Why won't Flash using XML file load images?

[wasana]

If I can get flash swf to display, why can't I get images called from an XML file to load?

Location - path ?

Dimensions ?

Suggestions? Explanations?



thanks

[DrByte]

You most likely haven't set the correct path for the images.
I believe flash generally treats the image path as relative to the folder where your swf is located.

[wasana]

thanks Doc, that's what I thought too - I put copies of the images in several locations hoping it would find it. not so.

My fear was you were going to say that ZenCart won't allow Flash swf to use the XML file to id the images and location. Not solved and have been trying a variety of Flash samples using different XML approaches.

Your help appreciated. Just wish I could figure this out.

[DrByte]

Have you tried turning on some alert() debugging in your flash object to have it tell you what it's looking for and what it's finding?

What's the URL?

[wasana]

thanks Dr. -

url: www.elephantrealestate.com

the location will be obvious - there is a big gaping hole where the flash movie should be... what is weird is that buttons display but not the background for the swf.

I can't figure out how to set debugging from the .fla or .swf ... I'm not that adept, I just used some free templates floating around.

I have had other flash working - just not with the XML.

I put the images in many different places.

I changed permissions for the folders and files.

The swf does work using Flash reader. (I thought maybe it was image dimensions but since it works with different sized images I don't think that is it)

The mystery (and misery) continues.

Is using XML for image calls compatible with ZenCart?

THANKS!!

[DrByte]

Is using XML for image calls compatible with ZenCart?

Zen Cart doesn't care what you're doing inside your flash object to display images. Doing that is strictly up to you and your HTML which launches the flash object.


Launching your flash object directly seems to work:
http://www.elephantrealestate.com/fl...ic_gallery.swf

So, something might be wrong with the way your JS is launching it.
Or maybe the way you're specifying the xml file is wrong, or your path to it is too specific or not specific enough, etc.
I suspect it's not finding the xml file correctly, or it's getting confused by whatever image paths you have in your xml file, vs their relativity to your site root vs the location of your flash script.

[davewest]

I'm still new at PHP, but I think due to the way it works your root for loadVariables() would come out different then when using straight html. I do know there is better ways to work with php and mysql then xml.

Looking at the script within your swf loader, 'loadVariables(this.image,_root.box.foto_effetto)'

the swf, xml, images would all need to be in the same place as the root of your page. No subfolders. Best to find a better written flash for use with php and one that makes use of Mysql database.

LoadVariables() is one way flash can interact with the web page. Google 'loadvariables php' for more info on using it with php.

One thought, maybe setting it up the same as a image may get the path right. Place it in \includes\languages\english\YOUR_TEMP\other_images_name.php and use the php code in the path to the swf! Not sure if that would work.

[wasana]

thanks DaveWest, however what you are talking about is beyond me. I do agree that flash using php to pull images from mysql (a flash movie of featured or special products for example) would be very popular. Whoever issues a sample with step by step instructions for we novices will be voted Zencartian of the year.

To check the path reference I have put copies of the images that are referred to by the XML file in just about every place I can think of.

I inserted the script reference in a non-php index page and the swf displayed but not the images (with image copies placed all over) so I'm not sure it is an XML in a php world problem.

Hoping someone might spot the js script error ...

In my zencart the following method is getting a variety of swf to work but not if they use XML for images.

on my main page I have a reference to a jscript in templates that calls a swf in another location

in my define_main_page.php I inserted:

<script src="http://www.elephantrealestate.com/includes/templates/ElephantRealEstate/jscript/ERE_flash_intro.js"></script>

in my ...jscript/ERE_flash_intro.js I have:

// JavaScript Document
document.write('<OBJECT classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"');
document.write('codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0"');
document.write('WIDTH="500" HEIGHT="250" id="dynamic_gallery.swf" ALIGN="">');
document.write('<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="I think it has something to do with the js./dynamic_gallery.swf"> <PARAM NAME=loop VALUE=true> <PARAM NAME=menu VALUE=false> <PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high> <PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#798767> <EMBED src="http://www.elephantrealestate.com/flash/dynamic_gallery.swf" loop=true menu=false quality=high bgcolor=#798767 WIDTH="500" HEIGHT="250" NAME="dynamic_gallery.swf" ALIGN=""');
document.write('TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash" PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></EMBED>');
document.write('</OBJECT>');

http://www.elephantrealestate.com/flash folder I have
a folder for the images
the images not in the folder (and images in the zencart images folder, the template images folder, the www.ele...com directory)
the swf file
the xml file

the xml file is simply the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<images>
<thumb displayNum="6" separation="5">
<image>A27x.JPG</image>
<description>LAND</description>
</thumb>
<thumb>
<image>A50x.JPG</image>
<description>A50</description>
</thumb>
<thumb>
<image>B018x.jpg</image>
<description>B18</description>
</thumb>
<thumb>
<image>B19x.JPG</image>
<description>Tartaruga</description>
</thumb>
<thumb>
<image>foto5.jpg</image>
<description>Bosco</description>
</thumb>
<thumb>
<image>/foto6.jpg</image>
<description>Spot Cocacola</description>
</thumb>
<thumb>
<image>/foto7.jpg</image>
<description>Alessandra Ambrosio</description>
</thumb>
</images>

I played with changing the image path adding and subtracting but without luck

So.... could there be something wrong with the javascript ? classid or version?

should I change the reference and move the swf, xml and image file to templates or somewhere else like up one level?

THANK YOU for any assistance

[davewest]

I hope to have some time here to work on integrating more flash into my site. When I do, I may set up a mod to upload.

For now, your problem turned out to be simple to solve. I had to set up a quick image loader to test with php to see where things needed to be. I found that everything but the xml file could be in one folder. So if you have a folder name 'flash' with the .swf in it, and a subfolder for your images.. 'flash/photos/' then place the xml file at the root of your site 'public_html' it should work.

Change the link to the swf file in your object tag to 'flash/dynamic_gallery.swf'
Change the link to your images in your xml file to 'flash/photos/B018x.jpg'

You could just insert the object tag without using script in your define_main_page.php page. I use script in my other site to offer something different for folks that don't have script turned on by adding the noscript tag.

As a side note.. I also found that if I set the location to the flash folder in the movie code, I didn't need the xml file to be at the root level. It could stay with the swf file. If you have access to the fla file, change 'dati.xml' to 'flash/dati.xml' so it can be placed in the flash folder.

[wasana]

I humbly thank you. Will do the changes in the next day or two. Seems so simple when explained like that...

One of the downfalls of the scrolling sideboxes (jscript not flash) for featured or specials was that they loaded all the images - making for slow loading. Another obvious place for a flash slide show would be the main product image.

Looking forward to what you might come up with. thanks again.