Cannot add video to web page

[TheCapn]

Every instruction I found online says that you can insert an mp4 video by dragging and dropping or importing. I have tried both and I cannot add a video to the page.

Here's what happens:

I drag and drop the video onto the page and it asks if I want the movie to start playing automatically, I select no. Then it looks like it's loading the video and after about 5 seconds an error message appears that says "Failed to load web page for preview generation". I click OK and nothing happens and the video never appears. The same thing happens when I import. I searched online for that specific error message and nothing comes up.

Any advice on how I can load a video on my web page? The video is only 3 MB and is 480 X 360 pixels. What am I doing wrong?

P.S. I am using Xara WDP v11

Thank you.

[Acorn]

I just tried and don't get the error message but the code Xara WDPv11 generates will no longer work as it relies on SWF, which has been deprecated by all browsers.
As Xara uses MS Windows Explorer 11 in its Preview, this is probably why it is failing you.

Instead, create a small Placeholder and use Web Properties > Placeholder > Placeholder > replace with graphic file; link to your required MP4.
This add the MP4 into your design and the Placholder can be hidden from view.

Next, create a larger box for the MP4's display and add this form of code directly into the Placeholder Body section:
<video class="xar_meplayer" src="index_htm_files/<video title>.mp4" controls width = "100%" height="100%"/>

The cost of a Upgrade to v18.5 is USD45, less than a buck a week, which is cheap for any hobby.

Acorn

[TheCapn]

Thanks for the reply Acorn. I tried what you said and got it to play in Firefox browser but the Web Animations stopped working. In Chrome the Web Animations work but the video won't play. It seems, as you pointed out, that this version of XWD is too old to add mp4 videos directly. I have a newer version (WDP 365 v12), but a font I use for the menu in this website gets corrupted in any version beyond XWD v11. Rather than replace the font on all the pages, which would effectively require a redesign, I just continue to use XWD 11. I decided to embed the video from YouTube instead. It's not ideal, with the ads and all, but at least it plays without issues.

BTW, the "drag and drop" method works perfectly in WDP 365.

Thanks again.

[Acorn]

Thanks for the reply Acorn. I tried what you said and got it to play in Firefox browser but the Web Animations stopped working. In Chrome the Web Animations work but the video won't play. It seems, as you pointed out, that this version of XWD is too old to add mp4 videos directly. I have a newer version (WDP 365 v12), but a font I use for the menu in this website gets corrupted in any version beyond XWD v11. Rather than replace the font on all the pages, which would effectively require a redesign, I just continue to use XWD 11. I decided to embed the video from YouTube instead. It's not ideal, with the ads and all, but at least it plays without issues.

BTW, the "drag and drop" method works perfectly in WDP 365.

Thanks again.

Sorry but I get annoyed when I can see no logic to a statement of X OK in FF but Y not, yet Y OK in Chrome but not X.
I have lots of whizzes working across all browsers and do not see these hang-ups. I also find it weird that Font Z will not play.

These all sound like initialisation issues with your XDA or some of your manual coding had got mangled.
A first step is to rerun v11 & v12 as Run as administrator to ensure the products are properly bedded in.

Second step.
What is the font?

Third step.
There are methods to control ads and related videos:

• Place a dot after .com and the initial delaying ad will not appear.
• Add ?rel=0 to the end of the link will only offer related videos from the same channels; you must have more than one video in the channel.

YouTube is a beast unto itself so expect evolving changes that prevent such tricks.

Acorn

[handrawn]

an aside maybe - do not embed youtube in your site unless you have an account that allows you to ditch adverts and autoplay; you may regret it.. better to link