Help me make simple hotspots

[WideEyes]

Hi everybody.

I am a new flashpanorama customer.

First of all I would like to compliment Dennis on this flash player. It is excellent, and some of the possibilities that I have seen show great potential for us to create some really amazing interactive projects.

Now for my problem.

I have bought the software, and I am working my way through the tutorials. So far so good. I have managed to understand the basics with the simple tutorial and "Using parameters" I have reached the part dealing with "hotspots plugin" and now it is starting to get too complicated for me.
I have absolutely no experience with programming, or with flash or with reading codes and understanding the terminology. It is like I have to learn a whole new language. And I really want to. I just do not know where to start :cry:

I have a project where I have to include 14 "points of interest" in to a full screen panorama that I am making for a Danish newspaper. You can see the panorama here:
http://www.wideeyes.dk/tours/fullscreen/folketinget.swf

I just want to insert 14 icons that the viewers can click so a small text box opens and explain what they see. For instance, when the viewer click on the paintings they are told who have made the painting.

I have read the Hotspots tutorial, but I donґt really understand it, and there are SO many paramaters available, and so much explanation that I really miss some guidance on where to start.

As far as I can understand I have to create an image I can use as a hotspot in the panorama. I already have that. Then I have to create a new image with the text I want to display.
As far as I understand, I shold then be able to make a feature so that when the viewer runs his mouse over an icon, a small text box appears.

But how is this done?? Can someone point me in the right direction and advice me to which part of the tutorial I should focus on to helt me do this?
Should I focus on the part with "Box Object"?? Ideally I would love to get the same effect as the example Dennis have on his blog with the example "Add some life to panoramas"
It would be awsome if I could get the same effect as the clickable images. for instance I have an "I" as an icon for "information" I would be amazing if I can insert this icon in to the panorama, so when the viewer click on an "I" a text box appears in the panorama.

How do I insert a hotspot? How do I find the right location for the hotspot?

I am sorry for this incredible long question, but as I said earlier it is like I am trying to learn a whole new language, and that is very hard. I am though willing to put all my effort in to it as I wish to speak it fluently.

I hope some of you can point me in the right direction so I know where ti start.

Best regards
Morten Andersen

[Denis]

Hi.
It's more simple then it can appear. Don't try to understand everything at once.

Use Editor plugin. This will help you to create correct XML at the first time.

1. Create new simple XML with Editor plugin (or use any example by adding editor plugin: http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=185 ).
2. Add your icons to XML:
<box id="icon1" url="icon1.png" />
<box id="icon2" url="icon2.png" />
<box id="icon3" url="icon3.png" />
...

Don't bother about positions, effect and so on, place them by default with only id and url.
3. Save XML and refresh your application.

If you can see all icons in combobox at this step, this is it, you can place your icons anywhere easy using WYSiWYG editor, it will help you to generate correct XML lines ("copy XML" button).

Don't try to remember all parameters, use them only if you need them.

Script used in Hotspots plugin is very simple language, much more simpler then html, for example.
And very powerfull: source of example "add some life to panoramas" is only one page of text ( http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=664#664 ). :) Everything you need to understand this source is in 30-page document "tutorials/hotspots.html".

You can do it. 8)

[WideEyes]

Hi Dennis.
Thank you very much for your quick reply. I am sorry to be bothering you once again, but it is going a bit too fast for me. I have tried to follow your instructions for an hour now, and I just do not understand what I am supposed to do. At leas none of my attemps have worked. If it is not too big a problem, would you mind going through it for me once again??

I do understand that I have to use the Editor Plugin. So far so good. But how do I do that?? I can guess that I have to copy the file editor.swf to my working folder (I made a folder called "flashtest")

I also have an exl file called "folketinget" - the same name as the panorama I am working on. This xml file is currently looking like this:

<?xml version = '1.0'?>
<panorama>
<parameters>
layer_1 = fps.swf
layer_2 = autorotator.swf
layer_3 = borders.swf
loaderBackColor=#000000
</parameters>
<autorotator>
speed = -0.1
interval = 30
pause = 1000
quality = low
</autorotator>
<borders>
pan_min = -40
pan_max = 40
tilt_min = -10
tilt_max = 80
</borders>


</panorama>

Should I then make a new layer called layer_4 = editor.swf And if so should I also make a <editor> </editor> tag? And if so what should it contain??

