Using Director with Databases: Part 2
Wednesday Feb 14, 2001
Learn how to save, load, and export a database
Gary Rosenzweig expands his example database tool to save the data, read it back in, and export it in a format you ca read into other programs like Microsoft Excel.
Using Director with Databases: Part 1
Thursday Feb 08, 2001
Use Director to build a database program by storing information in property lists.
Behold! The power of lists! Lingo Lounger Gary Rosenzweig demonstrates how you can build your own databases in property lists and display then in HTML tables inside text cast members.
Matching Text to Screen Positions
Thursday Feb 01, 2001
Find out which character, word or line is under the cursor or any point on the Stage.
Gary Rosenzweig gets you up to date on techniques for finding out what's under your cursor.
Rolling Text
Wednesday Jan 24, 2001
Roll a text list vertically to make a long list fit a small space
Gary Rosenzweig shows how to do a text scroll using Imaging Lingo. You can scroll -- and you don't have to hide!
Linking Multiple Text Entry Fields
Wednesday Jan 17, 2001
Create multiple text entry fields that are linked together to allow the user to enter specialized data like telephone numbers
Gary Rosenzweig shows you how to improve the user interface by automating data entry fields for standard data formats.
Creating a Radar Sweep Effect
Monday Jan 08, 2001
Create a fancy 32-bit graphic to use in a radar sweep effect
This week, Gary Rosenzweig uncovers an imaging Lingo solution for creating one of those cool green displays just like the ones you see in the movies.
Creating Ripples with Imaging Lingo
Wednesday Dec 13, 2000
Use Imaging Lingo to create expanding circles on the Stage
Gary Rosenzweig shows you how to draw directly on the Stage directly without having to use any intermediate bitmap images.
Capturing Double Clicks with Lingo
Wednesday Dec 06, 2000
Learn how to use Lingo to capture double click events
Capture double clicks accurately, without using the unreliable doubleClick Lingo property.
Asking a Question with the MUI Xtra
Tuesday Nov 14, 2000
Create your own confirmation dialog box with the MUI Xtra.
Write a "customDialog" handler that uses the MUI Xtra to create a Yes/No dialog box.
Animated Bubble Background
Tuesday Nov 07, 2000
Use Imaging Lingo to create quick and fun animated backgrounds
Create animated backgrounds for your Director and Shockwave movies using Imaging Lingo. Add a simple "expanding bubble" effect to bitmaps by utilising a few lines of Lingo in a single behavior.
The Circle Out Transition
Thursday Nov 02, 2000
Improve on Director's tired old transitions with Imaging Lingo
Use Imaging Lingo to make an "iris open" or "circle out" Stage transition.
Creating a Soft Wipe
Tuesday Oct 24, 2000
Use Imaging Lingo to create a soft-edged sprite transition
Create an effect that transforms one image into another via a left-to-right soft-edge wipe.
Using Hidden Debugging Tools
Wednesday Oct 18, 2000
Hide debugging tools in your movie
Ferret out bugs that hide when your movie is played in Director, but appear in Shockwave or a Projector.
Creating a Random List
Wednesday Oct 11, 2000
Prevent repetition in random events
Use shuffled lists to prevent patterns from developing in random events.
Restricting Behaviors to the Proper Sprites
Wednesday Aug 30, 2000
Create drag-and-drop behaviors for non-programmers with new Director 8 Lingo
Use the on isOKToAttach handler to create drag-and-drop behaviors that can only be attached to the appropriate sprites.
Using Score Labels to Create Navigation Buttons
Wednesday Aug 23, 2000
Use Score labels for more than just commentary.
Use a script to turn your Frame markers into a property list that can be used in your movies navigation. Make it easy to add "next" and "previous" navigation buttons to your projects.
A Button Behavior with a Visited State
Thursday Aug 17, 2000
Build a button behavior that knows where you've been.
Requires Shockwave 8
Take a regular button and make it better. In this case add a visited state to your buttons so they act like hyperlinks and change appearance to indicate where your users have been in a movie.
Requires Shockwave 8
Making a Magnifying Glass
Wednesday Aug 09, 2000
Learn how to make a moveable magnifying glass using only Imaging Lingo.
Requires Shockwave 8
Complete code for a behavior that will "magnify" an image, no matter what the scaling or positioning of the original sprite.
Requires Shockwave 8
Text Files and the FileIO Xtra
Tuesday Aug 01, 2000
Learn how to use the FileIO Xtra to read and write text files.
In an excerpt from his latest book, Gary Rosenzweig provides a complete run-down of the commands used with the FileIO Xtra. Use the Xtra to open, create, write, read, and delete files.
Flash + Director = not quite so slow
Tuesday Jul 25, 2000
More Lingo techniques for creating faster animations from Flash movies.
Requires Shockwave 8
Use Imaging Lingo to absorb some of the speed hit Flash members give to your Director movies.
Requires Shockwave 8
Limiting text input
Wednesday Jul 19, 2000
How to define which characters the user can enter into an editable text member
Use Lingo to capture and limit keystrokes entered by a user into an editable text member. This is particularly useful for ensuring that information sent via the internet is free of data-defining characters.
Flash + Director = Slow
Wednesday Jul 12, 2000
Want slow movies? Just add Flash.
