mp4 Animations not dispalying on published Multiscreen file

[sharonk49923158]

I have several animations in .mp4 format that will not displayed on the published file when launching from the htm or multiscreen files. The only way the content displays is through the swf file. This is only a recent problem, and we've not have an issues with this in the past. When loaded to our web severs, it's fine. I've tried different browsers/computers to avail. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Lilybiri]

Which version are you using (complete number please)?

I did see that lately the publish to both SWF and HTML, which has to be launched with the multiscreen.html file is not really working very well. Did you try to publish separately to SWF and HTML?

You talk about animation, but mp4 is a video format? Are those videos or animations? MP4 for SWF output will be converted to FLV. How were the mp4's created? Try to convert them again to MP4 using the Adobe Media Encoder, maybe the codec is not what was needed?

Were those videos embedded or are they streamed? Inserted as event video or multisynchronized video?

If you publish separately, the SWF version is launched by the xxxx.htm file (where xxxx is the same name as the SWF). For HTML output the launch file is index.html.

[sharonk49923158]

I'm using 9.0.2.437

They are true mp4 videos created with after effects.

Videos are embedded as event videos.

I did try publishing separately as SWF and HTML - HTML via index.html appears to work; SWF only publish does not work via .htm. It does work when launching the swf file, however.

[Lilybiri]

I don't fully understand what you mean (sorry, not a native English speaker here): do you mean that the videos are playing when you launch the SWF directly, but not when you launch it from the xxxx.htm file, which normally calls the JS and CSS files? That seems very weird!

[sharonk49923158]

This is definitely odd. After I published separately as html and swf, the videos play when I launch the index.html from the html-only published files.

When I launch the .htm file from the swf-only published files, it does not work.

[Lilybiri]

Since the mp4 has to be converted to flv for SWF output, it looks like something is going awry there. I never used a mp4 done with AE Captivate comes with an older version of Adobe Media Encoder (CS6) which still has the functionality to convert to FLV, could you perhaps try that? Just for testing, and on a copy only to be used for SWF output.

[RodWard · Accepted solution]

Video files are always external to the SWF file.  If you're trying to play an SWF file from the local hard drive and that SWF is then trying to call an MP4 video file, Flash Global Security must be configured on your system to trust the folder location of all these files.

My assumption from the symptoms you mention would be that Flash Global Security is not set up on your system to do this.

Setting up Flash Global Security for Captivate | Infosemantics Pty Ltd

[Lilybiri]

@Rod OP states that the videos are playing when launching the SWF directly, but not when launching it by the htm file? Can this be due to Flash security?

[RodWard]

Yep.  Sure can.

[RodWard]

The OP mentions that the videos work when the index.html file is used.  This is the HTML5 launch file.  SWF files use an HTM file, not HTML when published from Captivate. With HTML5 there is no issue with Flash Global Security (because it doesn't involve Flash) but you'll still often get issues with links and JS code not working in HTML5 unless you launch it from a web server. 

[Lilybiri]

Sorry, maybe I misunderstand the OP. I understood that using the xxxx.htm file, videos are not playing, but launching the SWF file directly they do play. There is no problem with HTML output if not publishing to both SWF and HTML. The multiscreen.html gives the same problems when opening on a SWF-enabled browser. My puzzlement is about his statement that the SWF playing independently from its 'launch' file does play the videos. I'm must be dumb, but thought that it wouldn't be possible to play the SWF directly if there was a problem with Flash security, please confirm that Flash security only gives problems when launching the xxxxx.htm file included when publishing to SWF?

[RodWard]

I think there may be some confusion with the way the OP is wording his answers to your questions.

You CAN launch an SWF file directly (e.g. by double clicking on it, even when the publish folder location is not a trusted location.  Your browser will usually spit up a message asking you to enable the content, but if you say YES then it will at least start.  But if Flash Global Security is not trusting that location and the SWF file then tries to call a video file or link to some other external URL etc, then it will usually break.

Anytime I see references to a video file NOT working when SWF content is played locally but it DOES work when the same content is uploaded to a web server, the safe bet is that the issue is going to be Flash Global Security blocking the linkage  between the video file and the one calling it.

But I'm happy for someone to prove me wrong if possible.

[Lilybiri]

I tried to get confirmation from the OP, but without success. Will just give up.

[sharonk49923158]

Thank you both for your help. I need to find time to work through some of these suggestions. I'll post an update as soon as I have more information.