How do they do this? 1

[Rhiannon]

I love how the menu buttons work on this site.

http://www.dnacommunications.com/

(click on the arrow to the right to enter the site and check out the buttons) Anyone have a clue as to how they did them? I've looked through Flash Kit and couldn't find anything similar.

Cheers,
Rhiannon

 

[oldnewbie]

Looks to me like a simple drop-down menu. The click has been replace by a rollover...
If you check under Help->Samples->Advanced Buttons (in Flash), and look at the Drop Down button code, you should be able to adapt and design it to your needs!

Regards,

 

[Rhiannon]

Hiya oldnewbie,

I already have the menu buttons on this site I'm doing that drop down, but I like the way these slowly scroll down and then back up (rollovers) and haven't figured out a way to do them yet. Tried using a movie clip that slowly expanded but it didn't work so I gave it up for awhile.

Rhiannon

 

[oldnewbie]

Probably is a fading in and moving down movie clip, triggered by the arrow button. You can do it!

If not, maybe I'll try something out tonight!

Regards,

 

[Rhiannon]

Hmm... not sure I can do it with what I've got going on. Ya see I've got this little bird that flies in and one by one drops the tags (menu items) and they fall into place on the menu bar. When you rollover the menu heading the items drop down. I'd LIKE the menu list to fade in and drop down like on that site but with all I've got going on now I'm not sure how I'd go about doing this without further complicating things. ) If you'd like to check it out the URL is

http://www.baymed.com/baymedia-new2/.

Rhiannon

 

[TulsaJeff]

Sure you could! Insert all your menu item buttons into movie clips with a stop action on the first frame. After the bird drops them it would be a simple script to create a rollover drop down, starting on the 2nd frame.

The drop down menu could easily be a simple rectangle with your menu items grouped together. It would be resting behind the top logo area, on rollover it would slide down into view. On release or rollout it could trigger the menu to slide back up into place behind the logo area.

You will have to situate your menu item Movie clips so that the layer they are on is just beneath the top logo area layer.

this would have to be well planned out because obviously the bird has to be the top layer... Ya' Gotta Love It!

 

[oldnewbie]

Well, it's hard to say if it would be easily done or not, without seeing your code... Don't think the dropping items bird would be a problem since that's over with, when the user gets to really select something.
In anycase, your menu is somewhat flawed and could, IMHO, be re-worked... Have you noticed, for instance, that a fast rollover on all the menu items will leave them all hanging down? You probably done this with invisible buttons, and they can be easily tripped! That's not how this was done on that link of your's. No invisible buttons there!
You can e-mail me your .fla or preferably e-mail me a link to it at oldnewbie@hotmail.com , and I can have a look at it... and maybe make some suggestions!

BTW, here's another suggestion, you should get rid of the "skip intro" movie clip, once you've pass it. It's of no use in the main section!

Regards,

 

[BigBadDave]

Here is one I made :

http://www.byngdesigns.co.uk/tek-tips/drop_down_menu.swf

http://www.byngdesigns.co.uk/tek-tips/drop_down_menu.fla

It basically uses hitTest() to determine fold out state and the same script as sideways scroll for scroll up and down. Regards

Big Bad Dave

davidbyng@hotmail.com

 

[oldnewbie]

There you go! Big Bad Dave is not bad after all!
Now you only need to add buttons to the drop downs!

Here's one for ya Big!

Regards,

 

[Rhiannon]

Lots of the links up there aren't finished yet. The "skip intro" actually does disappear on some of the links, just haven't gotten to the others yet. I have to reload the bottom bar because that surrounding border is on the root level and only loads once. Difficult to explain.

And yep, I have noticed how the menu items are easily "tripped". I got the code for the drop down menu in Flash Kit and revamped it. I'm sure it could be reworked but hey, I haven't been doing Flash that long... slowly but surely I'm getting there though. The fade in menu though couldn't drop down behind the upper logo. I've got that on the root level so it's only loaded once, then all the other pages load in the center. Tried to set this up so I could preload the intro, then have the other pages load into level 1.

I'll email you the fla's oldnewbie. Appreciate you taking a look at this! Thank god for this forum. I'm learning LOTS and maybe one day I'll be a pro like the rest of ya's!

Cheers, Rhiannon

 

[Rhiannon]

hitTest()? <faint> Ok, I can see I've got my work cut out for me here, but I'm one determined lady and will take a look at the code, Big Bad Dave!

Cheers

 

[BigBadDave]

You need any help just ask Regards

Big Bad Dave

davidbyng@hotmail.com

 

[Rhiannon]

Thanks David. Appreciate it!

Rhi

 

[Rhiannon]

David,

Just took a look at the fla. Whew! I'm impressed. How did you know how to do all that? Can you recommend any good books etc. as far as scripting goes? I can look at it and somewhat understand it but getting down to actually WRITING that kinda code stumps me.

Cheers

 

[BigBadDave]

Rhiannon,
Believe it or not i've learnt most of what I know from this forum, oldnewbie, wangbar, davedesign they are the masters and you can learn a lot Regards

Big Bad Dave

davidbyng@hotmail.com

 

[Rhiannon]

David,

I'm not surprised. I found this forum about a week ago and have learned a lot already.

Let me ask you something... when you're writing the code for, let's say, that drop down fade menu button, are you writing it in the Expert made and entering all that information or are you double-clicking on whatever item you need in the left column of the action window?

Also, actions like _rotation, _alpha, _height, etc., are those names that you actually specify or are they names that MUST be used? Understand what I'm trying to say? If they're specific names that are a part of the script code, how do you know what all of them are? Gees, see what you've done. You've opened up a flood gate.

Sure wish I could spend a day with someone and sit behind them and peek over their shoulder.

One more question and I'll leave you be. Seems like lots of you Flash wizards are in the UK? How 'bout sending one or two of ya's over to THIS side of the pond.

Cheers, Rhiannon

 

[BigBadDave]

I write all the code in advanced mode and I prety much know all the properties of the movie clips off hand eg _height _width _alpha (BTW things with underscore _ are properties of the movie clip) I wouldn't mind moving to your side of the pond but I doubt my skills are high enough. Regards

Big Bad Dave

davidbyng@hotmail.com

 

[Guest_imported]

This is an embarassing question, but I can't seem to see any script besides this:

onClipEvent (load) {
menu.text = &quot;foo<br>bar<br>billy<br>bob&quot;;
button.text = &quot;menu 1&quot;
}


Certainly there is more than this, but I don't know where to look.

 

[oldnewbie]

When you're in Scene 1, double-click any one of the menu clips, and hide layer 1. Right-clik the clip left in view (the one with the arrow), and select Actions. You'll see a lot more there.
Another way would be to go in the Movie Explorer, and check all the coding there!

Regards,

 

[Rhiannon]

Wow! I didn't know you could view the code via the Movie Explorer! Thanks for the tip, Oldnewbie!

Cheers