I’ve seen flash textfields that let you use the scrollwheel, I think you need i.e. 6 to get it to work, maybe a bit of code too…
i’m using IE 6
6.00.2800.1106
…and i haven’t seen any flash scrollbar that supports my mousewheel
same version as me… I’m not saying they’re all over the place, I’m just saying it is possible all be it not as accessible as yer html scrollability hence why you don’t see it often.
If you’re questioning the truth in what I say then I’ll try and find an example :sigh:
overall I don’t think anyone is arguing that Flash is perfect, if you want ultimate useability then html is better but if every site followed jakob neilsens word on useablility the web would be a pretty dull place. Thats what Flash does best, its middle ground between linear but useable sites and interactive, entertaining sites that are difficult to use.
Little things like scrollwheel compatability are the sort of things MM are trying to resolve. MX 2004 is overall a more professional product, its not just the developers that are growing with the tool, but the tool itself is growing up.
As it stands I think flash is capable of creating pretty much anything (I’d say anything but I’m sure someone’ll come along to try and prove me wrong) html can do almost as well (maybe there’ll be a couple of useability niggles) but then it’ll still be useable enough for 99.99% of people, plus it’ll be able to do it with a bit of flare and a higher level of interactivity (which if used right can greatly improve useablility) to make a more entertaining site
well im just **** at updating flash lol bit late replying btw
Re: mouse wheel scrolling
FLash MX:
(complex method requires IE6)
http://www.j3r.com/?page=mouse_wheel
Flash MX 2004:
(see Sen’s post 4th from the top)
http://www.flashkit.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=477601
ok, you won…
*Originally posted by m_andrews808 *
**Forgive me for sounding ignorant, but being a bit of an oddball in knowing very little about html I have a question…
surely the html equivilent of whatever php/asp and database powered flash site would still require exactly the same php/asp and database backend to power it? The html/flash just being the graphical front end to the raw data being generated by the backend??**
And being the reasonable type… I’ll explain the two different models for you, so that you understand the HTML side of the equation… (please don’t take the images as being childish or me trying to overly show a point, I just hate typing words sometimes 
lol)
When doing an HTML page, this model would work perfectly…
It’s so much easier to explain things with pictures 
But anyways… On a typical HTML page, you would only have two major steps… The actual database that the information is on (which could be mySQL or text files or whatever) and the page that grabs the information and displays it…
That single page then grabs the information, raw data, and then presents it in tables or lines or whatever way you want to do it in an HTML format. Now, as for the Flash environment.
Now… There are three major steps in a Flash Environement however. With the Flash set up you will have the backend databse, the php page that brings stuff out of the database and the actual Flash Front end that displays the data…
The php page in this instance has to grab a hold of the information from the database and then turn this information into a SQL (Structured Query Line). Then, this line can be thrown to Flash for it to display… Now, it’s an added step and it’s not that hard to do, but I’d rather just leave it to two steps instead…
Remember, I’m the stubborn perosn on these boards… Don’t take it malicious… Just smack me around a couple times and I’m okay.
**
whoa there cowboy, don’t get me wrong I’m not saying everyone should be doing things this way, far from it. I was just offering that as an example of a different way of achieving the same/similar results. More of a BTW than anything.
And yes xml sockets aren’t the easiest of things to get into and your average flasher won’t know enough about them/won’t have access to the right kind of server. But then would the average flasher know enough to knock out an html site backeneded with php/asp and a db (going back to my first q)? (-: **
Oh yeah… if they can’t do standard PHP handling and **** like that… XML Sockets would look like a a million piece puzzle… If you ever actually look into it though, The Visual Basic form of getting a XML Socket Server really is easy. 
it’s to attract more and more ppl to flash, users who dont have flash pluggin installed or dont bother to… can view these sites(text only i think) broader scope, in india ppl generally dont prefer flash because of low connection speed too, can be many reasons…
you look like a human cartoon character:)
… … silence… its probably for the best phil
*Originally posted by buddhamarz *
**But it’s still unpractical… Not only do you have to know a decent amount of AS… But you also have to know ALOT about PHP and Databasing… **
okay so theres an extra step involved in the process with Flash which is a pain, but my point is that you still have to have exactly the same knowledge of php/db’s to make the equivilent site in html.
There might be a little more code involved in displaying the information in Flash but you’ve got to expect that when dealing with a more graphically flexible environment.
So are we saying understanding actionscript is too big a task for a lot?
*Originally posted by Kay *
**you look like a human cartoon character:) **
lol
it’s because of the f-tween in front of my face 
*Originally posted by m_andrews808 *
** So are we saying understanding actionscript is too big a task for a lot? **
yeah
i have been ASing for ages and i still learn new stuff ever day
*Originally posted by m_andrews808 *
**… … silence… its probably for the best phil
okay so theres an extra step involved in the process with Flash which is a pain, but my point is that you still have to have exactly the same knowledge of php/db’s to make the equivilent site in html.
There might be a little more code involved in displaying the information in Flash but you’ve got to expect that when dealing with a more graphically flexible environment.
So are we saying understanding actionscript is too big a task for a lot? **
Don’t gte me wrong… I agree with what you say… But it’s the people around us that have to deal with trying to do it… Not use… I think beyond my own intelligence to try and find answers sometimes…
For alot of people, understanding a good bit of AS can be a heavy task… There are three types of Flashers out there…
Designers : Who know enough AS to gte their product to look cool
Programmers : Who know nearly everything about AS but when it comes to designing… Thye know enough to gte them by.
Designing Programmers : Who know both areas quite proficiently enough to do anything in either medians…
There aren’t too many Designing Programmers… But in each of the others fields there exists a numerous amount of people… LEt’s do a survey sometime and see the results…
I’m just as curious as you are
mediocre at both programming and designing, master of none. (it sucks to be me)
if you want a flash site which loads quickly and is content driven, then you it will have to be very plain, and that reduces the point of making it in flash
