Dynamic HTML: The Definitive Reference

Name

<EMBED> — NN 2 IE 3 HTML n/a

Synopsis

<EMBED>...</EMBED>

End Tag: Required

An EMBED element allows you to load media and file types other than those natively rendered by the browser. Typically, such external data requires a plugin or helper application to properly load the data and display its file. Notice that this element has been supported by both Navigator and Internet Explorer since Versions 2 and 3, respectively, but the element is still not a part of the HTML standard vocabulary. The HTML 4.0 specification recommends the OBJECT element as the one to load the kind of external data covered by the EMBED element in the browsers. Navigator 4 and Internet Explorer 4 also support the OBJECT element, and you should gravitate toward that element for embedded elements if your visitor browser base can support it.

Bear in mind that for data types that launch plugins, the control panel displayed for the data varies widely among browsers, operating systems, and the plugins the user has installed for that particular data type. It is risky business trying to carefully design a layout combining a plugin’s control panel and surrounding text or other elements.

The list of attributes for the EMBED element is a long one, but pay special attention to the browser compatibility rating for each attribute. Because the plugin technologies of the two browsers are not identical, neither are the attribute sets. Even so, it is possible to assign an EMBED element in one document that works on both ...