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Question

Captivate 2 and Paths to FLV Files

Forum|Forum|19 years ago
October 11, 2006
41 replies
8879 views

When providing locations of FLV files to be viewed in my Captivate 2.0 projects everything works fine, but only so long as I provide Captivate 2.0 with the "absolute address" to a local copy of the FLV file I am using. If I try to enter a relative path, to that same file, rather than the absolute path to the FLV file, and then ONLY if that absolute path points to a file that is on my PC harddrive, Captivate 2.0 returns a message saying: "File does not exist. Please select a valid path for a flash video file"

Let me hasten to add that I am very familiar with Captivate 1.0, and other Macromedia web production tools, such as Flash 8 Professional. I also understand the differences between "Progressive Downloads", and "Streaming", regarding the use of FLV files.

All my FLV files were previously created for use in other projects created with programs like Dreamweaver, Camtasia, as well as Flash Pro 8. All my FLV files were created using either Sorenson Spark or the Flash 8 Video Exporter. In each case, my FLV files load and play just fine, whether I provide the SWF container/controller file with the "absolute path" or the even "relative path" to the FLV file; whether it is local on my PC or already on my internet server. In every case, the FLV files and the SWF files work together just fine, so long as each is available to the other at runtime.

But for some reason, with Captivate 2.0, when I play FLV files (using the Progressive Download option), Captivate 2.0 will not even recognize the existence of my FLV video files, unless I provide a full absolute path to the FLV files, and only so long as these exist my PC's harddrive. Relative addressing is not allowed, even if the FLV files are in the very same folder as the Captivate 2.0's saved project file and published SWF file.

While this may be fine for beta testing projects, or for producing Captivate presentations to be run only from a CD, when I want move my finished Captivate 2.0 FLV projects up to my internet file server, I fully expect to be allowed to provide Captivate with either the full internet address (absolute address) to the FLV files, or use a relative address to FLV files in the Captivate project's own online folder.

Captivate 2.0 will simply not accept "relative paths" to a FLV files. Even when these FLV files are still located on my harddrive, in the same folder as the saved Captivate project .CP file, and the produced.SWF output file. Captivate 2.0 also will not accept an "absolute path" to FLV files I already have already placed online, even when I provide the absolute internet address to these files (ie, http://myserver.com/video1.flv)

I use both relative and absolute addressing with my other web production programs from Macromedia. So, what are the possible issues here? Is this a bug in Captivate 2.0? Am I not entering the relative address correctly? What is the correct form for specifying a valid "relative path" to a local FLV video file, within Captivate 2.0 ?

By the way, if I enter a "relative paht" and ignore the error warning messages, saved the Captivate 2.0 Project, then export it out to Flash Pro 8. my Captivate 2.0 project, using either absolute or relative pathing, either local file or internet files, the Captivate 2.0 project, produced from Flash 8, works just fine.

So, what gives? Why would Captivate 2.0 refuse to accept "relative paths" to FLV files, located on my own PC, even if the FLV video file is the same folder as the Captivate 2.0 project files?

Is there a trick here? What is the secret?

So far I love the changes in Captivate 2.0 from 1.0 for desktop captures, especially since Captivate 2.0 interfaces so well with FLASH 8. But the ability to address and play FLV files online, using either relative or absolute addresses, is an absolute must.

Right now, I am using the trial version of Captivate 2.0, just to see how it has been improved since version 1.0

If this 'relative paths' to external FLV issue, cannot be resolved, then I will just stick to programs like Camtasia for my desktop capture projects. (By the way, Camtasia DOES produce produce projects in FLash 8 formats, as well.)

Steve

Import export

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prithvis

Participating Frequently

A great working solution

Thanks mattdaddym954 :)

Andrey_

Participating Frequently

Thanks mattdaddym954. I did the same and it worked for me too.

ovysimon

Participating Frequently

Thanks mattdaddym954.I'ts really working!

mattdaddym954

Participating Frequently

I had the same problem. The Flash solution worked for me. I imported my .flv or converted my .avi to .flv using flash and choose to embed it. Then I Published the .swf file. In captivate, I add the .swf file as an animation. This keeps the size out of the captivate .swf. Hope this helps.

icemanu

Participating Frequently

quote:

Originally posted by: mattdaddym954
I had the same problem. The Flash solution worked for me. I imported my .flv or converted my .avi to .flv using flash and choose to embed it. Then I Published the .swf file. In captivate, I add the .swf file as an animation. This keeps the size out of the captivate .swf. Hope this helps.

Thanks Matt, that really helped.

