#Support for FLC files
8 messages in this thread
Can you direct me to the appropriate forums, people, vendors, anyone who can
help us with problems (palette shifts, frame rate issues, among others) that we
have when attempting to incorporate flc files into other programs —
specifically Asymetrix's Multimedia Toolbook. Asymetrix says it's your
drivers. The resellers we've spoken with shrug their shoulders and say they
don't know anything about Asymmetrix. Can you direct me to a programmer /
developer with a technical understanding of the file format and drivers who can
consult with us. Thank you very much
Jan Diamaondstone
Interactive Design
Jan,
This is the proper place to ask questions. Post any questions of this nature in
section 6 – Software Dev. Kits.
<<(palette shifts, frame rate issues, among others)>>
Problems with palette shifts and flashes are usually the resuly of the
animation palette itself. .FLC file palettes are not aware of Windows, so
special considerations have to be made. Instead of using a palette of 256
color, use a palette of 236 colors, leaving the first ten and last ten palette
positions unused within the animation. These are the positions that Windows
try's to control. Also, using the same palette for all your animations (and a
common palette for every frame within the animation) helps reduce flashes as
well.
As far as frame rates, .FLC files do have a standard frame rate. There is a
speed setting that is associated with the .FLC file, but that same setting will
play at different speeds on different computers. It is not a specific frames
per second like an AVI file is.
-Brian
Hi B,
BR>.FLC file palettes are not aware of Windows, so special considerations have
to be made. Instead of using a palette of 256 color, use a palette of 236
colors, leaving the first ten and last ten palette positions unused within the
animation. These are the positions that Windows try's to control. Also, using
the same palette for all your animations (and a common palette for every frame
within the animation) helps reduce flashes as well.
GH> We have clients using toolbook which we have showed this to. ie How to
reduce the 256 -> 236 (Image Alchemy) and injected the reserved correct colors
and all flicks HAVE a common palette…And I check their flicks and the correct
reserved colors ARE there, however toolbook still flashes…Errrrr TB still
maintains it's an A'desk windows driver thing….However, Authorware seems
OK…..When didi you say A'desk's authoring tool released?????
Let me know if you can shead any more light on the subject – I would love to
help our TOOLBOOK clients –
CU GH
<< TB still maintains it's an A'desk windows driver thing….However,
Authorware seems OK…..When didi you say A'desk's authoring tool
released?????>>
Well, actually it is the AAPLAY .DLL that usually causes the flash. The problem
is that a palette reinitialization is hard coded to be performed every time a
new FLC or bitmap is loaded. There is no checking to see if a new palette is
required. that is why you can minimize this problem, but not make it go away
entirely. This is high on the wishlist for things to get fixed if/when there is
a next release.
As far as the authoring tool goes, I don't have a public release date yet. I do
know that it doesn't have this problem.
-Brian
ThanX Brian,
I'll go cap'n hand back to the client an pass on your info…any release date
on the new aaplay.dll?
Can you disable the Aaplay.dll start up screen?
Once again, ThanX
CU GH in OZ
I do not have ny information on an update to the .DLL
To disable the startup screen:
If they are calling up the .DLL by going through the AAWIN.EXE file, they can
use a modified AAWIN.EXE. Check out the file AAWIN.ZIP in the forum libraries.
Also, if they use the .VBX file there is no startup screen.
If they are trying to disable the startup screen from their C code by making
calls to the .DLL directly, drop me a private e-mail with the request.
-Brian
ThanX Brian,
That is just what I was looking for 🙂
CU GH in OZ
Hi Jan,
We are getting the same problems (ie palette shifts) with fLicks also
Toolbooks stock standard response is the problem is with autodesk drives (dll I
susspect)..I use Authorware, with flick and we don't have any problems…just
allow for the windows reserved palette…
Please let me know if you work out the pallete issue
GH