berilac

Many thanks, Carl. *read* Particularly for your last point. I thought greensock would have had something like that. Love his code. - Michael

I believe I tried as you suggested, still using "var"...but declaring it at the same time as the main timeline. I thought I explained myself better - When I did this, the tlTwo begins "calculating" immediately onEnterFrame, so when my appends are sent from the function, they don't start smoothly; they appear to start mid-tween. I have currently solved this by utilising "tlTwo.currentProgress = 0" as the first line in my append function. Is that the cleanest solution? -- As an aside. Elsewhere in my code I have a TweenMax.allTo (not within a timeline) that calls an onComplete function. -- I can see in some trace outputs that the function gets called for each mc I have in the allTo array. --- Is there a way to have the function only called once? (Otherwise the only solution I see is to use a timeline, use allTo for all except one mc, and place a second TweenMax.to to do the last mc and the onComplete call... - This seems too complicated for your code though ) Thank you again

Having a problem. I've tried to explain it within the following semi-pseudo code: stop(); import com.greensock.*; import com.greensock.easing.*; var timeline:TimelineLite = new TimelineLite(); timeline.append(tweenlite(foo, $, {onComplete:newTl})); function newTl():void{ var tlTwo:TimelineLite = new TimelineLite(); tlTwo.append(foo); } function Click(){ timeline.stop(); <-- THIS WORKS FINE tlTwo.stop(); <-- THIS DOES NOT WORK --- CAUSES ERROR BECAUSE THE tlTwo IS DECLARED WITHIN --- A FUNCTION. ---- IF I DECLARE IT AT TOP, tlTwo WILL BEGIN CALCULATING ---- ON ENTER FRAME, AND NOT WHEN FUNCTION IS CALLED! ---- IT WORKS BUT THIS IS UNDESIRABLE } This is the error (pretty self-explanatory): "1120: Access of undefined property tlTwo" - Source: tlTwo.stop(); Is this an AS3 issue or can I (for instance) prevent the timeline from immediately calculating with some of your code? Thank you

Cheers! Seems I found solution still using the onComplete function and append instead of insert (though I'll keep this in mind certainly - the clarity is much appreciated), by also utilising "immediateStart:false". I shan't be needing to reverse the timeline so I didn't worry about making the changes in this instance. Regarding referencing movieclip instances, as best as I can explain it... - the site has root(Stage)>mcContent>mcHome - I am trying to plan ahead (based on what I've studied so far) regarding later creating a preloader - mcHome has various movie clips that I use tweenMax to animate the website intro. - also contains an mcMenu movie clip which has several movie clips within - it is these clips (among others in similar circumstance) that I am trying to reference. - my main actions are currently on Frame 1 of mcHome - actions reference, for example mcHome.mcMenu.mcBio - this is seemingly why I am having to specifically define each mc...??? Ideas? However, it should be noted that I am _very_ unsure as to how to structure a flash website. Rather than make an example, if you're happy, I shall upload the site as it currently stands (after a little code cleanup for your benefit ); hopefully I'll be able to tomorrow. Then, if you (or anyone else) have a few minutes, I would _majorly_ appreciate any advice you may offer, re your code, or flash/as3 in general. Also, once I am working again, if I end up using more of Flash, I will certainly be supporting you more than I am now.

I tried my understanding of your suggestion re insert vs append. I still had the trouble with the nested timeline halting the progress of the main timeline. Were you suggesting that the "inserted" timeline should not be nested when you mentioned using specific start time? However, I'm not sure it matters, as in my main website code I seem to have solved all problems using onComplete with no parenthese in the function call, and by utilising "immediateRender:false" in varying instances. Is this acceptable form of cleaning things up (I am still using the separate function and timeline)? Regarding this: This is what I assumed when I first began using your code but upon running into troubles searched around and ended up constructing my solution. Is it possible that I am running into trouble as my site is running within a movie clip and not on the initial Stage (I have it separated to later create preloader)? I get this error when I remove my code: 1120: Access of undefined property mcBio Any ideas? Many thanks again - can't fully express, regarding your level of support; it's pretty incomparable to others!

hmm, oops. Could have sworn... oh well. Here you are... test_infinityLoops.zip Thanks btw, while I'm here, I'd like to mention something, though a little off topic. In a lot of my tweens I am referring to movie clips within movieclips. This didn't work at first, until I declared each nested movie clip as follows (ie): var mcBio = MovieClip(this.mcHomeMenu.mcBio); Then I am able to refer to ie/ mcBio as I normally would with TweenLite/Max. Is there an alternative to this as I have a lot of nested movie clips? Or would I perhaps have to have an array of all the movie clips and loop through using the above code? Cheers

