LoadMovie error message

[Ian Webster]

I am using the following to prevent an external .swf file from being cached

loadMovie ("helenbarnes/helenbarnes.swf?unique=" + Math.floor(random(1000000)/random(1000)), "image4");

Seems to work fine when viewed in a browser from the server but I get the following error message when I test the movie from within Flash (version 5)

Error opening URL "file:///F|/ian/dwm/helenbarnes/helenbarnes.swf?unique=1188"


Is there a way to prevent this error?

thx
Ian

[Colin Campbell]

Welcome to the forums Ian,

have you tried typing it in a different way? Its hard to explain, when you have a file on your comp, I'm quite sure you need an exact url to it. That might be your problem...

Sorry I couldn't be of more help,
Colin

[Ian Webster]

thanks, Colin

If I put the full URL for this external file, I will need to upload it to the server every time I make changes before I can test it locally (if you see what I mean)....this could become a bit of a drag

The relative path has been working fine both locally and on the eventual server

HOWEVER when I added the random qualifier on the end (to stop the caching), it now generates an error locally but not when run on the final server?

Any ideas?

thx
Ian

[Ian Webster]

ok, I now understand what is causing this:

when the browser makes a call to the server the .swf file downloaded is put into cache with a name that includes the random qualifier

for example "helenbarnes.swf?unique=1188"

BUT when running locally, the code calls a filename which doesn't exist locally (cannot because the qualifier part of the name is random!!)

So.....

is there anything in flash like DEBUG in C compilers

ie

if(DEBUG)
do this
else
do that


any help appreciated

thx
Ian

[Ian Webster]

this is what I have ended up with for anyone who is interested - a unique qualifier is added only if the movie is drawn from the server - however, the qualifier is omitted if the movie is being tested from the flash IDE

if (_url.substr(0,_url.indexOf(":")) == "file")
{
loadMovie (id + "/" + id + ".swf", "image4");
}
else
{
loadMovie (id + "/" + id + ".swf?unique=" + Math.floor(random(1000000)/random(1000)), "image4");
}