Refined ConnectTags allow meeting rooms and content in Adobe Connect (AC) to be linked directly to the LMS. In sites running RT3 and higher the Connect Activity setup allows for all theses basic options without the use of tags. Although you may like to use the tags to embed content within HTML edits providing versatility and more control of the iconic display and text for the activity when using HTML to design the appearance of course content.

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Getting started

Administrators and editing teachers may use Refined Connect or Video Tags on the front page of the site or inside courses. On the front page or in a course, Refined Connect Tags are used in labels or topic summaries to provide an iconic link to AC from the LMS, while Refined Video Tags link to video content from anywhere on the internet, including AC.  Not only does the activity icon launch the presentation or direct the user into the meeting room, it provides useful editing tools.

To use a Refined Connect Tag in a course, Turn editing on then either click on the Topic editing icon or click on Add an Activity or Resource >>> Resources>>> Label.  In either case, you will type the Refined Connect or Video Tag (described below) into the HTML editor field.  On the front page of the LMS, go to Settings>>> Front Page Settings>>> Turn editing on.  Depending on how your Front Page is set up, you may be able to edit a topic summary or add a label as in a course and incorporate Refined Tags.

Creating Refined Connect Tags

 The format of a Refined Connect Tag is as follows:

 [[connect#anycustomURL]]  

Refined Connect Tags always begin with two left-square brackets (no space between them), followed by the word “connect”, the hashtag sign (#) sign and then the custom URL that is assigned to the meeting or content in AC. Two right-square brackets terminate the tag. Inserting multiple hash-tag separators (#) populates the Refined Tag as follows:

[[connect#customURL#sizeandflag#startdate#enddate#extratext#iconicfile]]

String the separators together (#####) to leave the settings set to the default. This concept is explained in the following linked article see section 'Modifying the Refined Tag Icon Appearance'.

Using Refined Tags

Refined Tags for Live Events and Meetings

Here’s an example of what you might enter in an LMS Course Label or Topic summary to advise students about an upcoming live event:

In this example, the tag is pointing to a meeting room with the AC URL:

http: //yourdomain.adobeconnect.com/rt2demonstration

Notice that just the customized portion of the URL (after the final / ) is the part used in the Refined Tag.  The custom URL component is case-sensitive and must contain alpha-numeric characters, hyphens and underscores only; it must start with a letter, not a number.

The hash tag sign # must separate each component or the tag will not be interpreted correctly.

Here’s what the course page looks like when the example URL above is saved:

The Refined Tag has been replaced with an icon representing the meeting together with all the relevant information about that meeting. This includes the meeting name, the start and end times, and any telephony information required to dial into the event.

The times are automatically recalculated so they are always displayed in the participant’s own time zone. Date information is displayed only for events in the future. Phone information is displayed only if it has been included when setting up the event in AC, although the configuration option for Connect filters can suppress phone information if desired.

Phone information only works for integrated telephony adaptors, including Refined Data's rPhoneproduct.

Additional information about the event in the form of a pop-up menu is shown when the user moves their mouse over the icon:

To enter the meeting room, the user need only click on the icon or the informational popup.

Refined Tags for Recordings, Slideshows, Captivate quizzes

Refined Tags can also be used for recordings, Presenter slide decks, and Captivate presentations along with any other content that is uploaded to the Connect server. It will automatically work out the kind of content the custom URL refers to and displays the appropriate icon and options.

Here is an example of what it looks like to add a presentation (slideshow) to course content. Simply enter the Refined Tag with the assigned URL:

In this example, the Refined Tag points to:

http: //yourdomain.adobeconnect.com/aboutrds.

Here is how the Refined Tag is viewed once saved:

Again, additional information about the presentation is shown when a student moves their mouse over the icon:

Modifying the Refined Tag Icon Appearance

Flags for modifying tags

There are several modifiers (flags) available to alter the appearance of the icon and text displayed for AC meetings and content. These modifiers are placed as a third element by using the hash tag # to separate the components in the Refined Tag being created for the meeting room or content.

Here is an example of modifying the size of the icon displayed in your course content:

By default, icons are displayed in large text and centered.  Adding the element #small causes the icon to be displayed as a small icon:

Several modifiers (flags) are available for use with Refined Tags, which are used in the third element (after the second hashtag):

To suppress the phone information (-p) or the mouse over menu (-m) for the entire system go to Site Administration >>> Plugins>>> Filters>>> Connect  and turn on the suppression options:

Editing Options for Refined Connect Tags

With editing turned on in the course, you will discover some advanced features that save time and effort for the administrator. Holding the mouse over the AC icon brings up a description of the event, with useful additional links:

Options:

• Edit this Resource at Adobe Connect Central – launches AC and goes directly to this resource (meeting or content) to allow you to review or alter the information about it. 
• View Meeting Attendee List – displays a report of the attendance of a meeting. It displays all attendance from the last 6 meetings that have been held in this meeting room; does not appear if no meetings have been held. 
• Email Meeting Details – creates an email with a link to this meeting and details. You can then send this as an invitation to as many users as you like.

Refined Video Tag

Similar to adding a Refined Connect Tag to link to an AC meeting or content you can add a Refined Video Tag to display a Flash video, simply create the following tag:

[[flashvideo#URL]]

Note that use of the video tag following the release of RT3.4 is limited to pages that are not using the Refined Video activity. If you are using the Refined Video activity then adding this flash video tag to the same course page will result in an error not allowing the activity video to play.

This Refined Tag displays a video file in a video player (either a Flash player or a JWPlayer, depending on how your site has been set; see below). This URL for the video can be located anywhere and not just inside Adobe Connect.

To obtain the correct URL from a video stored on AC, you need to click on the Download Output File tab and then right click the content link and then click on Copy Link Location.

The URL in the HTML editor would look like this:

And displays in the course or on the Front Page as this:

By default, the width of the video player is set to 640px and the height set to 380px. To alter the size of the video player, adjust the tag by entering the selected width and height separated by hash tags #, as follows:

When the video is not playing, you have the option to display a jpg image within the iconic display instead of just having a blank black screen. Copy the link location of the image and insert at the end of the tag as follows:

Displays as:

You can have a branded image display as the background video photo:

Administrator Options

The option exists to standardize one image for video players for the entire site. Go to SiteAdministration>>> Modules>>> Filters>> Connect>> Default photo imageand insert the link:

To disable the default JWPlayer and enable the old Flash player for the whole site, go to Site Administration>>> Plugins>>> Filters>>> Connect.  Scroll down to Use Flash Player and check the box:

Save settings.