Flash Site Design - Multiple scenes or just one really long one?

Author

Multiple scenes or just one really long one?

huggy7

2006-08-09, 3:21 am

been working with flash templates from template monster and i want to build my
own flash site (utilizing ColdFusion & QTVR)... The templates are usually one
scene with a ton of layers... the different "pages" are just spots on the
timeline...
This seems like a cumbersome way to lay things out because there are WAY too
many layers... My current project looks to be over 15 "pages" - i want to get
some advice on how to tackle it...

Questions: how do you layout your large site and why?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

RTalisman

2006-08-09, 3:21 am

huggy7,

Personally, I place each "page" within its own symbol, so it only takes up one
frame in the timeline. My code is all "relative code" utilising parent and
child dot syntax, so I can copy and paste any code and it will work no matter
when in the project it is placed. So "Page1" will contain its own timeline, as
would "Page2", etc.

Flash is very picky about referencing variables, so if you are using data, as
stated above, make everything relative. If you want code on a page, and have
imported everythint to a variable array "_root.myvariablearray" then you will
have to make this reference everywhere to insure Flash always finds its data.
And be sure to copy and paste Frames, and do NOT import from a file. Copy
Frames from start of Page 1 timeline start pos. to Page 1 timline end pos. then
go to your new project, create "New Instance" and then paste the frames back
intot he timeline. It will auto generate the layers again.

If I am dumbing this down too much then I appologise, but I have no idea what
level you are at and what you do or do not know about Flash. Personally I do
very little with databasing in Flash, but do everything else.

Hope this was of some use to you.

Best regards,

Rangar Talisman

cubster123

2006-08-26, 6:21 pm

if its a fairly small site, i find it easier to keep all my 'pages' on seperate
scenes and just link between them, bearing in mind that unless you tell it not
to then flash will load your whole site at once(could take a while). your
probably better to keep each page in a seprate .swf file and load between them.
you could even create a home page at level zero on one main .swf and just
load/unload all your other pages into that one at level 1. if you want an
example just drop me a line at cubby__47@hotmail.co.uk and i'll sort you out.

gr3g!

2006-08-27, 10:20 pm

you could do it the "lazy mans way" (personally my favorite) just have each
page as a seporate swf and load to differant webpages, (this works best if you
know your gonna have lots of people using the dreaded back button! lol) plus
you can keep one preloader and copy it accross for each page, (fairley low tec
I know but I found it a good way to start out as if you make a mistake in a
page you don't need to upload the WHOLE thing again lol!)

good luck!