-Manu
Free Online Dating| Dating Men| Dating Women

Anonymous

Look at Mark's post above (also pasted below here). That is the solution for the relative/hard coded path problem with .flv files. When publishing the .swf, Captivate takes the .flv file from the hard coded path and places a copy in the same folder as the .swf file. So, don't worry about the hard coded path when publishing- just make sure you have the .flv file in the same folder with the .swf files.

=========================
Hi Steve,

Below are some details on how FLVs are linked in Captivate 2 project files -

For Progressive video:

1. When published as EXE – In this case the FLV is not linked but will be embedded inside the EXE. For this reason, the exe file size would be very large as it includes FLV

2. When published as SWF – One should not get confused with FLV link in editing and publishing. During editing, one can specify any absolute FLV path that were present in the folder and when the project is published. Captivate will copy the FLV to the output folder as part of the publishing process. This means that the FLV and SWF will be sitting on the same folder finally. You can try this experiment. Publish a project with progressive FLV to any new empty folder. You would notice that the FLV file is also copied there. The warning message is given when Captivate do not find the FLV file in the respective folder during publish and ignoring that will not work properly.

HTH

Regards,
Mark

lulugoh

Known Participant

This problem also occur when I embed a Captivate SWF file to PowerPoint!
All FLV file (other content and images have no problem) become blank when i reopen the file second time.....or copy into other folder......

Ph_D_

Known Participant

I think Adobe is a bit disingenuous about this issue and I think you are correct, it appears that they do not want the "home user" to publish linked video with Captivate. I have created an account on Adobe Connect and published to that account. Guess what? All the video works, including FLV8On2 with an alpha channel which some folks have said will not work in Captivate 2. There was no need to modify the absolute references, Captivate took care of that.
Of course to get this capability it will cost you $375/mo or $.32/min.

DilbertG

Adobe Employee

Hi Steve,

Not sure, but I guess a better easy solution would have been creating a small swf in Flash 8, which loads the FLV files, and then use that in your Captivate project?

Also, I understand the idea why you want relative paths to be recognised in Captivate FLVs, but there is an easy workaround to the problem. Always keep your FLVs in a fixed folder, such as c:\FLV. When you share the projects with other developers, all they have to do is copy the FLVs to same folder, C:\FLV.

BTW did you try the 3rd option (Flash Video Streaming Service) while adding the http link for the FLVs. Though this is just my guess, but i guess you may add http link over there and keep the buffer time little high, so that it downloads the movie first.

Also if you could share any of your http link then we may also do some experiments.

thanks

StargazerSteveAuthor

Participating Frequently

I followed the steps you outlined, and the FLV file STILL does not play.

I am curious as to how your Captivate Project references the file.

Unless you are viewing the FLV file on an internal company file server, Could you send me a link to the file's internet location? (HTTP location?)

I still cannot get Captivate 2.0 to accept either "relative file locations" nor HTTP references, with respect to FLV files.

Does anyone else have this issue?

Steve Zephyr
Marina, CALIFORNIA

Anonymous

Hi Steve,

Below are some details on how FLVs are linked in Captivate 2 project files -

For Progressive video:

1. When published as EXE – In this case the FLV is not linked but will be embedded inside the EXE. For this reason, the exe file size would be very large as it includes FLV

2. When published as SWF – One should not get confused with FLV link in editing and publishing. During editing, one can specify any absolute FLV path that were present in the folder and when the project is published. Captivate will copy the FLV to the output folder as part of the publishing process. This means that the FLV and SWF will be sitting on the same folder finally. You can try this experiment. Publish a project with progressive FLV to any new empty folder. You would notice that the FLV file is also copied there. The warning message is given when Captivate do not find the FLV file in the respective folder during publish and ignoring that will not work properly.

HTH

Regards,
Mark

StargazerSteveAuthor

Participating Frequently

Mark:
Thank you for your response.

My issue with the Captivate 2.0 is more basic and serious than you addressed, however.

My problem with Captivate 2.0 is its inability to recognize "relative addressing" to an external FLV file, even if that FLV video files is on my own PC and located in the same folder as all the other Captivate project's files.

The only way Captivate will recognize a FLV file on my OWN pc, in the same directory as my completed Captivate 2.0 project, is if I provide a full and "absolute path" the FLV files in the very same directory as the Captivate 2.0 project.

That is ludicrous!

"Relative paths" to external FLV files sitting in the same folder as the Captivate project, are SUPPOSED to be valid option in the Captivate 2.0 software, and that simply is not the case.

What's more, Captivate 2.0 will NOT accept even "absolute addressing" of external FLV video files, if these FLV files are located on an internet web server.

