preloaders That Work

[Sirbob]

Hi guys!

I could really use some help with a preloader... it seems these preloaders are for flash doc. I really need one for frames with big MC's in each frame...

So I could use and example with unload frames and MC's in each frame, then preloader for each MC. I think if the preloader is in frame one of each MC that would be cool!

This is the best way to split up the D/L. I am sure all the people that find this new preloader would be stoked.

also the old preloader posts made in 2003 work but its for the main scene only.

Help,
-Sirbob

[Jupiter09]

Originally Posted by Warrior

I don't want to load all the website in one go because I only load what you want to see when you want to see it. To park movies you have to put a stop(); action in the first Keyframe of the movie being loaded and nothing else. No movie clip, no graphic, no music or picture but just an empty Keyframe and a stop(); action. Then you load the movies you want. You can load all the movies at once or just a few. Here is the code

// Put this code 5 frames before the preloader 
loadMovieNum ("1.swf", 1);
loadMovieNum ("2.swf", 2);
loadMovieNum ("3.swf", 3);

// Put a stop(); action on the Keyframe of the preloader
      // This preloader must be on a movie clip.
onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
        Total = (_level1.getBytesTotal()+_level2.getBytesTotal())+_level3.getBytesTotal() + _root.getBytesTotal();
        Loaded = (_level1.getBytesLoaded()+_level2.getBytesLoaded())+_level3.getBytesLoaded() + _root.getBytesLoaded();
        percent = Math.floor((Total/Loaded)*100);
        display = percent+"% Loaded";
        if (percent == 100) {
                _root.gotoAndStop("Frame Lable");
        }
}

This thread is awesome and I think that Warrior's code is going to help me do what I need to get done, but I need a little more hand holding than you guys have already provided.

Before I try using this code and screw everything up, I was hoping someone could let me know if I'm getting this right.

I have a file: leftNav.swf. This file calls in 2 external movies: flame.swf and smallflames.swf. I want the 2 external files to preload and I don't want the user to see anything other than a loading bar before the files are completely loaded. It looks like this code will take care of my issue, but I want to make sure I've got the steps down:

1. Open the external movie(s).
2. Add a blank keyframe to frame 1 of the external movie(s).
3. Add a stop(); action to this new blank keyframe. There should be nothing else in this frame. The movie content should start on frame 2.
4. Open the movie that calls the external movie(s).
5. Add 6 frames to the beginning of this movie.
6. In frame 1 add the first chunk of code but change 1.swf, 2.swf & 3.swf to the names of the external files you're preloading. (In my case, this would be flame.swf and smallflames.swf and I wouldn't need the 3rd one)
7. In frame 6 add a stop(); action.
8. In frame 6 add a blank movie clip.
9. Add the second chunk of code to the blank movie clip in frame 6.
10. Add a frame label to frame 7.
11. Modify the second chunk of code to gotoAndStop or gotoAndPlay (depending on the type of movie you have) whatever you labeled frame 7.

Is this right? Am I missing any steps? If someone will help me confirm this, I'll be happy to post a step-by-step tutorial for others to reference.

Thanks!

[padone]

Hi Guys i see what your doin here and its great but im after a loader which will load the first part of my movie then start playing and while its playing i need the rest to load in.

Please can you help me?

[farafiro]

Hi padone
if u can split your project to small seperate swfs and add a preloader to each one, then this will solve it

[garlandpool]

I'd like to know why my preloader only shows after about 50% loaded. Is there some general reason that someone has discovered that causes this? Does having too many cool looking graphics involved in your preloader cause this sort of thing? I imagine that's generally a bad idea...but, do you have to have strictly text and a loadbar in your preloader to succeed?

[atomic]

This is it... The ultimate answer!

http://www.senocular.com/flash/tutor...preloaderstart

Easiest way out? As Senocular himself suggest at the end of that FAQ, a new separate preloader only movie, to preload your present movie cleared of it's present preloader!

[garlandpool]

So, do I understand this right? If you use a preloader in a file where there are also components that are to show later (after the preloader loads) there will be a problem because flash automatically exports the components to the first frame? Is this the conflict that causes my preloader to only appear after about 40-50% has already loaded? If so, I think I understand the problem because the component(s) is getting priority when I would like it not to. If I am understanding this correctly, is there an easy way to get the components to stop demanding priority so my preloader can function the way I intend it to?

I did experiment with a work-around this problem by creating an empty movie that contains the preloader and uses loadMovie(); to bring in the contents that hold the components...but I sure would like an easier way.

Anyone have any guidance here?

[bjeffries111]

I have never used a preloader before, better yet never made a flash website or anything in flash so im new at this.

Do i put my entire site into a Movie Clip? or do i just start the site at frame 2?
I am still a little confused on how to do this.

Thanks,
Brian

[Stroke]

An empty first keyframe, never caused any trouble... So why not start on frame 2.

[bjeffries111]

All i want my preloader to do, right now, is just tell me the percent loaded. So the action script i used was,

total_bytes = _root.getBytesTotal();
loaded_bytes = _root.getBytesLoaded();
percent_done = int((loaded_bytes/total_bytes)*100) add "%";
if (total_bytes == loaded_bytes) {
_root.gotoAndStop(2);
}

Is that right? because it doesnt work.
Help would be great,
Brian