Why is Flash not working when I try to embed rich media in my PDF?

[Joe_Stokey]

I am trying to add an audio file to a PDF in Acrobat Pro Dc and I'm constantly told that I have to install to required version of Flash. I don't really understand this as all the software I'm using (including Flash) was downloaded in the past few days to run on a Macbook Pro purchased last week.

Additionally, Media Encoder doesn't appear to have an export option for SWF.

I'm struggling here, any ideas?

Thanks.

[Joel_Geraci]

Stop. Back away slowly. Don't make any sudden movements.

Don't embed the audio as a Rich Media Annotation. Recipients of your file will have the same problems as you are, if they're on Windows, it's even worse than what you're experiencing on your Mac. The audio won't work at all on most of the mobile viewers as an RMA either.

Instead, add the audio as an attachment and then create a link that will open the attachment which will allow the native OS level player play the audio. It's not as "pretty" but it will work consistently. 

[Joe_Stokey]

Superb response, and quick too!
Thanks Joel.

[BBFBrock]

Joel,

I have seen you give similar responses elsewhere, but how do you make links in the PDF open the audio attachments?  I know how to make a link open to a spot in an attached PDF from here: Links and attachments in PDFs, Adobe Acrobat , but obviously this doesn't apply to an audio file that you can't go inside and pick a page from.  I also tried attaching the sound as a file(not audio) attachment comment from the comment toolbar, which works in Foxit but not in Adobe Reader on my Android device, which seems backward to me.

So how do you create a link to open an audio attachment from within a PDF in Acrobat?

Thanks.

[Joel_Geraci]

BBFBrock:

First add the audio file as an attachment in the attachments pane... just drag it there from your OS.

Then create a link that executes the following JavaScript. Adjust the name of the attachment to match your sound file.

this.exportDataObject({ cName: "audio_file.mp3", nLaunch: 2 });

Even though you are exporting the sound file, with a nLaunch value of 2, the file isn't permanently saved. The file will be saved and then launched. Launching will prompt the user with a security alert warning if the file is not a PDF file. A temporary path is used, and the user will not be prompted for a save path. The temporary file that is created will be deleted by Acrobat upon application shutdown.

[BBFBrock]

Thanks for the response Joel.

I tried it and it works in both Acrobat and  Adobe Reader on my desktop, but it doesn't work in either Adobe Reader or Foxit on my phone.  It's like there's not even a link there.

[Joel_Geraci]

Well... Yeah... A lot of JavaScript just doesn't run on either of those. You're simply not going to be able to incorporate multi-media in a PDF and have it work the same way everywhere.