Can't get Camtasia videos to play in compiled CHM

[Guest]

Hi,

This question has been asked in one or two older threads, but either the reponses or the user's ultimate solution were so vaguely written that I didn't find them of any use.

So, I have created a video using Camtasia and the output results in: an html file, a mp4 file, two swf files, a png image and a javascript file. I would like to, somehow, use/import the video in a compiled chm file.

I have tried adding the all the files as baggage files, importing the camtasia-created html and linking to it (and a quite a few other variations of this) but the result is always the same: the html page opens and everything looks good, with the first frame and with a flash play triangle displayed. When I click the play triangle, the page turns black, apart from the controls at the bottom where you see the pause button (suggests the video started ?) and the timeline and then 0.00/2.40.

This is as far as i can get no matter what method I use.

I have also tried by starting with importing the Camtasia-created html file. Doing this, RH prompts me that it needs to add the mp4, the js and the png image as well. Interestingly, it does NOT say anything about the swf files.

I have attached two images of 1) what the topic looks like when you first open it 2) what it looks like after you click the large play triangle. The video never starts.

Thanks for any help and suggestions - this is really driving me nuts.

/Chris

[Captiv8r]

Hi Chris

I went round and round with this a while back with another forum poster. Not sure if she ever did manage to make it work.

First, take a look at the link below:

Click here to view

See if the link offers any help. Please return here and post back with progress.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Captiv8r]

Oh, and another thing you may wish to try would be to output from Camtasia as a SWF file instead of MP4. SWF should play without issue I believe.

Cheers... Rick

Helpful and Handy Links RoboHelp Wish Form/Bug Reporting Form Begin learning RoboHelp HTML 7, 8 or 9 within the day! Adobe Certified RoboHelp HTML Training SorcerStone Blog RoboHelp eBooks

[Guest]

Hi Rick and thanks for the reply,

I did see that note that Camtasia Flash files didn't work in chm files in 2004 but I had hoped things had changed since then. Guess not.

As for the Mp4 vs. swf suggestion, an .swf file of a 2 minute video can be upwards of 80MB in size so that isn't a viable option if I am going to add video topics regularly. In addition to that, adding an swf to RH means that you get no controls, no play/pause etc. Giant-sized chm and no control over the video is not so good.

So it looks like the only way to do this is to create some kind of external link. Haven't tried that yet but will give it a shot later.

So, for anyone attempting to play Camtasia-created videos directly in an RH-compiled chm file - Nope, doesn't work.

/Chris

[Fly_Molo]

Just for kicks I tried sticking a Camtasia SWF-based video into a test project. I was able to watch the video in the compiled output, complete with controls. Yes, the SWF format produces a larger file size when compared to MP4 but it does seem to actually work.

I added all the files to the project as baggage files and they all seem to be there when I decompile the CHM afterwards.To cut down on the SWF's file size, you can use JPG compression when you produce the file in Camtasia.

Ideal? Perhaps not.The limitation is probably not RoboHelp, but the HTMLHelp Viewer (my guess, not known to be true).

Possible? Absolutely.