Flash :: Dynamic Image/Product Library:Best Practices

Shared Library - OOP - Best Practices
so i use oop on projects, or shall i say, files
if i have a multi file website, i end up using the same core objects over and over
i see that mx 2004 has this project feature, so i thought it would be a good time to try to consolidate some code and objects so that i import a shared library of custom objects once, and all the files can use it

but i am having trouble locating that tutorial

some of the shared library info are for reusing movie clips, but not objects
or
i am doing somethings the wrong way

heres an example and maybe you could provide some architecture

i have a shell file, like start.swf
and the navigation will load other movies into an empty container clip
things like :home.swf, contact.swf, whatever.swf

all of these file would use some of my base objects - superBox.as, textBox.as

normally, i have these clips in EVERY file and EVERY file makes reference to external script files and EVERY file does a register class

how can mx streamline 2004 this?

thank you for reading

Dynamic Image Library
It is time once again to call forth the actionscript gods as it is not known to our people how to program such a thing.

I have been wondering what the protocol for querying a image folder is. I would like to obtain the names of all the images in an external folder to populate an array.

And now we will wait for a sign from the gods...

Dynamic Image Library
I need to obtain a list of the image names in a folder outside my flash file. The images will vary depending on the users uploaded image library. What should I do. This is probably a Coldfusion question, I don't know.

Random Image On Load - Dynamic Library
Hi,

I'm trying to implement a script that will display a random image every time the flash file is loaded. I want it to source from a selection of images in a folder. Does anyone know how I can go about doing this ?

Best Practices - Flash Image Carousel
When creating an image Carousel in flash for a web page, what are the best practices for loading quickly and changing images?

So for instance, on an ecommerce site, the home page often has a block created in flash in which 4-6 images are included with arrows or image numbers are displayed at the bottom as buttons. The images automatically change to the next ever x seconds unless the user selects an image number or the forward/back arrows.

Obviously, smaller the image the better. But how about best practices for things like:

Do you include one image in the block and then load dynamically the other images? Should all images be dynamically loaded if you want to change them on a daily/weekly basis? Any suggestions for making sure the images, especially the first one is loaded quickly?

Anyone have sample ~gpl code that demonstrates a block like this?

Two examples - kohls.com, jcrew.com

Product/image Display
I need an intresting way to display images. I need to have a neat system with photos, and details of the same photos, for a product the company is trying to sell. I want to stay away from the basic like 25 box, thumbnail, you click, and the close ups come up that way. check out www.paperdenim.com and www.joesjeans.com I like how their galley sections work. Anyone have any ideas, or can help me in the correct direction of producing a similar effect.

Let me know.

-G.Guru.

Is Flash The Product I Need For Custom Image Manipulation?
I have a project coming due in September. The client is in a trade show and wants to take photos of visitors in front of a solid background.

We will then give the visitor an ID number generated by the database via a laptop and either an internal modem or a network connection if it is supplied at the trade show.

After the show, the visitor can go to the client's website and pick a background to superimpose their photo over and have the ability to print the image.

My question is will Flash handle this properly? Or is there another technology that will do this easier?

I'm familiar with the php image manipulation where you can enter text into a web page and it is put onto an image. Maybe this is a better solution for what I need?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

FYI: I am experienced in Flash animation and a little AS. I am experienced in ColdFusion and MSSQL. The client's website uses ASP so I'll have to convert my CF knowledge to that technology. I'm not sure what database software they use but that shouldn't be a problem.

If it comes down to it, I can create every visitor's photo with every background using Photoshop and link them through a standard web page. I would like to avoid this task, partly because I'm not sure how many people will have their photo taken and partly because I am interested in learning the creative database solution this project requires.

Thanks for your help.
Jason Peltier

Need To Create A Product Catalog Website With 3d Views Of Product
I'm developing a website that is a product catalog for a jewely company.

I need to be able to create interactive 3D views of the products. For example, let's take a ring or bracelet.

