There in a Flash. Where?

[MazY]

Right. So I now have the three sites all looking pretty much as they should.

However, one small glitch that I am hoping someone with more patience than I can, can resolve.

On the site http://www.vbmedia-web-promotion.co.uk there is a Flash animation, which can be seen in NS 4.08. No problem

The same is true for http://www.vbmedia-web-services.co.uk

However, get to http://www.vbmedia.co.uk and the Flash is broken. I have copied the Flash file over again in case it got corrupted in transfer. Still the same. I have deleted it and reinserted it into the pages. Still the same. I am at a loss.

The only difference that I can think of is that the broken one is sat on a UNIX server while the other two are on NT servers. However, I think that is a total red herring.

Any ideas? Anyone? Please? Pretty please....


I should add that it is only broken with NS and only on that domain! Also remember, it is the same flash movie on all three servers. Identical!

[Advisor]

It's what you get for using something as evil as Flash on your page. Let this be a lesson to everyone...

:4:

And just in case anyone doesn't realize it it...I'M KIDDING OF COURSE! M is using just a wee bit of Flash that actually enhances his site. I'm just waiting for him to get his significant other to make some for me!!!

Jill

[MsSearch]

I'm not very techie when it comes to these things...but how about if you were to call the flash file from one of the other domains. Is that possible? Just a stab in the dark...

[MazY]

This gets more bizarre by the moment. If I link to the Flash file on one of the other servers, it works fine. It also works fine if I run the page locally, still in NS 4.08.

So, whilst it works by using this "fix" it shouldn't have to be that way and I hate not knowing why.

So, it does seem to be something to do with the fact that it is a UNIX server. But this makes no sense to me whatsoever.

The file is named in lowercase and was being called in lowercase. Any ideas, anyone?

[JuniorHarris]

Wowsier, sounds like you've got a good one! I don't flash much (only on weekends), but you say it only effects Netscape on the Unix server?

Netscape can do some weird things with even the simplest syntactical mistakes, which IE would allow to pass. Have you tried creating a page which only has code to load the flash? This may help determine or isolate if it could be a delivery problem with the web server itself.

[MazY]

Good thinking, Batman. I shall go try that now!

[Advisor]

I don't flash much (only on weekends) :green:

Too funny. I think that should be put into the updated news on the JH Enterprises press release site!!!

Jill

[Blue]

Hey Maz,

When I looked at it on NN4.08 it popped up a window telling me to download a "text/plain" plug-in. So I clicked on the "download plug-in" button, closed and restarted the browser and it completed loading but with only a blank erea with the .sfw logo showing where the flash should have been playing. Go figure!

Here's another "shot-in-the-dark" suggestion; maybe your "sniffer" script needs tweaking for this particular browser/server combo (my reasons for this is that I suspect it may be a MIME thing, because of the pop-up I got on first loading)?

And here is some nifty (hopefully helpful) info: http://home.netscape.com/plugins/index.html

<goes off scratching head with ponderous look on face>

[markymark]

That's a puzzle. I have had a similar problem in the past with mp3 files and Netscape and the only solution I have found is to re-rip the file and upload it again. Maybe you should try going back to Flash, re-saving the original movie, giving it a different file name (referenced from the page code as the new name, of course) and re-uploading.

As you can see, Maz me ol' mucker, I am as stumped as every one else.

[MazY]

Originally posted by Blue
Here's another "shot-in-the-dark" suggestion; maybe your "sniffer" script needs tweaking for this particular browser/server combo (my reasons for this is that I suspect it may be a MIME thing, because of the pop-up I got on first loading)?

A good thought but not really viable. The actual sniffer script doesn't look at server aspects at all. it can be running APACHE, NT or whatever else and it won't make a difference to the script. It is only bothered about browser version.

Apart from that, I took JH's suggestion and just created a page with nothing on it but the Flash movie. Still didn't work.

It sure is a good one.

Time for Mark's suggestion now. Republish the Flash and see if that makes a difference.

[JuniorHarris]

Darn, was hoping you would find an answer...but I guess the plot thickens. If Mark's solution does not pan out, then it really starts to point at the server. When you created the "simple" page, did you try loading/calling the flash from off of one of the NT servers?

[Alan Perkins]

MazY:

You haven't got your server configured to deliver the Flash MIME Type. On Apache, you should have a line in file "mime.types" as follows:

application/x-shockwave-flash swf

:cheers:

Alan

(P.S. You need to send the server a HUP after editing mime.types)

[Advisor]

Love the avatar, Alan!

If your server suggestions to MazY work, I think that he will be running for President of your Fan Club any time now!

Let us know if it works, Maz!

Jill

[Alan Perkins]

> Love the avatar, Alan!

I liked it - right size(!) and right ethos: gallant, brave, embarks on stupid quests.

Maybe when I get to 100 posts I'll get me a steed.

