Flash :: Totally At A Loss.

I'm At A Loss
i'd like to create a "jeopardy"-style quiz game for use in an educational setting, but i have practically zero expereince with flash. the game doesnt need to be complicated, just categories with 5 questions, when $ amount clicked on, question is shown full screen, another mouseclick, back to category view. if at all possible, i'd like to be able to load dift categories and questions from a text file. can anyone point me in the right direction to get started with this? or is it beyond my very limited abilites?

thanx!

At A Loss, Here Is My .fla, Please Help
Hey everyone, I posted a few days ago asking for help but the suggestions I got didnt seem to get me anywhere, I've tried alot of stuff with no success, I think I need a real flash wizard to help me. I have this one last thing to do but I cant get it to work and its keeping me from moving forward on this project. Here is my fla (3 mb) http://notos.bartolsfeet.com/hall2.fla

What I'm trying to do is make a scroller so that everything but a medium sized rectangle is masked, and so the user can scroll up, down, left, right to view the entire movie (basically I'd like for everything in that fla to scroll in unison). I was hoping for something similar to this http://www.flashkit.com/movies/Effec...6691/index.php
but at this point as long as everything in that fla will scroll in unison with a 'mouse over' and the animations and actions still work will be PERFECT lol, I'm desperate!! ;P
Thanks alot to anyone who helps

At A Loss...
I am trying to create a drop down menu and I thought I had done everything correctly. Apparently, I have not because when you mouseover the menu item, the hand appears but nothing drops down. I've spent the day pulling my hair out and going over everything and can't figure out where I've gone wrong. I've attached the file of my monstrosity if anyone cares to take a peek.

Thanks so much!

Bridget

Var Loss
I create a var in one frame:

Code:
stop ();
_root.onEnterFrame = function (){
var tempUsername:String = userInput_txt.text;
var tempPassword:String = passInput_txt.text;
trace(tempUsername);
}
next_btn.onRelease = function (){
if (userInput_txt.length >= 6 && passInput_txt.length >= 4 && passInput2_txt.length >= 4){
if (passInput_txt.text == passInput2_txt.text){
gotoAndStop ("NewUser2");
delete _root.onEnterFrame;
}else{
alert_mc.gotoAndStop ("CreateUserError2");
}
}else{
alert_mc.gotoAndStop ("CreateUserError1");
}
}
cancel_btn.onRelease = function (){
if (saver.data.existingUser){
gotoAndStop ("Login");
}else{
alert_mc.gotoAndStop ("CannotQuit");
}
}
In the second frame that var (tempUsername and all of them) become undefined. Why is this? (The second frame is in the same scene)

I'm At A Loss
Ok, so i've been trying to use the hitTest function, i've done alot of reading of it, but i just cannot get it to work >_<
This is the layout of the current Scene;

_____________________________/ -------Rollover#_MC
Scene 1 ----- Logo_MC ----- Text_MC
_____________________________ -------Play#_MC

Ok so thats the deal, now.
When i click on Rollover_MC, i want it to play - Play_MC.
I've been trying with hitTest, i cant get it to play when i click, the problem is, i can click anywhere and it will play. Instead of just on the Rollover_MC.

My current script is;

Code:
onClipEvent (mouseDown) {
if (this.hitTest(_root.CPL.TextLoop.Rolloverone._xmouse, _root.CPL.TextLoop.Rolloverone._ymouse,true)) {
_root.CPL.TextLoop.one.gotoAndPlay(2);
} else {
_root.CPL.TextLoop.gotoAndPlay(15);
}
}
I'm willing to use a onRollOver if i could get that to work. Any help would be appreciated. Its the only thing left to do!

Totally New
Hi all you gurus. Im new to flash, and quite excited at what it can do. I bought a book from Borders, and i read most of it. Quite a good reference, but does not teach me how to make an interface. If anyone could point me in the right direction, or even better, show me a simple interface with navigation. Thanks for your time.

Totally Odd
now its working like a charm... maybe i should not be allowed to code at 3 am anymore. Cause last night I was ready to kill my computer!

Thanks for your help anyway

Totally New
First off, hi I'm a noob. Please be gentle...

