Flash Avatars

[Coolin]

Is there are way to put a flash file as an avatar in the forums? I created a nice little flash animation and want to make it my avatar. However, the forums doesn't seem to allow me using flash files for an avatar.

[}:8) Supermoo]

GIF, less than 5k, 50x50. No flash. :)

[Coolin]

Darn, I could fit so much stuff in a simple flash file when compared to the bloated GIF format. Even PNG's aren't allowed here! What the heck happened to the people at vBulletin!?

[}:8) Supermoo]

Oh that was just animated ones... I think you can use JPEG, PNG and BMP pictures aswell as GIF.

Maybe you could convert it ot GIF?

[LeX]

He's trying to upload flash, Supermoo...

[Canuckkev]

Just a thought...it doesn't actually check the file, just the extension, right? If you had some cgi script that when it loads a file like this: http://blahblah.com/cgi-bin/script?somenameofa.gif, could you make it cut the .gif, and replace with a .swf? I wonder...maybe no urls with Queries? are allowed though. Or else...I don't know. DOn't think it would work, cause it check the DIMS some how, and file size. Meh...there still could be a way around.

[Epgs]

wow from simple pics, to animated stuff, and now people want flash. whats next?

[gyrbo]

A flash forum!

[Coolin]

Canukkev's way doesn't work :(
I tried just changing the extension to .gif and it doesn't work. So... It's bad.

Perhaps there's a hack for allowing flash files as avatars in forums ;)

[atlas]

Originally posted by Coolin
Canukkev's way doesn't work :(
I tried just changing the extension to .gif and it doesn't work. So... It's bad.

Perhaps there's a hack for allowing flash files as avatars in forums ;)

Browsers use the extensions to bind to a given program or plugin. So making a flash file .gif doesn't work.

The question is "why?" People browsing the forums don't really want to watch a "movie" for your username. Just keep it simple and use a normal image.

-mk

[Coolin]

Originally posted by atlas
Browsers use the extensions to bind to a given program or plugin. So making a flash file .gif doesn't work.Yes, I know that. But I was just checking if the board checks the file or just the extension.


The question is "why?" People browsing the forums don't really want to watch a "movie" for your username. Just keep it simple and use a normal image.I know that too. This is why I made my flash animation not too annoyinig.

[Canuckkev]

Well...you didn't get what I was saying then. I didn't mean renaming the file to a gif, I know that won't work. I mean having a url like I said, http://blah.com/script?image.gif . It might appear to vB as a gif, because it ends with a .gif. But make the script interpret the query, then knock off the ".gif" and replace it with a ".swf", and load the ".swf" . Still, I dout it would work, because vB checks the dimensions, and there isn't really a way to specify dimensions in a Flash movie without inputting them on an HTML page, because it is in vector format, right?

Anyways, I also think Flash avatars are sort of neat. They will slow down page load times, because even a smaller file size takes longer to load than a gif. Also, it is possible to add scripting and stuff that could automatically forward to their page or something. Static or animated images (gif, jpg, png) are good enough. More than good enough.

Can't you just output your Flash to a gif? That will look good I'm sure!

[}:8) Supermoo]

Originally posted by Canuckkev (Just abpve)
Can't you just output your Flash to a gif? That will look good I'm sure!


Originally posted by }:8) Supermoo (3rd reply)
Maybe you could convert it to GIF?

Hmmm... I think there might be a suggestion there Coolin... maybe? ;)

[Coolin]

If you would tell me how to transform a flash movie to a GIF and keep the file size under 6000 bytes, I'm all for it.

[Canuckkev]

Maybe you should go re-read what was:Originally posted by }:8) Supermoo
GIF, less than 5k, 50x50. No flash. :)

[Coolin]

Perhaps you should re-read Supermoo's post that was right above my last one. He told me to convert the flash movie to a GIF.

[}:8) Supermoo]

Does Flash have an "export" option for it?

[Coolin]

Originally posted by }:8) Supermoo
Does Flash have an "export" option for it? I dunno, I don't got Flash.

But I think Flash just exports to .swf from it's saved .fla file.

[}:8) Supermoo]

If you don't have Flash how did you make it? :confused:

Also, you caould download the demo and find out... if you wanted too.

[Coolin]

Originally posted by }:8) Supermoo
If you don't have Flash how did you make it? :confused:
Swish. I don't understand how to use flash.

[Canuckkev]

As I also said, export it to a gif. You could send me the .FLA and I could do it for you, as I do have Flash. But in my post, I was being sarcastic by saying "That will look good I'm sure!" because it will be hard to keep it under the max file size. I can see what I can do for you though.

Also, Flash is very easy to use. I am not very good at the animation part, but scripting and making chessy games is cool. I made a Blink-182steroids game(asteroids, with their heads).

And, as the cow said, you can download the demo. It is pretty much fully functional for thirty days, (or more.:D).

[}:8) Supermoo]

Naughty!

I'm not listening to all this illegal speak... *puts fingers in ears* la la la la! ;)

[Coolin]

Nah... It's okay, the GIF animation would probably be about 10mb ;)

[LeX]

Let's ask Peo to change the limit to 10K... like it will help things. :p

[}:8) Supermoo]

Nope... bad idea that one... 5k is just fine! :)

[LeX]

6000 bytes = 5k?! :confused:

[Coolin]

Anyway, I said 10mb not 10kb, so it really wouldn't make a difference.

[Scorpz]

Originally posted by gyrbo
A flash forum!

Which of course has already been done:

http://www.x-pressive.com/forum/Skin_Admiral/forum.html

It has a Lite Edition, and a Pro Edition. The Pro one costs.. US $69.00. Although still it's fancy, but still I'd choose vBulletin, Ikonboard, or UBB over it..

[}:8) Supermoo]

Very Kewl!!!!! :D

[LeX]

I don't know... it never finished loading for me.

And what's up with all those CAPS?!! :mad:

[}:8) Supermoo]

I Don't Know What You Mean LeX? ;)

[lucifer]

5k is a good limit

enough to be able to do something but not enough to be too sloppy :D

and doesn't slow things down much at all

[LeX]

Originally posted by }:8) Supermoo
I Don't Know What You Mean LeX? ;)
Not that kind of caps.... :rolleyes: Didn't you see all those annoying big letters in the title and tastbar when you opened the flash forum?