2 Replies Latest reply: Jul 12, 2007 6:22 PM by MooseDesign RSS

    clickTAG testing problem within Flash

    MooseDesign Community Member
      Hello! I am by no means a Flash pro, more on the noob end of the spectrum but I know the basics... I did a search and couldn't find what I was looking for on this, and I'm new to the forum, so apologies if I miss some etiquette step (I originally posted this in the Flash ad section, but its dead over there and thought I could get more love here).

      So, I've got a simple linear animation banner ad with a topmost layer as a clear button and the clickTAG info from the hosting site/agency.

      The code they have provided should be attached below...

      I've tried tracing the button and even that simple step is not working.

      Should I be able to test this within Flash? If I swap out the code for regular ol' Flash links it works and tests fine. Anyone with similar issues, or a solution to shis? TIA!
        • 1. Re: clickTAG testing problem within Flash
          Newsgroup_User Community Member
          rcbmoose,

          > Should I be able to test this within Flash?

          Well, yes and no. How do you like that for an answer? ;)

          > If I swap out the code for regular ol' Flash links it works and
          > tests fine. Anyone with similar issues, or a solution to shis? TIA!
          >
          > on (release) {
          > if (clickTAG.substr(0,5) == " http://www.rebit.com") {
          > getURL(clickTAG, "_blank");
          > }
          > }

          Here's the scoop on clickTAG (and its various spellings, including
          ClickTAG, ClickTag, clickTag, clicktag, etc.). As shown, the value of
          clickTAG is undefined in Flash because the variable, clickTAG, hasn't been
          declared anywhere. If it hasn't been declared, then where does the data
          come from, right? Good question.

          What you're seeing here is an example of passing data into a SWF from
          the outside. Any string variable can be passed in, and any legal variable
          name will do. String variables can be passed in via something called
          FlashVars, which is a parameter of either the EMBED tag or of a PARAM tag
          inside an OBJECT tag in the HTML. They can also be passed in via a query
          string appended to the SWF's file reference in the HTML (e.g.
          nameOfMovie.swf?variable1=value1).

          It just happens that many ad agencies use clickTAG as an agreed-upon
          variable for storing URLs for tracking user clicks. Because you're testing
          your SWF in Flash, you're not making use of the HTML document in which this
          SWF will be embedded. The HTML document will supply a value for clickTAG,
          so this needs to be tested in an HTML document. Ah, there's the rub. Is
          there a way to debug SWFs inside a browser? There is. :)

          http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/debugging_actionscript.html

          The trouble is, you may or may not ultimately have control over the HTML
          into which this SWF is embedded. If that HTML embeds the variable as
          ClickTAG (or some other variant), Flash Player won't see it, because your
          code specifies clickTAG, and variables are case sensitive in Flash since
          Flash Player 7. So bear that in mind, and try one of the techniques in the
          article (either a temporary dynamic text field or the Debugger panel).

          Good luck with that!


          David Stiller
          Co-author, Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers
          http://tinyurl.com/2k29mj
          "Luck is the residue of good design."


          • 2. Re: clickTAG testing problem within Flash
            MooseDesign Community Member
            Wow, thanks for the detailed response! Much appreciated. And yes, you were right. The agency's directions were not quite as clear as you were... I needed the code from them to know exactly what was being checked.

            For anyone working with FDA that might find this post in a search on the clickTAG issue, relative to the code posted in my first post, the correct iteration of that would have been (posted in the code block below).

            Thanks again for the help David!