Flash :: File Size Questions

File Size Questions....
The movie I'm working with (MX) has too much being loaded in the first frame. I understand that some things (such as, sound with linkage identifiers and components) are loaded in the first frame, even though they are not present in that frame. Does anyone know an entire list of these things?

My first scene does have a lot of motion guides in it. What percentage would be cut off the load in the first frame if I do these tweens with AS instead?

What percentage would be cut off the first frame if I learn the MX drawing methods and use them?

Any help or guidance is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

File Size Questions
I know the key to a lower file size is to have less jps's.... if my .fla has the same exact symbol in multiple key frames... does this count more towards filesize.. verse having a layer dedicated to the symbol with no keyframes... (its a background image)

Thanks,
Carlos

File Size Questions -what's Normal?
Hi guys,

I have a site I am building and have had to break the individual sections down into 5 separate .swf files.

The individual .swf files vary in size. Smallest may be around 14K. Largest around 75K.

Is 75K to big for a single .swf file?

My big problem is that each of these movies has to be loaded into separate layers in my main .swf file so they can be accessed through navigation buttons. The first frame of my main .swf has the loading actions so everything is loading at once into their different layers.

Everything works perfectly as a projector or when I test the movie.

But when someone on a 56K dial up tries to access the site, will they be waiting forever for each of the .swfs to load?

I tried separating everything into unique .swfs because I thought it would speed up the download...but now am thinking it was a waste of time....eh?

How can I help make my movie stream a little better. Or is it going to be a problem for me?

-643

Oh - incidentally...why can't the bandwidth profiler project download time for a movie that has to load other .swfs? All I see for preload times are like .3 seconds for my 1 frame main movie. The individual movies were significantly longer (more like 3 secs or more). Is there an option to have it drill down into the movies being loaded when estimating this?

many thanks,

-643

File Size & Optimization Questions
Hi all-

I am about to launch a web campaign for a client, and am concerned about optimization related to file size. I've read some articles, some are alarming, some are comforting. I would greatly appreciate your feedback.

1) The swf is 1 MB - is that too large for dial-up connections?
2) If it is too large - what are my alternatives for set-up? I don't want to reduce the pic quality too much more in the fla.
3) Is there a way to load the page first, then the video, that way visitors can read the rest of the content while the flash is loading?
4) If you "view source" is everything set-up correctly for best optimization?
5) Any general suggestions?

Here's the link: http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/...en/index1.html
(also, I realize that the sound keeps playing when you hit pause...)

Thanks in advance!

Scene File Size Huge Compared To Seperate Movie File Size?
I have a flash movie with multiple swf files imported into different movieclips throughout. Each of the imported movieclips is a seperate scene of the original movie. The thing I found out is that if I copy all the frames of scene 2 for example, and paste them into a new movie. Then publish the new movie as a swf. The file size is much smaller than the scene 2 swf when published from the original movie. Does anyone know why?

Size Questions?
I could be in the wrong forum here, so i apogize if i am..But i have a questions about what size i should put my website up as. I want it to be as big as possible without having to scroll to either side in order for people to view the hole thing. What are the average, or wreckamended sizes for websites If any body can hgelp me with this then let me know. Again im sorry if this is the wrong forum.

SWF Size And Preloader Questions
Hola, I have made an intro for a band of mine (located here http://www.radioactivehero.com/intro2.html) and as you can see it's not the biggest or coolest thingi n the world but the file size is so damn big! It's almost 6 megabytes and I have no idea why. Second of all, is it possible to tell flash to start loading the next scene or certain frame while still playing the movie? For example, once the intro is done loading it will start playing and while the intro is playing the website will begin preloading?

Thanks for the all the help.

Why Use Flash Video When It Bumps The File Size To Outrageous Size?
I have imported a flash video into my flash movie. I have run the .mov in sorenson squeeze and have it nice and small. As soon as I import it into flash (because this is the only way I know to do it in order to run a video in flash) now I have 1024 frames and a HUGE .swf file.

So what is the point to using flash at all...or am I doing something wrong. Is there a better way to handle video within flash??

