[ ++ empty movie clips ]

[s b i]

empty or blank movie clips is a new thing that i am starting to see bits and pieces of information about.. but there is nothing really explaining *how* to construct one.. and how to best maximize the use of them.. so i would much appreciate a well written-actionscript.org tutorial on this matter :)

[sky_doq]

With inser -> new symbol, then select movieclip or ( crtl+f8 ) you can create an empty movieclip. But why would you ever create one ??

JJ

[Metrov 8]

In the new book, NEW MASTERS OF FLASH, Manual Clemente talks about blank MCs. He says, first of all, never 'unload' a movie. Doing so removes it from the viewers cache. So if the viewers wants to look at that MC again, it has to be re-loaded which may take a bit of time.

He says, instead of loading, then un-loading, just replace the MC with a blank MC. That way, the original MC remains in the viewers cache. In other words, if I load an MC into level 1, and I want to make it disappear, I just call up the blank MC into the same level 1. The blank MC takes the place of the original MC, but since it's blank, the space looks invisible.

Metrov

[sky_doq]

If you load a mc into tehe same level the other mc will be removed.

[Metrov 8]

Correct. But if you want to space to appear emtpy, use a blank MC instead. For an example, go to my website, http://fineartwebdesign.com When you click on the FINE ART WEB DESIGN.COM /HOME button at the upper left hand corner of the interface, everything is removed from the interface. The button is not UNLOADING the level, rather just loading a blank MC. That way, all the menu MCs remain in the viewers cache and come up instantly if called again.

[sky_doq]

Your right too!

My personal way of loading movieclips is, just put them all together and make a preloader , so know all is loaded.

[Metrov 8]

Right, but if your movie clips get too big, like if you're making an entire website in flash, then they will take much too long to load them all. A rule of thumb is never make the viewer wait more than 20 seconds for anything to load, or he will leave; he's gone, vanished, out of here. Some of the great designers, like Hillman Curtis have an 8 second rule.

[zanex]

Where can I find a tutorial on this technique? I'd use it right away if I could.

[sky_doq]

Which subject ?

empty movie clips is just crtl + F8 and then insert no pictures in the movieclip, only actions or something like that.