Flash Site Design - Duplicating Nested Symbols

Author

Duplicating Nested Symbols

BandInMyHead

2006-03-10, 6:14 am

Hello,

I think I posted a message in the wrong forum. Thought I would post here
again.

I'm having a problem with a template I downloaded from TemplateMonster.com

There is a button with an effect that I wish to copy and use multiple times
with different text and referencing different URLs / SWF files.

Problem is, whenever I try to duplicate or copy the symbol, it produces
another symbol that I guess is using the same instance. As soon as I edit the
text for the button on the newly duplicated symbol, both symbols are updated
with the change and are identical. Including the action script.

I can't seem to find a way to copy this "button" so that I can edit it
seperately from the original. And unfortunately, I'm a bit of a novice in flash
and don't have the skills to rebuild this effect from scratch.

I copied/pasted the symbol I want to duplicate into it's own flash file as an
example.

http://www.straiusmusic.com/example.html
http://www.straiusmusic.com/example.swf
http://www.straiusmusic.com/example.fla

I would like to be able to duplicate the symbol and then change the text and
change the action script to open a different .swf file or URL.

Any help anyone can offer would really be great. I've reached a sad state of
banging my head against the same problem for 3 hours now.

Thanks!

BandInMyHead

2006-03-10, 6:26 pm

Ok, seems I got it to work. This deserves a great big "DUH" on my part.

Is there any way to tell Flash to duplicate everything automatically when
copy/pasting? Seems like an unwieldy way of having to go about copying little
buttons.

Chris (mudbubble)

2006-03-10, 6:26 pm

There is no way because nobody would like it if everything we pasted would be duplicated because it
goes against the grain of how and why flash is so great for the web - re-using instance of the same
symbol is how flash optimizes for the bandwith - if everything got duplicated automatically then
that would defeat its purpose of symbols and why they exist and what they do.
I have used flash for years and never had a tough time dealing with symbols and having to duplicate
them when necessary (right-click over the instance and select "duplicate").

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BandInMyHead wrote:
> Ok, seems I got it to work. This deserves a great big "DUH" on my part.
>
> Is there any way to tell Flash to duplicate everything automatically when
> copy/pasting? Seems like an unwieldy way of having to go about copying little
> buttons.
>