MICROMEDIA FLASH MX

Introduction

What is Flash?

Flash is uniquely community driven animation software with its application in web designing and multimedia.  It has a more productive interface, a revised animation timeline, and new Action Scripting language.

Flash Work Environment

The flash work environment mainly consists of Toolbox, menu bar, stage, timeline, panels, symbols and library.

Menu
The Menu contains controls for common functions such as opening and saving files, as well as specific functions, such as copying and pasting, calling up specific windows or panels, and controlling the Flash environment. 

Stage- A place where the objects are created, animations are made, imported images are inserted along with buttons and graphics and movie clips.

                     

Timeline- A place where different layers are created and animations are coordinated through frames.

Toolbox- The Toolbox contains drawing, painting and selection tools used along with the options in the bottom.

                             

                                     

The drawing and painting tools are used for creating and modifying shapes of the objects drawn in movies.

Panels
Panels contain controls for the most commonly used functions in Flash.  Panels make the properties for modifying content you develop quickly available, so that you can make changes rapidly.  By default, there are four Panel sets, each containing a collection of multiple Panels in each set.

                                        

Symbols

Symbols are created for the purpose of using them again and again on the stage or flash files. Instance is a copy of symbol. The behaviors used are graphic, movie clip and button.

Library

Symbols are placed in library. Symbols created in other flash files can be retrieved by using Open as Shared Library.

Using Toolbox

   Arrow- for selection and changing the stroke of the object.

Ø  Smooth- Click the selection to smoothen the edges.

Ø  Straighten- Click the selection to straighten the edges.

Ø  Rotate- Click the tool option and drag the object to rotate.

Ø  Scale- Click the tool option and drag the object to scale.

        Lasso- for selecting a particular part of the drawn object.

   Pen - Used for drawing precise paths as straight lines and curved figures. Click pen tool on the stage and draw a path.

Drag the mouse as you draw path to create curves.

After creating a path and closing the same at it’s initial point will build a object with the current fill and stroke colors.

To adjust points created by Pen tool, use Sub select tool. To add or delete anchor points, use pen tool on the path again.

   Text- To type text on the Stage in two different ways:

Ø  Click where you want the text to start, the text block will widen as one keeps typing.

Ø  Position the pointer where you want the text to start and drag to the desired width.

Dragging the resize handles can change the dimensions of the text block. The text can be edited by selecting the text and editing it by choosing Text-Character.

Line-To draw images by using lines

Ø  Line color- Change the color of the stroke.

Ø  Line width- Change the width of the stroke.

Ø  Line Style- Change the style of the stroke like dotted, dashed.

Oval - To create round, elliptical or oval objects

Ø  Line color- Change the color of the stroke.

Ø  Line width- Change the width of the stroke.

Ø  Line Style- Change the style of the stroke like dotted, dashed.

Ø  Fill Color- Fills the specified color in the object.

Rectangle- To create rectangular or square objects

Ø  Line color- Change the color of the stroke.

Ø  Line width- Change the width of the stroke.

Ø  Line Style- Change the style of the stroke like dotted, dashed.

Ø  Fill Color- Fills the specified color in the object.

Ø  Round Rectangle Radius- Allows the rectangle or square to be drawn with smooth edges.

   Pencil - Use the tool by making changes through the options offered at the end of the tool palette.

                    

Ø  Drawing mode- Choose a mode to make drawings

o    Straighten- To draw geometric shapes

o    Smooth- To smoothen curved lines

o    Ink- To make freehand drawings.

Ø  Stroke color- Change the color of the pencil stroke.

Ø  Line width- Change the width of the pencil stroke.

Ø  Line Style-change the style of the pencil stroke like dotted, dashed.

   Brush

Ø  Painting mode

o    Paint Normal- Paints the lines and inside as it is.

o    Paint Behind- Paints without making changes on the original object.

o    Paint Fills- Paints the object as well as the stage making the lines prominent.

o    Paint Selection- Paints the selected area on the stage.

o    Paint Inside- Paints the fill present in the object.

Ø  Fill Color- Change the color of the object.

Ø  Brush Size- Change the size of the brush.

Ø  Brush Shape- Change the shape of the brush.

   Ink Bottle

Ø  Line color- Change the color of the stroke.