Apologies for ambiguity. I have uploaded sample fla. By working on this I solved couple of issues. However, I still would like to hear from you that this is an efficient way to solve such issues, and that I could repeat such a thing without much concern to memory, etc... Also, you can see in the example that I have used onComplete, but when I compile I can see the rotation begin before the previous tween completes (the bounce). Is there an alternative to onComplete that achieves more what I would expect? Thanks. ------ edit --------- It seems I have found solutions again. The onComplete issue was to do with including parenthesese (and I should not have) when calling the function. Sorry to have wasted any of your time. Though I still wouldn't mind knowing that I am coding "correctly"

well, I tried what I suggested; using onComplete. The function just calls another instance of timlineMax. However, now when the main timeline completes (with another repeat:-1 append), I have the two timelines running, but there is some lag occasionally, so I guess this is not cleanest solution. Let me know if you'd like me to put together some kind of example fla...unless you already can see a way to solve this

I agree; the code I've used reflects what you say... Is there a way then, that I can trigger a second separate timeline at this point in my main timeline? As in, is there a way to trigger an infinitely looping movie clip at some point within a timelineLite or Max, without breaking the timeline? Would it perhaps work to use a previous tweenLite/Max onComplete to call a function that creates a new timelineLite/Max instance? *try* Thank you (again) for all your help.

Hopefully I can explain the concept simply enough (but if example fla required just ask)... I have a nested timeline max. It has repeat:-1 and yoyo:true This timeline begins (say) halfway through my main timeline...however, though the repeat works perfectly, the main timeline no longer progresses... It's fairly simple, I guess, to see why. But I would like to know if there is a way to achieve this? [basically, to have a main timeline running; at some point start playing new timeline (set to repeat) while still playing the main timeline] Thanks

greensock: appreciated... if you further agree that my solution above is as good as it gets in this scenario, I/you can mark this as SOLVED.

greensock: ok, I would like to say thanks again, but seems has been solved. Your suggested code here http://forums.greensock.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4007&p=15828&hilit=tweenlite+with+ide#p15837 works perfectly, as long as there is a "stop();" within the actions layer on the first frame of mcArrowDrawing (see test.fla) Does that seem a clean enough solution? damn, I am loving your code (just need to get my head round everything a little more ). Another thank you for the release! edit:/ Out of interest, is there a way to achieve this kind of masking within tweenlite/max?

attached test.fla http://www.tempfiles.net/download/201101/139983/test.html hope that helps clarify a little... any questions, just ask - I would like for the arrow animation to begin after, maybe, 3 seconds... (I have not included any code for the arrow anim (it can be seen in my original post - and seems to me will be discarded...)

thank you both for swift responses. apologies for lack of clarity. when I say "drawing", I refer to animating right away, not simply appearing. Breakdown: - Two movie clips on stage (well, actually within a movie clip) - One containing background image -- Which has TweenMax alpha fade-in - Second containing a Flash IDE keyframed animation -- One layer containing an single frame drawn 'arrow' png -- A layer on top containing hand-keyframed mask to "reveal" the arrow frame-by-frame - On Run - The arrow animation plays immediately (it does not function as I would hope re the TimelineMax code) -- My intention is to have the beginning of this movie clip to be delayed. - The background image functions as I would expect (regarding the TimelineMax code) Hope that is more clear. I will try to put together an example fla also... If there is any suggestion for how this kind of masking can be achieved using AS, I would be more than happy to hear about it. Thanks again.

hmm, I am seeing at least part of the problem... The code I am using is based on having the arrow animated within the IDE timeline, within the same movie clip as my background. But I have the arrow animation within it's own movie clip. Is this technique valid? I am still very much learning how to structure everything within flash, as well as learn AS3, as well as learn TweenLite, etc... - Thus if you have any advice pertaining to website structure, that would also be wonderful.

I realise this topic has been broached before. However, I am still having trouble. Thus, perhaps I have misunderstood something in other examples. I have a movie clip containing a graphic symbol (an arrow) and a layer mask, which is animated on flash timeline to reveal the arrow (as if being drawn). Pretty standard. There is much yet to come (and I'm already stuck at this beginning stage, yey!) - but currently: - I have TimelineLite and TweenLite set up to append and reveal my background image (have also tried with Timeline/TweenMax just in case) - I have then appended my arrow movie clip and attempted to delay it start time No matter what I have tried, when I run the file, the arrow always draws right away. I can't get any delay to work. This will be essential for the website, as parts of it have to be IDE animated...though I'm trying to do as much as poss with TweenLite/Max... Here is my current code: stop(); 'prevent reference layers from playing the IDE timeline...while converting animations to TweenLite/Max import com.greensock.*; import com.greensock.easing.*; var timeline:TimelineMax = new TimelineMax(); timeline.append(TweenMax.from(mcScene, 3, {alpha:0}), 1); timeline.append(new TweenMax(mcHomeArrow, 3, {frame:48, ease:Linear.easeNone})); note: My background, and my arrow are on two separate layers...though I guess this should not affect the issue (I did actually try briefly putting the arrow on same layer, but to no avail). Any ideas? Please ask questions if necessary. I have a tendency to ramble, but hope I have been clear