Flash CS5 by Grover, Chris -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Flash CS5: The Missing Manual

The Missing Credits

About the Author About the Creative Team Acknowledgements The Missing Manual Series

Introduction

What's New in Flash Professional CS5 Animation ABCs Flash in a Nutshell The Very Basics About This Book

Macintosh and Windows About the Outline About→These→Arrows Living Examples About MissingManuals.com Safari® Books Online

one. Creating a Flash Animation

1. Getting Around Flash

Starting Flash A Tour of the Flash Workspace

Menu Bar The Stage The Timeline

Panels and Toolbars

Toolbars Tools Panel

Selection and drawing tools View tools Color tools Options tools

Properties Panel

Properties subpanels

Library Panel Other Flash Panels

The Flash CS5 Test Drive

Open a Flash File Explore the Properties Panel Resize the Stage Zoom In and Out Make It Move Play an Animation Save a File

2. Creating Simple Drawings

Plan Before You Draw

Creating a Storyboard Five Questions for a Better Result

Preparing to Draw

Setting Document Properties

Changing the size of the stage

Adding Measurement Guides

Drawing a Shape Choosing a Drawing Mode

Merge Drawing Mode

When to use merge drawing mode

Object Drawing Mode

When to use object drawing mode

Using Merge Mode and Object Mode Together Selecting Objects on the Stage

Selection tool (shortcut key: V) Subselection tool (shortcut key: A) Lasso tool

Essential Drawing Terms

Creating Original Artwork

Drawing and Painting with Tools

Line tool Pencil tool Pen tool Brush tool Arranging drawn objects forward and backward Shape tools: Oval, Rectangle, and PolyStar

Aligning Objects with the Align Tools Erasing Mistakes with the Eraser Tool

Configuring the Eraser Cutting out an irregular shape from another object

Copying and Pasting Drawn Objects Adding Color

Changing the Color of a Stroke (Line)

Coloring strokes with the Properties panel Coloring strokes with the Ink Bottle tool

Changing the Color of a Fill

Coloring fills with the Properties panel Coloring fills with the Paint Bucket tool

3. Animate Your Art

Frame-by-Frame Animation

Creating a Frame-by-Frame Animation Test Your Frame-by-Frame Animation

Editing Your Frame-by-Frame Animation

Selecting Frames and Keyframes Inserting and Deleting Keyframes and Frames

Inserting keyframes Inserting static frames Clearing a keyframe Deleting frames

Making It Move with Motion Tweens

Tweening a Symbol's Dimension Properties

Changing dimensions with the Transform tool

Copying and Pasting Frames Reversing Frames in a Frame Span

Editing the Motion Path

Moving the Motion Path Adding Curves to the Motion Path Moving End Points on the Motion Path Copying and Pasting a Motion Path

Copying and Pasting Properties Shape Tweening (Morphing)

Shape Hints Using Multiple Layers for Shape Tweens Classic Tween

two. Advanced Drawing and Animation

4. Organizing Frames and Layers

Working with Frames

Copying and Pasting Frames Moving Frames and Keyframes Editing Multiple Frames

Working with Multiple Layers

Showing and Hiding Layers

Hiding a layer Showing a layer Hiding (or showing) all layers except the one you're currently editing

Working with Layers Renaming Layers Copying and Pasting Layers Reordering (Moving) Layers Deleting a Layer Locking and Unlocking Layers

Organizing Layers

Outline View Organizing Layers with Folders

Creating layer folders Deleting a layer folder

Spotlight Effect Using Mask Layers

5. Advanced Drawing and Coloring

Selecting Graphic Elements

The Selection Tool

Selecting a graphic element Selecting part of a shape or object Moving and reshaping (transforming) with the Selection tool

The Subselection Tool The Lasso Tool

Freehand selecting with the Lasso Polygon selecting with the Lasso Combining freehand and polygon modes Selecting ranges of color in bitmaps with the Magic Wand

