asked on

Help creating a flash preloader

Hi all,

we are trying to create a preloader for a flash banner on our site it is a large animations as it consists of a video embedded in it).

so we want to create a preloader to give the user some indication of how the download;

i found a skeleton preloader project. however it doesn't seem to be working?? we are using flash cs4.

it seems to fall over here;

      removeChild(myPreloader);

with the error

ArgumentError: Error #2025: The supplied DisplayObject must be a child of the caller.
      at flash.display::DisplayObjectContainer/removeChild()
      at preloader_complete_fla::MainTimeline/showContent()[preloader_complete_fla.MainTimeline::frame1:25]
Cannot display source code at this location.

any ideas whats going on?

var myRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest("flash_we_are_loading.swf");
var myLoader:Loader = new Loader();

myLoader.load(myRequest);

myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.OPEN,showPreloader);
myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(ProgressEvent.PROGRESS,showProgress);
myLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE,showContent);

var myPreloader:Preloader = new Preloader();

function showPreloader(event:Event):void {
	addChild(myPreloader);
	myPreloader.x = stage.stageWidth/2;
	myPreloader.y = stage.stageHeight/2;
}

function showProgress(event:ProgressEvent):void {
	var percentLoaded:Number = event.bytesLoaded/event.bytesTotal;
	myPreloader.loading_txt.text = "Loading - " + Math.round(percentLoaded * 100) + "%";
	myPreloader.bar_mc.width = 198 * percentLoaded;
}

function showContent(event:Event):void {
	removeChild(myPreloader);
	addChild(myLoader);
}

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blue-genie

can you provide your Preloader class or object please.

flynny

ASKER

of course. here the whole preloader flash file
preloader-complete.fla

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

blue-genie

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flynny

ASKER

'doh!' ;)

Thanks for that blue-genie. I'd looked at this for about an hour!

I've come up against another problem (i'm not sure if you've seen this before or where he problem lies). If i run debug the flash, it works ok. If i publish and run the generated html file, then it works too.

However when i upload the flash file to our site and try to view it, it doesn't work. It seems to quickly go up to 100% and then go back to and stay at 0% and doesn't move on.

Now, If i upload the flash.swf file along with the generated html file created when publishing and view this in a browser, this works too. However if i seperate these files (i.e. i have a folder 'flash' for storing the flash files. and have the generated html page in the level above it ../flash) then it doesn't work (i get nothing appearing it just seems to han loading??. Just to note on this i have changed the code in the html file where the flash is embedded to be ./flash/flash_name.swf._ However here it just hangs as though the file doesn't exist? (i've attached this html)

Now this is different to how it appears on the page i.e. it quickly goes up to 100% and then just displays 0. Now on our site we are using swfobject.js to add the flash if flash is installed, then if not a static image will be displayed. Could this be causig problems? as basically initially the flash is not present we add it if flash is installed using the following jscript;

var so = new SWFObject("./flash/preloader.swf", "Flash Banner", "940", "300", "8", "#FFFFFF");
so.addParam("wmode", "opaque");
so.write("flashcontent");

what could the problem be?

Thanks for all your help!

Matt

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
<title>preloader_complete</title>
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
//v1.7
// Flash Player Version Detection
// Detect Client Browser type
// Copyright 2005-2008 Adobe Systems Incorporated.  All rights reserved.
var isIE  = (navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE") != -1) ? true : false;
var isWin = (navigator.appVersion.toLowerCase().indexOf("win") != -1) ? true : false;
var isOpera = (navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Opera") != -1) ? true : false;
function ControlVersion()
{
	var version;
	var axo;
	var e;
	// NOTE : new ActiveXObject(strFoo) throws an exception if strFoo isn't in the registry
	try {
		// version will be set for 7.X or greater players
		axo = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.7");
		version = axo.GetVariable("$version");
	} catch (e) {
	}
	if (!version)
	{
		try {
			// version will be set for 6.X players only
			axo = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.6");
			
			// installed player is some revision of 6.0
			// GetVariable("$version") crashes for versions 6.0.22 through 6.0.29,
			// so we have to be careful. 
			
