Create Flash header or slideshow on WordPress easily with Flashfader plugin

August 5, 2007 – 9:03 pm | by Miriam Schwab

My Flash skills are non-existent, so when a client requested some kind of Flash header where the images fade out and in, I was happy that I remembered that I had once come a across a plugin that creates Flash slideshows.

Flashfader plugin lets you easily create Flash slideshows and place them almost anywhere on your blog.

How to use Flashfader:

  1. Extract the files and upload them to the plugins directory. There are two files: flashfader.php and flashfader.swf. Both have to be in the root directory of plugins, and not in their own folder.
  2. Install Flashfader.
  3. Go to Manage > Flashfader. The following screen appears:
    Flashfader screen shot
  4. Here you can customize the appearance of the slideshow:
    1. Width/Height: define the width and height of the slideshow. If you upload pictures that are bigger or smaller than this size, they will be automatically edited to the size you define here. So if you want to have complete control over how your pictures look in the slideshow, select and width and height, enter them here, and make sure all your images are exactly that size.
    2. Background color: This is the color that will appear before your first image fades in.
    3. Fade Order: your images can either appear in a selected order, or randomly. Enter 1 if you want your images to appear in the order you define. Enter 2 if you want the images to appear randomly.
    4. Image display time: This is how long each image appears for before it fades out.
    5. Imag2image fade time: This is how long the fade between pictures takes.
    6. XHTML-valid flash embed: You can state whether you want the embed code to be XHTML-compliant. I found that it worked fine when XHTML-compliant.
  5. Save your settings.
  6. In the next part of the screen, you upload the images you want to appear in the slideshow.
    Flashfader screen shot
  7. If you set the Fade Order in step 3 above to sequential, you do not need to worry about the first column of numbers. If you did select to have a sequential slideshow, you can easily change the order by entering numbers in the middle column in the above picture.
  8. Save your work.

You now have a completed Flash slideshow. But how do we get it to appear in the header of the site, or in any other part.

Integrating your new Flash show in your site

Open header.php and insert:

<?php include (ABSPATH.”wp-content/flashfader/flashfaderhtml.txt”);?>

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  1. 36 Responses to “Create Flash header or slideshow on WordPress easily with Flashfader plugin”

  2. By Mike on Nov 18, 2007 | Reply

    You have a great site. I am trying to install the flash header and at the bottom of your site it says “Integrating your new Flash show in your site” Where do I find this information? Thanks

  3. By Miriam on Nov 19, 2007 | Reply

    Hi Mike – you’re right! I didn’t realize that I never completed that post. Unfortunately I won’t have time to complete it for the next while, but I’ll try to get to it as soon as I can.

  4. By Spanner on Feb 6, 2008 | Reply

    Hi there. Excellent plugin – looks superb!

    I was wondering if there was any way to add a feature (bearing in mind I know precisely nothing about code) so each picture in the slideshow had a link to a post or page within the blog?
    So like, my first picture links to a post about that picture, my second links to a different post relevant to picture 2, etc.?

    Thanks for your help.

  5. By Miriam Schwab on Feb 6, 2008 | Reply

    Hi Spanner – You can’t do what you’re asking with this plugin, but check out this post: http://wpgarage.com/tips/giving-each-wordpress-post-a-thumbnail-and-display-the-thumbnail-on-the-home-page/. It describes how to give every post its own unique thumbnail image, which could theoretically be a big image, and you could add links to that image too. But that may demand understanding code…

  6. By Seth on Mar 19, 2008 | Reply

    You left us hanging?!?

    Where’s the rest of the post?

  7. By rinogo on May 6, 2008 | Reply

    @Spanner: If you want to have the images link to pages on your site and/or display text and stuff, check out featurific.  (http://featurific.com)

  8. By alex on May 31, 2008 | Reply

    Hello,

    it is a useful plug-and I did it just to test my WordPress blog in the sidebar in Blog Pics installed, but the amount I can not change the images.

    The value jumps repeatedly 185×60 px.

    I have also already in the flash fader administration is trying to change, nothing happens.

    Can someone help me? Thank you in advance.

    Greetings Alex ..

  9. By rinogo on Jun 2, 2008 | Reply

    Oops – I meant http://featurific.com/ffw . That’s a better page to hit up – it has the wordpress plugin on it.
    Have a great day! :)

  10. By Rich on Jul 10, 2008 | Reply

    @alex: were you having those problems with Featurific, or with the Flashfader plugin?  If you need help with Featurific, I’d be happy to help you.

