Preloader Problem

[atomik]

I did a search on this and I still can't find the answer.
I know theres probably a simple answer for this but here is my problem: I'm using the smooth preloader from the TUT here and it only plays frame two. But the rest of the movie located in the main timeline never plays. I know it only plays frame two because it plays a sound there. I tried changing the last line from stop to play like this:


_parent.gotoAndPlay(2);

But it still only plays frame two.

Could someone steer me in the right direction?

Maybe I need to change "_parent" to "_this"?

Thanks for the help.

[Xenozip]

Did you check if there was a stop(); command in frame 2?
In that tutorial, step 2 is to add a stop(); in frame 2...

If you're telling the movie to gotoAndPlay(2); and frame 2 happens to have a stop(); in it, then the movie will load frame 2 and stop.

Try doing this. Make the loading screen 2 frames. In the second frame add the action gotoAndPlay(1);
This causes a loop when the movie is played (it will play frame 1 and 2 over and over). Then, when you're telling the movie to skip past the loading screen add this action : _parent.gotoAndPlay(3);
Make sure that there isn't a another stop(); untill the last frame of your main animation.

Also be sure that if the stop(); actions are in a layer inside the main timeline, that there is a keyframe seperating the frames.

In other words, if layer1, frame1 has stop(); and the layer extends to the full length of the movie (say 5 frames), and you're telling the movie to gotoAndPlay(3);, and there is no keyframe seperating layer1/frame1 from layer1/frame3, then the stop(); action is still applying to all 5 frames (I think).

Umm.. I could be wrong. Let me know if you're still having trouble. Good luck.

Edit:
Errr.. In laymens terms, here's an easier way to do what I mean without adding additional frames to the loading screen :

Go to layer1, frame 1, add the action stop();

Go to layer1, frame2, and insert a blank keyframe (adding this keyframe will end the stop(); action in frame1).

Change the line "_parent.gotoAndStop(2);" to "_parent.gotoAndPlay(2);"

Add in additional frames to layer2 past frame2.
Insert a keyframe for the last frame of the animation in layer1 (if layer2 has 10 frames, then add a keyframe to layer1, frame 10) and add the action stop(); (this prevents the movie from progressing past the last frame).
Play the clip.

This should load the loading screen, once _parent.getBytesLoaded returns 100%, then it should play frame2. The movie should progress to frame10 and then stop.

Lemme know how it goes.

[atomik]

Xeno,

There was a stop action in frame two.
I believe I understand your explanation.
I will test later when I'm home and let you know.
Thanks for your detailed answer!

[atomik]

Hey Xeno,

Thanks for your help.
Got it working in a flash- pardon the awful pun.

[Xenozip]

Cool, cool.
Good luck with future projects.