Flash :: Masking Issues. Wanna Read About It?

AS 2 Preloading Issues (not The Common Ones I've Read About In These Forums)
I've been scouring the web for an answer to this question. But no dice. I have a basic preloader on the first frame of my main timeline. In the second frame I dropped all my movie clips, sounds, graphics, etc...pretty much the whole library -- and I made sure no symbols were being exported to the first frame. And on the third frame is where all the goodies start (where I tell my playhead to jump after whole movie has loaded). And I have no embedded fonts (anymore).

My preloader will not start from the beginning -- 1%. According to the bandwidth profiler, there is 62kb worth of data on the first frame of the main timeline. Though all I see is the text field to display the loaded percentage.

What could possible be getting loaded to the first frame?

The one thing I thought of is that on like the 15th frame of the main timeline I've created an XML object to load images and text from a database. But why would that matter if that's attached to an event listener anyway. That's just a random thought though.

Anyway, any ideas you can throw at me would be super helpful. This project is due tomorrow night. Cheers.

Masking Issues.....
Uh, I was just wondering if it's possible to to control a mask's "x" and/or "y" posistion with the mouse? I can make a regular movie clip do it, but it seems that when I make said clip a mask, I can't set the "x" or "y" property to dependant on the mouse.

All help is REALLY appreciated.

Thanx

dave

More Masking Issues.
hello again !

I have a text mask with a flame type effect underneath it. (I picked up the FLA (Called Blue smoke) from the movies on this site and have modified it a little )

What i am trying to do is have an outline around the text with the flame effect inside it.

How is this possible ?
Should it appear under the masked layer ?

The SWF and FLA can be found here....

http://www.gtc17.dial.pipex.com/JKB/FLASH/ODA-Flame.swf

http://www.gtc17.dial.pipex.com/JKB/FLASH/ODA-Flame.fla

(I am using the PC version of Flash MX)

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

BM

Masking Issues
i have an issue here i am attempting the mask and things are not working. the mask shows ok in the timeline but when i am test movie it does not show...what is the problem????

Flash MX USER....HELP!!

Masking Issues..
I've not seen this problem before.. been using Flash for a while.

Basically, I'm making some masks inside buttons.. BUT, for some reason the PNG images won't mask on the final export, even though they look like they will in the authoring environment.

Any ideas anyone?

Masking Issues
Whenever I mask my Dynamic or Input text it doesnt show, whats the deal!! -Flash 8 pro

Masking Issues
Using AS to apply a mask to a series of thumbnail images....

thumbs_mc >> thbct_mc >> [Image Go Here, Created using createEmptyMovieClip and MCL Class]

My mask is applying fine. The issue manifests with the event handlers for the image mcs.

My mask is applied to the thbct_mc after the final thumb image loads. Each image is designed to be draggable. When I drag the images outside the area of the parent clip, the mask is physically moving (or at least appears to be)....and the images in the mask are gradually hidden as I drag my image. I've supplied partial sections of code that I would think are responsible for the issue.

If you'd like to see the problem in action because what I'm saying just doesn't make sense.... just let me know.

Attach Code

// The Masking Function -- called by my build function inside the class constructor

private function pcMWMask( ):Void {
thbmk_mc = thumbs_mc.createEmptyMovieClip("pcmask_mc", 3);
pcBox(thbmk_mc, Array(0, 0, 1000, 150), 0x000000, 50);
thbmk_mc._x = 5;
thbmk_mc._y = 30;
}

// onLoadInit function -- called by mediaLoader, a standard MovieClipLoader

public function onLoadInit( target:MovieClip ):Void {

var pcObj:PCenter = this;

var tname = target._name;
var sName = tname.slice(0, 3);

