Creating metadata in Flash CS3 and reading it in AS3

Is there a way to store metadata in a library symbol in Flash
CS3, and then read it in AS3? For example, I want to have the
following code run:
m_Metadata = 'You're cool!'
I need this data before I can play the movie clip. Is there a
way to store this? I've been trying to find a solution, but it
looks like I'm just going to have to load in a separate XML file
with the data.
Thanks!

Unfortunately there's no simple way to add instance level
code in Flash CS3 or CS4 with AS3. This is a significant authoring
tool deficiency in my opinion.
Making a component... depending on what you want to do, there
can be a lot of overhead. There may also be some very flaky/buggy
behavior in Flash CS3 with custom components if your experience is
anything like mine. However, for basic metadata, try this:
1. Select the Symbol in the Library
2. Right click, choose Component Definition...
3. In the Parameters data grid you can add
parameters/properties. Make sure you set the "Variable" field as a
unique identifier for each parameter. These are the properties
you'll use in AS at runtime to retrieve the values.
4. Now on each instance on the canvas you can go to the
Parameters tab and enter custom values for each parameter.
5. At runtime, you should be able to access the values via
instance_name.variable_name
I believe that will work without actually creating a
component class and making it functional.

Similar Messages

Help!! Flash CS3 and CS4 "Test Movie" very slow on OS X

This is a problem that, having read many forums, affects a
very large amount of people, though Adobe doesn't care at all. It
only affects OS X users. I know that it has been addressed many
times in different forums, but I never actually stumbled across
anyone having found a solution.
When I use Flash CS3, and I make any animation, even the
simplest tween, and I preview it with Test Movie, the result I get
is an extremely slow playback. Something like half the FPS it
should be.
However, when I export the SWF and preview it in the external
Flash Player or in a browser, it's just fine and fast.
Another interesting thing is that in CS3, when I open the
Help panel, the problem with Test Movie only happens like 20% of
the time. In that case, it only gets solved if I restart or Log Out
at least. I have no idea why the Help panel being open solves the
problem, this only shows that this is probably a little graphic
user interface bug, or something similar, that could be solved very
very easily.
In Flash CS4, there is no Help panel, so there is no solution
to the problem.
It would be nice to be able to press Cmd + Enter to see the
movie, and not have to do File > Export > bla bla bla, open
Finder, Find the SWF, double click it, wait for the browser to
open... etc...
I have a brand new 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro, and Test Movie runs
faster on my 900MHz Pentium III PC!! Funny...
Here are some links I found about this problem:
http://bugs.adobe.com/jira/browse/FP-878
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb407896
http://www.kirupa.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-258991.html
This is quite ridiculous, and on Adobe's Support page, the
solution is "Do not use Test Movie."
And the funny thing is that they didn't even bother to fix
this in CS4...
So basically if something doesn't work, Adobe's solution is
"Don't use it."
I guess they're right!
Please, tell me if anyone has or does not have this problem
or knows anything about it!
Thanks,
Mate

This is a problem that, having read many forums, affects a
very large amount of people, though Adobe doesn't care at all. It
only affects OS X users. I know that it has been addressed many
times in different forums, but I never actually stumbled across
anyone having found a solution.
When I use Flash CS3, and I make any animation, even the
simplest tween, and I preview it with Test Movie, the result I get
is an extremely slow playback. Something like half the FPS it
should be.
However, when I export the SWF and preview it in the external
Flash Player or in a browser, it's just fine and fast.
Another interesting thing is that in CS3, when I open the
Help panel, the problem with Test Movie only happens like 20% of
the time. In that case, it only gets solved if I restart or Log Out
at least. I have no idea why the Help panel being open solves the
problem, this only shows that this is probably a little graphic
user interface bug, or something similar, that could be solved very
very easily.
In Flash CS4, there is no Help panel, so there is no solution
to the problem.
It would be nice to be able to press Cmd + Enter to see the
movie, and not have to do File > Export > bla bla bla, open
Finder, Find the SWF, double click it, wait for the browser to
open... etc...
I have a brand new 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro, and Test Movie runs
faster on my 900MHz Pentium III PC!! Funny...
Here are some links I found about this problem:
http://bugs.adobe.com/jira/browse/FP-878
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb407896
http://www.kirupa.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-258991.html
This is quite ridiculous, and on Adobe's Support page, the
solution is "Do not use Test Movie."
And the funny thing is that they didn't even bother to fix
this in CS4...
So basically if something doesn't work, Adobe's solution is
"Don't use it."
I guess they're right!
Please, tell me if anyone has or does not have this problem
or knows anything about it!
Thanks,
Mate

