Atlas

Creating Rich Media Ads

This section describes how to create Microsoft Rich Media ads in Flash.

If you're planning to use AS3 in your execution, please note that we're rolling out AS3 support incrementally.  Contact your agency's Rich Media PM or email us to see if the specific AS3 functionality you wish to use is currently supported.

1.) Start Flash

2.) Open a new Microsoft Rich Media template file:

1. In Flash, Select File --> New... or press CTRL+N
2. Select the General Template under the Templates Tab after selecting the Microsoft Rich Media Category.
   View screenshot:

3.) Create your ad content

Add/create the visual and editorial content for all phases of the rich media ad you are creating.

4.) Adding Microsoft Rich Media External Movie Load Actions

1. On the Links and Descriptions layer of your main timeline, define the external child SWF files that you wish to load into your movie.
View screenshot:


2. Select or add a Keyframe on/to your main timeline at the point where you would like to load your child movie(s).
3. With the desired Keyframe selected, open the Actions panel:
   Select Window > Actions
   or
   Press the F9 key
4. In the Actions panel, Select Actions > Microsoft Rich Media > Tracking Functions and double click on Movie. This will add the movie() action to the script pane.
   View screenshot:
   
   
5. Enter the Movie variable number (defined in the Links and Descriptions layer), for the movie you wish to load, inside the parentheses.
   View screenshot:
   
   
6. That’s it! Now when the Flash play head reaches this Keyframe on the main timeline, the external/child movie you have defined on the movie1 variable will be loaded into the parent movie. For this movie1 example, it will be loaded into the movie clip with instance name of movie1_mc.

Notes:
- If you wanted to load multiple movies at once all you have to do is add additional movie actions for each movie you would like to load.

5.) Adding Microsoft Rich Media Exit Actions

1. On the Links and Descriptions layer of your main timeline, define your exit URLs. At least one exit must be defined and the second line (exit2=""; exit2window="";) must be present.
   View screenshot:
   
   
2. Select the button, frame or object that you would like to add an exit action to.
3. With the desired button selected, open the Actions panel:
   Select Window > Actions
   or
   Press the F9 key
4. In the Actions panel Select Actions > Movie Clip Control and double click On. Then, from the drop down menu double click Release.
   View screenshot:
   
   
5. In the Actions panel, Select Actions > Microsoft Rich Media > Tracking Functions and double click on Exit. This will add the exit() action to the script pane.
   View screenshot:
   
   
6. Enter the Exit variable number (defined in the Links and Descriptions layer), for the exit URL you want to call, inside the parentheses.
   View screenshot:
   
   
7. That’s it! Now when a user clicks on the button they will be taken to the URL defined on 'exit 1' variable.

6.) Adding Microsoft Rich Media Event Actions

1. On the Links and Descriptions layer of your main timeline, define the Events you would like to report.
   View screenshot:
   
   
2. Select the button, frame or object that you would like to add an Event action to.
3. With the desired button selected, open the Actions panel:
   Select Window > Actions
   or
   Press the F9 key
4. In the Actions panel Select Actions > Movie Clip Control and double click On. Then, from the drop down menu double click rollOver.
   View screenshot:
   
   
5. In the Actions panel, Select Actions > Microsoft Rich Media > Tracking Functions and double click on Event. This will add the event() action to the script panel.
   View screenshot:
   
   
6. Enter the Event variable number (defined in the Links and Descriptions layer), for the event you want called, inside the parentheses.
   View screenshot:
   
   
7. That’s it! Now when a user rolls over this button, 'event 1' will be reported.

Notes: To guarantee that Event actions always execute, we highly recommend that you place all Event actions at the beginning/top of any code block.

Recommended:
  on (rollOver) {
    _root.conduit.event(1);
    gotoAndPlay("expand");
  }

NOT Recommended:
  on (rollOver) {
    gotoAndPlay("expand");
    _root.conduit.event(1);
  }