How do I make my Flash movie a Link?

[Bill_Lumburgh]

I made a flash movie and I wanted to make it a link, (kinda like how all the pop-up ads are links when you place your cursor over them). I tried all sorts of stuff to get it to work but I can't do it. I want to be able to place my cursor over my movie and upon clicking take it to a website I designate. Anyway, I hope someone can help me.

Thanks, Chris

[Ask The Geezer]

Well, there are few problems with that. You can make an invisible button and make it big enough to cover the whole stage, or make your background graphic a button or movie clip and code that. The problem is that if you have other buttons in the movie, it'll cause an error or override them. If the movie is just a banner or in a popup and it doesn't matter, then do it that way.

[Bill_Lumburgh]

How do I make an invisible button then? Its just a banner anyway.

[Ask The Geezer]

OK, your in luck then. Use Insert/New Symbol. Make it a button. In the timeline that opens click frame 4 and insert a keyframe. Draw a rectangle the size of the movie. Go back to the main timeline and drag that button to the stage. It'll look translucent green. Position it to cover the stage and just add the code like any other button.

[Bill_Lumburgh]

When I make it a button below there are options for linkage. Do I need to click any of those to designate a link for the website I want? I'll try what you told me real quick.

[Bill_Lumburgh]

I tried what you suggested, but have no idea what you were talking about. Any help?

[Bill_Lumburgh]

One other thing, I looked back at one of my earlier posts that may have misled you. Its a flash movie that has words going onto the stage and all that. So it isn't a stationary banner. I don't know if this changes anything, I just want to be able to click the movie and make it link somewhere.

Any help would be great, thanks

[Ask The Geezer]

No, don't mess with the linkage or anything. Just make a new button symbol. When you do, a new timeline opens up and there are only 4 frames in the timeline. Click frame 4 and hit F6 to make a keyframe there. Then use the rectangle tool, set the fill to red or any color and set the line to no line. Now draw a rectangle on the stage the same size as your movie. Set it so it's centered on the dot. Use the properties panel to set the x and y to 0. That's all there is to it.

Go back to the main stage and drag that button from the library to the stage. Make a new layer at the top of everything else to put it in. Center it on the stage and give it regular button actions to make it go where you want.