liquid layouts...why or why not

[monkeyhead]

This is for the more advanced developers or to anyone who knows:

what are the downsides to the liquid layout?
because i use'em, i love'em, and i can't understand why everyone doesn't use'em.


thanks,
Andre

[albino]

they can be awkward as hell to code imo, and quite often can cause layout breaks (if gone to wide, too narrow etc).

for me, just means more hassle. thats in html though, not sure about flash.

[irrationalistic]

Liquid Layouts are extremely dynamic, but they require an equal amount of programming. It is a bit of a hassle to organize it out, but if you are making a fullscreen flash site, I wouldn't suggest avoiding the liquid layout.

There are several different ways to optimize your content to size in a logical way. You just have to design around the program limitations.

[lambros]

what are liquid layouts ? any example ?

[akmdesign]

I dont get why they arent more popular...

[FlawlessDog]

what are liquid layouts ? any example ?

It's not AS3, but this is a liquid layout...

http://www.fmx6.com/
http://www.kirupa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=201745

or this

http://www.tutorio.com/media/flash/liquid-demo.html

[stringycustard]

Liquid layouts are a great technique but everyone else here is pretty accurate about the coding ability required. The issue isn't in getting the thing to rescale for the screen initially, but rather to do with subsequent rescaling. You have to cater for what happens when the screen gets too small, in a particular dimension (or too large as bitmaps like filters, etc. in flash have limits, too), and lots of other things you normally wouldn't have to consider. With larger, more dynamic sites, bad optimisation of code can also make this a potentially power-hungry design style. I've created stuff that went *much* slower due to the liquid layout. But they were all AS2 based script, so maybe AS3 will present less of a problem. Don't forget, the larger the screen, the slower flash goes. Which presents a problem for users with high resolutions (wide screens, etc.) who have less than optimal performance computers.

[SlowRoasted]

You should tile your graphics wherever possible, just like css.

[ethernal]

I think they are getting more popular each day. Imo, if people does not use them it's because they don't know how to implement them. Just take a look to the awards websites, it's rare to find a site which does not use a liquid layout.

Liquid layouts is a very frequented question in all flash forums, isn't it?

[Felixz]

In my webpage i use Liquid and all graphics are drown by script. It needs lots of code though. Other designers draw layout in Photoshop etc. and just import graphics. But there are siten which can't be done Liquid becaose there might be problem with browser height. (static can be scrolled)

[mike_mike]

It's not as hell as it sounds to be.
Try that fla file, that will get you started!
Plus you get the full screen on top of that ;)

http://wordpress.mikeland.us/2010/01/11/liquid-layout-and-full-screen-mode-with-flashas3/

[redconservatory]

It's not as hell as it sounds to be.
Try that fla file, that will get you started!
Plus you get the full screen on top of that ;)

http://wordpress.mikeland.us/2010/01/11/liquid-layout-and-full-screen-mode-with-flashas3/

That sample is great.