Thanks
Fitchic77

Questions About Changing Stage Size Later...
I have a flash project I'm going to be working on, which will be displayed full screen on a lcd that is 1360x768. I also might want to display it using a standard definition tv with the 4:3 aspect ratio (720x480 i believe...), and will want to use the movie in a website as well.

First and foremost i want it to look good on the widescreen lcd, so I will design it to look good on that at 1360x768. I will keep the content within a centered section at 1024x768px so if shown at the 4:3 ratio, the content won't be cropped.

I guess I need to know my options for scaling and cropping a movie when I need to show it at other stage sizes. Is there an easy way to do it besides practically recreating the movie...scaling elements, changing the position of elements in actionscript, etc.?

I hope this made some sense, and thanks for any info!

Making Canvas Size And File Size Smaller
Hi guys,
I made a flash projector file recently for my company,
Its 1024 * 768, and a pretty big file size, but we had it burned onto dvd so that was ok....

However now I want to make it 250 * 250, cut the filesize down, and put it on the companies web site....

Is there any way i can do this in flash?
can I do it in Premiere/ After effects...
Any other places

Thanks
Stefan

Preloader Size Doesn't Match File Size.....
Alrighty, my preloader says that my filesize is 242kb. MY ACTUAL filesize is 179kb, according to flash and windows. Is there something I am missing here?
Why is my preloader giving me garbage?

www.paulhanak.com is the site.

Here is the code:

Code:
totalBytes = Math.round(getBytesTotal() / 1024);
loadedBytes = Math.round(getBytesLoaded() / 1024);
percentDone = Math.round((loadedBytes / totalBytes) * 100);
if (_root._framesloaded >= _root._totalframes) {
gotoAndPlay("start");
}
Thanks for any help! This is mind boggling.....

3 Questions:main Bar Off/fixed Size/antialias Text
Hi, I´m gonna do a intro, as an exe. file for a cd rom in flash and I got some questions I think someone might help:

1)How can I take the the main bar off the top, so it doesn´t show options at all, leaving just the screen I designed?

2)I want the size of the screen to be 640 x 480 at all times and not make possible for people to maximize it (it kinda relates to the first questions). How can I do it?

3)Can I have some of the text written not using the antialias and others with? How?

Thanks a lot

Beginner (but Not) Questions: AS Files, ROOT Size, Layering...
Quote:

Originally Posted by Forum Quote

This is a forum for very new users to flash, there is no such thing as a stupid question in here.

All right... with the above in mind...
I have a couple questions...

First off, I have 10+ years experience programming...
PHP, Visual Basic, Java, as well as some scripting experience...
So I understand OOP, Classes, etc...

My problem is...
I can't figure out where to load this stuff in a flash movie...?

If I wanted to create a boardgame.
Where I had maps, characters, items, terrain, etc...
Would the ROOT movie be a single frame movie with Movie Clips of all the elements included on Layers or added as an Import option?
Where would I include classes? I understand you can create AS files, but when I upload the final game to the server? How do I make sure the AS files are included?

I was thinking that I would create classes to handle EVERYTHING...
Create a Game Class that handled each game.
... a Map Class that managed the maps...
... a Terrain Class that managed Terrain for the Maps...
... a Unit Class that handled adding and removing Units from the Maps...
... Maybe a Player Class that handled all the player manipulations...

But I don't really know where to begin.
I have a GREAT book on Flash MX 2004 Professional Actionscripting...
It made it very clear HOW to create AS files, and the syntax for creating my own custom classes... but nothing on WHERE to place this stuff... and/or what would OVERLOAD the Flash System when it came to players and maybe even MULTIPLAYERS...

I am new to Flash but not to programming... Hopefully someone can help me out. I would gladly accept URLs for decent tutorials for the above stuff as well. Thanks in advance...

