Re: FLASH: 5 questions regarding Flash and Director

[Kurt Dommermuth]

Once again JD...Thank-you!


Hope MM recognizes how much of an asset you are.


Kurt


At 01:16 PM 10/19/2000 -0700, you wrote:

>At 7:14 AM 10/19/0, Kurt Dommermuth wrote:

> > Is there some sort of equivalent to Movie Clip and _levels

> > of Flash in Director?

>

>No. Flash nests timelines. Director's hierarchy is flatter, and all media

>are first-class citizens. Where Flash sends messages into hierarchies to a

>target timeline, Director broadcasts messages to all sprites. (Director's

>drag'n'drop behaviors can be set to listen for specific messages.)

>

>

>

> > Does anyone know of good info for people coming to director

> > with a Flash perspective?

>

>I don't know of an inclusive overview... this item (and its obverse) have

>been on my priority list for awhile, but I haven't delivered yet, sorry...

>part of the worry is not getting it full enough. Still, here are some

>notes:

>

>--  We don't nest as much... there's more communication among equals.

>

>--  Each and every media element is in the library.

>

>--  Each sprite object has its own timeline, rather than each layer having

>its own timeline

>

>--  Interactivity is easier... you usually drag'n'drop behaviors onto

>sprites, then configure them. Scripts aren't hidden inside objects and

>frames... behaviors are reused. (You can also write scripts if you wish,

>too.)

>

>

>

>

> > Is there a Generator like ability inherent in Director?  Can

> > director call bitmaps from a database?

>

>Macromedia Generator creates various types of data-driven files in

>realtime, on the server.

>

>The Shockwave Player, like the Macromedia Flash Player, is purely

>clientside, and does not create files. However, a file can reassemble

>itself in response to pulled instructions.

>

>Part of the reason the Shockwave Player is larger is that it contains

>import filters for GIF, JPG, more... you can definitely retrieve arbitrary

>files at runtime.

>

>More info on this topic:

>"Choosing a graphics generation solution"

>http://www.macromedia.com/go/14582

>

>

>

> > Does anyone have any idea when the ability to import Flash 5 movies

> > into Director will be available?

>

>The current Shockwave Players include a Macromedia Flash Player 4. There's

>work being done now on a new Xtra to render SWF5 content. It would still

>take awhile to update all the browsers.

>

>Big theme: Don't make overly-complex SWFs! In a browser everything has to

>be crammed into one SWF. But Director has more scripting, more media

>elements... we usually use SWF as *artwork* there, with a bit of

>interactivity... most of this stuff can be shown as SWF4 (or even SWF3)

>anyway.

>

>If you're designing something, it's good to get your feedback as you go

>along... if making a SWF that talks with JavaScript then test it in various

>browsers as you go along... if making a SWF that talks with Director then

>test it in Director as you go along. Constant feedback makes things easier.

>

>

>

> > I fear I can't pause the main timeline, to play my random

> > movies.

>

>You can definitely have the Director movie loop in a small section of

>frames (even one frame), while a SWF on the file contains to play until

>completion, when it fires off a message to the Director host that it's

>done.

>

>

> > Some of the movies are simply bitmaped images that I can shuffle through

> > and display randomly.

>

>For bitmap content, might as well put it in Director itself! One of the

>recurring problems is when people stuff media inside other things and then

>wonder why it plays more slowly. Director is *much faster* with bitmaps

>than Flash... sound control is more varied at the top Director level...

>interactivity is still stronger. Please watch out for stuffing things

>deeply, thanks!

>

>

>jd

>

>

>

>

>

>John Dowdell, Macromedia Tech Support, San Francisco CA US

>Search technotes: http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/

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>

>

>

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