			// default to the first public version
			version = "WIN 6,0,21,0";
			// throws if AllowScripAccess does not exist (introduced in 6.0r47)		
			axo.AllowScriptAccess = "always";
			// safe to call for 6.0r47 or greater
			version = axo.GetVariable("$version");
		} catch (e) {
		}
	}
	if (!version)
	{
		try {
			// version will be set for 4.X or 5.X player
			axo = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.3");
			version = axo.GetVariable("$version");
		} catch (e) {
		}
	}
	if (!version)
	{
		try {
			// version will be set for 3.X player
			axo = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.3");
			version = "WIN 3,0,18,0";
		} catch (e) {
		}
	}
	if (!version)
	{
		try {
			// version will be set for 2.X player
			axo = new ActiveXObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash");
			version = "WIN 2,0,0,11";
		} catch (e) {
			version = -1;
		}
	}
	
	return version;
}
// JavaScript helper required to detect Flash Player PlugIn version information
function GetSwfVer(){
	// NS/Opera version >= 3 check for Flash plugin in plugin array
	var flashVer = -1;
	
	if (navigator.plugins != null && navigator.plugins.length > 0) {
		if (navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash 2.0"] || navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash"]) {
			var swVer2 = navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash 2.0"] ? " 2.0" : "";
			var flashDescription = navigator.plugins["Shockwave Flash" + swVer2].description;
			var descArray = flashDescription.split(" ");
			var tempArrayMajor = descArray[2].split(".");			
			var versionMajor = tempArrayMajor[0];
			var versionMinor = tempArrayMajor[1];
			var versionRevision = descArray[3];
			if (versionRevision == "") {
				versionRevision = descArray[4];
			}
			if (versionRevision[0] == "d") {
				versionRevision = versionRevision.substring(1);
			} else if (versionRevision[0] == "r") {
				versionRevision = versionRevision.substring(1);
				if (versionRevision.indexOf("d") > 0) {
					versionRevision = versionRevision.substring(0, versionRevision.indexOf("d"));
				}
			}
			var flashVer = versionMajor + "." + versionMinor + "." + versionRevision;
		}
	}
	// MSN/WebTV 2.6 supports Flash 4
	else if (navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("webtv/2.6") != -1) flashVer = 4;
	// WebTV 2.5 supports Flash 3
	else if (navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("webtv/2.5") != -1) flashVer = 3;
	// older WebTV supports Flash 2
	else if (navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase().indexOf("webtv") != -1) flashVer = 2;
	else if ( isIE && isWin && !isOpera ) {
		flashVer = ControlVersion();
	}	
	return flashVer;
}
// When called with reqMajorVer, reqMinorVer, reqRevision returns true if that version or greater is available
function DetectFlashVer(reqMajorVer, reqMinorVer, reqRevision)
{
	versionStr = GetSwfVer();
	if (versionStr == -1 ) {
		return false;
	} else if (versionStr != 0) {
		if(isIE && isWin && !isOpera) {
			// Given "WIN 2,0,0,11"
			tempArray         = versionStr.split(" "); 	// ["WIN", "2,0,0,11"]
			tempString        = tempArray[1];			// "2,0,0,11"
			versionArray      = tempString.split(",");	// ['2', '0', '0', '11']
		} else {
			versionArray      = versionStr.split(".");
		}
		var versionMajor      = versionArray[0];
		var versionMinor      = versionArray[1];
		var versionRevision   = versionArray[2];
        	// is the major.revision >= requested major.revision AND the minor version >= requested minor
		if (versionMajor > parseFloat(reqMajorVer)) {
			return true;
		} else if (versionMajor == parseFloat(reqMajorVer)) {
			if (versionMinor > parseFloat(reqMinorVer))
				return true;
			else if (versionMinor == parseFloat(reqMinorVer)) {
				if (versionRevision >= parseFloat(reqRevision))
					return true;
			}
		}
		return false;
	}
}
function AC_AddExtension(src, ext)
{
  if (src.indexOf('?') != -1)
    return src.replace(/\?/, ext+'?'); 
  else
    return src + ext;
}
function AC_Generateobj(objAttrs, params, embedAttrs) 
{ 
  var str = '';
  if (isIE && isWin && !isOpera)
  {
    str += '<object ';
    for (var i in objAttrs)
    {
      str += i + '="' + objAttrs[i] + '" ';
    }
    str += '>';
    for (var i in params)
    {
      str += '<param name="' + i + '" value="' + params[i] + '" /> ';
    }
    str += '</object>';
  }
