question about how 2advanced.com is setup

Okay, at www.2advanced.com , it appears to be one large .swf file for the whole page. But, the center window part where (with the building with the moving clouds in the background, and where all the information pops up) is a different .swf file. Like it is on top of the large .swf. (I'll try to clearify in another post if no one is understanding all my "technical" terms.) And then when you click on a link, instead of going to a different scene or frame number or what not, its a whole new .swf file.

Is that how i am trying to explain, infact what really happening. Or is it just like a scene on scene type of thing.

Well, I wish I was more "professional" sounding, but thats just how its going to be.

So, basically, what I am trying to say, is
How is the page layout setup at www.2advanced.com

I use Flash 4, but I have flash 5 too.... is what they do easier to do in v5?

I'll try to be prompt in responding...

I'd bet he uses multiple movie clips. Then just loads and unloads them. I'd stay away from scenes and use the method I just mentioned.

okay, thanks for the advice. I am getting a lot of the basics down, I need to work on how to put it all together now.

Movie clips sounds like a good idea. But when the 2advanced.com movie loads, it doesn't load the other pages, it loads them when you click on the buttons. Can you make it so that individual movie clips won't load until you activate them or what not. Because it saves time when first loading the movie to get the main page, than you can worry about the rest being loaded if they want to go to that section.

So, would movie clips still be able to do this?

You can also use completely separate movies (which i think is what he does) loaded into the main movie. When a button is clicked you load the movie (swf file) so that a new section is "loaded". Click the next button and the current movie is unloaded and a new one is loaded, etc.

Chris

Ya, I am almost positive thats what he does.

So, if I use separate movies, than they will only have to load when the button activates them?

So, if I had my layout all done, then the buttons to load new movies, those movies won't load in the begining?

(guess I should test it out myself)

looks like he uses frames, and the menu is a different .swf as is the bottom, and the links use GetURL and target the main frame with a new .swf for each page.

If you look at your temporary internet folder and find the movies it should help a little. The bottom and top parts of the page are one movie (interface.swf) and there is a blank space between them. Then there are other .swf files for the different pages, but you never leave the same url

like there are separate .swf for the audio
the first loading movie
and all the separate sections

Fig is correct. When I said multiple "movie clips" I should have said multiple movies... I think I remember reading in one of my Friends of Ed books that is his technique...

For good references "any" Friends of Ed book is great, and New Riders has some good books as well. Also check out were-here.com and flashkit.com. A must have bookmark if you are into Flash...

Okay thanks for all you help everyone.

I'll probably post my website when its all done, its pretty cool looking so far.... no content, but i just started.

Ya, I have flashkit.com bookmarked, but never heard of were-here.com

So thanks again, will probably have another problem or two to solve before I am done.

Looks like everything has already been covered The New Masters of Flash book (the first one) has a chapter by Eric Jordan (the 2advanced guy) in it, might be helpful just to flip thru at the bookstore to get an idea of how everything is set up. Good luck...

chris