How to Disable the Adobe Flash Player and Reader Updates

Ok, For the last two months or so, I have been plagued by the Adobe Flash Player and Reader updater that will not go away. That's not the worst thing though: Somehow, someway, the Adobe updater subverts my entire windows 7 machine and makes itself the most important program on my system, stopping all other necessary functions. After I just turn it on, the updater will suspend all Windows operations in favor of the updater getting its message out the Adobe "needs" updating. I have tried updating the stupid thing, only to find that after the update goes in, my whole computer locks up and I have to load a system restore point. This thing acts like a virus, and until someone comes up with a way to make it work properly, that's what I'm calling: Adobe creates and sells a computer killing virus. I want a sure fire way to disable the updater that will work, and that will never bug me again about updating the virus. After going through three different computer repair companies, many online forums and chat rooms and my own knowledge of how to disable programs, I have instructed my firewall to block all attempts by Adobe to update. This has to stop.

Flash Player:
Adobe Reader:

Flash cs3 and php problem (system error)

Hi All,
Been checking out a free utility, called Tell A Friend - followed the instructions to a t but still getting system error.
Here is the php code:
<?php
$to = ($_POST['friend']);
$link = ($_POST['link']);
$subject = "Tell a friend";
$message = "Your friend ";
$message .= $_POST['name'] . " wants advice you the following link: ".$link;
$headers = "My WebSite Name";
if(@mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers))
echo "answer=ok";
else
echo "answer=error";
?>
The main swf has a main.as attached:
* Flash Tell A Friend
* http://www.FlepStudio.org
* Author: Filippo Lughi
* version 1.0
package
import flash.display.*;
import flash.events.*;
import flash.utils.*;
import flash.external.*;
import flash.net.*;
public class main extends MovieClip
private const PHP_URL:String="sendMail.php";
private var checker:CheckEmail;
private var timer:Timer;
public function main()
   addEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE,init);
private function init(evt:Event):void
   removeEventListener(Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE,init);
   stage.frameRate=31;
   checker= new CheckEmail();
   addInputListener();
   addSendListener();
private function addInputListener():void
   clip_mc.name_txt.background=true;
   clip_mc.name_txt.backgroundColor=0x999999;
   clip_mc.name_txt.addEventListener(FocusEvent.FOCUS_IN,onFocusIn);
   clip_mc.name_txt.addEventListener(FocusEvent.FOCUS_OUT,onFocusOut);
   clip_mc.email_txt.background=true;
   clip_mc.email_txt.backgroundColor=0x999999;
   clip_mc.email_txt.addEventListener(FocusEvent.FOCUS_IN,onFocusIn);
   clip_mc.email_txt.addEventListener(FocusEvent.FOCUS_OUT,onFocusOut);
private function onFocusIn(evt:Event):void
   evt.target.background=true;
   evt.target.backgroundColor=0xFFFFFF;
private function onFocusOut(evt:Event):void
   evt.target.backgroundColor=0x999999;
private function addSendListener():void
   clip_mc.send_mc.mouseChildren=false;
   clip_mc.send_mc.buttonMode=true;
   clip_mc.send_mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN,onSendDown);
private function onSendDown(evt:MouseEvent):void
   if(clip_mc.name_txt.text!="")
    if(checker.initCheck(clip_mc.email_txt.text))
     sendEmail();
    else
     displayPhrase("Invalid Email");
   else
    displayPhrase("Invalid name");
private function sendEmail():void
   clip_mc.send_mc.mouseEnabled=false;
   var variables:URLVariables=new URLVariables();
   variables.name=clip_mc.name_txt.text;
   variables.friend=clip_mc.email_txt.text;
   variables.link=ExternalInterface.call('window.location.href.toString');
   var request:URLRequest=new URLRequest();
   request.url=PHP_URL;
   request.method=URLRequestMethod.POST;
   request.data=variables;
   var loader:URLLoader=new URLLoader();
   loader.dataFormat=URLLoaderDataFormat.VARIABLES;
   loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE,onMessageSent);
   try
    loader.load(request);
   catch (error:Error)
    trace('Unable to load the document.');
private function onMessageSent(evt:Event):void
   var vars:URLVariables=new URLVariables(evt.target.data);
   if(vars.answer=='ok')
    displayPhrase("Message Sent!");
   else
    displayPhrase("System Error!");
   clip_mc.send_mc.mouseEnabled=true;
   clip_mc.name_txt.text="";
   clip_mc.email_txt.text="";
private function displayPhrase(s:String):void
   clip_mc.display_txt.text=s;
   resetPhrase();
private function resetPhrase():void
   timer=new Timer(1500,1);
   timer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER,hidePhrase);
   timer.start();
private function hidePhrase(evt:TimerEvent):void
   clip_mc.display_txt.text="";
Any help appreciated. This is a great viral marketing tool, when it ever works
Kind Regards,
Boxing Boom

