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Subject Topic: Button action: Link URL to file fails Post Reply Post New Topic
Message posted by bruxist on April-27-2008 at 4:45am
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bruxist
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February-12-2008
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Another strange one...

I am trying to link a hotspot to a local html file - another tour in fact. That way I can play several tours interactively on one CD, rather than off the web. Or at least I can test it locally before any file transfer.

I use the button action "Link to URL" and click the folder icon at the end of the box to select a path to my local html file.
I find my file and select it. At this point I would expect to see the complete path to my file in the Link URL window - but no. For some strange reason the path is changed: A new path is defined automatically adding some new path elements to the original string: \Window\MainWindow\ . (This is similar to the way the template function behaves - a strange design solution).

If I look in this folder I see the software has copied my html file from its original location and placed it at this new location. The trouble is, all the associated tour files remain where they were - a pretty useless operation.

Ok, let me try something else. If I type the path manually in my Link URL window, save it and preview it then it gets worse. I click my hotspot, my browser window is launched and a new html file is opened - with nothing in it! 
Looking at the URL in the browser I get a different path than before. This time it added: \_flashvr\sounds\action_<my_tour>.html.
Again I look at this sounds folder and I see a new html file has been created called action_<xxx>.html - with nothing in it! (I thought the sounds folder was for - sounds?). Maybe I have confused it by typing in the path manually?

Something does not seem right with this feature. Was it working before this latest version of TW3? If so, has anyone used it recently? Or was it meant to work this way ie. only for connection to single html files? It could be that I am trying to do something that it wasn't design to do...

Thanks for your help


Message posted by smooth on April-27-2008 at 11:10pm
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smooth
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November-23-2002
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Place whatever you are linking to on your CD into a folder called "fscommand" so the path ends up something like \fscommand\_flashvr\yourtour.html and be sure to keep all the file structure the way it is intended.

The fscommand folder should be directly in the root directory of the CD.

  • Root
    • fscommand
      • _flashvr1
        • yourtour.html
      • _flashvr2
        • yourtour.html
      • _flashvr3
        • yourtour.html

 

Regards, Smooth


Message posted by bruxist on April-29-2008 at 5:32am
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bruxist
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February-12-2008
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Ahh fscommand! That would explain it - Thanks Smooth.

So, can I assume that the action "Link URL" is a fscommand getURL snippet? (for want of a better word.)
I haven't used this command since Flash MX2004. ....I thought you just had to store the output in a sub folder ie. /my_project/fscommand/ ? I guess there is some reason for it searching via the root instead.... I need to make some tests.

Ok, I just tried it and it does works using a sub folder as well. You just need to remove the leading slash.

So to recap: If you want to launch other tours (or other file types) from hotspots (or buttons) use the Link URL action and manually type in the path to your local file, rather than using the folder icon, and use the following format:

1)  \fscommand\_flashvr1\my_other_tour  
Ensuring all my_other_tour files are stored in a sub folder of fscommand, located in the root directory (As per Smooths suggestion above).

Or

2)  fscommand\_flashvr1\my_other_tour  (note: the leading forward slash is removed)
Ensuring my_other_tour files are stored in a sub folder of fscommand, located in the same directory as your main tour (this can be located anywhere on your PC).
e.g. /my_main_tour/fscommand/_flashvr1/my_other_tour

Great! Now I can move forward again............or was it side-to-side?!!


Message posted by smooth on April-29-2008 at 12:42pm
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smooth
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November-23-2002
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As you were asking about tours on CD the CD without any folders on it is the "Root" directory. You add your "fscommand" folder to the root as I have suggested above.

If you need to build your structure on the computer before recording I would suggest you just make a folder called "CD" and place all the contents within this folder. Once completed and all links/hyperlinks/hotspots are confirmed to work correctly along with all other aspects of your tour. You should then burn "ALL" the contents of the "CD" folder to disc(CD) but DO NOT include the CD folder itself (only the contents) this is because the CD folder has been acting as the ROOT directory.

Regards, Smooth


Message posted by Redwoodguy on May-02-2008 at 8:36pm
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June-28-2006
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I'm not sure how this relates, but I am trying to link both a scene hotspot and a map hotspot to URL's on very different websites (the tour is of a Redwood forest and I end it by linking the final scene to the reservation site for the forest, while on the map side, I'm attempting to link to a URL that has a "How to be a Good Camper" PDF file.  I can accomplish neither.  Before I updated my current TW3 Pro, the links actually worked.  Any suggestion as to how to remedy the situation?  Also, I am not familiar about the differences in Destination, from Top to Blank.....is there one I should be choosing over another-or could anyone suggest where I might go to learn more about the differences in the destination choice I make for the URL I entered in the box above the Destination Box?

Thanks!

Erin


Message posted by smooth on May-03-2008 at 2:36am
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  • _self = same page
  • _blank = new page
  • _top = top frame (if you are using frames)

Erin, are you talking online or on a CD?

If you are linking to a website you MUST enter the full address including the http://

If it's a CD you should enter the address as /fscommand/directory/your.pdf

Regards, Smooth


Message posted by Redwoodguy on May-03-2008 at 2:20pm
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June-28-2006
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Thanks for the feedback and clarification, Smooth.

To answer your question, I am operating online, no CD is involved.  As for the URL, I am meticulous in entering both the "http" portion and the "www" portion, so my problem lies elsewhere.  As for the Destination question, from your answer I should be using blank as I am opening up a new page at another site. I've raised a similar question with Carolyn at EP and hopefully, we'll find a solution.

Thanks again,

Erin


Message posted by mskp on May-03-2008 at 4:21pm
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September-14-2006
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Hi, Erin! Maybe you already know it, but I prefer to mention it the same. All url links only work in preview mode or once you publish and upload the tour. The links will not work on those tour saved and launched from your HD.

Good luck, Martin


Message posted by bruxist on May-03-2008 at 7:24pm
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bruxist
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February-12-2008
88 Posts

Martin, you say: "All url links only work in preview mode or once you publish and upload the tour. The links will not work on those tour saved and launched from your HD."

Well you can, so long as you set your flash player security settings correctly:

To access your Flash Player Settings Manager right-click the flash movie you are previewing and chose "Settings > Advanced". Then chose the Global Security Settings Panel link. Add (Edit Location > Add...) to your list (which could be empty right now) any local PC location that you test your tours from. i.e. If you use the default Easypano location then add folder C:\Program Files\Easypano to your box selecting either Always allow or Always ask.

This should enable you to test the URLs locally.

 

 


Message posted by bruxist on May-27-2008 at 6:51pm
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bruxist
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February-12-2008
88 Posts

Using \fscommand or just fscommand seems no longer to be necessary when linking to local files on your PC.

I can now use any folder name in the "Link URL" button/hotspot action and it works. For example:
I have 1 main tour and 2 sub tours.
I store the main tour in C:\mainTour\myMainTour.html
I store the sub tours in C:\mainTour\subtour1\mySubTour1.html and C:\mainTour\subtour2\mySubTour2.html.
If I want to link a hotspot or button in myMainTour.html to mySubTour1, the path I place in the "Link URL" window is: subtour1\mySubTour1.html

Somewhere along the line (080509?) this has been corrected so that you can now use normal paths like \ and ..\.. in the URL box as well. This goes for linking pdfs etc.


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