flash installer - what do you use?

[algorithm0]

Howdy once again everyone!

I'm curious to how others handle detecting the flash plugin and getting visitors to install it if it is not present. I've taken two approaches, but each have pros and cons.

First I've used the Adobe Flash Player Detection Kit and Express Installer. This has the potential of handling just about every situation where users either don't have any flash installed, or have a older version of flash installed. This approach consists of a blob full of javascript which in my case conflicted w/ other elements of my web page. It also is difficult to use in conjunction w/ the SWFObject script (unless you use the newest version of SWFObject where you can use the express installer from adobe, built in).

The other solution I've found doesn't work as well as the adobe flash player detection kit. This second solution is to use the newest SWFObject and activate the express installation option on the object. The problem I have with this is that it doesn't help the user get flash if they have no plugin whatsoever installed. This solution is however extremely clean and easy to implement. It also solves the IE embed activation issue.

So, how do you handle this issue on your websites?

[jcodec]

I have found that the best solution for ease of development and seamless user experience is SWFObject with ExpressInstall. To anyone out there that's wondering where to find more information about it you can go to http://blog.deconcept.com/swfobject/ to read all about it.

Even if you choose not to use ExpressInstall for your upgrade path you still should use SWFObject for your SWF embedding. SWFObject is a mature, well-documented and easy to use product and, as far as I know, the only way to maintain W3C-standards-compliance with Flash content.

[algorithm0]

Thanks for the reply jcodec.

How do you handle the situation where the user does not have any version of flash installed?

[jcodec]

Thankfully, my clients do not require me to address the 1.7% of the mature market (Millward Brown, December 2006) that cannot view Flash Player 6 or later. If I did have this issue I would try SWFObject's setAttribute("redirectUrl", "http://www.example.com"); method and see if it works.

[icktoofay]

I just started using SWFObject, mainly because it will help my google ranking, and it's easy. The reason I just started using it was because I'm switching my website to almost full flash, instead of hybrid or just plain HTML. And I just tell the user that they are not getting the experience I intended them to get, and the can see the intended version by installing the flash player.