  11. By t on Aug 27, 2008 | Reply

    hey there…. where´s the rest of your post? :(
    the most important for me is to know how can i create a flash header with this plugin… can you finish this post…would be so great.
    thanks

  12. By Yvonne on Sep 18, 2008 | Reply

    further information on installing the plugin into your theme can be found at:  http://www.lynk.de/wordpress/flashfader/
    i’m struggling with how to stop it from moving everything else around on the page…

  13. By Brent on Oct 30, 2008 | Reply

    Can someone tell how can I add this to a main page without using the php syntax

    <?php include (ABSPATH.’wp-content/flashfader/flashfaderhtml.txt’); ?> 

    ThankYou!

  14. By Cody on Dec 29, 2008 | Reply

    Can someone tell me how to position the box in a certain position?

    THanks.

  15. By brian on Jan 4, 2009 | Reply

    But how do we get it to appear in the header of the site, or in any other part?

  16. By Cody on Jan 5, 2009 | Reply

    I have found another solution. I used java instead of a plugin. The script that I used was called smooth gallery. Go to there site, http://smoothgallery.jondesign.net/. It explains everything there.

    Here is what my site looks like with js instead of flv.

    http://www.scotthamiltongolf.com

  17. By jared on Feb 23, 2009 | Reply

    what happened ? your article is not complete? where is the rest?

  18. By Anja on Mar 5, 2009 | Reply

    Hi there, just one small question. Is there a size limit in the display settings? I’d like to go as big as 1920×1200px, but if I save these settings, it won’t let me upload any images.

  19. By Andrés on Mar 24, 2009 | Reply

    Great plugin, thanks a lot.
    I miss a link animation option.
    May be in the future?

  20. By Wordpress Directory on May 13, 2009 | Reply

    This is a great plugin, but it’s missing a very KEY feature, the ability to assign a link to each picture.  Most people really need that feature…

  21. By Dlo on Jun 12, 2009 | Reply

    How do I use this on the center of my site

    it only shows how to use it on the side bar or header
    Thanks great plug

  22. By Jeff on Jun 25, 2009 | Reply

    Are there any WP-plugins for slidewhows that allow you to add links to individual images?  Thanks!

  23. By Iris on Aug 23, 2009 | Reply

    This plugin can create slideshow, upload, resize and host, – all automatic
    http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/post-rich-videos-and-photos-galleries/

  24. By Anthony on Aug 26, 2009 | Reply

    Functionality with latest ver of wordpress 2.8.4?

  25. By Me on Sep 7, 2009 | Reply

    to all:
    if u want to implement the flash-slideshow into your site. u have to modifiy the appropriate html/php file.
    in the case of placing the slide show into the header of a wordpress theme you have to config the <header.php>
    1. make a back up of your header.php
    2. open the header php and search for the div container managing the header image

    <div class=”Header”>
    <div class=”Header-jpeg”></div>
    <div class=”logo”>
    <h1 id=”name-text” class=”logo-name”>
    <a href=”<?php echo get_option(‘home’);                             ?>/”><?php bloginfo(‘name’); ?></a></h1>
    <div id=”slogan-text” class=”logo-text”>
    <?php bloginfo(‘description’); ?></div>
    </div>
    3.paste the given code for the flashfader ABOVE ! the <div class=”Header-jpeg”></div> container, or delete the Header-jpeg -class.
    –> the code should like this
    <div class=”Header”>

    <?php
    include (ABSPATH.’wp-content/flashfader               
    /flashfaderhtml.txt’);
    ?>
    <div class=”Header-jpeg”></div>
    <div class=”logo”>
    <h1 id=”name-text” class=”logo-name”>
    <a href=”<?php echo get_option(‘home’);          
    ?>/”><?php bloginfo(‘name’); ?></a></h1>
    <div id=”slogan-text” class=”logo-text”>
    <?php bloginfo(‘description’); ?></div>
    </div>
    4. Save and Njoy!
    hopefully i could help anyone who was not able to implement the code into a wordpress-theme

  26. By James on Sep 15, 2009 | Reply

    Hi,

    Is there a working demo, utilizing this plugin?

    Sorry if I missed it.

    Thx

  27. By jimmy on Sep 28, 2009 | Reply

    Hm, yeah, good point.  There is so much available on the Web today, its difficult to test all of the different plugins out there by publishing the code first.  Its much easier to evaluate those plugins that have an example already built.

  28. By EnKrypt on Dec 30, 2009 | Reply

    The author Miriam, admits to not finishing the article and haphazardly decides she’s too busy and will finish the article when time is available…
    And since Nov 2007 – she still hasn’t found the time.
    Lame.  Very lame.

  29. By Miriam Schwab on Jan 2, 2010 | Reply

    The commenter EnKrypt apparently thinks that the fact that we are posting these tips for free does not deserve thanks, just criticism for not providing good enough service for his/her royal highness.