Preloader, Screen Questions, Faster Loading, Movie Size...
Ok...I have about a thousand questions. Let me start here...my current problem is with my dynamic text fields. I'm webmastering a site for a band. I'm not too familiar with Flash, though I've given myself the crash course in it through the tutorials.
I use the same "text box" that is scrollable on different parts of the site. As in, you click on one of the images i made a button (the link button) and it changes what is displayed in the text box. Now, when i type the information into flash, it works fine. Cool. What I want it to do is i want to script it to load from an external txt file, i.e. "url.txt". I'm not sure where to put the scripting for this to load these variables. I've got each seperate set of texts as seperate instances...what i need to know is the script to have it load and place the external text in the field at the window...everything I've tried hasn't worked...any help?
Thanks

File Size -- Does Size Really Matter
I got this site and most of you already know about it - I have been trying and trying to crunch it -----

QUESTION:
what is a decent file size that I should be aiming on - no bare in mind that the site has imported graphics and sounds --> the lowest I can get it is 398KB ---> and that's with the sound being horrible ->

what is an ideal site usually? 250kb ---> is that even possible? I mean - sound - graphics - should I just quit?

ERRRRRRR
Low Key

Image Size / File Size
Hi there,
I´ve got a little move which holds eight *png images. The final movie size is around 200 KB.
The images are too large in size anyway, so I did the following:

Scaled the MC holding the images to 50%: No difference in movie(swf) size.
Scaled the bitmaps in Flash down to 50%: No difference in movie size.

Is there another way besides open all the images in an external editor and scale them?

Thanks, Hendrik

Bitmap Size - How Can I Know It's File Size In A .FLA ?
Hi there! thanks for taking the time.

Is there a way to know how big a bitmap
is (in Kb filesize) once imported into the library of the source FLA file ?

Sometimes I get flash tutorials with bitmaps embeded but I don't know
how to figure out how big they are? ...of course without comparing the FLA file before
and after I delete the bitmap from the library.

Thanks!

Text Size/file Size
I just realized that the "Loading Data" text I use on the 1st frame of my movie preloader weighs in at a whopping 135KB! Even the static symbol file for the Loading Data text alone is 79KB!

Does anyone know of a way to bring down the file size? It seems like I could draw something similar at a fraction of the size.

I am using a simple static font (called JH Titles) at 28pt size and tweening the brightness -100 to +100.

Cutting Down File Size In My ,swf File - And Best Importing Of Pics
Hey everyone,

I have created an swf file that is 4 mb. Everything (MC, pics, actionscripts) are in this one file which I am trying to upload online. Now I'm pretty sure this size is huge. What are some of the ways I can cut down on file size. One thing I was pretty sure that I can do, was the pics. Ok, I use a lot of vector images, and have a couple of photos. What is the file format I should be importing them as. Here are the known ways I know how to do.

1. in Illustrator, export file as a jpeg (or gif. Which is better?) then import to flash

2. in Illustrator, export file as swf file then import to flash.

3. Cut and paste directly from illustrator to the flash document.

And that is about it..

Please let me know what I can do...

Thanks

_psypent

Mysterious File Size. Swf Larger File Than Fla
hi,

heres a weird one the 50kb fla here outputs a swf of over 200k

the swf is on my website and i noticede it took a while to dowload,

weird

FLA FLA (50kb)ish
SWF SWF (200kb)ish

File Import / File Size Question
Hey everybody,

little question...i have to quicktime movies here...one is the animation itself...the other is the alpha channel of that animation and want both of that in flash...

Now what i did was compositing those anims in after effects, then exporting as a series of tga's (with alpha) then importing in flash...

the problem is that the swf explodes from around 600kB to 2.1 MB...now there must be a better way of doing this...Do flv's support alpha, if yes, how???

Greetz

2 Questions About A Flv File
I have 2 questions:

1. I have a flv movie embeded into a fla file. Is there a way I can export the flv ?

2. How can I edit the flv file after I exported it ? Can I convert it to swf and decompile the swf and use flash to edit it ? Or do I need a special flv editor ?

Thank you.

External Questions File
Hello,

Im using MX2004 pro and I would like to know if there is a way to have a series of questions loaded in to to flash for a quiz. I have found a few tutorials on this, but have only seen it done with multiple txt files per question. I need to have it randomly pick a question from 1 text file so that it can be easily updated. Any ideas? Thanks!