The customer wants the end users to be able to view the ring or bracelet in 3d by taking the mouse and moving the ring or bracelet around.

How is this possible?

I would imagine that I would need to create it with 3D max or something and then import into flash.

Could it be done solely in flash?

Thanks.

How Can I Crop An Image With Out Having White Space In The Final Product
I am trying to create a crop component or Class so that I could use a live video feed to create an ID Card Picture application.

For example> I have a live video feed(Camera) with a rectangle shape on top of the video feed, so that the user can drag the rectangle around the live video and select what he would want to be in the preview window.

The problem is this: The rectangle tool creates a white space around the top and left side of the preview window(which is a bitmap). In other words the rectangle is only acting as a mask of the orginal video.

For example> Original video/camera feed has width:320 and height:240. I then use the draw method with a rectangle element as a paramenter. The rectangle has coodinates of (x:20,y:20,width:50,height:50). So yeah that seemed to work fine. But actually it only creates a masked image of the original video. In other words 0 to 20 pixels at the top of the preview bitmap is white an the 0 to 20th pixel on the left side of the priview windows is also white......So I essentially just created a masked image. What I actually want the draw tool to do is to have the rectangle area be a cropping tool. The final bitmap would have a width and height of 50. I could then stretch out the bitmap and have it appeared to of zoomed the image.

What is up with the whitespace?
===============================
AS3 code reference
var myRectangle:Rectangle= new Rectangle(30,30,150,150)
// render the player as a bitmapdata
myBitmapSource.draw ( myVideo,null,null,null,myRectangle,false );
=======================================I am also starting to investigate the transform methods, maybe I need to transform the original feed somehow. I aslo saw a read only property named PixelBounds?

Any help would be appreciated:

Doug Lubey of Louisiana (DougLubey.com)

Product Gallery, Image Gallery Or Portfolio..
Hi! This is probably insanely much to ask for but I do it anyway This is for us designers that want to learn some action script to help us show some xml driven data in our flash projects.

I’ve been searching the web for tutorials that can help me with a specific project that I want to develop. I’ve found a bounce of things that is close to what I’m looking for but not right on the spot. And I think that there are many out there that are looking for the same tutorial as I am. For me the best way to learn is to deconstruct example files with code hints. So if any of you flash gurus out there could help us with an example .Fla for this project I think many would be very happy!

The project:
I want to create a gallery of “what ever”. It could be a product gallery, image gallery or a portfolio. This can be used for many things. I’ve attached an image (template.jpg) that pretty much explains what I’m looking for. I also included an example of how the xml file could look like.

I think this could be an excellent example for many designers/developers that are new to dealing with xml, images and flash.

Animated Masking A Dynamic Image Is Causing Dynamic Image To Disappear Intermedently.
You can find the file here of what I am trying to do:
http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=462218

Please tell me if you are having problems downloading it.

This has always irritated me and I can't seem to find a way around it.

I dynamically load an image to a movie instance and the movie instance is masked. The masking is animation on it, so that it looks like the image is animated via masking. It works if the masking animation is one long shape motion tween, but if I make the masking animation frame by frame, the image being masked disappears and reappears only when it is a long shape tween of the mask.

Please refer to the downloadable sample to understand what I mean. Is there a way around this?

I have seen page flip samples that is able to do what I am trying to do, but they used really advanced actionscripting to do this. I am using timeline.

