Digital Workshop

This is a big problem to us, so advice needed, please:

I've got a flash in a docview window. Plays perfectly. (NOT as a video object, but in Docview as they need to interact with it).

The project is burned to CD. It plays perfectly on 6 other pcs here (so it's not a problem with the flash not being found).

Sent to client... the flash doesn't appear.

When they run the pub, the flash is not seen in the docview. They just get a white square.

They can play the flash file from Explorer, so they do have flash installed.

I can't replicate the error, but they've tried it on 2 pcs with the same result.

Why can they can play the html file that calles up the swf from explorer, but not from the Opus pub.

What more is Opus wanting?

Thanks, Linda

Hello Linda

I have also experienced this problems with some of my clients so what I have done is to embed the flash into an html file and call the file from inside a browser field in Opus, by doing this, the browser flash player will play the file.

You can do any or some of the following:

1-You can use the following detection kit provided by Macromedia:
http://www.macromedia.com/software/flas ... ction_kit/ to make sure your client has the latest flash plugin.

2-You can also use this extra plugin attached that I use to play swf outside the browser and install this plugin when customers complains that they cannot see the swf plays.

3-Another issue to consider: if the customer's pc is part of a network, it may be possible that the admon has disabled (from the control panel) the ability to run flash embedded files from inside applications like Opus without affecting the browser plugin.

4-An one more...some pc have not successfully associated the swf files to be open using IE to kick the flash plugin. It will be wise to check ou this.

5-Or go to: C:\PROGRAM FILES\MACROMEDIA\FLASH "X version" \PLAYERS\SAFlashPlayer.exe and make the file association to the player directly.

Is kind of messy instructions but I hope is clear enough.
German

German,

The flash is embedded into html. It's the html I'm calling up in the docview.

However... I've just been able to replicate the problem here... I think what is happening is that there is a warning message coming up asking if they want to install flash 8, BUT... the message is coming up BEHIND the docview, so it's not seen,

I feel that this week I'm coming up with the same problem from different sides; on different occasions, when a file brings up a warning message in Opus, this message is either behind the main file, or in front but not accessable with the cursor.

With more security, and more file warnings, this overall is something for DW to investigate.

Thanks, Linda

Hi Linda
I done some changes to my first reply so read it again.
If you are embedding the html in a docview I will perhaps suggest to use your browser field in Opus to link the html you have created.
You can also distribute the plugin in your cd and organise a test page on your application that way the customer can install the latest plugin from your cd.
Macromedia Flash player distribution is very open. Check this out:
http://www.macromedia.com/licensing/

German

Ok... can a couple of people download this and see if it runs?

I've removed all the other options, and just left the Flash. The customer says they just get a white box, no animation.

Linda,

downloaded and played your sample pub without a problem. Did a rewind and played it a second time.


Win XP Home - SP2 (all updates installed)
IE 6
Flash version 8

Great! If more people could try it, I could go back to the client in confidence that their pc is broken....

Thanks very much, Leo.

I have tried it on two machines, fine on both.


Regards

Brenden Knifton

Worked fine.
Just checking, on running the exe, did you intend for plugin install option "INSTALL FLASH" to be available anyway, or does it test the availability of same and not appear if my PC is kosha!

No, it just links to the Macromedia site, and is there regardless of what you've got.

I did originally have the distributable version of flash with the pub, but I had problems with warning screens, so I gave up.

Really it needs a little bit of flash on the menu page, with a thing that says if you can't see it, you should download flash.

Of course I'd love it to be far cleverer than that... and one day when someone pays me a decent amount, I might figure it out, but this one was supposed to be a throw-away job that's turned into a nightmare.

Many thanks for testing.

Hi Linda...

Machine 1 - Win98se, Flash 8 browser player.
Works fine everytime - HTML launch, SWF launch, and via Opus pub.

Machine 2 - WinXPpro SP2, Flash 7 browser player, & Flash 6 standalone.
Click on HTML - brings up Firefox browser/Flash player 7 - plays fine.
Click on SWF - brings up standalone Flash 6 player - no play, just border and menu items bottom right.
Click on Opus pub + select CitySprint Online - white box, missing image icon top left, and overlaid security warning box about installing Flash 8.

Check your PM's too!

Rob 'still not helping much' Kirkwood
www.visibleform.co.uk

Argghhh... It's not flash 8, it's flash 7.

I kept away from 8.

The html file is only looking for v7.

Why is it looking for flash 8?

Please help.... client getting upset....

My guess is that Flash has a inbuilt update feature. When Flash is runs it check home to see if there is a latter version. If there is it tries to get the end user to download the latest version.

Regards

Brenden Knifton

Rob,

What version of the Flash player have you got for IE? Opus browser windows are from IE not any other web browser. If you have not updated your IE Flash player because your are normaly running Firefox when Opus calls the browser it may be a very old version of the Flash player it is calling and needs a higher version to run.

Regards

Brenden Knifton

I've just tested it on an XP Pro SP1 with Flash 7, not connected to the internet, and it still worked fine.

So the difference between my pc and Rob's is SP2.

But then I've also got it working on an XP Home pc with SP2.

I've now told the client to uninstall flash, connect to the internet and run the pub again, so that the html file will call to download it.

I don't know what else to advise.