Problem with latency when loading external movies

[ST]

Hi peoplez!

My knowledge of flash where required by studding tutorials. I’m working with flash around a year and half from now if I’m not mistaking and I’ve made several site’s with flash components… let’s say that I’m not a newbie anymore


Introduction:
I’ve made a site almost completely in flash: 1 main movie and several smaller movies for each section of the site:
- Each movie has his own loader (scene1=loader, scene2=movie).
- Sizes: Main movie 400kb, smaller movies 130kb – 170kb
- good server

I choose this method so you wouldn’t have to wait much in the main load and to avoid loading sections of the site that you probably wouldn’t surf/see.

Problem:
I don’t know why, but there is some kind of latency when you click the menu (most of all by people with low internet speed connection). Some times it takes so much time that you could wait and wait thinking that it doesn’t work. In the other hand, there is none latency when the movie has to open a new html window.
Btw: this doesn’t occur when testing in flash program or from the HD


Code:
This is the code I’ve used for the button:

on (release) {
_root.webcentro.loadMovie("multimedia.swf");
}

Solution?
- Is there a better way to do this?
- Would it be wise to preload all movies in the background? How can I do that in a way that the movie would only begin to play by clicking the button and not when it’s done with loading?


For more info or such, just ask please! ï?Š

Thanks in advanced! :wink:

[Webforumz Staff]

I assume you're saying that, after clicking a link in your navigation, it takes time before that movieclip appears and states that it is loading?

The problem here is caused by two factors - one is the simple fact that it will take a split second for the server to respond with the request and start sending the flash file requested. The other is that the first 10kb or so of that file are required before a loading screen can even be attempted to be shown. If your loading screen is a few kb then that is also added on. On a 56k connection, you're already looking at a few seconds during optimal conditions.

There is of course a way around this! Lie! When the user clicks on a link, have something pop up to say that the file is loading. Don't put the loading screen into the swf you're loading - keep it seperate. That way the loading screen appears immediately when someone clicks a link.

[ST]

Hi!

I’m sorry for having you waiting my answer … I’ve had very busy and difficult days :S


I assume you're saying that, after clicking a link in your navigation, it takes time before that movieclip appears and states that it is loading?
-> Yes

On a 56k connection, you're already looking at a few seconds during optimal conditions.
-> it already happens with 1mb dsl connection :S

have something pop up to say that the file is loading
 already done that, it doesn’t help very much

the project: www.djdomingo.com/total.htm


I’ve heard about 'export to first frame' but I cant get it done, can some one explain this or know someone where I can find a good tutorial about this?


Tnx!!!

[Webforumz Staff]

The loading times on the site you linked to are pretty much instataneous for me. There's no visible latency!

I would suggest that you test this on other computers, using different browsers and possible different connections to nail down exactly what the problem is.

To other members: Do any of you notice latency when browsing the links on the Flash site linked above?

[ST]

I have done that with firefox, internet explorer at pc (several pc’s).safari and internet explorer at Macintosh (other pc). Could it be just the poor dsl connection? (Could affect using emule, torrent or such programs?)

[ST]

Btw….what’s your internet connection? (I hope I’m not rude :S )

[Webforumz Staff]

I'm using 2mbit dsl but the speed of the connection really won't make a difference here, the latency does and all dsl should have similiar latency.

It could indeed be a poor dsl connection, or maybe your setup.

Try pinging popular websites and seeing your response time.

If using windows XP go to start>run and type cmd.

Then type 'ping' followed by the website you want to ping.

Ping times will vary based on your connection, your location, the location of the website you're pinging and the current connection load of both ends.

Here are my times:
www.yahoo.com - 93ms
www.yahoo.co.uk - 18ms
I'm in the UK which explains the longer time to reach the .com.

[ST]

my pings:

www.djdomingo.com (project site) : 192ms
www.yahoo.com : 172ms
www.yahoo.co.uk : 116ms
www.terra.es (my provider) : 63ms


The thing is that it happens to other people too, not only from this pc.

Do you know a better method or do you recommend one to load external mc?

[Webforumz Staff]

If this is really a problem then why not simply keep the data inside one MC, or alternatively, attempt to preload the content?

[ST]

If I put everything in one mc, it will then load unnecessary data…
The alternative sounds cool, but its then the same stuff…it will load data you might not even ask.

…maybe I would have to do that in case I don’t find a cure for this. Do you know how I can do this? It would preload then the external mc in the background but stop at the first frame (even the first frame of the preloader?) and play/resume and show then it self when the user request that data….right?


I’ve also heard (and tried) of “exporting at to first frame”
Do you know something about it?

[Webforumz Staff]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

You can import data to the first frame...