Second and to the point... I'm newish to Flash (but am having little to no problems picking it up) and VERY new to AS. I'm using the CS3 suite. What I'm wondering is, when it comes to picking up some books to use in my learning, do I need to specifically have one on AS3? Or will an older book (like on FlashMX AS) work? How much has changed? Also, if anyone can recommend a book that isn't written like stereo directions... I'm not a moron but all of the books I've been looking at seem to be aimed at people who already know AS and just need a refresher or to learn more. I NEED A STARTER COURSE!!! Ha ha.

Thanks so much in advance. Hopefully someday working with AS won't make me want to scratch my own face off...

Totally New To All This
Hi all

Very new to web design so 2 basic questions.

First question: Is it possible to have the stage the same size as a web browser window and is it practible? if so what would the size be in pixels!!!!

Second Question: How do you centre the stage in a web browser? I did a simple file with just a pic on stage and nothing else, and got it aligned left and right using the publish settings but cant work out how to centre it.

I know i might be pushing my luck here, but anyone who answers could you please answer in very plain language for me and if possible show me a sample so i know what to do.

Many many thanks in advance.

Cheers

Ken

Loss Of Colour
When importing PSD files from Photoshop the colour output is different. What format can you use in Photoshop to ensure the same colour output in Flash? I am using Photoshop 6.

Possible Loss Of Quality
if i create a movie that is 100 pixels by 75 pixels, and i import a .jpg as a graphic... when i view this movie full screen, will the picture suffer from poor quality, or does the fact that flash uses vector graphics help maintain the picture quality?

PLEASE HELP.... PLEASE(Loss Of Ideas)
Hi guys..

I think i have tried everything here but this is not working.. I need help.. any help will be greatly appreciated..

I have 2 scenes in a movie a preloader and the main scene with 3 frame labels (1,2, and 3).. I also have a button called Navigate which when clicked opens a movie clip.. it shows a drop down Page 1, page 2 and page 3.. When one clicks on either of those 3 page numbers i want it to goto the appropriate frame label.. but it does not do so..

I am attaching the fla for your reference to see what is happening.

Thanks for your help
Uday

Jpg Quality Loss
I creating a simple photo site that dynamically loads jpg's through loadMovie and my problem is flash seems to be recompressing my jpgs and I'm getting some pretty unacceptable quality loss ( banding, artifacting).

I didn't notice this last night at home (using MX) but I noticed it today at work using MX 2004.

If I just load the jpg straight into the browser it is acceptable but if I load the same jpg with flash in a browser the quality degrades.

Is this normal? Can I make it so Flash doesn't recompress my files?

hers's he simple code I'm using:

Code:
this.createEmptyMovieClip("holder", 1);
holder.loadMovie("photos/"+(--num)+".jpg", 4);

Player quality settings are on high.

Site can be viewed here, the second bird shot or the plane shot are perfect examples

http://s89995399.onlinehome.us/

bird:

http://s89995399.onlinehome.us/photos/17.jpg

plane:

http://s89995399.onlinehome.us/photos/9.jpg

Var Loss In Scenes
Why is it whenever my flash movie enters a different scene all the variables from the other scene is erased? Is there any way to prevent this from happening?

Swf Byte Loss
i'm just wondering if anyone else has noticed problems when uncompressing swf files out of zip archives?

often i have swf files that are off by 2 - 6 bytes when they come out of the archives. we are currently using zip archives to transport media between servers. i'm wondering if it is a zip problem or if it is a compression problem. switching to a new archiving method (.tar) is possible, but a huge level of effort becuase a lot of the .zip's are created by applications so it will require code changes both in the applications that create them and the apps that read them. it would be much simpler to just add in a compression property to stop compressing the files.

has anyone else run into this problem before?

WMV To FLV Without Quality Loss
is there anyway to convert a WMV movie to a FLV file with out loosing video quality ?

Loss Of Sound In MX
I am running a fairly large flash mx fruit machine simulation program as a windows application. Every spin of the reels I create a new Sound() object,
attach the spin sound and start it, then stop it when the reels stop.
There are also a feew other sounds for holds etc. which happen frequently.
I have tried for days to fix this problem, but after a number of spins the sound distorts and then disappears completely. Does anyone have any ideas how I can fix this. Your help would be most appreciated, thanks.