Questions About Loading .txt File
I am building a flash website. I'm using the following code to load an external .txt file for News.

Code:
myData = new LoadVars();
myData.onLoad = function() {
myText_txt.text = this.content;
};
myData.load("news.txt");
It just loads simple text, but I want to be able to have Bold text and Links, something that supports html or php files. How would I do this? Any links would help.

A Few Questions About File Conversion
Hi,

I need to convert .swf to .flv. The only way I have figured out to do this is converting the .swf to .fla (which I am using a converter I download to do), then export the .fla to .mov and then using the flash video compressor, compress the file to .flv. Is there a better way of doing this???
And if not, is it possible to batch export from .fla to .mov (I have 111 files I need to do this with)

Thanks for the help,

Roy

File Structure And Loading Questions
I'm in the process of developing my first flash site. I've developed mini-applications and such, so I'm familiar with actionscript.

My question(s) is this. How should I structure my files so that I can load them efficiently? I've loaded swf's externally, but I'm not sure if this is the best/typical way sites are structured. I'm not sure if I should use scenes or movie clips instead, and if I do need to do one of those options I'm not too sure where to start.

Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

Loading External .swf File Questions
Is there a way to _xscale and _yscale external .swf after loading them?

Is there a way to 'talk' to the external .swf file after loading and placing it on the stage? By this I mean: will I be able to send variables/commands/functions back and forth from the playing movie and the external .swf file?

Also, if it isn't too much to ask, can you please give an example with AS?

Thank you

Printing Text File Questions...
I have some quesions regarding printing text files. How do u make the spacing single b/c it seems to be printing out double space. Would you have to use html, btw how do you print html text?

One more thing i would like to know how to do is play a sound ever time a letter was displayed using the typwriter effect.

This is the typewriter script i used:

ActionScript Code:
myText = new LoadVars ()myText.load ("test.txt")myText.onLoad = function () { _root.holder = this.test _root.index = 0}_root.onEnterFrame = function () { if (_root.mc.output.text.length != _root.holder.length) { _root.typer = _root.holder.charAt (_root.index) _root.mc.output.text += _root.typer _root.index ++ }}

Questions About Passing Variables From A Checkbox To A PHP File
I'm having a major problem. I've got a Flash form that when submitted is supposed to pass variables over to a .php file so people can enter a contest. Now, anything sent over from an input text field goes through just fine. However, I also have a checkbox (really a movieclip with two frames...one for a on checkbox and on for an off checkbox.) with an instance name of 'optin' as this is for people to join an email list. When clicked on it should trigger a YES and when clicked off it should trigger a NO to the PHP script. However, it doesn't do anything. I think the problem lies in the PHP script but I'm just not sure. Here's an example of the part of the PHP script I'm talking about:

mysql_query("insert into entries (firstname,lastname,optin) values ('$first_name','$last_name','$optin',)") or die(mysql_error());

and maybe that's the problem there. On the other hand, here's the script for the two frames of the MC called optin.:

On the keyframe marked off this script is placed on the checkbox button:

on (release) {
gotoAndStop("on");
_root.left_mc.empty.optin=NO;
}

On the keyframe marked on this script is placed on the checkbox button:

on (release) {
gotoAndStop("off");
_root.left_mc.empty.optin=YES;
}

I should mention that this .swf is nested inside an empty movie clip called 'empty' that is nested in another MC called left_mc on the _root timeline.

Finallly, this script is placed on the Submit button:

on (release) {
gotoAndStop ("finish");
loadVariablesNum ("http://www.yoursite.com/entry.php", 0, "POST");
}
}

So what am I doing wrong here or can this even be done?

Few Questions About Loading Text From External File
Hello
I have a few questions regarding loading a text from an external file:
1) Does the file have to be with *.txt extension?
2) Does the file have to begin with &text= combination?
3) How can I break the lines without creating a "double line gap" in the flash movie?
4) Is it possible to create links inside the text file, if possible - with certain colors, and to load it to flash? And if it is, how do I do that?

Thank you!

Self Contained Projector File: LoadMovie Questions
I'm trying to make a stand alone projector file that includes all of the 'loadmovie' .swf's I created from WildForm.