Never seen such an error, but if it's in the status bar of the browser then it shouldn't be Flash problem. You can check what's happening in your swf by creating a dynamic text field and setting it's text in every major action, that is: requesting PHP and getting back response, to what's just happened.
So, on the Flash side you can see whether the browser error stops the PHP script and immobilizes further actions.
What I'd do is create a new Flash file and PHP file and just send 1 variable to PHP, change it somehow and send it back to Flash and print it in a text field. That way you can check whether it's the method you're using to request PHP or just PHP or something else. Step by step adding complexity and checking on which of these steps the error occurs.
I wish you good luck.
Ps. It's probably a very rookie problem, we just don't know the source.

Flash CS3 and CS4 "Test Movie" extremely slow, ridiculous.

This is a problem that, having read many forums, affects a very large amount of people, though Adobe doesn't care at all. It only affects OS X users.
When I use Flash CS3, and I make any animation, even the simplest tween, and I preview it with Test Movie, the result I get is an extremely slow playback. Something like half the FPS it should be.
However, when I export the SWF and preview it in the external Flash Player or in a browser, it's just fine and fast.
Another interesting thing is that in CS3, when I open the Help panel, the problem with Test Movie only happens like 20% of the time. In that case, it only gets solved if I restart or Log Out at least. I have no idea why the Help panel being open solves the problem, this only shows that this is probably a little graphic user interface bug, or something similar, that could be solved very very easily.
In Flash CS4, there is no Help panel, so there is no solution to the problem.
It would be nice to be able to press Cmd + Enter to see the movie, and not have to do File > Export > bla bla bla, open Finder, Find the SWF, double click it, wait for the browser to open... etc...
I have a brand new 2.5 GHz MacBook Pro, and Test Movie runs faster on my 900MHz Pentium III PC!! Funny...
Here are some links I found about this problem:
http://bugs.adobe.com/jira/browse/FP-878
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=kb407896
http://www.kirupa.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-258991.html
This is quite ridiculous, and on Adobe's Support page, the solution is "Do not use Test Movie."
And the funny thing is that they didn't even bother to fix this in CS4...
So basically if something doesn't work, Adobe's solution is "Don't use it."
I guess they're right!
Please, tell me if anyone has this problem or knows anything about it!
Thanks,
Mate

1) Every post I see that you have made recently reflects on problems that are most likely associated with your computer that are causing problems with your software. 1st thing I would look at with your problems (and I do not mean just this one) is a conflict with another program, ei antivirus software, etc. Trying turning off programs one by one, relaunching your CS programs, and see if you can find a culprit.
2) With that kind of attitude you are only going to receive just as friendly/helpful solutions. Just because SOMEONE ELSE doesn't solve YOUR problem does not mean that THEY are ignorant.

