Folks,
I am happy to share my positive experience with SWFTools as making it possible to embed Flash movies nicely in text (triggered when you click on a thumbnail). However, it turns out that there is a technical problem -- which means that a lot of visitors to the site will not see the video.
SUMMARY:
Flash Movie comes up blank under some circumstances. There seems to be a conflict if your client machine has been upgraded to the new Adobe Flash Player V 10. Please see the circumstances here:
THESE WORK:
Home Machine #1 XP User Account Adobe Flash Player 9 Content Node w/SWFTools IE7 OR FF
Home Machine #1 XP Admin Account Adobe Flash Player 9 Flash Node IE7 OR FF
Home Machine #2 XP User Account Adobe Flash Player 9 Content or Flash Node IE7 OR FF
Work Machine XP User Account Adobe Flash Player 10 Content Node w/SWFTools FF only
Work Machine XP User Account Adobe Flash Player 10 Flash Node IE7 OR FF
Work Machine XP Admin Account Adobe Flash Player 10 Content or Flash Node IE7 OR FF
THIS DOES NOT WORK
Work Machine XP User Account Adobe Flash Player 10 Content Node w/SWFTools IE7
SUMMARY OF WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT WHAT DOESN'T WORK
It seems that the problem is around a rights or security issue in IE7.
--> This problem goes away if you run as ADMIN
--> This problem goes away if you run Adobe Flash Player 9
--> This problem oddly is NOT a problem for just the Flash Node itself
--> This problem doesn't arise with FireFox
WHY THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM?
Most people visiting the site running XP with the latest Adobe FP will be unable to run the Flash movie if they are using IE7
WHAT IS A POTENTIAL FIX?
Is it a clue that the problem doesn't arise if the original (and kludgy) Drupal Flash Node is used, instead of straightup SWFTools?
Thanks for any suggestions!
JM
P.S. This thread is a pick up from this original discussion: http://drupal.org/node/409554
Comments
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First thing i would do is do a comparison of the page source between the problematic swftools page and the flashnode page that works. Compare the code surrounding the swf file and see what differences you can detect.
can u show me the page ...?
there are many ways to add swf inside a web page.
u have selected the "open new window with swf as target url" method.
this is a simple methed. but the side effect is .. not good for all browsers as u just point out.
....
u may :
1. keep on using the simple method and stay with the side effect.
or
2. use a better and not that simple method to avoid the side effect.
Comparison of Two Pages -- SWF Blank Page Issue
Folks,
Thank you for your suggestion.
-----------------------------------------------------
Here is the page that doesn't work (using SWFTools method):
http://www.standupsales.com/node/46
Note: this will NOT work ONLY in the following circumstances:
1. You are running XP (not sure about Vista) with a reduced-rights user account.
2. You are running IE7.
3. You have upgraded to Adobe Flash Player V 10.
Change any one item and it works (Adobe FP 9, Firefox, Admin rights).
-----------------------------------------------------
Here is a page that does work (using Flash Node method):
http://www.standupsales.com/node/39
(Note this page is currently Unpublished from root, but I think you can get to it anyway?)
-----------------------------------------------------
Thanks for any insights!
JM
Solution -- IE8 if you have Adobe 10
Folks,
Pleased to report that the only combination of browser and Flash Player that did not work, is now resolved IF you updated IE to the new Version 8.
So, a possible new rule: The simple way of deploying flash movies in Drupal, without a lot of hassle, works great. HOWEVER, you may have a problem with clients running a NEW ADOBE and OLD INTERNET EXPLORER. Both have to be updated.
Of course, if you are running a site and get a lot of hits, you may run into visitors with the wrong combo -- in which case a little notice could be of help?
I hope this helps someone.
J.
Yup, you got me pointed in
Yup, you got me pointed in the right direction!
I could not get a flash .swf file to play on my new notebook pc running Linux-Mint and Firefox. I had the most current (10.0 422) Flash plugin installed and my Firefox is up-to-date (3.0.8). So, I reinstalled the Flash plugin using the Synaptic Package Manager and all is now OK.