// Thumbnail Clips
if(sName == "img"){
pcDShadow( target, 2, 2 );
pcScaleImage( target, 25, 25 );
pcPlaceImage( target );

target.onPress = function() {
thumbx = this._x;
thumby = this._y;
this.startDrag(false);
}

target.onRelease = function(){
trace(this);
this.stopDrag();
var tname = this._name;
var mp = tname.slice( tname.lastIndexOf("n") + 1 );
mp *= 1;
if(eval(this._droptarget) == pcObj.fav_mc) {
pcObj.mini_mc = pcObj.favct_mc.createEmptyMovieClip("min_"+mp, pcObj.favct_mc.getNextHighestDepth());
pcObj.mediaLoader.loadClip( pcObj.imagePaths[mp], pcObj.mini_mc );
pcObj.favsNames.push( pcObj.imageNames[mp] );
this._x = thumbx;
this._y = thumby;
} else {
this._x = thumbx;
this._y = thumby;
}
}
}

// Apply The Mask
thbct_mc.setMask(thbmk_mc);
}

Masking Issues
Does anybody know why this isn't working?

Masking Issues
I want to know how it is possible to use a second moving mask at the same time as another mask. My instance is that of a spotlight effect uncovering an image as it moves past. Originally I wanted to motion guide the mask but I can't see how this is possible because the option to do so disables when you are using the layer as a mask (annoyingly).

Instead I decided to have the spotlight move past in straight lines, but I wanted more than one to do this at the same time as another mask is moving.

The mask only seems to mask the layer directly below, so if I add a second layer to mask the image layer, it doesnt work as it is above the first masking layer.

Are there ways around this?

Any help would be appreciated. Cheers

RR

Masking Issues
Does anybody know why this isn't working?

[F8] Masking Issues - Alternatives
Hello all. I'm facing a vexing problem regarding masks. It appears I'm going to need an alternative method of revealing content through a "window". I have a movie clip that contains another movie clip which has an input text box inside it.

The user can click an up or down button to scroll through the masked movie clip's contents. I've noticed that despite what I'm shown on stage, when I export to a swf, all of the text becomes invisible, and the input textbox can not be clicked inside so the user can enter their own text. I'm guessing that something about the mask is denying the user the ability to interact with it. The funny thing is, my other buttons that are behind the mask can be clicked and they will function as they should, it's only the text and text box that become invisible and inaccessable.

I posted the .swf and the .fla at

http://www.multimediablitz.com/encha...n/FLAFiles.htm

if anybody can offer their insights, or some other approach to accomplish the same goal for what I need to do, I'll be eternally grateful, this is related to a final project for a class so time is of the essence. Much thanks.

Having Masking Issues? Anyone Seen Anyting Like This Before?
Here's the scenario...

I'm building a splash page/interface for a website. The splash page was created using Actionscript 3.0 and TweenFilterLite. I'm also creating a lot of faux reflections using gradient masks. I've made a mockup you can view here. The problem is when you rollover over one of the tabs on the right and then rollover the text links to the left some of the tab reflections on the left plane almost disappear. Any ideas?

Masking Issues - Antialiasing?
Hello to whoever reads this,

I have just recently done up a simple animated logo. The logo is a representation of the "Triple Goddess" not that you all need to know that, but the idea is that the three layers of the animation are not simply one on top of the other, but interlocking so layer 2 is above layer 1 but below layer 3...

(I think I have attached the .fla for those interested)

A link to the .swf is here:
http://www.maidenenterprise.com/flashExample

THE PROBLEM

The Issue is when the animation runs there is a flickering where the mask below is travelling. I have tried changing the size of the mask but that doesn't seem the effect it at all.

Does anyone else have any idea how to fix this?

PS. Im using Flash MX 2004 Professional

Masking Issues (visible Mask)
I've never cared enough to look it up or try to fix it before but i think it's time for me to figure it out.

When i used a mask. For example:

PHP Code:

myClip_mc.mask = someMask_mc

I can still see my mask (barely) but it's there and it's annoying. It does it's job of masking the right stuff but i can clearly see the outline of my mask. It kinda has a stripe pattern.

Also, it only happens if i set my monitor setting to 16bit colors.It's fine in 32 bits.

Would someone tell me how to get rid of it or explain why it happens?

