Survey for a Weird Video Problem

[etsuko]

Please use Internet Explorer (only IE is having problems) and navigate to the QMax product page via the main menu: http://www.unipac.com.my

Products > QMax

and then please answer if you're able to view the Flash video on that page.

Thanks in advance.

Client expressed his full frustration to me when many of his clients and some of his staff complained to him that his video could not be seen or not loaded.

Also, here's a weird behaviour. The computer I was using in their office couldn't play the video unless I clicked on their QMax logo on the homepage (below) that links to the product page. Weird.

I'm currently experimenting with the source by using the non-standards compliant embed code to see if it'll solve the problem because the rest of the Flash on the website are using A List Apart's Flash Satay method.

The prototype version we have running is fine all round: http://unipac.hawks-eyrie.net

I'm also looking into these other solutions if others around the world face the same weird problem:
1. Embed Windows Media Player
2. Recommend client to move to a different host (current one is their choice)

p/s: If anyone can give me a heads up for the cause of this problem, it's much appreciated. Thanks.

[soezzy]

This is the problem that was caused when Microsoft lost their court case last year.


You will need to have your clients add a small script to their server root and a few lines of code to any flash movie <object>'s.

Everyone is facing the same problem world wide.

Here is the Adobe work around for it.

Here is a copy of ac_rac.js

//v1.0
//Copyright 2006 Adobe Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

function AC_AddExtension(src, ext)
{
if (src.indexOf('?') != -1)
return src.replace(/\?/, ext+'?');
else
return src + ext;
}

function AC_Generateobj(objAttrs, params, embedAttrs)
{
var str = '<object ';
for (var i in objAttrs)
str += i + '="' + objAttrs[i] + '" ';
str += '>';
for (var i in params)
str += '<param name="' + i + '" value="' + params[i] + '" /> ';
str += '<embed ';
for (var i in embedAttrs)
str += i + '="' + embedAttrs[i] + '" ';
str += ' ></embed></object>';

document.write(str);
}

function AC_FL_RunContent(){
var ret =
AC_GetArgs
( arguments, ".swf", "movie", "clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"
, "application/x-shockwave-flash"
);
AC_Generateobj(ret.objAttrs, ret.params, ret.embedAttrs);
}

function AC_SW_RunContent(){
var ret =
AC_GetArgs
( arguments, ".dcr", "src", "clsid:166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000"
, null
);
AC_Generateobj(ret.objAttrs, ret.params, ret.embedAttrs);
}

function AC_GetArgs(args, ext, srcParamName, classid, mimeType){
var ret = new Object();
ret.embedAttrs = new Object();
ret.params = new Object();
ret.objAttrs = new Object();
for (var i=0; i < args.length; i=i+2){
var currArg = args[i].toLowerCase();

switch (currArg){
case "classid":
break;
case "pluginspage":
ret.embedAttrs[args[i]] = args[i+1];
break;
case "src":
case "movie":
args[i+1] = AC_AddExtension(args[i+1], ext);
ret.embedAttrs["src"] = args[i+1];
ret.params[srcParamName] = args[i+1];
break;
case "onafterupdate":
case "onbeforeupdate":
case "onblur":
case "oncellchange":
case "onclick":
case "ondblClick":
case "ondrag":
case "ondragend":
case "ondragenter":
case "ondragleave":
case "ondragover":
case "ondrop":
case "onfinish":
case "onfocus":
case "onhelp":
case "onmousedown":
case "onmouseup":
case "onmouseover":
case "onmousemove":
case "onmouseout":
case "onkeypress":
case "onkeydown":
case "onkeyup":
case "onload":
case "onlosecapture":
case "onpropertychange":
case "onreadystatechange":
case "onrowsdelete":
case "onrowenter":
case "onrowexit":
case "onrowsinserted":
case "onstart":
case "onscroll":
case "onbeforeeditfocus":
case "onactivate":
case "onbeforedeactivate":
case "ondeactivate":
case "type":
case "codebase":
ret.objAttrs[args[i]] = args[i+1];
break;
case "width":
case "height":
case "align":
case "vspace":
case "hspace":
case "class":
case "title":
case "accesskey":
case "name":
case "id":
case "tabindex":
ret.embedAttrs[args[i]] = ret.objAttrs[args[i]] = args[i+1];
break;
default:
ret.embedAttrs[args[i]] = ret.params[args[i]] = args[i+1];
}
}
ret.objAttrs["classid"] = classid;
if (mimeType) ret.embedAttrs["type"] = mimeType;
return ret;
}