Image Library
Hello, I'm new to this forum. Also I have not used Flash since the MX and previous days. Back then my flash use was intense, now I can see Flash has changed so much. Espically with all this external file stuff. I need to know what the best way to have a dyanamic library of images, that can easily be updated and changed? Please don't flame or make fun of me. If you need to admins please move post. I'm just a newbie/

Exporting An Image From Library
need to know if its at all possible

i cant find any option, and the image ive lost and now need to recover has an alpha, so i cant just "printsceen" it back into existance

i noticed you can right click on the image preview from the library and print it... maybe print to a PDF then open PDF in PS6/PS7?

please help me

Loading Image Library
I have asked so many people this question and no one seems to understand what I'm asking. PLEASE help me!! I created a website for a client to show images of their work. Well..they wanted thumbnails that you rollover and the picture appears. So I imported the full size image.. scaled it down to a thumbnail size. Created a button. Within that button I created a movie clip so that the thumbnail turns back and the full size image appears. If you go to http://www.cumberlandmillwork.com you'll see what I'm talking about. Well here is my probelm. The client wants to be able to switch out the images on their own. So I was wondering if there is a way I can load the images externallly instead of have them imbedded int the swf. I know you can do load image with a movie clip..but I need to be able to load the jpgs and they automatically correpond with every place I used them in the flash. For instance...when you are working in flash and want to switch out an image..you just go to the library, open that image and hit update. Then it updates the image used throughout the flash. Is there a way to do this externally to an swf? If you think you can help me figure this out PLEASE let me know. I'm so fed up with trying to figure it out!

Thanks a bunch!

How Do I Attach An Image From The Library.
Can someone tell me how I can attach an image that's in the library to a movie on the stage...?

I've tried using the attachMovie command.
It looks straight forward enough, but I can't seem to get it to work.

What I want to do is:

- Have a Flash movie that has images 1.jpg, 2.jpg... 10.jpg in the library.
- I then want to be able to create a new version of the file and replace the images and have them automatically picked up in the resultant SWF.

Currently, I'm having to open up the Flash file, edit each of the movies where the image is and replace the image. This can be time consuming.

Thanks.

OM

Exporting Image From Library
Hello there

Does anyone know how can I export an image from Library. I have got loads of PNGs that needed to be modified and I haven't been provided these files seperately, so have to extract it from library.

Many thanks in advance for those who put their time and energy to help me.

Jay

Accessing A Library Image
How do I refer to an image I imported to the Library via ActionScript?

[CS3] Image Library Randomizer
hey there. basically im trying to create a custom particle engine which access and animates (at random) all the images in my image library. is there a tip/trick/script you could point me to? im flash cs3. mac osx

thanks

Import Image To Library
Hi guys.

Is it possible to dynamically load an image into the library and then "export it for actionscript" via the Linkage-method?

The only way I know of, to import images to the stage, is loadMovie. But I can't figure out how to use a movieclip for what i'm doing. So if you could help me with this workaround, it'd be great.

Thanks.

Access An Image From The Library
Hi.

How do you access an image from the library with actionscript? Or what is the process to access an image from the library?

Any help would be much appreciated

Image From Library To Stage
Hi

In the Library I have an image with the linkage name "Image_1". On stage I have a button. When I click on it, the function "image_click" is called, the name of the button is then send to a new function "build". This function should place the image on the scene, but instead I get the "Error #1065: Variable Image_1 is not defined." error, when I try to call the getDefinitionByName property.

Can anyone tell me what I do wrong?

PHP Code:

var image:Object;
Image_1.buttonMode = true;
Image_1.gotoAndStop("frame_1");

Image_1.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, image_click);

function image_click(_event:MouseEvent):void {
    Image_1.gotoAndStop("frame_2");
    build(_event.currentTarget.name);
}

function build(image:Object):void {
    trace("Image Name: " + image);
    var pict:String = String(image);
     var ClassReference:Class = getDefinitionByName(pict) as Class;
    trace(ClassReference);

/*
    var instance:BitmapData = new ClassReference();
    trace("instance:" + instance);
    var background:Sprite = new Sprite();
    background.graphics.beginFill(0xFFFFFF);
    background.graphics.beginBitmapFill(instance);
    background.graphics.drawRect(0, 0, 200, 90);
    background.graphics.endFill();
    addChild(background);
*/
}

Thank You
Ferran

Displaying Image From Library
I've loaded a few images into the flash library. Added the appropriate linkage ID (Actionscript 3). I use import in my main the same way I do if it was a symbol. When I try to create an instance and then do an addChild() it doesn't work. Can someone please tell me how to display images that are in the library? I looked in the docs and it seems to only show how to do it if I was loading them from an address.

