BlitMask - problem with big target size

[claudiusandulache25 0 Likes (Newbie)]

i have a band of moviclips that sums up 35000 px. When i try to set the blitmask it gives me an Invalid Bitmap error.

How can i overcome this width restriction without changing the flashplayer version to 11. It's 10.2 now. Thanks.

[Carl 11,101 Likes (Superhero)]

there are a few methods floating around the internet.

 

here is one:

http://ronald-maravilla.tumblr.com/post ... workaround

 

read the articles here: http://www.google.com/search?gcx=c&sour ... estriction

usually there is some good info in the comments.

[GreenSock 18,237 Likes (Superhero)]

Wait, your target is 35,000 pixels or your BlitMask is that big?

 

BlitMask automatically segments its internal bitmap capture so that it never has one larger than 2880 pixels to avoid errors like that, so I'm very curious to get an example FLA from you demonstrating the issue. If you make your BlitMask that big, though, I can see why it'd throw an error but I can't imagine why you'd ever want a mask that big because it'd never fit on the screen anyway. See what I mean?

[emsee 4 Likes (Newbie)]

I'm having this problem as well (with a large target, not a large blitmask). I'm trying to replicate it in a separate piece of code, but the error is difficult to replicate.

 

It looks like it's happening when the internal bitmap is segmented. I'll try to post more info soon.

[emsee 4 Likes (Newbie)]

OK, I think my problem is that I'm pushing flash beyond its limits. I've made a stupid little demo which is trying to blit some obscenely large sprites.

 

I'm not sure exactly why the BlitMask is failing though.

 

Here's my flashdevelop project: http://www.highlyinteractive.com/dump/blitTest.zip

[emsee 4 Likes (Newbie)]

OK, I'm near certain it's a memory issue.

 

At a certain point, the player just isn't able to generate any more bitmap tiles & falls over.

[GreenSock 18,237 Likes (Superhero)]

Yep, it looks like you're indeed pushing Flash past its limits. You can verify that this has nothing to do with Blitmask by trying the following code:

 

var a:Array = [];
for (var i:int = 0; i < 200; i++) {
   a[i] = new BitmapData(2880, 2880, true, 0);
}

 

It's just too many pixels for Flash to remember apparently. It will throw an error eventually about there being an invalid argument in the BitmapData constructor even though that's not true - it's just that Flash can't handle that much data.

 

I wish I had a simple solution for you.

[smakinson 0 Likes (Newbie)]

I am actually in this same situation on a project. I don't suppose you know the max dimensions before flash chokes do you? Or is it system dependent?

[GreenSock 18,237 Likes (Superhero)]

I'm not aware of a hard limit in Flash, no, but there very well could be one. Wish I could be more definitive.

[emsee 4 Likes (Newbie)]

I found it crashing when the System memory got to around 1.8GB - which I guess is the Windows limit as I don't think single processes can use more than 2GB each. Might be different on Mac.

 

Not sure what bitmap dimensions you'd need to use that much memory up