Dear Moodlers,
I have a problem which takes time to explain (the main point is similar to http://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=8839 )
I'm using an open W3C format called SMIL to create lectures. I have some courses on WebCT and it runs great there (to be explained later). In order to run the lectures, the user should have RealPlayer plugin installed. SMIL is an XML consisting mostly of URL's for fetching the media.
In case the URL's are outside Moodle (no authentication needed), everything is fine.
If the URL's point to files inside Moodle (require authentication/session opened), I have a problem, but only on Firefox. IE works nice.
Firefox doesn't send the session (or RealPlayer doesn't get it) well, so I get an obvious error as I cannot access the files without the session. IE sends it OK and everything works.
In case someone's trying to explain this as a "plugin for FF issue"... Could be, but WebCT & RealPlayer & Firefox combination works quite well. In case of not sending session, a dialog box opens in RealPlayer for entering the username/password, user supplies it and it's great. I suppose it's HTTP Basic Authentication then, and I'd be satisfitied to solve this issue in Moodle like that also. Obviously WebCT has some kind of workaround for this.
So, I'm attaching a ZIP archive with a test SMIL file, it's easy to understand what's going on. You should unpack it and put to a Moodle course. You can try opening .html file, which calls .smil file. One image should be loaded from your server, and another from moodle.org. Just put the correct *absolute* path to the image on your Moodle. I'm also attaching a WebCT screenshot.
(oh, yes, if you're going to play with the files, pay attention to cache and changes )
I'd be grateful for all the help,
Ivana
Hello Ivana,
unfortunately no luck here. The issue with the cookie not sent by the player running inside the browser still persist, afaik using Windows Media Player.
What it seems strange to me is the issue using RealPlayer. RealPlayer worked well, most of the issue was present using Windows Media.
An alternative is the use of .swf/.flv files. They can be progressive downloaded and support timeline events, as long as relative paths. I'm aware Flash is not SMIL, but never encountered a problem using swf or flv.
Andrea
unfortunately no luck here. The issue with the cookie not sent by the player running inside the browser still persist, afaik using Windows Media Player.
What it seems strange to me is the issue using RealPlayer. RealPlayer worked well, most of the issue was present using Windows Media.
An alternative is the use of .swf/.flv files. They can be progressive downloaded and support timeline events, as long as relative paths. I'm aware Flash is not SMIL, but never encountered a problem using swf or flv.
Andrea
Thanks, Andrea, for your input.
from what I have seen in your posts, you didn't have problems with RealPlayer and IE (works fine for me also), but you weren't testing with FF. Maybe I'm wrong in this one.
A glimpse of hope to which I'm trying to hold is the way WebCT deals with it, so obviously there must be a way
Unfortunately, as we're trying to use open formats, Flash is no good to us.
Any idea whom to "complain"? RealPlayer, Firefox? Moodle to find a workaround ?
Regards,
Ivana
from what I have seen in your posts, you didn't have problems with RealPlayer and IE (works fine for me also), but you weren't testing with FF. Maybe I'm wrong in this one.
A glimpse of hope to which I'm trying to hold is the way WebCT deals with it, so obviously there must be a way
Unfortunately, as we're trying to use open formats, Flash is no good to us.
Any idea whom to "complain"? RealPlayer, Firefox? Moodle to find a workaround ?
Regards,
Ivana