Why do I see a message prompting me to “click to activate and use this control” when I roll my mouse over a Flash animation?
This is a result of the latest Internet Explorer update.
Microsoft recently lost a legal battle with a patent holder about the way Internet Explorer displays OBJECTs and EMBEDs in webpages. Microsoft then decided to update its Internet Explorer browser with changes requiring user input to display and activate ActiveX based media.
This affects all Flash animations but also other files such as QuickTime, RealPlayer, Java and Adobe Acrobat among others. It means users have to click the object first in order to activate its functions.
Luckily, there are ways for website developers to modify their website so that the user experience is not impacted by Microsoft’s changes. I have selected the easiest and most user-friendly option available at this time and have implemented this solution throughout this website.
Samples with the fix
Flash Album
To fix the problem, please follow these steps:
1) Just below the last <object> in your HTML page, insert the following xxJavascript:
<script type="text/xxjavascript" src="ieupdate.js"></script>
2) Add a small .js file to your website directory. You can download the zipped .js file here
If you are curious what the content of the .js file is click here
3) Save this file as ieupdate.js to the root of your website (or where you save your html pages)
4) Upload both files to your webserver, and the problem should be solved.
Macromedia has provide it's own solution to the above problem, altough more complex, it might eventually be a better way of dealing with the problem, as their solution is more robust. This solution has by now been inplemented in Dreamweaver and FLashMX and I assume all other Adobe/Macromedia products.
To read more about this issue and see other solutions available, please visit:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/ieupdate
http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/activecontent/articles/devletter.html
http://blog.deconcept.com/2005/12/15/internet-explorer-eolas-changes-and-the-flash-plugin/