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Tutorial - Preload External Flash Movies with Components

Free Flash Tutorial

Step Three: The Loader Layer

1. Select Frame 2 of the layer: Loader
2. Right click (Mac: Ctrl click) on Frame 2 and select: Insert Blank Keyframe (Not Frame)
3. Open the Component Panel: Window > Components (Ctrl F7)
4. Scroll down until you find the:
5. Drag onto Stage the: Loader Component
   
   
   The Loader on Stage.
   
   
   Your Timeline should look similar to this.
   
   
   

Note: The Movie Will load from the top left corner and expand out to the bottom right as in the illustration below:


The Movie Loads from the top left corner of the Loader Component.

To resolve this it is necessary to reset the X Y positions of the Loader.


6. If your Property Inspector is closed, open it: Window > Properties (Ctrl F3)
7. Set the X and Y positions both to: 0

   Note: From a design point of view it maybe better to set the width and height to the size of the incoming Movie so that you can see the actual position that it will occupy on the Stage. Form a programming point of view this is not necessary unless you wish to scale your external Movie into the Loader. If you wish to do this you will need to make a minor alteration to the ActionScript below.

8. For the ActionScript to know where to place the external Flash Movie the Loader Component needs to be named. In the Property Inspector give the Loader the Instance Name: myLoader
   
   
   The Loader Component has an Instance name and the X Y values have been set.
   
   The Loader Component is now complete but it is easier if the layer is locked.
   
   
9. In the Timeline click next to the Loader lock:
   
   
   Loader layer is locked.