[Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Thu Jun 16 10:50:43 BST 2011

Give it a whirl yes, and please play around with narration set on some of the pages. I've beaten it to death this morning, and can't get it to mess up. I wonder if the youtube chrome-less player has changed? There definitely was a need to call its destroy() but I can't reproduce those issues now.

Let's see what happens. If you're happy to run it with your users, we'll soon see if there are issues! I expect if anything, the issue will be the youtube player not dying when you change page. Previously it was hard to kill if you changed page *before* it loaded, i.e. very quickly, and I remember thinking a the time that *most* users wouldn't do that, but it remained a possibility, particularly for authors quickly skipping through pages as they develop content.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 16 June 2011 10:02
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

OK, that plays fine for me via Xerte desktop - shall I replace all the files on our XOT with those in the zip?

(I'll backup first ofc)

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 16 June 2011 09:48
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Let's make sure we're playing with the same files.

Download this: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~cczjrt/menuBug.zip

I can't reproduce the menu issue now, and it *appears* to work as expected...

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 16 June 2011 08:36
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

This is my Nottingham.rlt:

if (engine[ytID] != undefined){
  engine[ytID].stopVideo();
  //engine[ytID].destroy();
  engine[ytID].removeMovieClip());
  delete engine[ytID];

Still results in the swf problem (although youtube players are stopping on page move)

Also tried it with ID = 6 but no different

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:52
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Just comment that line out and let's see if by avoiding the call to destroy we can keep everything else working. It looks OK here, but that function call is in there for a reason, and there are some revealing comments (!) in the youtubeComponent.fla about the need for that function call that contain the three letters W, T and F, so it's not the first time I've been here.

At least for now, I have narration hiding / showing as it should, the movie on the menu page initialising properly (i.e. being killed properly from the last time) and the youtube component destroying itself when I avoid destroy(), which, I think, were the issues...

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:48
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

What do u want me to try? Making those changes in Nottingham.rlt?

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:44
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

NO I want to sort it because this is fairly fundamental to how xerte works on the inside, and it's only the youtube component that screws things up.

As it stands now, with the line to destroy commented out, I can make both things work.

The next line, setting it to some number, ought to make sure it's gone and wipe out the references to it.

Try it?

[cid:image001.png at 01CC2C13.3D73C5E0]

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:37
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Seem to be yes!

I wonder if there is an better way to do this? Would it be easier to have an optional property on  the menu page that would accept a video (e.g. youtube embed using the same basic principal of the current youtube rlm)?

Just a thought...appreciate this is asking quite a bit...

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:18
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

So we're back where we started?

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:16
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

And typically that brings the swf repetition back...

Whack a mole indeed...

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 15:01
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

But is everything else? Narration is my concern. If you can try as many combinations of the narration settings on previous pages, next pages, all pages and try navigating to them  forwards, backwards, sideways, that would help put my mind at rest.

Need to make sure that narration shows when it should show and is erased when it should erase, and after being erased is able to be re-drawn.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 14:59
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

You sir, are a genius!

Working as expected now - thanks Julian :)

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 11:53
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

OK, try these.

I hate the old event model in Flash 8.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 11:01
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Hmm not sure if my attachment mail got through?

You can download the project zip directly from here: http://elearning.net.marjon.ac.uk/stuff/SWFprob.zip

Just open the youtube page, then navigate back to the main menu to see the swf problem.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 10:34
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

I can't reproduce it. Send me the project, stripped down to just replicate the problem (i.e. the smallest possible project you can make that exhibits it)

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 10:33
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Does template.rlt need to replace Nottingham.rlt?

If yes - done that and overwrote menu model, restarted IIS, cleared cache, made a new Xerte and the problem still persists

:(

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 15 June 2011 10:12
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Try these. The .rlt needs renaming.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 15 June 2011 09:25
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Any luck/ideas?

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 14 June 2011 14:52
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Bear with me.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 14 June 2011 14:45
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Hmm. Just tried a new LO just in case and problem still persists. Are you using the new youtube.rlm that you sent last week?

I've exported a test as a zip which you can find here: http://elearning.net.marjon.ac.uk/stuff/testvid.zip - perhaps some of the other files im using are out of date?

When I tried to upgrade the whole of our XOT site, it broke our installation, so reverted and just did the models etc and the main engine stuff.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 14 June 2011 14:23
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Hmm. It fixed it here...

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 14 June 2011 14:23
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

I hate a var collision...

Doesn't seem to have fixed it though - cleared cache, restarted IIS, tried another browser, still persists.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 14 June 2011 13:57
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

No, a var collision. Try the menu.rlm attached.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 14 June 2011 13:23
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Don't think it's the player controls - created the attached swf - a simple shape tween.

Exactly the same happens when jumping directly back from the YT page:

[cid:image002.jpg at 01CC2C13.3D73C5E0]

Adam

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Tenney
Sent: 14 June 2011 12:30
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: [Xerte] Re: Interesting Problem with Swfs

Try it with a more basic swf: I have a feeling that playback controller in your swf might be causing problems. Try a simple animation and see if it works. It works for me... so I think it is something in your swf not playing nice.

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Adam Read
Sent: 14 June 2011 08:31
To: Xerte discussion list (xerte at lists.nottingham.ac.uk)
Subject: [Xerte] Interesting Problem with Swfs

I've been experimenting with toolkits, and a learning object with 'menu with page controls' navigation enabled. On my menu page, I've added the optional menu page image property. Rather than just use a boring image, I've attempted to insert a swf - which itself plays a FLV video (from our streaming server) and also has its own player controls (linked from the Xerte media files).

You can view the LO here: http://elearning.net.marjon.ac.uk/rlo/play.php?template_id=334

Hopefully you'll see that the swf video loads fine, and can be controlled by the user with the control buttons. Everything fine so far...

[cid:image003.jpg at 01CC2C13.3D73C5E0]

Now click the menu button for 'Inserting Page Breaks: Part 1' - which loads the modified youtube page type that Julian worked on last week. This works fine also.

However, now for the interesting behaviour...while on the youtube page - use the contents button from the top menu to return to the main menu, and you should see that Xerte loads several instances of my original swf video and breaks:

[cid:image004.jpg at 01CC2C13.3D73C5E0]

This doesn't happen if you use the previous/next buttons - it only seems to replicate when directly jumping between the YT page and main menu.

Any ideas how I could stop this? Let me know if you want me to share the swf and LO.

Adam

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