ScrollPane Issues: Masking, Content Overflow
I looked all around this forum about my issue. I found many topics on it (most didn't even receive one response), so that tells me it's either a known issue, or there are other variables affecting it. The main issue is using a ScrollPane component and loading different content into it (in this case my issues come up when loading images - same domain). Sometimes the scrollbar appears, sometimes not, sometimes appears and works, sometimes the image loaded overflows the boundaries of the ScrollPane (as if the masking failed).

I'm going to give two links: one link contains the main swf file that eventually loads another. example 1 You will need to click on Auctions, then go to Scheduled Auctions. There is only one auction link for now. Once you click for more information, many tabs will appear. The tabs that load external images are "floor plan", then on the next screen (right arrows flashing), the "plat map", "purchasing contract", and "directions". If you click back and forth, you will see how it fails at times (if not all).

The other link example 2 is the individual swf file that loaded into the main one mentioned above. I troublshooted enough to know it's not an AS path problem or anything like that, but I noticed this particular link will have less failures with the external images loading.

I don't know what else to say/ask because it seems to have been said/asked before, but I didn't see any resolutions. Does anyone know what might be happening or a way to correct this issue?

Page 2 - Issues With Dynamic "Read More" Urls
It's actually the same problem you had with LoadVars to start with i.e. you're using loadVariables() and then trying to use the data straight away. Remember that the data you'd expect to receive from loadVariables doesn't get back to Flash straight away. It has to go back to your server, process anything that needs processing, return the data to Flash then Flash has some more under the hood work to do. Eventually after all of that you can use the data. That's why last time round I suggested using LoadVars so that you could take advantage of its onLoad event handler that automatically gets called by Flash when the data has been returned.

Issues With Dynamic "Read More" Urls
Hey all, still fighting with the same menu but it's almost complete now. In the movie there are "Read more" buttons that go along with related news articles pulled from the database.

If the news article has an "original source" URL associated with it, I want the "Read More" button to take the user directly to that link, preferably in a new window.

I recently changed the way my variables are brought in from the PHP file to LoadVars. I know how to use this method for the dynamic text but for something as simple as bringing in the arturl# (where # is a number 1-5 referring to the article it should link to) variable that is echoed to the PHP page with the rest of my dynamic vars.

I had it working in the past by calling the variable from the php file with load variables using "_GET" and by setting the actions for the movie clip to use

Code:

getURL(arturl#, _self);

Now it seems that any way I try to get the URL var from the PHP the link acts as "undefined"

Anyone have any suggestions as how to fix this? Or ways to word it in Google that would possible bring some sensible results? I have thus far failed at both.

Bought CS3 But Haven't Read My MX Actionscript, MX2004, Books. Should I Read Them?
I just bought CS3 and I am now debating whether I should read my Flash MX Actionscript bible, Flash 2004 Bible. I should have read them, but It's just hard to fit the time in.

Would I benefit from reading these books when CS3 is Actionscript 3? How much functionality is lost when scripting in Actionsript 2 and 1 as compared to Actionscript 3.

Would it be wiser for me to just learn Actionscript 3 properly and get a book on Actionscript 3 than waste my time on reading old scripting and technology?

Also is MC tween compatible on CS3, actionscript 3.

Hey Anyone Wanna Help With A Rpg
Hey Anyone wanna Help I have an awsome Idea for a rpg
its about a boy getting kicked out of a Shoping Store and Hating the world and wants to take it over but on his way he has to dodge Cops,CIA,and FBI agents to get to the top
if u want to join just post a message sayin u want to I need some programmers to help but I could use artist and I will give all credit even Idea's will have credit I will also need Artifical Intellgence so I will try to help but Im new at Action Script so tell me what u wanna do If u have aol look for me sn nemo1387 or email me nemo1387@aol.com

I Wanna Know....
how it is possible to scroll a text in a Flash Movie like on http://www.drecksack.moonfruit.com.
Please tell me how it works...

I Wanna Do It Too....help
I have always been facinated about flash, and have just started learning it,I want to start developing multimedia content for the web ...especially building websites that involve |AI| ....So please give me some insights on a launchpad for jumpstarting a career in flashcontent development.