Sound Loss
For some reason when I embed a quicktime movie in a flash swf when I publish it I lose the audio track does anybody know why?

Memory Loss
I used to do a lot in Flash, but have never considered myself to be an action script guru. However, the last time I did anything beyond creating motion tweens was in Flash MX, and right after it was released, so it's been a few years. Anyway, I have gotten to the point of not even knowing proper syntax in AS, but if I could find something basic (similar to WebMonkey's html cheat sheet) that would kick my brain back into gear I could catch up fast. Can anyone point me to some primers that would help my brain shake the rust off? I'd appreciate it.

FLV TO 3 GP AUDIO LOSS
Please help me with this one:
Using RHEL4 running fms2. The .FLVs created by FMS play well (include audio as well as video), however, when they are converted to 3gp using ffmpeg, they retain the video but loose the audio.
Any one??? Please??

Loss Of Focus
Hi
Sorry to sound like a div head - but I have a .swf background and I use javascript to open a straight bowser window. This is fine, but when I click the mouse on the .swf (now the background) the browser window looses focus. Is there anyway of keeping the browser window in focus, while being able to interact with .swf file behind?

Here is the code I presently use

button_mc.onPress = function(){
getURL ("javascript:NewWindow=window.open('','newWin','wi dth=800,height=700,left=200,top=100,toolbar=Yes,lo cation=Yes,scrollbars=Yes,status=Yes,resizable=Yes ,fullscreen=No'); NewWindow.focus(); void(0);");
}

Thanks in advance
R

Performance Loss
Hi,
I have a strange performance problem, the site I have done performs fast on my PC but when it´s uploaded it performs awfully (like a 60% performance loss). The site it´s uploaded on a free server of tripod.
If I have two browsers one with the local main page opened and one with the web main page opened at the same time, the local file performs great but the web don´t.
Could the banners that they add to the site and the code that they use to display the banners be the cause of that performance lost?

maybe this thread is not very related with AS but I didn´t know were to put it, and since my site uses AS to do almost anything I put it here.

the site url address is:
http://polacofede.tripod.com

thanks,
Polaco

Help I Am So Totally Clueless...
Alright... I'm only 14 yrs. old and run a website on a group. (www.ffhfans.net) I have absolutely NO IDEA how to work this program! LOL! I'm just wondering if you can make the box any bigger?? So, like... I could put bigger pictures on it? It's pretty small. I realize you can change it to 90%, 80%, etc... but I want it bigger to put bigger pictures in there. HELP!

Also, do you guys know how I can make buttons myself?? Instead of having to use that grody blue color?

If anyone replies, please put it in a way that I can understand... I'm not too smart with this program. I work with Adobe Photoshop and thought I could figure it out, but not yet... I'll work on it!

All the help I can get would be wonderful!!

Thanks guys!
Michelle

It's Not Showing Totally.
I dunno what I did, but the other animation I put onto a page worked...but this one is missing the right and left side. All I'm seeing the middle part. Here's the site, let me know what you see http://www.neopets.com/~Piscean_Flame

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Oh yeah, I've tried adjusting the size (smaller and bigger) but I'm still not getting the sides in view.

TOTALLY URGENT
I'm making a menu and have somne rollover buttons on it and i actually forgot the action scrypt to do roll overs! haaha Man ALL I REMEMBER IS

on (rollOver) {
_root.button.XXXXX=1);
}

where the xxxxx i cant remeber wat to put... Can any one help? PLX I'm ALMOST DONE WITH MY SITES MENU AND ALL I NEED IS THIS

I know i can just double click to made rollovers ,but i still need the scrytpt code couse i already did layers... any body?
[Edited by freshguy on 07-22-2002 at 11:00 PM]

Can Someone Help Me, Totally Forgot How To Do This..
I have done this before lots of times but for some reason i just can't remember how to do it. I want to play a frame on the main timeline from a moive clip when the button in the moive clip is pressed.

I tried.

on (press) {
_root.gotoAndPlay(Main, 46);
}

But it wont work, it works if i just put in the frame number, execpt it plays the intro scence instead of the main scene. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

This Is Totally Nuts
I cannot understand what is going on here. I have a site that has nine possible soundtracks. With the first soundtrack, the computer has to load it every time, instead of caching it in its memory. Why?