Manipulating Graphic Elements

Modifying Object Properties Moving, Cutting, Pasting, and Copying

Moving graphics Cutting graphics Copying graphics Pasting graphics

Transforming Objects

Scaling objects Rotating objects Skewing objects Distorting objects Applying an envelope transform

Moving and Rotating Objects in 3-D

Rotating (transforming) objects three-dimensionally Moving (translating) objects in three dimensions Adjusting the perspective and vanishing point in 3-D

Stacking Objects Converting Strokes to Fills Aligning Objects

Snapping Guide layers

Spray Painting Symbols Drawing with the Deco Tool Advanced Color and Fills

Color Basics RGB and HSB Creating Custom Colors Specifying Colors for ActionScript Saving Color Swatches Using an Image As a Fill "Color" Applying a Gradient Importing a Custom Color Palette Copying Color with the Eyedropper

6. Choosing and Formatting Text

Text Questions Choosing TLF or Classic Text

Choose a Text Type

TLF text types Classic text types

About Typefaces and Fonts Adding Text to Your Document

Changing Text Position, Height, and Width Rotating, Skewing, and Moving in 3-D Changing Text Color Creating a Text Hyperlink Creating a Hyperlink Using Classic Text

Choosing and Using Text Containers

Creating Vertical Text Containers Multiline and Single-Line Text Containers Applying Advanced Formatting to Text

TLF text typography Classic text typography

Create a Multi-Column Text Container Flow Text from One Container to Another

Disconnect flowing text

Animating Text Without ActionScript

Experimenting with Animated Text Moving Text in Three Dimensions

Text Properties by Subpanel

Text Engine Properties Position and Size 3D Position and View (TLF Text Only) Character Advanced Character (TLF Text Only) Paragraph Options (Classic Text Only) Container and Flow (TLF Text Only) Color Effect (TLF Text Only) Display (TLF Text Only) Filters

7. Reusable Flash: Symbols and Templates

Symbols and Instances

Graphic Symbols

Converting an existing image to a graphic symbol Creating a graphic symbol in symbol editing mode Using a graphic symbol (creating an instance of a graphic symbol) Editing an instance of a graphic symbol Editing a graphic symbol Deleting a graphic symbol

Multiframe Graphic Symbols

Creating a multiframe graphic symbol Creating an instance of a multiframe graphic symbol Editing an instance of a multiframe graphic symbol Editing a multiframe graphic symbol Deleting a multiframe graphic symbol

Movie Clip Symbols

Creating a movie clip symbol Creating an instance of a movie clip symbol Editing a movie clip symbol Editing an instance of a movie clip symbol

Button Symbols

Creating a button symbol Using a button symbol (creating an instance of a button symbol) Editing an instance of a button symbol Editing a button symbol

Templates

Opening a Prebuilt Template Customizing the Photo Album Template Create Your Own Template

8. Advanced Tweens with the Motion Editor

Applying Motion Presets

Saving a Custom Motion Preset

Deleting motion presets

Modifying a Motion Preset

Changing the Motion Path Deleting a Motion Path Copying and Pasting a Motion Path Orienting Tweened Objects to a Motion Path

Other things you can do in the Rotation subpanel

Swapping the Tweened Object

Editing a Tween Span

Viewing and Editing Property Keyframes in the Timeline Copying Properties Between Property Keyframes

A Tour of the Motion Editor

Workflow for Common Tweens Adding and Removing Property Keyframes Moving Property Keyframes Fine-Tuning Property Changes Adding and Removing Color Effects Using Filters in Tweens Customizing Your Motion Editor View

Getting the best view property graphs

Changing Transparency with the Motion Editor Easing Tweens

Applying an Ease Preset Creating a Custom Ease Preset

9. Realistic Animation with IK Bones

Linking Symbols with Bones

Changing the Pose Layer Creating Branching Armatures Controlling the Degree of Rotation Moving Bones Repositioning Symbol Instances Changing the Length of a Bone Deleting Bones

Making Shapes Move with Bones

Working with Control Points

Apply Spring to a Motion Animating an Armature with ActionScript

10. Incorporating Non-Flash Media Files

Importing Graphics Importing Illustrator Graphics Files Importing Photoshop Graphic Files

