How to Embed Flash CS4 SWF in FrontPage 2003

[Bill Anderson]

I use FrontPage 2003 to set up simple websites for viewing personal
vacation pictures and videos. FrontPage 2003 is simple to use and I can
knock out a website with it in nothing flat. But I've never been able
to figure out how to embed an Adobe Flash CS4 video with controls.

I can embed a swf file without controls and it will work OK. Look here:

http://paintrock.net/italy2011/docs/swf_alone.htm

But that video doesn't have controls, not really, and I want controls
right up front where you can see them. Here's a jpeg that shows how I
have the no-controls version set up in FrontPage:

http://paintrock.net/italy2011/flash_alone.JPG

All is not lost, though. I can create a swf video using the software
package "Flash Video Studio" and embed the three files that result in my
website and the video works just fine with full controls. I've proven
I can do it with a trial version of the software. Look here:

http://paintrock.net/italy2011/docs/flash_video_studio.htm

That video requires three files to be uploaded to the website. Here's a
screen capture from FrontPage showing the fvs folder where I've put
the three Flash Video Studio files required to produce the video with
controls:

http://paintrock.net/italy2011/flashvideostudio.JPG

So my problem is solved, right? All I need to do is purchase Flash
Video Studio and I'm off and running. But ... why do that when I've
already purchased a much more powerful product: Adobe Flash CS4
Professional? Shouldn't the Adobe Flash product be able to do the same
thing? Well I can't figure out how to do it, at least not simply. I
don't want to insert html code in FrontPage. The whole point of
FrontPage is to just drag and drop, WYSIWYG, and so forth. So here's
what I get when I produce a swf file with Flash CS4 and place it in
Frontpage. Note that it looks fine in FrontPage design mode on my hard
drive and -- trust me on this -- the controls work just as they're
supposed to:

http://paintrock.net/italy2011/talkers_with_cs4_controls.JPG

But look at what happens when I upload that setup to my Hostek server:

http://paintrock.net/italy2011/docs/flash_cs4_swf.htm

See how at first there's nothing and then the controls appear with no
video? The controls look like they're struggling to download the video
but no video appears. What's up with that?

You may want to know how I created the swf in Flash CS4. When I thought
I had the problem licked, I made myself some notes, and I'll paste them
below. If there's something wrong with this procedure, what is it?

1) Convert the original video to a Flash .flv file using DVDVideoSoft
Free Studio.
2) Start Adobe Flash and choose the top choice Flash File Action Script 3.0.
3) Import the .flv file by choosing file/import/import video, and then
browse to the video file and select it – open. Then Next.
4) Choose the skin. Pick one that has the controls under the video so
you don’t hide any video -- skinunderallnocaption.swf.
5) You can even pick a color. Light gray is nice. Next.
6) You have to export the file. It will export the video as an .swf
plus a second .swf of controls to the location of the .flv file. You
don’t need to copy the .flv file into FrontPage.
7) But you do need to copy both swf files into the directory that
contains the html code for the page where the swf file will be displayed.

I don't normally crosspost, but this really does seem to be a question
that could be answered by the Flash group and/or the FrontPage group.
Surely the issue has been raised before -- heck, I know it has; I've
Googled it all over the net. But I haven't yet found an answer that
works for me.

Can any of you experts help me? Thanks.

 

[Hot-text]

Bill Anderson here is the INFO you need @

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CamStudio

I make this Flash movie with controls with CamStudio SWF Producer
<!-- Flash movie tag-->
<OBJECT classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0"
WIDTH="161" HEIGHT="74" id="time.swf" ALIGN="">
<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="time.swf">
<PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high>
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#ffffff>
<EMBED src="time.swf" quality=high bgcolor=#a1 WIDTH="74"
HEIGHT="16777215" NAME="time.swf" ALIGN=""
TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash"
PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer">
</EMBED>
</OBJECT>
http://camstudio.org/ >> Get it you need it to make Flash movie with
controls

without controls or with controls is in the swf video not the html texts
Here The Flash movie with controls that you give the Link too. You see the
controls in the Flash movie!

<!-- Flash movie tag-->
<OBJECT classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0"
border="0" width="640" height="480" id="obj1" ALIGN="">
<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="http://paintrock.net/italy2011/docs/fvs/test.swf">
<PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high>
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#ffffff>
<EMBED src="http://paintrock.net/italy2011/docs/fvs/test.swf" quality=high
bgcolor=#a1 border="0" width="640" height="480" NAME="time.swf" ALIGN=""
TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash"
PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer">
</EMBED>
</OBJECT>

 

[Hot-text]

http://camstudio.org/ >> Get it you need it to make Flash movie with
Buttons

http://hot-text.ath.cx/my_documents/my_music/ <<Johnny-Dollar in FLASH!

