Re: FLASH: make flash read image from db

[Dino Giacomazzi]

> for a designer turned programmer [don't laugh] it still doesn't sound

easy.


Matt,


I read my post again and it is pretty vague...let me see if i can do

better...


Here is step by step instructions on one possible scenario:


Assuming you don't know perl and don't want to take the time to tinker with

swiftGen do the following.


Assuming all your image files are the same size or similar in size and

shape...

   1. create a movie clip in your main movie

   2. draw a box in the movie clip

   3. size the box to match your image size

   4. Center the box to the movie clip (CTL-K, check align to page & center

Hor & Ver)

   5. Place an instance of your new MC in the main movie and name it (I call

the movie clip Images & name it Images also)


Next you need to create a new movie that will hold all your images.


   1.  Create a new movie (I call it Image1.fla)

   2.  Modify the movie and change the dimentions of the stage to match your

image size (the size of the "Image" Movie clip you made in your main movie)

   3.  Next, Import all your graphics into this movie (CTL-R)

   4.  Drag one of the images from the Library and center it on the stage

   5.  Publish the movie

   6.  Select File:Save As (CTL-SHIFT-S) and name the movie Image2.fla

   7.  Delete the first image from the stage and drag another one from the

library and center it

   8.  Repeat steps 5-7 for as many images you have


You can also name these files anything you want if you choose to load their

location from a variable set in your database...see below...


Now you should have a bunch of swf's named Image1.swf, Image2.swf, and so

on.  Upload those Swf's to your server and put them in a place that is easy

to access.

I use a folder called "images" (believe it or not) in the same folder as my

main movie so i can path up to the files by simply typing

"images/Image1.swf"


And now for the fun part...


I have no idea how your movie is structured, so im just going to give a

simple example of one way to access these images...If you want me to be more

specific, email me and explain your situation or send me the FLA and i can

help you figure it out..


so her it goes.


In your main movie go to the location where you want the image to

load...lets assume you have a set of actions on the main timeline that pulls

data into a text field...you also want an image to appear relative to that

data.  You have placed an instance of the movie clip called "Images" along

with the textfield and have set up some sort of load variable command to get

the text...at this point there are two things you can do:


Scenario 1

1.  create a field in your database called something like "imgURL"

2.  enter the absolute or relative path to the Image.swf file you created

earlier (either http://www.yourserver.com/flashdir/images/Image1.swf or

images/Image1.swf)

3.  when you load variables from the database, be sure to include the

"imgURL" variable field

4.  After the load variable action add a load Movie action like this....


Load Movie (imgURL, "/images")


5.  Be sure that the URL box is set to expression & enter imgURL

6.  Select Target (not Level) and path to the instance of your Images movie

clip (use the target editor)


what happens here is that the new image.swf will replace the box you drew in

that movie clip...you can also load the movie into a button and put the box

in the Hit state...this is what i do makes it a little cleaner plus i can

use the image as a button...


It may take a few seconds for the variables to load which may cause the load

movie action to miss the URL of the Image...

so you may need to create a "loop while" and set up a variable to detect

when the variables have been loaded,  (I can help you with this later)


Scenario 2

The other option is to name the image SWF files sequentially and use an

expression to call them up like this:


Load Movie ("Image" & ImageN & ".swf", "/images")


ImageN is a Numeric variable that starts with 1  you can change this

variable at will by setting ImageN to 2 or ImageN + 1 or ImageN - 1

depending on which way you are going.

This is a little confusing and really depends on how you have your movie set

up, so im not going to say anymore about that.


I hope this helps...


If you 'd like to see an example of this, check out my first flash site at


http://www.everlastlive.com/flash/


then check the discography section on channel 3  all the images are loaded

this way


Id also appreciate any feedback on the site...


Thanks


Dino

dinovirtualabandon [dot] com

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