Flash MX files do not preview in the Document window

After you insert a Macromedia Flash MX file into a Dreamweaver document, the object does not preview correctly in Design view. You may also receive an error message indicating that the plugin failed to initialize.

Dreamweaver relies on Netscape plugins to play embedded content within the Design view of the Document window. Dreamweaver first looks for the appropriate plugin within its own Configuration/Plugins folder. If it does not find the appropriate plugin in its own Configuration/Plugin folder, it looks within the plugins folders of installed browsers. If Dreamweaver cannot find the correct plugin in any of these folders, it will not be able to play the plugin within the Document window.

If possible, you may want to export the Flash object as version 5. With this option, you will not have to download the Macromedia Flash Player 6 plugin and neither will your visitors. If you prefer to export it as Version 6 (and this may be necessary to take advantage of the new functionality available in Macromedia Flash MX), you will need to take additional steps to preview the Version 6 Flash object in Dreamweaver.

If you export the Macromedia Flash object as an earlier version of Macromedia Flash, both you and your visitors will be able to view the movie without needing to download the latest plugin. This may be a good approach if your Flash object does not use features that require the Macromedia Flash Player 6. The steps to export an earlier version of Macromedia Flash are below:

If your Flash object uses some of the new features in Flash MX, you will probably want to publish the Flash object as Version 6. In order to preview your Version 6 Flash object in the Document window, you will need make sure Dreamweaver can find the correct plugin. If you have not already downloaded the Macromedia Flash Player 6 plugin for Netscape, begin with Step 1 below; or, if you have already downloaded Macromedia Flash Player 6, skip to Step 3.

Also Note: Beyond the issue of previewing your Flash object in the Document window, you will want to make sure the codebase attribute for your Flash object is set correctly. When you insert a Flash object, Dreamweaver automatically codes a codebase attribute. The codebase tells Internet Explorer which version of the Flash ActiveX object is required to play this object. The codebase attribute Dreamweaver currently writes is for an earlier version of the Macromedia Flash Player. You can change the codebase using either of the following methods:

• Publish the HTML from Flash, and then use that HTML page or the object code from that HTML file.
• Change the codebase code once you have inserted the Flash object.
  1. Insert the Flash media file (Insert > Media > Flash).
  2. Within the Property Inspector, set the width and height for the Flash movie.
  3. With the object still selected, open the Split View (View > Code and Design) or the Code Inspector (Window > Code Inspector).
  4. Within the highlighted code, the codebase will be coded within the object tag. Change it in the code so it looks like the following:
     
     
     
     codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/ shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,23,0"
  For more information about the codebase attribute, please refer toWhat effect does the version have in the codebase attribute of the OBJECT tag? (TechNote 12685)