Re: FLASH: John's flying text

[Cheri Harder]

Well, I will give it a go, then John can correct me where I'm wrong.  :-)

The plug 'n play was created, of course, so you "wouldn't" have to

understand the programming behind it, but for those of us who can't stand

not knowing...here's a summary


All programming info is in the FB-Flying Text movie clip and a control

button within the MC.  The MC starts at a parked frame (frame action

"stop".)  Frame 2 sets the initial variables, ie., # of characters,

acceleration wanted, deviation wanted (creates the bouncy effect), the

initial position of the characters, and the spacing between them.  These 5

variables are all developer-adjustable, within certain (specified) ranges

that will work.


The meat of the action is in frame 3.  Here, the control button comes in.

The control button is a Movie Clip that is draggable and starts the main

(FB) Movie Clip, with the following action:

On (Roll Over)

      Begin Tell Target ("../")

            Play

      End Tell Target

      Start Drag ("", lockcenter)

End On


Now, we get to frame 3 of the main MC.  Without going into the specific

mathematical calculations, a loop is used to cycle through the objects,

using the variable name as an expression as well as the variable definition

as an expression.  For each iteration of the variable, the position of the

character is determined relative to the position of the control button

(character 0) which then determines the speed of the cursor movement.  This

speed is used in the calculations, along with the original spacing,

acceleration and deviation variables, and previous position, to determine

the new position of each character.  Thus, the current position is

determined with a "GetProperty" (x and y positions) and the new position

with a "SetProperty" (x and y positions)


Now, if you take this summary & match against the Plug 'n Play, maybe it

will make more sense?


(How'd I do, John?)


HTH


~~~~Cheri Harder~~~~~

Advantage Web Solutions

http://members.home.com/cherica

AdvantageWebSolutionsHome [dot] com (mailto:AdvantageWebSolutionsHome [dot] com)

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

From: Mountain, Mike J <

Mike [dot] Mountaincapgemini [dot] co [dot] uk

>

To: <

flasherchinwag [dot] com

>

Sent: Thursday, October 21, 1999 9:13 AM

Subject: FLASH: John's flying text



> John C

>

> I don't suppose you could talk us through how the flying text works could

> you. The plugin's great but a little difficult to understand the

methodology

> behind the programming.

>

> Cheers

>

> Mike

>

>

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flasher is generously supported by...

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

Streaming Media WEST '99 Conference & Exhibition

"The Worlds largest Internet Audio & Video Event"

December 7 - 9, San Jose Convention Center, California


Reserve your space today at http://www.streamingmedia.com

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

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

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

helpchinwag [dot] com