This is most frustrating as I have start and stop buttons that should enable immediate play once the movie has been loaded once.

Could it be to do with the name? - soundtrack0.swf

All the other soundtracks work ok. - soundtrack1.swf, etc.

If you can help, please do cos I'm totally stumped!!

Thank you

Graeme

I Totally Agree
Don't get me wrong, I'm never going back to Flash 5, I love the new interface too much! I totally agree, my work in more streamlined because of the new interface. This is especially true in Dreamweaver MX.

Believe me, I can live with the little problem I've been discussing. No biggie..

I also just upgraded from Win 2000 to XP Professional. I love it (although I'm still against that WPA thing!). I don't regret any of my recent purchases. I snatched the Studio MX upgrade option the minute I could afford it. $399 for everything, sweet deal! Never used Freehand, but I installed it and I'm gonna take a look at it once I'm done with a current project.

Totally N00b Help..
Hello!

Ok I'm totally newbie. I started working on Flash yesterday.
Before this I've been doing Swish very well.
But for me Swish and Flash are two different thing.
I don't understand anything of Flash, therefore I've started
taking Flash-Lessons. I've got everything with me untill
point "5.Understanding layers". I don't understand properly how layers works and how to do stuff with them. In Flash Mx it says:
"Using the arrow tool, click the triangle next to selecting layers folder is timeline.Use the timeline scroll bar to display the contents of the Selecting layer"

What does this actually mean??
If anyone have any other lessons for understanding layers please give me it.
I'll be very thankfull.

Btw is any Flash support IRC channel where I can ask my question directly?

That's all.

I'm Totally New To Flash
I've ordered a flash template from a company over the internet and now after creating my flash file its redirecting to yahoo.com their directions isn't accurate and I can't get no other help so can some one please help and tell me how to reset my redirectional link. Or how to change what they have put in it. I have attached the directions that came with the template. I'm getting lost where it says maine/link/links, I don't see all of that...

Help Please

Hey, Im Totally New To Flash MX.
Hey im totally new to Flash MX but I wanna get straight into animation i've fiddled with the tools so I know what they do e.g. Pencil but I actually want to know how to animate and put sound in it. so if you can gimme links etc. info I would be greatly happy.

Totally Downtrodden
I'm working on this totally awesome scene for my flash cartoon, but the problem is, it's too awesome. Its really lagging and dropping frames on all the machines I've sent it to including computers less than a year old.
My problem is that there is a lot of shape tweened fire and motion and I'm not exactly sure how best to economize it. As far as breaking objects apart, Ive noticed that it marginally increases performance, but it seems to raise the file size of the exported swf. Is there anywhere I can go or any advice anyone can give me to help figure it out.
I also use little action script because I barely understand it. I'm trying to learn more, but the learning curve is steep.

any advice on SIMPLIFYING and IMPROVING PERFORMANCE would help. Especially when it comes to shape tweening.

Also, I use Illustrator to design my vectors and cut and paste them to freehand as a go between just so that the strokes and fills dont seperate. For some reason, cutting and pasting from Illustrator to flash seperates the strokes and fills

thank you
Andrew

Totally Helpless
hello all, I am EXHAUSTED. I've been scouring the net for a guestbook script. I have no idea of how to create a database, but that is mostly what I have been getting. I am familiar with HTML and a teeny weeny bit of php. Is there a tutorial on how to create a guestbook in FLash, or is there a generic one I could tailor?
Please assist. I'm using Flash v.5

Totally Clueless
I have Flash MX 2004

I'm sure this is easy when one is not panicking.. but...all I want to do is make a text box, type into it, and make a scroll bar on the side since I have so much content.

I've been trying to do this now for two hours, looking in my book, getting confused, and trying again...so... HELP!!!!!

Ok, so I put a text box on the stage. If I want to scroll it, it has to be dynamic with mutiple lines, right? I keep putting text in, the box gets bigger, longer, I re-size the box, the text gets squished. I look in my book to see about a scroll bar and it says something about "no scroll bar but you can make buttons that scroll up and down".

All I want to know is how to make a text box, type in the box without it just...expanding, and then attach some sort of scroll device to it.

