Flash ads and http links

[utahnix]

Hey,

I work for a small town newspaper starting an ambitious project of our own involving online advertising. We have some great ads display wise (that part is working fine), but we are having issues with links.

Maybe there's no way around this, but when you click on a link, you get a warning from the flash player (security) and then when you click ok, you never get prompted again. So after that, links just don't do anything at all.

When I say links, I'm simply referring to the http field that can be used on regular text boxes inside Flash (Basic 8, in this case).

Is there a way around this? If links just "don't work" out of the box (so to speak) and the Flash player requires users to adjust their settings to allow links to work, how can I make links viable for online advertisers?

I've seen this behavior on Linux and Windows - it seems to be OS irrelevant.

Maybe this is a common issue newbies have. Can anyone help me out here? I just want to be able to offer links without headache for advertisers or for readers that may want to click on the links.

[Eye for Video]

Is this just an issue while testing on your local machine, or has the page been downloaded from the server when you get the error message? During development and testing, the Flash Security (for the local machine) can prevent the URL from working. This can be changed to allow (from the dialog box, settings), but once up on the server, it is not an issue.
I've noticed you can get the same warning when running a Flash application from a CD that tries to access the Internet. Anyone have a work-around for that?

[utahnix]

I've tested the ads on multiple machines (several inside our office and one outside the office). They all work like that. I did change the security settings on one machine so it would allow links... however the other machines never prompted me again (after hitting OK on the security warning box).

What do you mean by "but once it is on the server, it is not an issue"?

I simply opened the html file that the flash app generates when the flash file is "published". The html file, along with the other flash files, is located on a Samba network share/drive (a Linux server - LAMP setup).

Is the HTML the flash player is publishing causing the issues, because HTML should be HTML from a browser standpoint, whether it is coming from a remote site or a local drive.

[Eye for Video]

How are you making the links? Are you using getURL( ); to make the links? Clicking OK simply means do not let this application get that URL. When you are presented with the warning dialog box, and you select settings, are you ever directed to this page (from the settings choice)?
http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager04.html
If you are accessing the “published” file from your local machine, before you upload it to your Web host, the Flash security manager may direct you to this page when using Flash to connect to the Internet. This will happen only from your local machine (or even from a CD, and perhaps, as in your case, from a LAN??).
Once that same “published” file is uploaded to a Web host, and then accessed, the security issue does not play a part. Or am I missing something?

[utahnix]

I'm new to creating flash, so I assume getURL is an actionscript function. No, we're not using that. We're using the link property on the text properties box itself (i.e. on the bottom of the program, down by where the font face and size are selected).

I get a warning box the first time the ad is viewed on a computer. I have the option of clicking "OK" or "Settings". If I click "OK" I never see the warning again - and links do nothing at all when I click on them.

If I click "Settings" I have the option of canceling the warnings and allowing the links.

[Eye for Video]

Are you ever directed to the page I listed above? This allows you to set the security on your local development machine to allow access to that URL.
I'm still pretty sure it's only a local machine issue and will not happen when the page is uploaded to the server.
Here is some stuff from their page about the Security Manager:

If you create or manage content that runs in Flash Player 8 or later, the information on this page is relevant for you. If not, see Global Security Settings panel instead.

You are most likely seeing this page because you are testing your Flash content locally, and that content is trying to use older security rules to communicate with the Internet. This page provides information about how to test your content locally when it runs in Flash Player 8 or later. You can get more detailed information here.

As a Flash developer, you might often work on Flash content that is eventually deployed on the Internet. During development of these applications, you might need to perform testing while the Flash content is stored locally on your own computer, rather than deployed on a web server. In this local testing situation, Flash Player might show security warnings that prevent your application from functioning as intended. You can resolve this issue by using the Settings Manager to designate your own Flash content as trusted.

[utahnix]

Yes, if I click that "Settings" link, I get that screen you mention. I understand what you are talking about, developer wise.

But what is the difference between "publishing onto a server" and viewing the HTML file the "publish" menu generates?

[Eye for Video]

When you "publish" the Flash file, you are creating an HTML page that contains a .swf file (the Flash file). But that file is on your C drive or D drive or whatever. Eventually that HTML page need to be uploaded to your server so other viewers can see it. After that is done, if I view the page, I will not get that same warning you get when you are developing the page on your own machine.
Why Flash security is like that...beats the heck out of me! I just go along with the Security Manager. It will advise you of the application asking to connect, in the lower half of it's dialog box. Highlight that section, it should show you your file on your local machine. Copy it, and paste it into the top portion, then click the Add button (I think that's how it does). Then listed just below that box will be all the applications on your local machine that you are giving permission to connect to the Internet.
Good luck! And hey, let me know how this works out for you.

[utahnix]

Actually, I've copied the HTML file and pasted it directly into our site, and copied the .swf file onto the server also... made sure paths in the HTML file point to the right swf file. Problem is, it still does that. This is why I'm so confused.

Is there a preferred way to make text clickable? Should I not be using that link properties box in the text properties pane?

[Eye for Video]

Well I wanted to show you a screen shot of the dialog box, so I created a simple text box, put in the url...but ...duuhhh, it worked perfectly without asking me for permission...now what's up with that??
Are you including the whole http:// part of the url?
If it's up on the server, send me a link and I'll see what happens.

[Eye for Video]

Here a quick little tutorial I put together to better explain how to work with the Security Settings manager:
http://www.lynnjohnson.citradingcards.com/flash_sec.html
This will show you better than I can just explain with words.
Good luck on your project.

[utahnix]

I understand what the flash player's security settings manager is, but my worry is that links aren't going to work for others viewing the site. I can make mine work, but that doesn't mean theirs will work.

I guess I'll have to see what happens when I actually get closer to deploying the ads. We will be using openads to dish the ads out.

[Eye for Video]

If your coding is correct and it works on your machine after running though the Security Settings issues, it will work from a server. But the best way to find out is to upload the page with the links to your server as a test. Then check the links from there, not as files stored on your local machine. Do that on a couple of machine, browsers, OS. But I'm pretty sure you find that everything will work just fine.