Masking Problem.

[monkeygraphik]

Can anyone offer me some help? Further to my last post, I have a big problem with a Mask layer.

Imagine you have a set of 9 images that are set up as buttons. You place them in a strip, but the strip is longer than the area on the stage you want to show. So, you put them under a mask layer, defining the area you want. Now, the main stage is at level 0. The strip with the mask loads into level 1. It is reasonably large in file size, so once it is loaded you want it to stay where it is, and not have to keep re-loading it.

Then, when a button is pressed, you want to load an external swf into level 2 above the mask on level 1. You want this to cover over the contents of level 1 so it looks like a completley new page. Fine, you just put a stage size rectangle on the new swf that acts as a background fill. This covers over all that has gone before it. So this is now at level 2, with level 1 still underneath, waiting to be returned to. However, when you run the mouse over the new stage, the masked strip on level 1 isnt "visible", but gives you an active " Hit" area that shouldn't be there. If this area is accidentally pressed, it does things you don't want it too!

How do I avoid this problem? I have tried unloading and loading the movies again , but as I said it takes a few seconds to reload the mask area, and the flow of the site is ruined. Has anyone else encountered such a problem?
If so, how did you get around it? Why is the mask " shinning" through, even though the new swf in level 2 has a soild colour - background fill area?

Please help. Its driving me crazy!

Thank you,

Tom.

[alexgeek]

easier to see than imagine
post the fla?

[monkeygraphik]

No Problem. I'll upload 2 test files I've been working on. There is
" Homepage.fla " that is my level 1 with the mask and stuff, and also the gallery page that goes into level 2 when you click the first button, so you can see what I'm getting at.

I will be forever in your debt if you can help!

Thanks,

Tom.