nesting <applet>, <object> and <embed>

[Wolfgang Schwanke]

Dear usenet,

I'm having the following small problem.

I've been ask to add some Quicktime panoramas to a website. The author of
the panoramas has made two versions of each: One in MOV format, which needs
a Quicktime plugin, and one Java applet. He's also kindly supplied me with
sample HTML code for each.

The code looks like this (simplified):

For the MOV-files:

<object ... blahb>
<param blahblah>
<param ......>

<embed blah></embed>

</object>

For the Java apples:

<applet blah>
<param blahblah>
<param ......>

</applet>

I could use them as is, and link them separately, asking the user to choose
among the two versions. However I'd like to implement an autoselect
according to the browser's capability, since most visitors of the website
probably aren't techie enough.

Here's my thoughts:

<applet ...>
<param ...>

<object ...>
<param ...>

<embed .....></embed>

<noembed><img src="screenshot .jpg" ...></noembed>
</object>
</applet>

IMHO this _should_ work like this: A browser with Java capability and
activated will interpret the <applet> part, load the Java applet, and
ignore the <object> and <embed> in between, as this is the mandatory
behaviour for the <applet> tag.

A browser without Java or Java deactivated, but with Quicktime plugin
installed, will interpret the <object> tag and load the MOV file
refererenced therein, but ignore the <embed>/<noembed> part in between.
Browsers who don't know the <object> tag will try the same with the <embed>
tag.

Last, browsers with neigher Java nor plugins (or deactivated) will get the
alternative content, e.g. a screenshot and some text.

It should even be possible to reverse the nesting order between <applet>
and <object>. This should be much the same, except that the preferred
method willb e the plugin, and the Java applet second preferred.

So much for theory. In practice it's all a big mess.

I've tried with IE 6.0 and Netscape 7.0 so far. Both show the MOV file as
well as the Java applet at the same time, next to each other, if both are
activated. If only one of the two is activated in the browser, they'll
still reserve space in the browser window and show some placeholder icon.
Nesting order of <applet> and <object> tags makes no difference.

Q1: Is my logic wrong? If so, where?

Q2: If not, are the browser broken? If they are, anyone know a way around
the browser bugs?

Q3: Any experiences with nesting Java-Applets and embedded multimedia
content is appreciated.

Thank you in advance

--
http://www.nuhr.de/data/FRESSEHA.MP3