Using text as a button

1

Me again,

Trying to make some buttons out of text and a 0%alpha background in the button layer but the button ‘flickers’ as you mouse over.

example:

the hugo.spalding@ link on

http://www.charliealpha.co.uk/sites/msp/test/us.swf

any pointers as to what I’m doing wrong?

2

Looks like you just need to add a Hit state to your button.

Open up the symbol, and add a frame in the Hit area. Then just draw a rectangle that covers all the text.

Don’t worry, it won’t show up in the movie, it’s just defining the area that reacts to the mouse. At the moment it’s detecting only while you’re directly over the text.

3

thats the funny thing,

I have my 2 layers with the up, over, hit and down with the hit frame as the mailto: link (red text)

on the second layer I have the rectangle with an alpha of 0. This layer sits underneath the the text.

bug?

4

you’re mostly right … he does need to draw a rectangle there so that the thing doesn’t flicker. but the reason it’s flickering is b/c the hit state is the shape of the text instead of a solid rectangle. if you leave your mouse still on the letter it stays red but while moving it flickers b/c it’s going in and out of the hit state shaped like the letters.

and wow kit … who exactly are you a slave for again? :stuck_out_tongue:

5

heh … you replied at the same time i did … anyway … why don’t you just make a button symbol instead of having all these layers. when you make a symbol that is a button it has 4 frames only on one layer. each frame serves as a up, over, down or hit state respectively. the hit state is automatically invisible so you don’t need to set alpha to 0%

6

/me waves his hands above his head and makes whooshing noises

any suggestions for a quick fix?

http://www.charliealpha.co.uk/sites/msp/us.fla

7

:frowning: i don’t have flash here at work … so i can’t open it. but if you go to the insert menu > create new symbol … then make it a button instead of a movieclip in the symbol creation options that will pop up

then just fill the four frames with the four states of your button

i wish i could be of more help than that … i’m trying really hard to get them to get me flash here =)

8

After reading again, I’m pretty sure thats how I’m doing things. Its a simple button and I’ve done it a thousand times before.

How frustrating.

9

Yeah, you don’t need a background set to 0% alpha, as long as you have the text in the Up, Over and Down states and a Hit state that covers all the text, it should be fine.

If in doubt, stick the .fla up and I’ll check it out when I get home. :slight_smile: I’d do it now, but I’m off home in 5 mins or so. :slight_smile:

[SIZE=1]Oh and Shuga - Soul. ;)[/SIZE]

10

ok, drew a rectangle with no alpha over the text in the hit state. No flickering but the link doesn’t work now.

kfbakfasfaq

11

boo

12

Tell you what, can you post your fla up so we can take a look? :slight_smile:

Duh… Sorry, just realised you’ve already done that. I’ll check it out. :slight_smile:

13

:smiley:

14

Hmmm, this is really weird… It’s not displaying the text at all, for two of the pictures, although it shows up fine in the fla… <b>Puzzled</b>

OK, I’m gonna try and redo this a little…

15

OK, I’ve played around with this a bit, and got it to work. :slight_smile:

The .fla is too big to attach, even zipped up, so I’ve put the .swf on here so you can see. I can mail the source to you if you drop me a PM with your add. :slight_smile:

16

Sent the file, should be with you in 2. :slight_smile:

17

great stuff, looks a hell of a lot tidier.

replied :slight_smile: