Flash :: Masking Tutorial Help Needed

API Masking... Lot Of Help Needed Here
Hi folks

First post here, love the site - lots of great tutorials for a graphic designer (like myself) to get excited about and then to get totally confused with.... Like the following.

I have followed the following tutorial on API masking;

http://actionscript.org/tutorials/ad...I/index2.shtml

And I customised it for my own logo, took out the alpha fade e.t.c. and got it working good.

Now I wanted to use this movieclip with the pixel fade effect on my first scene of my movie as a kind of intro. My flash movie is 764 x 415 pixels, the movie clip is 303 x 100 pixels so I positioned it central and tested the movie.

Part of my movie clip was there, but the pixel fade had disappeared and there was a horrible blue rectangle accross the top of my movie when it moved onto the next scene - (see here).

I suspect that the mask is relative to the whole parent movie and not to the movieclip - but am not sure and have no way to alter this.

Here is the code I have used (which isn't much different from the tutorial)

PHP Code:

onClipEvent(load)
{
    numY = 230;
    numX = 157.5;
    numPerFrame = 216;
    currSquare = 0;
    choices = new Array();
    for(i = 0; i < numX*numY; i++)
    {
        choices.push(i);
    }

    _root.createEmptyMovieClip("mask", 0);
    this.setMask(_root.mask);

    function drawSquare(x,y)
    {
        with(_root.mask)
        {
            moveTo(x,y);
            beginFill(0x000088)
            lineTo(x+5,y);
            lineTo(x+5,y+5);
            lineTo(x,y+5);
            endFill();
        }
    }
}
onClipEvent(enterFrame)
{
    if(currSquare < numX*numY)
    {
        for(i = 0; i < numPerFrame; i++)
        {
            j = random(choices.length);
            t = choices[j];
            choices[j] = choices[choices.length - 1];
            choices.pop();
            x = t % numX;
            y = Math.floor( t / numX );
            drawSquare(x*5, y*5);
        }
        currSquare += numPerFrame;
    }
}

How can I rectify this, or more to the point, what is the best way of using this effect in a graphic sense as an opening scene and then letting the rest of the movie work correctly without any masking?

Apolgies for use of incorrect flash terminology - I am not up to speed with actionscript at all

Tutorial For 'masking'?
I am still somewhat of a noob to flash, can handle the basics, But i was wondering how some sites make things appear and disappear from right to left when they have a non-solid colored background.

I know how to do it with solid colors, just make a graphic/shape the same color as the background and put it on top of the layer you want to disappear, then animate the colored graphic over the layer you want to disappear, but this wont work for 'real' backgrounds..

I've been told this can be done with 'masking'? any insite? or links to a tutorial?

Masking Tutorial...?
There is no masking tutorial here.... I need an explaination on it.

I totally don't get that stuff. I two layers ...one layer has shape and the other has bitmap....

I want to mask it where the bitmap will take the form of the shape.

No luck...i don't really understand this.

If anyone has a link to a tutorial, please post it.
Or
If you can help me out, I'll send you the *.fla... *smile*

Thanx!

Masking Help, With This Tutorial Please.
I need a bit of help with this tutorial.
http://www.shadowness.com/tutorial....&tutorial_id=40

The person who did it seems to think i have some rudementary sense of flash, where as in this case. I DONT! lol. Im trying hard to learn though, and everyone says layer masks for this effect (eg. the tutorial example) is easy as anything to do.

Could someone please break this down a bit for me? Explain it a bit more clearly, id be greatly appreciative, thank you very much.

A link to any other masking tutorials would be awsome too, but you guys are the experts, please a laments guide to masking would be great!

Masking Assistance Needed
lets say I create a word in a frame composed of symbols. the sybols are just individual characters. so.

graphic1 : s // the letter s
graphic2 : t // the letter t
// and so on

in frame 1 of a movie I have created an instance of each to spell a word.

frame1 : string // each letter in string is composed of individual symbols

If I create a mask that starts at one side of the string and moved across to the other side, how do I get the mask to show through properly?

frame1 : ****mask**** string
frame20 : string ****mask****

if i am unclear I can post a non-working flash file.

thanks,
-john

Scripted Masking Help Needed
I have a rectangle which is masking an image below .
On click of a button i want to change the x scale and y scale of the rectangle with elastic effect to any xscale or yscale
i define to a button. it should look as if the transition is done with motion tween / shape tween

i hope u got what i want to do?

try this
eg on click of button A the width of the object is 423 and height is 198
On click of button B the width of the object should be 261 and height is 423

Regards
Rahil

[F8] Assistance Needed (Masking, Maybe?)
I'm doing a flash intro for a non-profit organization. The guy who's running the project saw an effect on a website, and he wants me to do something very similar. The site is http://www.destinyusa.com . Skip the intro. When the main photo of comes up, you'll see the image broken into squares and flying in from the bottom left corner.

