Flash FLV works locally, but not on server

[asciiman]

Hi all,

I made a Flash SWF to display several video clips which I've encoded as Flash FLV files. When I test it in my browser (both IE and Firefox) locally it works fine. When I upload it to the server the SWF loads but the FLV videos do not play.

I use relative paths and keep the path structure the same throughout. I read that FLV may have to have the mime-type set on the server. Could that be the issue here?

http://www.macromedia.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_19439

Any help would be much appreciated!!

Steve

[pureconcepts]

Normally when I have a problem with something in Flash working locally and not on the server or vice-versa, it is a path issue. Flash MX implemented more security on remote access and relative paths. You may want to check these again.

Other than that, I am not sure about using FLV.

[YvetteKuhns]

http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/flash/articles/video_guide.html
Macromedia Flash Video lets you easily put video on a web page in a format that almost anyone can view. This guide provides an introduction to Flash Video, including information on how to create and publish Flash Video.

Scroll towards the bottom of the first page of this tutorial to decide how to deliver the video; the two primary options are to deliver it as a progressive download or as a streaming video.

[asciiman]

http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/flash/articles/video_guide.html
Macromedia Flash Video lets you easily put video on a web page in a format that almost anyone can view. This guide provides an introduction to Flash Video, including information on how to create and publish Flash Video.

Scroll towards the bottom of the first page of this tutorial to decide how to deliver the video; the two primary options are to deliver it as a progressive download or as a streaming video.

Thanks for the article. I actually read that before when I was designing the movie. :o I have decided on the progressive download. In my SWF I have an option of 5 different FLV files which can be played by clicking on different buttons. The FLV will appear in a shared FLVPlaybackComponent inside my SWF.

I don't think that my paths are the problem. I used relative paths throughout, and my directory structure is simple and identical from local to server.

Here is a link to my movie: http://www.oceanbluevideo.com/videogallery.html

As you can see from the html source, the SWF is called videogallery.swf and is located in the flash/ directory.

To download and see the structure of my flash project file, you can download it here: http://oceanbluevideo.com/flash/videogallery.fla .

I am really hoping someone can help me out with this. Like I said it works locally, but on server it does not. The only thing I can think of is the mime type as stated earlier.

Steve

[asciiman]

Ha! I figured it out. It was a path problem.... kinda. Apparently Flash's paths are case sensitive. The actual directory name is "video/" but I was spelling it "Video/" in the SWF.

Problem solved now! :D

Anyway, I invite everyone to an exclusive viewing of our new videos at http://www.oceanbluevideo.com/videogallery.html . It is not currently deployed on our website, so consider it a sneak-preview. ;-)

Constructive criticism is appreciated! Thanks all!

Steve

[pureconcepts]

That is precisely why I moved away from Flash development. I always assumed it was some problem I read about, and in the end it was something stupid that was right in front of my face. Now of course it is like that with any development, but with Flash it came up so often. Nonetheless, Flash is a useful tool for things of this nature now that the plugin is so popular.

Glad you got it ;)

[YvetteKuhns]

Apparently Flash's paths are case sensitive. The actual directory name is "video/" but I was spelling it "Video/" in the SWF.

Microsoft Windows is not case-sensitive, but many other programs are. Glad you noticed the problem and it was easy to fix.

My twin sister and I had a videography business Carpe Diem Productions and that is how I met my husband. We filmed weddings and other special occasions, sports events and car shows. It was a weekend job and we didn't make much money doing it, but it was mostly for family and friends.

One time we filmed in a mosque on the female side while men filmed on the male side. The male photographer photographed my wedding and his female assistant nearly fainted at the ceremony when the couple drank goat's blood! :eek:

I watched your videos. I noticed that you used (copyrighted) music that I have heard on the radio. That is very expensive. Are you a member of a musicians' union such as ASCAP? We purchased royalty-free music that can be used for various productions for one low cost.

As for your website, you need more web pages. You need an About Us page, Testimonials (if possible), Portfolio (your Flash), and Wedding Sites (related links to improve your web visibility). Your home page should have the navigation menu for consistency and at least one paragraph that describes your site purpose to define your target audience.

Be sure to mention the locality in which you work. For example, if you are in Allentown, Pennsylvania, you could say that you will video events within 50 miles of Allentown, PA. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, email address and (preferred business) calling hours on your Contact Us page.

Don't forget to update your copyright information at the bottom of the page. Compare your site to other local competitor sites to see what you should include. Of course, they may need improvement, too. ;)

Nice start, Steve!

[sabuche]

Yvette:

May I see your wedding site? I search on Weva and PA on Cape Diem Productions but found nothing. I'm thinking of heading to the wedding video direction but I know I need a website

[YvetteKuhns]

Carpe Diem Productions was dissolved in 1996 after I got married. My sister didn't want to video weddings anymore. (Probably jealous since she is STILL not married and probably will never marry!)

If you want help designing a wedding photo/video website, I can help. Keep the design simple, elegant and professional. Black and white can be nice for color pictures, but you may need to use another color background for black and white pictures.

Create an outline of information you wish to share with your potential customers. The home page should define your target audience. That means if you only work within 50 miles of your city and state, you should mention this on your home page. Be sure to explain what services are provided at what costs, your privacy, payment and refund policies, and your contact information displayed well.

Your portfolio is your most important element of your website. You want it to look good, so use a subtle or solid background that does not compete with your images. Try to place the images in the center of the screen. Do not overfill the web pages with other images or contents that would make the web page look too busy. Keep the focus on your portfolio.