The case of the Disappearing Skins

Hello, After trying for days and searching the forum, I still can't find a fix for this very bizarre problem.
Regarding skins and FLV, has anyone ever had a problem getting the skin (controls) to show up after export? The funny thing is that it (the skin) will show up fine when testing on my local machine, and also when accessing it on my normal web server, assuming all files are properly uploaded in the same folder (i.e. video.flv, video.swf, skin.swf). However, regarding a social networking site, when I place the code in there for the video, only the video shows up (and plays if I have it set to autoplay=true) but the skin does not show up.

The video is there and plays fine but there is no skin. The code I insert on the social networking site points to the video.swf on my web server.... and there will also be the skin swf, such as ArcticOverNoVol.swf, as an example, in the same folder.

I've tried 16 ways till Sunday to figure out what's goin on and fix the problem, but nothing seems to work. I have tried using the FLVPlayback component from both Flash 8 and CS3, I have my size set to 320x280, and there is even a big "blank" spot under the video where the skin should be. Where in the world does the skin go? Any ideas?

have you tried it on different social networking sites? eg bebo facebook myspace etc.

They might have the option to block your skin - it's clearly an issue from their end, rather than yours.

Dan

Hi Dan, I have only tried it with Myspace.

This is what I first thought too, that is was a Myspace thing. I can only tell you that every other Flash object I have embedded in a Myspace page over the past year, with only a little doing, has worked perfectly.

What doesn't make sense to me is that, when you think about it, it shouldn't be a Myspace problem. The code in the Myspace page loads the video.swf container (hosted on my server). That is no problem. Then video.swf looks for and loads skin.swf and video.flv, also hosted on my server.

Well if video.swf is finding and playing video.flv just fine, then why would it have a problem finding and diplaying skin.swf?

One of the things that sometimes urks me about Flash, is that it always has to export/publish the FLVPlayback component as three seperate files (including the video file). I believe there should at least be an option to combine the container and skin file into one swf file, which indeed is what most 3rd party video-to-flv converter/skinners do. Then you're only dealing with two files, which can make life a lot easier.

I actually could use a 3rd party application, as mentioned, to solve this problem. But now I am more intent on solving this issue so I'll be able use the actual Flash skins, get the video and player working, and share the fix with others.

Any and all help/suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciate.

Have you found any resolution to this? I've been trying and trying and still have the exact same problem??