AS3 swf doesn't update variables set via javascript

Question

Can't figure this one out:  I've got a C4 project with 2 slides.  First slide has a button that executes a Javascript call:
SetStringVariable("myVar");
Where myVar is an internal C4 user variable with a default value of "Hello World".
The second slide has myVar being displayed in a text caption.
I publish the swf (AS3) and add this javascript function to the .htm file:
function SetStringVariable(n)
     document.getElementById('Captivate').SetVariable(n, "I set my variable!");
     alert("my var: " + document.getElementById('Captivate').GetVariable(n));
When you run the project on the web, the alert comes up with "I set my variable!" but the caption on slide 2 still says "Hello World".  Not sure why this occurs since I've just done a round trip with the variable.  It's as if C4 assigns the variable behind the scenes, but the UI doesn't update.  This does not occur if the C4 project is published in AS2.
Anyone experience this?  Any workarounds?  I'd like to be able to use the SetVariable function in AS3 projects.
TIA,
Jim Leichliter

Answer 1

Steve Howard noted that you can edit the CaptivateMainTimeline.as file typically located C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Captivate 4\ActionScript 3.0\.
First, I added an external callback:
try{
               if((ExternalInterface.available == true) && (parent==stage))
                    myTrace("ExternalInterface is available");
                    ExternalInterface.addCallback("cpSetValue", cpSetValue);
                    ExternalInterface.addCallback("cpGetValue", cpGetValue);
                    ExternalInterface.addCallback("mycpSetValue", mycpSetValue);
                    ExternalInterface.addCallback("mycpSetValue2", mycpSetValue2);
                    ExternalInterface.addCallback("cpSetValueJim", cpSetValueJim);
Then I wrote my handler for the callback function which was a slight modification to the cpSetValue function that was already there:
     //JBL: For External Interface setting any type of value
          public function cpSetValueJim(variable:String, val):void
          //myTrace("cpSetValue variable1 " + variable + " ; val  " + val);
          var arr:Array = variable.split(".");
          var ref = this;
          for(var i=0; i < arr.length -1; i++)
               ref = ref[arr[i]];
          ref[ arr[arr.length -1] ] = val; // This works fine for numbers, booleans and strings
Just make sure you publish your project in AS3.
You can place some js in a captivate button:
SetStringVariable("NameOfYourUserVariable");
Modify the published .htm file by placing in this js function.
function SetStringVariable(n)
     document.getElementById('Captivate').cpSetValueJim(n, "I set my variable!");
     alert("my var: " + document.getElementById('Captivate').GetVariable(n));
That's powerful stuff.  Thanks Steve (ACE) for pointing this out!  This opens up a whole new world of possibilities.