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Insert FLV files



You can easily add FLV video to your web pages without using the Flash authoring tool. You must have an encoded FLV file before you begin.

Dreamweaver inserts a SWF component that displays the FLV file; when viewed in a browser, this component displays the selected FLV file, as well as a set of playback controls.

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Dreamweaver gives you the following options for delivering FLV video to your site visitors:

Progressive Download Video
Downloads the FLV file to the site visitor’s hard disk and then plays it. Unlike traditional “download and play” methods of video delivery, however, progressive download allows the video file to start playing before the download is complete.

Streaming Video
Streams the video content and plays it on a web page after a short buffer period that ensures smooth play back. To enable streaming video on your web pages, you must have access to Adobe® Flash® Media Server.

You must have an encoded FLV file before you can use it in Dreamweaver. You can insert video files created with two kinds of codecs (compression/decompression technologies): Sorenson Squeeze and On2.

As with regular SWF files, when you insert an FLV file, Dreamweaver inserts code that detects whether the user has the correct version of Flash Player to view the video. If the user does not have the correct version, the page displays alternative content that prompts the user to download the latest version of Flash Player.

Note: To view FLV files, users must have Flash Player 8 or later installed on their computers. If a user does not have the required version of Flash Player installed, but does have Flash Player 6.0 r65 or later installed, the browser displays a Flash Player express installer instead of the alternative content. If the user declines the express install, the page then displays the alternative content.

For more information about working with video, visit the Video Technology Center at www.adobe.com/go/flv_devcenter.

Insert an FLV file

  1. Select Insert > Media > FLV.
  2. In the Insert FLV dialog box, select Progressive Download or Streaming Video from the Video Type pop-up menu.
  3. Complete the rest of the dialog box options and click OK.

Set options for progressive download video

The Insert FLV dialog box lets you set options for progressive download delivery of an FLV file inserted in a web page.

  1. Select Insert > Media > FLV (or click the FLV icon in the Media category of the Common insert bar).
  2. In the Insert FLV dialog box, select Progressive Download Video from the Video Type menu.
  3. Specify the following options:
    URL
    Specifies a relative or absolute path to the FLV file. To specify a relative path (for example, mypath/myvideo.flv), click the Browse button, navigate to the FLV file, and select it. To specify an absolute path, type the URL (for example, http://www.example.com/myvideo.flv) of the FLV file.

    Skin
    Specifies the appearance of the video component. A preview of the selected skin appears beneath the Skin pop-up menu.

    Width
    Specifies the width of the FLV file, in pixels. To have Dreamweaver determine the exact width of the FLV file, click the Detect Size button. If Dreamweaver cannot determine the width, you must type a width value.

    Height
    Specifies the height of the FLV file, in pixels. To have Dreamweaver determine the exact height of the FLV file, click the Detect Size button. If Dreamweaver cannot determine the height, you must type a height value.
    Note: Total With Skin is the width and height of the FLV file plus the width and height of the selected skin.

    Constrain
    Maintains the same aspect ratio between the width and height of the video component. This option is selected by default.

    Auto Play
    Specifies whether to play the video when the web page is opened.

    Auto Rewind
    Specifies whether the playback control returns to starting position after the video finishes playing.

  4. Click OK to close the dialog box and add the FLV file to your web page.

    The Insert FLV command generates a video player SWF file and a skin SWF file that are used to display your video content on a web page. (To see the new files, you may need to click the Refresh button in the Files panel.) These files are stored in the same directory as the HTML file to which you’re adding video content. When you upload the HTML page containing the FLV file, Dreamweaver uploads these files as dependent files (as long as you click Yes in the Put Dependent Files dialog box).

Set options for streaming video

The Insert FLV dialog box lets you set options for streaming video download of an FLV file inserted in a web page.

  1. Select Insert > Media > FLV (or click the FLV icon in the Media category of the Common insert bar).
  2. Select Streaming Video from the Video Type pop-up menu.
    Server URI
    Specifies the server name, application name, and instance name in the form rtmp://www.example.com/app_name/instance_name.

    Stream Name
    Specifies the name of the FLV file that you want to play (for example, myvideo.flv). The .flv extension is optional.

    Skin
    Specifies the appearance of the video component. A preview of the selected skin appears beneath the Skin pop-up menu.

    Width
    Specifies the width of the FLV file, in pixels. To have Dreamweaver determine the exact width of the FLV file, click the Detect Size button. If Dreamweaver cannot determine the width, you must type a width value.

    Height
    Specifies the height of the FLV file, in pixels. To have Dreamweaver determine the exact height of the FLV file, click the Detect Size button. If Dreamweaver cannot determine the height, you must type a height value.
    Note: Total With Skin is the width and height of the FLV file plus the width and height of the selected skin.

    Constrain
    Maintains the same aspect ratio between the width and height of the video component. This option is selected by default.

    Live Video Feed
    Specifies whether the video content is live. If Live Video Feed is selected, Flash Player plays a live video feed streamed from Flash® Media Server. The name of the live video feed is the name specified in the Stream Name text box.
    Note: When you select Live Video Feed, only the volume control appears on the component’s skin, because you cannot manipulate live video. Additionally, the Auto Play and Auto Rewind options have no effect.

    Auto Play
    Specifies whether to play the video when the web page is opened.

    Auto Rewind
    Specifies whether the playback control returns to starting position after the video finishes playing.

    Buffer Time
    Specifies the time, in seconds, required for buffering before the video starts playing. The default buffer time is set to 0 so that the video starts playing instantly after the Play button is clicked. (If Auto Play is selected, the video starts playing as soon as a connection is made with the server.) You might want to set a buffer time if you are delivering video that has a higher bit rate than the site visitor’s connection speed, or when Internet traffic might cause bandwidth or connectivity problems. For example, if you want to send 15 seconds of video to the web page before the web page starts to play the video, set the buffer time to 15.

  3. Click OK to close the dialog box and add the FLV file to your web page.

    The Insert FLV command generates a video player SWF file and a skin SWF file that are used to display your video on a web page. The command also generates a main.asc file that you must upload to your Flash Media Server. (To see the new files, you may need to click the Refresh button in the Files panel.) These files are stored in the same directory as the HTML file to which you’re adding video content. When you upload the HTML page containing the FLV file, don’t forget to upload the SWF files to your web server, and the main.asc file to your Flash Media Server.

    Note: If you already have a main.asc file on your server, check with your server administrator before uploading the main.asc file generated by the Insert FLV command.

    You can easily upload all of the required media files by selecting the video component placeholder in the Dreamweaver Document window, and clicking the Upload Media button in the Property inspector (Window > Properties). To see a list of required files, click Show required files.

    Note: The Upload Media button does not upload the HTML file that contains the video content.

Edit Flash Player download information

When you insert an FLV file in a page, Dreamweaver inserts code that detects whether the user has the correct version of Flash Player. If not, the page displays default alternative content that prompts the user to download the latest version. You can change this alternative content at any time.

This procedure also applies to SWF files.
Note: If a user does not have the required version but does have Flash Player 6.0 r65 or later, the browser displays a Flash Player express installer. If the user declines the express install, the page then displays the alternative content.
  1. In the Design view of the Document window, select the SWF file or FLV file.
  2. Click the eye icon in the tab of the SWF file or FLV file.
    You can also press Control + ] to switch to alternative content view. To return to SWF/FLV view, press Control + [ until all of the alternative content is selected. Then press Control + [ again.
  3. Edit the content just as you would edit any other content in Dreamweaver.
    Note: You cannot add SWF files or FLV files as alternative content.
  4. Click the eye icon again to return to the SWF or FLV file view.