Thanks!

Pull Image From Library With AS3?
Hello, I'm a fairly experienced AS2 programmer transitioning in progress to AS3 programmer. I'm using Flash CS4 as my IDE with Actionscript 3 and Flash Player 10. I'm working on a bigger project but the area I'm struggling in is dynamically pulling an image from the flash library (already loaded). I've been finding the same answers to my question all over and they seem to keep producing the same error so apparently I'm just not getting some little detail. I have an image loaded in the library called test1.jpg. I've right clicked on it and selected 'Export for ActionScript' and 'Export in frame 1'. The class is 'MyMc' and the Base class is 'flash.display.BitmapData'. My code is attached.

and it produces the following errors:

quote:1136: Incorrect number of arguments. Expected 2.
1067: Implicit coercion of a value of type MyMc to an unrelated type flash.display:DisplayObject.

What is the deal. I've posted on other forums and get the same reply. I'm really struggling with why CS4 is acting this way. AS3 is proving very difficult to transition to.

Attach Code

import flash.display.*
var mc: MyMc = new MyMc();
addChild(mc);

2 Instances Of Image In Library?
Forgive me if i sound stupid!!

When i want to import an image from an external source, i use File > Import > To Library.

Now this image is in the library stored as a bitmap.

In order for me to work with this image, i have to Convert to Symbol. When i convert to symbol e.g graphic or movieclip, Flash MX adds another instance of the image in the library? So now for this image there is 2 instances in the library, a bitmap and a graphic or movieclip (whichever i choose).

Why does there have to be 2 instances of one image in the library????
Surely this takes up more space?

Am i doing things the right way???

Hope someone can help.

Thanks in advance.

Loading Image From Library
Image at library

Quote:

Class Name = kaplama
Base Class = flash.display.BitmapData

I tried this:
ActionScript Code:
var resim:kaplama = new kaplama();resim.x=200resim.y=100addChild(resim);

But it didin't work? What is the true code?

Editing Image In Library
Hi i have a fla that has only 1 image, it in the library, everytime i try to edit it, it disappears....

can someone please let me know what going on [a href="gettocanada.com/Untitled-1.fla"]here[/a]

thanks!

Inserting Image From Library On Rollover
For some reason I have this movie clip from the library and the only way I can get it to play is to import it through action scripting on rollover.

I forget the code to do it but it also has to contain x,y so that I can position it perfectly.

If you can also include the script to show your x and y position of the mouse that would be extremely helpful =) thanks alot

Image Corruption When Importing To Library
I am trying to import some images to the library that I am using in the navigation panel of a website. The images look fine while I make the MC's and buttons, and in the development window, but when testing the movie, the text on the buttons is corrupted some how. It looks like the image has been squashed. I have been trying multiple formats, but thought I would ask what the best and cleanest format is to put into flash movies?

I have tried JPEG's, BMP's and am going to try PSD's now after I install quicktime, but I find it weird that everything else is fine whenever I do it, except the text on the buttons.
Should I do the buttons and then put the text in flash on a layer over the top? Should I be modifying the image properties when saving?
its a small annoying problem i am having, regardless of all the other ones, this one should be easy!, lol.

cheers!

Creating A Scrolling Image Library
Hi i am looking to create a scrolling image library just like the one featured here:

http://www.yellowdesign.tv/digitalmedia/

I've come across several tutorials that are similar to it but not quite right, the closest is this one:

http://www.oman3d.com/tutorials/flash/imagegallery/

This is great but there are several things i need different, i don’t need the images to get bigger when you click on them, i want spaces between the images and the images will be of different sizes and shapes. Also the fla file supplied with the tutorial won't open. I'd really appreciate it if anyone can point me to a tutorial or fla file that have these features, thanks.

