Flash Reference

Issue:

• How to display other HTML content above a swf?
• DHTML menus appear underneath swf
• HTML layer z-index not working on swf object

Reason:
By default wmode="window", Active Content is rendered directly to the screen on top of web browser window, which means it appears on top of other HTML content.

Solution:
Set the wmode parameter for swf object & embed tag to "opaque" or "transparent".
e.g.:

• In HTML,
  1. add to object tag:
     <param name="wmode" value="opaque">
     
  
  
  2. add to embed tag:
     wmode="opaque"
     
  
  
  So your html code will looked like:
  • <object ... >
    ...
    <param name="wmode" value="opaque">
    <embed ... wmode="opaque" ... >
    </object>
• From Flash,
  1. From menu, File > Publish Settings,
  
  
  2. click HTML tag,
  
  
  3. select "Opaque Windowless" for Window Mode.
  
  
  4. Publish
  
  
• From Dreamweaver,
  1. Select the swf in the Design View.
  
  
  2. In the Properties panel, choose Parameters.
  
  
  3. Enter "wmode" (without quotes) for the Parameter.
  
  
  4. Enter "transparent" (without quotes) for the Value.
  
  
  5. Save the document.
  
  

Additional Information:

TechNote:
Flash content displays on top of all DHTML layers
How to make a Flash movie with a transparent background

Issue:

• Security warning "Click to activate and use this control."
• Flash button need double click in MSIE
• How to remove border/frame/rectangle around swf in MSIE?
• How to automatic activate active control?
• Rollover on swf in MSIE
• ac_runactivecontent.js

Reason:
An update to Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) 6 changes its way in handles some webpages that use ActiveX controls and Java applets like Adobe Reader, Apple QuickTime Player, Macromedia Flash Player, Microsoft Windows Media Player, Real Networks RealPlayer, Sun Java Virtual Machine, and more. After you install this update, you cannot interact with ActiveX controls loaded by the APPLET, EMBED, or OBJECT elements, until these controls are enabled. To enable an ActiveX control, manually click the control.

Solution:

1. By using JavaScript:
   • Preparing your website to handle the Microsoft changes to Internet Explorer
   • JavaScript Flash Player Detection and Embedding with SWFObject
   • Sample 1
   • Sample 2


2. By installing extension/updater
   • Installing the Flash Active Content Update extension
   • Converting Active Content with the Dreamweaver 8.0.2 Updater

Additional Information:

Developer Center:
Active Content Developer Center
Active content FAQ

TechNote:
Installing the Flash Active Content Update extension

Microsoft Support:
Internet Explorer ActiveX update

MSDN:
Activating ActiveX Controls

Flash Application Icons

	Macromedia Flash 5 & below
	Macromedia Flash MX/MX2004
	Macromedia Flash 8
	Adobe Flash CS3

Related file formats, extensions, and icons

	.as - ActionScript File ActionScript source files, contain ActionScript source code, can be edited with any text editor such as Notepad or SimpleText.>
	.asc - ActionScript Communication File Server-Side ActionScript (SSAS) source files used to develop flexible client-server Flash Communication Server MX applications.
	.aso - ActionScript Object Cache files created during compilation, contain compiled ActionScript byte code. To delete ASO cache files, in Flash authoring environment, select Control - Delete ASO files.
	.clr - Flash Color Table File Color set for Macromedia Flash Color Swatches.
	.exe - Flash Player / Window Projector File Executable application, can not be edited with Flash authoring software.
	.fla - Flash Document Contain source material for the Flash application, include all the information required to develop, design and test content. Can be edited with Flash authoring software and compiled into .swf files.
	.flp - Flash Project XML files used to reference all the document files contained in a Flash Project, allow the user to group multiple, related files together to assist in Flash project organization, compilation and build.
	.flv - Flash Video A proprietary file format used to deliver video over the Internet using Adobe Flash Player or be embedded within SWF files.
	.jsfl - Flash Javascript File Add functionality in the Flash Authoring environment, contain Javascript code and access the Flash Javascript API.
	.mxi - Macromedia Extension Information XML file provides information for the Extension Manager to use. In particular.
	.mxp - Macromedia Extension Package Extension Package, to be opened with Extension Manager for extensions installation.
	.spl - FutureSplash Document Contain source material for the FutureSplash application.
	.swc - Shockwave Flash Component File Contain a compiled clip, ActionScript class file, and other files for distributing components.
	.swd - Shockwave Flash Debugging File Temporary debugging files used during Flash authoring software. Once finished developing a Flash project these files are not needed and can be removed.
	.swf - Shockwave Flash Completed, compiled and published files that cannot be edited with Flash authoring software.
	.swt - Shockwave Flash Template File Templatized forms of .swf files, used by Macromedia Generator.

