[mtasc] Create timeline without Flash IDE?

[Carlos Rovira]

For me Timeline is an Abstraction created in the Flash IDE to
represent a loop over time. For many people the timeline is a
comfortable tool. Others prefer to create MovieClips with one single
frame and don't need such tool because all the effects can be created
programatically with packages like AnimationPackage. You can
accomplish the same with onEnterFrame. If you use swfmill you can use
frame tags too.

2005/10/1, Paul Anderson <paully5 at hotmail.com>:
> I apologize in advance for asking such a basic question, but believe me, I
> have made sincere efforts to try to find the answer on my own in a few books
> and on the web (for 3 days now), and my brain is really starting to hurt
> from being so confused for so long.  I also thoroughly searched the archives
> of this list, but did not find the answer to my question.  I know you
> experienced programmers out there know the answer.  Pease help!
>
> My confusion is about the "timeline."  Is the timeline an intrinsic feature
> of swf files, or is it just a higher-level tool of the Flash IDE?  That is,
> is the timeline meaningful only in the context of *.fla files?  I see
> objects and methods in the actionscript language reference for dealing with
> timelines and frames, but I don't seem to be able to use them outside of the
> context of a *.fla file.
>
> If not, is there a way to create a timeline in AS, without ever even
> TOUCHING the flash IDE, using only MTASC for instance?  I have tried a few
> things that make sense to me to attempt this, but to no avail.  I cannot
> seem to use the objects and methods related to the timeline (adding frames,
> for instance) when starting from scratch with a text editor to make a *.as
> file that is compiled with MTASC.
>
> I am starting to suspect that a timeline cannot be created outside of the
> Flash IDE, or at least not solely using MTASC.  If this is true, and a swf
> file may be created using MTASC with no timeline, then what is the meaning
> of the framerate specified during compilation with MTASC when no timeline
> exists (i.e., there are no frames)?
>
> If, on the other hand, a timeline *can* be created using only a *.as file
> and MTASC, can anyone provide me the simplest as skeleton that creates a
> timeline by this method so that I can get a handle on all this?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Paul
>
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> --
> MTASC : no more coffee break while compiling
>


--
::| Carlos Rovira
::| http://www.carlosrovira.com