It how I make the Time SWF Vidoe at my_music
And get the Lossless Codec:
New CamStudioCodec1.4.zip for the CamStudio SWF Producer is in it!

http://camstudio.org/

And you see AudioFlash is free audio recording software that will record you
speaking via your computer
and put it on your website with some nifty SWF control buttons.

AudioFlash not good But it Template are good it how I made Button for
Johnny-Dollar!

 

[Warren Oates]

You may want to know how I created the swf in Flash CS4. When I thought
I had the problem licked, I made myself some notes, and I'll paste them
below. If there's something wrong with this procedure, what is it?

Nothing, but if you have any kind of scripting skills, take a look at the _free_ Flex 4.1
SDK from Adobe:

<http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/flexsdk/Download+Flex+4>

My advice is to d'load the latest "nightly build" (the "Adobe Flex SDK") and the language
reference that goes with it. You don't need Ant.

Then you can build a movie player in about 12 lines of code:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx"
creationComplete="loadVid()"<fx:Script>
<![CDATA[
import spark.components.VideoPlayer;

private var vidPlayer:VideoPlayer = new VideoPlayer();
private function loadVid ():void {
addElement(vidPlayer);
vidPlayer.autoDisplayFirstFrame = true;
vidPlayer.autoPlay = false;
// these are flashvars we add when we embed:
vidPlayer.width = this.parameters.vWidth; // try for a 16:9 aspect ratio
vidPlayer.height = this.parameters.vHeight; // and add 20 px for the control bar
vidPlayer.source = this.parameters.vidFile;
vidPlayer.scaleMode = this.parameters.scale;
}
]]>
</fx:Script>
</s:Application>

Call it Simple.mxml and you can compile it like:

mxmlc -static-rsls -o simplePlayer.swf Simple.mxml

and you can embed it with swfobject:

<http://code.google.com/p/swfobject/>

 

[Bill Anderson]

Nothing, but if you have any kind of scripting skills, take a look at the_free_ Flex 4.1
SDK from Adobe:

Hi Warren. I have virtually no scripting skills, though I've done
some scripting when I had to. My basic question, when all the other
stuff I posted is peeled back, is this:

If a relatively cheap product like Flash Video Studio can give me a
simple swf file set that embeds in FrontPage quickly and easily by
drag and drop, why can't Flash CS4 do the same thing? It appears to
do the same thing, and in fact the Flash CS4 swf works fine when I
drag and drop in FrontPage as long as I don't upload it to my server.
I'm so close to getting what I want from Flash CS4 that it's
tantalizing. Is it by design that what I'm getting from CS4 doesn't
work? Surely it would work if I do something right. But what?

Still, many thanks for your reply. I'll give Flex a try after I've
figured out what an SDK is. See ... I really do need something simple
here.

And I thought you were great in The Wild Bunch.

 

[Hot-text]

Free and without the watermark!

http://camstudio.org/ >> Get it you need it to make Flash movie with
Buttons And get the Lossless Codec:
New CamStudioCodec1.4.zip for the CamStudio SWF Producer is in it!
For SWF Producer is the Freeware that make the Button is the FLASH video!

http://hot-text.ath.cx/my_documents/my_videos/1/swf_alone_toolBar.swf.html
No watermark and can start with your banner.bmp!

SWF Producer is a Acrobat FLASH Software and I made your swf_alone with
toolBar.swf
It how I make the Time SWF Vidoe at my_music
http://hot-text.ath.cx/my_documents/my_music/ <<Johnny-Dollar in FLASH!
And @ camstudio the you see AudioFlash is free audio recording software
that will record you speaking via your computer and put it on your website
with some nifty SWF control buttons.

AudioFlash is not a good freeware, But it Template for Button is good for
MP3, That how I made Button for
Johnny-Dollar MP3 !

http://camstudio.org/

 

[Hot-text]

Warren Oates is @ macromedia.flash and for Adobe Open Source
He not for FrontPage and care not in making a created fast working the swf
in Flash CS4 in FrontPage.
Yes Warren Oates is a Macromedia Dreamweaver man!

You may want to know how I created the swf in Flash CS4. When I thought
I had the problem licked, I made myself some notes, and I'll paste them
below. If there's something wrong with this procedure, what is it?

Nothing, but if you have any kind of scripting skills, take a look at the
_free_ Flex 4.1 SDK from Adobe:

<http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/flexsdk/Download+Flex+4>

My advice is to d'load the latest "nightly build" (the "Adobe Flex SDK")
and the language reference that goes with it. You don't need Ant.