Thank you.

Totally From Code?
Ok, I have been given a task that could win me a very sweet job. I have a week to complete it, and I need to learn some stuff, fast.

I have a library full of images and that's it. I am supposed to make a flash file with a blank stage that creates a dynamic button system completely via code.

How do I do this? Specifically, how do I create a button, an mc, a text field, etc. from scratch, and then how to do I get them to load in dynamic external .swf's without hardcoding? There's no need to duplicate, it's just a previous and next button, and then a button that links to something based on the content I load in.

I'm an ok actionscripter, but this is more advanced than anything I've done before.

Thank you VERY much to whoever helps me on this one.

Totally New Need Guidance
Hi everyone, My step son who's like 23 showed me this site, LOL and he figured I'd get all the help I could here. Anyway My name is Alice but you can call me AJ (I prefer it ) I'm totally new here and new to macromedia flash 8, I just got it 2 hours ago LOL...The reason I got it is because I volenteer my time on a free virtual pet site (No I wont' advertize it) thing is it hasn't any games yet and I need help in learning on how to use my program so I can make games for this site they need only to be simle games for little kids to play, but thing is like I said I only got my program 2 hours ago so I haven't a clue on how to use it, I do how ever have a story line for my first game and all the images I think I'll need for it except the box the whole game will be contained in LOL.
Now what I need is pointers and tips on how to acheive the game I'm trying to make.
and how to use my flash 8 program in acheiving this task.
Can someone direct me to a tutorial or info on how I can make the game I'm trying to explain in the bottom section of this posting?

Game idea...

Like a giant tick-tack-toe game (best description, like the jewles game MSN has) object is to get three or more similar images in a row and they disappear but give you points, (a click on object and move it to a new area type of game...)
I could give an example but I have to have permission first in order to show a link to a similar game.
once the three or more items disappear, more fall down replacing the ones that were removed. I think i described it as best as I could...:S and my appologies if this is posted in the wrong spot.
AJ

Totally Clueless...
I happened upon this post in a Flash Help related forum:

Quote:

Initialise a global var. Make a button to toggle that global var. Each frame, tell the 'subtitles' mc to alter its '_visible' property' depending upon that var.

I assume you know 'if' clauses.

P.S. I know there's technically no 'global' vars in flash, but just make it on the main timeline I mean.

...and my reaction was, "Uuuuuuuuuuh...what?" I can't make any sense of these sentences...and I know if I could it would be quite helpful. So, could anyone translate this into simpleton speech?

P.S. He's talking about turning on or off a movie clip within a flash movie.

[MX] Totally New To Flash...
Alright, Im 100% new to Flash and trying to learn it. Are there any specific tutorials, sites, or any other resources that can point me to where I need to get off to a fast start.

[F8] Totally Tiny In IE
Hey all,

Here's a weird one. My site looks as it should in the Flash preview, in Firefox, and in Safari, but in IE, the main page looks about 1"x1". The site is http://www.jon-lee.com, if anyone with IE wants to see what I'm talking about. Is this a known bug? I haven't found much yet. Any ideas?

Totally Clueless Some Help If Possible
I created a movieclip (ball)

im not sure how to make the ball keep moving forever
and how can i duplicate the ball once its being (killed)

Totally Stuck
Hi, I've been asked to try and recreate an interface like the one at http://www.dogdigital.co.uk/dogdigital.htm I started by creating a 'container' clip for the main interface, and then nesting smaller 'card' clips inside it. when i click on a card clip, i use the tween class to move the container clip so the card is in the center of the stage, and i can scale the container so it zooms in on the card. The problem is: if i rotate the container clip to the orientation of the selected card it uses the container clip's registration point for the rotation which does align the card so it's horizontal but totally offsets it so the card is no longer centered on the stage. I have looked into dynamically moving the registration point of the container so that it matches the card,and rotates from that point but this throws off the rest of my code. Does any one know of a method or something that could be used for this, I would be eternally grateful for any suggestions on how to simulate this!

Totally Lost
Howdy,

Not being a Flash guy in any way, shape or form, I just happen to get a flash file and get asked to make the content dynamic.

