Flash and XHTML validation

convention uses <embed> but that's not valid

[karmov]

I've been having trouble validating pages with a flash component in XHTML 1.0 Transitional. From what I've been able to find on these forums things don't sound promising. It keeps choking on the embed tag. Are there any ways around this or am I asking for the impossible?

[tedster]

I thought the embed tag was allowed in XHTML transitional, just not in XHTML strict (or in HTML 4.01 strict, either). Is the W3C validator calling it invalid, or just giving you a warning?

[karmov]

Line 9, column 309: there is no attribute "src" (explain...).
...="quality" value="high" /><embed src="flash/ecommerce.swf" width="501" height
^
Line 9, column 337: there is no attribute "width" (explain...).
...mbed src="flash/ecommerce.swf" width="501" height="330" quality="high" plugin
^
Line 9, column 350: there is no attribute "height" (explain...).
...sh/ecommerce.swf" width="501" height="330" quality="high" pluginspage="http:/
^
Line 9, column 364: there is no attribute "quality" (explain...).
...wf" width="501" height="330" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedi
^
Line 9, column 383: there is no attribute "pluginspage" (explain...).
...ght="330" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/dow
^
Line 9, column 476: there is no attribute "type" (explain...).
...P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed>
^
Line 9, column 507: element "embed" undefined (explain...).
... type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></td>

[tedster]

OK - I really had that one wrong. The embed tag was NEVER valid from what I've read now.

At any rate, I found an [url=http://www.alistapart.com/stories/flashsatay/]article on the Flash embedding issue at AListApart[/url].

He's found a workaround to the time-honored Flash code that will give you validation.

[karmov]

Wonderful! It works :) Thank you so much. I didn't even need to go so far as his container hack since all the flash on my site is pretty lightweight so the download times should be fine. This place is amazing :) I've been able to get answers to qestions from all ranges through these forums. Thanks :)