Re: Java + Flash = Cross-Platform Multimedia?

[John Dowdell]

At 9:34 AM 7/9/98, Troy M. Gilbert wrote:

>is it possible to control the native plug-in with Java?

>I've strayed from plug-ins in the past, so I'm not well-versed in things

>such as LiveConnect, which I believe may be used for something similar to

>this...


You're right, that's the path, at least in the Netscape browsers.

LiveConnect lets applets, plugins, and JavaScript intercommunicate. On

Java-enabled Netscape 3+ browsers on PowerMacs or Win32 you can have

applets talk to other things in the page.


Note that an applet you write can speak to the Netscape plugin here, not

just to the Flash Java Player. This is related to how JavaScript can talk

to the plugin. More information is in your Netscape books about

LiveConnect, or in your Java books about using LiveConnect.


The Microsoft browsers, however, are different. IE/Win32 uses ActiveX

Scripting to communicate among objects in the page. Java applets can

receive but not send events in IE/Win32. IE/Mac and IE/Win3.1 do not use

ActiveX. Messages from applets are only possible in some Netscape browsers.


Summary: It's possible to have an applet talk to a plugin, in

some-but-not-all browsers.



Sidenote: If you're seeking advanced interactivity with Flash display, then

Director is indeed the best solution. It is the fastest and most universal

multimedia display engine.

   But if your audience requires any of the 23 main flavors of UNIX,

however, then you're right, the options become more limited.


jd




John Dowdell, Macromedia Tech Support, San Francisco CA US


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