How do I make this happen? I've done a lot of searching, but have come up empty-handed.

Thanks in advance for helping out a newb!

Newbie At Masking, Little Help Needed
hi, im not a complete beginner at flash but i am when it comes to masking.

i can do the simple effects like getting a logo to reveal itself by having a rectangle over it with the rectangle dragging down etc.

what i would like to no is the effect that looks like a squiqqly line has been drawn on or where an object such as a chair looks to have been quickly drawn on, how do you create this effect?

thank you for your help in advance

dan

Simple Masking Help Needed
Hi I am trying to replicate the effect on this flash banner : http://www.freewiretv.com/
where the squares fade in the pictures, can anyone let me know how it is done please.

I have access to both FlashMX and CS3

Masking- Flash Tutorial...
ok guys i am quite new to flash but i tried to follow a tutorial on here but it doesnt even half work.

i followed the instructions as they said but it just didnt work..

heres the link..

http://www.flashkit.com/tutorials/Sp...-839/index.php

basically i want to know how to get the mask effects to be "see through" i can easily do a mask but i cant get it to work as it shows in that tutorial..

any help would be greatly appreciated..

thanks.
juan...

Masking Tutorial Question
Hi,
I'm tring to do a masking effect like the tutorial below but I wanna see the color of the dragable MC like in the tutorial but I only see the text masked with out the MC's color
can anyone tell me how to be able to see the MC's color when masking?

http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flash5/dragmask.htm

Thanks

Flash Masking Tutorial
I am trying to bring in some vector art onto the stage like done on http://www.jonathanyuen.com/main.html once u click the red button. The black 'flourishes' that 'mask' on to the screen.
I say 'mask' because my guess is that is how it is done.
Anyhow, could anyone direct me in what to search for to learn this technique.

ThankS

Best Masking Website Tutorial
Last edited by flyin_hie : 2004-06-20 at 12:26.

I'M TRYING TO LEARN SOME REALLY NICE MASKING SO I WAS HOPING SOMEONE COULD GUIDE ME TO A WEBSITE THAT TEACHES SOME REAL COOL MASKING THANX

Circular Wipe /masking Needed
hi

i am sure i have done this before - but i want a mask over my image that will reveal the image in a clockwise motion

i am trying to think of a way that involves tweening but for the moment - i am stumped - any suggestions

thanks

SIMPLE MASKING PROBLEM. HELP NEEDED
doing some simple masking of text in a scene. got my 0% brightness set on one layer and on another layer i have the same word with -80% brightness set. then i have a spotlight effect on the third layer. when i check if it works within the flash file, it works. when i test my movie it doesn't work!!!!!
i cannot see what i am doing wrong!

if somebody could answer as soon as possible as i have to hand this assignment in tomorrow!!!! THANK YOU!

Masking Effect Like This? Tutorial Or Coding
Hi could someone please refer me to where I can find a tutorial or coding on how to create a masking effect like they have done with the background image on this site: http://www.imagomilano.com/ ????

I've seen this somewhere before AGES ago ... but I've lost it! :S

THANK YOU!

Mouse + Masking Effect Tutorial
Mouse mask mover tutorial... I am posting this because I remember someone asking a long ass time ago how to do the mouse mask moving effect kinda like HUGE hope someone finds this useful

Circle Of Light / Masking Effect Help Needed
I'm creating a pacman style game and created an effect where the player can only see part of the maze with a circle of light around him.

The technique I used was to lock a movie clip of a giant black box with a gradated hole cut in the center to the player's position.

This works fine, but when the player is moving, everything gets slowed down - I'm guessing because the shape that is being moved with the player is so big and everything has to get redrawn essentially.

Does anyone know of another technique I might be able to use that won't slow down my game?

Wanna Make A Banner Help Needed In Masking
Hi guys, i want to make a sort of banner, and i want graphics to come in from the side and appear on the banner, i'll need to mask the area that i want displaying, how do i go about doing this?

Indesperate Need Of Masking Help (see Glint Tutorial(text))
PLEASE.... I have (or so it should be..) successfully completed the glint masking tutorial on the flash mx text tutorial page called GLINT. when I flip throught the timeline backwards and forwards it works as it should, however when I test my movie all I see is the rectangle moving across the screen with no text showing. why does this happen???? Am I an ignorant fool, or is my pc playing up? Its a pentium 3 you know......

Text Masking: Follow Mouse (kirupa Tutorial)
I followed the tutorial and it workz perfect! My question is...how do I make it to where when you CLICK the name it will link you to a URL? Thank you File is attached

Help Needed With This Tutorial
Hi i have been reading over this tutorial @

http://www.virtual-fx.net/tutorials/html/lazer.htm

and @ STEP 2, No:4 it`s telling me 2 goto Window > Inspectors > Object.

the trouble i am haven is i cant find the "INSPECTORS" in the window menu on the interface can any 1 point me in the right direction ?

thanx 4 taken the time 2 read this post

=)

Tutorial Needed
hi all!

i need to find a tutorial on how to let users load external *.jpg's
into a *.swf file.

thanx for any help

Tutorial Needed
Does anybody know where I can find a tutorial to create a photo gallery like the one within this site? Or...How do I add this action to a button? Please be specific about steps.

http://www.samsarkisphotography.com/flash/index.html

I will appreciate all help.

A Tutorial Needed For...
I searched the net and found plenty of as2 tutorials for making a car racing game but none for as3??

anyone know of any good tutorials of such??

thank you

Tutorial Needed
hi all!

i was wondering if there is a good tutroial here in kirupa or another site on how to make a music player in your site... like u know it displays the song name and has stop, play, next buttons..
a link to somewhere will be very nice
thank you

Tutorial Needed In This.....
Hello! Can anyone give me a tutorial in making the jumping thingy when you play a sound? Like in this website.

http://www.flashkit.com/loops/Easy_L.../Instrumental/

Thanks in advance

Tutorial Needed
i'd like to learn how to make a visualization like winamp, i don't know the name of those bars that move as fast as the sound plays, but i think you know what i mean. if any of you can help find a tutorial i would really appreciate it.

Controlpane, Tutorial Or Help Needed
I'm preparing a site with technical data for various products, but sometime the number of columns in a table is too big that I've decided to draw it in .jpeg, convert it in a movieclip and let it scroll orizzontally in a controlpane. problem is, I don't know how to use it; the help of flash is a little too generic and I really don't understand how does it works; all I know is that only movieclips can scroll inside a controlpane, but how can I put my clip inside it? any help is hugely appreciated!

Preloader Tutorial Needed
can anyone here give me a good place for a bar preloader. i would like to add a bar preloader to my origonal comunicative preloader but i cant find the tut.

Preloader Tutorial Needed
where is a good place to get a tutorial on making bar preloaders?

Bar Preloader Tutorial Needed
does anyone know where i can get a good tutorial for a bar preloader

Flash 8 Tutorial Needed
Ok, heres the deal.

There's a community project happening on a message board that I am a regular at, and a sort of birthday card is being made for a member. People can come and contribute art and stuff to go on this big picture, and it was suggested that writers should be able to contribute their stuff too. But of course, writers can't just throw their pieces all over this picture. I thought that I could contribute by turning this picture into an interactive flash thingy, and put little bits of paper over the room and make them clickable so you can zoom in and read them.

I have Flash 8, but really, I don't know the first thing about it. So lets just say I'd have the main image, and probably the wee bits of paper in separate layers.

Where would I go from here?

Help Needed On Kirupa Tutorial Re: XML
on the following Link http://www.kirupa.com/developer/flas...ml_as3_pg6.htm
in the section "Filtering Attribute Information"

Kirupa takes you through filtering by the ISBN number, these results include the XML tags as well could anybody advise me how i would eliminate them in this section:

function ParseBooks(bookInput:XML):void {
trace("XML Output");
trace("------------------------");

var authorList:XMLList = bookInput.Book.(@ISBN == "0743203178");
trace(authorList);
}

i beleive its using the .text(); function but i can't find where to put it.

also, in order to load this information into a dynamic text box do i just replace trace with the destination of my text box?

Thanks
Daniel Hodkinson

Slideshow Tutorial Needed - CS3 / AS2
Hey All... I've never built an XML slideshow before and my client wants something that functions very much like:

http://www.marc-cain.com

I'm no newbie... but as i've not touched XML slideshows before I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of the best tutorial... it would save me a few days head-scratchin' !!