Creating flv skins in cs3 and using them in Flash 8

We created a custom skin in flash cs3 but we want to
implement the custom skin into some flash 8 projects. We have been
having problems and when we exported with actionscript 2.0 all hell
broke loose.
Any ideas on how to get this to work??
thank

this code works
var tf:TextField = new TextField();
var tfor:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
tfor.font = new _TrebushetMS().fontName;
tfor.italic = true;
tf.width = 300;
tf.height = 200;
tf.embedFonts = true;
tf.border = true;
tf.defaultTextFormat = tfor ;
tf.text = "this is a test";
this.addChild(tf);
This code does not work
var tf:TextField = new TextField();
var tfor:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
tfor.font = new _TrebushetMS().fontName;
tfor.italic = true;
tf.width = 300;
tf.height = 200;
tf.embedFonts = true;
tf.border = true;
tf.setTextFormat(tfor) ;
tf.text = "this is a test";
this.addChild(tf);
i don't know why

Created website in flash cs3, wont open once hosted...

I tried to find the answer here in the forums but couldn't,. I'm sorry, i bet this question has been posted before..
I created a website in flash cs3. published it so that I now have an index.html, home.swf and AC_RunActiveContent.js file.
when I upload these to host, the url just shows blank white page. I called customer support of host, godaddy, and they said the server could not find the swf file.
are they named incorrectly? I'm new to this...
thank you very much

According to a quick check there is no file by the name of...
So... two things:
1. Never use spaces in the names of files you intend to use on the web. That space can break code up. It is best to use an underscore if you need to, but not an empty space.
2. After you change the name and get things updated in the code for the new name, make sure your spelling is correct.
After you have loaded the newly named file you should be able to access it directly on the web using ... newfilename.swf
where newfilename is whatever new name you give it.

Flash CS3 and Javascript

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote in another thread about how
Flash CS3 (using AS3) can directly handle javascript. I must tell
you that this direct handling is limited. You cannot call custom
javascript functions from html this way. If you need to call
function in your html, you must still use ExternalInterface.
Flash CS3 has a new function called navigateToURL().
navigateToURL() is part of the flash.net package and is
asynchronous (does not return any kind of value).
Let's say you want to throw a simple javascript alert message
to a user. You need to first make a call to the URLRequest
constructor and pass it a string value that uses javascript
protocol. In the alert example, you'll be calling the string
"javascript:alert('Your first AS3 javascript call');" To those
familiar with HTML, this will look very very familiar. All put
together, it looks something like the code below....
This idea can be expanded on and added to custom event
handlers in classes for buttons and other things in your projects.
Remember though that you must call the javascript code as it
appears in the javascript protocol. So to open a popup window,
you'd need to use window.open( blah, blah, blah ). Personally, I
still use ExternalInterface to call my Javascript functions (if I
need them at all). The only reason I use navigateToURL is when the
browser I'm using does not support ExternalInterface.
Anyhow, the code for the above example is down below. If you
have questions, post them here.

k,
my post 2+ weeks ago was adrenaline driven and premature. the
example I just gave was the code I was talking about. Why I ever
posted that URLLoader was capable of javascript interaction is
beyond me. I know better. The purpose of my post was simply to
answer questions I've been getting in my e-mail and to clarify my
original post 2 weeks ago.
As I stated, navigateToURL is meant for specific scenarios
just as getURL was in AS1 and 2 which was replaced by navigateToURL
in AS3. This would be more for the Linux users and the a-typical
O/S users where ExternalInterface is not supported by the browsers
on those operating systems. I do not condone using navigateToURL or
getURL. I will always recommend external javascript files and
ExternalInterface. My apologies for leading anyone on with my
premature run-off of the typing finger.

Flash CS3 and FLVPlayback

Hello.
Is there a way to dynamically instantiate a FLVPlayback with
ActionScript 3?
I imported fl.video.FLVPlayback and Flash accused not knowing
this class...
Thanks,
Ian L.

