transparency flash movie OUTPUT_MOVIE=SINGLE/MULTIPLE

[Kristjan Annus]

I wanted to do just the same thing as you, to have some base map and
some layers in vector flash format with some
tooltips and onmouseower coloring etc. For point data it is easy to use
xml instead of SWF, but if you want to show some polygons, or lines,
then it is more complicated.
And there's one more problem to this solution. The Mapserver produces
progressive JPG output, and Flash does not support
progressive JPG input (at least it was what I figured out). So we have
some nice problems on every step :-)

Kristjan

> Hi,
>
> sorry, I thought you had troubles with the image size (instead of the
> file size). I think a swf file is always bigger, because it contains
> more information? (haven't tried it with layers in my app...)
>
> But that is exactly the reason I opt for a mixed application: for
> background/reference map's I want to use images, but for points of
> interest (POI's) I want to use a (small) swf files.
>
> Other options are to retrieve xml instead of swf, and use the
> information from this xml to put POI's on your movie runtime. Why
> would you use swf maps anyway if you do not want to do something with
> (parts) of the data?
>
> Richard
>
> Kristjan Annus wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> the link you sent me is usable only from your own computer, so I cant
>> see it.
>> I'll send you a link from my Flash test application (player 7 required).
>>
>> http://www.tartu.ee/bi_kaart/tarkvarastuudio.html
>>
>> The opening page swf map file is about 100k in size. The same picture in
>> jpg format in the same application is ~33k.
>> I use it in another flash movie, but every time when the client is
>> zooming a map he has to download about 100-300k
>> new map image.
>>
>> Kristjan
>>
>>>
>>> Kristjan,
>>>
>>> Thanks I think you're right, I can try to make the bitmap (which is
>>> actually a call to another OGC mapserver) part of the mapserver
>>> mapfile. The mapserver then becomes a cascading mapserver?
>>>
>>> Don't know how you call the mapserver, but my swf's are exactly the
>>> same size as the images I request. I use calls like:
>>> "http://localhost/cgi-bin/mapserv.exe?map=fnl.map&mode=map&mapext=-20000%20300000%20300000%20620000&mapsize=300%20300"
>>>
>>>
>>> which returns a flashmovie of 300x300 to me IF you open the movie in
>>> the flashplayer. Opening it in a browser shows it indeed 5 times the
>>> normal size, but using it in another flashmovie is ok.
>>>
>>> Richard
>>>
>>> Kristjan Annus wrote:
>>>
>>>> I don't know about seting transparent backgrounds if swf output,
>>>> but one
>>>> solution for you is to put your bitmap background image also to
>>>> your map
>>>> file, and create one single swf output for all of your data.
>>>>
>>>> But I have encountered one problem with mapserver FLASH output too,
>>>> thats the size of the swf file, when you use OUTPUT_MOVIE=SINGLE
>>>> option.
>>>> In my case it was about 2-5x of the file size of the same output in
>>>> jpg
>>>> format.
>>>> Does anybody know is there some way to decrease the swf output file
>>>> size?
>>>>
>>>> Kristjan
>>>>
>>>>> Hi List members,
>>>>>
>>>>> using the mapserver (two layers) swf/flash output I tried both format
>>>>> options:
>>>>> FORMATOPTION "OUTPUT_MOVIE=MULTIPLE"
>>>>> FORMATOPTION "OUTPUT_MOVIE=SINGLE"
>>>>>
>>>>> Using the first one returns an 'index'-swf from which I can get
>>>>> the two
>>>>> layer swf's. This results in 'transparent' movies, that is I can
>>>>> show a
>>>>> bitmap behind the movie in the flashplayer.
>>>>>
>>>>> When using output SINGLE, I receive the right features, but on an
>>>>> non-transparant (white) background (without changing any other
>>>>> option in
>>>>> the mapfile)?
>>>>>
>>>>> Question:
>>>>> - does anyone know IF it is possible to make the SINGLE output movies
>>>>> transparent?
>>>>> - If yes, please tell me how?
>>>>> - Is there another way, then delving in the mapserver cpp code, to
>>>>> influence the code within the mapserver-returned-swf-files (for
>>>>> example
>>>>> to influence _root or using _parent references)?
>>>>> - Is there other flash-output specific documentation other then: the
>>>>> fmv
>>>>> flashexample: http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/user_utilities/fmv.zip?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks in advance,
>>>>>
>>>>> Richard
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>