Comparing Results of GIF versus Flash

For the purpose of comparing GIF export to Flash export, I prepared a COOL 3D animation of a lens flare emerging from behind a planet. The Flash format produced impressive results, in terms of both color reproduction and file size.

GIF- Size: 100 K	Flash - Size: 95 K
Click here to see the image	Click here to see the image

The most noticeable difference in the two files occurs when the lens flare reaches its brightest point. By the time the GIF animation comes to this frame, it has run out of colors. Instead of displaying the lens flare as a smooth gradient, the GIF file displays a loss of color and significant color banding.

GIF	Flash

The relatively solid color of the background in the above images helps to keep the color loss under control. In the next example, we'll look at an even more clear example of how well Flash handles color.

GIF - Size: 204 K	Flash - Size: 115 K
Click here to see the image	Click here to see the image

Flash export really can provide Web designers with the best of both worlds: Better color reproduction and smaller file sizes.

Some Flash Tips

Speed: To control the speed of your Flash animation, use the "fps" (Frames Per Second) setting on the COOL 3D Animation toolbar. Increasing frames per second creates a shorter animation, while decreasing frames per second creates a longer animation.

HTML: You may use the following code for placing Flash files in Web pages. Only the bold face items need to be adjusted for the individual Flash file you're inserting, everything else may be copied as is and pasted into your HTML code.

<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=4,0,2,0"
width="320" height="240">
<param name=movie value="myfile.swf">
<param name=quality value=high>

This "object" tag defines the Flash file for Microsoft Internet Explorer users. It also identifies the location where the browser can automatically download the Flash plug in if it's needed. The "width" and "height" attributes should reflect the exact width and height of your Flash image, and the "value" attribute must contain the Flash file's name.

<embed src="myfile.swf" quality=high pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="320" height="240">

The Embed tag defines the Flash file for Netscape Navigator users. As with the Object tag, it also identifies the location where the browser can automatically download a Flash plug in if one is needed. The Flash file's name is placed in the "src=" attribute, just as it is with an image file.

</embed>
</object>

Both tags are then closed. At first glance, the process my seem more complicated than using the "IMG" tag that's used to define GIF files. But, after taking a closer look, you'll see that the tags are really quite similar: The only thing that really needs to be changed from image to image are the "width", "height", and "value" (or "src") tags.

By Anthony L. Celeste