Creating a slideshow from external images

[michaelbuddy]

I have to create a flash movie in which external images fade in and out on their own. I'll be using large size images and I can format them all the same, but I need to do this without having to rebuild the swf every time images are introduced.

I know this has to have been done before. Can anyone help? I'm pretty new to flash, especially programming sides of it.

[Availor]

You have various ways to do so. If you are not familiar with Actionscript then it would be hard for any of us to instruct you. I can give you a link to follow some of the tutorials.
http://tutorialoutpost.com/count/5113
http://www.frunder.com/tutorials/flash/blureffect/
http://learnflash.com/wp/

Browse the links - the last one has video tutorials I think you will find them useful.
You also have a paid site http://www.cartoonsmart.com/advanced_smart_topics.html

Hope this helps.

Availor

[Egg Bramhill]

Michael,

I think one of the main disadvantages of this would be the delay time in loading the next external image. Not to bad on a broadband connection but useless on a dial up connection.

I can do it with buttons but as a self running image it may take some coding.

However actionscript.org have a great tutorial HERE that might solve your problems.

[michaelbuddy]

Thanks a lot for those links, that actionscript link in particular. This is going to be a local based flash file, not an interet based one. My company has some software that can play media and embed flash. This will be the best way to create the slideshow I have of a couple hundred images I think.

If you have any other suggestions, let me know, but thanks very much.

[Egg Bramhill]

Michael,

A local based slideshow should be fairly easy to create.

I suggest the following:

On layer 1 create an mc to load image No 2.
Directly above it on layer 2 have an mc load image No 1.
On Layer 3 create a mask layer to mask layer 2.

In the mask layer create a movie clip mask that starts by showing all the photo on layer 2, then have it tween until it hides layer 2 (photo1) thus revealing layer 1 (photo2) below it.

At the end of the mask tween, have layer 2 load photo2 and layer 1 load photo3 and the tween rewind to frame1.

Continue this sequence as often as required.

You will need to set up a timing routine to stop themovie between tweens.

You might be able to use a text file to input the totalPhotos value variable.

[Egg Bramhill]

Michael,

I attach a zip file of how I would do this.

Download the file, unzip it and open the fla file (Flash8) or view the swf file in the standalone player.

In Flash choose export as projector file type. This will now run as a standalone player on any computer.

To increase the number of photos just edit the text file named "numberofphotos.txt" by changing the value of "photoNumbers=" to whatever value you want. Apart from the number of photos don't alter the text in any other way. Save the text file on completion.

This way you never have to edit the Flash file again.

You could change the transistion(?) tween to whatever and as many as you want by creating new ones and randomising their selection.

Hope this helps.

[Availor]

very nice technique Egg thank you

[Egg Bramhill]

Cheers Availor,

I forgot to mention that you could put a timer routine into the script, which could be altered from within the text file as well if required.

ie &staticTime=20

[Availor]

&staticTime - I dont know what this is... I know a Timer command which is set to miliseconds.

[Albacore]

If you have Flash 8 Pro there is a template, resources & tutorial ot help to do it straight off.