Does disabling Flash on the browser when testing guarantee that the file will run in 2021?

Dec 07, 2020

If one tests all the courses in your inventory with the browser flash setting "off",  does that "guarantee" that the course will function when flash is no longer supported in 2021? The main reason why I ask this is that many of the courses we have function with flash disabled, but these files have swf files in them, which I thought were flash related.  Also, we have 5 stubborn courses which came back from a "flash audit" by our IT guys as flash free, but these courses run with audio only when flash is disabled.  So I am concerned that some courses will fly under the audit radar with swf files in them and then not work later, even though they work now with flash disabled. I believe most of these courses were done using Presenter and Engage about 6 years ago. 

 Thanks for any help,

Andy

2 Replies
Katie Riggio

Good morning, Andy!

Thanks for writing in, and great questions. Let's review together:

  • Does disabling Flash on the browser when testing guarantee that the file will run in 2021?
    It sounds like these courses were published with Studio '13, and its HTML5 output works on browsers that have Flash disabled. Is that right?

    If yes, they will continue to work since they include HTML5 output. Web browsers will continue to ignore the Flash content and display the HTML5 version instead. *However, HTML5 output from this legacy app only works in Chrome and Safari. It won't work reliably in other browsers.

    To guarantee a Flash-free experience from now and onward, we recommend using Storyline 3 or Studio 360 to republish these courses. These apps don't have any Flash dependencies, and their HTML5 output works in all major browsers.
  • These files have SWF files in them, which I thought were Flash-related.
    You're right. Flash movies (SWF files) only work in Flash courses. As a result, they'll stop working on January 1, 2021. We recommend replacing Flash movies with non-Flash videos, such as MP4 files, and then republishing your courses as HTML5 output.

Let me know if that helps!

📕 To learn how the end of Flash will affect Articulate apps and courses in 2021, check out this resource.
Andy Schoening

Thanks Katie. I was not aware that the HTML5 output on that older software was problematic on newer browsers. that would explain the issue now , since we have slowly switched over to Edge and then EdgeChromium over the last year and half. Unfortunately the old raw files for republishing were lost.  I am trying to disassemble the video, text  and image portions from the courses themselves with your tools to produce something quickly in Storyline or Rise. There are a few that wont run the visuals at all though, only audio (even with flash enabled). So that is what prompted my query initially.

More work to do i guess! 

Thanks for responding