WTF?...anyone Wanna Tell Me.......
Can anyone tell me why FLASH 5 and MX crash on me EVERY TIME I try to drag a MC from my library to my stage area?...Never fails..everytime I try to drag anything from this library..to the stage....it crashes. ANYBODY GOT A CLUE?.....You can see it if you like! Thanks.

-whispers-

Anyone Wanna Help Me Out?
I'm really new at this flash stuff and im havin a hard time understanding this stuff too. so I'm just asking if anyone would like whip up a 500x100 banner for me, that would seriously kick ass. pleaseE-mail Me If you are Interested. Thank you.

I Wanna Do This:
Hey all...I'm super new at this, but the effect I want to create for my website is exaclty like the one I've seen here:

http://www.skysound.com/site.html

If you mouse-over the "info" on the title screen a text window fades in and scrolls down? Can anyone tell me how to do this?

Thanks!!!

Wanna N0e...
hi guys,
wanna n0e hw0 d0 i make s0mething that will f0ll0w my m0use whenever it g0es? thankew!!!

Ok This Is What I Wanna Do...
I want to put in a flash movie a button that says exit, so when you click it it would close the flash application, how do I do that???
Thanks in advance.

Anybody Wanna Help?
I have this flash file that a friend sent me. He wants me to edit it, but it has so many damn layers. in the gallery section when you click on 1-9 of the thumbnails under Gallery Homes, he wants to have that 1-9 scrollbar pictures that you see under the full picture when you click on gallery. Let me know if anyone can help.

http://palumbolifestyles.com/main20.fla

Just Wanna Ask.
Hey guys! May I just ask what software are you using in making ec effects?

All I Wanna Do
All I want to do is start a netconnection and reflect the status in a text field on the stage... I've done this in 2.0 and it's easy. Now with 3.0, using classes and whatnot, it seems impossible. I successfully wrote a class that connects, it's just that I can't update the dynamic textfield on the stage because the class cannot access it. I've tried looking through the livedocs on how items on the stage work now, but it only half makes sense to me. Can I even reference back to items already on the stage, or do I have to dynamically create the textfield in the class? I tried the latter method, but again I couldn't reference back to the stage to add the new child.

Any help?

Also, it sucks that all of the actionscript 3.0 books (except the cookbook) aren't coming out until the end of the summer...

Just Wanna Know...
hi guys! i am currently working on a presentation with few voice overs... and what i did was to attach via AS.. so there i linked it and have checked the "export for AS" and "export in first frame".. since this presentation we'll be on the web and quiet huge, i made a preloader at the very start of the movie the movie.

...now here's my question,

..will my preloader work since i have check the linkage option "export in first frame"?
(my preloader is 100% working with the audio)

..any idea? (having a separate preloader was my last option)

I Wanna Split
I want to split a variable using the split command (I think) but am not sure how to use it. if the value of myVariable is "colour=red" how can i take everything after the seventh character so i just end up with "red"?

please help if you can...
much appreciated, john

I Wanna <Enter>
Hi,

I'm trying to call a function when the user either clicks a button OR when he/she hits the ENTER key on the keyboard. I've attached the following code

on (release, keyPress "<Enter>") {
myFunction();
trace("calling function now");
}

Clicking on the button is no problem. But hitting ENTER causes the play head in the movie to play, moving through subsequent frames, but it fails to call the function. In fact, it even fails to run the trace, in effect bypassing the keyPress in the button altogether. Why is Flash ignoring my button command and simply advancing the playhead? I'm publishing for Flash 5. Thanks.

