MACROMEDIA DIRECTOR MX 2004-USING DIRECTOR, Use Manual, Page: 38 / 500

38 Chapter 2: Score, Stage, and Cast
Changing Cast properties
You use the Property inspector to change the name of a Cast and to define how its cast members
are loaded into memory.
To change Cast window properties:
1
With the Cast window as the active window, open the Property inspector and click the Cast tab.
2
To change the name of the current cast, enter the new name in the Name text box.
3
Select one of the following Preload options to define how cast members are loaded into memory
when the movie runs:
When Needed loads each cast member into memory when it is required by the movie. This
setting can slow down the movie while it plays, but it makes the movie begin playing sooner.
This setting is the best choice when controlling cast members loading with Lingo or JavaScript
syntax.
After Frame One loads all cast members (except those required for frame 1) when the movie
exits frame 1. This setting can ensure that the first frame appears as quickly as possible, and it
might be the best choice if the first frame of the movie is designed to remain onscreen for a
number of seconds.
Before Frame One
loads all cast members before the movie plays frame 1. This setting makes
the movie take longer to start playing, but it provides the best playback performance if there is
enough memory to hold all cast members.