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Javascript: hidden embed tag doesn't respond to Play()

  • 2 cavab
  • 3 have this problem
  • 11 views
  • Last reply by CJMonk

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In the following code snippet on Firefox (Mac OS), the Play() function is not found/does nothing.

<script> function EvalSound(soundobj) {

 var thissound=document.getElementById(soundobj);
 thissound.Play();

} </script>

<embed src="success.wav" autostart=false width=0 height=0 id="sound1" enablejavascript="true">

<form> <input type="button" value="Play Sound" onClick="EvalSound('sound1')"> </form>

The <embed> tag is non-standard, but the above code works on Windows (IE, Chrome, Firefox) + Mac (Safari + Chrome).

A workaround is to give the <embed> tag attributes height=1 width=1 (resulting in a single pixel showing). Setting either height + width=0 or hidden=true seems to hide the DOM object from Javascript.

Security feature? Optimization?

In the following code snippet on Firefox (Mac OS), the Play() function is not found/does nothing. <script> function EvalSound(soundobj) { var thissound=document.getElementById(soundobj); thissound.Play(); } </script> <embed src="success.wav" autostart=false width=0 height=0 id="sound1" enablejavascript="true"> <form> <input type="button" value="Play Sound" onClick="EvalSound('sound1')"> </form> The <embed> tag is non-standard, but the above code works on Windows (IE, Chrome, Firefox) + Mac (Safari + Chrome). A workaround is to give the <embed> tag attributes height=1 width=1 (resulting in a single pixel showing). Setting either height + width=0 or hidden=true seems to hide the DOM object from Javascript. Security feature? Optimization?

All Replies (2)

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Does it work if you place the embed in a DIV container that has display:none or visibility:hidden ?


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Placing the embed in a hidden div container also breaks Play().

As far as I can tell, the <embed> must be visible.