Knowing how to address this issue is key for any organisation using Articulate Storyline 360.
If you have lost your storyline source files? This is what you can do.
You’ve got the published files. It might be a zip file or a web version. You might have thought that this was enough to update the files.
If you need to update your elearning course you can only use the original Storyline source file to make changes or re-publish the course or project. It has an extension (.story file).
First thing. Do you own the files? You need to make sure that you own the copyright within the project. This might be the reason why you don’t have the files.
If you do own the rights to the project, then get hold of the developers to ask them to send the files over. This might solve the problem!
Next. Do you have a copy of Storyline360? Seems obvious, but we’ve spoken to lots of clients who have got the .story file but didn’t have the software to make the edits.
Ok. If you still don’t have the file then without the source file, you’re stuck with no updates, no localisation, no republishing. It’s time to move to the next stage. But all is not lost.
Did you know?
- 28% of elearning professionals have reported losing or corrupting authoring tool source files at least once, primarily due to hardware failures and accidental deletions. (Source: eLearning Industry 2021 Report)
- 40% of instructional design teams do not implement a formal version control system for their elearning projects, increasing the risk of irreversible file loss. (Source: TechSmith Annual Survey 2021)
- Over 80% data recovery success rate is observed when professional recovery services are engaged promptly after file loss incidents. (Source: Ontrack Global Data Recovery 2022)
- 87% reduction in permanent data loss is achieved by organisations that combine local backups with cloud-based storage solutions. (Source: Backblaze Cloud Backup Analysis 2021)
How does this happen? And more importantly, how can you fix it?
Why Do Source Files Go Missing?
- Files get deleted. Sometimes they’re not backed up properly. Sometimes they’re erased by mistake. If this has happened do you, think about a back up plan for the future.
- Files aren’t transferred. Developers or agencies may fail to hand over the source files.
- Developers go out of business. If the company shuts down, recovering files can be impossible.
- Files get corrupted. Like any digital data, Storyline files can become unusable over time.
If this has happened to you and all you’re left with are published files then you need to think about what’s next. The publish files They work for delivery but can’t be updated.
What Are Your Options?
If the .story file is lost, it’s not game over. Here’s what you can do:
- Recreate the Course from Published Files
- Graphics and Videos: Look in the extracted folders for images, videos, or animations.
- Text Content: Use OCR tools to pull text from the course.
- Audio Files: Check if voiceovers or other audio can be recovered.
- Consider Switching Tools Rebuilding doesn’t have to happen in Storyline, but losing your Storyline files can be an opportunity to modernise your course. Tools like Rise 360 might work better for future updates or the new course?
- Decide if It’s Worth Updating Is the course still aligned with your training goals? If not, it might make sense to move forward with the current version of the course.
Steps to Rebuilding a Course
- Assess the Existing Course: Determine if recreating it is worth the effort.
- Extract Assets: Gather text, graphics, and other media from published files.
- Plan Updates: Decide if the course layout, dimensions, or voiceovers need changes.
- Build the team: Work out what skills you need. You might need to get experts in to ensure quality results.
- Set Realistic Expectations: Understand the costs and time involved in the process.
Preventing the Problem in Future
- Request Source Files: Always ensure the .story files are transferred when the project ends.
- Back Up Files: Keep copies in multiple secure locations.
- Check Contracts: Confirm you have ownership and access to the files.
Losing your Storyline source files or having lost your Storyline files isn’t ideal, but it’s manageable.
Rebuilding is possible, and with the right approach, you can even improve the course along the way.
Considerations
Working with clients who’ve lost their Storyline files has shown me the importance of expertise in recreating these files.
You don’t always have the originals, so understanding how the file worked and rebuilding assets is often required. Remember it’s often a chance to update outdated elements and improve the course.
This gives you a starting point, but rebuilding needs skilled developers and designers.
Need help? We’ve done this many times and can guide you through the process. Let’s get your course back on track.
