How to Pause a Director Movie and Wait for User Input

Without adding special commands to stop or pause, a Macromedia Director movie will play all frames consecutively and will loop back to the first frame when it reaches the end. This is useful in some cases, like if you’re using animations or if you want a movie to cycle continuously. If you want the movie to stop or pause for user input, you’ll need to add special scripting commands. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

  1. Open the Score from the Window menu.
  2. Step 2

    Locate the frame where you want the movie to pause. Click in the Script Channel cell of that frame to select it.

  3. Step 3

    Locate a relatively large blank box that’s situated very close to the top of the Score and directly to the right of the word “Script.”

  4. Step 4

    Click in the blank box. A script window appears. The script window contains the words “On exitFrame … end.”

  5. Step 5

    Locate the blank line that occurs between “On exitFrame” and “end.”

  6. Step 6

    Type the words “go the frame” in that blank line. Click on the small “X” to close the script window.

  7. Step 7

    Open the Control Panel from the Window menu and play your movie. When the playback head reaches the frame where you’ve added the script, the movie will pause. You can now add a button or some other control that will allow user input.

Tips & Warnings
  • The Script Channel is the channel that’s represented by a small icon resembling text or script. The icon is located in the far left side of the Score window.
  • Adding a “go the frame” script causes the movie to loop continuously on that frame. The looping happens faster than the eye can see, so it creates the illusion that the movie has stopped.

How to Create a Button in Director to Jump to Another Fram

You can create a button in Macromedia Director that will allow you to jump to another frame when you click on it. You might want to do this if you are creating a menu, for example. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

  1. Open the Score, Control Panel and Tool Palette from the Window menu.
  2. Step 2

    Click on a cell using the Score window at a point in the frame that is to contain your button. This selects the cell and moves the playback head to the frame that you have chosen.

  3. Step 3

    Click on Button in the Tool Palette, then drag the Button tool to the Stage.

  4. Step 4

    Draw a button on Stage.

  5. Step 5

    Resize your button, color it and add text as desired.

  6. Step 6

    Click on your button to select it.

  7. Step 7

    Click in the white Script window at the top left-hand side of the screen, then select New Script. A Script window appears and contains the words, “On mouseUp …. end.”

  8. Step 8

    Locate the blank line that appears between “on MouseUp” and “end.”

  9. Step 9

    Type the words “go frame frameName” on the black line. In the place of “frameName,” use the name of the frame that you have chosen.

  10. Step 10

    Close the script window.

  11. Step 11

    Play your movie using the Play command on the Control Panel. When you click on your button, the playhead will jump to the frame that you have specified.

How to Change the Appearance of Director Stage Objects

Add a jazzy look to a Macromedia Director movie by changing the color and apprearance of Stage Objects. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

  1. Open or create a movie in Macromedia Director.
  2. Step 2

    View the Cast and Score windows from the Window menu. On the Score window, go to the frame that is to contain the altered Cast Member.

  3. Step 3

    Click in the channel (i.e., a little square) in the frame that is to contain the new sprite (i.e., the copy of the Cast Member).

  4. Step 4

    Locate the Cast Member in the Cast window, then drag that Member onto the Stage. It is now a sprite (i.e., is copied) on Stage and in the Score window.

  5. Step 5

    Click on that sprite to select it.

  6. Step 6

    Locate the Ink Box in the left-hand side of the Score window and click it. A menu of inks appears.

  7. Step 7

    Choose and click on the ink that you want to apply to that sprite. The sprite on Stage changes color.

How to Loop a Director Movie to Play Continuously

If you are creating a Director movie to be displayed in a kiosk or on a Web page, for example, you might want the movie to start over or replay automatically each time it finishes. You can do this by looping it so that it will play continuously. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

  1. Create or open a Director movie.
  2. Step 2

    Click on Control Panel under the Window menu. The Control Panel window opens.

  3. Step 3

    Activate the Loop Playback Command. The movie will now loop continuously.

    4. www.acronistrueimage.ru

How to Include Transitions Between Director Frames

You can include transitions between Macromedia Director frames if you want special effects or animations to appear. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

  1. Open the Score from the Window menu.
  2. Step 2

    Click in the Transition Channel of the frame where you want to add the transition.

  3. Step 3

    Access the Modify menu while the Transition Channel is selected, then click on Frames, Transition. A Transition window appears.

  4. Step 4

    Select the transition you want to use. Add any additional information that is required.

  5. Step 5

    Close the Transition window.

  6. Step 6

    Open the Control Panel from the Window menu.

  7. Step 7

    Play your movie. The transition will occur in the frame or frames where you programmed it.

Recent Posts

Adobe Director Links