What's the best way to lay out a Flash website?

[olliebrindley]

Hello and congratulations on a great website!

I've been using Flash for a couple fo months now, with the intention of designing a website for the company I work for.

I think I'm getting somewhere on it (and have found your forums and tutorials v. useful!), but there are a few issues that I'm not sure of:

How should I structure the site?

Basically, the site is to be about 15 pages (at first). Should I structure the site as one Flash movie with links to different scenes within the movie, or do I need to split it into separate movies that load each other?

If that is the case, I am right in thinking that I would do this be forming a basic layout with the menu bars at the side and then leave space to load contant for each page in as separate movies? (Am I making sense here?!)

I'm also a little unclear as to how preloaders work. The way I currently have it set up is as a load of different scenes with menu buttons linking to the appropriate scene. Are preloaders only used for loading separate movies or can I use them to preload other scenes within the same movie?


Also, the site will have quite a few photos on it that I would like to enlarge when users click them. I have acheived this through the loadmovie command, but can I preload the photos or am I best off scrapping the idea as it will take a lot of download time?

Ollie

[olliebrindley]

why is NOBODY talking?

Hello????

[ilyaslamasse]

I think that nobody's talking cos they're all eating big mac or something. You can't take them that. But I never eat.

Concerning your preloader question, I suggest you check out that topic :
pub40.ezboard.com/fkirupa...=172.topic (http://pub40.ezboard.com/fkirupafrm19.showMessage?topicID=172.topic)

Concerning the way to structure the sit, there's another post :) :
pub40.ezboard.com/fkirupa...2134.topic (http://pub40.ezboard.com/fkirupafrm8.showMessage?topicID=2134.topic)

I'd say that if your content is small, you can make a single movie, cos it won't be too long to load. But the best thing is that you visit the tutorial site of that post and learn how to load movies, because that will change you life, man. Really. If you want something to be nice and clean, and fast, and beautiful, and successful, you'd better learn how to do that.

> If that is the case, I am right in thinking that I would do this be forming a basic layout with the menu bars at the side and then leave space to load contant for each page in as separate movies? (Am I making sense here?!)
Absolutely right.

> Also, the site will have quite a few photos on it that I would like to enlarge when users click them. I have acheived this through the loadmovie command, but can I preload the photos or am I best off scrapping the idea as it will take a lot of download time?

Of course. If someone wants to see 1 pictur, he'll have to load all of them. That's crazy. Load them when he wants them.

pom

[olliebrindley]

that ddint help at all , in fact what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[ilyaslamasse]

Sorry about that. I sometimes have trouble to write in English. Pas la peine de t'énerver comme ça mec.
pom

[olliebrindley]

what the crap language is that , you suck idiot i donno what that means i bet its something bad tho you stupid !#@!#@!#!@$#@!$@$#^$%^&%^*^&*^&*^%&%$^&%$^$%^$% and this board sucks and so does kirupa , you guys dont know the first thing about flash.

[zao15]

That's why you're asking the question?

[upuaut8]

If you continue this behavior you will be Banned, and it will have nothing to do with you insulting the board..that's fine..

A) don't come in here and think that you can insult someone because they don't speak English well.. this is a world wide web DUMB *****. You're response was entirely uncalled for.

B) This board is monitored by classrooms, and enforced is the rule of normal classroom behavior. If you can't accomplish that, please leave now, don't let the door hit your *** on the way out.

If you had bothered to answer nicely the first time, I'd have been able to help you out, and probebly explain it in terms that you'd have no problem with, but due to your attitude, you can go suck an egg.

[gingerhippy69]

here, here!!!

ZH...

[Phil Jayhan]

What nerve you have to insult someone who is trying to help you? I have posted numerous times on this board whithout even getting a response. If the response doesn't werk for you, then it doesn't werk, but somebody took the time to try to help you and you insult them because it isn't the right answer. Why don't you just leave? If nobody here knows anything about flash and you know it ALL why are you posting and asking for help? Get with it. Either drop your tude or don't log on. Kindness is the only method that werks in this forum. If you cannot show it when someone tries to help you certainly do not deserve answers to your problems. Lose your tude or find a board where your attitude is accepted. There won't be many if any at all.

philman

[suprabeener]

hear, hear! ; )

[LeviCzar]

in fact what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.........................this is a movie quote but i forgot what movie....................thinking...........cant remember....anyone know

[upuaut8]

Yeah, you know I've heard that somewhere before too.. I'm sure of it. It'll come to us..

[Phil Jayhan]

I think it was Pulp Fiction; And obviously Ollie is the guy who rants and rambles off Gods word (scripture) right before he offs somebody, you know that quote he kept on saying from Ezekiel...Yada, Yada. BTW, my neighbors dog is named Ollie and we tried offing him a few months ago with a pound of chocolate. didn't werk tho, he still wakes us up every morning. I don't know that thats relevent but its phunny.

