[mouski]

Hi, I'm still trying to figure out flash. I have to make a website for a jewlery designer. I have set up labels for each section and used the actionscript onrelease gotoAndStop("label"). It works fine until I hit the collections part of the site where it has 3 subsections (Rings, earings,neclaces). I can get into a subsection but then it doesn't recognize anything else, I seem to get stuck into whichever subsection I went in. What is happening? Did I miss a step? Please any morsel of help you can through my way will be greatly appreciated :P

[chino pisces]

If you can zip the .fla file up and upload it on your next post, I can take a look at it. I'm no expert but it doesn't seem too difficult to figure out.

Are you using scenes for each subsection?

[mouski]

Thanks. Here's the fla. file.
I'm really stuck on this one.
rgds

[chino pisces]

I looked at your file and could not find the descrepancy. My apologies.

Had you considered doing the site in HTML? It seems like you can do this site entirely in hypertext and it would look just as good and would load faster. It seems that there are many problems associated with doing entire sites in Flash.

[mouski]

you are right, I was badly advised. I will need to start from square one and dive into dreamweaver.
thanks anyways

[chino pisces]

Well, if I could make it a bit easier, you can take the layouts you made and import them into Photoshop, ImageReady, or Fireworks and slice them up. You can even export the slices with HTML code which works immediately with your browser.

Let me know if I can assist any further with this.

[mouski]

Thanks for your suggestions. Since I am new to webdesign (I come from an animation background) what you said sounds a little alien. I will search the web for some tutorials and find out what you're talking about unless you could direct me to specific tutorials.
Thanks again!

[chino pisces]

Sorry I took so long to respond.

Basically, you can export the Layouts you made from Flash and open them in the image editing software you choose (i.e. Photoshop).

Slices are individual images, that, when combined, form the layout of the web page. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle, and the code is what puts them together. Photoshop allows you to make slices to your image, and can export them (cut up individually) with the accompanying HTML code.

Here's some tutorials that may help you:

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/vi...op/?id=vid0200

[mouski]

Thanks a million Chino, I was giving up hope with forums. It would be soooo great to have a sort of mentoring thing, but that's a different trip altogether.

Have been thinking about what you've said, that doing whole sites in flash may not be the best/most efficient thing, so in your opinion what would be the optimal way, design in photoshop, set up in dreamweaver and place swf (animation) files from flash? What's your take on it?

ps thanks for the tutorial, very helpful.

[chino pisces]

The typical workflow I use is generally simple. Of course, everything I do is custom, so I add lots of steps in between. But put simply:

1. Design the layout in Photoshop. My usual dimensions are 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768. Use the slice tools to cut the image down to parts. Any button rollovers are made on another layer. Use the 'Save for Web' (cs3) option in the File menu and save out 'HTML and Images'.
2. Edit the HTML file in Dreamweaver. The images will be linked automatically. You can also add your Flash components (SWFs) here also. Make sure you make the SWFs at the correct size in the Page Properties panel.

Um...thats about it, really. Here's a few other things that are relevant:

1. HTML code contains elements that allow the Search Engines and Crawlers to find your site. A page made entirely of Flash does not contain such text.
2. HTML pages load faster.
3. Less bug issues with this workflow.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

______________
secret asian man

chino pisces
www.redeyegraphics.net

[mouski]

Thanks Chino, I really appreciate your help. I'll be diving into dreamweaver next. Could I email you directly if I get really stuck, or maybe should I just stick to the forum?
Again thanks for all the pointers, hope I can do the same for you some day.
Cheers

[chino pisces]

I don't mind if you contact me directly. However, if you have a pressing issue, its good to share on the forum, especially if its the type of problem that affects everyone. And don't underestimate the 'search' function, there's lots of archived information here.

Dreamweaver is pretty easy dude. I recommend diving in by downloading a complete page, images and all, and opening it up in DW. Analyze the code, and learn what each line does. Learn HTML syntax. You'll find its not any more complicated than Actionscript. There are many automated functions that make life easier for us non-coders.

Feel free to email me anytime. You should be able to find my contact information here, on my site.

_______________
midnight toker

chino pisces

[mouski]

Thanks again.