Cheers for any help people...
Jimmy

Help Needed On Intemed Tutorial 58
Working on Int Tutorial numero 58 Dynamic Menu w Subs

Everything is working EXCEPT cant seem to figure out how to code a menu button which does not have any submenus

ie The first button I made was the Home button it has no sub menus I want it to get Url when released.... have tried numerous approaches (I new to actionscript and programming)
nothing works

Any help will be greatly appreciated...

thanks

FLAP Tutorial Needed
Anyone know where I can find a good tutorial on using the FLAP, Flash Remoting in PERL. I'm new to flash remoting, but not to PERL, and really don't want to learn PHP yet. There seems to be alot out there for the AMF-PHP version, but every link I find for AMF-PERL brings me back to the site where I downloaded it in the first place, http://www.simonf.com/flap/, and those tutorials although useful are not so complete.

I appreciate any direction anyone out there could give me.

Thanks,
Steve

How To Fire Tutorial Help Needed
Hi Everyone, I'm new to the forums!

I'm having an issue with the 'How to Fire' tutorial on Kirupa. I have quadruple checked my syntax and all that but I can't find the reason for the problem.

I only seem to be able to fire one bullet at a time, when I fire another, the first one disappears. I've attached my FLA to look at.

The movement/fire actions are on the plane, the bullet actions are well..... on the bullet!

Thanks in advance for any help!

HELP NEEDED PLZ About Grass Tutorial
hey, well i've followed the grass tutorial in special effects on kirupa.com. it all works fine and well BUT the trouble i have is i want to stop the grass movie clip after a certain frame, because its in scene 2 of my cartoon and jsut continues. the mc only uses frame 1 of my scene 2 but how would i go about stopping it?

Flash Tutorial Needed
hey guys,

need some help.

If you check out:

Code:
www.eliteclubbing.com
You will see a a scrolling GIF under the Newsletter heading. But as you can see from this the animation is quite poor plus I would like it to loop without any jumps or pauses that you get with GIF.

I was just wandering if there any tutorials I can look?!

Never really used Flash so be gentle!

Thanks

Help Executing A Tutorial Needed
I've been trying to follow this tutorial (http://www.lashf.com/page/basic/running_circles_effect), but as I'm new to Flash I'm having some problems. I think it's because in action script 3 you can't ad an actionscript to a movieclip? Is this correct? and if so how do I get around that?
I've figured out how to get the circle to move and fade, it's just the rest of it that doesn't seem to work.
Any help would be appreciated. (I have Flash CS3)

Flash 8 Mp3 Tutorial Help Needed
So this is the code i copied from the video

Code:

// Setup sound object
var s:Sound= new Sound();
s.onSoundComplete=playSong;
s.setVolume(75);

// Array of songs
var sa:Array=new Array();

// Currently playing song
var cps:Number =-1;

// Load the songs XML
var xml:XML= new XML();
xml.ignoreWhite= true;
xml.onLoad= function()
{
var nodes:Array= this.firstChild.childNodes;
for(var i=0;i<nodes.length;i++)
{
sa.push(nodes[i].attributes.url);
}
playSong();
}

xml.load("songs.xml");

// Play the mp3 File
function playSong():Void
{
if(cps==sa.length- 1)
{
cps= 0;
s.loadSound(sa[cps].true);
}
else
{
s.loadSound(sa[++cps]. true);
}
}

But i get

Error opening URL "file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/Desktop/Mp3%20Player%201/undefined"
Error opening URL "file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/Desktop/Mp3%20Player%201/songs.xml"

when i try to run it,
So i tried this

Code:

// create a Sound object
var mySound:Sound = new Sound();
// when a song is finished call playbeat function
mySound.onSoundComplete = playbeat;
// set initial volume to 75%
mySound.setVolume(75);

// create array of all beats..
var beatArray:Array = new Array();
// counter to current beat.
var nowBeat:Number = -1;
// create xml object
var xml:XML = new XML();
xml.ignoreWhite = true;
// load xml
xml.onLoad = function(){
var nodes:Array = this.firstChild.childNodes;
// iterate through array - push into beatArray
for(var i=0;i<nodes.length;i++){
beatArray.push(nodes[i].attributes.url);
}
playbeat();
}

// tell it to load in xml file
xml.load("songs.xml");
// play beats
function playbeat(){
// check which song is playing
// if at end, play first one
if( nowBeat == beatArray.length-1){
nowBeat = 0;
mySound.loadSound(beatArray[nowBeat], true);
}
else {
mySound.loadSound(beatArray[++nowBeat], true);
}

}
And it worked fine, but i need the original code i tried to work as it relates
to the second part of the tutorial

If anyone could help me out i would apreciate it

Thanks

Masking Tutorial Help Needed

I'm attempting to do a moving mask. I have got a mask and a masked layer. I have got the mask layer to move. Everything is good, and it even plays, but when I go to test all I get is a totally blank screen. Why is that?