Flashoholicly yours,

[taintone]

i think its also from the simpsons

[ilyaslamasse]

Definitely not Pulp Fiction. The Simpsons ????

pom

[Phil Jayhan]

Hmmmmm, Ollies not around insulting everyone any longer. He mus have figured it all out and not need us any more.
Hmm.


Or was it just my Flashminagtion?

philman

[olliebrindley]

I feel I should make clear that all these messages that have come from my user name have not come from me!

I sent the first (serious) one because I desparately need help from you guys - all of them after that (from OOOOkay... onwards) were not sent by me and I have no idea how they appeared!

My computer has been out of action since Wednesday and I haven't had a chance to even look at the postings on the board - on looking at it today, I see that someone has posted all these messages, supposedly from me!

I don't know how this has happened - I don't think anyone I know even knows I use this site (let alone knows my password!), so I don't think it can be anyone from my office. Also, the messages are posted at 1.15pm. I'm based in the UK and, although I'm not sure exactly what the time difference is, my first message was posted at 6.25am your time, so the later ones were posted at some time late evening/early morning UK time - and I don't even have a computer at home!

So anyway, I thought I'd best let you know that someone has managed to do this. If I find out it was someone here at work, I'll kick their *** and then let you know that the problem is at my end and not someone hacking in.

I came to you for your help as this is the best Flash site I've seen - I don't want to offend any of you and can only ask that you believe what I have to say.

Ollie.

P.s. if you want to kill a dog (Phil), apparently you make sure you use plain chocolate and not the milk variety - much more effective!

[ilyaslamasse]

Hey, you should try and register then to have your nickname, well, registered (still have problems in English).

pom

[olliebrindley]

I feel I should make clear that all these messages that have come from my user name have not come from me!

I sent the first (serious) one because I desparately need help from you guys - all of them after that (from OOOOkay... onwards) were not sent by me and I have no idea how they appeared!

My computer has been out of action since Wednesday and I haven't had a chance to even look at the postings on the board - on looking at it today, I see that someone has posted all these messages, supposedly from me!

I don't know how this has happened - I don't think anyone I know even knows I use this site (let alone knows my password!), so I don't think it can be anyone from my office. Also, the messages are posted at 1.15pm. I'm based in the UK and, although I'm not sure exactly what the time difference is, my first message was posted at 6.25am your time, so the later ones were posted at some time late evening/early morning UK time - and I don't even have a computer at home!

So anyway, I thought I'd best let you know that someone has managed to do this. If I find out it was someone here at work, I'll kick their *** and then let you know that the problem is at my end and not someone hacking in.

I came to you for your help as this is the best Flash site I've seen - I don't want to offend any of you and can only ask that you believe what I have to say.

Ollie.

P.s. if you want to kill a dog (Phil), apparently you make sure you use plain chocolate and not the milk variety - much more effective!

[Phil Jayhan]

I guess this sounds like a case for Judge Judy. Whatever. It doesn't really matter, just make sure you don't let your name be used again. Thanks for the advice though, on how to properly kill a dog with chocolate. I was kidding about that anyway. Just make sure yor username and password is secure. Otay panky? :)

philman

[upuaut8]

Register.. register register. I'll bet you 100 to 1 that it was Ryhle.. discovered that you were not registered, and decided to post in your place. Make a global ezboard account.. or at least a local one, and get yourself a password. Cause how it's set up now, anyone can post as you.

Blessed be sir.

[liveacoustic]

I figured that this was the case. The most notable thing is that the real one punctuates. The fake one, on the other hand, says things like "ddont".

[olliebrindley]

whats the point to register? and whats locally and global? i was just kidding, it was me, but im sorry for yelling


(ps the best way to eat chocolate is chocolate its-self.)

[liveacoustic]

See? He isn't punctuating now. This is the fake, claiming that the real one was just kidding when he said there was a fake.

The fake, as you can see, is an idiot. Even after reading my post he neglected to do a good job at copying the real one's writing style.

[ilyaslamasse]

You know what, I made the exact same remark. I also thought that he was the fake pretending he was the real pretending he had been pretending that he was not the real himself, because of his lack of punctuation. Pretty tricky. Does anybody think we can use the "Flash banning procedure" Phil proposed against him ?

pom

[liveacoustic]

I've been noticing a hell of a lot of people on this board punctuate. That amazes me. I didn't realise anybody on the internet actually punctuates except for me. Hell, this is the first board I've seen where the users don't break in to incomprehensible psycho-babble such as "@#%$ D00D LOLOLOLOL", let alone punctuate properly.

