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Deploy CDF to Cloud

The increase in browser security has rendered inoperable embedded CDFs that I have written for my web pages. In particular, CDFPlayer is "broken" in the newer versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera. I cannot find suitable instruction among WRI's documentation to port the CDF's to the Cloud and code my HTML pages accordingly. Can someone help me and/or point me to the appropriate instructions? Thank you.

10 Replies

We have an example of cloud-based CDF embedding on the CDF website here:

http://www.wolfram.com/cdf/adopting-cdf/deploying-cdf/web-delivery-cloud.html

along with a pointer to documentation on deploying interactive to the cloud.

From the cloud, use Deploy > Embeddable Content on your selection to get an iframe code object that can be inserted into any HTML. More updates on CDF in the cloud will be coming in the months ahead, so stay tuned.

POSTED BY: Andre Kuzniarek

Thank you Andre. I will get started with the documentation you refer to. I am concerned about the "jumpy" response I get upon moving the slider in your example. Desktop motion is so smooth!

Indeed, it's inevitable that there is some lag in operating sliders and other such interfaces via cloud-based services. It's completely out of our control that the optimal experience via a plugin will no longer be possible -- browser developers are simply taking that option away across the board, though we expect support to hold out through this year at the 32-bit level in the browsers we continue to list on the player download and CDF sites.

There are some possible bugs causing jumpiness you might be seeing in current slider behavior on the cloud, but my understanding is that will pass in one of the coming cloud updates (which happen on a fairly regular bi-weekly basis). One of the advantages of web-based services is the potential to correct discrete problems faster than through desktop software release cycles...

POSTED BY: Andre Kuzniarek

Just a heads up that the jumpiness issue has been resolved (where controls like sliders were snapping back to starting position momentarily). Will look into any other issues people might be seeing that look like bugs...

POSTED BY: Andre Kuzniarek

The "snapping back" is not the jumpiness I was complaining about. It is the latency of the network and/or internet itself. When I move a slider from position A to position B, the corresponding motion in my browser widow is not smooth. In fact, my plot jumps from that corresponding to position A of the slider to that corresponding to position B of the slider. Worse yet in another notebook, a small dot which traces out a closed curve in time, just jumps from one position to another. I suspect that the distance between successive positions is based the round trip time needed for the signal to travel from my computer to the Wolfram Cloud and back.

Is this issue getting attention?

We can't really "fix" network latency, we can only work around it as much as possible. As mentioned previously on this thread, there is currently a certain amount of expected controller lag. Moving a slider will not update the manipulated contents until letting go of it at the desired point, and then the updated rendering occurs. So it will remain a slightly different experience than on desktop or plugin. Over the long term we expect network communications to improve, and are exploring new client-side methods for improving on these behaviors.

POSTED BY: Andre Kuzniarek

It might be easier if the mountain came to Mohamed - Wolfram should write its own browser - yeah seriously!! There's plenty of kits out there.

POSTED BY: William Stewart
Posted 9 years ago

I have encountered the same problem Stephen described. For my browser-based learning materials I was forced to condemn the CDF - application to the dustbin and migrate - with a heavy heart - to cloud deployment. The not-so-smooth motions become a complete nuisance on WLANs and smartphones. No solutions in sight?

POSTED BY: Leo Hamminger

We do have the iPad CDF app finally coming together, which was previewed at the tech conference last year and will be in beta in a few weeks. Those interested might be able to get into the beta program, and can reach out via our web contact form:

http://www.wolfram.com/company/contact/general/

POSTED BY: Andre Kuzniarek
Posted 9 years ago

Thanks Andre, useful to know!

POSTED BY: Leo Hamminger
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