Transparent

[Suzack]

I see that Firestarter (competitor) has a transparent backround option now. I prefer Swish but I could really use that feature (and I don't just mean in a browser - I need it for standalone projects). Does anyone know if Swish will offer that soon? If you think they already offer it, please describe how I would use it.

Thank you.

[david petley]

Originally posted by Suzack
I see that Firestarter (competitor) has a transparent backround option now. I prefer Swish but I could really use that feature (and I don't just mean in a browser - I need it for standalone projects). Does anyone know if Swish will offer that soon? If you think they already offer it, please describe how I would use it.

Thank you.

Suzack,
I honestly don't see Firestarter as much of a competitor unless it has changed radically from when it was released.

My understanding of SWF movies is that they have a background colour unless they are placed within an HTML file and the transparency is a parameter set within the HTML code. This only works in Internet Explorer as well.

I would be very curious to see the output of a Firestarter file that allowed you to set the background to transparent without publishing it to HTML, in other words, a movie that I could open in a standalone player and have it show my desktop underneath through the transparent portions.

david p.

[Suzack]

You're right about the Firestarter. It's not nearly as good as Swish. I have a feeling thier new advnaced feature for transparancy was probably just them finally getting it for the browser.... If I see anything different, I'll let you know.

[david petley]

cool,
thanx,
david p.

[LisaA]

I just checked out Firestarter's transparency myself and that's exactly what it is... just for the Browser, no different than what Swish has been doing for a long time but Swish is 100 times better.

Funny, Coffeecup failed to leave this little tidbit of info out, looks like they may be trying to use it as a selling point for those that don't know.

[pjdavey]

...unless they are placed within an HTML file and the transparency is a parameter set within the HTML code.

any idea how this is done ?
(eg what's the html command ?)

Cheers

[wcoleman]

<param name="wmode" value="transparent">

If you go to the export panel and under HTML properties set window mode to transparent the html that Swish generates contains the appropriate code.

Cheers,

Flick

[roger_onslow]

Some of the information in their 'feature' list is misleading at best.

Their so-called ActionScript Timeline simply lets you put Stop, Play or GotoFrame actions on a frame (they haven't had that before) ... that ain't ActionScript .. its not even script .. don't know what MM would think of that.

And the transparent movie option that the claim allows you to place the movie over any background .. what a load of rubbish .. its just the wmode=transparent settings in the generated HTML .. and that ONLY works in IE (they don't mention that) and AFAIK it doesn't allow you to place a movie over ANY background anyway.

I take everything that comes out of CoffeeCup with an extremely LARGE grain of salt.

[pjdavey]

thanks flick.