How to Do Everything with Macromedia Flash MX 2004

by Blake, Bonnie

• ISBN13: 9780072229691
• ISBN10: 0072229691
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-21
• Publisher: MCG

Summary

Bring your graphics to life with this vibrant resource that offers easy-to-find answers for beginners to intermediate users. Regardless of your programming knowledge you’ll discover how to create fully interactive and fast loading Web elements such as buttons, menu, animations, and backgrounds. Then, when you feel ready, move into ActionScript programming for some full-throttle creativity.

Author Biography

Bonnie Blake, MFA (Oakland, NJ), is an award-winning designer who specializes in Web design and multimedia, and has been an avid Flash user since its first release.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction	xv
PART I Learn the Building Blocks of Flash
Make a Flash Movie	3	(10)
Make a Movie	4	(8)
Get Set Up	5	(1)
Input Text	6	(2)
Animate Text	8	(3)
Test Your Movie	11	(1)
Conclusion	12	(1)
Get to Know the Flash Workspace	13	(28)
Create a Document	14	(6)
Navigate the Start Page	14	(2)
Use Templates to Design Your Document	16	(2)
Save a Flash Document	18	(1)
Choose Movie Properties	19	(1)
Grasp the Stage Concept	20	(7)
View Elements on the Stage	21	(2)
Use the Grid	23	(1)
Use Rulers	24	(1)
Use Guides	25	(2)
Snap Elements on the Stage	27	(1)
Control the Way Your Movie Looks	27	(3)
Work with the Timeline	28	(2)
Understand the Tools Panel	30	(1)
Dissect the Properties Inspector	31	(1)
Use Panels	31	(3)
Dock Panels	32	(1)
Open and Close Panels	33	(1)
Explore the Library	34	(1)
Get Help in Flash	35	(1)
Use the Scene Panel	36	(1)
Set the Preferences	36	(1)
Conclusion	37	(4)
PART II Add Graphic Elements to Your Flash Movies
Make Simple Graphics	41	(22)
Locate the Right Tool in the Toolbar	42	(1)
Create Objects for Your Movies	43	(1)
Create Basic Shapes	44	(2)
Create Shapes with the Oval, Rectangle, and Polystar Tools	44	(2)
Draw Lines, Brushstrokes, and Curves	46	(10)
Draw with the Line Tool	47	(1)
Freeform Draw with the Pencil Tool	47	(2)
Draw with the Pen Tool	49	(5)
Paint with the Brush Tool	54	(2)
Select Graphic Elements	56	(3)
Select an Object's Fill	56	(1)
Select an Object's Stroke	57	(1)
Reshape Objects with the Selection Tool	57	(1)
Create a Selection of Objects	58	(1)
Sample Fill and Stroke Colors	59	(3)
Use the Ink Bottle Tool	59	(1)
Use the Paint Bucket Tool	59	(1)
Use the Eyedropper Tool	60	(1)
Use the Eraser Tool	61	(1)
Conclusion	62	(1)
Design with Text	63	(26)
Create Basic Text	64	(2)
Manipulate a Fixed-Width Text Block	65	(1)
Control the Look of Text	66	(8)
Set the Text Attributes in the Properties Inspector	67	(7)
Set Text Attributes in the Menu	74	(1)
Check the Spelling of Text	74	(3)
Customize the Spelling Setup	74	(2)
Use the Spell Check Feature	76	(1)
Understand Input and Dynamic Text Fields	77	(10)
Create Input and Dynamic Text Fields	78	(9)
Conclusion	87	(2)
Manipulate Graphics and Text	89	(36)
Control Graphics in Flash	90	(7)
Understand Editable Objects	90	(1)
Group Shapes in Flash	91	(3)
Break Apart Graphics and Text	94	(2)
Change the Stacking Order of Objects	96	(1)
Transform Graphics and Text	97	(9)
Change Objects with the Free Transform Tool	97	(3)
Create a Drop Shadow Effect with Depth	100	(4)
Use the Transform Panel to Transform Objects	104	(1)
Use the Properties Inspector to Transform the Size of an Object	104	(1)
Transform Objects from the Menu	105	(1)
Arrange Objects on the Stage	106	(2)
Keep Track of Objects	108	(6)
Use the Info Panel	108	(1)
Get Movie Information from the Movie Explorer	109	(2)
Track Your Steps with the History Panel	111	(3)
Apply Color to Graphics and Text	114	(10)
Use the Color Swatches Panel to Select Color	114	(2)