Alan

[Advisor]

I think the armour should come in handy around here and other forums too! :debate:

Jill

[Alan Perkins]

I see you have been reading your I-Search. Remind you of anything? Why do I set myself up for these things? :rolleyes:

[ihelpyou]

Simply because you are way too honest and ethical. People are jeolous. :)

[Alan Perkins]

Yeah, right. A diamond dealer is jealous of me for being more ethical than him :green:

Nervous that, if I get my way, he's actually going to have to put some useful information on his site, maybe. But jealous??? :green:

I think my favourite line was "But, what if we want to go a little further."... :green: :green: :green:

That, and the fact that he appears to go under two aliases... safest to assume that was a Detlev error.

Alan

[Advisor]

Originally posted by Alan Perkins
I see you have been reading your I-Search. Remind you of anything? Why do I set myself up for these things? :rolleyes: Ha! Actually, I haven't even read my I-Search yet! I did see your original post and knew that the brown smelly stuff would certainly hit the fan, however! Look at the thrashing you originally got in here...and we're NICE!

I'm so far behind on my adventive stuff. I spend too much time here. I think I kinda figured they'd be going under soon so I prepared by finding other ways to amuse myself.

But I'm going to read my I-Search right now!

J

[SuccessWorks]

Hello, all!

Doug made me promise I'd visit after my vacation, so here I am. Hi, everybody! :hi:

As Jill so aptly put it, the stinky stuff did hit the fan over Alan's white paper. However, I must defend my friend. Here's why...

It was a cold night in Dallas. A certain dumb blonde (let's call her Heather) :) went outside without her coat. Walking to the nearest bar, she was covered with goose-pimples and hugging her body for warmth. No-one cared. Not a one. Not even Jill. Until....

A wonderful man with a killer accent came to my rescue. This kind soul removed his own coat and wrapped it around my shivering shoulders. That man was Alan. And whenever I think of him, I have warm, toasty thoughts. So, be nice to my friend, darn it. :)

Also, since we're on the Flash topic, Jakob Nielsen was interviewed about the use of Flash in ads. If anyone is interested in his various opinions (and it's Jakob, so you know he has a bunch,) check out http://www.avantmarketer.com/jakobnielsen.htm

Enjoy!
Heather

[Advisor]

Nice outfit...you look cold! Where's Alan's coat when you need it!

J

[ihelpyou]

Good to see you Heather! :hi:

Jacob is a bright guy. I liked this:
People hate it when they go to a site and something takes over and says "okay, first you sit and watch this for a minute," because, on the Web, users are really very movement and goal oriented.

[ihelpyou]

The heck with Alan's coat. I like what I see.

[Alan Perkins]

Hey MazY. Nice how we take over your expired thread for a chat-fest. There must (or should) be a name for that sort of thing ... any good wordsmiths around?

Heather, fair maiden, you know we Brits don't need cloaks to cover us up...so you were most welcome!

Anyway, Friday 22:41 here and all's well. Goodnight y'all.

[Advisor]

don't need cloaks LOL...I get it!

J

PS. I was cold too! My knight in shining armour wasn't around though! :(

[SuccessWorks]

Originally posted by ihelpyou
The heck with Alan's coat. I like what I see.

Well ::blush:::shy: what can I say, Doug. I must tell you, though, I don't wear my avatar's outfit to conferences. (Jill, I can see you biting your tongue over there!) Although I do believe I was wearing a short sleeved shirt when Alan came to my rescue (again, dumb, dumb Heather!)

Doug also said:

<I liked this:

People hate it when they go to a site and something takes over and says "okay,
first you sit and watch this for a minute," because, on the Web, users are really
very movement and goal oriented.>

Isn't that so, so true? That's one of my big problems I have about Flash home pages. They don't engage the reader at all. They don't disclose their benefits. Heck, sometimes companies don't even include their company name! It's like waiting for the irritating receptionist to quit filing her nails before she talks to you. Sure, you're focused on the filing - but that's not what you came there for.

(BTW - before any ex-receptionists flame me, I too used to answer phones for a place named MicroProbe. Imagine saying "Good morning, MicroProbe, 5 days a week!)

Have a great weekend!
Heather

[ihelpyou]

Yep. There is a "place" for flash, etc... but certainly not on the very front page of a site. For quite a few reasons, as we all well know.

Heather, we Will meet sometime. You can bet on that.

BTW, you must stop by here more often to give us your good advice and information. Jill and yourself can behave just fine together in the same place. I insist you come more often.

[SuccessWorks]

<Heather, we Will meet sometime. You can bet on that.>

Oh, my. Doug, you just have to meet my avatar in real life, don't you? :D

<BTW, you must stop by here more often to give us your good advice and information. Jill and yourself can behave just fine together in the same place. I insist you come more often. >

Yup, Jill and I do just fine. And any catfights we have are safely behind the scenes. <vbg> But, yes, you're right, I should post more. And if follow to carry through on that promise, you guys have permission to send me nastygrams until I return!

BTW - I'm sure this has been asked before, but who's going to the Dallas Search Engine Strategies conference?