Import options for bitmaps Import options for text Other Photoshop import options

Importing Fireworks Graphics

Import Options for Graphics

Import options for objects Import options for text

Copying Fireworks Effects and Blends

Editing Bitmaps

Turning bitmaps into fills

Turning bitmaps into fills Turning bitmaps into vectors Turning bitmaps into symbols

Importing a Series of Graphics Files

Exporting Graphics from Flash

11. Incorporating Sound and Video

Incorporating Sound

Importing Sound Files Adding an Imported Sound to a Frame (or Series of Frames) Editing Sound Clips in Flash

Incorporating Video

Encoding: Making Flash Video Files

Batch encoding to save time

Encoding Part of a Video Clip Resizing and Cropping a Video Clip

Cropping a video while encoding

Adding Cue Points to Your Video Choosing a Video Codec Other Techniques for Reducing Video File Sizes

Video techniques for reducing file sizes Encoding techniques for reducing file sizes

Preparing to Import Video Files

Importing Video Files

Importing a Flash Video File Stored on Your Computer

Deploying your Flash video on the web

Importing a Flash Video from the Web Customizing the Video Playback Component

three. Adding Interactivity

12. Introduction to ActionScript 3

Getting to Know ActionScript 3

The Flash/ActionScript Partnership ActionScript 3 ActionScript vs. JavaScript and Other Languages ActionScript 3 Spoken Here

Beginning Your ActionScript Project

Writing ActionScript Code in the Timeline Using the Script Pane Toolbar Writing Code in an ActionScript File

Object-Oriented Thinking

ActionScript Classes Changing an Object's Properties Functions and Methods Put the Action in ActionScript Events

Using Data Types, Variables, and Constants

Numbers

Number int uint Numbers and Operators Precedence and parentheses

Strings

Strings and operators

Boolean

Booleans and operators

Arrays ActionScript Built-in Data Types

MovieClip TextField and TLFTextField SimpleButton Date

Variables

Declaring variables

Constants

Declaring constants

Conditionals and Loops

Conditionals: if() and switch() Statements

if() statements test a condition if…else if statements choose from many options switch() statements choose from many options

Loops: while() and for() Statements

while() statements repeat tasks when a condition is met for() statements repeat tasks a specific number of times

Combining ActionScript's Building Blocks

13. Controlling Actions with Events

How Events Work Mouse Events Getting Help for Events and Event Listeners

Creating a Rollover with a Mouse Event Add Statements to an Event Listener

Applying mouse events to other projects

Creating a Tabbed Window with Mouse Events

Setting the Stage for Tabbed Folder Display Planning Before Coding

Testing your work so far

Copy-and-Tweak Coding

Modifying tabbed windows for projects

Keyboard Events and Text Events

Using Event Properties Capturing Text Input with TextEvent

Keeping Time with TimerEvent Removing Event Listeners In Case of Other Events

14. Organizing Objects with the Display List

The Display List: Everything in Its Place

When Display Objects are Display Object Containers

Adding Objects to the Display List

Add a Second Object to the Display List Using trace() to Report on the Display List Placing Objects Inside Display Containers

Modifying display containers

Moving Objects from One Container to Another Removing Objects from the Display List

Managing the Stacking Order

Adding Display Objects by Index Position Removing Display Objects by Index Position Getting the Name or Index Position of a Display Object Swapping the Position of Two Children

Summary of Properties and Methods

DisplayObjectContainer Properties DisplayObjectContainer Methods

15. Controlling the Timeline and Animation

Slowing Down (or Speeding Up) Animation

Setting a Document Frame Rate Setting a Frame Rate with ActionScript

Timeline Stop and Go

Using ActionScript to Start a Timeline

Organizing Your Animation

Working with Labeled Frames

Adding a Frame Label Targeting a frame label with ActionScript

Working with Scenes

Creating a scene Renaming a scene Reorganizing scenes Targeting a scene with ActionScript

Looping a Series of Frames Reversing a Series of Frames

Reversing Frames in the Timeline

16. Components for Interactivity

Adding Components

Making Button Components Work with ActionScript Modifying Components in the Properties Panel Adding a ColorPicker Component

Modifying the ColorPicker with ActionScript

The Built-In Components

User Interface Components

Button CheckBox ColorPicker ComboBox DataGrid Label List NumericStepper ProgressBar RadioButton ScrollPane Slider TextArea TextInput TileList UILoader UIScrollBar

Finding Additional Components

17. Choosing, Using, and Animating Text

What Font Does Your Audience Have?

