Macromedia Flash 8 for Windows and Macintosh

An improved script editor (with a visual interface), a revamped library interface, a new Undo feature, powerful run-time effects, breakthrough motion-graphics capabilities-these are just a few of the reasons Web designers are raving about the newest version of their favorite Web tool, Macromedia Flash 8. Whether yours"re a beginning user looking for a good introduction to the topic or a veteran user seeking a convenient update reference, yours"ll find what you need in this task-based guide. Using simple step-by-step instructions, straightforward language, loads of screen shots, and a plethora of readily accessible examples, author Katherine Ulrich shows you how to create engaging interactive content for the Web with Flash Basic 8 and Flash Professional 8. From basic vector graphics to animation with motion tweening and beyond, this inexpensive, easy-to-use guide promises to get you up to speed fast on the most important application in your design toolbox-Macromedia Flash 8.

Katherine Ulrich is a writer and editor specializing in graphics, publishing, and multimedia software. Her career includes a 12-year stint at Macworld magazine. Katherine wrote the previous best-selling editions, including Macromedia Flash MX 2004 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickStart Guide (Peachpit Press/Macromedia Press).

Introduction

xi

About Flash

xii

What Makes Flash a Special Web-Design Tool?

xiii

Flash 8: What's New?

xiv

How to Use This Book

xix

The Flash Authoring Tool

1

(38)

Working with Flash Documents

2

(5)

Working with Template Documents

7

(3)

Touring the Flash Authoring Environment

10

(1)

About the Timeline

11

(2)

About Document Properties

13

(6)

Using Rulers, Grids, and Guides

19

(3)

Working with Snapping

22

(4)

Viewing at Various Magnifications

26

(2)

About Panels

28

(3)

Working with Grouped Panels

31

(5)

About the Property Inspector

36

(3)

Creating Simple Graphics

39

(40)

Touring the Tools

40

(2)

Creating Solid Colors and Gradients

42

(7)

Working with Color Swatches

49

(1)

Creating Color Sets

50

(3)

Setting Fill Attributes

53

(2)

Setting Stroke Attributes

55

(3)

Making Geometric Shapes

58

(5)

Creating Freeform Shapes

63

(11)

Adding Strokes and Fills

74

(5)

Working with Text

79

(14)

Using the Text Tool

80

(2)

Setting Text Attributes

82

(7)

Setting Paragraph Attributes

89

(4)

Modifying Simple Graphics

93

(50)

Setting Selection Preferences

94

(1)

Making Selections

95

(7)

Using the Clipboard

102

(2)

Resizing Graphic Elements

104

(4)

Positioning Graphic Elements

108

(3)

Flipping, Rotating, and Skewing

111

(4)

Distorting Graphic Elements

115

(4)

Modifying Fills and Strokes

119

(9)

Modifying Shapes: Selection Tool

128

(5)

Modifying Shapes: Subselection Tool

133

(7)

Converting Shape Types

140

(3)

Complex Graphics on a Single Layer

143

(26)

Working with Groups

146

(2)

Working with Grouped Elements

148

(2)

Editing Groups

150

(3)

Controlling Stacking Order

153

(2)

Aligning Elements

155

(2)

Combining Drawing-Objects

157

(3)

Using Gradients in Multipart Shapes

160

(9)

Graphics on Multiple Layers

169

(30)

Touring the Timeline's Layer Features

170

(1)

Creating and Deleting Layers and Folders

171

(3)

Controlling Layers and Folders

174

(4)

Setting Layer Properties via the Timeline

178

(4)

Controlling Layer Visibility in the Timeline

182

(1)

Controlling the Stacking Order of Layers

183

(1)

Organizing Layers in Folders

184

(2)

Working with Graphics on Different Layers

186

(2)

Cutting and Pasting Between Layers

188

(3)

Distributing Graphic Elements to Layers

191

(1)

Working with Guide Layers

192

(2)

Working with Mask Layers

194

(5)

Working with Symbols

199

(34)

Understanding the Library Panel

200

(5)

Understanding Library Hierarchy

205

(3)

Converting Graphics to Symbols

208

(4)

Creating New Symbols from Scratch

212

(3)

Using Symbol Instances

215

(1)

Modifying Symbol Instances

216

(4)

Swapping One Symbol Instance for Another

220

(2)

Editing Master Symbols

222

(2)

Duplicating Master Symbols

224

(1)

Deleting Master Symbols

225

(2)

Converting Symbol Instances to Graphics

227

(1)

Copying Symbols Between Movies

228

(5)

Frame-by-Frame Animations

233

(38)

