Flash Site Design - Out of control file size

Author

Out of control file size - need a dowload solution

martianarm

2006-08-02, 10:46 am

Hi

I'm making a site for a photographer in Flash 8

This is where it's got to so far. See: http://www.markhowell.co.uk/005test.htm

The project started off with much smaller dimensions and fewer photographs -
it's got much bigger along the way and now it takes ages to download.

The first frame comes up really quickly, but the problem arrises when you
click through to other pages (frames) and they haven't downloaded.

Is there some solution with a preloading message? I guess there would need to
be separate preloaders for each section of the site. If yes, are you able to
point me in the direction of a resource which will show me how to do it - I
can't find anything in flash 8: the missing manual.

Or am I better off just starting over and making the site in dreamweaver?

I'd be very grateful for any help.

Thanks in advance

Rachel

Pristine Pixels

2006-08-02, 10:46 am

Hi Rachel,

My best idea for that is to load the swf files externally, so that each page
is a different swf. A technique like this would be very simple and quick to
use, because it only loads what you need when you need it.

For example, you'd set the intro page to load right away, and then when you
select "At Work" the intro page unloads and is replaced by the at work page.

Another thing you may want to consider is holding the images in an XML file,
and then using some basic flash/xml intergration to load each image as it's
called. That way each image isn't stored in the flash file causing it to
increase in size, and instead is actually loaded externally which is must
faster.

There are some great tutorials, if you're intrested, on how to do both of
these at: http://www.kirupa.com/

Hope I helped some!

martianarm

2006-08-02, 10:46 am

Thanks very much for the suggestions. I'll have a look into them.

Del

2006-08-02, 10:46 am

"martianarm" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:eaagv8$ore$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Hi
>
> I'm making a site for a photographer in Flash 8
>
> This is where it's got to so far. See:
> http://www.markhowell.co.uk/005test.htm
>
> The project started off with much smaller dimensions and fewer
> photographs -
> it's got much bigger along the way and now it takes ages to download.
>
> The first frame comes up really quickly, but the problem arrises when you
> click through to other pages (frames) and they haven't downloaded.
>
> Is there some solution with a preloading message? I guess there would
> need to
> be separate preloaders for each section of the site. If yes, are you able
> to
> point me in the direction of a resource which will show me how to do it -
> I
> can't find anything in flash 8: the missing manual.
>
> Or am I better off just starting over and making the site in dreamweaver?
>
> I'd be very grateful for any help.
>

Not a download solution and I am not being an arse, but are you aware of the
warp in the portrait of the guy standing by the Peugot?

Del