Thanks for the comment. It really depends on how large your combined swf would be. Loading in external swfs at runtime spreads the loading out, giving a better experience to the user, but it may well not be necessary if your total load size is small, and you’ll actually be adding in code and complexity that isn’t necessary in that case.

I have a query, though it’s slightly off-topic, concerning generic OOP design in AS3. After you have incorporated a preloader using the first method, do you keep your main/container swf relatively empty and then load external swf’s for the the actual content, ie, each page?

In AS2 I would always try to keep the size of the main swf as low as possible to speed up initial download and then load further content when required (working example: http://www.ahern.com.au). Though I am trying to work out how best maximise the power of AS3’s OOP to achieve this. In your personal opinion, is it even worth loading it seperately like that?

Wouldn’t mind hearing other pps opinions on this also.

Thanks
Ryan

Ahh yes, this is a classic one. What you want to do is add this line to your constructor:

this.addEventListener( Event.ADDED_TO_STAGE , init );

And then create a method in your class:


private function init( evt:Event ) : void
{
stage.align=StageAlign.TOP_LEFT;
stage.scaleMode=StageScaleMode.NO_SCALE;
}


This way the reference to the stage will only occur when the stage property has been set.

stage.align=StageAlign.TOP_LEFT;
stage.scaleMode=StageScaleMode.NO_SCALE;

It worked fine after that. I guess ’stage’ was the null reference (?)

You get this from downloading and trying the source unmodified? I don’t see this. Are you using Flash CS4?

I have a post on error #1009 by the way: http://blog.anselmbradford.com/2009/02/26/common-flash-errors-1009-cannot-access-a-property-or-method-of-a-null-object-reference/

Hmm… yeah you have a syntax error somewhere, using this should not throw an error.
Is your document class set to PreloaderWrapper?

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at Main/_initContent()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEventFunction()
at flash.events::EventDispatcher/dispatchEvent()
at Preloader/_onCheckLoaded()

I am using Method 2, loader.swf is the Preloaderwrap and the movie.swf is the movie swf with flvplayer and animations in it.

I did add those codes in, but ends up showing errors because “this” isn’t targeting to any instances. Not sure where I did wrong.

That is the point, to have it play only when it hits 100%. Right now, it acts like streaming behind the loader bar.