I need to send the file to my client without all the files in a folder. I just want to send one .swf file that she can view and pass along to her co-workers for approval.

When I create a projector file it doesn't include the .swf files that are loaded through the loadmovie command (loaded into an empty movie clip with an instance).

The .fla file and projector are all done in Flash 5.

Thanks!

Create Tests Using A Data File For Questions
Is it possible to pull questions from a data file into flash without having to create new frames for every question. This would be a multiple choice test. We currently hand type the questions into multiple frames and grade at the end.

Thanks

Edited: 03/15/2007 at 07:30:51 AM by Trainersteve

FLV File Size Vs Longer WMV File
When I created a FLV file of a live presentation (narrator on screen demonstrating products, etc), it came out to 8 mb for a 320x240 window size. However, one of my trainers just recorded a Camtasia (or was it Captivate, we have both) presentation, which is basically a narrated Powerpoint presentation. It is over an hour long, full screen and only 6 MB! This is a major difference. Does anyone know why this would be? I have a couple of theories, but I'd like to hear from someone else.

Flash Xml File And File Size?
I have a flash animation that pulls in images using an xml file. I was
wondering if the images must all load first? In other words, the images
are timed to load at different times. I was thinking, when I did this,
that the images would not be downloaded until they were called but I am
starting to doubt this.

Anyone have any idea how these images are loading?

Basically, my main concern is that they are putting too much load on the
homepage. I have a feeling I know what the answer is.

Thanks

Maximum File Size Of XML File?
Is their a max? I have a rather large one that is being genereated by PHP:

http://ronnieswietek.com/hosted/drewestate/dealers.php (right-click and view source).

Well with my dummy xml file everything works..when I point it to this, some of my buttons that require the xml data dont seem to be working..I have a feeling its the file size.

[F8] Quiz, Using Xml File,want Text And Graphics To Dissapear On Certain Questions
Hi guys,

Hoping you may be able to please help again. Still working on the random question quiz.

However have come up against a different problem.

Each questions normally has 4 options for the user to choose from. Some questions however only have two or three options.
So in these instances the I've been trying to get the uneccessary background boxes, buttons and text options to dissapear.

Which I've done, unfortunately I've made them dissapear permimently, all the text options background boxes and buttons.

What I'm trying to achieve is to have the uneccessary background boxes, buttons and text to dissapear only on questions
that have a differnet number of options (ie.. two or three).

I've altered the XML file accordingly when questions with two or three options appear.

Here's what I've done so far to the actionscript:

Added the follwoing in the frame called LoadData:

// added the below two lines to,return the number of answers
this.getNumOfAnswers=function()
{
return this.answers.length;
}

}

Then in the frame called ShowQuiz, I've done the following:

if (currentQuestionNumber>quizItems.length)
gotoAndStop("SummaryScreen");

randGenNo = randomArray[currentQuestionNumber-1];
var currentQuizItem=quizItems[randGenNo-1];

var hasAnswered=false;
question=currentQuizItem.getQuestion();
for (var i=1; i<=4; i++)
{
_root["answer"+i]=currentQuizItem.getAnswer(i-1);
_root["answer"+i+"Textbox"]._visible=false;
_root["answer"+i+"Button"]._visible=false;
}

stop();

I realise adding (: _root["answer"+i+"Textbox"]._visible=true Would help, but when and where,
I'm pretty sure its not as simple as that. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I've named all the instances of the graphic and text components and they work ok.

Have attached fla file and xml file, to show you how the files are set out.

Many Thanks

MrBlur

2 Basic Questions - Data Rates And File Types
Greetings! Started using flash to help my boss with his website and he's asked me two questions I don't know the answer to!

1. What is the opportune data rate for the general population for videos when using flash? He has a small production company and most of the people he is selling to have cable if not T1+. I've advised a data rate of 300 kbps (but that would have to include audio too )... does that seem right to you?

2. It currently takes a VERY long time for me to export a movie to test it and see how it all works and looks. Currently all of the pictures in the system are in .PSD format. If I were to make these all JPEGs and swap them all out for these smaller files would this help reduce export time at all?

