while loop problem???

i have attached the most recent fla here, i have fixed the problem with the pic as you will see. i used swapDepths like you said.

i have also placed a new images txt with the fla, as you will see i have made 9 image displays but wrote extra code that looks if imgCount is greater than 8. if so the swf will only display the eight instead of 9. this is so that the block_mc's don't run off the swf.

i added a next_btn which i would like to display the next 1 on the stage and remove the last 8, got any ideas?

thanks,
protocol

hi again skdzines, i am having trouble getting the block_mc to unload. i added this code (not in the fla above) to the movie and it didn't work.

rmc = 1;
next_btn.onRelease = function () {
while (rmc > imgCount) {
_root["block_mc"+rmc].removeMovieClip();
rmc++;
}
}

but then i tried...

next_btn.onRelease = function () {
_root.block_mc1.removeMovieClip();
}

and that worked. what is wrong with the first code i have shown here? i don't seem to know where i am going wrong.

secondly, how do i get the next_btn to load the next block_mc's (block_mc9) after it has removed the first eight.

thanks again,
protocol

sorry to take so long to get back to you. I have added a newer version for. This loads the next 8 images for you the way I believe you want it to. I started working on having a back button to go back to the previous 8 images but am having some trouble figuring it out. I've been pretty busy as well, but I'll keep working on it in case you don't figure it out.

Let me know how this works for you.

no problem skdzines, you have done so much already. i took a look at the new code and am so lost it isn't even funny. i managed to come up with something myself, i attached the fla and even though it works fine the code is messy. take a look if you have time or else don't worry, the one part that i do not like are the repeat removeMovieClip statements i had to use.

i have learned alot from this thread and have kept the code you gave me and am spending time learning these new things, i have to admit that i did not like actionscript but now i see that it's uses are incredible. the movie size is next to nothing (even with those removeMovieClip statements).

btw i went to the short course again today, hit a 32. the ball was gliding from right to left so well i could hardly belive it, one shot was only 2 feet from the hole.

cheers,
protocol

hey protocol, I took a look at your code. It seems like you are well on your way to understanding actionscript. There are definitely some differences in our approach, but both work. If you really take a look at my code, I think you'll understand what is I'm doing. Here is a quick rundown of what I did:

Code:

---

i = 1;
thumbsToDisplay = 8;
totalCount = _global.Images.imgCount;
next_btn._visible = false;

thumbs(); //call the function named "thumbs"

function thumbs(){
        if(i >= 8){
                _root.back_btn._visible = true;
        }else{
                _root.back_btn._visible = false;
        }


        _root.createEmptyMovieClip("thumbs_holder", getNextHighestDepth()); //create an empty movie clip called "thumbs_holder" to load all block_mc's into and position it at (0,0)
        _root.thumbs_holder._x = 0;
        _root.thumbs_holder._y = 0;

        _root.thumbs_holder.attachMovie("block_mc", "block_mc", getNextHighestDepth()); //attach "block_mc" to the newly created "thumbs_holder" mc
        _root.thumbs_holder.block_mc._x = -1000;
        _root.thumbs_holder.block_mc._y = -1000;
       
        j = 1;  //use j as the counter instead of i for duplicating the "block_mc"
       
        _root.loader_mc._visible = false;

        ipr = 2; //images per row, set this to however many mc's you want on a single line
       
        baseX = 60;
        baseY = 100;
        mcW= 340;
        mcH= 100;

        /* if the total number of images is greater than the total number of thumbs to duplicate,
then use this loop */
        if (totalCount > thumbsToDisplay) {
                imgCount = thumbsToDisplay;
                next_btn._visible = true;
               
                        while(j <= imgCount){
                        duplicateMovieClip("_root.thumbs_holder.block_mc", "block_mc"+i, i);
                               
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i]._x = baseX + mcW*((j-1)%ipr);
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i]._y = baseY + mcH*int((j-1)/ipr);
                               
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i].thumbnail.loadMovie(_global.Images["pic"+i]);
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i].title = _global.Images["title"+i];
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i].how = _global.Images["how"+i];
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i].skill = _global.Images["skill"+i];
                        _root.thumbs_holder["block_mc"+i].index = i;
                        i++;
                        j++;
                }
                totalCount = totalCount - thumbsToDisplay;  //subtract the images already printed from the totalCount
        }else{

/* if the total number of images is less than the total number of thumbs to duplicate,
then use this loop.  This will set the imgCount equal to the totalCount.  If there are less than 8 block_mc's to display, then only duplicate it that many times, we don't want extra clips sitting on the stage.*/

                imgCount = totalCount;
                next_btn._visible = false;
            while(){
.....................
...........................