Embedding Fonts in Your SWF file

Controlling Text with ActionScript

ActionScript Text: String Theory Creating a New String Joining Strings Using TextField's appendText() Method Adding Line Breaks to a String Finding a String Within a String Replacing Words or Characters in a String Converting Strings to Uppercase or Lowercase

Creating Text Fields with ActionScript Positioning, Sizing, and Formatting a Text Field

Formatting the Text Field's Background and Border Adjust the Space Between Text and Border Autosizing a Text Field

Formatting Characters and Paragraphs Formatting with HTML and CSS

HTML and CSS Philosophical Differences Using HTML Text in Flash Creating a Hyperlink with HTML Using CSS to Format Classic Text in Flash Formatting Text with an External CSS File

Choosing the Right Text Formatting System

18. Drawing with ActionScript

What's the Point? Beginning with the Graphics Class Drawing Lines Drawing Curves Drawing Built-in Shapes Drawing Irregular Shapes Making Drawings Move

Using ActionScript's TimerEvent to Animate Drawings Moving Objects Independently

Shape, Sprite, and Movie Clip for Drawings Removing Lines and Shapes

four. Debugging and Delivering Your Animation

19. Testing and Debugging Your Animation

Testing Strategies

Planning Ahead

Separate potentially troublesome elements Reuse as much as possible Be generous with comments Stick with consistent names

Techniques for Better Testing

Testing on the Stage Testing in Flash Player Testing Inside a Web Page Testing Download Time

Simulating Downloads

Pinpointing bottlenecks with a bandwidth profiler report

The Art of Debugging

Checking with the Syntax Checker Finding Errors with the Compiler Errors Panel Using the Output Panel and trace() Statement

Analyzing Code with the Debugger

Setting and Working with Breakpoints

20. Publishing and Exporting

Optimizing Flash Documents

Ten Optimization Strategies

1. Use as few keyframes and property keyframes as possible 2. Choose the Pencil tool over the Brush tool 3. Choose solid over dashed or dotted lines 4. Optimize curves and shapes 5. Use symbols 6. Avoid bitmaps (or optimize them) 7. Keep sound clips to a minimum (or optimize them) 8. Group elements 9. Avoid the extraneous 10. Tell Flash to keep your file size down

Publishing Your Animations

Publishing as a Compiled Flash (.swf) File Publishing As a Web Page Publishing a Frame as a Static Image File

Publishing a static GIF Publishing a JPEG Publishing a PNG

Publishing as an Animated GIF Publishing As a Standalone Projector

Exporting Flash to Other Formats

Exporting the Contents of a Single Frame Exporting an Entire Animation

21. Introducing Adobe AIR

Meet Adobe AIR

Differences Between AIR and Flash

Creating Your First AIR Application Create a Code Signing Certificate Convert a Flash Animation to AIR Publish Your AIR Application Manually Install Adobe AIR Runtime

five. Appendixes

A. Installation and Help

Flash CS5 Minimum System Requirements Installing and Activating Flash Professional CS5

First steps for Windows

First steps for Windows First steps for Macs Running the installer (Windows and Mac)

Uninstalling and Deactivating Flash Professional CS5

For Windows

For Windows For Macs

Getting Help from Flash

Flash Documentation: The Help Page ActionScript 3.0 Reference Flash Video Workshop Tutorials

