How Browser Incompatibilities are Handled

Here's some info on what happens if a viewer's browser doesn't support Adobe Flash or HTML5. The answer depends on how an IMO is deployed. Recall that there are four deployment options:

• Flash Only
• HTML5 Only
• Hybrid Flash and HTML5, Default to Flash
• Hybrid Flash and HTML5, Default to HTML5

What Flash Version is needed?

In general, ClicFlic IMOs require Adobe Flash Player 10.0.0 or higher. This is to take advantage of many improvements made between flash players 9 and 10.  Strictly speaking, if you use .flv video and .mp3 audio, you only need version 9.0.0 or higher, and if you wish to use MP4 video, you need version 9.0.115 or higher.

What Browsers support HTML5?

HTML5 is supported by:
- Internet Explorer 9 or higher
- Firefox (any modern version)
- Chrome (any modern version)
- Safari (any modern version)
- Opera (any modern version)

Most web browsers constantly update themselves these days and they have frequent releases. Firefox, for instance, is currently on version 23 and Chrome is on version 29.

How does ClicFlic handle incompatible situations:
 
1. If the IMO is intended for Flash On;y - the IMO is usually embedded directly in your hosting webpage using <object> and <embed> tags, or using swfobject.js or some other means of embedding flash. In this scenario, you control what is presented to the user when they don't have flash at all or need to upgrade their flash player to version 10.0.0 or higher. On ClicFlic hosted deployments, the expressinstall.swf flash file is displayed if flash is installed but is an old version, and the following message is presented if no flash is installed:





This interactive media object cannot play at this time because Adobe Flash is not installed on this device. If your device supports Adobe Flash, please visit http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ to install Flash. In general, most laptop, notebook, and desktop computer web browsers support Flash. However, many mobile devices, such as Apple IOS devices (iPods, iPads and iPhones) and Android phones and tablets, do not support flash. In this case, please use a different device to access this website.




2. If the IMO is intended for HTML5 ONLY, the loading process is controlled by a ClicFlic script. If the browser is not HTML5 compatible, it shows this message:

BROWSER NOT COMPATIBLE. We cannot play this media because your web browser is not compatible with HTML5. To correct this, please try a different browser. Compatible web browsers include Internet Explorer 9 or above, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera. Note that Opera Mini is not compatible.

3. If the IMO is a hybrid - meaning it plays in both Flash OR HTML5 depending on platform (either Flash or HTML5 can be designated as the default if both are available), the embed is performed by a ClicFlic script. In this case:

a. If no Flash is installed in the browser, or the IMO is set to default to HTML5:
- If the browser is HTML5 compatible, just use HTML5.
- If no HTML5 browser and no Flash, present this message:

BROWSER NOT COMPATIBLE. We cannot play this media because flash is not installed on your web browser and your web browser is not compatible with HTML5. Please try a different web browser if you have one available. Compatible web browsers include Internet Explorer 9 or above, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera. Note that Opera Mini is not compatible. Alternatively, visit http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ to install the latest version of the Adobe Flash Player.

b. If Flash is installed, and is the default, or if there is no HTML5 browser, the system will play the flash version. If the installed flash is too early a version, the system will show a SWF file called expressinstall.swf to make it easy for the viewer to upgrade his or her flash installation.

Note that the messages above can be localized to any language, just like other standard text inside the IMO.