Flash/.swf into Actinic

[Paul Garrett]

Before anyone asks, yes I'm seriously thick! But, can anyone explain in simple terms how to get a .swf into my Actinic Home page? I've seen a few posts in respect of Dreamweaver usage then subsequent html insertion but still can't fathom it.

1) Is it necessary for me to use Dreamweaver? I have it but am not an expert to say the least.

2) If I manage to get hold of the html, where can I insert it?

3) If i do insert a .swf or .html (once i found out where i can) do i need additional files?

4) Isn't there a way of just inserting a .swf?

Big time grateful for any advice on this.

[cdicken]

OK - if you have Dreamweaver, go to the 'Insert' menu and look for the 'Flash' option - it might be in a subfolder under 'Multimedia' (I don't have a copy of Dreamweaver to check with at the moment).

Then select your swf file and insert it into the file. Use the preview function with dreamweaver to check it has inserted correctly and looks OK.

Then look at the source of the page - Dreamweaver has inserted all the code bits you need to get flash working correctly. This is usually within an 'object' tag,

You can copy and paste this code into Actinic to use the image as part of your design.

Take note of the following though:

• Make sure your swf file is saved within the 'Site1' folder on your PC.
• Use 'Design | Additional Files' to select the file - this will make sure it is uploaded to the site correctly.
• Look at the source of the flash code in Actinic. Make sure there is not file path information like "file://C:/MyDocuments/.../whatever.swf" If there is, strip it out all the path info so the code only references the filename - "whatever.swf"
• You may need to copy the swf file into your 'PreviewHTML' and 'DesignPreviewHTML' folders within the 'SIte1' folder in order for the flash file to appear in the preview

[Paul Garrett]

Thanks Chris

Many thanks, much appreciated. It works!! But........

Can I be a pain and ask a bit more?

I want to insert it within a Fragment on a Brochure Page (in place of the Image). Any chance you can advise on where i should put it within the code?

Thanks again

Paul

[cdicken]

Click in the 'Fragment Layout' field of the fragment where you want the flash to appear

Select '<New>' from the bottom of the list

Give you new layout a name like 'Flash Fragment' and base it on 'Image On Left Text And Title'.

Edit the layout and replace the pink 'FragmentImage' layout selector with your flash code.

[Paul Garrett]

Thanks again but...

Hi Chris

Thanks for this and it does appear to work, at least on preview however, when loading to the server the viewing the site, it doesn't display.
It actually looks like it's trying with the index.html displaying at the bottom of the browser saying loading 1 item but nothing.

I appreciate the .swf is a little large (only 124k though) but even then i would expect something to come up eventually. I'm sure I've loaded everything into the right areas.

Would appreciate your help yet again to put this to bed.

Many thanks

Paul

[AZ IT]

Don't forget that, since the change to Internet Explorer earlier in 2006, Dreamweaver uses a method for inserting Flash which has now been superseded by "SWFObject" - if you Google "SWFObject" and go to the Adobe site (Adobe now "own" Dreamweaver) you will see full details on how to insert Flash so that it operates correctly.

Chris

[absolute-audio]

This article makes interesting reading - I was just wondering if you actually needed Dreamweaver?

I use a programme called SwishMAX, kind of a cheaper alternative I guess but does pretty much the same thing I think.

Does anyone know of a way to bring an swf into Actinic using fairly simple methods without using Dreamweaver?

Thanks

[wjcampbe]

Hand code it.

[absolute-audio]

Short and sweet answer, which I guess I kind of asked for but hoped for a bit more elaboration.

Ideally I would like a little presentation in a fragment - does anyone have the code for this to hand?

[gabrielcrowe]

embedding flash.

[absolute-audio]

Thanks for this info Gabriel, will have a look and have a go

Will this work within a fragment, if so, whereabouts would I enter the code?

Pete

[gabrielcrowe]

absolute-audio, i do hope your joking sir.

in the fragments content box perhaps?

enclosed in !!< >!!?

this has been discussed many many times in the forum, did you search?

[absolute-audio]

Ok, to make things easy....whereabouts do I put it?

<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsFragmentImageALink%22%20%2f%3e" >
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsFragmentLinkToURL%22%20%2f%3e" >
<a href="<actinic:variable name="FragmentLinkedItemID" />">
</actinic:block>
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsFragmentLinkToProduct%22%20%2f%3e" >
<a href="<Actinic:Variable Name="SearchCGIURL"/>?PRODREF=<actinic:variable name="FragmentLinkedItemID" /><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsHostMode%22%20%2f%3e">&amp;SHOP=<Actinic:Variable Name="ShopID"/></actinic:block><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsLoginPageSuppressed%22%20%2f%3e">&amp;NOLOGIN=1</actinic:block>">
</actinic:block>
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsFragmentLinkToSection%22%20%2f%3e" >
<a href="<Actinic:Variable Name="SearchCGIURL"/>?SECTIONID=<actinic:variable name="FragmentLinkedItemID" /><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsHostMode%22%20%2f%3e">&amp;SHOP=<Actinic:Variable Name="ShopID"/></actinic:block><actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsLoginPageSuppressed%22%20%2f%3e">&amp;NOLOGIN=1</actinic:block>">
</actinic:block>
</actinic:block>
<img src="<actinic:variable name="FragmentImageFileName" />"
alt="<actinic:variable name="FragmentTitle" encoding="strip" />"
border="0"
width="<actinic:variable name="FragmentImageWidth" />"
height="<actinic:variable name="FragmentImageHeight" />"
/>
<actinic:block if="%3cactinic%3avariable%20name%3d%22IsFragmentImageALink%22%20%2f%3e" >
</a>
</actinic:block>

And yes, I did search, using "flash" and it only came up with this one that was relevant to my question...

[Duncan Rounding]

You put the flash code in the fragment description - not in a layout.

This is the old fashioned way:
http://community.actinic.com/showpos...78&postcount=3

and a start towards the new way:
http://community.actinic.com/showpos...89&postcount=5

[absolute-audio]

When you say the fragment description, not the layout, do you mean in the text section of it?

Do I need to go into the Design tab in order to do this?