Create MC Dynamically And Use Image From Library
I us flash CS4, AS 3.0

I would like to make a class deriving from MovieClip and let it use an image from the library.

How would I load an image from the library dynamically and use it on my MovieClip?

I have been searching a lot but can only seem to find articles about loading external graphics from outside the .swf

Is It Possible To Display An Mc(image From Library) In A Textfield?
Hello!

I would like to display images (country flags) and text (country names) in a scrolling textfield. I found how to do it with externally loaded images, but nothing about how to do it with images available in the library. Better, I would prefer to load the images as mc's so I can detect when someone clicks on the flag.

Can anyone point to in the right direction please?

Than you very much.

Fill Mc With A Pattern Image In The Library
hi all,

i'm creating an mc and i would like to have it filled with a bitmap image that sits in my library. After digging in the documentation i ended up with this code, but it does not seem to work, nothing is rendered:

ActionScript Code:
var preloaderBar:MovieClip = this.createEmptyMovieClip("preloaderBar",this.getNextHighestDepth());
preloaderBar._x=0;
preloaderBar._y=180;
preloaderBar._width=Stage.width;
preloaderBar._height=20;
var bmpd:BitmapData = BitmapData.loadBitmap("stripes");
preloaderBar.attachBitmap(bmpd,preloaderBar.getNextHighestDepth(), "auto",false);

any idea?

Load Image To Library Permanently
Hi Guys,

at the moment im creating simple application from flex to flash, main goal is to create a new swf with some images loaded on run time.

so far i manage to make the swf work, by linking the image with loader/addchild method, however this method its not good for several reason, cause it need another external file to display correctly(the image), and when u move the file u need to move the other file as well, u cant play the file only with a single swf

now i want to make the image is attached inside the swf, so it doesn't need to call the image whenever the swf is played.

my idea, is to load the image (at first run/build) into library, and display it by calling it from library, but needed to be flagged since on the second run it will do the same routine and load the image again.

i hope im making any sense here

and my million dollar question is......is it possibble to do?

rgrds'
zack

Bulk Image Exporting From Library
Hi

Does anyone out there know of a quick and easy method to export all the images from the library? I really don't want to have to drag them onto the stage one at a time...

Thanks for your help!

Cheers

Can't Bring Image From Library To Stage
Hello, I am very new to Flash and I have a newbie problem. I am working with buttons and most of them worked well when I placed a vector outline on the over state in edit mode. But now when I try to drag the vector outline to the stage I get a small rectangle and when I try to drag it over the original button image the rectangle turns into a move symbol. How can I get out of this mode and what is going on that is causing this?
Thanks, Wonder Wendy

Importing Image Into The Library Via AS And Then Compiling
Hi folks, stuck on a project. I need to be able to add into the library an image via Actionscript 2 and 3 so when the AS is compiled into a SWF the image is in the library. Anyone know how to do this? I know I can drag and drop into the library manually, but i'm trying to do this dynamically and then compile it by way of the command line.

Loading Dynamically An Image From The Library
Hi,
i didn't find anything about it yet.

I want to load with Actionscript nearly 400 Pictures out of the film-library. How can i do that? the pictures are named in the library 1,2,3,4,5,...
I can't load them dynamically from the webspace with loadmovie, because if I try that, he doesnt load all images, only 3 or 4 at the same time, but there are 30 images which should appear nearly at the same time.

I hope you can help me! Thank you a lot!

Preload External Image To Library?
Is there any way to preload external image to library or any place other then current stage? Because I want to preload it first and then display it on some other stage. Does this makes sense?

Replace Image In Movieclip From Library
Hi

I have a symbol (converted to a movieclip) and a button. When you click the button I want to load a image from the library into that movieclip. But cant for the life of me get it to do it.

