Flash Player-Updated
developed by yyy.

Released on:August 6th 2004

Compatible:Desktop Sidebar Build 69 and above

Special Thanks:
chrisskhc - You did a great job with translating the panel to German
mattisking-Thanks for your help

Description:
The Flash Player panel shows Flash technology based movies (including url based Flash movies ).

Features:
-Shows both movies from your computer and from the Internet
-Resizable-you can change the size of the Flash movie or you can set the panel to auto fit the movie's size to the panel's size.
-Multi Language support-this panel can be translated.
-German translation (thanks to the wonderful work of chrisskhc Thanks!.

First version users:
This version has minor upgrades.You don't have to download it since you already have the first version.Here is a what I added to the new version:
-Fixed bugs.
-Smoother installtion(mattisking - he is the king, thanks for helping me do it).
-German translation.

Since there are not many fixes I didn't add a zip version of the panel-sorry .If you still want to download just go to where you installed the panel (usualy c:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Desktop Sidebar\plugins\) and delete the FlashPlayer directory when Desktop Sidebar isn't loaded.Then load Desktop Sidebar,download the dspackage file and open it.


Important
-You MUST have the Flash ActiveX installed.You can download it for free from here:Download Flash Player ActiveX
-For more information about Flash visit:www.macromedia.com
-This is NOT 2nd version.2nd version will be released later.Sorry


Installation Instructions:
Download the file attached and open it while Desktop Sidebar is loaded


Dear user,
Thank you very much for using this panel I hope you enjoy it and find it very useful .
If you have any comments or if you find any bugs please report me in this thread.
Thank you .

Flash Sites that you can use with the Flash Player
The following are examples of what you can do with the Flash Player.They are taken from various websites.
The links might be broken - sorry The links can also be changed.
To use those Flashes just click the link and then copy its address from the browser address bar into the Flash Player properties menu.


ScreenShot:
Flash Player ScreenShot

Download :

AWESOME! I am watching/playing my favorite Flash games in DS now. Tetris, MiniGolf, Pacman, and an unlimited number of Flash Movies... GREAT!

~acommonjo

Thanks for using my panel Enjoy it.I'm really happy to know that you like it.

Only been using it for a few minutes (only released for a few minutes), but I am enjoying it. A few features to add in the next version:

• I would like to have the ability to make a playlist of sorts for the flash movies... something to automatically move to the next movie after the completion of the first.
• A way to save a list of url address for the web based items we view would be nice.
• A filler for when the filepath is blank would be nice too. The big white box just doesn't look to apealling. If possible just remove the flash player to display the panel background.

All things considered I am extremely happy with this plugin! Good Job.

~acommonjo

Concerning the new verison you have mentioned - when will it be released and what improvements will be added?

Works very nice, just as expected. I have one little request, though: may we have a URL text box, like in the File Browser panel? I wish this text box will be like an open-list object too: it'll remember my last visited flashes so it'll make things easier than going to the panel properties and then change the URL.

Edit: Another reason for doing it - clicking on the flash itself won't open DS menu, so it becomes quite a difficult task to open the panel properties in order to change the URL.

Thanks for using my panel-enjoy it .
I'll try to implement your request.

Can't talk now, busy playing tetris.

Thank you! The panel is very nice. You know, it could be used for a lot of things other than playing games. It can be a replacement for the VBScript panel creation for now. ActionScript (the Flash programming language) can access web services, local webcam and microphone, has good ready-to-use UI components, and a lot more.

Thanks Indian_Mayhem and GoMa for using my panel.Enjoy it .

Flash Player updated today!
See first post

If you have already downloaded the panel you don't have to download again.There are no many changes.See the first post for a list of changes.

So when will you release the real next version?

OK, thanks.

No problem

I recommend adding support for drag and drop... that way if I want to view a local file I can just drag it onto the panel to play it. That would be cool.

Nice idea-I'll try to add it.Thanks for your suggestion and if your'e using the panel -Enjoy it

Only a suggestion

If I want 5 different Flash files to be showed in Desktop Sidebar, I have to add the panel 5 times.

So a multi file support would be useful I think.

My idea:
There are 5 small Buttons named 1 to 5.

In properties dialog you can set for each button/number a flash file.

What do you think..?

I prefer the playlist idea - you have a playlist which contains all of your favorite "Flashes" that you can choose from and the panel will play them for you whenever you choose them That's acommonjo's idea.
Thanks for your suggestion and thanks for using the panel -enjoy it

Yeah, the playlist idea is better.....sorry, I didn't read the whole thread before I wrote my last reply.

That's Ok your suggestions are always welcome

My next post will be 2000th post

Congrats another great panel. Using this one to put my logo anim and a flash calendar

flash calendar? where did u get that from? can you share it with me?

