Streaming linked Shockwave Audio and MP3 audio files

Director streams sounds that have been compressed with Shockwave Audio as well as MP3 audio files, from either a local disk or a URL. Before you can set up a streaming Shockwave Audio cast member, create a Shockwave Audio or MP3 file.

Create external Shockwave Audio files

Do one of the following:

  • (Windows) Select Xtras > Convert WAV to SWA, and select the WAV files to convert.

  • (Mac) Use the Peak LE 2 software to export Shockwave Audio sounds.

    For both methods, the audio settings are similar to those for using Shockwave Audio to compress internal sounds. For more information, see Compressing internal sounds with Shockwave Audio.

    Note: Converting WAV to SWA does not compress IMA-compressed sounds.

Stream a linked Shockwave Audio or MP3 sound

  1. Select Insert > Media Element > Shockwave Audio.

    This process creates a cast member that controls the streaming Shockwave Audio.

  2. In the SWA Cast Member Properties dialog box that appears, click Browse and select a Shockwave Audio file on a local disk, or enter a URL in the Link Address text box.

    Unless you select a file in the same folder as the movie, the movie always links to the exact location that you specify.

  3. Set the remaining cast member properties in the Property inspector:

    • To set the volume of the sound, use the Volume slider in the SWA tab in the Property inspector.

    • To select the sound channel for the sound, select a number from the Channel menu in the SWA tab. To avoid potential conflicts, select Any, which causes the sound to play in the highest-numbered available sound channel.

    • To specify the size of the stream buffer, use the Preload option in the SWA tab. Director attempts to load enough sound data to play for the specified time in seconds. This prevents gaps in sounds that play over slow or interruption-prone Internet connections.

  4. Drag the Shockwave Audio cast member to a sprite channel (not to one of the sound channels) to create a sprite. Extend the sprite through all frames in which the sound should play, or use the tempo channel to make the movie wait for the end of the sound. For more information, see Synchronizing media.

    You can’t place streaming audio cast members in the sound channels. The sound streams from the source location when the movie plays.