Tried:

Code:

on(press){
this.attachMovie("Image1.gif", "ImageHolder_mc", 0);
}

on(press){
loadMovie("Image1.gif", "ImageHolder_mc");
}

The loadMovie gives an error of

Error opening URL "file:///C|/DOCUME%7E1/USERNAME/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/Image1.gif"

Image1.gif is in the Library with a Linkage name of Image1.gif too.

I want to be able to insert the images in the Library into the MovieClip on the Stage when the user clicks buttons.

Thanks.

Newbie Trying To Load Image From Library By Actionscript, HoW?
I am trying to load image from Flash Library by loading them with Actionscript. How can I do it?
I have been trying:

createEmptyMovieClip("pic", 1);
pic.loadMovie("myPicIntheLibrary");

but it doesn't work. How can I load image/movies from the Library??? Thanks

Import PNG To Library - Problem With Image Properties
Hi,
i've been having this 2 problem in flash forever and it's really starting to annoy me :

When you "import to library" or "import to stage" (haven't seen any difference in between them) and select a .png file, it will randomly set it's compression settings to be Photo(JPEG). Especially when importing multiple files at the same time.

While this wouldn't be such a problem when you are aware that it happens, it get really annoying because you can't set the compression of multiple document in the library at the same time, or at least i haven't found any way to do so.

I've found that importing any king of batch (like 20+) of png to flash is then stupidly time-consuming. Someone help me please.

Thanks.
Jeff

Detecting Corrupt Image Files In Library
I used to get a messge from Flash when I compiled, that three images in my library were corrupt and I needed to delete them. Well, I ignored that advice. Now when I compile I do not get the error message, but it take a LONG time for Flash to complete the compile.

Is there any way to find corrupted images in your library?

Loren

Changing Image On Stage Using Images From Library
I am a relative newbie to Flash (with way too much Director experience) so I am getting confused.

I have a dozen jpgs in the library, and I need to switch which one is on stage at any given time via an actionscript.

I learned how to do that with external jpg images using loadMovie, but can't find a way to do the same thing when the images are inside the library.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Document Class {add Image Library + Preloader}
Hi there,

I'm learning AS3 and want to use a document class to control my Flash movie (i.e. I want the time line to be completely empty).

I've run into two problems.

1.) I have a large image in the Flash library which I setup with "Export for ActionScript", but I was unable to work out how to add the image to the displaylist as i think it needs to be added as BitmapData? Can anyone advise how best to do this and provide an example please.

2.) I have yet to find a simple example of creating a preloader in a document class? There was a BizTalk website tutorial but I don't think that explained very well what the code was doing - so I'm hoping someone here can provide a code example with comments (if the code example could tie into the point 1. above that would be brilliant).

Finally, also I'm unsure of how a document class can preload content that doesn't actually exist until the class itself creates the content, just seems a bit odd?

Any help with these two issues would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you :)

Kind regards,
M.

HELP Image Imported To Library Shows Up A Different Color...
alright this is driving me insane!

i made the jump from windows to apple a few months ago and this is my first development on the mac, so i don't know if there's something i'm not doing right or what cause i never had this happen on windows...

i created a site layout in photoshop cs2 and i exported it as a .png file. now i want to import that layout into flash 8. but when i import it into flash, the rich color of green i used is now a really crappy washed out green. what gives?! does it have to do with "web safe" colors or something?!

just open the attached .png in photoshop and see it as it should be. then try and import it into flash and watch it get all messed up!

i know what some of you might say... just export the white areas from ps to flash and avoid the green in the backgorund. i'd like to, but the green in the lower left where the logo is should look like it's "floating" in the background and a part of the menu system.

anyway... i'm at my wits end... can someone please point me in the right direction so i get get on with development?! thanks!

: : michael

How Can I Load An IMAGE From The Project LIBRARY In To A New WINDOW With On(relese)?
I can't figure it out, how to load an image from my project library in to a new pop-up window. The reason is that i DONT't want two things:

1)Internet connection when viewing the pictures (url-ing the pictures)
2)Many files

I just want one whole file .EXE with everything inside it.

Please help!!