Load swf into RAM via an asset manager

Question

Hi.
I have an AS3 virtual world and we are continually loading external resources such as swfs and sounds.
A few of my menu screens that take a damn long time to load. Read a tut that said we should load them into RAM using an asset manager.
I'm assuning the asset manager is simply a Class used specifically for loading and unloading graphics, swfs and sounds. So the important part to ask is:
What do they mean by loading into RAM.
I thought all swfs were automatically loaded into RAM ie: cached or in the flash player cache or the browser cache. Or do I have to do it specifically myself with some code. We are importing external files so we thought that was a great idea as they are shared by many games.
btw: RSLs I have read about but I don't understand. I thought my externally loaded files were RSLs (runtime shared libraries) or would I have to do some physical coding do convert them into RSLs.
This is so important because I am not very experienced but I am getting a lot better due to help receied in this forum and my current programmer is leaving me. I have been studying up on As3 and design patterns and I understand basic coding a lot better now.
CHEERS
EDIT: Just read that I am using a http call. - I use urlloader - well that's what you use isn't it or how would you load an external swf. Just read that you can hold the swf as a variable which loads it in RAM and therefore will be available immediately. Know I don't understand anything as I have never read that anywhere.

Answer 1

Hi Andrei, nice to see you around here.
Well, somebody helping me says that normally we make a http request with urlLoader to the server and that is what was happening each time. We weren't getting the cached swf. (that bit I don't understand and doesn't sound right - anyway...)
So he says if we create a dictionary class to hold that swf then the next time we make a request we will get the movie from there and not from the server.
I have highlighted the main parts of code below.
What I don't understand about all this is that I have never seen anything like this in my life. I have read extensively and read all about loading external files and using this type of asset manager with the dictionary class does not ring a bell and goole comes up with nothing.
I hunch is that as you say, we are doing something wrong somewhere because the only way to get an external file is via urlLoader to the server the first time and then the second time it should look for it cached on our computer is that right? Or when we make the urlLoader request how does it know to look on our computer first before going to the server or are these innner workings of the flash player I know nothing about. This is so important as when I get 10 kids on the computers they wait for as long as 5 minutes for movies that have already been downloaded many times before.
Cheers in advance.
package com.Gerry.managers.assetManager
    import flash.display.Loader;
    public class AssetLoader extends Loader
        private var _assetName:String;
        public function AssetLoader()
            super();
        public function get assetName():String
            return _assetName;
        public function set assetName(value:String):void
            _assetName = value;
The asset manager loading class
package com.Gerry.managers.assetManager
    import flash.display.Loader;
    import flash.display.LoaderInfo;
    import flash.display.MovieClip;
    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.events.Event;
    import flash.net.URLRequest;
    import flash.utils.Dictionary;
    public class AssetManager extends Sprite
        public static const ASSET_LOADED:String = "assetLoaded";
        private static var _instance:AssetManager;
        private var _assetsLoaded:Dictionary = new Dictionary();
        private var _assetsBeingLoaded:Dictionary = new Dictionary();
        public function AssetManager(pvt:SingletonEnforcer)
         * loads and asset and keeps a reference to the loaded content
         * @param name
         * @return null if the asset is not loaded yet
       public function loadAsset(name:String):MovieClip
            var asset:MovieClip;
            if (_assetsLoaded[name])
                asset = _assetsLoaded[name];
            else if (_assetsBeingLoaded[name] == null)
                var skinloader:AssetLoader = new AssetLoader();
                skinloader.assetName = name;
                skinloader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, loadCompleteF);
                skinloader.load(new URLRequest(name));
                _assetsBeingLoaded[name] = true;
            return asset;
        protected function loadCompleteF(e:Event):void
            var skin:MovieClip = e.target.content as MovieClip;
            var name:String = ((e.target as LoaderInfo).loader as AssetLoader).assetName;
            _assetsLoaded[name] = skin;
            delete _assetsBeingLoaded[name];
            dispatchEvent(new Event(ASSET_LOADED));
         * gets an instance of the class
         * @return
        public static function get instance():AssetManager
            if (_instance == null)
                _instance = new AssetManager(new SingletonEnforcer());
            return _instance;
internal class SingletonEnforcer
The function inside a class called Screen which is used by menus classes to load their swf menus.
protected function loadSkin(path:String = null):void
            trace("skin to load: " + path);
            Home.instance.addPreloaderF();
            _path = path + Home.instance.cacheString;
            if (_usingAssetManager)
                loadSkinFromAssetManager();
            else
                if (_skinloader.content)
                    _skinloader.unloadAndStop(true);
                _skinloader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, loadCompleteF);
                _skinloader.load(new URLRequest(_path));
        protected function loadSkinFromAssetManager(e:Event = null):void
            _skin = AssetManager.instance.loadAsset(_path);
            //if no skin we have to wait to be loaded it
            if (_skin == null)
                AssetManager.instance.addEventListener(AssetManager.ASSET_LOADED, loadSkinFromAssetManager);
            else
                AssetManager.instance.removeEventListener(AssetManager.ASSET_LOADED, loadSkinFromAssetManager);
                loadCompleteF(null);