    Well EnKrypt, check out the end of the post where it now says how to get the flash header to appear in your site.

  30. By Ryan on Jan 3, 2010 | Reply

    @EnKrypt – Don’t be such an ass.
    Perhaps next time, instead of whining, you should rewrite the blog post and send the changes to Miriam? That is what a helpful/grateful person would do. She is posting this stuff to be nice so there is no need/reason to complain.
     

  31. By EnKrypt on Jan 3, 2010 | Reply

    Hrmmm
    1.) Because someone can’t follow through with a promise after two years, and making simple observation – that makes me the target of ridicule and to be called names?!
    Wow!  Now there’s a stretch!
    2.) So you now have completed your thought, albeit two years tardy; you make the note that I’m “high and mighty” by referencing me as Royalty?
    Wow!  An even bigger stretch!  ..Gee whillickers, Princess – who put the pea underneath your mattress?
    3.) These instructions, for me at least, don’t work at all.  The best I get is  a broken function call spewing across my header.  This forum isn’t the only one that I consulted, there are others out there of course.  So, your completed thought, while it is consistent to other forums, the instructions for me, don’t work.
    ..But, I’m guessing you two are happy about that…because I am, after all “such an ass”.
    Like always, I’ve found a work around to satisfy what I need to have happen and I no longer give a toot to this plug-in.  It’s a fluke, it’s a fake plug-in… I don’t know.  I don’t care.  It’s garbage and a waste of time for me based on a guess that it’s probably conflicting with my theme’s code.  Again, I couldn’t care anyway.
    Now, perhaps the two of you could suck it up.  Maybe Miriam could start reaching for the “Big Girl” glass in lieu of a Sippy Cup.  If you’re going to conduct yourself in a public space, you should probably expect to receive criticism upon occasion.  Don’t take it personal, it’s actually part of life that’s called “growing up”.
    …And Ryan you could just head on down to the corner hardware store, buy a big kite, and go fly it.
    Cheezus… It’s like being in a Romper Room with a broken Magic Mirror.  If you’ve got an incomplete thought out there Miriam, with a promise to complete it — and two years later, someone makes a notation of it…That makes the person a monster  in your dime-sized world?!  Again… reach for the Big Girl glass from now on, Sister and leave the Sippy Cup to people like Ryan.  He sounds like he’s still got his milk teeth anyway.
    So there’s your sage advice for the week.  Since it is a complete thought, and it hasn’t arrive two years later than promised: I’ll expect you two Royal Highnesses to thank me publicly for your gratitude and appreciation for my time and wisdom behind it.   If you want to make a stretch, like an Ass (that you are Ryan), I’ll take the opportunity to make my own – thank-you-very-much.
    BTW – if you delete the comment – it’s a self-admittance of your own immaturity.  You’ll happily call people names, and ridicule them for making a simple observation – but if it comes back to bite you – you’ll be the first coward to kill it.
    …enjoy the stretch!

  32. By Ryan on Jan 3, 2010 | Reply

    ROTFLMAO

  33. By Miriam Schwab on Jan 3, 2010 | Reply

    Ryan, you crack me up.

    Since I’ve been authorized to move up to a Big Girl glass, do you want my Sippy Cup?

    I gotta go make sure the pea is still under my mattress.

  34. By Ryan on Jan 3, 2010 | Reply

    Excellent, my very own sippy cup for my shiny new milk teeth :)
    Watch out for that pea!

  35. By topsi on Jan 22, 2010 | Reply

    Hi all..
    thanks for this great plugins.. but i have a problem….
    I used the Template from tofurious..
    Which code must i used to become the flashfader at the header??

  36. By Peter on Feb 12, 2010 | Reply

    Thanks for this post!  It’s what I was looking for.  I thought I had installed it correctly, but I am getting this error instead of the pictures.  I installed the plugin and uploaded 2 pictures using the settings link.  I’m not sure what’s going on.  Any thoughts?
    error code:
    Warning: Division by zero in /home/content/p/e/t/peterdavis2/html/blog/wp-content/themes/photopress/header.php on line 32

    Warning: Division by zero in /home/content/p/e/t/peterdavis2/html/blog/wp-content/themes/photopress/header.php on line 32

    Warning: include(0txt’) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/content/p/e/t/peterdavis2/html/blog/wp-content/themes/photopress/header.php on line 32

    Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening ‘0txt’’ for inclusion (include_path=’.:/usr/local/php5/lib/php’) in /home/content/p/e/t/peterdavis2/html/blog/wp-content/themes/photopress/header.php on line 32

  37. By Peter on Feb 12, 2010 | Reply

    Nevermind!  I got it.  Thanks again!

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