Questions about flash slideshows

[MacBook-Gal]

I am pretty much a beginner when it comes to flash ...have been trying to learn my way around it, and I have a few questions. First, I have been wondering if there is anything I need to do to make slideshows compatible with browsers that don't have flash plugins installed. Is there is someway to have it show a photo instead of a flash link or error for people who can't use flash?

Also, I was wondering how to go about making the slideshow into a link to another page on my site??? I know this has to be something super simple, but nothing I've tried so far has done the trick.

Any advice would be much appreciated!!! I would also love to know if anyone has a recommendation of a good book or dvd for really learning flash. Thanks!

 

[angelwatt]

This article may be of some help.

 

[SrWebDeveloper]

In HTML, your flash is called via one or both of these tags:

object
embed

Both tags allow for "alernate content" which would be whatever HTML, Javascript or DHTML you create for your non-Flash version of your slideshow:

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="example.swf" width="500" height="120">
   ... Alternative content here...
</object>

<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="example.swf" width="500" height="120" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" />
<noembed>...Alternative content here...</noembed>

If you use both the embed tag abd the object tag (as many tutorials suggest so your Flash works on newer and older browsers alike) use the first example (object) for your alternate HTML.

So users visiting your page who don't have Flash installed will be shown the alternate HTML instead of the plugins page to download the client.

Just as an FYI, some folks who develop Flash intensive sites create an entire HTML version and add in links to switch between the two formats.

As to Flash tutorials in book form, Sams does the job nicely.
In DVD format, try this crash course and also this one on action scripting
But there are tons of online tutorials, just start some Google searches for "adobe flash tutorial" and action script 3 for Flash.

-jim

 

[SrWebDeveloper]

Oops, shoulda reloaded the page - didn't see angelwatt's response. Sorry, angelwatt!!!

 

[MacBook-Gal]

Thanks so much for the info guys!!! That helps out a lot. I will be sure to check out those tutorials. I am not sure what the problem is, but the alternative content still doesn't show up when I turn off the flash plugin in safari. Here are the codes that I have tried using.

<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,28,0" width="505" height="367" title="slideshow" >
<img src="alternateimage.jpg" alt="Art Portfolio" />
<param name="movie" value="slideshow.swf" />
<param name="quality" value="high" /></object>

<embed src="slideshow.swf" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="505" height="367" />
<noembed>
<img src="alternateimage.jpg" alt="Art Portfolio" />
</noembed>