Kevin

Wanna B Programer.
I have been trying to get to the bottom of for months. I would b eternally greatfull if anyone could offer some advise or may b give me an example on my swf files.
I have done the classic example of pulling apart a 200+k swf file and broken it into lots of little swfs.
Problem is is I have 6 sections with sub sections.
For each of the sections there is an animation.
If one of the sub sections is hit I want the animation to stay where it is for the rest of the sub sections in that section.
It should disapear when another section is activated. And in turn the animation will start for that section.
It's easy to understand by checking it in action at my site www.forsite.co.nz ,this is how I want the site to work, but not as one big swf with a long preloader.
Thanks all.
dAvE

Anyone Wanna Help With A Game?
Im making a Flash 7 game and I am a good coder, but a coder is nothing without a team. Its just a game, dont expect money cause I am a poor bastard. And its just for fun.
Yes I know how "laeem!!" this sounds. But I cant really do this by myself.
Sooo.

Its a action-horror game, in the style of a old movie. I have basically a menu and a old movie effect, but I only started early today.
Anyways. Anyone want to help? Coders, artists, anyone?

[CS3] Just Wanna Nav... Argh
I'm not completely new to Flash but I'm much more of a designer than I am a programmer... so maybe this is simple but I don't get it... and I'm now on my 6th attempt from scratch. argh...

I'm using CS3 and programming for AS2, player 9.

I've got a vertical scrolling nav that has to fit in a defined space so it has a mask over it. The nav buttons are all movie clip based and all sit within another movie clip which acts as the container for everything that scrolls.

The buttons react to OnRollOver fine with or without the mask in place... but when the mask is in place all of their dynamic text disappears.

I'm also having a heck of a time getting these buttons to move the timeline (i.e. react to onPress)

Any insight or assistance would be greatly appreciated and probably keep me from pulling out the rest of my hair.

Thanks...

Wanna Thank Sbeener
thanks sbeener for the great tutorial. i'm still trying to figure how u did it...i was looking at ur sample and it looks good.

I Wanna Have A Popupscreen :D
Hello peepz,

Question about popupscreens in flash.

I have a simple button inside a flashmovie, now I want when I click on the button a new htmlpopupscreen appears w 700px h 600 px.
How can I create this in flash.

I allreday tried the action getURL ("popup.swf", "_top");
, but then it's filled over a whole htmlpage and I just want to create a popup, eventually without the statusbar and other bars..

Is it possible?

Thx, by the way great forum here!!!!
It really helps flashnoobs like me out...

Wanna Thank Sbeener
thanks sbeener for the great tutorial. i'm still trying to figure how u did it...i was looking at ur sample and it looks good.

Someone Wanna Help Me With Preloaders?
I want a preloader that has a status bar showing the percentage.. And a small animation to keep the viewer busy..

Can someone give me a tutorial on how to do this.. Cause I can never seem to find them.

Any One Wanna Help Make A FightingRpg
Hey I was wondering if anyone wanted to make a fighting rpg with me if so email me at nemo1387@aol.com or if u have aol or AIM my sn is nemo1387 please help I need some people that kno actionscript and a few people that can draw cause I can draw but dont kno actionscript worth crap thanks bye

I Wanna Disable A Button
I've been working on a little game and I need to disable a button when I clic on it once. And I don't wanna play with the timeline.

Can anyone help me???

Thx

I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT CANT REMEMBER HOW.. ANY GENIUSES WANNA TELL ME HOW =)
ok, I have a text file with this:

&counter=1

i want for the flash (standalone) to add + 1 to the variable and then re-save it to the TXT file.. without using any php or anything.. i did it in flash last time, and have NO idea how.. and ideas?

(i just need to know how to change and save external variables from flash) (prefeered not using exec.. dont think i did last time)

-Paradoxz

After Next Frame I Wanna It To Go And Play?
Hi all

it's an easy game for shooting first when we shoot the

target the MC into it with has next frame Command

Now the Problem !

when the Score will be greater than or equal to 9

the same MC will has another Command is to goandPlay(10)

but How and when is it into MC or on the root ? PLease help out

this is the Script

onClipEvent (mouseUp) {
// see if bullet hit the face of soldier
if (_root.bullet.hitTest(_root.target.killme.face) ) {
_root.Operation.Score +=1;
// let the Effect on Soldier step one frame
tellTarget (_root.target.killme) {
nextFrame ();
}
}

Flash Thing I Wanna Do.....
i saw this on the featured fla's like a year ago :]
but does anyone remeber that flash timeline thing where you click the arrow and the current image scrolls to the left or right displaying the next image?
id like to know what this is called and where i can learn it....