Ø  Line Thickness- Change the width of the stroke.

Ø  Line Style- Change the style of the stroke like dotted, dashed.

   Paint Bucket

Ø  Fill Color

Ø  Gap Size-Close Large Gaps is used to fill the object, even if it is not fully enclosed.

   Eyedropper –

Used for selecting a color of the object and placing the same color on the other object with the help of paint bucket.

   Eraser

Ø  Erase mode-

o    Erase Normal- Erases the lines and inside fill of the object.

o    Erase Lines- Erases lines without erasing the original object.

o    Erase Fills- Erases the inside fill of the object without erasing the lines.

o    Erase Selected Inside- Erases the selected area on the stage.

o    Erase Inside- Erases the fill present in the object.

Ø  Faucet- Erases the object on one click.

Ø  Erase Shape- Change the shape of the eraser

Using Panels

Panels contain set of properties which are used for modifying the objects.

Choose Window-Panels.

Fill

Click the activated dropdown to change the fill to linear or radial gradients.

Stroke

Click the activated dropdown to change the stoke shape, size and color.

Transform

Use this panel to scale, rotate and skew after selecting the object.

Mixer

Use this panel to make the object transparent (alpha) or change the colors defined in red, green and blue sliders.

Instance

This panel can be used only after creating a symbol. ‘Name’ is used for reference in Action Script.

Effects

This panel is used only after creating a symbol. Dropdown shows a number of effects that can be used for modifying the object or animation.

 

 

Frame

This panel is used for creating shape or motion tweened animations.

Sound

This panel is used for placing sounds in the animation.

Symbols and Instances

A symbol is a graphic, button, or movie clip that is created once and can be used again and again in the movie. An instance is a copy of a symbol located on the Stage.
To create symbols choose Insert-New Symbol. If the object is already created and it has to be used as a symbol, then choose Insert-Convert to Symbol.
      Graphic
Once the created object or bitmap image is placed on the stage, the same can be animated by converting it to symbol with graphic as its behavior. That object or image can be modified using the instance or effects panels.


 Button
Buttons are created to work in four different states namely Up, Down, Over, Hit. Each state can be identified by using different drawing tools or graphics in each of them. For editing symbol, right click the symbol and choose Edit. Action script is used in buttons to control animations.


 Movie Clip
Movie clips are created to integrate one or more animations. On the stage, animation can be done by combining more than one movie clip.

For creating an instance of a symbol, create a new layer by choosing Insert-Layer and drag the symbol from Window-Library on to the stage. Instance can be edited by choosing Modify-Instance-Color Effects and transformed by using Modify-Transform. Instances like text etc. can be edited by choosing Modify-Break Apart.

Using Layers

Layers are created to for placing various animations on one stage or movie clip. For creating layers, click the Add Layer button  at the bottom of the Timeline or choose Insert - Layer.

A layer can be hid and locked. Dblclick the layer to rename the same. Right click to delete the layer or change it’s properties.

Guide layer is created to control the movement of objects in a motion tweened animation. Choose Insert-Motion Guide.

Modifying a movie

Movie can be modified by selecting Modify-Movie.

The default frame rate is 12 frames per second (fps), which controls the speed of the animation. For webs, 8-12 fps is required. The default dimensions are 550 X 400 pixels, minimum being 18 X 18 pixels and maximum being 1280 X 1024 pixels. Background color can be changed by selecting the required color from the Background swatch.

Using Keyframes

A keyframe is a frame where you define changes in the animation. Key frames are inserted in the frames present in he timeline docked upon the stage. For creating animations, it is necessary to insert keyframe whether consecutively in each frame or after some gap.

Create keyframes by pressing F6 in a frame or right click the frame and select Insert keyframe.
A single keyframe is represented by a black dot in it. 

Keyframe with action script inserted in it.

Motion–tweened animation

Shape-tweened animation

When you create frame-by-frame animation, every frame is a keyframe. In tweened animation, keyframes are inserted at specific points in the animation.

Creating Animations

Animation is most important feature of Flash. Different types of animations can be done by using its components.
Tweening
Tweening means action taking place between the frames, in other words, the movement between the frames.
Flash allows creation of animations in two different manners:
Motion-tweening

Motion tweening is the primary method of animation in Flash.  The process of motion tweening involves creating at least two key frames on a Layer, such as a key frame at Frame 1 and a key frame at Frame 30, and having Flash calculate and create the frames in-between automatically.

