New Hack Posted: Use Flash as the Network Header

[Mike Nicholson]

Hey Everyone,

We've just posted another little tracking code hack to the documentation section. This hack will show you how to replace your existing network header with a flash one.

http://developer.ning.com/wiki/Use_Flash_as_the_Network_Header

Please feel free to reply here with questions.

Cheers!
Mike

[Giovanni Barricelli]

I tried to open up a new blog..I don't see any of what you are talking about. So, where do I open this 'blog' from? be specific. Most of the people here are not as computer savvy... Talk me through it. 2) Does this automatically install 'flash' as my network header on my main page or is this a flash that happens before someone gets too t he main page.

What do you got Mike? walk me through it?

[Ning Developer Admin]

Hello Giovanni!

The reason that we instruct you to temporarily create a blog post is simply to take advantage of the file upload feature. You can also upload the file to your social network's file system. If you proceed this way please put it somewhere in /xn_resources so that you can access the static version of this file (we do special optimizations for content in there).

The JavaScript in step 3 is what will actually apply the uploaded flash file as the header of your social network.

Cheers!
Developer Ning

[Alexander]

Hello Giovanni,

I tried this and it works.

Go to MY PAGE
Create NEW BLOG
Give the blog a title, in the body of the blog click the toolbar which shows a sheet of paper with corner turned (this represents a "file.")
Locate and upload the Flash “file” (.swf).
The URL (where file has been uploaded to) will then show in the blog text box area.
Copy the text between "http.......swf"
Replace the < script location (http://...) with this location (i.e. the URL you just copied) Then copy the whole < script into your Track Statistics (bottom of your network Manage page). Hope this helps -regards - Alex

[Ernie H.]

Hi Anita - if you have a background graphic and you wish to hide the default header text so your graphic will only show, you can use CSS:

#xg_sitename { visibility: hidden; }

If the header text is hidden when the background text is shown, it'll be hidden on every member page unless your member changes their theme.

[Mike Nicholson]

Hello Anita!

If you add this CSS to your advanced appearance settings it will apply to members using your theme. If you'd like to apply it everywhere on the network add it to your tracking code box.

Cheers!
Mike

[Donald Hardway]

Greetings,

Thanks for the instructions. What do you do with the "Temporary" blog entry after you have created it. I assume that you delete it since you used the term "temporary" but wouldn't that delete the file upload as well?

[Mike Nicholson]

Hello Donald!

You do indeed delete the blog entry once you've uploaded the file. We're just taking advantage of the upload feature available there. Even after the blog post has been deleted the file will remain available.

Cheers!
Mike

[Mike Ernest]

Well Mike I consider you a Geeeeeeeen-Y-Us however that little Hack didn't work for me maybe its cause im voting Democract ?? I mean I did the ceremonial dance and everything even wore apple bottom jeans with the boots with the fur and nothing worked lol...No seriously i followed all your instructions and i think that it does not work for those of us dettached from Ning's grace for our love of the source code. Please help??!!!

[Donald Hardway]

Can you do this by also creating a post on the comment wall (e.g., by using any textbox file upload feature) or is it mandatory that you create a blog?

For example if I uploaded an animated GIF to a textbox and then copied the generated URL will I get the same results.

[Mike Nicholson]

Hello Donald!

Yep. You can use any of the file upload features available to upload the file. The blog is just the method we arbitrarily picked for this tutorial.

Cheers!
Mike

[Alexander]

Hello Mike,
Your instructions re: "Flash header" works great.

But there is a problem; it also replaces every member’s header!
Is there a way around this - so that it ONLY works on the default network page?

Thank you – Alex

[Mike Nicholson]

Hello Alexander!

Since this is added with JavaScript, it cannot selectively be applied to members pages who have not selected their own header without some extensive code modifications.

Cheers!
Mike