thumbnails only with xml and flash

[chrissy19]

I want load in thumbnails from an xml file to flash to a movieclip called thumb_mc - which duplicates depending on how many pictures are declared in the xml file - but I have no idea how to go about it. I have attached a picture of the concept.

[EQFlash]

hi chrissy. do you know how to create the xml file?

[chrissy19]

Yes I have an xml file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<images>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
<pic>
<image>images/imagename.jpg</image>
<caption>caption</caption>
</pic>
</images>

What I am aiming for is one movieclip in flash to duplicate depending on how many images are declared in xml and display them like a grid. But I have no idea how to do this.

[EQFlash]

according to your xml, you have 10 thumbs. how do want the grid to look? it can be 2 rows of 5 thumbs, or 2 columns of 5 thumbs.

[chrissy19]

according to your xml, you have 10 thumbs. how do want the grid to look? it can be 2 rows of 5 thumbs, or 2 columns of 5 thumbs.

I am going for a 2 rows of 5 thumbs.

[EQFlash]

gotcha will have a sample for ya in a bit. do you want the thumbs to be clickable?

[chrissy19]

gotcha will have a sample for ya in a bit. do you want the thumbs to be clickable?

Yes, I have another MC that I would like to link a bigger picture of the thumbnail or like a paypal add to cart link.

[EQFlash]

where do you want the caption textfields to be?

[chrissy19]

I have a dynamic textfield called title_mc

[EQFlash]

ok where would you want them to be? is it one text field? or as many as there are thumbs?

[chrissy19]

As many as there are thumbs

[EQFlash]

ok. i have a sample for you to check out and let me know. will post in next thread.

[EQFlash]

here is the zip file. you will have to change the xml file to match yours, as long as <pic> remains, because the fla calls it.

[hartvan]

Hi there...I'm looking for the same functionality. Can you share the solution you came up with? Thanks.

[EQFlash]

here is the same zip i gave to chrissy Again you also will have to change th xml file to match you contents, as long as <pic> stays because the fla calls for it.

[hartvan]

Thanks a bunch...any idea how I get the captions to load without having to click the thumbnails? I'm basically creating a Flash catalog and I'd like each caption to load automatically under each corresponding thumbnail.

[EQFlash]

you want the captions under the thumbnail?

[hartvan]

Yes, I'm looking to put the captions under the thumbnails. I would just create a bunch of thumbnails with captions embedded in the .jpgs, but I'd like the caption text to be able to scale well along with the Flash movie (this is for a full screen CD-ROM project). Thanks again for the help!

[chrissy19]

you want the captions under the thumbnail?

The zip file that you sent is great but I have put 10 images with captions in the xml but only 5 captions work. Also I would like to add and add to cart function to the current code but I would like the paypalObj.item_name to read in the caption according to the thumb that is clicked???? Here is the code:

myThumbs.onRelease = function() {
var paypalObj = new Object();
paypalObj['add'] = 1;
paypalObj.cmd = '_cart';
paypalObj.business = 'myemailaddress@me.com';
paypalObj.item_name = ????;
paypalObj.item_number = '';
paypalObj.amount = '0.00';
paypalObj.no_shipping = '0';
paypalObj.shipping = '';
paypalObj.tax = '';
paypalOBJ.undefined_quantity = '1';
paypalObj.no_note = '1';
paypalObj.currency_code = 'GBP';
paypalObj.lc = 'GB';
paypalObj.bn = 'PP-ShopCartBF';
paypalObj.target_winName = 'paypal';
paypalObj.shopping_url = ('http://mycompany.com);
var sUrl = 'https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?';
for (var o in paypalObj) {
sUrl += o+'='+paypalObj[o]+'&';
}
trace(sUrl);
getURL(sUrl, 'paypal', "POST");
};
}

[EQFlash]

Hi to both of you. got to go take care of some medical issues today. I will probably be able to get back to you 2morrow. sorry for the delay.