Show Progress via Animation or Bar

[ISPrincess]

I have an OLE DB query to a Unisys system that can take up to 3 minutes to load data to the "report" page.

I would like to show the user that the system is processing. I don't really want to use a simple progress bar but if I have to - I need help with that also.

What I would like to do is show an animation - like (these are just ideas) a spinning globe, flying folders or spinning letters (Processing...)

I thought that adding animation to asp would be easy - but I am beginning to think it's not as easy as it looks.

Can any one point me in the right direction?

Thank you!

 

[derren]

Hi

If you put all your ASP code after the html start to the page and created an animated gif you may be able to write that to the page before starting the query (make sure that the server isn't going to buffer the page and spit it out when it has finished processing).

Then the browser would see the animated GIF until the ASP had processed. After your main code you could simply draw a layer over the top of the animation.

I would be interested to see if you can do this. Try it with a simple image or a piece of text first though! Derren
[The only person in the world to like Word]

 

[ISPrincess]

That seems like where I am going but, as a newbie, I need help with your statement:

"After your main code you could simply draw a layer over the top of the animation."

How do I accomplish "hiding" the animation or marquee or whatever?

I am using a marquee because I have no idea how to create or 'get' or 'deploy' and animated gif on asp pages.

Please...

 

[derren]

You could add your image using this piece of HTML code:

<div id=&quot;image&quot; style=&quot;position:absolute; left:156px; top:142px; width:249px; height:197px; z-index:1;; background-color: #999966&quot;>Your waiting text or image</div>

Then, at the end of the page and after the ASP code, add this little beauty:

<div id=&quot;hideimage&quot; style=&quot;position:absolute; left:156px; top:142px; width:249px; height:197px; z-index:2; background-color: #0099CC; layer-background-color: #0099CC; border: 1px none #000000&quot;>This is the same size and postition, so covers the other layer</div>

There are all sorts of other things you could do, such as hide the layer using javascript, but see if it works this way first as it is quick and easy.

Derren
[The only person in the world to like Word]

 

[ISPrincess]

Thank you very much - I will give it a try.

What about "deploying animations"? Am I missing a very simple point? (Obviously, I have not been formally trained in ASP and am a 'learn-it-while-you-go' type of person.)


BTW
I posted a question regarding reports in ASP, and since you are "the only (other) person in the world to like Word" - maybe you could take a look at that and give me some more of your wonderful insights!