Coming in just a moment...

This tutorial will discuss how to load text dynamically through a text file with out the use of xml or css.

First, create a Dynamic text field and give it an instance name.
Then give the text all of the properties for font family and <myspace>size</myspace> that you want for it. Make sure the "Render text as HTML" button is selected in the text panel.
If you are planning on having some of your text bolded then be sure to select bold for the font. Don't worry, all your text won't appear in bold.

For this example I have created two different text fields to demonstrate how to load multiple text fields.
test1_txt
text2_txt

Now open notepad or any text editing program and create a new document_
The way to create a variable that flash can read is &variableName=

In my text file, I create two sets of data and named them text1 and text2.

Here is my text.
&text1=This <font color="#FFFFFF">text</font> <u>is</u> <font <myspace>size</myspace>="12">dynamically</font> loaded through an external text file&text2=So <b>is this</b> text

All your text must be on one line. When entering text, never hit the Return button, to make a line break use <br>.
save the file as test.txt. Be sure to save it as a .txt file not a .doc or any other format.

In a new layer, hit F9 to enter your actions panel.

ActionScript

var myText:LoadVars = new LoadVars ();
myText.load("test.txt");

myText.onLoad = function(success) {
if(success){
test1_txt.htmlText = myText.text1;
test2_txt.htmlText = myText.text2;
}
}

var myText:LoadVars = new LoadVars ();
myText.load("test.txt");

First we have to create a variable and give it a name. I named it myText. Then strict type it to LoadVars
Then we create a new LoadVars object to store all the data in. And we are telling Flash to load the data from the test.txt file.

myText.onLoad = function(success) {
if(success){
}
}

Next we are telling Flash to when it loads, it needs to perform a function. If this loading function is successful then we want to do everything inside the brackets.

test1_txt.htmlText = myText.text1;
test2_txt.htmlText = myText.text2;

This says that the text property of test1_txt and text2_txt will be displayed as HTML and it will be equal to the loaded data from your myText variable.

dynamicText.zip

Thank you for reading this tutorial. I hope you find it very helpful with your flash animations. For any help with this tutorial or questions, please post only in this forum thread.

~Flash Mods

Your welcome :)

that is awesome, thanks ^_^

I have had this issue with MANY different things. If you want to call actions of a movie clip or text or whatever inside another movie clip from the main time line then the movie clip or text you are trying to target must be in the first frame. Not sure why that is, just flash can't find it unless it is in the first frame. So what you have to do is put the code in the time line of the movie clip instead. Thats the only way I have ever found to get around it.

When loading the text file inside the movie clip when it on myspace....where can i stick the text file.

do i need to host it on the web and if so is there any website cheap as possible (free would be better) to do this.

thanx in advance you guys

Regards

Ashley (The Great Monkey Boy)

yea, you have to host it on the internet and use the full URL for it.

try fileden.com

that help loads thanx.

quick question though where would i put the html link for the text in the action scrip?

thank you again

The Great Monkey Boy wrote:
that help loads thanx.

quick question though where would i put the html link for the text in the action scrip?

thank you again

var myText:LoadVars = new LoadVars ();
myText.load("URL TO TEXT FILE");

sorry about this but im still having a little trouble....i know that this may be irritating you all now and im sorry i really am.

i have written all the action script needed but when i view it in the web browser (firefox and IE) it comes up with a message saying:-

<center></center>



i don't know whats going wrong and i hope that you guys can help...im sorry for being such a noobe.

im a 3d animator and flash has never been my strongest point lol

i hope you can help

so click setting and then allow flash player to access the internet, thats all its trying to do.