(ot) How do you preload a SWF file?

Hey folks - this is OT but I know someone on this list will know the answer: I need to 'pre-load' a SWF file prior to it ever being launched with a click.   I have done some googling and it appears it can be done, but I'm just wondering if someone here has done it below.   Here is the scenario: We have a Flex app with a fairly good size footprint.  When a user hits the main page of our website, they get our HTML page with graphics, etc.  There are multiple ways for them to click to launch the Flex App.  When they click one of the links/graphics to launch the app, they then have to wait for the app to load completely before they can navigate it.   What we want to be able to do is for those users who come to our main page and start reading information there, we want the app to be loading in the background without them being aware of it.  If they read long enough for the app to load, then, when they click one of the links/graphics to launch the app, it will come up very quickly because it's already in the browser cache. 1) Can you confirm this is possible and 2) Do you have any sample code or a reference that I can use to go by? Thanks! Dave Phillips

On the main page just have an object/embed call with the SWF loaded in at 1 pixels by one pixel. Hey folks - this is OT but I know someone on this list will know the answer: I need to 'pre-load' a SWF file prior to it ever being launched with a click.   I have done some googling and it appears it can be done, but I'm just wondering if someone here has done it below.   Here is the scenario: We have a Flex app with a fairly good size footprint.  When a user hits the main page of our website, they get our HTML page with graphics, etc.  There are multiple ways for them to click to launch the Flex App.  When they click one of the links/graphics to launch the app, they then have to wait for the app to load completely before they can navigate it.   What we want to be able to do is for those users who come to our main page and start reading information there, we want the app to be loading in the background without them being aware of it.  If they read long enough for the app to load, then, when they click one of the links/graphics to launch the app, it will come up very quickly because it's already in the browser cache. 1) Can you confirm this is possible and 2) Do you have any sample code or a reference that I can use to go by? Thanks! Dave Phillips

Hey, i know I'm a week late in responding (I was on vacation, forgive me!), but I do have one more question about this:  Are there any concerns around the additional load on the web server from having to load the swf file for every user, even those that may never actually launch the application? ----- Excess quoted text cut - see Original Post for more -----

Similar to what Andy said you could make a 1x1 flash movie using the same color as your bg and use the built in flash tools to preload other movies onload. There's another method you can use with javascript writes but that takes more time then just doing the 1x1 flash movie. You could probably crank that out in 5 minutes tops.

> Hey, i know I'm a week late in responding (I was on vacation, > forgive me!), but I do have one more question about this:   > Are there any concerns around the additional load on the web > server from having to load the swf file for every user, even > those that may never actually launch the application? The load from this will be much less significant than the work needed to process a single CF file in most cases, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software http://www.figleaf.com/ Fig Leaf Software provides the highest caliber vendor-authorized instruction at our training centers in Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore, Northern Virginia, or on-site at your location. Visit http://training.figleaf.com/ for more information!