Here is an instance of the <script> / <noscript> code.

<script type="text/javascript">
AC_FL_RunContent(
'codebase','http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=5,0,42,0',
'id','Movie1',
'width','100%',
'height','100%',
'src','Movie1',
'quality','high',
'loop','false',
'bgcolor','#FFFFFF',
'name','Movie1',
'allowscriptaccess','samedomain',
'pluginspage','http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer',
'movie','Movie1'
); //end AC code
</script>

<noscript>
<object classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=5,0,42,0"
id="Movie1 width="100%" height="100%">
<param name="movie" value="Movie1.swf">
<param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="loop" value="false">

<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="samedomain">
<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"
width="100%" height="100%"
name="Movie1" src="Movie1.swf"
bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high"
loop="false"
swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="samedomain"
></embed>
</object>
</noscript>




<script type="text/javascript">
AC_FL_RunContent(
'codebase','http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=5,0,42,0',
'id','Movie2',
'width','100%',
'height','100%',
'src','Movie2',
'quality','high',
'loop','false',
'bgcolor','#FFFFFF',
'name','Movie2',
'allowscriptaccess','samedomain',
'pluginspage','http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer',
'movie','Movie2'
); //end AC code
</script>

<noscript>
<object classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=5,0,42,0"
id="Movie2 width="100%" height="100%">
<param name="movie" value="Movie2.swf">
<param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff">
<param name="quality" value="high">
<param name="loop" value="false">

<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="samedomain">
<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"
width="100%" height="100%"
name="Movie2" src="Movie2.swf"
bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high"
loop="false"
swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="samedomain"
></embed>
</object>
</noscript>

The first would be the first movie wrapper the second the next movie wrapper if their is more than one mavie on a page.

All you need to do is use the existing <object> </object> details and change the <script> </script> section to use the name of your movie without its .swf tag.

And don't forget to change things like the loop statements if it should loop from "false" to "true" etc.

[etsuko]

hi, thanks for the reply.

I don't get what you mean by first movie wrapper and second movie wrapper. Does that mean there should be 2 wrappers..? or I just use 1 movie wrapper for each Flash file I have?

I'd also like to know that if this Javascript would conflict the code, A List Apart's (ALA) Flash satay uses..? If you've not seen it before, http://www.alistapart.com/articles/flashsatay/

It's because ALA removed unneeded things like the CLASSSID and EMBED values in order to keep to the W3C compliancy.

Anyway, hope there are others with different replies.

Cheers.

[Rabies]

First, regarding needing to click first, read up this thread: http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?t=372542

Second thing is, it looks to me like your file is probably corrupted or something. The player file probably loads a second file right? Delete those SWFs and re-upload them. Chances are maybe the video file got cut off while being uploaded (could happen if the company's web hosting account ran out of space)

[etsuko]

This problem is really a difficult and a double edged sword.

My client says his customer(s) in Singapore can't view the Flash video. But I can't say if the customer even has Flash installed let alone it being version 8.

Then to make things worst for me, the video doesn't work on that particular machine in his office.

Anyway, I've republished the files so I think I'll have to stop by their office again. I'm also planning to install the Flash player version 8 using the standalone I downloaded. I noticed getting the plugin from the Adobe website is sometimes too slow.

[Rabies]

Did you read my post? I was not able to see the video either on the unipacs site, but I could see it on YOUR site.

Reupload your files.
Also is the directory structure different? Maybe your file paths are not correct on the client site.
And also check maybe the file case. Some servers will tolerate different case in a filename (Windows tolerates it), but unix servers don't toelrate different case. (So if your Flash is trying to call the video by the name "Video.swf", but your file on the server is "VIDEO.SWF", it won't work).

[etsuko]

Did you read my post? I was not able to see the video either on the unipacs site, but I could see it on YOUR site.

Reupload your files.
Also is the directory structure different? Maybe your file paths are not correct on the client site.
And also check maybe the file case. Some servers will tolerate different case in a filename (Windows tolerates it), but unix servers don't toelrate different case. (So if your Flash is trying to call the video by the name "Video.swf", but your file on the server is "VIDEO.SWF", it won't work).

Nope, sorry but after reading your post it didn't tell me you couldn't view the video on Unipac's site. I only read the solutions you were suggesting.

Anyway, I've reuploaded the files for the video. So please try it again.

I've rechecked my file cases and they're correct.

The directory structure to me can't be wrong because I've used the absolute path; http://www.unipac.com.my/folder/filename.swf

At the moment, they've still 6MB of leftover space and their server space hasn't been increased even after they've requested it.

[pedrodonkey]

The flash video is showing in both FF and IE now, wasnt when i checked earlier. As for the clicking bit i would suggest u read the thread that rabies posted which will sort it out for u. If you have flash 8, macromedia have released an update for this which i reccomend u download as it will save u the hassle in the future.

[etsuko]

I know about the patent thing MS is facing and the need to now 'activate' the Flash controls or settings. Thanks to everyone who keeps reminding me about that.

I'm more concerned of the reliability of the video being able to play all the time. Because if this problem persists, I'm going to move to my next option which is embedding the video and just programming a simple play and pause button.

Other than that, it'll be to move the client's files to another hosting provider or having to sacrifice some viewers and standards when implementing embbeded windows media player.

sigh..

[pedrodonkey]

Umm like i said before, it seems to be working fine now, it wasn't working at all in either browsers when i checked so i assume your problem is sorted?

[etsuko]

At the moment, this is what I've done to the page.

Instead of having the process dig into 2 folders to search for the needed VIDEO.SWF, I've now created a FOLDER on the root directory, placed all required files:

1. VIDEO.SWF
2. SKIN.SWF
3. VIDEO.FLV

Into the same folder.

I really appreciate those being patient enough to help out a poor sob like me. Please clear your IE cache and re-test the page:

http://unipac.com.my/content.php?id=2&page=10

I just thought maybe less digging will help Flash find the 'goal' in IE better.

Cheers and thanks again for helping me.

[pedrodonkey]

Cleared cache and it's all working fine in IE.

Is the link i tested pulling the files from the folder in the root directory or was that testing to see if it works with the folder placed further in the html directory?

[etsuko]

The link that you recently tested is now pulling the files from a folder I placed in the root.

Before this the files were placed about 2 levels deep in the directory.

[Rabies]

Etsuko, this latest link works fine for me. There is only one problem I am noticing. This seems to be a very slow server. (I am in Canada with a 4 to 6 mb/sec connection). The slowness may be normal if that site is across the planet from me, but if you are in north america or europe, it shouldn't be so slow.

Items on the page load in piece by piece. The movie, plays but stutters a bit because it is not preloading enough before playing. If you have settings for how much the video "buffers" before playing, maybe you should increase it. Or possibly, your client just needs better hosting.

[etsuko]

I think it's because the host server is found locally in Asia. In other words, it's located in Malaysia itself. But I can understand that that shouldn't be used as an excuse for it to be slow since this client says they've a lot of international customers.

Thanks for the suggestion on the buffering. At the moment, it's set at 1 second so maybe i'll increase it to 5 or 10 seconds.

Cheers.