SWFLoading Lock - issue with loaded swf animation lock

[ChzBoi]

Hello GS folks.

 

I would like to do the following: Create 2 loading queues. In Q1, load a small external swf that will loop a few frames (say like an "hourglass") to show loading is proceeding. In Q2, I would load a larger external swf in the background. Simple. However, as I've been trying this, my "hourglass" animation will lock/freeze until the Q2 has finished loading. Also, the entire Flash IDE will lock.

 

I've made a very simple xml and script to test this.

XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>

 

SCRIPT:

import com.greensock.*;
import com.greensock.easing.*;
import com.greensock.events.LoaderEvent;
import com.greensock.loading.*;
import com.greensock.loading.display.*;
import com.greensock.plugins.*;

//
LoaderMax.activate([imageLoader, SWFLoader, VideoLoader]);
var loader:XMLLoader = new XMLLoader("data.xml", {name:"xmlData",onComplete:completeHandler});
loader.load();
//
var TT:Timer = new Timer(2000, 1);
TT.addEventListener("timer", TT_LoadQueue);
//
//var queue2:LoaderMax;
var Queue:LoaderMax = new LoaderMax({name:"Queue", onComplete:QUEUEcompleteHandler});
var Queue2:LoaderMax = new LoaderMax({name:"Queue2", onComplete:QUEUE2completeHandler});
//
function completeHandler(event:LoaderEvent):void {
trace("XML and queue1 loaded! "+ LoaderMax.getContent("xmlData"));	
Queue.append(new SWFLoader("assets/SmSWF.swf", {name:"hourglass"}));	
Queue.load();
       //start a timer to make sure hourglass is actually playing	
TT.start();
}

function TT_LoadQueue(event:TimerEvent) {
trace("TT_LoadQueue");
Queue2.append(new SWFLoader("assets/BigSWF.swf", {name:"base"}));
Queue2.load();
}
//
function QUEUEcompleteHandler(event:LoaderEvent):void {
trace("QUEUEcompleteHandler complete");
var HourGlass:ContentDisplay = LoaderMax.getContent("hourglass");
addChild(HourGlass);
 	trace(event.target + " is complete!");
}
function QUEUE2completeHandler(event:LoaderEvent):void {
trace("QUEUE2completeHandler complete");
var BASE:ContentDisplay = LoaderMax.getContent("base");
addChild(BASE);
 	trace(event.target + " is complete!");
}

(All you need is an asset folder with 2 swfs in it - I am using a 1MB file for the "hourglass" and a 12MB for the "base")

(I also had the progressHandlers in there, but the traces would not show up either, due to the Flash IDE lock.)

 

I've double-checked to make sure my swfs are AS3 files and looked over the LoaderMax docs for a prop I might be missing.

There is probably a very simple answer to this; something I've overlooked in haste.

 

Any advice/comments are welcome. Many thanks - Cheeze

[Carl]

i'm suspecting it could have something to do with your 12mb file.

 

I am getting lost with why you are loading an xml file and then seem to hardcode the urls of the swfs into your script.

 

It would be a tremendous help if you were to upload your files. please replace the 1mb and 12mb files with very very small and light-weight swfs.

 

we would love to help you figure out the issues.

[ChzBoi]

i'm suspecting it could have something to do with your 12mb file.

 

I am getting lost with why you are loading an xml file and then seem to hardcode the urls of the swfs into your script.

 

It would be a tremendous help if you were to upload your files. please replace the 1mb and 12mb files with very very small and light-weight swfs.

 

we would love to help you figure out the issues.

 

Thank you for the reply Carl!

 

I hardcoded the urls in an attempt to remove the xml for the chain - to see if that resolved the issue.

 

I know small files work fine - any lock/delay happens much too fast to notice. In the end, the larger files are what I would need to work with.

 

Regarding an upload of files, the above AS3 code is all there is. Not sure if you want my 1mb and 12mb files: they are a 10 frame, 130x130 png sequence and a 60 frame, 800x600 png sequence (respectively) - no code on either.

 

I should say this, I was able to do this in AS2. So I must be missing something really simple! (can't see the forest for the trees)

[Carl]

hmm, if it works with smaller files, that makes me think the bigger files are in fact the issue.

Why don't you do a test and cut the 12mb file down to 3mb?

 

if the problem still persists you can upload your files (trim out all code related to the xml) to a service like http://www.ge.tt/

 

and I will take a look at them. If I can't replicate the problem (using my own small files) I am not going to be able to find a solution.

 

thanks

[ChzBoi]

hmm, if it works with smaller files, that makes me think the bigger files are in fact the issue.

Why don't you do a test and cut the 12mb file down to 3mb?

 

if the problem still persists you can upload your files (trim out all code related to the xml) to a service like http://www.ge.tt/

 

and I will take a look at them. If I can't replicate the problem (using my own small files) I am not going to be able to find a solution.

 

thanks

 

Hello again Mr. Schooff - thanks for the reply!

 

Yes, using smaller sized external swfs will lessen the 'lockup' time. At around 4MB is when I start to notice it on a single file.

 

I've attached a zip file, which has my test fla and the 'hourglass' swf. All you would need is an external "BigSWF2.swf" of 4+MB to complete. [if you want my full files, I uploaded another zip 12MB in total ("_TEST_FULL.zip") to http://www.fungistudios.com/LoaderMax/_TEST_FULL.zip]

 

All I want is for the 1st loaded swf to continue to loop through it's animation once the 2nd loader starts loading the bigger swf. I must be missing some flag/var somewhere!

 

Thank you again for help!! Cheeze

[Carl]

it appears your file is just so big that it is choking the Flash Player used for previews in the Flash IDE.

 

I tested with a small file, no problem. I tested with an 8mb file and saw the lock up.

 

the good news is that if you open Test1.swf in the standalone flash player or preview in a web browser there is no lockup.

 

don't trust the Flash Pro "test - movie" preview as it performs much worse than the other players/plugins.

[ChzBoi]

it appears your file is just so big that it is choking the Flash Player used for previews in the Flash IDE.

 

I tested with a small file, no problem. I tested with an 8mb file and saw the lock up.

 

the good news is that if you open Test1.swf in the standalone flash player or preview in a web browser there is no lockup.

 

don't trust the Flash Pro "test - movie" preview as it performs much worse than the other players/plugins.

 

 

I still get the lockup, not as severe, in the standalone as well as FireFox and IE. I think my fix will be to put in timers between large external swf loads, so it will appear that the 'hourglass' is moving - just only between the large files. (NOTE: this is for an self contained application and not for the web, so I am not that concerned about large files - it will all be local.)

 

Thank you for looking into this for me. If you hear of a better way to load large ext swfs, let me know! Cheeze