Essential Flash 4 for Web Professionals

by Kyle, Lynn

• ISBN13: 9780130143273
• ISBN10: 0130143278
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-10-01
• Publisher: PRENTICE HALL

Summary

Learn Flash 4 "in a flash" from professional Web designers who teach through real-world projects that can be viewed live on the linked Web site. The book covers the basics of drawing and modifying text; animation; interactivity with symbols and sound effects; publishing to the Web; and much more. The book's projects are linked with a live Web site where readers can see and download the same Flash effects.

Author Biography

Lynn Kyle is President and Founder of Ricochet Associates, Los Alamos, NM.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xi	(2)
Acknowledgments	xiii	(1)
About the Author	xiv
Chapter 1 The Basics	1	(40)
Introduction	2	(7)
Drawing Toolbar	2	(2)
Movie Properties	4	(1)
Work Area and Zoom	5	(1)
Drawing Simple Shapes and Text	6	(1)
Undo Levels	7	(1)
Selecting Graphics	8	(1)
Drawing and Modifying Text	9	(11)
Creating the Text Layer	10	(1)
Setting Text Properties	11	(1)
Creating Title Text	12	(2)
Creating Shadow Text	14	(2)
Linking Text	16	(3)
Moving Text	19	(1)
Drawing and Modifying Shapes	20	(14)
Creating Circles	21	(1)
Duplicating the Circle and Moving the Duplicates	22	(3)
Connecting Circles with Lines	25	(2)
Creating the Background Curve	27	(2)
Creating the Background Fill	29	(5)
Texture Fills and Transparency	34	(4)
Creating New Fill for Circles	34	(1)
Changing Fill of Circles	34	(2)
Creating and Modifying the Transparent Circle	36	(2)
Importing Graphics	38	(3)
Importing an Image	38	(1)
Changing the Photo Settings	38	(3)
Chapter 2 Animating the Page	41	(30)
Timelines and Frames	41	(7)
Creating the Link Text Symbol	42	(1)
Creating the Logo Layer	42	(2)
Adding an Additional Background Layer	44	(1)
Creating Some Layers for the Circles	44	(1)
Frames and Animation	45	(1)
Tweening and Keyframes	46	(1)
Adding Keyframes to the Shelley Biotech Page	47	(1)
Movement Tweening	48	(11)
Animating the Tan Background Curve	48	(3)
A Quick Word about Onion-Skinning	51	(1)
Animating the Link Spheres	51	(4)
Animating the Address Text	55	(2)
Animating the Text Links	57	(1)
Animating the Header Text	58	(1)
Shape Tweening	59	(5)
Creating the Beginning S Shape	59	(2)
Applying Shape Tweening to the S	61	(1)
Adding Shape Hints	62	(2)
Fading	64	(7)
Fading in the White Background	64	(1)
Fading in the Office Photo	65	(1)
Fading in the Logo Lines	66	(1)
Changing the Color of the Text Links	67	(1)
Fading in the Link Spheres	68	(1)
Changing the Color of the Address Text	69	(2)
Chapter 3 Making the Page Interactive	71	(20)
Symbols	71	(3)
Creating Symbols	72	(1)
Using the Library to Access Your Symbols	72	(1)
Editing Symbols	72	(2)
Changing Symbol Types	74	(1)
Creating Buttons	74	(5)
Changing the Link Circle Symbol's Properties	75	(1)
Changing the Instance Properties for the Link Spheres	75	(2)
Adding the Web Links to the Buttons	77	(1)
Testing the Links	78	(1)
Button Actions	79	(7)
Opening the Button Frame Action Window	79	(1)
Adding the Keyframes for Button Actions	80	(1)
Creating the Hit Frame	81	(1)
Creating the Over Frame	82	(1)
Creating the Down Frame	83	(2)
Testing the Button Actions	85	(1)
Sound Effects	86	(5)
Adding a Sound to the Library	86	(1)
Using the Macromedia Sound Library	86	(1)
Adding Sound to the Buttons	87	(1)
Testing the Sound Effect	88	(3)
Chapter 4 Publishing to the Web	91	(30)
Finishing Touches	91	(3)
Deciding What Resolution to Use	92	(1)
Deciding Which Platforms to Use	93	(1)