That is unacceptable.

Another post on this issue mentioned that he was able to get Captivate 2.0 to link to and play FLV files using absolute addressing on his own pc, and on his office network server.

But that sidesteps the REAL issue. No where in his post, nor in yours, did I see any mention of this silly issue where Captivate 2.0 will not recognize an external FLV file sitting right in the same folder, on my OWN pc, as the rest of the Captivate project files -- unless I provide Captivate 2.0 with the full absolute path to those files!

Captivate 2.0 ALSO refuses to accept ANY addressing paths to FLV files, "absolute" or "relative", if those FLV files are already on an internet server. Even though EVERY OTHER Macromedia product recognizes and plays those SAME FLV files just fine!

As far as your post, I DO understand the idea of importing my external videos directly into Captivate 2.0 in order to work around this is. This is not a terrific option for those of us who wish to deploy longer videos. The resulting SWF files become prohibitively large, very quickly.

As for the idea of exporting the completed Captivate 2.0 project with external FLV links, as either an EXE project files, or ZIPPED files is a valid option. But the final file size is again the big issue. My goal is deploy my FLV video from within a small SWF file (like what Captivate 2.0 produces). The EXE or ZIP file options would force my end users to have to download my Captivate projects, before they would even see them. Not a practical option.

The EXE and ZIP files approach is great for getting users their own copies of my projects, but that misses the point of being able to link a SWF file to an external FLV video, and deploy these seamlessly from the web.

No. The most glaring issue here is that Captivate 2.0 will NOT tolerate links to external FLV files, using 'relative addressing" even though that is what Adobe says about their product. If this is a "bug" in the software, it is a BIG one.

___________________________

Since my first post, I took the time to download from Adobe.Com the PDF version of the users manual for Captivate 2.0.

http://download.macromedia.com/pub/documentation/en/captivate/2/usingadobecaptivate.zip

It was here that I found the section called "Troubleshooting Video Errors" in the appendix.

The Adobe Captivate 2.0 manual very plainly states that Captivate projects which contain links to external FLV files will NOT work if deployed when deployed to the internet using the "progressive downloads" option.

The manual also states that in order to deploy external FLV files from Captivate 2.0 projects, those FLV files MUST be deployed on a specific types of streaming servers (much like what Macromedia was doing before Adobe bought them out.).

It is obvious to me now that that Adobe intentionally limited the Captivate 2.0 program, so that it would NOT play externally linked FLV files, using Captivate 2.0 projects, hosted on normal web servers. And now I understand why.

Adobe markets their own commercial streaming services, and apparently does not want "home users" to be able to deploy their own externally linked FLV videos, using Captivate 2.0, from their own internet servers.

Here's a quote from the manual:

(begin quote)

[Troubleshooting Video Errors]

Adobe Captivate output does not play if it is published over the network with Flash Video (FLV) files in it.

Also, FLV files do not play when the Adobe Captivate project containing progressive FLV is published to a network share, and viewed by clicking the View output button.

You can play the FLV file in the Adobe Captivate output by mapping the network drive in MS Windows Explorer.
...

FLV files will not play when an Adobe Captivate project is hosted on a Windows 2003 web server.]

(end quote)

Although the manual does not anywhere explain why Captivate 2.0 would have the option, but not accept "relative" addressing of external FLV files, (even if these FLV files are in the same directory as the Captivate 2.0 project, on your very own PC !), the manual DOES take pains to explain that externally linked FLV files DO play just fine, if (one) they are local and a full and absolute path is provided, or (two) the FLV files are hosted on one of Adobe's own Enterprise Connect Servers.

Even for "home users" hoping to make video projects to play on their pc's or email to relatives, the Progressive Download option for linking to external FLV files in Captivate 2.0 projects SHOULD, in theory, work just fine with "relative addressing" (just as they do in every other Macromedia product!). But even if all the necessary project files are in the same folder on your own PC, unless the full and absolute path is provide, the linked FLV files will not play.

In fact, the Adobe manual for Captivate 2.0 ALSO states that, even on an internal home or business network, Captivate 2.0 projects will not play linked external FLV files, unless the network drives hosting the FLV files are first properly mapped, for each end user.

Obviously this would be fine for users satisfied with deploying Captivate 2.0 projects linked to external FLV files on a company intranet environment.

But the manual makes it very clear that Captivate 2.0 projects will not play externally linked FLV files on common internet hosting servers.

_________________________

Interestingly, since I have the complete Macromedia 8 suite, and reading further in the Captivate 2.0 users manual, I have found a work around on my own.

