Calling up videos through a link

[Brook21679]

I am using RoboHelp Office X5 to do an HTML help system that a software program calls up. We are making videos through Captivate that we want to imbed in the help system with a link. We are trying to have Captivate make a relative link that finds the video no matter where the user installs the software program. The relative link works on its own but once I import the .swf link into my HTML help system it won't work... Does anyone have any advice on how to make this happen? It HAS to be a link because we want the user to be able to choose to play the video by clicking a link or button, rather than the video just playing on its own.

[Captiv8r]

Hi Brook21679

I'm not certain I understood the question correctly. (I'm in an airport waiting on a flight)

But see if the link below offers any help.

Click here

Cheers... Rick

[Captiv8r]

Hmmmm

In looking at this closer, I need to ask if these are "Captivate" movies? (Things you created using Captivate, such as how to perform actions with the software) or are they actual videos (Such as a talking head or a person speaking to the viewer) that are delivered outside the Captivate project using the Flash .FLV format?

I'm thinking that things could be pretty wonky based on your answers.

Cheers... Rick

[Brook21679]

Well, I passed these questions on to the people actually doing the video. From what I know of their part of this I would say that the videos are made actually using Captivate, although there ARE voices narrating... And the video people have used Captivate to make a link that, ideally, would call up the Captivate video. They called it a "relative link".... The link is a .swf that is supposed to call up the entire .swf video. I hope I am making sense.

[Captiv8r]

Hi Brook21679

Okay, from what you have responded with, I'm assuming that you aren't really involved in creating the Captivate videos. It would seem you are in the position of being the RoboHelp author that has been advised you need to include Captivate and you are at a bit of a loss.

The question in my mind is to ask if you viewed the link I initially provided. If so, did it help or not? If not, what part is still confusing or where/how did it fail?

Cheers... Rick

[Brook21679]

We are having a meeting of the minds this morning and are discussing the link you gave me before. I really am at a loss and have tried numerous ways to get their videos into RoboHelp.

[RoboWizard]

Hi again Brook21679

I'm conducting a Captivate class today, so will be unavailable most of the day. I should be around late this afternoon in case there is anything I might be able to help with.

Cheers... Rick

[Brook21679]

Would upgrading from X5 help me at all?

[Jared Hess]

I don't know if upgrading would do anything. I think it behaves the same way in x5 as it does RH7. What about importing the video into it's own topic then creating a link to the topic? That way if they click on the link, it essentially plays. That's how I display .swf files inside our help system. It seems to work well. But that doesn't sound like an option in your case since you mentioned they have use relative links. I would suggest viewing the source code that links to the video for the one that doesn't work and comparing it against the .htm link that does work. Sounds like something is happening to the hypertext link.

[Brook21679]

We ended up using a Design Time Control Shortcut. It seemed that the biggest problem was a pathing issue in general and then also the pathing in regards to XP and Vista. Through the shortcut we call up a .swf file made from Captivate. And the videos now seem to work on both XP and Vista.