Flash Backgrounds? What happened?

Well I was looking to make a flash background with images and text over it. CSS layers seemed to be the way to go, but after looking around and failing to do so myself I almost think it is no longer supported?! Or what?

http://www.flashdesignerzone.com/tutorials/t1044.php

This link provides a guide to flash backgrounds. It also appears to have a sample which should be running behind his content. However, as I see it, the flash is still layered over the other content. I tested it in Internet Explorer and got the same thing. Same problem I am having when attempting to do mine.

So what's up with that? And is there another way to do a flash background?

Yes it is possible and very much still supported. One catch is that you have to make sure that the flash wmode is set to transparent or the swf will always be on top of the content. I would also be sure to use some sort of javascript embed (either the one that flash publishes or the swfobject will do).

Here's a test of Flash over HTML over Flash that I built to prove the concept. All the styles are embeded in the html so it should be pretty easy to figure out whats going on. http://addsomespark.com/overunder

That was a very nicely done example you did. I thank you much.

np glad you could use it.

Couldn't another way, be:
Use the z-index, and <div> tags, to make one layer on top of the other, and align them with your CSS file?

Thats exactly what's being done.

The thing is... it's not showing as a background image for me... It's a simple flash over all the other content on the site.

I'm using Firefox 3 on Windows XP

Its actually 3 parts. The bottom layer (diagonal lines) is 100% x 100% resizing Flash. Resize your browser to see it move around. This was a 10 minute example so there's something wrong with the base flash in that it doesn't always animate. Next there's a layer of HTML content (all the text) and finally there's an absolutely positioned piece of flash on top to simulate a menu. Click to see it animate.

I'll be writing on one way to do this... look here...
http://corbensproducts.com/Blogs/7/51/

I'll be explaining how to do it in detail over the next few weeks...
jeremyBass