I've tried so many methods I'm not sure what all I did. The closest I got was a tutorial from kirupa.com, having to do with XML list. But it seems that XML has some type of limits on the amount of text inside the tag?

At anyrate, what I am trying to do is: (Using Flash 6 & ASP)

Flash screen is split into two, right side is a title list of news items pulled from our database, I can get this list in string format, xml format, any format via ASP (I don't know PHP either).

Left side of the flash screen would show the news item when the cooresponding title is clicked on the right side.

Can anybody point a flash newb into the right direction? An almost perfect one was from Bill Watson's website, except it seems to want some type of RSS format? I cannot understand the script enough to realize how to tweak it.

Thank you

Totally Lost
I feel like this code is almost done, it just has a few bugs in it which makes it not run properly.

It will give values sometimes, but it will go randomly to indefined values, and it normally ends in over half being undefined.

All of the variables are initialized properly at some point in the program, and the original length of the array is 40 numbers, so essentially 39...

I'm not sure if the problem is the Array.length or the Array.splice() or if it's something to do with the dynamic textfield. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I look forward to finishing this project up

Attach Code

stop();
BgStr_mc.onLoad = function() {
var x = Stage.width/2;
var y = Stage.height/2;
var txt:TextField = this.createTextField("txt", this.getNextHighestDepth(), this._width/2, this._height/2, 200, 50);
rnd = Math.round(Math.random()*(block.length+1));
txt.text = block[rnd];
block.splice(rnd);
BgStr_mc._x = x;
BgStr_mc._y = y;
this.gotoAndPlay(7);
};
BgStr_mc.onRelease = function() {
gotoAndStop(7);
};

Totally Useless
I am sure this will be of no use to anyone but what the heck!

.swf

.fla

Loss Of Fluidity On Release
I am trying to understand the scripting needed for movie commands. I have used buttons before (i.e. "on (release), "on (rollOver)") but what I want to do is know how it works with movie events. Here are my questions:

1) If on rollover I want the movie to play from frame 2 to frame 20 and stop what would I write for the scripting?
2) Same button, but what would I use for the rollout feature? (I have 21-40 as the same as 1-20 but reversed)
3) Also, how would you write out the scripting if I wanted the same animation as the rollout for the release of the button, without initiating the rollout animation again after I moved my mouse off of the movie?

Is it better to just use a button hit area for what I want? Or do the "onClipEvent" coding?

Thanks a lot
ZogDog

At A Loss, Could You Give Me An Idea?
thank you. i have a site that i am developing http://www.starband.com/sales, username moon, password landing. under the top tool bar, supporting documents, module 5...if you select any of the links to the right (using ie6) they replace my entire browser window with a blank page. i am using colin moocks getURL javascript pop up script. i have used it on other sites with perfect success. do any flash gurus or heavyweights have any idea why this is happening? i would really appreciate any insight.

Button Quality Loss
When I import a transparent image (both GIF and PNG) they look perfectly fine when I test them. However, when I make a button and place these together as a button (up, over down, hilt), the images suffer quality loss. I've explored all my options and I don't know how I can preserve the quality.

RemoveMovieClip Memory Loss?
To learn flash, I'm creating a game.. Collapse.. SameGame.. Ya know, clicking on the like colored blocks makes them go away, object of the game is to make them all go away.

When the screen is created, I do:

code:
blocks[col][row] = _root.attachMovie(bt,bid,bid);

as often as needed, where bt is the blocktype, and bid is a unique number built off of the row and column..

When moving the blocks down, I do:

code:
for (var a=1; a <= dispwidth; a++) {
var t = new Array();
var tc = 1;
for (var i=1; i<= blocks[a].length; i++) {
if (blocks[a][i] != undefined) {
t[tc] = blocks[a][i];
t[tc]._y = fixY(tc);
t[tc].row = tc;
blocks[a][i] = undefined;
tc++;
}
}
blocks[a] = t;
}

This works as expected.. What I'm wondering..
Would flash still have memory allocated to the blocks[col][row] movie clip, although I didn't do a blocks[col][row].removeMovieClip(); ?

(Note: I have tried it with the removeMovieClip() but then, it doesnt act as it should. Acts as though t[] is just a pointer to blocks[] instead of a seperate array)