Wanna See The Perfect Preloader?
Me too

Okay, look, as long as you're here, I have a great preloader...sorta....

What I mean is that it does everything I want it too, and works good when used in a scene in the same movie it is loading, but it's not working so good when I load it into an MC, and use it to preload the main movie.

Don't get me wrong--it works, but it is very inconsistent, and normally never shows up until about 30% of the content has already loaded. That might not sound like much, but it's 1/3 of the content. Not really a good preloader, in my opinion.

Anyway, I figure it must be something in the script itself, since I tested it by creating an MC with nothing in it but a white rectangle and a "load movie" action in frame 1 to load the preloader into the MC. Well, I can see the rectangle flash for a second, so I know that the movie has loaded (i.e, replaced it), but it takes a minimum of 10 seconds for the preloader to actually show up after that, after the rectangle has disappeared, and the preloader movie is only 1k.

So, does anyone know why this is happening, and how I can get it to start preloading within the first 10% of the movie, which would be acceptable. However, I'd like to know the secret of getting it to kick in right away, if anyone knows, because I'd like to use it with smaller movies of around 50k or so. Not much use in it though, if 15 or 20k has already loaded before it shows up.

Here is the script I'm using:

totalBytes = Math.round((_root.getBytesTotal())/1024*1000);
loadedBytes = Math.round((_root.getBytesLoaded())/1024*1000);
percentBytes = Math.round((loadedBytes/totalBytes)*100);
if (loadedBytes==totalBytes) {
gotoAndPlay ("Scene 1", 1);
}

The above is placed in frame 1, of the main timeline, and in frame 2 is:

gotoAndPlay (1);

Then, I have a bar percentage loader with this in frame 1:

this._xscale = ((_root.getBytesLoaded() / _root.getBytesTotal())*100);

And this in frame 2:

gotoAndPlay(1);

That's it, and it works great, when it works great, but it isn't that often. Admitedly, I have modified this script several times, but I can't see any flaw in the logic, or in the construction of the movie.

Any ideas? Anybody?

Who knows the secret to the perfect preloader, all purpose preloader? That is to say, without me having to change my entire script. In other words, is there a better way to construct the movie with the above script, or any additional statements that should be included?

There was once an else statement:

if (loadedBytes==totalBytes) {
gotoAndPlay ("Scene 1", 1);
}else {
gotoAndPlay(2);
}

But that didn't seem to work as well as what I have now, where I replaced it with a frame loop instead.

James

He is risen!!!

Wanna Learn Actionscript...
I am really interested in learning actionscript and javascript. Could someone please lend me their expertise to get started.

No Question Is Dum Here, So I Wanna Ask...How Do You Use Flash MX?
hey, just sayin hello, and wonderin on where to get help on how to use flash mx , im new to the community so cya around

Proud Of My Work -- Wanna See?
I probably could have posted this in the Sites forum, but this isn't a site--the only time you'll ever see this is on a CD-ROM or from this link at Flashkit.

http://www.ln.tv/flashstuff/Intro.exe

It was built with Flash MX. There is a little bit of scripting for the "slide shows" and background effects. Flash Studio Pro was also used to run the Flash movie in a DirectX window (yes, you need DirectX!) with resolution set to 640 x 480 x 32bit. (Also used FSP to embed a custom icon.)

Took about 3 (long!) days to put this puppy together...still waiting on possible changes from the client...

The original presentation was built on an 800 x 300 stage--I've found that building your presentations in a larger screen size than what you intend to show it in will actually improve performance. Plus, reducing the screen size with DirectX to 640 x 480 helps quite a lot!

Always happy to hear jeers & cheers!

added later:
I just realized that I forgot to post a link for all of you Mac junkies!

http://www.ln.tv/flashstuff/intro.hqx

This file obviously doesn't have any Flash Studio Pro functionality, but it's still the same ol' stuff.