Requires Shockwave 8
Four different Lingo-controlled animations demonstrate the speed hit Flash members deliver to Director movies. Gary Rosenzweig discusses the problem with some suggestions to minimize the slowdown.
Requires Shockwave 8
Making timers that display in Time format
Thursday Jul 06, 2000
Make a behavior that will display a timer, counting up or down.
Requires Shockwave 8
Use the millisections function to calculate the time, and then use behavior properties to create timers that will count up or down and display the time in hours, minutes, or seconds.
Requires Shockwave 8
Using Date Objects and HTML to Make Calendars
Wednesday Jun 28, 2000
Make calendars in Director using date objects and a little HTML.
Requires Shockwave 8
By combining date objects and the ability of text members to use HTML tables, you can make quick and easy calendars Keywords: the systemDate, html, text members, dates, days, week, years.
Requires Shockwave 8
Using the randomSeed
Wednesday Jun 21, 2000
Use the randomSeed to make random numbers predictable
Random numbers are great but when is random not really random? By using the randomSeed, you can recreate sets of random numbers to make consistent levels in your game or aid in debugging.
Using Date Objects
Wednesday Jun 14, 2000
Use the Date object to replace old date Lingo
Use Date objects to display the date, get time and calendar information, and perform other useful tricks.
Comparing Text Display Methods
Wednesday Jun 07, 2000
Alternatives to using text members for fast-action games
Requires Shockwave 8
Learn how to speed up the display of text data in your games. Don't let slow Text members bring your fps to a crawl.
Requires Shockwave 8
Creating Starfields and Galaxies from Scratch
Wednesday May 31, 2000
Use imaging Lingo to create starfield backgrounds, pictures of galaxies and even animations.
Requires Shockwave 8
Use Imaging Lingo's setPixel command to build animations and graphics for your Shockwave games. Make the most out of 5K of Lingo code!
Requires Shockwave 8
Lengthening sounds with internal loops
Tuesday May 23, 2000
Use Lingo to lengthen the duration of sound effects.
Requires Shockwave 8
Use Director 8's ability to set loops within sounds to lengthen them, saving file space and allowing for variable-length sound effects.
Requires Shockwave 8
Text Auto-Completion
Wednesday May 17, 2000
Create a Lingo version of typical auto-completion utilities.
Allow the user to type part of a keyword and have Lingo fill in the rest.
Lingo Collision Detection, Part 3
Wednesday May 10, 2000
Imaging Lingo for collision detection.
Requires Shockwave 8
Create accurate and useful collision detection using Director 8's Imaging Lingo.
Requires Shockwave 8
Lingo Collision Detection, Part 2
Wednesday May 03, 2000
Advanced methods of detecting sprite collisions.
Looking in more depth at collision detection and using advanced methods to detect collisions.
Lingo Collision Detection, Part 1
Wednesday Apr 26, 2000
Learn how to detect sprite collisions.
A look at what collision detection is, problems it presents and different methods of collision detection.
Simon Says
Wednesday Apr 19, 2000
Creating a Simple Memory Game
Make a game that shows the player a progressively longer pattern and asks them to repeat it.
"Goo" With Director 8
Wednesday Apr 12, 2000
D8's Imaging Lingo can be used to stretch and manipulate images.
Requires Shockwave 8
Use Director 8's imaging Lingo to allow users to alter an image in a way that using plain quads couldn't.
Requires Shockwave 8
Using Lingo to Create Brownian Noise
Wednesday Apr 05, 2000
Random noise generation using undocumented Lingo Requires Shockwave 8
With Director 8's new (undocumented) rateShift property, developers can finally use Director to create a classic computer program: a Brownian noise generator.
Requires Shockwave 8
Shining a Flashlight with Alpha Channels
Wednesday Mar 29, 2000
Use Director 8's new Imaging Lingo to create an old effect. Requires Shockwave 8
Use Director 8's new Imaging Lingo to create a flashlight effect by altering the alpha channel of an image. Requires Shockwave 8
Building a Game: Sprite Invaders: Part 3
Wednesday Mar 22, 2000
Part 3 of a tutorial on building a Sprite Invaders game
Learn how to allow the Sprite Invaders to fight, add scoring and sounds.
Building a Game: Sprite Invaders: Part 2
Wednesday Mar 15, 2000
Part 2 of a Sprite Invaders Tutorial
Learn how to add a player's ship that can move back and forth and shoot down invaders.
Building a Game: Sprite Invaders: Part 1
Tuesday Mar 07, 2000
Sprite Invaders that move back and forth and descend.
Learn how to make "invaders" move as a group back and forth across the screen and descend.
Table Manners
Wednesday Mar 01, 2000
Using HTML and Text Members to Make Tables
Learn how to use Director 7's ability to interpret HTML to create nice-looking tables with Lingo.
Vector Member Fireworks
Tuesday Feb 22, 2000
Creating Fireworks Effects with Director's Vector Shapes
Gary Rosenzweig demonstrates a behavior for creating 3D fireworks effects using vector shape members.
Welcome to the Lingo Lounge
Sunday Feb 13, 2000
Gary Rosenzweig introduces himself and opens the Lingo Lounge.
In this premiere of the Lingo Lounge, Gary Rosenzweig introduces himself and the column, and he shows you some tips for better sound sync.