preloading panoramas

[cheathamlane]

Scott:

http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/show...ght=javascript

Have you tried it? I haven't, but following the logic from this post and the above linked thread (regarding your window.close issue), it seems to me it _should_ work.

You could end up with something like:
onClick="javascript:panoPreload('images/reception', 'images/auditorium');"

[Scott Witte]

Patrick,

Something was wrong with your link, but for anyone interested the thread referred to is this: close browsr from a hotspot?

Anyway, while it is often against my nature I decided to RTFM and Denis says about the javascript command: "You can use it to open new popup windows (a way to avoid popup blockers) and to run any external Javascript functions:"

So, it certainly should work... if only I knew enough javascript to write the function, in particular how to pass a string of variables to it and process those variables in sequence. Learning that won't happen very soon, I'm afraid, as I have more pressing issues.

But for anyone who knows javascript (and you know who you are), everything is in place. I would love to see someone do this.

[cheathamlane]

Originally Posted by Scott Witte

So, it certainly should work... if only I knew enough javascript to write the function, in particular how to pass a string of variables to it and process those variables in sequence. Learning that won't happen very soon, I'm afraid, as I have more pressing issues.

Scott (Mr. Humble), you can write AS can't you? All the pieces are right here in this thread...

See a working example of calling a JS from your FPP onClick at:
http://www.flashpanos.com/flashpanos...ams-test2.html

View HTML source for the JavaScript function & XML source for the onClick. The onClick of the button should show a JavaScript Alert box, with "Hello" and the panoNames that were passed to it.

--
I leave if/else blocks, for loops and switching to you...

HTH

[Scott Witte]

Originally Posted by cheathamlane

:The onClick of the button should show a JavaScript Alert box, with "Hello" and the panoNames that were passed to it.

--
I leave if/else blocks, for loops and switching to you...

Too funny! You easily answered one of my questions (passing paramaters). Now, how where you thinking I would tackle the loop in the js function to construct a sequence of "panoname" variables and debug the image preloading loop so it actually worked? A functioning example would be appreciated



Seriously, it can obviously be done and maybe without that much difficulty. Right now I have to figure out how to sync two audio files and keep them in sync. That is proving a real challenge, although reading the AS3 docs you wouldn't think so. But that is a little OT for this thread.

[cheathamlane]

Originally Posted by Scott Witte

Too funny! You easily answered one of my questions (passing paramaters). Now, how where you thinking I would tackle the loop in the js function to construct a sequence of "panoname" variables and debug the image preloading loop so it actually worked? A functioning example would be appreciated
--
Seriously, it can obviously be done and maybe without that much difficulty. Right now I have to figure out how to sync two audio files and keep them in sync. That is proving a real challenge, although reading the AS3 docs you wouldn't think so. But that is a little OT for this thread.

I had a really nice long answer for this post, but Safari crashed on me twice... ARGH!

Has anyone else had issues with Safari and the Flash Player debug version 9r124?

--
Example code below -- could be much neater, but here you go for free and on the quick. . This is based on an example from my dusty old DreamWeaver MX 2004 Javascript Reference; Macromedia's example Javascripts abound on the internet in many permutations. Here's mine:

//javascript:
function simplePreload(){ 
  var args = simplePreload.arguments;
  var panoSourceName;
  
  document.imageArray = new Array();
  for(var i=0; i<args.length; i++) {
	  for(var z=0; z<6; z++) {
    	document.imageArray.push(new Image);
		if (z==0) {
			panoSourceName = args[i] + "_b.jpg";
		} 
		if (z==1) {
			panoSourceName = args[i] + "_d.jpg";	   
		} 
		if (z== 2) {
			panoSourceName = args[i] + "_f.jpg";		   
		} 
		if (z== 3) {
			panoSourceName = args[i] + "_l.jpg";		   
		} 
		if (z== 4) {
			panoSourceName = args[i] + "_r.jpg";		   
		} 
		if (z== 5) {
			panoSourceName = args[i] + "_u.jpg";		   
		}
               //BELOW LINE FOR PRODUCTION:
    	       //document.imageArray[imageArray.length-1].src = panoSourceName;
   	       //BELOW LINE FOR TESTING:
               alert(panoSourceName);
	  }
  }
}

//XML
<spot 
id="myspot" 
url="myspot.png" 
onClick="javascript:simplePreload('images/reception', 'images/auditorium');"
/>

The link in my post above uses this script.

HTH

[Scott Witte]

Looking Good, Patrick! Looking forward to experimenting with this when I have more time. Guess I'm obligated now, thanks to you...

Once again you prove yourself one of the great treasures of this forum. They just don't pay you enough!

[cheathamlane]

Originally Posted by Scott Witte

Looking Good, Patrick! Looking forward to experimenting with this when I have more time. Guess I'm obligated now, thanks to you...

Ha, cool -- get to it!

I haven't _really_ tested it -- but it should work. Even with all the above code & posts, though, it seems like a little bit of work. Something like Zephyr's image cache plugin could save a few keystrokes, and keep everything FPP-centric (i.e., out of the HTML).

Originally Posted by Scott Witte

Once again you prove yourself one of the great treasures of this forum. They just don't pay you enough!

Thanks... Now go buy one of my plugins, will you?

I would be curious, though, about the sound syncing... I have yet to 1) need to deal with it and 2) get my head around AS3 sound handling. :P

Cheers

[Scott Witte]

Originally Posted by cheathamlane

Even with all the above code & posts, though, it seems like a little bit of work. Something like Zephyr's image cache plugin could save a few keystrokes, and keep everything FPP-centric (i.e., out of the HTML).

...As I suggested earlier. (Or was it just in several other threads?) Actually I still haven't seen Zephyr explain the bugs some people have encountered and really wish he would. While everything we've discussed here may work great for cubefaces it doesn't help at all with any other media types. Zephyr's plugin could. And I would really rather use that than build my own. I will have to follow one path or the other before long.

Zephyr, where art thou?

BTW, I had my wallet out ready to buy Extensible Tooltips but then it turned out to be FREE! What's a capitalist to do? Not that I'm complaining.

[cheathamlane]

Originally Posted by Scott Witte

BTW, I had my wallet out ready to buy Extensible Tooltips but then it turned out to be FREE! What's a capitalist to do? Not that I'm complaining.

Heh, fair enough! You try to be a good consumer, and get foiled at every turn.

Well, you can always buy one of my prints... :twisted:

http://www.cheathamlane.net/prints/

Cheers