Heather

[ihelpyou]

Right now I will not fly. Too risky for my bones.

I think the next one is in Boston? I can drive there with no problem.. not that far. When is it? When is there going to be one in the SouthEast?

[Kal]

To hell with the South East, when is there going to be one Down Under?? At this rate, I fear I may never get to one of those infamous seminars... :(

Hey Heather :hi:

I hate to say it, but I think AltaVista may borrow your avatar for their new icons program! :D

[Advisor]

behave just fine I don't think he meant we'd fight. We'd just get a bit wild and crazy. But I'm sure we can be good if we try really really hard.

Doug, I can't believe you're afraid to fly right now! The Boston one is in March, however, which will be here before we know it. That would be great if you could come then. I'm quite sure that you must owe me a beer or something ;)

And Kal, I don't know of any plans for one down under. How 'bout London in Feb.? Still too far away? Gonna try and get MazY to go to that one!

Jill

[Kal]

Well London is actually about 20 hours from here and the U.S. is about 15. Too far for me at the moment, even with the cheap flights now...

But Danny has all but "promised" me there will be one in Australia next year, provided the market is here, (which it is indeed!).

Hope most of you will make it Down Under at that point - we can throw a few shrimps (or as we say, prawns) on the barbie... :cheers:

[MazY]

Originally posted by webwhiz
And Kal, I don't know of any plans for one down under. How 'bout London in Feb.? Still too far away? Gonna try and get MazY to go to that one!

Jill

I won't need too much convincing. Despite it being London. (The devil's own armpit in my opinion.)

Will be nice to put faces to names however. :)

[Advisor]

Don't worry, Maz, I will make sure that London wears its deoderant while we're there!

Jill

[SuccessWorks]

Originally posted by Kal
But Danny has all but "promised" me there will be one in Australia next year, provided the market is here, (which it is indeed!).

Hello, hello!

I've heard the same rumor, and I'm hoping it's true.

Remember the group "Men at Work?" I shamefully admit that that group piqued my interest in visiting down under. Man, that does give away my age, doesn't it. ::sigh::

And Mazy, I actually enjoyed London. I think. I had chicken pox at the time so I don't really remember much of it... :D

Have a great weekend!
Heather

[Alan Perkins]

MazY

Did you miss the fix to your Flash problem? I posted it on the previous page.

All:
I have also heard rumours about Australia, although they were pre-"war". Kal, you should note that Danny lives in England, so it's just as far for him to come and see you...

I have heard that London is now going to be in April, not February, BTW. But I also heard that conferences generally are taking a bit of a pounding at the moment. I've heard nothing specific about Internet.com's conferences though.

Heather:
Disappointed you didn't rise to the challenge of what to call this kind of thread. How about a hermit thread, after the crab?

[Advisor]

Heather: Disappointed you didn't rise to the challenge of what to call this kind of thread. How about a hermit thread, after the crab? I would just call it, "Jill and Heather dirtying up another thread as they are so prone to do" kinda thread. :eek:

Jill

[Kal]

Hi Alan - yeah I'm aware that Danny lives in England, but if he's willing to fly all the way to the U.S. to share his wisdom, I hope another couple of hours to Australia won't make a difference.

I think he'd be surprised at the market for a SES Conference here, especially because it is a year or two behind the U.S. so the "back to basics" sessions would be hugely popular...

[SuccessWorks]

Originally posted by Alan Perkins

Heather:
Disappointed you didn't rise to the challenge of what to call this kind of thread. How about a hermit thread, after the crab?

Alan....

And you make me think on a weekend, no less!

OK, you know how "birdwalking" means straying away from a train of thought and talking about unrelated stuff. How about ::drumroll please::

Boardwalking

To use this in a sentence, think,

"Jill, you're boardwalking again. We're talking about Mazy's Flash issues here - not how you're the "bad one!" :D

Whatcha think?
Heather

[ihelpyou]

Yes, and I wish MazY would tell us how he came out with the flash stuff.

[Alan Perkins]

Hi Heather

An excellent word.

Boardwalking (n., v.t.) Gross digression within a thread, such that the original purpose of the thread is lost.

Alan

[SuccessWorks]

Originally posted by Alan Perkins
Hi Heather

An excellent word.

Boardwalking (n., v.t.) Gross digression within a thread, such that the original purpose of the thread is lost.

Alan

I love it! Let's share it with the masses! Finally, I can continue with my plan of world domination through persuasive copywriting. ::insert insane laughter here: Bwahahahaha!

(Oh, wait...let's just use the term. As far as the world domination thing - never mind.)

Heather, who's feeling ---->:scattered

[Advisor]

Boardwalking! Very nice!!!

But still..."dirtying up the board" seems to be soooo much more accurate when Heather and I are both involved! Boardwalking fits for everyone else who does it, though!

Jill (the Bad One)

[ihelpyou]

Well, as long as you two have fun in here, that's all that counts. Of course, learn a bunch and give out great advice as well. :) I want everyone to be happyhappyhappy.