Use the Color Mixer Panel to Set Color	116	(5)
Modify Gradients with the Fill Transform and Lock Fill Tools	121	(3)
Modify Fills with the Shape Menu	124	(1)
Conclusion	124	(1)
Add Images to Your Flash Movies	125	(24)
Understand Vector Graphics	126	(1)
Understand Bitmap Images	126	(2)
Import Graphics into Your Flash Movie	128	(10)
Import from Fireworks	130	(1)
Import from FreeHand	131	(1)
Import from Illustrator	132	(1)
Import from Other File Formats	133	(5)
Use Bitmapped Images in Flash	138	(10)
Set or Modify the Properties of a Bitmap	140	(1)
Swap One Bitmap Image with Another	141	(2)
Edit Bitmaps	143	(5)
Conclusion	148	(1)
Work with Video and Sound	149	(30)
Import Video into Flash	151	(18)
Import Embedded Video with the Video Import Wizard	152	(10)
Import Linked Video into Flash	162	(4)
Modify Video Clips in Flash	166	(3)
Import and Assign Sounds	169	(9)
Import a Sound File	169	(2)
Assign Sounds to Your Flash Movies	171	(1)
Add a Sound to the Timeline	171	(1)
Modify Sound	172	(4)
Compress a Sound	176	(2)
Conclusion	178	(1)
Create and Store Symbols in the Library	179	(24)
Create Symbols	181	(6)
Convert a Graphic Element into a Symbol	181	(1)
Create a New Symbol	182	(5)
Edit a Symbol	187	(1)
Nest a Symbol Within a Symbol	188	(1)
Work with Instances on the Flash Stage	188	(6)
Use the Free Transform Tool to Transform an Instance	190	(2)
Use the Properties Inspector to Modify an Instance	192	(1)
Change the Behavior of an Instance	193	(1)
Swap Instances	194	(1)
Navigate the Library Window	195	(5)
Conclusion	200	(3)
PART III Put Your Flash Movie in Motion
Learn the Basics of Flash Animation	203	(18)
Create Multiple Layers in the Timeline	205	(1)
Insert Frames to Animate	206	(10)
Add Keyframes to the Timeline	207	(4)
Make a Frame-by-Frame Animation	211	(5)
Set Onion Skins	216	(3)
Conclusion	219	(2)
Streamline Animation Using Timeline Effects	221	(18)
Understand Timeline Effects	222	(2)
Add Timeline Effects	224	(13)
Use Timeline Effects from the Assistants Group	225	(3)
Use Effects from the Effects Group	228	(6)
Use Effects from the Transform/Transition Group	234	(3)
Preview and Modify Timeline Effects	237	(1)
Edit an Effect	237	(1)
Remove an Effect	238	(1)
Conclusion	238	(1)
Incorporate Motion Tweening into Your Design	239	(26)
Understand Motion Versus Shape Tweening	240	(1)
Make a Simple Motion Tween	241	(2)
Add Frames to a Motion Tween	243	(1)
Enhance a Motion Tween with Multiple Keyframes	243	(1)
Scale, Rotate, Skew, and Change Color with a Motion Tween	244	(2)
Change the Color of a Tweened Symbol	245	(1)
Create a Motion Tween with Graphic Symbols on Multiple Layers	246	(3)
Deconstruct a Multilayer Movie That Uses Motion Tweens	247	(2)
Control Frames and Frame Sequences in a Motion Tween	249	(4)
Copy and Paste Frames	249	(1)
Reverse a Frame Sequence	250	(3)
Animate Objects with Properties Inspector Effects	253	(4)
Use the Properties Inspector to Rotate a Graphic	255	(2)
Use the Properties Inspector to Ease In and Out	257	(1)
Animate on a Guided Path	257	(4)
Create a Motion Guide	258	(3)
Use a Mask Layer with a Motion Tween: A Tutorial	261	(3)
Conclusion	264	(1)
Use Shape Tweening to Animate	265	(20)
Create a Shape Tween	266	(4)
Transform an Object's Shape	270	(1)
Distinguish Between a Shape Tween and a Motion Tween on a Multilayer Movie	270	(2)
Deconstruct a Multilayer Shape Tween	272	(3)
Morph Between Objects	275	(5)
Deconstruct a Movie that Uses a Morph Effect	275	(3)
Apply Shape Hints to Your Morph	278	(2)
Set Shape Tween Properties	280	(1)
Organize Your Timeline	281	(2)
Conclusion	283	(2)
Grasp the Concept Behind Buttons and Movie Clips	285	(20)
Explore the Power of Buttons and Movie Clips	286	(1)
Create a Single-State Button	287	(1)
Make an Invisible Button	288	(1)
