RE: make Macromedia Flash Accessible

Rob:

I don't think I explained the possibilities correctly.  We can use this
technique in conjunction with the javascript code to detect whether or not
they have flash installed, and show the generated gif as the alternate
image.  This will:

- allow those who have flash installed to see the zoomable flash version
- allow those who don't (or don't want to install it) to see the actual map.
This would also support special needs, as the alt tag would carry through.

-Ken


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Neff, Robert [mailto:Robert.Neff@usmint.treas.gov]
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 3:27 PM
> To: WAI - EO (E-mail); WAI-GL (E-mail)
> Cc: 'kcline@redmon.com'; 'Charles McCathieNevile'
> Subject: RE: make Macromedia Flash Accessible
>
>
> OBJECTIVE: Make Macromedia FLASH accessible via alternate
> methods?  Has
> anyone done this? This is what we are thinking and  please
> chime in...we are
> working with Macromedia Flash and not other macromedia
> formats.  We have two
> premises:
> (1)	If the FLASH plug-in is not used, provide an alternate method
> viewing and reading .. For example an image or a text
> (2)	If the FLASH plug-in is used, provide FLASH FILE and an
> alternate
> method to either view OR reading, preferably read for web
> browsers with  the
> plug-in turned off, screen readers, pwWebSpeak.  For example
> as in an ALT
> tag or text and or TITLE tag.
>
> Please read the bottom message to understand my comments to Ken our
> developer and Charles.
>
> Ken:   Hmm, nice thought...but we need the FLASH for the
> ZOOM-ing and other
> reasons.
>
> Charles, pls read below and circulate if you like.
>
> Ken do you agree?
>
> /rob
> 		-----Original Message-----
> 		From:	Kenneth Cline [mailto:kcline@redmon.com]
> 		Sent:	Thursday, September 30, 1999 1:45 PM
> 		To:	'Neff, Robert'
> 		Subject:	RE: make Macromedia Flash Accessible
>
> 		Rob,
>
> 		I may have found the most expedient and elegant
> solution to
> our dilemma possible.  In most instances, we can merely tell
> generator to
> display the output as a GIF instead of a flash image.  Try
> this link to see
> it in
> 		action.
>
>
> http://207.153.198.240/usmint/fsq/display2.cfm?Plot_Opt=gu&sta
> teg=AL&statet=
> 		AL&Mint=b&found=NJ&path=207.153.198.240%2Fusmint%2Ffsq
>
> 		The code changes are minimal, but it will have
> the following
> limitations:
>
> 		- they can't zoom-in on the maps (it's a gif)
> 		- the "learn more about the 50 state quarters" page will
> probably have to
> 		stay as a flash piece, because it is
> interactive (i.e. they
> can click on a
> 		state)
> 		- the Fed Reserve Banks page will also have to stay as
> flash, because of the
> 		roll-overs.
> 		- the image doesn't immediately begin to stream to the
> display
>
> 		there are also the following advantages:
>
> 		- smaller download (the gifs should be around 12k)
> 		- no need for plug-ins (at all)
> 		- can alt-tag the heck out of them
>
> 		Thoughts?
>
> 		-Ken
>
>
>
> 		> -----Original Message-----
> 		> From: Neff, Robert
> [mailto:Robert.Neff@usmint.treas.gov]
> 		> Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 8:33 AM
> 		> To: 'Charles McCathieNevile'
> 		> Cc: Kenneth Cline (E-mail)
> 		> Subject: RE: make Macromedia Flash Accessible
> 		>
> 		>
> 		> Charles:  thanks and will forward to the experts...
> 		>
> 		> Ken:  Good morning Mr. Expert!  PLs erad form the
> 		> bottom...Could you please
> 		> review the code (see comments under CMN: ) .
> Could you
> 		> please make a simple
> 		> standard operating procedure that we may use
> as reference.
> 		>
> 		> Thanks!
> 		>
> 		> 		-----Original Message-----
> 		> 		From:	Charles McCathieNevile
> [mailto:charles@w3.org]
> 		> 		Sent:	Tuesday, September 28,
> 1999 7:11 AM
> 		> 		To:	Neff, Robert
> 		> 		Subject:	RE: make
> Macromedia Flash
> Accessible
> 		>
> 		> 		Rob,
> 		>
> 		> 		this is exactly the code I was
> suggesting.
> I'll
> 		> add a couple
> 		> of lines to show
> 		> 		you what I mean, with cmn: in
> front of them
> -
> 		> remove that in
> 		> the real
> 		> 		thing... (I can't recall if this is the