}

---

I'm going to keep working on the back button because now I'm hooked and need to figure it out.

The main difference between mine and yours is I'm only using one function to control everything and simply using _root.removeMovieClip("thumbs_holder"); to delete the "thumbs_holder" mc and then calling the thumbs() function again which will recreate it.

I'll let you know when I get it figured out. Let me know if you have any other questions.

i have fixed the button problem in my latest fla, i noticed that although it seemed to work if you pushed the next_btn until the end and then the pre_btn once and then next_btn once again the block_mc's would not appear. so instead of using imgCount1,2,3 i used imgCount2 and imgCountMain.

now for my question, i only know the ifFrameLoaded function and would like the thumbs and large pic to have a simple preloader. i was thinking of maybe using the code below within the block_mc, here it is.

this.getBytesLoaded;
if (this.getBytesLoaded == this.getBytesTotal) {
this.preloader_mc._visible = false;
} else if (this.getBytesLoaded != this.getBytesTotal) {
this.preloader_mc._visible = true;
}

is this the best way to go about this.

thanks,
protocol

protocol, for your preloader, are you just displaying the word loading or are you giving them any kind of feedback as to how far it has loaded as well? You are off to a good start with your preloader though either way. Just make sure you put your preloader into an onEnterFrame function something like this:

Code:

---

onClipEvent(enterFrame){

        percentloaded=(this.lgPicViewer.getBytesLoaded()/this.lgPicViewer.getBytesTotal())*100;
        if(this.lgPicViewer.percentloaded == 100){
                this.preloader_mc._visible = false;
                this.percent.text = "";
        } else {
                this.preloader_mc._visible = true;
                this.percent.text = Math.ceil(percentloaded) + "%";
        }
}

---

I haven't tested this for any errors but I think you'll get the idea.

i want the preloader to display a simple animation like "LOADING..." with the dots blinking. the percentage is not a bad idea but i do not undersatnd the code you gave me, mainly the part.

onClipEvent(enterFrame){

do i place the code within the block_mc or inside the main code(i think this one). secondly, is this a reference to a text box called text.

this.percent.text = "";

thanks,
protocol

Actually the code I gave you, you would place on the loader_mc. However, I have revised it and suggest you use the following piece of code. You should probably create a seperate layer for this code and place it in the first frame.

Code:

---

loader = function(){
        this.onEnterFrame = function(){
                myPath = _root.loader_mc.lgPicViewer;
                percentloaded=(myPath.getBytesLoaded()/myPath.getBytesTotal())*100;
                if (percentloaded == 0) {
                        trace("not done yet");
                                _root.loader_mc.percent = "";
                        } else {
                                _root.loader_mc.percent = Math.ceil(percentloaded) + "%";
                        }
               
                if(percentloaded == 100){
                        trace("done");
                        delete this.onEnterFrame;
                        _root.loader_mc.preloader_mc._visible = false;
                        _root.loader_mc.percent = "";
                }
        }
        stop();
}

---

Then replace the code you are using to load the larger image into loader_mc.lgPicViewer with this:

Code:

---

on(release){
        _root.loader_mc.lgPicViewer.unloadMovie();
        _root.loader_mc.swapDepths(1234);
        _root.loader_mc._visible = true;
        _root.loader_mc.lgPicViewer.loadMovie(_global.Images["lgPic"+this._parent.index]);
        _root.loader();
}

---

Also add the following code to the button which closes the loader_mc movie

Code:

---

_root.loader_mc.lgPicViewer.unloadMovie();

---

The this.percent.text = ""; is actually referencing a textfield called "percent" and setting its value to an empty string. This has also changed in the code I have given above.

Be sure to add your "LOADING..." with the dots blinking mc into your loader_mc movie and give it the instance name of "preloader_mc". Also be sure to create the textfield in the same loader_mc and give it the var name of "percent"

This should pretty much do it for you.

Let me know how this works for you.