May 1996, FutureWave Software created FutureSplash Animator.

December 1996, Macromedia acquired FutureWave Software.
1996, Macromedia Flash 1
1997, Macromedia Flash 2
1998, Macromedia Flash 3
1999, Macromedia Flash 4
2000, Macromedia Flash 5
2002, Macromedia Flash MX
2003, Macromedia Flash MX2004
2005, Macromedia Flash 8

December 2005, Adobe Systems acquired Macromedia
2007, Adobe Flash CS3

Additional Information:
The History of Flash
Flashback Flash Future

Issue:

• Unable to load variables or XML data into a Flash movie from another domain/subdomain.
• Unable to load swf or flv into Flash movie from another domain/subdomain.

Reason:
For security reasons, data loading operations (load, loadMovie, loadVariables, & etc.) from a different domain is not permitted.

Solution:
Create a cross-domain policy file (crossdomain.xml) and place on the site root of the server you wish to access with the movie.

Cross-domain policy files is a simple XML file that gives the Flash Player permission to access data from a given domain without displaying a security dialog, the file can be created in a simple text editor such as Notepad or SimpleText.

• Sample Cross-domain policy file allow access from any domain

  <?xml version="1.0"?>
  <cross-domain-policy>
  <allow-access-from domain="*" />
  </cross-domain-policy>

• Sample Cross-domain policy file allow access from any subdomains & local server, & secure server

  <?xml version="1.0"?>
  <!DOCTYPE cross-domain-policy SYSTEM "http://www.macromedia.com/xml/dtds/cross-domain-policy.dtd">
  <cross-domain-policy>
  <allow-access-from domain="www.ggshow.com" />
  <allow-access-from domain="ggshow.com" />
  <allow-access-from domain="*.ggshow.com" />
  <allow-access-from domain="blog.ggshow.com" />
  <allow-access-from domain="search.ggshow.com" />
  <allow-access-from domain="blog" />
  <allow-access-from domain="search" />
  <allow-access-from domain="www.ggshow.com" secure="false" />
  </cross-domain-policy>

• Sample Cross-domain policy file on other websites

  • http://www.yahoo.com/crossdomain.xml
  • http://www.youtube.com/crossdomain.xml
  • http://www.amazon.com/crossdomain.xml
  • http://api.flickr.com/crossdomain.xml

Additional Information:
crossdomainxml.org

LiveDocs:
Using policy files

TechNote:
External data not accessible outside a Macromedia Flash movie's domain
Loading data across domains
Macromedia Flash movie fails to load data in Flash Player 7

Issue:

• Unable to use subscript or superscript in dynamic and input text field.
• Unable to display subscript or superscript for external loaded text.
• Unable to use <sub> & <sup> tags in dynamic or input text field.

Reason:
<sub> & <sup> tags are not supported by Flash.

TechNote: Subscript and superscript fail in dynamic and input text fields
LiveDocs: Supported HTML tags

Solution:

1. Download & install GG Subscript & GG Superscript TrueType fonts. You will need to restart Flash software after installed fonts.


2. Create a dynamic text field with Arial font embeded. Set the HTML property to true.


3. Create a dynamic text field with GG Subscript font embeded.


4. Create a dynamic text field with GG Superscript font embeded.



5. Use HTML tag to set text to subscript or superscript like below:

   Adobe<font face="GG Superscript">TM</font>

   If you are using ActionScript to test the htmlText, use script like below:

   my_txt.text = "Adobe<font face=\"GG Superscript\">TM</font>";

View sample: superscript.swf
Download sample: superscript.fla superscript.swf

NEW! (2008-09-21)
A new set of superscript & subscript fonts includes both sans & serif type, with more complete & improved glyphs, standard scale & shift, is now available to be downloaded (free) from here.