Embedding sound files in Frame8 docs

[Shlomo Perets]

Anthony,

You wrote:

>I have a Frame document which will eventually be saved as a PDF using
>Acrobat 9 Pro.  What I want to achieve is embedded sound files (I believe
>acrobat will now only handle mp3, so I have those) with an icon
>representation that, when clicked, will play the sound file.
>
>I have tried embedding the files into the Frame doc, and the PDF doesn't
>play them.  I have tried embedding them in the PDF, which works, but when I
>click the icon an mp3 file icon appears over the top of it.  This is a grey
>box with very small stop, play and pause buttons and a 'file progress play
>line'.  This remains visible after the file has played, and would mean
>little to any of my readers.
>
>Does anybody have a solution, preferably in Frame, but otherwise in the PDF
>that will allow me to embed a sound file that plays when an icon is clicked?


Acrobat 9 supports mp3 as a native format, one that will not require 
external players for audio playback in Acrobat/Reader 9 (such audio is not 
supported when the PDF is viewed in older Acrobat/Reader versions)
You can still use other formats (eg WAV) -- aka "legacy multimedia", which 
rely on media players installed in your system (or end users' systems).

When adding mp3 sounds manually in Acrobat through the Sound tool, and the 
sound is "activated", a play bar is added automatically. I am not aware of 
a way to suppress this playbar when the mp3 is defined manually.
When using the "legacy multimedia" option, a playbar is not inserted. You 
can place such audio manually in Acrobat over icons inserted in FrameMaker.

The native FM->PDF conversion does not support sound file embedding/linking 
in the PDF.

With the FM-to-Acrobat TimeSavers add + Multimedia Assistant, custom 
hypertext markers can be inserted in FM to control audio embedding/linking.
The icon is placed in FrameMaker, and the playbar does not show up by 
default. A sample PDF produced this way is available at 
http://microtype.com/showcase/MultimediaAsst/Embed-mp3.pdf (audio can also 
be launched through bookmarks, all defined in FM).

For a summary of Multimedia Assistant capabilities, see 
http://microtype.com/timesavers_Assistants.html#MultimediaAsst


Shlomo Perets

MicroType, http://www.microtype.com
FrameMaker/TCS training & consulting * FM-to-Acrobat TimeSavers/Assistants