popup menu problem on NS7 over flash

Poster: beetlemike
Dated: Monday June 16 2003 - 17:51:57 BST

I'm testing Images as Menu Backgrounds and I noticed that if I use it the resulting popup box falls over a flash animation, the box does not appear, or it seems to appear UNDER the flash animation. It's ok in IE6 though. Any thoughts? PLEASE!!!

popup menu problem on NS7 over flash

Poster: Non
Dated: Thursday July 3 2003 - 12:47:43 BST

Same problem here! If I find the solution before you do, I will let you know!

Poster: jvaska
Dated: Sunday July 6 2003 - 17:26:37 BST

i don't believe there is a solution for this one...flash uses and embed object type thing and i don't believe it carries any respect for any kind of layers...

just what i've come up against on some other thing...

good luck...jv

Poster: kevin3442
Dated: Monday July 7 2003 - 21:07:58 BST

JV is correct. This is a problem that you run into using any embedded content that overlapps dhtml: flash, java applets, iframes (in older browsers)... even some types of form elements. With flash, you may be able to get better results by making the background transparent, using the wmode parameter.

For an <object> tag:

For an <embed> tag


Setting the flash background to transparent may allow your dhtml to show through. Note also that for this to work with NS7, the user will have to have Flash Player v6,0,65,0 or higher (for Windows anyway... don't know about macs). Look here for more information.

If that doesn't work, you may have some luck using an approach that I first saw used in Milonic Menus for troublesome form elements. You place the flash (or other problem element) inside a div, then hide the div when the overlapping menu opens. The menu system has a built-in method of doing this; see this example page. However, this method was developed primarily for form elements; if you use it for a large flash clip that overlaps many menus, you may find that you get a "flashing" (no pun intended) effect as you traverse menus, with the flash appearing and disappearing as you go. I wrote a couple of add-on scripts that you might also try, if the hiding approach appeals to you. You can download the scripts with explanations and examples here. Something else I've learned since I wrote those scripts... if you hide a large flash it obviously leaves a big "hole" in the page when a menu opens. If that's bothers you, then you could try capturing the opening scene of the flash as a .jpg or .gif, same size as the flash, and layer it directly behind the flash. That way, when you hide the flash, the image becomes visible (now overlapped by the menu); it looks like the flash has returned to its opening, so that the disappearance of the flash is not so obvious to the user.

Hope that helps,

Kevin

Thanks Kevin

Poster: doodleelephant
Dated: Saturday July 12 2003 - 5:39:56 BST

As you requested in your files, I am telling you of my use of your code. Around the end of august (that's when the site should be up, however, if you see a spinning CH in the upper left hand corner, the site redesign is not up yet) you can check out http://www.chills.jordan.k12.ut.us to see how I designed my school website. Yes it works great for iFrames.
Thanks again,
doodleelephant
Copper Hills High Web Administrator