Chrome 80 Issues

Updated on February 6, 2020

On February 4, 2020, Google release version 80 of Chrome. This update disables the ability for some uploaded Tin Canny modules (especially iSpring) to pass data properly when they are closed from a lightbox or new window. More details are available about the update here: https://www.chromestatus.com/feature/4664843055398912.

We have found significant issues in iSpring modules that are related to the update, not just with Tin Canny, but with other LMS platforms too.  We did everything we could to try to convince iSpring of the isssues, but it wasn’t until after the Chrome release that they acknowledged and published guidance about the problem, now available here: https://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/the-new-chrome-80-may-cause-reporting-issues-in-lmss. Their advice, to suggest learners not upgrade to Chrome 80, that learners not use Chrome 80, and that course authors will need to republish and reupload all iSpring modules, will unfortunately cause significant hardship to elearning sites.

As a way to accommodate students until iSpring releases a new version of their product that addresses the problems, we have identified a workaround that makes it possible for sites to use iSpring content without issue. Doing so requires that sites opt out of the synchronous XHR changes in Chrome 80.

To opt out of the Chrome changes to synchronous XHR requests on page dismissal, follow these steps:

  1. Sign up for an exception to allow Sync XHR in page dismissal here: https://developers.chrome.com/origintrials/#/view_trial/4391009636686233601. Enter all required information and accept the terms to generate a token. Registering there provides 3 months of exception time with the option to renew later.
  2. Then, in the head tag of all pages for the domain (which should be easy to set in most theme options), add this

<meta http-equiv=”origin-trial” content=”**insert your token as provided in the developer console**”>

See  https://github.com/GoogleChrome/OriginTrials/blob/gh-pages/developer-guide.md for more information.

In many cases this meta will need to be set up in the pages for the courses, which requires modifying files in your upload modules.

To set the header inside uploaded iSpring modules:

  1. Navigate to /wp-content/uploads/uncanny-snc/ by FTP or SFTP. You’ll find multiple folders there. Each folder is a module, where the name is the module ID.
  2. For each iSpring folder (you can match IDs to uploaded modules on the Tin Canny Reporting > Manage Content page in /wp-admin/), go into the /res/ folder and open the index.html file in a text editor.
  3. Add the meta tag provided by Google (as above) just before the first <meta> inside the <head> tag.

Screenshots are included below to assist with the process.

iSpring index.html file

iSpring meta change

If you experience issues with module tracking and completion only when the XHR flag is set to Disabled, please log a support ticket from your account or send an email to support@uncannyowl.com with this information:

  • The authoring tool used and the version (we know that this can be difficult to get, but we really need this to troubleshoot the issue)
  • Confirmation that in other browsers everything works as expected, it’s only the XHR change that disrupts behaviour
  • If it’s linked to Mark Complete controls, your completion condition (on the edit lesson/topic page)
  • Whether or not a page refresh after completion of the module unlocks the button

We continue working on improvements to tracking related to Chrome 80 and will remove this article once we feel confident all issues have been effectively resolved.

Was this article helpful?
4 replies
    • Ryan
      Ryan says:

      Yes, authoring tools that required updates have release updates, meaning in some cases modules must be republished. If you are still seeing updates make sure you’re using the latest version of your authoring tool and the latest version of Tin Canny.

      Reply
  1. Kevin Freiert
    Kevin Freiert says:

    Perhaps I needed to be more specific. Has this problem been fixed by either Chrome or iSpring. If not, are there any new workarounds? My lesson published as an xAPI loads fine and the quiz results are captured and can be reported. However, I never see a mark complete button and I (my users) am stranded. It doesn’t matter which completion setting I use.
    iSPring 10.1.0.6
    Google Chrome 90.0.4430.93

    Seems to be the same problem if I use Microsoft Edge 90.0.818.49 (which I really don’t like to use) My users are primarily gmail account holders.

    Reply
    • Ryan
      Ryan says:

      Hi Kevin,

      You should definitely log a ticket then, along with a screenshot of the Tin Can report page showing the verbs captured and a screenshot of the edit lesson or topic page showing your Completion Condition value. What you describe would not be related to the Chrome 80 issue. iSpring fixed it on their side in a version 9 release last April, I believe, so if you’re using 10 it would not be this problem.

      Reply

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