IE bug (downloading the same image over and over)

[OBAFGKM_RNS]

I have a javascript timer on my page that counts to 10. Every half
second it alternates images on my buttons from a lighter image to a
darker image, giving the appearance of the buttons blinking. The
problem is, when my Internet Explorer options are set to Check for
newer versions of the page: Every visit to the page, IE will download
those same 2 images every single time from the server. That's 20
downloads in 10 seconds for 2 images. This:

1. Creates a lag time
2. Shows the plain button in between switching from one image to
the other
3. Changes my cursor from the arrow to the hour glass back and
forth 20 times in 10 seconds
4. Constantly displays images being downloaded on the taskbar

Maybe I'm asking for too much but, I would think that since the page
itself is not being reloaded, that IE could use THE SAME 2 IMAGES.
Microsoft mentions this "feature" and offers a fix that... SURPRISE,
doesnt work. Firefox displays the images on the buttons flawlessly.

Are there any javascript solutions to alternating images back and
forth using some sort of timer, that will NOT cause this Internet
Explorer bug... i mean... feature? Preloading doesn't seem to work.

Thanks.

 

[Marc]

I have a javascript timer on my page that counts to 10. Every half
second it alternates images on my buttons from a lighter image to a
darker image, giving the appearance of the buttons blinking. The
problem is, when my Internet Explorer options are set to Check for
newer versions of the page: Every visit to the page, IE will download
those same 2 images every single time from the server. That's 20
downloads in 10 seconds for 2 images. This:

1. Creates a lag time
2. Shows the plain button in between switching from one image to
the other
3. Changes my cursor from the arrow to the hour glass back and
forth 20 times in 10 seconds
4. Constantly displays images being downloaded on the taskbar

Maybe I'm asking for too much but, I would think that since the page
itself is not being reloaded, that IE could use THE SAME 2 IMAGES.
Microsoft mentions this "feature" and offers a fix that... SURPRISE,
doesnt work. Firefox displays the images on the buttons flawlessly.

Are there any javascript solutions to alternating images back and
forth using some sort of timer, that will NOT cause this Internet
Explorer bug... i mean... feature? Preloading doesn't seem to work.

Thanks.

How about using sprites:
http://alistapart.com/d/sprites/ala-buttons1.html

article: http://alistapart.com/articles/sprites












you could go nuts with it:
http://slotmachine.braincast.nl/

 

[OBAFGKM_RNS]

Thanks for the reply Marc. That slot machine seems to work flawlessly
even with IE set to "every visit to the page". Now if i could only
figure out how he did it!

 

[Marc]

<cut><paste><cut... ehrmm.. where was I?>

Thanks for the reply Marc. That slot machine seems to work flawlessly
even with IE set to "every visit to the page". Now if i could only
figure out how he did it!

You could use Firefox and install firebug and check out the code...

Be careful though... 'he' did a lot of animation with animated gifs... but
the buttons work with sprites, check for instance the play button:
http://slotmachine.braincast.nl/images/play.gif

'he' used css clip for the the sprites but that seems a bit old fashioned
now a days... you'd better check the article:
http://alistapart.com/articles/sprites

 

[OBAFGKM_RNS]

I'll see if i can figure out how it was done. Thanks again for
pointing me in the right direction.

 

[OBAFGKM_RNS]

hmmm... nothing works. I think that slot machine maybe is reloading
images so small that they are not even noticed. My guess is that
Internet Explorer just doesnt handle images corectly and nothing can
be done until microsoft decides to fix it.