Thanks for using my panel antu^jamban - enjoy it Thanks for the calander link - I'll add it to the first post.

Could you please add to this panel a details window, which will show the flash movie in larger size?

Next version will give you 3 options -
1.Show the Flash in its regualr size in the details window.
2.Show the Flash in a customizable size in the details window.
3.Expand the Flash so it will look bigger in the details window without changing the proportiones of the Flash so it won't look too wide or too high.

Fine with me.

Sorry,I type too fast...

Just thought of another nice feature. It would be nice to have the ability to disable the sounds caused by the Flash Panel's contents. Just another setting in the preferences and possibly an option in the right click menu.

~acommonjo

Due to the DS SDK Ducmentation forum the next version of this panel will be delayed.Sorry.

Ok, I have been gone for a while, but im back. I remember saying that I would be willing to make some custom flash apps once this flash plugin was made. Tell me what you want, and I will see what I can do. I know I can make custom clocks... and I remember one request for a clock that allowed for change of time zone (working on that now). If you have any other ideas, list them ... I will start making them in the order of projects that intrest me the most first.

Hmm...an open book huh.
I'd love to have a 3d rendered spinning Earth or Solar System to stick in there. That would be ubercool.

Goto this forum topic and see some cool german (for now) weatherpanel incl. Screenshot shown in flash...
Forum Link

Maybe someone likes this because the arrows are moving, the rain is falling, etc...

CaffeineAddiction, here is something for you -
I liked the flash site that JeffSmart suggested so I thought why can't we have such one for any country and in English?

I suggest you to make a flash app that will show the weather forecast by using weather.com information and in an animated way. However, I know it is a hard thing to do

, great idea. I always liked weather-sites that show animated gifs or flash which makes it much more
interesting even when the weather stays that shitty. That'll also include other data than the actual ones and
maybe the popup-panel shows some cloud freak shows or something. Good idea, never thought anyone would
support that idea... But I'm afraid each user has a certain idea of what the animations should look like, some
like comic style, some minimal, some StefanKas style...
I suggest it should look more or less minimal so it fits with almost every skin...
But yeppeeahyeah, give it a try, please!

Well, you brought that site first so I was inspired by your Flash site I hope CaffeineAddiction is a good artist, otherwise it will be hard for him to make it anumated Maybe some users from hear can help It will be nice to see a Flash wehater. I like the weather panel but it will be better to see an animated one.

Try this flash-clock and enter this URL into the flashplayer, remember to set it to "Fit to panel"!
http://www.flashkit.com/movies/Utilities/T...o_Zuck-4365.swf (right-click and copy link location)

The grfx are kind a small (the menu is worth trying!) and ugly (mainly colours!), but it talks on demand and has a fine alarm function.
Maybe someone using flash can fix the graphix...
You can download the fla here and change the graphix to go with longhorn...: FlashKit Talking Clock

Cool It has a digital, analog, talking clock and even an alarm - it is like having 3 panels in one Thanks for the link

It's really worth a try if only the colour wouldn't making me seasick...

OMG....
I have a new Flash game to put into DS.

http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/game...4/ant_city.html
Fire...Fire...huhh..huh..ha..Fire

That's a nice one Thanks for the link

I liked this:

Good news - I've made a small not official, BETA upgrade for this panel. Now it can show a detials window with a bigger image of the Flash movie (as requested by acommonjo). It can also store more than 1 movie at once. I really wanted to add more features and to release a better upgrade but due to the time limitand the fact that thre panel wasn't that popular I stopped

Anyway, thanks to your suggestions, especially acommonjo's , I've made this version. I've made it a long time ago so it might have bugs and errors and such.... It isn't completed and there's no help information. If you have any problem you can ask here. I hope that you'll know what to do

Upgrading from the previous verions might delete the panel's settings ! You'll need to re- set it.

So, here it is - have fun:

So close, but....

When I hover over the video nothing happens, but if I hover over the tiny area below the video the details window will open for a second.

In that one second I had the same animation playing in both the panel and the details window. You should set it to stop the original video if the Details Window is opened or transfer the control to the Details window so you don't have both playing at the same time.

The playlist idea is nice, but would be better if there were controls outside the panel properties to cycle through the files and/or start/stop the currently playing file.

Overall looking good. Thanks for picking this one back up. Hope to see in completed in the future, but take your time. There are more important things in life, I know.

~acommonjo

I know that the details window sometimes opens only for a few seconds, that's why I added the auto pin option - look at the properties menu. About stopping the video, I think I can do it but I can't transfer it to the details window but only start the video again. Otherwise there'll be problems.
I've tried to add the other features you suggested but there was no time. I'm sorry but I'll probably won't finish that panel, maybe I'll make some fixes but only small things.

Thanks for the feedback