Page Flip
The dynamic page flip effect as published on Pixelwit.com in May of 2002:
I've made lots of neat Flash stuff through the years but the interest generated by the PageFlip code has persisted the longest. Though the pace has slowed significantly since its heyday, I still get at least one e-mail a week asking about the PageFlip's use. If you're curious, the original dynamic page flipping source code is available to use as you see fit, free of charge. If you'd like to know how to add more pages or why your "with action" failed, I suggest you read the PageFlip Tutorials.
Although not originally designed as such, the PageFlip file has proven to be an excellent test of one's Flash knowledge. Some of the trickier parts are:
- Finding the book.
- Finding the code.
- Modifying the code.
- Modifying pages.
- Adding pages.
- Understanding the preload structure.
I'm not sure how many people figured everything out on their own, but I can tell you that roughly a billion people contacted me with their questions. I responded to as many e-mails as I could at first but that grew tiresome since most people wouldn't bother to say "thanks" after I took the time to answer their questions. BUT it's important to note that so far about 30 people have gone out of their way to express their appreciation without asking for any favors in return, two have made donations via PayPal and one even went so far as to send me the prettiest looking loaf of pumpernickel bread never to be eaten. You can blame either my particular food preferences or her particular cooking abilities, the jury is still out on that one. Thank you KT wherever you are. 😉
The Flash page flip effect has evolved a good deal since its inception long ago. My first attempt to imitate the turning of a book's page was in March 2002 and it was ugly. Then in early May of the same year I saw the light. Tony Hogqvist of Perfect Fools had combined masking, skewing and alpha gradients to simulate a page "curl" effect so convincing many people believed the image actually curled or warped as it was flipped over. After I learned the visual tricks pioneered by the Perfect Fools page flip, I tried improving their basic concept.
Essentially I took what started out as a timeline based animation and modified it to accommodate a near infinite number of page quantities and sizes by leveraging the features which were only available in the then recently released FlashMX. The new Flash drawing API was used to generate shapes and gradients which in turn were controlled via MX's new dynamic event handlers. I also tweaked the look of the gradient and initial page angle a bit to make the curl look more natural and disposed of the the skewing aspect since it seemed overly complex and added little visually.
My efforts paid off as the code I wrote won a contest on ActionScript.org. As a result, I got a free book of my choosing and a little bit of exposure.
I'm not sure, but I'd like to think my example may have inspired Erik Natzke to make his improved version of the page flip some time later. His version used Trigonometry and inertial easing to create a more interactive and realistic dragging effect.
Some time later, possibly mid 2004, Iparigrafika released a version which added a brand new feature allowing the user to tear away pages and they reintroduced the use of transparent pages which had originally been featured in the Perfect Fools' version of the page flip effect.
I've made all sorts of modifications to the page flip transition for various clients, Hard Covers, One Click Flipping, XML Table of Contents and Odd Page Shapes to name a few. If you have an idea which could be "The Next Big Thing" contact me now to learn how I can help make it happen.
Why I gave it away: Something About Sluggy.
Technical questions: Page Flip Help.
Improved PageFlip: Implements most requested features.
Comments(120)
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tnx for the great script. it was so cute that I can’t stop playing with it, and drool… ehehe 😀
Mis saludos,quiisera saber que si con su archivo puedo mover o hacer el flip con el teclado (derecha e isquierda) o con un click solamente?
Thanks!
This is the best script ever (even a newbie like me can see that)
You Rule!!
hey thanks for the easy how-tos. for a flash beginner like me, it has made the learning process more emjoyable.
Thank you, all the way from Singapore!
=)
Thank you!… I’ve just download the file, and I’m just starting to play with it, I have tons of questions, but I’ll try not to bug you and make an effort to figure out the most by myself .. Any way, 10000 GRACIAS…. you are the best man!
Well Done !!!
Be sure that your contribution to web designers around the world won´t ever be forgotten. I want to thank you on behalf all latin american webmasters and designers for your valuable work and generosity.
Sincerely,
F.M.J.
Colombia, South America
wow!! absolutely fantastic.
would really like to use the script on my [potential] website.
good on ya mate, a job well done.
as a side comment, i need some help?
i am building a website that looks, feels and navigates like a horizontal compass, any ideas, links etc
thanks
Grant
Hi, Thank you very much for having this dynamic page flipping source code available this way! But I don’t understand why, in one hand you say “the original dynamic page flipping source code is available to use as you see fit, free of charge†and in the other hand, you’ve protected it from import!
Regards
This is really cool and i wanna try also,where can i get the code for this??
– thanks
the old book u will find at http://www.perfectfools.com/book. I must say great thx to pixelwit. Not only adding 300 hits a week to our site but also developing a better version that I ever created.
love . tony
You open a door to improvements! Be proud of yourself 😀
I’m just a beginner on flash, but among the page flip sources I’ve seen, yours is the most easiest to understand (I think). I’m trying my best to understand it well. I hope you do more great flash like this one.
Hi I just wanted to say thank you for having this dynamic page flipping source code available available like this.
Kind regards
JM
Hello Martin, as mentioned in the first paragraph of this very page, “… the original dynamic page flipping source code is available to use as you see fit, free of charge.”
If you’d like help modifying, customizing or implementing the PageFlip effect I can provide help at a reasonable rate.
I’m intrested in using your script for one of my costumer websites, do you sell it? its freeware? How much it would cost?
I think you script is perfect for what we are triying to do.
Regards.
Martin Abeliera