My solution is not spelled out in the manual. It is imperfect, and requires an extra step; but, it may suit my present needs.

First I build the Captivate 2.0 projects, using absolute addressing to FLV files on my PC. (I do NOT import them. That is counter productive since I want the final SWF file size to remain small.)

Then import the completed Captivate 2.0 project into Flash Professional 8. As you may know, Flash DOES recognize external FLV files, whether these files are on any internet site, or sitting in the same project folder. Flash does not care.

Once the project is in Flash I simply remove the "absolute" paths to the FLV files that Captivate 2.0 insisted upon, and replace these with either a "relative" path, or any valid internet HTTP address, where the external FLV files happen to be.

Then I simply republish the project. The resulting project SWF file is still very small; and NOW the Captivate 2.0 links to the external FLV files, both "relative" and "internet" paths, are working just fine.

Now the finished Captivate 2.0 project with external FLV video files works like it should have, before Adobe built-in this silly limitation. As long as the external FLV files are available, the Captivate 2.0 project, once doctored in Flash, will play just fine in any environment.

The only caveat I have found with my "work around solution", is the annoying issue I am having with losing the (very cool!) pull-down "menus" offered in Captivate 2.0 ( as part of the the SKIN settings).

For some reason these pull-down menus works fine in Captivate 2.0 until they are imported into Flash 8. As a result, these neat little Captivate 2.0 popup menus get stripped from the final project, once it is republished out of FLASH.

But even that may be acceptable to me.

I can still use to Captivate 2.0 to develop the look and action of my overall project, export it to Flash to resolve the Captivate 2.0 "bug" in addressing external FLV files, then republish the final SWF file from FLASH. The menu gets stripped, as I said, but Captivate 2.0 comes to the rescue in the end.

Since Captivate 2.0 likes SWF files (just as you point out!), I can create a final master Captivate 2.0 project, which includes with menus, and references the FLASH-modified Captivate SWF files. This final project creates a "super" menu of Captivate 2.0 Projects that play external FLV files ( because I already fixed the "relative" addressing error from within Flash 8). Thus all my external FLV files STAY external, and play just fine, within a Captivate 2.0 menued SWF file.

This I can live with.

Thanks again for you response.

Steve Zephyr
Marina, California

blueharmony

Participating Frequently

I did some more testing into this. I created a captivate file on my local c: drive and placed the .flv in the same folder as the captivate file. I then imported the file using full absolute path. I published the captivate file to the same directory. Lastly, I moved the published files and the .flv up to my server. The published captivate file loaded the .flv file with no problem. So, it seems that even though I imported using the abosulute path, Captivate was able to keep track of the .flv using a relative path. Maybe I'm missing something. If what I found is accurate, then it's certainly not intuitive and probably a bug.

-Marc

StargazerSteveAuthor

Participating Frequently

Marc:

Thank you for your reply.

I had already tried what you suggested here, and got the same results as before.

Since Captivate 2.0 would only accept "absolute addressing" paths to local copies of FLV files, as soon as I published the projects, and then moved the finished project to a single folder online, Captivate 2.0 project would continue to follow the "absolute path" back to my local copy of the FLV file.

I know it can appear that the published project is not actually using the local FLV files, on your PC. But that is just an illusion created by your browser software.

Many browsers routinely make dublicate copies of all files their browsers have run at least once, and then store them in a hidden cache folder on your PC. This allows the browser to appear to run very fast, especially when displaying web pages you have already visited already during your current internet session.

When you tested the published Captivate 2.0 project on your local machine, your browser made a duplicate of all the files, and hid them in its private cache, on your PC. Later, when you uploaded the files to an online folder and then re-ran the Captivate project (probably using the same brand internet browser as before, that browser most likely just loaded its internally cached copy of the same Captivate project files.

Its annoying that browsers do this, especially when you are beta testing projects locally, which then want to test exclusively from their online locations.

I too entered the "absolute path" to a local copy of needed FLV video file, tested it, and then published the finished Captivate 2.0 project to the same folder as the FLV video file, just as you did.

Next I copied all the necessary project files up to a single folder on my network server. But, since I was working on the same PC and using the same browser software, when I ran published internet copy of the completed Captivate 2.0 project, the Captivate project simply followed its instructions and either used the absolute path back to my own PC for the FLV video file (or it used to the cached duplicate copy, my internet browser had already placed in its secret browser cache folder, when I beta-tested the project prior to uploading it. to my server.

Captivate did not REALLY use the internet copy of the FLV video file, even though it very much appeared to do so.