Ian,
> Is there a way to dynamically instantiate a FLVPlayback
with
> ActionScript 3?
Sure thing.
> I imported fl.video.FLVPlayback and Flash accused not
knowing
> this class...
Just make sure to drag the FLVPlayback component from the
Components
panel into your Library. After that, the following four lines
(just for
example) will do it:
import fl.video.FLVPlayback;
var player:FLVPlayback = new FLVPlayback();
player.source = "
http://www.helpexamples.com/flash/video/caption_video.flv";
addChild(player);
David Stiller
Co-author, Foundation Flash CS3 for Designers
http://tinyurl.com/2k29mj
"Luck is the residue of good design."

Flash cs3 and PDFs

Did Adobe come up with a way to load PDF files into an SWF in
Flash CS3? If not .... they need to do that for the next version,
because that would be wonderful.

I'm using Flash Paper for this and the results are excellent.
It wasn't included in CS3 but still installs ok from the Studio 8
disc.

Flash CS3 and Photoshop CS Integration

Hello,
I have a situation in my company were I may need to use
Photoshop CS with Flash CS3. My question is can you import older CS
photoshop document into the New Flash CS3 with similar results as
Photoshop CS3. If so please let me know the pro's and con's of
doing this.
Thank You, Jacob

No, PSE 3 and PS CS3 are totally different programs. Elements is a reduced version of photoshop for consumer use, with many of the pro features from photoshop simplified or left out.
PSE 3 is quite an old version (it's up to PSE 8 now). You might want to check your local library for books on it. It's highly unlikely that you would find books on PSE 3 in stock in any bookstore, even in a large city, since it's five years old. You can still get a few books from amazon, I think.

Flash CS3 and Snow Leopard

Hi, i am experiencing a strange and unpleasant situation.
I am using CS3 and upgraded to Snow Leopard 10.6.2 last night, along downloading the latest Flash Player for browsers.
Problem is that now all of my text block arent displaying the same line height that before i updated?????
I compared the same exact SWF made under Tiger and those made under Snow Leopard and the two arent identical, lines are misaligned regarding line height!
What gives? Flash or OSX interpreting fonts differently?
Thanks!

I dont know whats up with this... but all of a sudden today, in my flash cs4 (mac and PC versions) When i go to open a fla in flash to work on it, i select a text box... in the properties window under position and size --- HIEGHT-(selection hieght) value is grayed out... I opened fla's that i had don before but this also now affects them as well. I tried opening on my PC .. now it does the same thing. Every file i open now.. when i got to the properties of a text box ... the height values are grayed out. I am using Palatino roman font... in a simple text box.
Position and size:
x:20 y:15
w:264 H:335.2 <-------- grayed out!!!
I have opened these files in cs3... and that now is also experiencing this......
PLEASE HELP... Im in the middle of a project --- with extreme deadlines...
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
my post....
saw yours.. wondering if this is related.. Im running Snow Leopard now to.. just started. Then the Height variable became grayed out. In your properties windows, are you experiencing the same??
It's killing me...Im an animator that does books... I am unable to adjust this value, and when i sent the fla to someone else... they say they see everything fine, but when i view it.. the Text spacing in multiline text box is different than discribed back to me... My line height is much larger than what he is seeing.
Please let me know if you find anything.
Regards
Phantom Lady

Embed fonts in Flash CS3 and load in Flex at runtime

Hi,
I want to embed fonts in the library of Flash CS3, compile it into a SWF and load it in my flex up at runtime and register the embedded font.
I'm able to get the linked class in Flex but the font doesn't show.
The FLA has a font called Viner Hand embedded as a library item, with linkage VinerHand and baseclass as flash.text.Font
Here's the code in flex to register the font -
var FontLibrary:Class = ApplicationDomain((event.target as LoaderInfo).applicationDomain).getDefinition('VinerHand') as Class;
Font.registerFont(FontLibrary);
When I do Font.enumerateFonts after this, I see [Font VinerHand] in the array but the textField doesn't show the font embedded.
Nishant

Hi there,
Try taking a look at the following links:
http://www.trajiklyhip.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/7/18/Embedding-Fonts-in-Flex
http://blog.flexexamples.com/2007/10/25/embedding-fonts-from-a-flash-swf-file-into-a-flex- application/
Hope it helps.
With best regards,
Barna Biro

