Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/export/service/PortfolioBuilder.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r240f5a89847764532283243060c07572f88cc5cf -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/export/service/PortfolioBuilder.java	(.../PortfolioBuilder.java)	(revision 240f5a89847764532283243060c07572f88cc5cf)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/export/service/PortfolioBuilder.java	(.../PortfolioBuilder.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.Activity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.CompetenceMapping;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.ComplexActivity;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.FloatingActivity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.ISystemToolActivity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.LearningDesign;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.LearningDesignProcessor;
@@ -240,6 +241,10 @@
 	}
 
     }
+    
+    public void startFloatingActivity(FloatingActivity activity) throws LearningDesignProcessorException {}
+	
+	public void endFloatingActivity(FloatingActivity activity) throws LearningDesignProcessorException {}
 
     /**
      * A system tool may be a simple or a complex activity, so the logic is in a method called by both
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/progress/ProgressBuilder.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rbd895f79446a2aa68b36bb7f957a8eb3b0487129 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/progress/ProgressBuilder.java	(.../ProgressBuilder.java)	(revision bd895f79446a2aa68b36bb7f957a8eb3b0487129)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/progress/ProgressBuilder.java	(.../ProgressBuilder.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learning.web.util.LearningWebUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.Activity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.ComplexActivity;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.FloatingActivity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.LearningDesignProcessor;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.SimpleActivity;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learningdesign.dao.IActivityDAO;
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@
 	ArrayList<ActivityURL> currentActivityList;
 	String forceLearnerURL;
 	boolean previewMode;
+	boolean isFloating;
 	
 	/** Create the builder. Supply all the data that will be needed to parse the design and build the portfolio entries. 
 	 * 
@@ -81,15 +83,17 @@
 
 		this.mainActivityList = new ArrayList<ActivityURL>();
 		this.currentActivityList = mainActivityList;
+		
 		this.activityListStack = new ArrayStack(5);
 
 		Lesson lesson = progress.getLesson();
 		previewMode = lesson.isPreviewLesson();
-		if ( previewMode) {
+		isFloating = false;
+		//if ( previewMode ) {
 			// setup the basic call to the learner screen, ready just to put the activity id on the end. Saves calculating it for every activity
 			this.forceLearnerURL = "learner.do?method=forceMoveRedirect&lessonID="
 				+progress.getLesson().getLessonId()+"&destActivityID=";
-		}
+		//}
 			
 
 	}
@@ -102,7 +106,9 @@
 
 		if ( activity.isSequenceActivity() ) {
 			return ( progress.getProgressState(activity) != LearnerProgress.ACTIVITY_NOT_ATTEMPTED );
-		} 
+		} else if ( activity.isFloatingActivity() ) {
+			isFloating = true;
+		}
 		return true;
 	}
 
@@ -136,6 +142,8 @@
 			complexActivityURL.setChildActivities(currentActivityList);
 			currentActivityList = (ArrayList<ActivityURL>) activityListStack.pop();
 			currentActivityList.add(complexActivityURL);
+			
+			if(activity.isFloatingActivity()) isFloating = false;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -150,7 +158,7 @@
 		currentActivityList.add(p);
 		
 	}
-	
+
 	/**
 	 * Creates a progress object with properties activityId, activityName, activityDescription and progress status.
 	 * 
@@ -166,17 +174,18 @@
 			log.error(error);
 			throw new LearningDesignProcessorException(error);
 		}
-		ActivityURL activityURL =  LearningWebUtil.getActivityURL( activityMapping, progress, activity, false);
-		if ( activityURL.getStatus() == LearnerProgress.ACTIVITY_NOT_ATTEMPTED ) {
-			activityURL.setUrl( previewMode? forceLearnerURL+activity.getActivityId() : null);
+		ActivityURL activityURL =  LearningWebUtil.getActivityURL( activityMapping, progress, activity, false, isFloating);
+		if ( activityURL.getStatus() == LearnerProgress.ACTIVITY_NOT_ATTEMPTED && isFloating) {
+			activityURL.setUrl( (previewMode || isFloating) ? forceLearnerURL+activity.getActivityId() : null);
 		}
+		if (activity.isFloatingActivity()) {
+			activityURL.setUrl(null);
+		}
 		return activityURL;
 	}
 	