The problem is with the way some browsers try to speed up their handling of frequently used internet files. Some browsers (Firefox is most guilty of this !) will load network copies of files being used in the browser just once. Thereafter, Firefox will ONLY use locally cached copies of internet files. Browsers like Firefox will continue to use these same cached cached files (hidden away on your PC) for the remainder of your current internet session, unless and until you force Firefox to flush its internet cache and start all over again, with fresh cache files.

In other words, since you tested the Captivate project using your browser, your browser knew where to find the files. When you loaded the "network" copy of the same files, your browser simply reused its cached copy, stored locally on your PC.

This was easy to test.

The easiest way to test to see if you are using a locally-cached copy of the FLV video file, is to either flush the cache (reload the page), use a different brand browser (instead of using Firefox, use Opera, or Internet Explorer to run the internet copy of the Captivate project), or step over to another internet-connected machine and run the Captivate project from there.

From another PC, the networked copy of the Captivate HTML and SWF files, will load; but when it comes time to load and run the FLV file, the project will freeze because it expects to find the FLV video file exactly where you told it to look -- on the local PC, precisely at the "absolute path" you indicated within Captivate.

Browsers on other machines will go looking for the local copy of the FLV file (obediently following the "absolute path" given within Captivate) and course, will not find it. Any local copies of the FLV files, even those in same directory as the online published Captivate 2.0 project, will be ignored.

Since different brands of internet browsers don't share each other's internet cache files, using a different brand browser on the same PC you test your Captivate project with will usually reveal what is going on. If you use a different brand of browser, other than the one you used to beta test your Captivate project, will force the new browser to locate the FLV file for itself. This will lead it, of course, to attempting to follow the "absolute path" to the FLV file provided by your published Captivate project file.

Just stepping over to another internet-connected machine, and running the uploaded network copy of the Captivate 2.0 project is the easiest solution (but not everyone has two PC's side by side, both connected to the net)

If Captivate 2.0 refuses to accept anything but "absolute paths" to local files only, you should get the same results I have been getting.

So long as the Captivate project is indeed looking ONLY for a local copy of the FLV video file using the "absolute path" your specified when you published it within Captivate, the internet copy of the FLV video file will simply be ignored, and the local copy indicated in the "absolute addressing" path, will not be available on other PC's.

For some reason Captivate 2.0 refuses to accept either "absolute internet" paths, or paths "relative to document" when addressing FLV video files.

Once I moved over to another internet-connected machine and attempted to run the networked copy of the finished Captivate 2.0 project, Captivate 2.0 shell SWF would load; but, as soon as the FLV file was supposed to run, it would not load or run.

By the way, I am assuming you were not able to get Captivate to accept the "absolute path" to the internet copy of the FLV file? Nor were you able to get the "relative addressing" option to work? I am assuming when you said you published using the "absolute path" to the FLV file, you meant the path to the local copy on your PC?

Because I still have not been able to get Captivate to accept "absolute paths" to the FLV either to a file on my PC nor within the same project folder my internet server.

If I attempt to enter the full absolute path to the internet copy of the FLV file, before publishing, Captivate would not accept the path as valid. I have dozens of FLV's online, and Captivate 2.0 refuses to accept absolute addresses to any of them.

The ONLY "absolute path" I have been able to get Captivate 2.0 to take, is the absolute path to my local PC copy of the FLV, and nothing else.

I will try it again, following very closely the steps you gave. But I believe the result will be the same as before.

At this point, I believe that unless I can find a way to either edit the published Captivate 2.0 project file to accept "relative paths" to the FLV files, (ie, using Flash import, etc.), or get Captivate 2.0 to accept "relative addressing" to FLV video files, or at the very least, get Captivate 2.0 to acccept "absolute internet addressing" to online copyies of my FLV files, Captivate 2.0 appears to be unsuitable for internet FLV video projects.

Steve Zephyr
Marina, CA

blueharmony

Participating Frequently

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the detailed reply. When I wrote my posting on 10/16 i had I tested the files i published to the web at my pc, and had colleagues across my company test it from their pc's all with success.
As you said,

quote:

By the way, I am assuming you were not able to get Captivate to accept the "absolute path" to the internet copy of the FLV file?

That is true. My preference would be to allow captivate to pull in an FLV from a source already on the webserver, but it would not let me do this.

-Marc

Anonymous

Hello StargazerSteve,

I will check with the Adobe Captivate team and see what they have to say about this one. In the meantime if might be worth you file this as a bug via the http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform&product=5">Feature Requests and Bugs Submission Form.[/b

Regards,
Mark

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