RE: FLASH: Template for 50 flash files

[JGL]

I did something similiar for a products catalog. Each product page looked

exactly the same except the data was different.


The main movie loads each product page as they are called into level 2.


Continuing:

1-I Created the Product page the way I wanted it to look and named by

sku/product code - Example: 100.swf

This movie has no text boxes.


2-In that 100.swf I did frame actions

  Load Variables ("./100.txt", 3)

  Load Movie ("./proddesc.swf", 3)


3-I Created a text file (100.txt) with variables such as:

  name=Product100

  &desc=This is the description for product 100.

  &price=21.95


4-I Created a movie called proddesc.swf that movie 100.swf loads. It has the

text boxes with the varible calls(name,desc,price) where I want them

relative to them sitting on the product movie.


5- Now Product 100 is done. I published and tested. Then save so I have a

100.fla.


- - - Moving on to add more products - - - -


6-With the 100.fla, I did a Save As 101.fla (These names are only relative

to the first go-round)


7-Edit 101.fla Load Variables ("./100.txt", 3) To Load Variables

("./101.txt", 3)


8-Repeat step 3 for product 101


9-Publish 101 and Save.


10-Repeat steps 6-10 for each new product.


In step 2 when you load vars, it replaces the last data so when proddesc.swf

loads, it has the new data.


Variations on this theme can make for some efficient Flash programming. And

the client can edit the text files. No movies every get open again for

changes unless I want to change the look of the page . .


The beauty here is the proddesc.swf is global and never changes. But if I

want to make changes that effect *all* my product pages, I can edit

proddesc.swf. If I just want to effect one product, I edit the 100.swf or

whatever product I want.


HTH

JGL



-----Original Message-----

Hi All,


I'm about to start developing a Flash Template for a project that requires

at least 50 similar type flash movies to be created. The differences will be

what the menu items are(text) and what section you go to(eg. what movie is

loaded, etc). Just wondering if anyone has any tips for efficiently creating

this type of thing.  EG - Loading menu items from text files, using

Generator Developer, simply replacing movie clips to reduce time

republishing the main flash movie, etc.


Regards,

Flashy



flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     flashforward2000 and the Flash(tm) Film Festival

 July 24-26, 2000, NEW YORK CITY, Hammerstein Ballroom

                  www.flashforward2000.com

   Produced by United Digital Artists and lynda.com

 Sponsored by Macromedia, Adobe Systems, Fusion, Inc, AtomFilms,

           shockwave.com and Electric Rain.

 1.877.4.FLASH.4  or (1.805.640.6679 outside the US and Canada)

 Register before June 30 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

helpchinwag [dot] com