Analog Clock - won't chime...

[Cuttlass]

Analog Clock - won't chime...

I'm a relative newbie so you may have to talk real slow...

Two problems here,

1. I've been working on an analog clock tutorial and decided that I want it to chime on the hour - ya know, 3 chime for when the hour hand reaches the frame for three o'clock ect... But the hour hand movie clip has a stop action in the first frame that keeps the hands from rotating too fast, and that in turn (I think)prevents the chime sound from playing at the correct frames for each hour. I'm pretty sure this can be resolved using action script - but I've no idea how to do it.

2. The first frame of the clock movie begins with all the hands at the 12 o'clock position - but I don't want the clock chiming 12 times every time it starts - only at midnite or noon.

BTW this clock will be part of a screensaver that I'm working on - so size really isn't an issue.

Here's a link to my clock file...

http://www.members.cox.net/cuttlass/clocktest.zip

Thanks,
Dave

[skate d-tek]

how does it know what time it is?

[Cuttlass]

By using action script

look at the actions for the clock movie clip

[skate d-tek]

what part of the clock mc?

[Cuttlass]

open th fla file
there will be one frame on the timeline
click on the bottom of the hands
and then press F9
that should bring up the actions window

[AlsoGaiusCoffey]

Your chime doesn't work because you are not using the same method as the movie!

The onEnterFrame code sets the rotation of the hands rather than the frame number: only the first frame ever displays. In fact, these only need to be single frame movieclips.

Therefore, it will never see your "chime" frames.

To get the chime to work, you need to add more to the onEnterFrame movie function. For example, you could use something like:

onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
    time = new Date();
    mil = time.getMilliseconds();
    s = time.getSeconds();
    m = time.getMinutes();
    h = time.getHours();
    seconds._rotation = s*6+(mil/(1000/6));
    minutes._rotation = m*6+(s/10);
    hours._rotation = h*30+(m/2);
        // NEW STUFF //
        if( h != old_h ) { // Only do this check once per hour
            old_h = h; // reset old_h to use as a marker for the next hour
            if( h == 12 || h == 0 ) {
               do_12hour_chime_function();
            }
        }
        // END NEW STUFF // 
} 

[a_modified_dog]

here is another approach -

[Cuttlass]

Thanks! - Now I wish I understood what you did...

The clock chimes correctly but the chime sound seems a little strange - it seems to be playing mutiple instances of the chime sound for each hour

Also the output field keeps popping up when I preview the movie - What do I need to do to get rid of that?

BTW - Nice site - I'll be using that link to www.actionscripts.org/tutorials.shtml

Thanks for your patience...

[AlsoGaiusCoffey]

I'm guessing that is for a_modified_dog!

[Cuttlass]

Originally posted by AlsoGaiusCoffey
I'm guessing that is for a_modified_dog!

I apologize - yes it was

AlsoGaiusCoffey,
Thanks for the bit of code. I pasted it into the actions for the clock movie - but (as I'm sure you suspect) I'm still unclear on what to do next...

Thanks for your patience..

[a_modified_dog]

here is an improved version, i have (//) commented the trace actions to prevent the output, simply uncomment if you need to test,
testing can be done on this line -
mm == 0 ? chimer = true : chimer=false;

this says - if the angle of the minute hand is zero, an hour has passed, so set a boolean variable to true,

this variable is checked, and if it turns to true, it runs the chimes function -
chimer ? _parent.chimes(h) : null; // where h = hours

we run a quick check with chimes(h) to remove 12 if PM, and feed the chimeMC clip with the correct amount -

num > 12 ? num=num-12 : num;
chimeMC.times = num;
chimeMC.play();

chimesMC loops, using variable - times, as a marker -
amount++;
amount >= times ?
gotoAndStop(1) : gotoAndPlay(2);

hth