Flash on the cheap

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

At this time, for my use as a hobbyist, I can't justify spending the $$ for Macromedia Flash development tools. So, I've found some ways to do it for cheap.

I have GIF Construction Set Professional, which I registered for about $20 years ago for creating animated GIFs and it can export animations as AVI, MOV, MNG, or SWF (or save them as GIF, of course). If I want to create a flash with audio content, I export it from GCSP as AVI or MOV, import it into RAD video tools where I Bink it or Smack it and mix in the audio file and then export it as AVI, then use V2F (a freeware converter) to convert the AVI movie to SWF.

It works.

However, at this time, there's one thing that I want to do that I don't know how to do. I'd like my little flash movies to fully load before the frames start to play. Is there some way I can do that using Java or something? I'm willing to put the time into learning some scripting if that will get me what I'm after (I taught myself how to do some programming in C with DJGPP years ago so I should be able to learn Java or whatever).

For an example of a flash that doesn't fully load before it starts playing, here's one of mine: http://nodeity.com/mischum.html

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

Addendum: I just looked on Ebay and saw Macromedia Studio MX 2004 Academic Flash Dreamweaver for $183 U.S.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41856&item=7119579883&rd=1

Any idea why that would be so much less expensive than buying it through the Macromedia web site? Do you think it's legitimate? For that price, maybe I can afford the real thing.

Phate · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 2:43 am Post subject: Re: Flash on the cheap

The only thing that i can think of to your first problem is to preload the whole .swf when the webpage is loaded. I have seen this done in button rollovers, and i think it will work with .swf's

To address your second question... i cant find a legitamate answer... I think that at Best Buy that package is only $199...

And welcome to Devppl!

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

Thanks for the welcome. Smile

webmaster · Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 2:52 pm Post subject: Re: Flash on the cheap

Hi and wecleom to DEVPPL

You can use the free trial in 30 days if you want it cheap =)

You can preload a SWF, read how to do in this tutorial:
http://www.actionscript.org/tutorials/beginner/Smooth_PreLoader/index.shtml

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

That's true. I'll have to try that when I'm 30 days or less away from being able to buy the discount version on ebay.

Phate · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 1:08 am Post subject: Re: Flash on the cheap

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

Thanks, Phate. I'll see what I can do with that.

webmaster · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Flash on the cheap

I didn't know that it was possible to preload images like that, the only way I've heard was to add the image with width="0" and height="0", but this is much better =)

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

I'm going to play around and see what that does for longish animated GIF files. Smile

Phate · Posted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 11:36 pm Post subject: Re: Flash on the cheap

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

The html image preloading technique doesn't seem to work for flash files, unfortunately. Still, it's something good to know for other image files.

Phate · Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 4:34 am Post subject: Re: Flash on the cheap

As I recheck the source code for my website... I have noticed that there is a script in the header for the preloading.

If you would really like... check out my website and pour through the code.

http://zbrooks.com/web

NoDeity · Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 14

Okay. I'll see what I can make of it. Smile

Devest · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 1

as 4 me the best tool 4 converting avi to swf is video to flash converter. Try this great tool too: http://www.geovid.com/Video_to_Flash_Converter/