 	/** Get the list of all the activity progress DTOs, which in turn may contain other activity progress DTOs */
 	public ArrayList<ActivityURL> getActivityList() {
 		return mainActivityList;
 	}
-	
-	
 }
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/progress/ProgressEngine.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r96b3b3ff3f62e1bca1d299f75f512995388e420b -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/progress/ProgressEngine.java	(.../ProgressEngine.java)	(revision 96b3b3ff3f62e1bca1d299f75f512995388e420b)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/progress/ProgressEngine.java	(.../ProgressEngine.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@
         	}
             populateCurrentCompletedActivityList(learnerProgress, completedActivityList);
         	return setLessonComplete(learnerProgress, LearnerProgress.LESSON_IN_DESIGN_COMPLETE);
+        } else if ( completedActivity.isFloating() ) {
+        	// special case - floating activity
+        	return learnerProgress;
         } else {
 	        Transition transition = completedActivity.getTransitionFrom();
 	        if (transition != null)
@@ -300,6 +303,7 @@
                 		parent.getActivityTypeId()+" has been found");
             //move to next activity within parent if not all children are completed.
             
+            
             ComplexActivity complexParent = (ComplexActivity) activityDAO.getActivityByActivityId(parent.getActivityId(),ComplexActivity.class);
             if (! learnerProgress.getCompletedActivities().contains(complexParent) && !complexParent.areChildrenCompleted(learnerProgress))
             {
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/service/LearnerService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r8386a3fecd9c7baf6ed69d499016dedd8a83eac6 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/service/LearnerService.java	(.../LearnerService.java)	(revision 8386a3fecd9c7baf6ed69d499016dedd8a83eac6)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/service/LearnerService.java	(.../LearnerService.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -381,10 +381,9 @@
 
 	ProgressBuilder builder = new ProgressBuilder(progress, activityDAO, activityMapping);
 	builder.parseLearningDesign();
-	List<ActivityURL> list = builder.getActivityList();
 
 	Object[] retValue = new Object[2];
-	retValue[0] = list;
+	retValue[0] = (List<ActivityURL>) builder.getActivityList();;
 	retValue[1] = progress.getCurrentActivity() != null ? progress.getCurrentActivity().getActivityId() : null;
 
 	return retValue;
@@ -434,7 +433,8 @@
 
 	if (toActivity != null) {
 	    progress.setProgressState(toActivity, LearnerProgress.ACTIVITY_ATTEMPTED, activityDAO);
-	    progress.setCurrentActivity(toActivity);
+	    if(!toActivity.isFloating())
+	    	progress.setCurrentActivity(toActivity);
 	    progress.setNextActivity(toActivity);
 	}
 
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/BranchingActivityAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r07d6aab3c681c1f2ecb8041756e99567ed639f31 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/BranchingActivityAction.java	(.../BranchingActivityAction.java)	(revision 07d6aab3c681c1f2ecb8041756e99567ed639f31)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/BranchingActivityAction.java	(.../BranchingActivityAction.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
 	    		while (i.hasNext()) {
 	    			Activity nextBranch = (Activity)i.next();
 	    			ActivityURL activityURL = LearningWebUtil.getActivityURL( actionMappings, learnerProgress, 
-	    					nextBranch, branch != null && branch.equals(nextBranch));
+	    					nextBranch, branch != null && branch.equals(nextBranch), false);
 	    			if ( activityURL.isComplete() ) {
 	    				completedCount++;
 	    			}
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/DisplayOptionsActivityAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r5fdd0db818db4e588ee274e14be36b37aea7641c -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/DisplayOptionsActivityAction.java	(.../DisplayOptionsActivityAction.java)	(revision 5fdd0db818db4e588ee274e14be36b37aea7641c)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/DisplayOptionsActivityAction.java	(.../DisplayOptionsActivityAction.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
 		Iterator i = subActivities.iterator();
 		int completedCount = 0;
 		while (i.hasNext()) {
-			ActivityURL activityURL = LearningWebUtil.getActivityURL( actionMappings, learnerProgress, (Activity)i.next(), false);
+			ActivityURL activityURL = LearningWebUtil.getActivityURL( actionMappings, learnerProgress, (Activity)i.next(), false, false);
 			if ( activityURL.isComplete() ) {
 				completedCount++;
 			}
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/bean/ActivityURL.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r472bcb813040efc160e074021be5c71c15455f00 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/bean/ActivityURL.java	(.../ActivityURL.java)	(revision 472bcb813040efc160e074021be5c71c15455f00)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/bean/ActivityURL.java	(.../ActivityURL.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 	private String title;
 	private String description;
 	private boolean complete;
+	private boolean floating;
 	private byte status;
 	private boolean defaultURL;
 	private List<ActivityURL> childActivities;
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@
 	{
 	    this.activityId = activityId;
 	    this.url = url;
+	    this.floating = false;
 	}
 	