I have actually tried this as I thought that the editor tag might had to contain all the icon codes you mentioned:

<box id="icon1" url="icon1.png" />
<box id="icon2" url="icon2.png" />
<box id="icon3" url="icon3.png" />
....

But that did not work.

I also tried serveral other things. I ofcourse also have a image called icon1 in the same folder as the other files.

Dennis I am sorry for asking for something that is so simple, but I would really like to learn it.

I hope you will help me understand how to use your fantastic software.

Best regards
Morten Andersen

[WideEyes]

I am actually making progress.
I have figured out to insert 14 hotspots. You can see it here: http://www.wideeyes.dk/temp/politikken/folketinget.swf

The idea is that you should be able to click each hotspot and open a text box with text that explai what it is you are seeing. I just canґt figure out how to get it to open a text box whan you click one of the hotspots.
If anyone can help it would be highly appreciated :!:

Best regards
Morten andersen

[Denis]

This is great.
Now you need to add for the first icon:
<box id="logo1" onClick="text1.visible=1"
and add a new spot:
<spot id="text1" url="text1.png" visible="0" />

Actually, for click you need to add a hiding for all other texts. Ugly but simple way (without functions):

<box id="logo1" ... onClick="text1.visible=1;text2.visible=0;text3.visible=0;te xt4.visible=0;text5.visible=0;"
<box id="logo2" ... onClick="text1.visible=0;text2.visible=1;text3.visible=0;te xt4.visible=0;text5.visible=0;"
:)

To use Editor, add one line for your code after layer_5
layer_5 = hotspots.swf
layer6 = editor.swf

[WideEyes]

Hi Dennis

Thank you for your help. I am not a very quick learner, but I have figured it out :D You can see the example here: http://www.wideeyes.dk/temp/politikken/folketinget.swf

Actually I do not understand why you say that I have to hide all the other texts with code like:
onClick="text1.visible=1;text2.visible=0;text3.visible=0;te xt4.visible=0;text5.visible=0;"

I did not do that and it still works :wink: Am I missing something?

Best regards
Morten

[WideEyes]

Damn.

I just thought that I had it all figured out, and that I had finally finished my panorama. But I just got some feedback from the client, and they are asking for something where I do not know if it is possible.

Please look at the panorama:
http://www.wideeyes.dk/temp/politikken/folketinget.swf

There are 2 things the client want me to change:

1) When you click one of the hotspots and open a text box, the text is not very sharp. If you keep the text box open and start panning (moving around inside the panorama) the text get sharper. When you stop panning the text get blurry again. Is there a way to fix this?? Have I done something wrong??

2) Is there a way to make the text box open in the same size no matter how much you zoom out?? For instance if you zoom all the way out and click at one of the hotspots, you are not able to read the text. Is there a way to have the text box to always be the same size regardless of the zoom level??


Please if anybody can help me, I would really appreciate it. You can find the .xml file here:

http://www.wideeyes.dk/temp/politikken/folketinget.xml

I pray that it is possible.

Best regards
Morten Andersen

[WideEyes]

Please. Is nobody able to helt me??

[WideEyes]

I am willing to pay somebody for tutoring me and help me solve my problems, and teach me to use the program properly. Anybody interested, please contact my by email at morten@wideeyes.dk

Thanks in advance

[clustar]

Hello,

try it with swf files.

Best regards

Stefan

[Denis]

Damn.

I just thought that I had it all figured out, and that I had finally finished my panorama. But I just got some feedback from the client, and they are asking for something where I do not know if it is possible.

Please look at the panorama:
http://www.wideeyes.dk/temp/politikken/folketinget.swf

There are 2 things the client want me to change:

1) When you click one of the hotspots and open a text box, the text is not very sharp. If you keep the text box open and start panning (moving around inside the panorama) the text get sharper. When you stop panning the text get blurry again. Is there a way to fix this?? Have I done something wrong??

2) Is there a way to make the text box open in the same size no matter how much you zoom out?? For instance if you zoom all the way out and click at one of the hotspots, you are not able to read the text. Is there a way to have the text box to always be the same size regardless of the zoom level??



Text boxes looks sharpen for me. And they are not scaleable now. Looks like you found scaleable="0" option yourself. :)