Dean's Director FAQ - WEB
Another FAQ exists at
MediaMacros, which
is new and extensive.
Director and the Web
Question: How can I make my shockwave movies small in file size?
Answer:
Use as low res sound and graphics as practical.
Delete any unused cast members.
Keep cast members to a minimum, change properties of sprites to make them
appear different (such as changing ink effects).
Minimise the amount of frames in a movie.
Use text or vector shapes where appropriate - they are smaller in file size
than images.
Compress sounds using SWA.
Compress images (16 bit or higher) with JPG compression (make sure you choose a suitable level so you don't have too low quality).
Question: Is it possible to save an Director Movie
as a SWF file?
Answer:
It's not possible at the present time to create SWF files from Director.
Director outputs Shockwave DCR (and CCT - cast) files to be used for the web.
Question: How can I send an email from Director?
Answer:
There is a detailed article on this subject on DOUG covering this topic
at Sending
email in Director. The following covers some of the things mentioned
in the DOUG technote as well as some things it doesn't cover.
1. Use an Xtra such as the DirectEmail
Xtra.
2. Use the lingo goToNetPage command example-
goToNetPage "mailto:d.utian@unsw.edu.au"
goToNetPage "mailto:d.utian@unsw.edu.au?subject=put the subject of the
email here&cc=someoneelse@email.com.au"
Using a "mailto:address" is not generally the best option.
It is relies upon the user connecting their valid emailer to their browser.
Also, this option must open a browser window in the process, which then
opens the email client. Look at Macromedia's technote on this for more information:
How
to send e-mail via Director
3. You can use the Buddy API Xtra to open the default email application
with the following:
baOpenURL("mailto:d.utian@unsw.edu.au", "normal")
Buddy API cannot be used for shockwave applications. It can only be used in an offline capacity through a projector.
Check out the Buddy API Xtra site.
The unregistered version of the Xtra now includes two free functions.
4. Use a CGI script and postNetText to pass information to the CGI e-mail
script.
5. Use Multi-User with an SMTP server to send email.
Question: How can I open HTML pages on a local drive
or CD?
Answer:
File paths on the hard drive are a little different. You need to tell the
browser that you are not looking on the web. This works pretty well:
goToNetPage "file:///" & thePathAndFilename
Director vs Flash
Question: When would you use Director instead of Flash? What are
the advantages of Director over Flash and vica versa?
Answer:
There are a few areas that make Director superior to Flash. These include:
* supports real-time 3D
* has a greater range of digital media support
* supports plugins (Xtras) to allow the software to be extended
* Director can access operating system commands
The Flash plugin has a far superior penetration than Shockwave. Director tends to be used as a specialised tool.
Other links:
Adobe Technote - What's the difference between Shockwave and Flash?:
21/05/2008
Director vs Flash - The Differences: No date but Director MX reference so perhaps pre 2004.
Flash and Shockwave: Lets Sort 'em Out: Forum discussion from general users (2004).
Question: How do you tell Director to wait until
a Flash sprite is finished playing?
Answer:
Use this script:
on exitFrame
if sprite(3).frame < sprite(3).member.frameCount then go to the frame
end
If your flash file is in sprite 3 the Director movie will stay at the frame
and count the frame rate and number of frames within your flash file. While
it stays there, the flash file plays completely. You have to remember to
disable looping on the flash cast member.
If your Flash movies include movie clips, the frame property in Director
will always show up as 1, so you will not be able to use the above script.
Setting them to Graphics instead works. The reason is because movie clips
in Flash are assumed to run on their own timeline and thus aren't able to
be controlled from Director.
Question: How can I export 3D models as Flash?
Answer:
Illustrate! Plugin for 3D programs
(like Max) that renders 3D models as Flash files
Vecta3d.com 3DS Max plugin to create
3D Flash movies
Swift3d Standalone tool for 3D Flash
as well a 3DS Max plugin