Using the Timeline

234

(3)

Creating Keyframes

237

(5)

Creating In-Between Frames

242

(2)

Selecting Frames

244

(3)

Manipulating Frames in One Layer

247

(5)

Removing Frames

252

(4)

Making a Simple Frame-by-Frame Animation

256

(3)

Previewing the Action

259

(2)

Smoothing the Animation by Adding Keyframes

261

(2)

Using Onion Skinning

263

(3)

Editing Multiple Frames

266

(2)

Setting the Frame Rate

268

(1)

Varying the Speed of Animations

269

(2)

Animation with Motion Tweening

271

(30)

Creating a Bouncing Ball with Motion Tweening

272

(4)

Adding Keyframes to Motion Tweens

276

(1)

Animating Color Effects

277

(1)

Animating Graphics That Change Size

278

(2)

Rotating and Spinning Graphics

280

(3)

Moving Graphics in Straight Lines

283

(3)

Moving Graphics Along a Path

286

(4)

Orienting Graphics to a Motion Path

290

(2)

Changing Tween Speed

292

(6)

Getting Help with Motion Tweens

298

(3)

Animation with Shape Tweening

301

(18)

Creating a Bouncing Ball with Shape Tweening

302

(5)

Morphing Simple Lines and Fills

307

(3)

Shape-Tweening Multiple Shapes

310

(2)

Transforming a Simple Shape into a Complex Shape

312

(4)

Creating Shapes That Move as They Change

316

(3)

More-Complex Animation Tasks

319

(44)

Understanding Scenes

320

(3)

Manipulating Frames in Multiple Layers

323

(3)

Animating Multiple Motion Tweens

326

(6)

Animating Shape Tweens in Multiple-Shape Graphics

332

(2)

Reversing Frames

334

(2)

Combining Tweening with Frame-by-Frame Techniques

336

(2)

Saving Animations As Graphic Symbols

338

(4)

Using Animated Graphic Symbols

342

(6)

Saving Animations as Movie-Clip Symbols

348

(4)

Using Movie-Clip Symbols

352

(3)

Using Animated Masks

355

(8)

Building Buttons for Interactivity

363

(26)

Creating a Basic Button Symbol

365

(5)

Creating Shape-Changing Button Symbols

370

(3)

Creating Fully Animated Button Symbols

373

(2)

Creating Invisible Button Symbols

375

(2)

Using Button Components

377

(3)

Modifying Button Components

380

(4)

Creating Movie-Clip Buttons

384

(5)

Basic Interactivity

389

(66)

Touring the Actions Panel

390

(3)

Customizing the Actions Panel

393

(3)

Organizing Frame Actions

396

(1)

Adding Frame Actions

397

(6)

Adding Actions to Buttons

403

(8)

Previewing Actions at Work

411

(2)

Changing Events

413

(5)

Triggering Actions from the Keyboard

418

(2)

Triggering Multiple Actions with One Event

420

(5)

Using Multiple Handlers for One Button

425

(3)

Editing Scripts

428

(3)

Adding Actions to Movie Clips

431

(2)

Adding Actions to Movie-Clip Buttons

433

(5)

Making Frame Actions Control Objects

438

(8)

Using Buttons to Control Movie Clips

446

(2)

Linking to Other Web Pages

448

(3)

Using the Script Navigator

451

(4)

Using Non-Flash Graphics

455

(16)

Importing Non-Flash Graphics

456

(8)

Turning Bitmaps into Vector Graphics

464

(3)

Using Bitmaps as Fills

467

(4)

Adding Sound

471

(34)

Importing Sounds

472

(2)

Adding Sounds to Frames

474

(5)

Adding Sounds to Buttons

479

(2)

Using Event Sounds

481

(4)

Using Start Sounds

485

(1)

Using Stream Sounds

486

(3)

Stopping Sounds

489

(2)

Using Behaviors to Control Sounds

491

(7)

Repeating Sounds

498

(2)

Editing Sounds

500

(5)

Delivering Movies to Your Audience

505

(48)

Preparing Your Movie for Optimal Playback

506

(5)

Publishing

511

(4)

Working with Flash Player Settings

515

(10)

Publishing HTML for Flash Player Files

525

(9)

Using Alternate Image Formats

534

(5)

Using Version Detection

539

(2)

Creating Projectors

541

(1)

Creating Publishing Profiles

542

(4)

Exporting Flash to Other Formats

546

(2)

Printing from Flash

548

(2)

Printing from Flash Player

550

(3)

Index

553

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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Macromedia Flash 8 for Windows and Macintosh Visual QuickStart Guide

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials