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Insert Flash Video

Next you'll insert a Flash Video file, using the asset provided.

  1. With the index.html page open in the Dreamweaver Document window, click once above the graphic that you placed in the center column of the three-columned table.

    In the previous section, you created some space before you inserted the graphic--this is where you should click.



  2. Select Insert > Media > Flash Video.
  3. In the Insert Flash Video dialog box, select Progressive Download Video from the Video type pop-up menu.

    ABOUT...

     

    About Flash Video The Insert Flash Video command in Dreamweaver lets you insert Flash Video content in your web pages without using the Flash authoring tool. The command inserts a Flash component, which displays the Flash Video content you select, as well as a set of playback controls, when viewed in a browser.

    The Insert Flash Video command gives you the following options for delivering video content to your site visitors:

    Progressive Download Video downloads the Flash Video (FLV) file to the site visitor's hard disk and then plays it. Unlike traditional "download and play" methods of video delivery, however, progressive download allows the video file to start playing before the download is complete.

    Streaming Video streams the Flash Video content and plays it on a web page immediately. To enable streaming video on your web pages, however, you must have access to Macromedia Flash Communication Server, the only server that can stream Flash Video content.

    For more information about using Flash Video, see Inserting Flash Video content in Using Dreamweaver.
  4. In the URL text box, specify a relative path to the cafe_townsend_home.flv file by clicking Browse, navigating to the cafe_townsend_home.flv file (located in cafe_townsend root folder of your site), and selecting the FLV file.



  5. Select Halo Skin 2 from the Skin pop-up menu.

    A preview of the selected skin appears below the Skin pop-up menu. The Skin option specifies the look and feel for the Flash Video component that will contain the Flash Video content.

    For more information on how to select different skins for Flash Video components, see www.macromedia.com/go/flv_tutorial.

  6. In the Width and Height text boxes, do the following:
  7. Leave the default selections for the remaining options:

    Constrain maintains the same aspect ratio between the width and height of the Flash Video component. This option is selected by default.

    Auto play specifies whether to play the video when the web page is opened. This option is deselected by default.

    Auto rewind specifies whether the playback control returns to starting position after the video finishes playing. This option is deselected by default.

  8. Click OK to close the dialog box and add the Flash Video content to your web page.

    The Insert Flash Video command generates a video player SWF file and a skin SWF file that are used to display your Flash Video content on a web page. (You may need to click the Refresh button in the Files panel to see the new files.) These files are stored in the same directory as the HTML file to which you're adding Flash Video content (in this case, the cafe_townsend root folder). When you upload the HTML page containing the Flash Video content, Dreamweaver uploads these files as dependent files (as long as you click Yes in the Put Dependent Files dialog box).

  9. Save the page.

Comments


Dream Student said on Oct 25, 2005 at 11:28 PM :
I'm working in your Cafe Townsend Tutorial on the "Insert Flash Video page".

There is no space in the middle cell above my street_sign.jpg graphic. Because of this, I cannot insert the Flash Video as instructed. Looking back in the tutorial, I can't find an instruction to insert such a space. What am I missing?

Thank you for addressing my concern.
chucknado said on Oct 26, 2005 at 12:32 PM :
The tutorial includes a step to add an extra space in this column. See Step 3 in the following page: http://livedocs.macromedia.com/dreamweaver/8/using/gs_05_a8.htm
ken30021 said on Dec 31, 2005 at 11:56 AM :
I am having the same problem as the previous user. I looked at your solution. I returned to the page "Insert an image from the Assets panel" and
step number 3. This step starts as follows: "3. In the Assets panel select the street_sign.jpg file." Then it continues with documentation concerning "About...The Asset panel". There is no documentation about inserting a space. Please revisit the solution.
Thanks.
chucknado said on Jan 2, 2006 at 3:54 PM :
Due to a production error, there are two steps 3 on that page. The information is contained in the first step 3.
No screen name said on Feb 2, 2006 at 1:29 AM :
Not sure if this is related to the problem inserting above the street_sign graphic, but, I could not find the street_sign.jpg file in the Assets tab of the Files menu. I had to locate it using the Files tab. When I dragged the .jpg across it did not sit correctly in the table so I could not insert the flash video. I had to go back and use the Insert > Image method, then it sat at the bottom and left a gap for the video.


Ash
No screen name said on Mar 26, 2006 at 8:34 AM :
Before you add the sign to the center column hit enter once the drag gif over. This will in turn give you a space above the picture.
doddibrcye said on Aug 1, 2006 at 8:23 AM :
This page lets you know that the swf files created when inserting the Flash video are located in the root folder of the cafe townsend site. Would it be okay to move these files to the flash_content folder, or to create a folder for flash content in the site? If that is okay, how do I ensure the files don't get lost?
newhowl said on Jan 3, 2007 at 4:36 PM :
This comment is related to the above tutorial only in that I am dealing with a .flv file in a different website I'm building using Dreamweaver 8.

I have inserted the .flv file into the dreamweaver document, but when I preview in browser, I see a blank space where the file should be playing.

My process so far: I created this .flv file in Flash 7. I followed the instructions on the website, a trainging DVD and in this tutorial and inserted it into the file. DW "detected the size" of the file, which was also not constrained.

My two solutions which I need confirmation and help with are this:
1. the .flv file doesn't have "metadata" because it was created in Flash 7 instead of Sorenson Squeeze 4. Is there a way to add this metadata? Is this a common problem with .flv files created by Flash 7?

2. The path for the file is currently a "relative path", in that I have chosen the file through the drop down menu. I don't know how to create an absolute path. Can someone PLEASE tell me exactly how to create one? I know I can enter it in the text field of the menu, but what is an absolute path? Does it involve the web address where these files will eventually reside?

Any suggestions and help would be GREATLY appreciated, as I am at my wits' end.
No screen name said on Jun 14, 2007 at 12:36 PM :
I am having a similar problem inserting .flv content. I end up with just a grey box with the flv icon in the middle... what am I doing wrong?
thanks
nadioki said on Jun 22, 2007 at 3:00 AM :
I have followed the steps and all I get is a blank page?! I tried to use flash to embed the video and view it as swf, but ends up it only plays a few seconds of my FLV file and the whole video stops there. What could have happened?

Is it because my 2 versions of flash encoder and flash cs3 are trial versions? In the encoder, I saw the whole 10 mins movie getting encoded to flv but it just happens to end up otherwise :(
captcurrent said on Oct 19, 2007 at 9:43 AM :
I have followed the instructions by the number.. I am using a MAC G5 OS
10.4.10 DW 8.01 I have an flv file I have validated using VLC
I have the swf files for the player and the skin.. I preview on both Firefox and
Safaria and I get a blank screen.. VERY frustrating
captcurrent said on Oct 20, 2007 at 1:06 PM :
I have found the problem to be in the flash file itself The only worth while validation is with the player that the web site uses. I changed encoding tools and all is good.. and size of file is immaterial.. I think mine two so far are 19 me and 13 meg works great on dsl/ cable
jonmichael said on Oct 26, 2007 at 5:48 PM :
Here are some tips that should help you resolve the Flash video display error:

* Make sure you do not have Active X disabled in your browser.

* Make sure you don't have JavaScript disabled in your browser.

* Make sure you've uploaded the following dependent files to the remote server:

+++ The original FLV file
+++ The SWF file
+++ Halo skin files for the Flash video
+++ Any active content JavaScript files.

When you upload the main page to the server (the page that has the Flash video on it), click Yes when Dreamweaver asks whether or not to upload dependent files, and Dreamweaver will take care of uploading all of the necessary dependent files for you.

* Make sure you've used Either Flash CS3 Video Encoder or Flash 8 Video Encoder to encode your FLV files. These video encoders use Sorenson or On2 codec (compression/decompression technologies), and are designed to work optimally for Flash video. The video encoders are stand-alone applications, but are installed with Flash in the same directory on your computer.

* Make sure you have the latest Flash Player plug-in installed on your computer. (Sorensen encoding requires Flash Player 7 or later, and On2 encoding requires Flash Player 8 or later.)
Slance said on Feb 2, 2008 at 6:49 AM :
Is there a way to choose "no skin" in DW 8? Currently, all the skins in that list cover up text on the bottom of my movie. I do not need controls - Is there a way to "turn off" the controls or make them invisible?
jimmers29 said on Mar 28, 2008 at 7:25 PM :
What worked for me was to insert the video first then drag and drop the image below it....
basil60 said on Jul 7, 2008 at 1:42 AM :
Great tutorial!! I think it would have been better to provide code/information so that the page would actually validate

 

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