flash backgrounds?

Anaemia

Hey, a prety trivial question, but none the less....

Is it posible to add a swf file, (flash) to a background of a website? or even better a table?

e.g.

<table width='$width' height='$height' border='0' bordercolor='#000000' background='anasig.swf' cellspacing='0' cellpadding='0'>

Ravenous

To my knowledge, it's not possible to use a Flash movie as a background.

Chizzad

the last time I tried to do that was about a year ago. At that time it wasn't possible but who knows whats changed now. In any case, the workaround that I used was layers. If you use a WYSIWYG editor, this can be pretty easy to do(i.e. GoLive or Dreamwaever). If not it will take some work and testing. Basically the layers are set up by either <div> or <span>(I can't remember which) and ar classified as DHTML rather then HTML. A good place to start looking(where I started) is HTMLgoodies.com. They'll give you a basic overview of the idea of layers and how to make them.

Hope this helps some,

Anaemia

Thank you very much, ill go start looking....

but...

the file with all the backgrounds that i want with flash, is all php i belive, and saved in a .inc file.

now when ever i try and add certain html or lets say for the sake of ot, dhtml, i always get phase errors.

now is this because you just cant do it,
or is it because i just cant do it, and should learn php? 🙂

DeltaRho2K

I don't think the PHP really has anything to do with it, because the .inc file is preprocessed and parsed as HTML or DHTML before it is sent to the browser anyhow.

The layers can be setup using DIV or SPAN tags. (Basically, you have to specify the z-index of the tag (which specifies the layer orders)

You should be able to find info at:
http://www.dynamicdrive.com
http://www.w3c.org

mzanimephp

Originally posted by Chizzad
In any case, the workaround that I used was layers.

I wouldn't really call this a "workaround", because (1.) layers are in no way a background.

Layers merely overlap each other (via z-index:1, z-index:2, z-index:3, etc.) but inorder to overlap content infront of this "background" that means you have to have ANOTHER layer in front of the layer containing the flash BG.

Also, (2.) have you ever tried viewing overlapping layers in netscape 4.7? That browser doesn't allow overlapping. And if you design your page with nothing but layers on top of layers it will look pretty bad in older/primitive browsers.

Anaemia

Bless you peeps for your help. Ill go start looking.

DeltaRho2K

Hey mzanimephp, nobody said it was a good way to do things, and yes, it would be a workaround, since there is no straight way to do a flash background...

The unfortunate thing is that it's about the only option.

Ah, it's all good. I'm not trying to start anything here 😉

erikwebb

Personally, I think it'd be a distraction to be reading something and then also having something moving underneath it. That's just my personal opinion.

DeltaRho2K

Oh I agree... I am not trying to dictate the quality of the product. I am just trying to help someone figure out how to solve their problem and do what they want 😃

mzanimephp

I figured this out a while ago, that I could use layers to get a flash movie behind something too, but once I discovered that layers was the only way to make this possible I quickly dismessed it.

I don't mean to start anything here either, but I would just like him to keep in mind all of the negative effects layers might have in the long-run.

Last of all, layers are in no way accessible. Thats all of my 2 cents.

EDIT: Correction. flash is in no way accessible.

Anaemia

Like mzanimephp did, i abandoned layers.

so i wont be having any flash bacgrounds.

BUT.... I used java script for 1 of my sites that needed an animated background, i think it worked pretty well for that site.

www.DNLeague.com

var backgroundOffset = 1;
var bgObject = eval('document.body');
function scrollBG(maxSize)
{
backgroundOffset = backgroundOffset + 1;
if (backgroundOffset > maxSize) backgroundOffset = 0;
bgObject.style.backgroundPosition = "0 " + backgroundOffset;
}
var ScrollTimer = window.setInterval("scrollBG(307)", 64);

// End -->
</script>

Any way, ive decided not to use layers for the tables. but thank you all any way.

Chizzad

To make an image a background on a web page you put the image name in the background modifier of the BODY tag. To put music in the background you embed it into the page. To put flash in the background you cannot use either way. Thus you need a workaround. A way around the problem.

Layers were originally concieved as an easier way to get the same effects of Java Applets. In any case, layers weren't developed so we could make flash backgrounds. They just happen to be a workaround that might have helped Anaemia get the effect he was looking for. Obviously they didn't, but at least he was given the chance to see for himself and to learn what they are. It would have been easy for me to just say "it's not possible, dont do it." I already knew that they are a hassle and aren't easy to work with and basically never get us the result we are looking for. But you never know, now he knows what they are and may have a use for them on another project.

If you are worried about the layers not working on Netscape 4.7 then you might as well just not be designing websites. That browser is 3(almost 4) generations old. To not do something because that browser doesn't support it would be like not using flash MX because a flash 3 or 4 player can't support all its features.

Not meaning to cause any problems but sometimes we must think logically about things and not just force our feelings, or ways of doing things down other peoples thoats just because thats what we believe. The world has enough do-gooders.

The righteous stand alone.

mzanimephp

Originally posted by Chizzad

If you are worried about the layers not working on Netscape 4.7 then you might as well just not be designing websites. That browser is 3(almost 4) generations old. To not do something because that browser doesn't support it would be like not using flash MX because a flash 3 or 4 player can't support all its features.

I disagree. Think about why the W3C recommended CSS in the first place. Backwards compatibility. (they wanted to seperate code from style so as to not bog down older/newer browsers with a bunch of uneeded code.)

(.fla files made by people using Flash MX don't turn around and try to open them in flash 3 afterwards. But webpages on the other hand, are opened by whatever browser the user has available at the time. This is not a IE-only world.)

Originally posted by Chizzad
Not meaning to cause any problems but sometimes we must think logically about things and not just force our feelings, or ways of doing things down other peoples thoats just because thats what we believe. The world has enough do-gooders.

Your saying I'm not thinking logically? I believe your upset because he didn't decide to use your method of solving this, I'm merely telling him to KEEP IN MIND that layers don't work so well in all browsers.

His decision to do what he did was entirely his choice. Your idea wasn't a bad idea or anything but it doesn't follow interoperability rules very much though. Layers may work in some situations, and in some they wont. Thats all I know.

Chizzad

Like I said, we all have our opinions.

Also, I stay far from Windows(only use it at work because I have to), any company that leases you its product(if you check anything you buy from Microsoft it is leased not sold) and in the process takes all of your personal information and then sells it through VeriSign. I do not use I.E. ever. At home I use Safari and Camino, and at work I use Netscape and Opera.

Your argument on backwards compatibility is good though, I did not think of that in terms of the W3C. Although I personally still will not let a standard from a browser generation that is that old affect my design. The demographic of people who use them is far to little in my opinion.

I believe your upset because he didn't decide to use your method of solving this,

If this was true then I would have tried to force my way down his throat in the first place, which I didn't. I gave an option in which he could pursue, and he chose not to. As did I, and as did you.

I'm merely telling him to KEEP IN MIND that layers don't work so well in all browsers.

You have proven my last point though.