Getting Help from Adobe

Online Articles, FAQs, and Sample Code Forums Direct Person-to-Person Help

More Flash Books Finding Flash Gurus

B. Flash Professional CS5, Menu by Menu

File

New Open Browse in Bridge Open Recent Close Close All Save Save As Save as Template Check In Save All Revert Import Export Publish Settings Publish Preview Publish AIR Settings File Info Share My Screen Page Setup Print Margins (Mac only) Print Send (Windows only) Exit (Mac: Flash→Quit Flash)

Edit

Undo Redo Cut Copy Paste in Center Paste in Place Clear Duplicate Select All Deselect All Find and Replace Find Next Timeline

Remove Frames Cut Frames Copy Frames Paste Frames Clear Frames Select All Frames Copy Motion Copy Motion as ActionScript 3.0 Paste Motion Paste Motion Special

Edit Symbols/Document Edit Selected Edit in Place Edit All Preferences (Mac: Flash→Preferences) Customize Tools Panel (Mac: Flash→Customize Tools Panel) Font Mapping (Mac: Flash→Font Mapping) Keyboard Shortcuts (Mac: Flash→Keyboard Shortcuts)

View

Go To Zoom In Zoom Out Magnification Preview Mode

Outlines Fast Anti-Alias Anti-Alias Text Full

Pasteboard Rulers Grid Guides Snapping

Snap Align Snap to Grid Snap to Guide Snap to Pixels Snap to Objects Edit Snapping

Hide Edges Show Shape Hints Show Tab Order

Insert

New Symbol Motion Tween Shape Tween Classic Tween Timeline

Layer Layer Folder Frame Keyframe Blank Keyframe

Scene

Modify

Document Convert to Symbol Break Apart Bitmap

Swap Bitmap Trace Bitmap

Symbol

Swap Symbol Duplicate Symbol

Shape

Advanced Smooth Advanced Straighten Optimize Convert Lines to Fills Expand Fill Soften Fill Edges Add Shape Hint Remove All Hints

Combine Objects

Delete Envelope Union Intersect Punch Crop

Timeline

Distribute to Layers Layer Properties Reverse Frames Synchronize Symbols Convert to Keyframes Clear Keyframe Convert to Blank Keyframes

Transform

Free Transform Distort Envelope Scale Rotate and Skew Scale and Rotate Rotate 90 degrees CW Rotate 90 degrees CCW Flip Vertical Flip Horizontal Remove Transform

Arrange

Bring to Front Bring Forward Send Backward Send to Back Lock Unlock All

Align

Left Horizontal Center Right Top Vertical Center Bottom Distribute Widths Distribute Heights Make Same Width Make Same Height To Stage

Group Ungroup

Text

Font Size Style Align Letter Spacing Scrollable Check Spelling Spelling Setup Font Embedding

Commands

Manage Saved Commands Get More Commands Run Command Convert Symbol to Flex Component Convert Symbol to Flex Container Copy Font Name for ActionScript Copy Motion as XML Export Motion XML Import Motion XML

Control

Play Rewind Go To End Step Forward One Frame Step Backward One Frame Test Movie Test Scene Delete ASO Files Delete ASO Files and Test Movie Loop Playback Play All Scenes Enable Simple Frame Actions Enable Simple Buttons Enable Live Preview Mute Sounds

Debug

Debug Movie Continue End Debug Session Step In Step Over Step Out Remove All Breakpoints Begin Remote Debug Session

Window

Duplicate Window Toolbars

Main Controller Edit Bar

Timeline Motion Editor Tools Properties Library Common Libraries Motion Presets Actions Code Snippets Behaviors Compiler Errors Debug Panels Movie Explorer Output Align Color Info Swatches Transform Components Component Inspector Other Panels

Accessibility History Scene Screens Strings Web Services Project

Extensions

Access CS Live CS News and Resources Kuler

Workspace Hide Panels

Help

Search Field (Mac Only) Flash Help Flash Support Center Adobe Product Improvement Program Flash Exchange Omniture Manage Extensions Adobe Online Forums Complete/Update Adobe ID Profile Deactivate Updates About Adobe Flash CS5 Professional (Mac: Flash→About Flash)

Index

About the Author

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