Motion -tweening

In motion-tweened animation, the object can be rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise direction. Choose Modify-Frame-Tweening

Shape-Tweening

Shape Tweening creates a morphing effect, where one shape transforms into another. Before shape-tweening, the objects have to be broken apart. The objects created with oval or other tools are by default broken apart but text and bitmap images have to be broken apart for shape tweening. For break apart, choose Modify-Break Apart or press Ctrl+B.

 
 
Frame-by-Frame animation
It implies modifying the object in each frame by inserting key frames in each frame.

Frame by frame animation

Motion Guide animation
This type of animation is achieved when a tween has to follow a definite path. For that purpose, choose Modify-Motion guide or insert a guide layer and create a path with pencil or any other drawing tool.
Create tween in ordinary layer.

Masked Animation

Using Layer mask, masked animation can be created.

In one layer, create the text or object that has to be masked. In another layer, create an animation. After masking, play the animation to see the effect of mask.

Onion Skinning

Onionskin paper is very thin and transparent paper through which you can see paper beneath.  Animators would use onion skinning to view the previous frame and use it as a reference to create the new frame i.e. seeing the contents of previous frames and even frames that fall after the currently selected frame. 

Modify Onion Markers

 


 

Adding sounds

For using sounds, music files (WAV) are imported. Insert new layer and rename it as sound. Select 1^st frame and choose Modify-Frame-Sound. Select the audio file required. Choose the Effect and Sync as event. Enter the number of times the music file has to be played for the animation.  

For adding sound to button, choose the Down state of the button and place the sound.

Using Action Script

Interactivity is a core feature of Flash.  Interactivity is created and sequenced with ActionScript, Flash’s programming language. Interactive structures in Flash are a combination of Object Actions (ActionScript triggered by Button Instances) and Frame Actions (ActionScript embedded in key frames and triggered when the scrub passes over the Frame). On using ActionScript, the animation must be previewed by pressing Ctrl+Enter.

Using FSCommand

To change the behavior of the flash screen, FSCommand is used. For that purpose, select a frame, right click and choose Actions. Choose FSCommand through Basic Actions. For using this command, it is necessary to check the box against (.exe) in File-Publish Settings

Using On MouseEvent

Create an animation in one layer and insert a button in another layer. Right click the button, choose On MouseEvent in Basic Actions and select Press. In Actions, Choose ‘goto’ and select the necessary options.

Using getURL

Create a button and click its Actions. In Basic Actions, select On MouseEvent .In Actions, select getURL and give the URL address and window option.

Bitmaps in Flash

Bitmaps can be used in Flash such as photographs, or textures with subtle shifts in color and patterns.  Bitmaps can significantly increase the size of your Flash movies as well effect the speed of animation.

Bitmap images are imported in grouped state, so they have to be ungrouped if any modifications are needed. On converting it to symbol, instance properties can be changed. A part of the image file can also be changed by using Magic Wand tool and setting its properties(present in Lasso tool option).

Using Bitmaps as Fills

To use a bitmap as a fill (for use with the Paint Bucket or Brush, break the bitmap apart and click on it with the Eye Dropper Tool.  As you use the Brush Tool or fill shapes with the Paint Bucket, the fill color is the bitmap.  The bitmap fill will tile.

Preview Animations

Animations created can be previewed by choosing Control-Play (Press Ctrl) or Control-Test Movie (Press Ctrl + Enter).
To preview the Flash file in a web browser, choose File-Publish Preview-HTML.

Saving and publishing Flash files

Flash files are saved in .fla file format. For publishing the flash file, it is necessary to save them in .swf and html file format. Choose File-Publish Settings. Check the boxes against .swf, .html. Once the file is saved in .swf file format, changes cannot be made. For making changes .fla files are used. Also, fla files are created to control Flash environment, it cannot be saved for web.

Flash files are also saved in .exe (Projector) file format. It is mainly useful for those client computers which do not have Flash plug-in. Using FSCommand through action script, the Projector can be controlled with respect to full screen or menu bar.