Flash objects play on websites, but not from my harddrive

[Duer 157099]

I have spent zero time trying to troubleshoot this, but if anyone has any obvious things that I'm overlooking, please advise.

I use Firefox 3.5.2, with addons Flashblock and NoScript. So when I go to a site with a flash object, I have to first allow the script to run, and then allow the flash object to run. And it works fine.

But there's a webpage that I downloaded (it's not available online, you can only view it offline) and it has a flash video embedded in it, and I downloaded it and tried to play it locally in Firefox, but it won't work. Maybe something about how NoScript and/or Flashblock work? I don't get the prompt telling me that the script is being blocked or that the flash object is being blocked.

Any ideas what I'm overlooking?

[RoyGBiv]

1. You downloaded the .flv file?

That would be the actual video itself.

The problem could be that you don't have an application associated with playing .flv files. When you get a Flash video from a website, you're typically getting both the video and a Flash player that plays it. When the file is stored locally, you don't have the player, and Firefox, which is not a player, has to have some other application associated with those types of files in order to play.

You're using Windows, I assume?

WMP won't play Flash files, I don't think. It didn't the last time I checked, but then that was ages ago, so I could be totally off there. However, given that the video isn't playing, I suspect this is still the case.

[Duer 157099]

2. So the Flash plugin for firefox isn't an application?

It's Shockwave Flash plugin.

Also, the files that downloaded were the .html, a couple .xml, one .js and one .swf

I'm so confused... lol

[RoyGBiv]

6. Ah ... my bad

Firefox *should* be able to play a .swf file with the plugin. NoScript will block this, but if you just open the file via File > Open File (CTRL-O), it should throw up the page with the NoScript logo in it, which you can click on to allow it to play.

I was thinking of Flash Videos, i.e. .flv files.

[Duer 157099]

7. Hmmm, so what I had been trying to do was

to open the .html file, figuring that it would just properly call the other files (which were also downloaded and are in the same folder)

But, when I just use Firefox and open the .swf file, then it plays.

Well thanks, both of you, at least I know I can play them, although I'm still confused as to why it won't play embedded in the html page... oh well

:thumbsup:

[RoyGBiv]

8. Just a guess ...

The html file probably calls the video from a remote location, not the local drive, which, from what you say, seems to be inaccessible.

[Duer 157099]

9. nope, cuz the .swf is in the same folder, and plays when i open it

If i even just open the .swf file in firefox, it opens.

Weird.

[RoyGBiv]

10. I'm confused ...

I don't think that's what I mean.

What I'm saying is that the html file itself may have an
absolute path to the .swf file rather than a relative one,
e.g. 

<a href=http://link.to.swf>Video</a> (absolute) 

as opposed to

<a href=link.to.swf>Video</a> (relative)

although in your case it's probably embedded in an
<object></object> tag rather than a link tag.

In the latter case, the browser would look for the file in the
same folder where the html file is stored, no matter where the
html file is.  In the former, your browser would try to call
the file from the address indicated in the http:// statement. 


This happens with a lot of things when you save web pages
locally.

Have you looked at the html itself to see how it calls the swf
file?

[Duer 157099]

11. I hadn't looked at it before, but just did

and it's a relative path. This video is intended to be viewed offline, so I'd think they'd author it that way, but you never know. But anyway, it is a relative path.

Here, this is the page that the video(s) came from, if anyone wants to see if it does the same for them. Plus, these appear to be good instructional videos for anyone interested anyway, lol (about Eclipse/Java)

http://sourceforge.net/projects/eclipsetutorial/files/1.%20Total%20Beginners/

Edit: there is this line that makes me wonder:

<embed name="csSWF" src="lesson01.swf" width="800" height="618" bgcolor="#1a1a1a" quality="best" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="false" scale="noscale" flashVars="autostart=false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed>

It looks like this calls the player from the macromedia site, but if I've already got the plugin in my browser, why would it need that?

:shrug:

[hobbit709]

3. Get Media Player Classic

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Media_Player_Classic.htm

You can also get plugins for Qucktime and RealPlayer. Get the k-lite codec pack and it will play just about anything. Plays DVD too.

[Duer 157099]

4. Ah, yeah good idea

I do have MPC but didn't even try to play the .swf file, because I was so mystified as to why it would not play within the browswer.

So at least I can play it now (yes, tried and it works) but I still want to know why it won't play in Firefox.

Thanks!

[hobbit709]

5. Firefox looks for it on a web page

not on your hard drive.
Firefox is a browser not a media player-it will allow you to use plugins to play within the browser but not separate.