RE: [flasher] Fundamental question

[Paul Willoughby]

Hi Tim,


A textfile for holding info on what's sold and what isn't is definitely the

most straightforward way to achieve this. You just need a list of name/value

pairs in a text file. e.g. unit1=sold&unit2=unsold&unit3=sold...etc. If

you've never done something like this then do a search on Flashkit tutorials

for 'loadvariables'. You'd need  to write a little actionscript loop that

reads all the variables and sets the movie clips to their corresponding

state when the movie loads (assuming each site/unit is in its own movie clip

called mcUnitXX which has 2 frames one labelled 'sold' and one labelled

'unsold'). The easiest way is to load the variables into a target movie clip

and have that clip act when it receives all the data e.g.


OnClipEvent(Data){

	for(i=1;i<totalunits;i++){

		if (_root["mcUnit" + i] == "sold"){

			_root["mcUnit" + i].gotoAndStop("sold")

		}else{

			_root["mcUnit" + i].gotoAndStop("unsold")

	}

}


There are other ways you could target the clip, for example, instead of 2

frames containing the different states you could just modify a clips colour

depending on whether it's sold or not.


Making it easy for the client to update is probably the more awkward bit. If

you know someone who can write Excel macros you could just make a

spreadsheet they can save as a Flash friendly text file. Or just get them to

let you know when and what needs updating and you can edit the text file

yourself in 2 secs.


hth


paul


> -----Original Message-----

>

From: Tim Hawkins [tim [dot] hawkinsuk [dot] easynet [dot] net (mailto:tim [dot] hawkinsuk [dot] easynet [dot] net)]

> Sent: 12 February 2001 11:18

> To: flasher from chinwag

> Subject: [flasher] Fundamental question

> 

> 

>  I have a client that requires a map with various 

> places/sites shown on it.

> These sites need the ability to be turned on or off (or 

> change colour or

> whatever), as the sites are sold. This would need to be done 

> by the client

> from a dB. I am a designer with little scripting/coding 

> experience but know

> it is probably possible to do without generator or 5 zillion image map

> permutations.

> 

> Basically i need the location images on the map to be turned 

> on or off by a

> variable in a text file or an asp page.

> But how i acheive this is a little confusing ( fs

> command,actionscript,,java, generator ???????????), any help would be

> gratefully received.