In-Class

Student critique of classmates websites.

Preloaders

The web inherently streams data to the user’s computer. Often, the flash file will begin “playing” before all of the information is completely downloaded, causing slow, choppy, or incorrect playback.

Using preloaders allows websites to completely download before the site is able to be viewed.

Building a website with individually compiled sections (via nested movie clips) allows for designers to fragment their sites into individually preloaded files. This method allows for each section to be downloaded only as needed, and reduce heavy load times upfront.

1: Remove the nested gallery movieclips

Each gallery movieclip needs to be moved into a new and separate flash file. By opening each movieclip, highlighting all frames and layers, Cut Frames (Highlight all, Control + Click: Cut Frames)

In a new file Paste all frames in the blank keyframe of the new file (Control + Click: Paste Frames)

2: Design and Implement a Pre-Loader

Modify a pre-loader file from the Class Server, create your own, or find and modify and existing component from places like www.flashkit.com

Create a new Folder set within the timeline of each new external gallery file and in your base timeline file. Name the new Layer Folder ‘Preloader’. Paste in the pre-loader timeline into the layer folder using the same technique cited in the previous step. Modify timeline keyframes and actions script as needed.

3: Replace movie clip gallery keyframes on base timeline with Loader Clip

On the base timeline, delete the now empty gallery movieclips and replace with a ‘loader clip’. These loader clips will not be visible because the ActionScript on the same keyframe will load the appropriate external gallery into it. Though they will not be visible, placing a cross or an angle representing the top left edge helps to realign the gallery on top the base file.

Give the loader clip a unique instance name for each keyframe used to load a different external gallery.

Apply LoadMovieClip action to the keyframe above the loader clip, and target the path file name (‘p-gal.swf’), and target (ploader).

In-Class

Use Sample Flash files from server to dissect a flash movie into multiple files, and load externally using preloaders.