Deleting alternate frames from the timeline

Question

Hi
I have a movie which is made up of individual frames (like an
old style cartoon animation), whereby each frame moves on a bit
from the previous one and when viewed in Flash, looks like a movie.
I want to remove some of the frames - probably every other
frame to make the file size smaller. I can't find a way of doing
this easily. I can select alternate frames using the 'Apple' key,
but if I then go to Edit>Timeline>Remove frames or >Clear
frames, it doesn't actually remove the frames I've highlighted.
Am I missing something?
Many thanks for any help.

Answer 1

You will need to make a command.
In Flash CS3 select a new JSFL file. Then add this code:
(note:code is not tested, might contain typos)
var frmCount =
fl.getDocumentDOM().getTimeline().layers[0].frameCount;
var curTimeLn = fl.getDocumentDOM().getTimeline();
var curFrame =
fl.getDocumentDOM().getTimeline().currentFrame;
var stFrame = curFrame;
for (i=0; i < (frmCount - stFrame)/2; i++) {
curTimeLn.removeFrames(curFrame);
curFrame += 2;
The top section is just variables to make the code easier to
write. The for loop simply goes through the timeline starting at
the frame you have selected and deletes it and then moves two
frames and runs again (deleting that frame) until it has reached
the end of the timeline.
Save this file with whatever name you wish to call this
command ('twoFrame Remover'?), in your commands folder.
C:\Documents and Settings\...your logon here...\Local
Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Flash
CS3\en\Configuration\Tools\commands
After saving it, you should find it in your commands drop
down menu item.
If this does not remove the frames the way you want, you can
simply undo the command and fix the code as you need it. If you
know the number of frames you want removed, you can simply hard
code the number instead of going all the way to the end of the
timeline. Of course you will have to change the command every time
you want to use it. But it is easy to play around with it and get
what you want out of it. You can easily remove every 3rd frame, or
4th frame etc. Just adjust the code and save it.
Hope that helps.