I've also noticed there's a pile of people here who speak English as a second language that will say something perfectly grammatically correct with completely rational words only to have someone who speaks english as a first language reply, confused as to the meaning of a perfect rational english word simply because it has more than four letters. Then, of course, the person who doesn't speak English will appologise for his or her "horrible english".

I'm not sure how to react to that one...

[upuaut8]

roflmao.. thats tff what do you mean about puncutation anyway do you think that none of us know how to write inglish Yo! you dissin meng dont be dissing the inglish or ill pop you one in the gob

;)

I know exactly what you mean.

[olliebrind]

Right, I've now gone to EzBoard (as recommended!) and registered properly with a new username.

Any posts that appear on here now from olliebrindley should be ignored, as they are from some idiot! If there's any way you can ban that username, please do so, as I will no longer use it.

ilyaslamasse, thanks for your help, it was good to know I'm on vaguely the right track! Sorry you had to be subjected to a torrent of abuse for your troubles!

Ollie

[liveacoustic]

We had an initial topic, didn't we...

Personally, I'd recommend (if you know how) to use flash and HTML together. Just use Flash for the images and the navigation bar and all that crap, but use HTML to seperate said flash animations in to tables and fill in the main subjects and text. It's a little harder, but it turns out a hell of a lot better and you can still do cool techniques - you just have to orient them around the navigation bar.

But that's just my opinion. If you ignore it, you should probably make your site as bandwith and download friendly as possible, as was previously recommended. Personally, I have a good modem and tend to ignore that factor by making unnecissarily huge animations. That, of course, my major failing - not everybody has broadband.

[liveacoustic]

We had an initial topic, didn't we...

Personally, I'd recommend (if you know how) to use flash and HTML together. Just use Flash for the images and the navigation bar and all that crap, but use HTML to seperate said flash animations in to tables and fill in the main subjects and text. It's a little harder, but it turns out a hell of a lot better and you can still do cool techniques - you just have to orient them around the navigation bar.

But that's just my opinion. If you ignore it, you should probably make your site as bandwith and download friendly as possible, as was previously recommended. Personally, I have a good modem and tend to ignore that factor by making unnecissarily huge animations. That, of course, my major failing - not everybody has broadband.

[upuaut8]

I have done both methods liveacoustic, as well as the "frames" deal.

each method has it's ups and downs. In general I tend to agree with you on the html thought. It is a veritile method of flash construction.

[olliebrind]

Ahh, back to the original point!

Unfortunately, I don't know how to use HTML with Flash (or even on its own, come to that!). I've sorted out how its going to be structured now and also kind of got my head around preloaders.

However, can I use preloaders on separate scenes within a movie? Basically, I've set up a preloader on the first scene of one section and it works fine when I try it with Streaming showing. However, I then tried to add a preloader into the start of the next scene, in case that still hadn't loaded when the user clicks on the link. At that point things started going wrong and the preloader on the first scene no longer worked properly - it just kept looping the loading animation.

Is there an easy way around this problem, or is my best bet to lose the scenes and split it into separate movies again?

Ollie

[Phil Jayhan]

I propose the following; Neither Ollie is the real one. Notice how the 'real ollie' wanted help on how to lay out a menu. This one, or ones because their are more than 1, cause 1 punctuates and the other doesn't, is;t interested in anything other than blathering and talk about nothin. Personally I think their is no real Ollie. He doesn't exist, never did. But now he only wants you to think he does. Get it yet?

hmmmm,
pj

[olliebrind]

Hmmmm, interesting but, alas, untrue!

I thought I should message back about my last question (about preloaders and different scenes).

Please don't waste your time aswering it as I seem to have sorted it out now, by changing how I'd structured the preloader (using _ifFrameloaded rather than _loadAmount)

Thanks again,

Ollie

[upuaut8]

sorry you are taking a beating about the whole misunderstanding above. I believe you, and furthermore accept your appologie for screwing around with us before.

As for layout. Perhaps it would be best to show us some thumbs of the layout that you're interested in producing, then we could probebly be more accurate in our opinion about what would be best in your situation.

[Phil Jayhan]

But, you gotta admit it was ripe for piling it on and having some fun. :)

[upuaut8]

oh yeah.. I don't blame you either. He came here, mouthed off, then tryed to cover that fact.. that's a pain.. I just happen to have accepted the appology and I'm moving on. I haven't seen any other aberant behavior from him.

People make mistakes. :) I know I do.

[Phil Jayhan]

You poor thing. Your name has been appended. You lost a few letters! But learned, I'll bet about leaving your browser open when you walk away from your desk at werk...I'm glad you stuck it out. This board has a lot of great helpers.

pj