> right way to use
> 		> EMBED - your coders
> 		> 		will know whether there is a NOEMBED I
> should have used
> 		>
> 		> 		cheers
> 		>
> 		> 		Charles
> 		>
> 		> 		On Tue, 28 Sep 1999, Neff, Robert wrote:
> 		>
> 		> 		  Charles,
> 		>
> 		> 		  <OBJECT
> 		> classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
> ALT="Plot of
> 		> 		  the 50 States Quarters Nation Map"
> 		>
> 		>
> codebase="http://active.macromedia.com/flash2/cabs/swflash.cab
> 		> #version=3,0,0
> 		> 		  ,0" ID=va WIDTH=550 HEIGHT=335>
> 		>
> 		> 		  <PARAM NAME=movie
> 		>
> 		>
> VALUE="http://www1.usmint.gov/50states/fsq/flash/usa.swt?leg_1
> 		> =0&leg_2=35&le
> 		>
> 		>
> g_3=70&leg_4=104&leg_5=139&leg_6=174&path=www1.usmint.gov/50st
> 		> ates/fsq&found
> 		> 		  =GA&mint=B">
> 		>
> 		> 		  <PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high>
> 		>
> 		> 		  <EMBED
> 		>
> 		>
> SRC="http://www1.usmint.gov/50states/fsq/flash/usa.swt?leg_1=0
> 		> &leg_2=35&leg_
> 		>
> 		>
> 3=70&leg_4=104&leg_5=139&leg_6=174&path=www1.usmint.gov/50stat
> 		> es/fsq&found=G
> 		> 		  A&mint=B"
> 		>
> 		> 		  swLiveConnect=FALSE WIDTH=550
> HEIGHT=335
> 		> 		  QUALITY=high
> 		> 		   TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash"
> 		>
> 		>
> PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/inde
> 		> x.cgi?P1_Prod_
> 		> 		  Version=ShockwaveFlash">
> 		>
> 		> 		CMN: <OBJECT data="the_same_thing.smi"
> 		> WIDTH="x" HEIGHT="y">
> 		> 		CMN:   <OBJECT
> data="the_animated_image.gif"
> WIDTH="x"
> 		> HEIGHT="y">
> 		> 		CMN:     THere is some really good stuff
> that
> 		> we have done,
> 		> but in the
> 		> 		meantime look at the <IMG SRC="blah"
> ALT="blah blah">
> 		> 		CMN:   </OBJECT>
> 		> 		CMN: <OBJECT>
> 		>
> 		> 		  </EMBED></OBJECT>
> 		>
> 		>
> 		>
> 		> 		  Thanks, rob
> 		>
> 		> 		  		-----Original
> Message-----
> 		> 		  		From:	Charles
> McCathieNevile
> 		> [mailto:charles@w3.org]
> 		> 		  		Sent:	Monday,
> September
> 27,
> 		> 1999 11:30 PM
> 		> 		  		To:	Robert Neff
> 		> 		  		Cc:
> w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
> 		> 		  		Subject:	Re: make
> 		> Macromedia Flash
> 		> Accessible
> 		>
> 		> 		  		Actually the
> way to do this
> in
> 		> HTML is to
> 		> use the OBJECT
> 		> 		  element, with a
> 		> 		  		cascade that
> allows you to
> put something
> 		> more useful than a
> 		> 		  simpe alt
> 		> 		  		element.
> 		>
> 		> 		  		In fact a SMIL
> presentation
> is
> 		> probably more
> 		> accessible than
> 		> 		  flash - there
> 		> 		  		are several players,
> including
> 		> open-source
> 		> stuff and the
> 		> 		  Real Networks G2
> 		> 		  		player. But you
> can put that
> 		> into an object
> 		> cascade along
> 		> 		  with the flash
> 		> 		  		version, a
> quicktime movie
> (there are
> 		> circumstances where
> 		> 		  that is a good
> 		> 		  		alternative)
> and a number of
> other
> 		> versions...
> 		>
> 		> 		  		Charles McCN
> 		>
> 		> 		  		On Mon, 27 Sep
> 1999, Robert
> Neff wrote:
> 		>
> 		> 		  		  i was
> thinking another way
> to make
> 		> Macromedia Flash
> 		> 		  Accessible for those who
> 		> 		  		  do not want
> to download
> the software.
> 		> Seems there is a
> 		> 		  way to make an image
> 		> 		  		  display if
> you do not have
> 		> the plug-in.
> 		> Of course, if you
> 		> 		  have an image
> 		> 		  		  then we can
> have an ALT
> tag,
> 		> where we can
> 		> describe the
> 		> 		  visual presentation.
> 		>
> 		> 		  		  comments?
> 		>
> 		>
> 		> 		  		--Charles McCathieNevile
> 		> mailto:charles@w3.org
> 		> 		  		phone: +1 617 258 0992
> 		> http://www.w3.org/People/Charles
> 		> 		  		W3C Web Accessibility
> Initiative
> 		> http://www.w3.org/WAI
> 		> 		  		MIT/LCS  -  545
> Technology
> sq.,
> 		> Cambridge
> 		> MA, 02139,  USA
> 		>
> 		>
> 		> 		--Charles McCathieNevile
> 		mailto:charles@w3.org
> 				phone: +1 617 258 0992
> http://www.w3.org/People/Charles
> 				W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
> http://www.w3.org/WAI
> 				MIT/LCS  -  545 Technology sq.,
> Cambridge
> MA, 02139,  USA
>

Received on Thursday, 30 September 1999 15:36:49 UTC