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Gordon

It seems to happen when you have a flash movie that is animated..

Even making the html code flash insertion W3c compliant doesn't help matters. link. Flash just seems to have a tendency to want to shine through all overlying HTML (including layers) when a rollover or nextframe is called.

I'm definately no Flash/HTML genius but I'd say that all Flash ads should be altered to gifs or to static, no animation, no rollover Flash objects. (which kinda defeats the purpose of flash objects really)

In short - I'm not much help!

DeVore

We've taken it down for the moment. We'll run tests to see if we can fix it. Worst case we are restructure the page so the ads are on top and the nav below it.

DeV.

Talliesin

It's related to the way some elements are given different windows at the OS level with a different handle and device context (for those unfamiliar with windows programming, not only are the things we normally call "windows" windows, but so are most buttons, textboxes, controls etc.).

The more recent browsers use the same device context for almost everything (the "shine through" effect used to happen with more elements when dHTML first came on the scene, now it's only a few elements that cause issues) but the windows used by Flash and other plug-ins tend to be a remaining case of a different window being used.

Can't think of a cure in this case right now, but if I do I will of course let ye know.

Rabies

Could the ads be placed at the bottom of the page between the end of the thread and quick reply box.
They will still be seen when a thread is read and won't be too far down the page as to not be seen.

Gordon

axer may have this sorted with his link to make the flash transparent.

Placing html code into the object ID solves the problem when testing with a flash element underneath the dropdown boards menu. The only problem is that the background of the flash element is also transparent.

hostyle

Talliesin wrote:

The more recent browsers use the same device context for almost everything (the "shine through" effect used to happen with more elements when dHTML first came on the scene, now it's only a few elements that cause issues) but the windows used by Flash and other plug-ins tend to be a remaining case of a different window being used.

Can't think of a cure in this case right now, but if I do I will of course let ye know.

Edit the javascript menu code:

either (easy) hide all Flash content when a menu drops down, or (harder) calculate the clipping area of the menu item and if its going to share the area with the ad, hide it. Then undo any hiding after the menu has closed.

I've had to do this with drop downs and form elements before, its not a nice solution, but it works.

Zaphod

For Opera users, you can turn off Flash banners quickly by pressing F12 and unchecking 'Enable plugins'.

cuckoo

The eircom broadband banner ad is blocking the menus for me at the moment, I'm using Firefox 1.0.