7 Replies Latest reply on Apr 22, 2016 2:52 PM by Barbara Ash

    Hyperlinks worked then didn't.

    gracel37005101
    gracel37005101 Apr 18, 2016 1:46 PM

      I had a problem getting hyperlinks to work in my published swf files. This was resolved when InDesign updated a few months ago, and I was able to successfully publish a swf file with hyperlinks. But now they've stopped working again. I tried publishing another project as a swf recently, and the hyperlinks only read as text. I can publish hyperlinks just fine in interactive pdfs, but not swf anymore. Any idea what happened?

        • 1. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
          Barbara Ash Adobe Community Professional
          Barbara Ash Apr 18, 2016 5:23 PM (in response to gracel37005101)

          When you open the swf in the Adobe Flash Player, the hyperlinks WILL work. The browser is somehow blocking the hyperlink in the swf. You can find instructions on how to enable the Flash player in your browser here:

          Flash Player Help

          Let me know if this answers your question.

          • 2. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
            gracel37005101 Level 1
            gracel37005101 Apr 21, 2016 10:11 AM (in response to Barbara Ash)

            No dice. My flash player is the most recent version and it is already enabled in all of my browsers.

            • 3. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
              Barbara Ash Adobe Community Professional
              Barbara Ash Apr 21, 2016 1:34 PM (in response to gracel37005101)

              Does the swf file play if you launch the Adobe Flash Player application separately and view it directly in the Adobe Flash Player (not in the browser)?

              • 4. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
                gracel37005101 Level 1
                gracel37005101 Apr 21, 2016 2:00 PM (in response to Barbara Ash)

                How do you open a plug-in without a browser?

                • 5. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
                  Barbara Ash Adobe Community Professional
                  Barbara Ash Apr 21, 2016 5:52 PM (in response to gracel37005101)

                  If you have the Flash Player installed on your computer, look for FlashPlayer.exe. On my Windows computer it is in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Flash CC 2015\Players\FlashPlayer.exe

                  I'm able to save a swf file to my desktop, and when I double-click on it the swf it launches the Flash Player and the hyperlink works for me.

                  There is a link here Adobe Flash Player Install for all versions

                  I normally use the Chrome browser, and when I tried to view the swf in the browser, the link didn't work because I don't have the Flash Player plugin enabled in Chrome.

                  Opening the swf in the Flash Player, without opening it in a browser, is a way you could test to see whether the problem is with the hyperlink itself or with the browser settings.

                  • 6. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
                    gracel37005101 Level 1
                    gracel37005101 Apr 22, 2016 12:41 PM (in response to Barbara Ash)

                    There is no Flash Player on my computer, only the plugin for the browsers. While I understand where you're going, this isn't just a single user issue. This project is being pushed out to over 900 people. It already HAS been pushed out successfully once before. From that time to this, I have not touched my enabling settings in any of my browsers (Chrome or IE, I use both); they've all been set as "enabled". The problem is either something was changed or shifted in an update (probably to InDesign), or there is something I'm missing in the publishing menus. Can you tell me what the last update to InDesign CC was for?

                     

                    (I really do appreciate you taking the time to help me, I'm just coming up on a deadline and I'm kind of freaking out. If the solution has anything to do with the Flash Player, I'm basically screwed because there's no way 900 people are going to go through our service desk to update/reinstall Flash.)

                    • 7. Re: Hyperlinks worked then didn't.
                      Barbara Ash Adobe Community Professional
                      Barbara Ash Apr 22, 2016 2:52 PM (in response to gracel37005101)

                      I tested a swf with hyperlink, created in InDesign, in each of the browsers I have installed, and these are the results:

                      Chrome -- Didn't work.

                      Internet Explorer -- A message appeared at the bottom of the window "Internet Explorer restricted this webpage from running scripts or ActiveX controls." The dialog box included a button "Allow Content". Once the button was clicked, the hyperlink worked.

                      Opera -- Didn't work.

                      Safari -- Worked right away.

                      Firefox -- A message appeared "Adobe Flash Player has stopped a potentially unsafe operation. (etc...)" "To let this application communicate with the Internet, click Settings. You must restart the application after changing your settings." In order for it to work, I had to set up the folder that contains the swf file as a trusted location. Not a good solution for your 900 people.

                       

                      At least this tells you that the problem is not with InDesign. From what I found, if you can advise your people to use either Internet Explorer or even better, Safari, then you should be okay for your deadline.

                       

                      Due to security issues flash files, like swf are more often being blocked. I don't know for sure, but that may be why swf with hyperlink worked in the past but is now problematical as the stricter security measures are implemented.