While Generator allows you to dynamically insert text, it does not allow you to directly specify the attributes of the text.
The Insert Text object allows the user to dynamically insert text into a Flash movie and dynamically set its attributes (such as font type, size, color, etc…).
You can specify the following attributes :
Note, that if you are using the object on a non-Windows platform, then you have to use an external font file to specify your font type.
Using offline Generator, you can create more than one file type from a single template, and single command.
Just specify the file types, and the name of the file to save it as after the generate.exe command on the command line.
For example :
generate -swf test.swf -jpg test.jpg -gif test.gif template.swt -param foo bar
Will create three files :
test.swf
test.jpg
test.gif
all from the template.swt Generator template.
Notice that the file name comes directly after the file type specification. This is very important.
Most tutorials concentrate on how to use Generator in online mode. However, using Generator in offline mode is a very flexible solution for many projects.
This tip will quickly go over how to use Generator in offline mode.
First, make sure that the path to offline Generator (generate.exe) is included in your system’s path setting. While this is not strictly necessary, it makes it easy to use offline Generator.
If you are not sure how to do this, check the documentation for your particular operating system.
Continuing our tips on custom Generator objects that have been released, today’s tip discusses the Insert Image object.
This object is simple, but very useful.
It allows you to dynamically insert images into a Generator template regardless of the file type (png, jpg, or gif).
It works exactly the same as the Insert Gif, Insert Jpg, and Insert Png objects, except that it takes any of the three file types. The only requirement is that the image name end in gif, jpg, jpeg, or png.
The Flash Forward 2001 conference is being held in San Francisco from February 19 - 21. This time there are a number of session which involve discussions on Generator.
These include :
XML, Flash and Generator
Robert Reinhart
http://www.flashforward2001.com/html/HTML/schedule-1.html#rrei
Generator 101
Chrissy Rey
http://www.flashforward2001.com./html/HTML/schedule-2.html#crey
The Wireless Web: Flash Everywhere
Phillip Torrone
http://www.flashforward2001.com./html/HTML/schedule-2.html#ptor
There should also be a couple of QA sessions about Generator.
And of course there will be tons of information and presenters on Flash and Advanced Action Script.
Generator can connect to multiple sources to retrieve its data. However, if you have multi objects within your template, and each has its own data source, then Generator may have to make several requests for its data. Depending on the source and type of data, this can have a significant impact on Generator’s performance.
However, it is possible to retrieve multiple data sources through one request. However, in order for this to work, Generator needs to be able to connect to some form of middle ware, which will create the data source.
There are a number of very active online Generator message boards.
The best and most active are at :
There are more message boards listed in the Forums section
These forums are excellent resources for information on Generator. If you have a question, make sure to search through the forums, and / or post a question.
If you know the answer to a question on the boards, make sure to post a response.
We have created an AvantGo channel for the Generator Tip of the Day. Now you can see the current tip from just about anywhere using AvantGo and your Palm Pilot or Pocket PC (or any other PDA supported by AvantGo).
For more information, including instructions on how to set it up, see the AvantGo Generator Tip of the Day page. Thanks to Phillip Torrone of flashenabled.com for setting this up for us.
The Insert Flash Variables object allows users to use Generator to dynamically insert flash 4 arrays into a Flash movie.
Users can then use this object in place of middle ware to dynamically pull data into their movies on the client side.
This has the benefits of not requiring the user to have to know a middle ware language, providing the ability to completely work within the Flash / Generator authoring environment, and the ease of loading and working with Flash data structures (Flash 4 arrays). Plus if you data does not change often, then you can use this object instead of having to do a load variables every time.
Generator will not allow you to dynamically specify font attributes such as Font Size, spacing, and Face. However, it is possible to to do this with a couple of workarounds.
The first is to use nested movie clips, and the insert symbol command to determine you font attributes.
This is discussed in detail in the following technote :
Dynamically assigning type faces to Generator variables
http://www.macromedia.com/support/generator/ts/documents/dynamically_assigning_type_.htm
However, if you want to allow the users a lot of options, then this method quickly becomes tedious.