Rollover Button + Drop-down menu = I need HELP!

[jn2photo]

Hello,
I'm fairly new to this whole Flash thing, but i seem to be doing really well so far. I have created a website that is in functional, working order - all of my buttons, actions, links, etc. are working, (which i'm quite proud of), but i'm now at a loss. I'm trying to create a rollover button/dropdown menu effect for two of my galleries, and although i've successfully created the pop-up effect of the menu by utilizing the "Over" and "Down" states inside of the button itself, when i render out the file and test it, the drop-down text flickers. Placing the mouse over the original button, everything seems to work fine, but as soon as i move the pointer down over the pop-up/drop-down text, it flickers! i've tried creating this is separate layers, i've tried increasing my Hit state, i've even tried a stop action, but nothing works, and i'm out of ideas. Help!?

[Ned Murphy]

Do your drop down buttons also include the command to hold things open and are there no gaps between them?

[jn2photo]

Hi Ned,
I honestly don't think i know how to include the command to hold them open, or what that code is, so i'm assuming the code isn't there. I capable of very limited coding, mostly altering my actions according to prewritten that was provided for me in the class i audited. As i said, i'm VERY green when it comes to Flash, and i'm amazed i've gotten this far as it is!
I greatly appreciate any help you can offer.
Jessica

[Ned Murphy]

For the main button, it should have some rollOver code designated for it. That same code should be assigned as rollOver code to the submenu buttons. And there cannot be any gaps between things where the mouse suddenly is off any of them.

[jn2photo]

I have set the Behaviors of the buttons to instruct them what/where to link to (Go to and Stop at Frame or label), and i know all of that has been coded correctly, because everything works properly. However, in order to code the buttons to "Hold Open" during rollover, i assume this is a command controlled from the Actions palette? In the Actions palette, I have found a rollover command under: ActionScript 2.0 Classes -> Movie -> Button -> Event Handlers -> onRollOver, but i can't seem to figure out what additional code i need to input in order to tell it WHAT to do upon Rollover, i.e.: "Hold Open"!! Any suggestions?
thanks again, jessi

[Ned Murphy]

If I step back to the start of this and reread what you said, it almost sounds like you built the dropdown section as part of the main button, for it's over state. Is that what you did?

[jn2photo]

Yes, that is exactly what i did. In the "over" state within the original button, i included text that i then planned to convert into their own buttons to link to the actual galleries. my work-in-progress site is www.jessicanicosia.com, if you'd like to check it out. the only gallery button that is currently active is "Food," but the "Published Work" and "Personal" buttons are the ones that i would like to feature pop-up/drop-down menus. Am i just going about this all wrong? I'm only auditing the class that i am in, and as such, the instructor is unable to devote much time to answering my specific questions. Most of what i have done, i have learned and created on my own, but this is one problem i cannot seem to solve without help.

[Ned Murphy]

If you are hoping to make linkable buttons for the drop down portions, then they need to be separate buttons. If they are internal to the main button, then they are the main button and will only link where it links (if they don't totally throw it out of whack--I forget what one of my client's doing that resulted in, but the bottom line is... buttons inside buttons are bad news.).

My suggestion: Google "AS2 drop down menu tutorials" and see what you can find. Googling is a great resource for finding things. There will likely be a number to choose from, so read thru them and see which ones match what you're trying to create and are easy to follow (some may not explain things well... everybody and their uncles apparently want to try to teach the world what they know, regardless of their ability to explain things (or lack thereof)). Some, if not many, will provide source files you can build from.

[jn2photo]

Thanks so much, i am definitely going to try that. It seemed too simple that i'd know the answer to this intuitively, but on the other hand, it made sense in my mind that the answer to this would lie in the "Over" state of the button. Again, thank you for your help, and i might be back if i can't figure this out in a few days!
Jessi 🙂