Adform Content Manager allows creating a universal Flash banner which can dynamically change according to content definitions in Adform system. When using Adform banner elements, there is no need to physically alter the banners when the changes need to be applied to text, various properties (colors, alignment, etc.) or graphics. Below you will find detailed instructions on how to create Adform Content Manager compatible Flash banners.

Preview:

Examples:

Installation

For creating Adform Content Manager banners you need to download specific Adform components. This is done by downloading and installing „Adform Creative Toolkit“ extension. More info about installing this plugin can be found here.

Creating banner

Adform strongly recommends to use „Adform Creative Toolkit“ extension for creating banners with dynamic content. For opening this extenstion follow to Window --> Other Panels --> Adform in your Flash API top menu. The manual of „Adform Creative Toolkit“ can be found here.

However, you are able to create Adform Content Manager banners without „Adform Creative Toolkit“. You should follow these steps for creating such type banners:

1. When „Adform Creative Toolkit“ is installed, all Adform components are placed in your Adobe Flash installation directory. You are able to see them by selecting Window --> Components in the top menu.

2. Then drag and drop the AdformCore and AdformXMLManager components on the stage.

3. AdformXMLManager component has the following methods:

  • For loading a text variable value to a assigned textField:
AdformXMLManager.setText(varName:String, tf:TextField);

       varName - variable name in content xml at selected group;
       tf – textfield instance name.

  • For loading image to assigned movieClip with a preloader:
AdformXMLManager.loadFile(varName:String, mc:*,
loadCompleteHandler:Function, loadProgressHandler:Function);

         varName – variable name in content xml at selected group;
         mc – movieClip instance name;
         loadCompleteHandler – function to call when file has been loaded;
         loadProgressHandler - function to call while file is loading; properties arebytesLoaded and bytesTotal.

  • For retrieving variable values:
AdformXMLManager.getVarValue(type:String, name:TextField);

          type – variable type in the context xml, possible types are: text and graphic;
          name – variable name in the context xml.

Note: You are not able to access variable value until XML is completely loaded. You must listen to “AdformXMLManager.XML_LOAD_COPLETE” event.

  • Adding event listener:
AdformXMLManager. addEventListener (event:String, handler:Function);

          event – event name;
          handler – event handle function.

4. AdformXMLManager component has event which fires when XML is completely loaded:

AdformXMLManager. addEventListener (AdformXMLManager. XML_LOAD_COMPLETE, onXMLLoaded:Function);

5. For setting test XML location (this is ONLY for testing purposes, when publishing final banners this method should not be used as the AdformXMLManagers find the XML automatically):

AdformXMLManager.pathToXMLFile = “url:String”

url – valid URL to a content xml. Possible values are relative (ex.: metadata.xml) or full paths.

Note: examples and events of XMLManager component can be found here.

XML template

1. The XML structure is shown below – when using a local XML for testing purposes, please make sure that naming is correct: <root>, <TextVars> and <Graphics>.

<root>
<TextVars>
<TextVar name="BackgroundColor" value="F3F3F3"/>
<TextVar name="Text" value="Adform Banner Elements XML Example."/>
</TextVars>
<Graphics>
    <Graphic name="Logo" value="http://adform.com/en/images/logo.jpg" />
</Graphics>
</root>

2. You can validate your own XML against the below Adform Content Manager DTD – Document Type Definition:

<!DOCTYPE root [
<!ELEMENT root (TextVars,Graphics,Groups)>
<!ELEMENT TextVars (TextVar+)>
<!ELEMENT TextVar EMPTY>
<!ELEMENT Graphics (Graphic+)>
<!ELEMENT Graphic EMPTY>
<!ELEMENT Groups (Group+)>
<!ELEMENT Group (TextVars,Graphics)>

<!ATTLIST root xmlns:xsi CDATA #FIXED "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchemainstance">
<!ATTLIST root xmlns:xsd CDATA #FIXED "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<!ATTLIST TextVar name CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST TextVar value CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Graphic name CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Graphic value CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Graphic assetID CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Graphic av CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Group name CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Group id CDATA #REQUIRED>
]>

3. You need to implement the clickTAG variable. Detailed instructions for clickTAG implementation can be found here.

4. Banners should be compiled with Flash 8 or higher version. There might be pop-up blocker problems when interacting with lower version banners in Internet Explorer 7.

5. Test the Flash banner in live web environment using Adform Creative Test Module.