Issue concerning estimatedBytes

[lucgeme 0 Likes (Newbie)]

I am trying to upload some graphic assets using XMLLoader and have noticed an unusual behavior concerning the estimatedBytes property.  The XML file  xml/assets2.xml does contain the estimatedBytes declared for all the xml childs and xml/assets.xml does not.
 

Everything works fine if estimatedBytes is explicit declared, but if I omit it, the preloader bar jumps ahead. Shouldn't work just fine for both cases? Am I doing something wrong?

I have uploaded the files so you can take a look.

Desktop.zip

 

Edit: I am testing with Flash CS6(simulate download)

[GreenSock 18,275 Likes (Superhero)]

That sounds like expected behavior to me. Check out the explanation in tip #8 and #9 here: http://www.greensock.com/loadermax-tips/#8

 

There's no way for it to know how big the files are before starting to load them - that's why estimatedBytes is key. But you could also use rawProgress if you don't mind some acceleration/deceleration of the progress bar. 

[lucgeme 0 Likes (Newbie)]

Firstly, do you know where can I download the interactive demo from http://www.greensock.com/loadermax-tips/#8? It's not present in the source files at: http://www.greensock.com/as/LoaderMax/Meet_LoaderMax.zip.

 

Secondly, I have 3 loaders (ImageLoader, SWFLoader, MP3Loader) defined in an XML file that loads assets automatically. Although the estimatedBytes is very accurate the progress goes very fast to about 90% then smoothly reaches 100% without jumping forward or backward. Whether I use progress or rawProgress properties to track the loading progress, the outcome is the same. How can I get a smooth progress bar from begginning till end?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<data>
	<LoaderMax name="bookPages" maxConnections="1" load="true" prependURLs="pages/">
		<SWFLoader name="cover_front_out" url="cover_front_out.swf" estimatedBytes="242700" />
		<SWFLoader name="cover_front_in" url="cover_front_in.swf" estimatedBytes="15000" />
                ...
	</LoaderMax>
	<LoaderMax name="tracks" maxConnections="1" load="true" prependURLs="mp3/" >
		<MP3Loader name="BustedChump" url="BustedChump.mp3" autoPlay="false" estimatedBytes="1376000" /> 
		<MP3Loader name="ChuckedKnuckles" url="ChuckedKnuckles.mp3" autoPlay="false" estimatedBytes="1800000" />
		...
	</LoaderMax>
	<LoaderMax name="logos" maxConnections="1" load="false" prependURLs="images/" >
		<SWFLoader name="uoradea" url="logo.swf" autoPlay="false" estimatedBytes="6330" />
	</LoaderMax>
	<LoaderMax name="backgrounds" maxConnections="1" load="true" prependURLs="images/">
		<ImageLoader name="a2.jpg"   url="a2.jpg" type="pattern" estimatedBytes="3000" />
		<ImageLoader name="bg.png"   url="bg.png" type="center" estimatedBytes="15000" />
                ...
	</LoaderMax>
</data>

LoaderMax.activate([ImageLoader, SWFLoader, MP3Loader]);
var queue:LoaderMax = new LoaderMax({name: "mainQueue",
				maxConnections: 1,
				auditSize:false,
				autoDispose:true,
				onProgress:progressHandler,
				onComplete: completeHandler,
				onChildComplete:childCompleteHandler,
				onError: errorHandler});
queue.append(new XMLLoader("xml/assets.xml", {name:"graphics", estimatedBytes:8476021}));
queue.load();
...

[Carl 11,109 Likes (Superhero)]

Are you only using Flash's built-in bandwidth profiler or are you actually testing on a live, remote server? Flash's "simulate download" feature is not terribly accurate all the time. 

 

It would be helpful if we could rule out the simulate download feature being the issue.

[lucgeme 0 Likes (Newbie)]

Yeah, it appears that Flash's bandwidth profiler is causing this jumping forward or backward behavior. Do you know other tools for testing the  bandwith speed beside sloppy?