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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Developer Center > Flash -- do I need a pre-loader for my site?

Flash -- do I need a pre-loader for my site?
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mattmarshall
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Nov 30, 2005, 11:21 PM
 
Hey all...

I just designed my site using Flash. It's a small site -- the .swf is only 1.2 megs. So, do I need a preloader?

Does it take too long to load, or is it ok as it is?

the address is:
http://www.matthewmarshall.net

Thanks.....Flash was pretty fun to use.

- Matthew Marshall

p.s. There's currently a bug in Safari keeping forwarded sites from loading, so if it doesn't load in your version of Safari, that's why. Hopefull Apple will fix this soon.
     
clam2000
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Dec 1, 2005, 12:46 AM
 
I had quite a bit of trouble loading the page in Safari (and in links...)

I would consider 1.2 megs to be large enough that some sort of loading thing would be helpful to users on a dialup connection.

Looking at your page, what i would recommend is loading the jpgs individually, rather than embedding them in the swf file. This has two advantages in my mind:
1. the swf will be significantly smaller (no larger than 200kb... max)
2. if the user doesn't visit the gallery, they won't have to download the pictures.

--WIll
     
skalie
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Dec 1, 2005, 02:51 AM
 
When previewing the movie, show the bandwidth profiler, then view >>> simulate download.

You can also adjust for different download speeds, view >>> download settings.

It's a little buggy, but will give you somewhat of an idea of how your site will load.

......and, er, for 1.2 megs, I'd definately use a preloader.
     
mattmarshall  (op)
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Dec 1, 2005, 03:12 PM
 
Thanks for the feedback guys....I didn't know I could keep the jpeg's outside the swf. I'll definitely look into that, and making a preloader, too.

thanks thanks

- Matt
     
mattmarshall  (op)
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Dec 2, 2005, 02:58 AM
 
hey clam

thanks for your suggestion....i used it partially -- i made a seperate .swf, with the jpeg slideshow. that way, it only loads if someone clicks on it. the main .swf is only 350k then. thanks!

i would love to load the quicktime movie in the same window, without having it spawn an extra one. i endlessly tries to use .flv format, but nothing was satisfactory. so, i have to use quicktime. is there a way to make the .swf call the quicktime up inside it's own window?

- matt
     
skalie
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Dec 2, 2005, 12:48 PM
 
What version of Flash are you using? I had a heck of a time trying to convert a rather long .mov into a .flv etc., etc., etc., using Flash MX2004. I gave up in the end, ended up linking to another page with the .mov embedded.

However with Flash 8 it all seemed to come together quite nicely using the FLVPlayer component.
     
mattmarshall  (op)
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Dec 4, 2005, 07:25 PM
 
hey skalie

i am using flash 8, but couldn't get a satisfactoy .flv file. it kept stuttering. so, i stuck with quicktime, and just linked outside the swf file

- matt
     
mattmarshall  (op)
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Dec 5, 2005, 03:28 PM
 
hey clam

i setup my site the jpeg's load individually....there is now a small wait as each image loads, but it's faster in the beginning and also conserves bandwith -- since it only loads what people click on. (instead of loading all pictures, when they might see the first couple, and stop. wasted bandwith.)

so, right now i like this solution, for the most part. if i made a pre-loader and then had all the images in one external swf, that might be a viewing experience, but i was having trouble with the preloader. this will work for now.

thanks for the suggestion.

- matt
www.matthewmarshall.net
     
D_D
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May 30, 2006, 06:41 AM
 
     
Millennium
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May 30, 2006, 09:05 AM
 
What you really need to do use the right tools for the job: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Flash has its place, but it's not meant for -and not appropriate for- designing entire Websites.

Failing that, however, you desperately need a preloader. 1.2 megs is way past excessive for a single page.
( Last edited by Millennium; May 30, 2006 at 04:50 PM. )
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