Thanks so much!

About File Size
I have problem regarding swf. File size.
I use all graphic converted into symbol, use minimum layer but cant control the file size.
Can u anyone tell me, How to control file size?
Is there any compressor to compress the file?

FIle Size
Hi all,
I am very new to flash, with that said I have a question. I was wondering how do I shrink my file size down. I made a 90 flash intro for a friends site and MAN it is 3 MB. I believe this is due to the fact that I have a song in it.(because the rest is mainly just text effects made in swish) The song is an MP3. I realize I am not doing it correctly but I have no clue how to fix this. Please remember I am such a n00b. Thanks,
Tom

File Size
Ok I have finally completed my site and I looked at how big it was and it said it was 150KB, well Im wondering if that is a huge webpage or is it ok. And also does flash load quicker on DSL on broadband compaird to 56K, because it seems like I am the only onew left with a 56K modem.

Thanks,
Dave Lucas

File Size? Why Is It That Big?
Hello,

I have a movie with one button which uses a dynamic Text filed. When I export it into a .SWF the file is 21k?? Why is it that big??? Can anyone tell me a way to make it smaller?

Thanks

FLA File Size -> SWF File Size
Here is another dumb question maybe...

The first time I used Flash (version 4) I made a really small web page. The FLA file, however, was 6MB! This originated a SWF file of 350 Kb... I asked around and... that was a pretty BIG file to load over the Internet!! OK, so I thought, I do it again, cut some bmp´s, and break the movie in to smaller movies wich would load only when the user wants, instead of loading it all up front.

The thing is, now I have a FLA file of 1MB wich is much smaller than the one I had before, but THAT file generates a SWF file of 150Kb!! I thought it would be MUCH smaller! It was a reduction in size, but not a proportional one... after all I reduced the FLA file to 1/6 of what it was and the SWF file generated is only 1/2 the size it was before...

Sorry if this is a stupid question. Anyone can explain this to me, please?

File Size
I'd like to import an animation from another package... namely 3DS Max, put it in to Flash, add a couple of things, then export it, ready for the web. The animations need to be 20k at the most when I'm done with them.
Any ideas... ?
Thx in advance,
Matthew

Gif File Size...?
Why when I render my animation is the gif file size sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oo
dang big??!?
The swf is 24.6k and the gif is 93.9k. I need the gif to be considerably smaller.
Incase it makes any difference, I have 12 things in my library and 11 layers. Some things, like text, I haven't made into instances 'cause they don't move.
Any tips or tricks would be greatly received...
Thx in advance...
Matthew

Red Bar And File Size
Can someone explain to me what exactly the red bar in the bandwidth profiler does. I heard that it tells you the real size of the file not the information at the side or the bar height. Is this true? What should I being watching to limit my movie size?

Thanks

Taz

File Size To Big?
I have a flash movie that is 5016 kb in size, and when I upload it to a website it will net open up. I was wondering what do I have to do so that the movie will load up and play. I can upload other movies fine and they begin to play.

Any help will help,
Thanks

File Size
This is the first day I've tried using Flash and I've already run into a problem. I'm using Flash 5 and attempting to create a short movie.

I managed to create a 17 second flash movie using a series of screen captures from a Lord of the Rings trailer. I also added the music to it using an MP3 file. So there are only two layers to this movie. The problem is that the .swf file is 7.2 MB - obviously much too big to load from the Internet. I know I've seen many Flash intros that are using images much bigger than mine (320 x 150 pixels) and they loaded quickly. So am I just jumping into this too quickly - i.e., should I be trying out a tutorial first before bothering you guys - or is there a simple answer to what I've done wrong?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

fpgal

File Size Questions

What truely makes a flash file large???just curious because I am having issues making my file size small...is it images? Length of the timeline? Amount of Layers... amount of symbols??? just curious if someone can just break it down for me??Thanks,Carlos

What truely makes a flash file large???

just curious because I am having issues making my file size small...

is it images? Length of the timeline? Amount of Layers... amount of symbols??? just curious if someone can just break it down for me??

Thanks,
Carlos