As explained in the introduction, all the data and images that ThumbGrid loads come from the SlideShowPro Player (which in-turn requests it from SlideShowPro Director, a Media RSS file, or your own XML). Since most users use Director for their content, we'll use it here to explain how content loading works. If you need instructions for loading your own content (not from Director), see these instructions. If you haven't already installed ThumbGrid, we recommend doing so now following these instructions.
With Flash open, create a new FLA (File > New) and choose ActionScript 3 as the language. Then open the Components panel (Window > Components), look for ThumbGrid in the list, click, and drag it to the stage. If you don't already have the SlideShowPro player in the movie, drag it to the stage as well. Position / resize the components however you like.
The key to ThumbGrid's ability to communicate with the SlideShowPro player is through its instance name. Click on the SlideShowPro Player component instance on the stage, then open the Properties panel (Window > Properties). In the "Instance name" field, type in "my_ssp" (without quotes). This is the name ThumbGrid looks for by default. When assigned, ThumbGrid will know where the SlideShowPro Player is in the movie and will now be able to communicate with it.
Let's go ahead and assign some content to play with. Launch your web browser and navigate to your installation of SlideShowPro Director. Sign in, then click on the "Albums" tab in the top navigation. Click the "Copy" button in the table next to the album you want to load.
Return to Flash, click on the SlideShowPro Player component instance to select it, then open the Properties panel (Window > Properties) in Flash CS5, or the Component Inspector panel (Window > Component Inspector) in Flash CS3/CS4. At the top will be a field labeled XML File Path (click here to see it). Delete the default value ("images.xml") and paste the clipboard into that field. Underneath that, switch XML File Type to "Director".
With that done, publish a movie! You should now see content loading in both the SlideShowPro Player and ThumbGrid. Click on thumbnails in ThumbGrid, and the corresponding images should load in the SlideShowPro Player.
Skip this if you want to, but since we're warmed up, what about a gallery of albums? Go back to SlideShowPro Director in your browser and click on the "Galleries" tab at the top. Click the "Copy" button next to any gallery.
Return to Flash, and replace the SlideShowPro Player component's XML File Path with your clipboard. Next, click on ThumbGrid on the stage to select it, then open Properties (CS5) or the Component Inspector (CS3/CS4). Look for LAYOUT/Startup Screen (click here to see it). Change the value to "Gallery".
Publish a movie, and presto! ThumbGrid should now display previews of all the albums in the gallery, which when clicked reveal the content they contain.
That concludes this walkthrough of loading content in ThumbGrid. Now that you have a handle on loading content, you're probably ready to change ThumbGrid's size and style. Let's start doing so by covering ThumbGrid sizing.