  else
  {
    str += '<embed ';
    for (var i in embedAttrs)
    {
      str += i + '="' + embedAttrs[i] + '" ';
    }
    str += '> </embed>';
  }
  document.write(str);
}
function AC_FL_RunContent(){
  var ret = 
    AC_GetArgs
    (  arguments, ".swf", "movie", "clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"
     , "application/x-shockwave-flash"
    );
  AC_Generateobj(ret.objAttrs, ret.params, ret.embedAttrs);
}
function AC_SW_RunContent(){
  var ret = 
    AC_GetArgs
    (  arguments, ".dcr", "src", "clsid:166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000"
     , null
    );
  AC_Generateobj(ret.objAttrs, ret.params, ret.embedAttrs);
}
function AC_GetArgs(args, ext, srcParamName, classid, mimeType){
  var ret = new Object();
  ret.embedAttrs = new Object();
  ret.params = new Object();
  ret.objAttrs = new Object();
  for (var i=0; i < args.length; i=i+2){
    var currArg = args[i].toLowerCase();    
    switch (currArg){	
      case "classid":
        break;
      case "pluginspage":
        ret.embedAttrs[args[i]] = args[i+1];
        break;
      case "src":
      case "movie":	
        args[i+1] = AC_AddExtension(args[i+1], ext);
        ret.embedAttrs["src"] = args[i+1];
        ret.params[srcParamName] = args[i+1];
        break;
      case "onafterupdate":
      case "onbeforeupdate":
      case "onblur":
      case "oncellchange":
      case "onclick":
      case "ondblclick":
      case "ondrag":
      case "ondragend":
      case "ondragenter":
      case "ondragleave":
      case "ondragover":
      case "ondrop":
      case "onfinish":
      case "onfocus":
      case "onhelp":
      case "onmousedown":
      case "onmouseup":
      case "onmouseover":
      case "onmousemove":
      case "onmouseout":
      case "onkeypress":
      case "onkeydown":
      case "onkeyup":
      case "onload":
      case "onlosecapture":
      case "onpropertychange":
      case "onreadystatechange":
      case "onrowsdelete":
      case "onrowenter":
      case "onrowexit":
      case "onrowsinserted":
      case "onstart":
      case "onscroll":
      case "onbeforeeditfocus":
      case "onactivate":
      case "onbeforedeactivate":
      case "ondeactivate":
      case "type":
      case "codebase":
      case "id":
        ret.objAttrs[args[i]] = args[i+1];
        break;
      case "width":
      case "height":
      case "align":
      case "vspace": 
      case "hspace":
      case "class":
      case "title":
      case "accesskey":
      case "name":
      case "tabindex":
        ret.embedAttrs[args[i]] = ret.objAttrs[args[i]] = args[i+1];
        break;
      default:
        ret.embedAttrs[args[i]] = ret.params[args[i]] = args[i+1];
    }
  }
  ret.objAttrs["classid"] = classid;
  if (mimeType) ret.embedAttrs["type"] = mimeType;
  return ret;
}
// -->
</script>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#ffffff">
<!--url's used in the movie-->
<!--text used in the movie-->
<!-- saved from url=(0013)about:internet -->
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">
	AC_FL_RunContent(
		'codebase', 'http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0',
		'width', '940',
		'height', '300',
		'src', 'preloader_complete',
		'quality', 'high',
		'pluginspage', 'http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer',
		'align', 'middle',
		'play', 'true',
		'loop', 'true',
		'scale', 'showall',
		'wmode', 'window',
		'devicefont', 'false',
		'id', 'preloader_complete',
		'bgcolor', '#ffffff',
		'name', 'preloader_complete',
		'menu', 'true',
		'allowFullScreen', 'false',
		'allowScriptAccess','sameDomain',
		'movie', 'preloader_complete',
		'salign', ''
		); //end AC code
</script>
<noscript>
	<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" width="940" height="300" id="preloader_complete" align="middle">
	<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" />
	<param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" />
	<param name="movie" value="./flash/preloader_complete.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" />	<embed src="./flash/preloader_complete.swf" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="940" height="300" name="preloader_complete" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" />
	</object>
</noscript>
</body>
</html>

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