Using Flash elements in website

been awhile

[Sarah Atkinson]

I haven't used flash in years.Just haven't had the need. I think the last time I used it it was version 3.0 or something like that what's it on now? Anyway we want to have a group of pictures in our heading change as a person is on the page. (I personaly don't like the idea but hey that's just me I'm just the designer what do I know aboult style) I'm thinking the way to do this is with either javascript or Flash, and I don't care too much for javascript. The Front page is a php page (can flash go into a php.. i don't see why not but figured I'd ask)

Currently I have the images set as a background image in the css with some php changing them on load. Can I creat a flash movie place it in the div to cover up the background image and if the user has flash installed and enabled then it plays if the user does not it shows just the background image and nothing else. No grey box with a "click here to download the flash plugin". Since this is a rather unimportant aspect of the page I do not want our users to be distracted.

[jetboy]

I'm a self-confessed Flash hater, but sIFR Flash text replacement has made me see things in a different light.

After hacking together my own standards compliant Flash embed script, I'm going to abandon it for Bobby Van der Luis' Unobtrusive Flash Objects:

[bobbyvandersluis.com ]

UFO uses JavaScript to place the Flash, and leaves your document untouched, much like sIFR. I think that's the kind of thing you should be looking at.

[Richard_N]

you can also use the "flash satay method", google it...

Its compliant and easy, the javascript method relies on javascript being enabled on the users machine.

To dsplay an alternative image if flash is not installed use

<img src="noflash.jpg" alt="you need to install flash to view the whatever" />