Then you can build a movie player in about 12 lines of code:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx"
creationComplete="loadVid()" >
<fx:Script>
<![CDATA[
import spark.components.VideoPlayer;

private var vidPlayer:VideoPlayer = new VideoPlayer();
private function loadVid ():void {
addElement(vidPlayer);
vidPlayer.autoDisplayFirstFrame = true;
vidPlayer.autoPlay = false;
// these are flashvars we add when we embed:
vidPlayer.width = this.parameters.vWidth; // try for a 16:9 aspect ratio
vidPlayer.height = this.parameters.vHeight; // and add 20 px for the
control bar
vidPlayer.source = this.parameters.vidFile; vidPlayer.scaleMode =
this.parameters.scale;
}
]]>
</fx:Script>
</s:Application>

Call it Simple.mxml and you can compile it like:

mxmlc -static-rsls -o simplePlayer.swf Simple.mxml

and you can embed it with swfobject:

<http://code.google.com/p/swfobject/>

 

[Hot-text]

Johnny Dollar swf is a Big MP3 it will need time to download!
But it is the
http://hot-text.ath.cx/my_documents/my_videos/1/swf_alone_toolBar.swf.html
you need to look at give it time to download the Server at my Computer!

 

[Bill Anderson]

Johnny Dollar swf is a Big MP3 it will need time to download!
But it is the
http://hot-text.ath.cx/my_documents/my_videos/1/swf_alone_toolBar.swf.html
you need to look at give it time to download the Server at my Computer!

I went back and gave it more time. Still nothing. I appreciate your
help, though.

 

[Hot-text]

It's Ok Bill
You download 74% and stop it 15min video
on making a tool bar with the freeware SWF Producer!
Some day you have time to look at it I speed up my Server from 10mb to a
100mb Date-rate
I see the Transferred 5.82 so I believe you have a 58kb Dial Up modem or on
a Broadband!
Your Date-rate was 116 KBps

 

[Jenn]

... Maybe the path is wrong that the actual video controls are connected to..
seems I remember there being a place where you have to edit the path, so
when you upload it to your server, the path is going to change ... I worked
a little bit with some Flash video players, but it's been a while.

--
Jenn (from Oklahoma)

Nothing, but if you have any kind of scripting skills, take a look at the
_free_ Flex 4.1
SDK from Adobe:

Hi Warren. I have virtually no scripting skills, though I've done
some scripting when I had to. My basic question, when all the other
stuff I posted is peeled back, is this:

If a relatively cheap product like Flash Video Studio can give me a
simple swf file set that embeds in FrontPage quickly and easily by
drag and drop, why can't Flash CS4 do the same thing? It appears to
do the same thing, and in fact the Flash CS4 swf works fine when I
drag and drop in FrontPage as long as I don't upload it to my server.
I'm so close to getting what I want from Flash CS4 that it's
tantalizing. Is it by design that what I'm getting from CS4 doesn't
work? Surely it would work if I do something right. But what?

Still, many thanks for your reply. I'll give Flex a try after I've
figured out what an SDK is. See ... I really do need something simple
here.

And I thought you were great in The Wild Bunch.

 

[Bill Anderson]

.. Maybe the path is wrong that the actual video controls are connected to..
seems I remember there being a place where you have to edit the path, so
when you upload it to your server, the path is going to change ... I worked
a little bit with some Flash video players, but it's been a while.

Thanks, Jenn. I went ahead and got a copy of Flash Video Studio which
produces swf files I can drop onto a web page in FrontPage, edit
dimensions, and I'm done. The controls are embedded in the video file
and I don't have to worry about paths or extra files containing the
controls.

It seems like something Flash CS4 should do with ease, but I guess not.
I'd still like to know whether it can be done easily with Flash CS4
Professional. I just had the feeling that I was about to succeed and
that I hadn't done something simple -- like setting the right path. But
I never did figure it out.

 

[Hot-text]

Good to see that you get it work out, Mighty Favog Bill Anderson
And it like the Style of your web site @ http://paintrock.net/ !

For my Dad was Old Navy Man, for 30 Years he love the USS Bush
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Bush_(DD-529)
Fate: Sunk off Okinawa, 6 April 1945 and the ship was abandoned by her 227
survivors just before she folded and sank. 87 of her crew were lost. my Dad
was one of the survivors.
Bush received seven battle stars for her World War II service.

Bill Anderson your Dad ship
Santa Fe received 13 battle stars for her World War II service. And Made
it threw the War!

Your Hot-Text
Billy Ray Ferrell

 

[Bill Anderson]

Good to see that you get it work out, Mighty Favog Bill Anderson

Thanks for your help, Hot.

 

[Jenn]

Thanks, Jenn. I went ahead and got a copy of Flash Video Studio which
produces swf files I can drop onto a web page in FrontPage, edit
dimensions, and I'm done. The controls are embedded in the video file and
I don't have to worry about paths or extra files containing the controls.

It seems like something Flash CS4 should do with ease, but I guess not.
I'd still like to know whether it can be done easily with Flash CS4
Professional. I just had the feeling that I was about to succeed and that
I hadn't done something simple -- like setting the right path. But I
never did figure it out.

Whatever works is what I say a person should do!