Flash CS3 and Filter problem

Ok. So I have a file that was originally created with Flash
8. The file was opened in Flash 9 and published. The problem is
that the text that I have in there is being cut off when published
(publish preview only, The full publish works fine so far). I've
narrowed it down to being a problem with the filters that are used.
I'm using a basic drop shadow on the static text.
More specifically, when I publish using Flash 7, filters are
not supported and they are dropped out and the entire word shows.
When I publish in Flash 8 or 9 with filters turned on, the words
are cut off. For example the word "connection", when a filter is
applied, all that publishes is "connecti". The o and n are gone.
And if I change the settings on that drop shadow filter, the word
is cut off in a different place than before, sometimes cutting a
letter in half. When I delete the filter and publish in 8 or 9, the
entire word shows again. Also, I can edit the blurX or Y, or the
strength or distance and it will sometimes show the entire word.
But when I do this to other words, it creates a problem on those
words. If I then go and edit the settings back or to different
numbers, cutoff happens once again.
This is very inconsistent and makes working with filters
difficult since I can't preview what I've done without doing a full
publish. I've converted the words to movie clips and so far have
not had the same problem, however, I don't want to add movie clips.
So this basically looks like a glitch with this new version of
Flash. I sure hope that someone at Adobe sees this post and might
look into the problem.
I'm on an Intel based MacBook Pro. If anyone has run into
this problem, please let me know if you have found there to be a
solution rather than a work around. Thanks to Anyone who can help.
And once again, this only appears to be a problem when I do a
publish preview, not a full publish.
Tobin

Thanks; thats helpful.
What's going on is that the filter is being reused for your
text instances.
Flash does automatic associations between frames to see where
some objects
should be instances of or related to the objects in the frame
before it. In
your case, since each of your frames have a single static
text field in the
same depth (one spot above the jump in button), and since
they all use the
same drop shadow filter with the same settings, Flash will
reuse that exact
same filter for each of the objects in consecutive frames at
those depths
assuming they are the same object. What this amounts to is
the bounding box
for the first text+filter combination being used for all
others. You can
see this more clearly if you move the "Love" text to be at
the beginning of
the sequence and then test your movie.
What can you do? Here are a few options (though only a few
may work in your
situation):
- include one frame between each text field
- on every other text field, modify a property of the filter,
either
adjusting the strength by a value of 1, changing the quality,
or something
not visible but enough to make Flash recognize it as a
different filter
- in a layer under every other textfield place an invisible
object. This
should force every other text field to be at a higher depth
thereby
preventing Flash from assuming they are the same object as
the one before
it.
- place each text field in a movie clip thereby separating
the filters from
the same timeline (or, technically, just every other text
field would be
necessary)
- change your text to dynamic text. These will be treated as
separate
instances (or at least Flash will be wise enough not to be so
static in its
application of the filter). You may need to be sure to embed
your fonts for
anti-aliasing
In the mean time I will officially log a bug. Though Flash is
"technically"
doing what it thinks is best, its not working out very well
for this case.
"PhoTobin" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:[email protected]...
>I have not scaled the text at all. We've just used font
size. Here is the
>link to download the FLA.
>
>
http://www.3peaksintl.com/intro-filter.zip

I can't install flash cs3 AND got error my addRemovePrograms

after i downloaded flash cs3 trial yesterday . when trying to
install it, the setup aborted with no reason.
and when i open the add remove prog in control panel the
softtware name is in there. and been trying to remove it but its no
use, when i clicked the remove button i recieved errors.
i wonder why it wont install in my system, and why is it i
can see it in my add remove programs?
my system specs
80GB HD
1GB memory
AMD Sempron 3000+, MMX, 3DNow
Direct X9.0c
ECS-761GX-M mobo
Windows XP Pro SP2
software currently installed
MS OFFICE 07
MS SQL 2005
MYSQL 5.0
MS Visual Studio 2005
Is there anything i can do to uninstall this? and install the
sotware properly?
pls let me know thanks in advance.

Try using the offline installer http://download.macromedia.com/pub/flashplayer/current/support/install_flash_player.exe

Creating metadata in Flash CS3 and reading it in AS3

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