Re: FLASH: Basic questions

[Willem van den Goorbergh]

Hi Ray,


>1. Is there any way that a script can get the user zoom level? This 

>would allow, in maps, for certain text sizes to be turned off. As 

>one zooms in on a map, area text, for example, becomes very large 

>and should be made invisible, or at least fade to a light, 

>transparent-like effect.


Yes, but I think you have to create a 'zoom tool' inside the movie 

instead of using the standard Flash plug in zoom tool.

Put the map inside an MC and evaluate it's scale. When a given 

zooming condition is met, you can tell the MC to jump to a frame 

where  unreadable text is invisible by just inserting an empty key 

frame in the appropriate layer(s).

I have an example of a map that is generalized when thematic 

information is displayed at http://www.zorgmij.nl/kaart.html

[In Dutch, but with your 'knalpot'-background you should be able to 

get the general idea ;-)]


>2. Or has there ever been any desire for a feature where you supply 

>text with conditional controls (visible or hidden) based on the 

>player magnification, say specified in pixels (character height). 

>For example, if you could have a text item only visible when its 

>character height was between 12 and 36 screen pixels in height, it 

>would drop out when very small and also when very large. I guess 

>this is wish-list stuff, eh?


I think, for mapping purposes this would still be limited. Not only 

text but also other map elements would need different generalization 

(and not only visible vs. hidden) when conditions like zoom level 

change.

In Flash you can control every graphic element in a map if only you 

turn it into a symbol, but as there are so many map elements, this is 

not a practical thing to do.

I would like to see families of symbols that are commanded by one 

'parent'-symbol.

In the parent you would define what should happen to all the children 

when a condition is met.

Also being able to globally edit (search & replace?) actions of 

multiple symbols would be a nice feature.

Willem

-- 

Geografiek is a Dutch, Utrecht-based map and chart design company.

Willem van den Goorbergh can be contacted by telephone: (+31)30-2719512

or by telefax: (+31)302719687

Visit our website at: http://www.geografiek.nl

Take a peek at our FLASH site under construction: 

http://www.geografiek.nl/test2000 


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