Deciding Which Flash Version or File Type to Use	94	(1)
Publishing	94	(13)
Choosing Format Settings	94	(2)
Choosing Flash Settings	96	(1)
Choosing HTML Settings	97	(2)
Publishing the Movie	99	(1)
Viewing the Size Report	99	(2)
Optimizing the Movie	101	(1)
Writing the HTML for the swf File	102	(1)
Creating a Non-Flash Version of the Page	103	(3)
A Few Final Web Publishing Issues	106	(1)
Preloading	107	(7)
Adding a Scene to the Current Movie	107	(1)
Modifying the Preload Scene	108	(1)
Creating the Preloading Animation	109	(2)
Adding the Action Code	111	(2)
Putting in a Stop Action	113	(1)
Detecting the Plug-In	114	(4)
Modifying the Movie for Flash Detection	115	(2)
Creating the HTML Page for This Movie	117	(1)
Web Server Settings	118	(3)
Configuring Apache	118	(1)
Configuring IIS 4.0	118	(3)
Chapter 5 Fine-Tuning Graphics	121	(26)
Reshaping	121	(8)
Getting Started	122	(1)
Drawing the Needle Graphic	123	(3)
Filling in Needle Texture	126	(1)
Tilting the Needle	127	(1)
Drawing the Thread	128	(1)
Intersections	129	(11)
Creating the Button Texture	130	(2)
Creating the Buttonholes	132	(2)
Adding the Thread Fill to the Buttonholes	134	(1)
Creating the Text	135	(3)
Coloring the Text	138	(1)
Adding the Photographic Image	139	(1)
Brush Effects	140	(7)
Creating the Shadow for the Button and Photo	140	(2)
Creating Gradient for Shadows	142	(1)
Modifying the Shadow Gradient	143	(4)
Chapter 6 Advanced Animation	147	(40)
Animating Symbols	147	(5)
Creating the Button Symbol	148	(1)
Animating the Button	149	(3)
Creating Other Symbols	152	(1)
Opening Sequence	152	(20)
Getting Started	153	(1)
Moving the Button Image	153	(3)
Fading in the Thread Image	156	(1)
Stitch Text Animation and Fading	157	(4)
Fashion Text Animation and Fading	161	(4)
Blues Text with Motion Layer	165	(3)
Needle Rotation, Fading, and Movement	168	(1)
Text Shadow Movement, Shape, and Tint	169	(2)
Photograph Fade-in	171	(1)
Background Music	172	(15)
Creating the New Movie	172	(1)
Creating the First Button	173	(1)
Creating the Second Button	174	(1)
Creating the Movie Clip	175	(1)
Inserting the Buttons in the Movie	176	(1)
Modifying the Action Layer	176	(3)
Adding the Music Layer	179	(1)
Adding the Clip to the Movie	180	(5)
Adding the Clip to the Splash Screen	185	(2)
Chapter 7 Advanced Effects	187	(44)
Animated Buttons	187	(4)
Creating the Parent Button	188	(1)
Creating the Movie Clip	189	(1)
Adding the Movie Clip to the Button Over State	190	(1)
Transitions	191	(14)
Creating a New Scene	191	(1)
Copying Frames	192	(2)
Fading Out Images	194	(1)
Moving and Resizing the Other Images	195	(3)
Adding More Motion to the Button Symbol	198	(1)
Putting in the Link Buttons	198	(4)
Adding the Articles and Photos	202	(2)
Lengthening the Thread	204	(1)
Stopping the Action at the End of the Menu Scene Animation	204	(1)
Forms	205	(7)
Creating the Form	206	(3)
Setting the Variables	209	(1)
Creating a New Scene	210	(1)
Adding the Actions	210	(2)
Interactive Activity	212	(19)
Getting Started	212	(1)
Adding the Static Elements	213	(2)
Creating a Movie Clip	215	(1)
Adding the Colored Buttons	216	(2)
Adding Some Text Labels	218	(1)
Applying the Action to the First Button	219	(2)
Applying the Action to the Second Button	221	(1)
Applying Actions to the Third and Fourth Buttons	222	(1)
Setting Actions for the First Keyframe	222	(1)
Creating the Movie Clip for the Second Keyframe	223	(1)
Applying the Action to the First Button	224	(2)
Setting Actions for the Second Keyframe	226	(1)
Adding Next and Previous Buttons	227	(3)
Final Production: Publishing	230	(1)
Appendix A Flash 4 Reference	231	(20)
Index	251