Flash

baltimoresun.com accepts flash and rich media advertisements, assuming that all creative meets the specifications for the site, including a maximum of three animation loops, the inclusion of a click-tag and file size restrictions.

Please follow the following guidelines before submitting a flash banner to baltimoresun.com:

ANIMATIONS

are restricted to a 15 second limit per loop with a maximum of 3 loops. Flash ads cannot include false functionality.

Banners may only loop 3 times. Here is one method to restrict your banner to three loops:

1. Create a new layer and call it "actions."
2. Create a keyframe on the actions layer on frame 1. Add the following actionscript to this keyframe:
   numberOfLoops = 0;
3. Create a keyframe on the actions layer on the very last frame of your movie. Add the following action:
   gotoAndPlay(2);
4. Create a keyframe on the actions layer on the frame you would like your movie to STOP at. Add the following actions:
   numberOfLoops = numberOfLoops+1;
if (numberOfLoops == 3) {
stop();
}
5. Test.

CLICKTAG

information must be included in all flash ads in order to track click-throughs. Here is the recommended method to include ClickTags. Follow instructions carefully.

1. Create an invisible button that covers the entire banner canvas and remains in this location for the duration of the timeline.
2. Please follow the correct instruction below based on where your ad will appear.
   

   • For ads appearing on baltimoresun.com:
     Attach the following action to your invisible button:
     on (release) {
getURL(clickTag, "_blank");
}

   • For ads appearing on cars.com:
     Attach the following action to your invisible button:
     on (release) {
getURL(_level0.clicktag, "_blank");
}

Click here for more information on clickTag instructions from Adobe.

Make sure you don't have any quotes around the word clickTag--ensure that this is an expression). If this is not an expression, the ad will not click through.

NOTES ABOUT THE USE OF FLASH

• Height and width values must be included for the floating flash layer.
• Close button should always be implemented for these ad types.
• The floating flash layer, once finished playing, should disappear so as not to obstruct links and form fields on the page it was covering.
• You must provide an alternate animated gif or jpg banner to accommodate users who do not have the Flash plug-in. Please limit looping to 3x's per banner.
• See the File Submission section for design guidelines and file size restrictions.

For more information about advertising and creative specifications, please contact Thom Smith at 410-464-2886 ext. 251.