loading movie

[chuck]

Hi,
I've got 2 flash movies, each in different html pages. I was wondering if it is possible so that while you are looking at the first flash movie in the first html page, it is loading the second movie in the other html page?
I've got the flash bible but it doesn't explain it.
any help would be rad.
cheers,
chuck

[chuck]

Hi,
I've got 2 flash movies, each in different html pages. I was wondering if it is possible so that while you are looking at the first flash movie in the first html page, it is loading the second movie in the other html page?
I've got the flash bible but it doesn't explain it.
any help would be rad.
cheers,
chuck

[Stinger]

A rough way to do this is to use frames and set a 1 pixel high frame at the bottom of your page. In your first movie, place a movie clip in it with a stop command in the first frame and a Get URL in the second frame that points to the frame name of the 1 pixel high frame and calls up the second Flash movie. When your preloader reaches 100% (or a particular frame in the first movie), use tell target to tell the movie clip to play. Then, when the first movie is finished and goes to the second, it will already be cached or partially cached depending on how large it is. I would not recommend using this method if you are not using a preloader because it can cause loading trouble for the first movie.

Hope this helps,

Scott (Stinger)

[chuck]

thanks stinger,
that seems to work. but...
what happens if the second larger file is only partially cached when the user clicks to go to the second page and second file, does the browser continue loading the file from where it left off, or does it have to start loading it from the beginning again, so basically my question is can flash files be partially cached?
thanks heaps,
chuck

[Stinger]

Most browsers do partially cache Flash files. Maybe the moderators have more information on this than I do but it has been successful for me in the past. I remember the first time I tested this idea; I deleted my "Temporary Internet Files" and I let my own Flash file load to 50% and hit my "Back" button. Then, I went back to the Flash page and it always started at 50% or better. This may act differently on platforms other than Windows but that is knowledge I am not too informed about. I wish I had the means to give you more definite information.

Good luck,

Scott (Stinger)

[pknair]

yes, browsers do cache partial files (depending on the version and type of browser you're using), but i'd rather do a preloader within one file. have a shell preloader which loads each of the other sections loaded into movie clips - that way, you could either play the clip in the same movie, or you'd have the file cached for the next html page. the big advantages to this are as follows:

1) no frames
2) better control over the preloading process via your shell (you have more options with what you want to do - like not having the link available until a portion of the movie is loaded, etc.).

if you want to do it with the frames option, but not have frames, you could just load the movie as a 1x1 movie somewhere else on the page. i generally don't like multiple movies loading for playback on the same page, though. at least, not more than 2 movies at once (one large, one small, or else both of medium size). The reason is that it's cpu-intensive to do this, and you can get slow playback on the one you want the users to see. if you use the shell, it can just cache the file, but the cpu is only processing one file for playback - not 2+.


hth,
Deep (just a guy)
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