Create Complex Multi-State Buttons	288	(5)
Use Different Graphics on Each Button Frame	288	(2)
Add Sound to a Button	290	(1)
Add Simple Effects to a Button	291	(2)
Understand Movie Clips in Flash	293	(9)
Plan Your Movie Clip	295	(1)
Examine the Main Timeline Versus the Movie Clip Timeline	296	(1)
Create an Animated Movie Clip	297	(3)
Make an Animated Button from a Movie Clip	300	(2)
Conclusion	302	(3)
PART IV Lay the Groundwork for Flash Interactivity
Use Behaviors to Create Interactive Movies	305	(18)
Understand Behaviors and How They Work	306	(1)
Understand Events	306	(1)
Add Behaviors to a Movie	307	(5)
Assing a Behavior to an Object	307	(1)
Choose a Behavior Event	308	(1)
Apply a Behavior to a Keyframe	308	(1)
Arrange the Order of Behaviors	309	(1)
Delete a Behavior	310	(1)
Communicate with Symbol Instances	311	(1)
Use Embedded Video Behaviors	312	(1)
Use Movie Clip Behaviors	313	(4)
Create a Target Movie Clip	314	(1)
Load a Graphic or Movie into a Target Movie Clip	315	(1)
Create a Drag-and- Drop Movie Clip	316	(1)
Control Sounds with Behaviors	317	(1)
Add Linkage to Library Items	318	(2)
Load a Library Sound	318	(2)
Use Behaviors to Navigate	320	(2)
Go to a Frame	320	(1)
Go to a URL	321	(1)
Conclusion	322	(1)
Use ActionScript to Create Simple Interactivity	323	(18)
Learn about Interactivity and ActionScript	325	(7)
Understand the Basics of Object-Oriented Programming	325	(2)
Use the Actions Panel	327	(5)
Add ActionScript to Your Movies	332	(8)
Assign an Action to a Keyframe	332	(1)
Assign an Action to a Button	333	(2)
Keep Track of Things: Variables and Operators	335	(5)
Conclusion	340	(1)
Add Advanced Interactivity with ActionScript	341	(26)
Navigate the Timeline with ActionScript	342	(4)
Learn about Targets	342	(2)
Use Timeline Control Actions	344	(1)
Navigate to the Next or Previous Frame	345	(1)
Stop or Play a Movie	346	(1)
Load External Media	346	(2)
Understand Movie Levels	346	(1)
Use the loadMovieNum Action	346	(1)
Use the unloadMovieNum Action	347	(1)
Modify Movie Clip Properties	348	(6)
Scale a Movie Clip	350	(1)
Move a Movie Clip	351	(1)
Rotate a Movie Clip	352	(1)
Modify Movie Clip Opacity	352	(1)
Modify a Movie Clip Incrementally	353	(1)
Apply ActionScript to a Movie Clip	354	(3)
Deconstruct a Movie Clip That Displays the Time	357	(4)
Use ActionScript to Display the Time of Day	357	(1)
Use Methods of the Date Object	358	(1)
Add Conditional Statements	359	(1)
Display the Time	360	(1)
Use the Trace Action	361	(2)
Conclusion	363	(4)
PART V Embellish and Publish Your Flash Movies
Use Flash Components	367	(12)
Understand Components	368	(3)
Use the Components Panel	369	(1)
Use the Component Inspector	370	(1)
Learn about Live Preview	370	(1)
Use the TextArea Component	371	(1)
Use the ScrollPane Component	372	(4)
Use the Window Component	376	(2)
Where To Go from Here	378	(1)
Conclusion	378	(1)
Test and Publish Your Flash Movies	379	(30)
Optimize Your Movie	380	(1)
Test Your Movie	381	(7)
Examine Movies with the Bandwidth Profiler	382	(4)
Build a Preloader	386	(1)
Test the Movie in a Browser	387	(1)
Preview Your Movie in Different File Formats	388	(1)
Debug a Movie	388	(5)
Set Breakpoints	390	(2)
Use the Features in the Output Window	392	(1)
Export Your Flash Movie	393	(15)
Export a Single Frame	393	(1)
Export Your Movie	393	(1)
Specify Publish Settings	394	(14)
Conclusion	408	(1)
APPENDIX Flash Resource Guide	409	(10)
Training/Tutorial/Technical Sources	410	(2)
Flash Animation	412	(1)
Audio	412	(2)
Audio-Editing Applications	413	(1)
Tips and Techniques	414	(1)
Source Code	414	(1)
Gaming Sites	415	(1)
Cartooning Applications	416	(1)
Noteworthy Flash Movies	416	(1)
Flash Interface Design	417	(1)
Flash 3-D	417	(1)
Miscellaneous Resources	417	(1)
Flash Blogs	418	(1)
Index	419