 	public boolean isComplete() {
@@ -63,6 +65,15 @@
 	public void setComplete(boolean complete) {
 		this.complete = complete;
 	}
+	public boolean isFloating() {
+		return floating;
+	}
+	public boolean getFloating() {
+		return floating;
+	}
+	public void setFloating(boolean floating) {
+		this.floating = floating;
+	}
 	public String getTitle() {
 		return title;
 	}
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/util/LearningWebUtil.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rcacc57acef235b8509cdf8c627f4e0b2b382c1a3 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/util/LearningWebUtil.java	(.../LearningWebUtil.java)	(revision cacc57acef235b8509cdf8c627f4e0b2b382c1a3)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/util/LearningWebUtil.java	(.../LearningWebUtil.java)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -225,6 +225,9 @@
 			progress = learnerService.completeActivity(learnerId, currentActivity,progress);
 		}
 	
+		if ( progress == null )
+			return actionMappings.getCloseForward(currentActivity, lesson.getLessonId());
+		
 		LearningWebUtil.putActivityInRequest(request, progress.getNextActivity(), learnerService);
 		LearningWebUtil.putLearnerProgressInRequest(request,progress);
 		return actionMappings.getProgressForward(progress, redirect, false, request, learnerService);
@@ -339,7 +342,7 @@
 		return progressSummary.toString();
 	}
 
-	public static ActivityURL getActivityURL( ActivityMapping activityMapping, LearnerProgress learnerProgress, Activity activity, boolean defaultURL) {
+	public static ActivityURL getActivityURL( ActivityMapping activityMapping, LearnerProgress learnerProgress, Activity activity, boolean defaultURL, boolean isFloating) {
 		ActivityURL activityURL = new ActivityURL();
 		String url = activityMapping.getActivityURL(activity);
 		activityURL.setUrl(url);
@@ -352,7 +355,7 @@
 		if ( status == LearnerProgress.ACTIVITY_COMPLETED) {
 		    activityURL.setComplete(true);
 		}
-		
+		activityURL.setFloating(isFloating);
 		activityURL.setDefaultURL(defaultURL);
 		return activityURL;
 	}
Index: lams_learning/web/WEB-INF/tags/ProgressOutput.tag
===================================================================
diff -u -r4f68a533e24967e0185132c5e361a8a054f43941 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/web/WEB-INF/tags/ProgressOutput.tag	(.../ProgressOutput.tag)	(revision 4f68a533e24967e0185132c5e361a8a054f43941)
+++ lams_learning/web/WEB-INF/tags/ProgressOutput.tag	(.../ProgressOutput.tag)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -58,7 +58,19 @@
 	
 	<c:choose>
 	<c:when test="${not empty activity.url}">
-		<img src="<lams:LAMSURL/>/images/${image}" width="10"/> <a href="#" onclick="javascript:loadFrame('${activity.url}');"><font color="#${colour}"><c:out value="${activity.title}"/></font></a>
+		<img src="<lams:LAMSURL/>/images/${image}" width="10"/>
+		<c:choose>
+			<c:when test="${activity.status==1 || activity.floating}">
+				<a href="#" onclick="javascript:window.open('${activity.url}', 'LearnerActivity', '600', '400', true);">
+			</c:when>
+			<c:otherwise>
+				<a href="#" onclick="javascript:loadFrame('${activity.url}');">
+			</c:otherwise>
+		</c:choose>
+			<font color="#${colour}">
+				<c:out value="${activity.title}"/>
+			</font>
+		</a>
 	</c:when>
 	<c:otherwise>
 		<img src="<lams:LAMSURL/>/images/${image}" width="10"/> <font color="#${colour}">${activity.title}</font>		
Index: lams_learning/web/progress.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r308382123748b7f9693472763d2d125ca73f42f0 -re4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7
--- lams_learning/web/progress.jsp	(.../progress.jsp)	(revision 308382123748b7f9693472763d2d125ca73f42f0)
+++ lams_learning/web/progress.jsp	(.../progress.jsp)	(revision e4c92abe243b6367ad45115df3e1f5ecec5e5de7)
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@
 	<c:if test="${status.first}">
 		<UL style="margin-right:0">
 	</c:if>
-
+	<c:if test="${activity.floating}">
+		<p>&nbsp;</p>
+	</c:if>
 	<lams:ProgressOutput activity="${activity}"/>
 	<c:if test="${status.last}">
 		</UL>