12 June, 2010

Flash Tutorial

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Flash is a tool for creating interactive and animated Web sites! This Flash tutorial will teach you how to use Flash in your applications.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Flash
What is Flash? Advantages of Flash compared to animated images and Java Applets.
Flash How to
What do you need to view Flash? What do you need to create Flash movies? Where to start?
Flash in HTML
How to embed a Flash movie into an HTML page.
Flash Tweening
With Tweening you can create movements and changes in a Flash movie. In this chapter you will learn how to make an object move across the screen.
Flash Guide Tween
How to move an object from one location to another along a specified path.
Flash Tint Tween
How to change the color of an object.
Flash Shape Tween
How to change one object into another.
Flash Button 1
How to insert an image, convert it to a button, and add a URL to it so it becomes a link.
Flash Button 2
How to create your own button and add a URL to it so it becomes a link.
Flash Animation
How to make a symbol turn around while moving from one location to another.
Flash Sound
How to deal with sound files in Flash.


Introduction to Flash

Flash is a tool for creating interactive and animated Web sites.

What you should already know

Before you continue you should have a basic understanding of the following:
  • WWW, HTML and the basics of building Web pages

What is Flash?

  • Flash is a multimedia graphics program specially for use on the Web
  • Flash enables you to create interactive "movies" on the Web
  • Flash uses vector graphics, which means that the graphics can be scaled to any size without losing clarity/quality
  • Flash does not require programming skills and is easy to learn

Flash vs. Animated Images and Java Applets

Animated images and Java applets are often used to create dynamic effects on Web pages.
The advantages of Flash are:
  • Flash loads much faster than animated images
  • Flash allows interactivity, animated images do not
  • Flash does not require programming skills, java applets do

Flash How To..

Who can View Flash?

In September 2000, NPD Research, the parent company of MediaMetrix, conducted a study to determine what percentage of Web browsers have Flash preinstalled. The results show that 96.4% of Web users can experience Flash content without having to download and install a player.
If you do not have the Shockwave Player installed you can download it for free from Adobe's site.

Who can Create Flash Movies?

To create your own Flash movies you need to buy a Flash program.
The latest version from Adobe is Adobe Flash Lite (or Flash CS3 Pro).
If you do not have a Flash program, you can download a 30 days free trial version of Flash from Adobe.

Where to Start?

After you have installed Flash, you should go through the lessons that are included in the program. Start Adobe Flash, click Help in the menu and choose Lessons. These lessons will teach you the basics of Flash.

Flash in HTML

Flash Embedded in HTML

After creating a Flash movie you choose File > Save As from the top menu to save your movie. Save the file as "Somefilename.fla".
To embed the Flash movie you just made into an HTML page, you should go back to your Flash program and do the following steps:
Step 1
Choose File > Open. Open a Flash movie you have created.
Step 2
Choose File > Export Movie.
Step 3
Name the file "somefilename.swf". Choose the location where the file is to be stored (in your Web folder). Click OK.

Let the Flash Program do the Work

The code above is the absolute minimum code to embed Flash movies in HTML pages. It is not recommended to use the minimum code. There should be a few more attributes added:
  • classid is an attribute to the tag. It tells Internet Explorer to load the ActiveX plug-in if it is not installed
  • pluginspage is an attribute to the tag. It displays a link to the Shockwave download page if Netscape does not have it 
The Flash program can add these attributes for you:
Step 1
Choose File > Publish. Flash will now create the , , and tags for you. It will also create the classid and pluginspage attributes. Step 2 Open the HTML document that Flash created, view the HTML source and copy the code into your HTML page where you want your Flash movie. Step 3 Be sure that you have the "somefilename.swf" in your Web folder. Step 4 Type in the address of the HTML file in your browser and look at your first Flash movie.

Flash Tweening

Tweening comes from the words "in between".
With Tweening you can go from one keyframe to another and specify changes in the animation and let the Flash program create the frames in between.

Example

In this example you will learn how to make an object move across the screen. Example Step 1 Create a small circle to the left in the Stage area. Do this by selecting the circle tool from the left toolbar. Draw the circle in the Stage area. Step 2 Select the Arrow tool from the left toolbar. Double-click on the circle to select it. Step 3 Now we have to convert the circle to a symbol. When the circle is converted to a symbol we can create instances of the circle. From the top menu choose Modify > Convert to Symbol. Name the symbol "Ball", and select OK. Step 4 Go to Frame 10 in the Timeline. Do this by clicking the gray field below 10. Then right click in this field. Choose Insert Keyframe. Keyframes appear as circles in a frame. This operation duplicates the image.  Note: A keyframe specifies changes in an animation. You create keyframes at important points in the Timeline and let Flash create the frames in between. Step 5 Select the circle and move it to the right a couple of inches. Step 6 Click on the Timeline any place between Frame 1 and Frame 10. Then right click and choose Create Motion Tween. Step 7 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

Flash Guide Tweening

With Motion Guide Tweening you can move an object from one location to another along a specified path.

Example

In this example you will learn how to draw a path an object should follow. Example Step 1 Choose Window > Common Libraries > Graphics. Select the image you want to use. In this example we have used a blue mouse. Step 2 Click on the image and drag it outside the left edge of the Stage. Step 3 Go to Frame 40 in the Timeline. Do this by clicking the gray field below 40. Then right click in this field. Choose Insert Keyframe. Keyframes appear as circles in a frame. This operation duplicates the image.  Step 4 Click on the Timeline any place between Frame 1 and Frame 40. Then right click and choose Create Motion Tween. Step 5 Right click on Layer 1 (Click on the layer name, where it says "Layer 1"). Choose Add Motion Guide in the pop-up menu. The Flash program will now insert a motion guide layer on top of layer 1. Motion guide layers are used to draw lines an animated symbol should follow. Step 6 Click on the Motion Guide Layer to make sure it is the active layer (Click on the layer name, where it says "Guide: Layer 1"). Step 7 Click on the Pencil tool in the left toolbox. Set the Pencil Mode to Smooth (in the Options section of the left toolbox). Step 8 Draw a line. Begin on the image and draw a line to the other side of the Stage. Step 9 Go back to Frame 1 in the Timeline. Click on the Arrow tool in the left toolbox. Select the "Snap to Objects" button in the Options section of the left toolbox. Step 10 Place the image with its center on the beginning of the motion guide (the black line you have drawn with the Pencil). The center of the image shows as a +. A black circle appears when the image is snapped to the motion guide. Release the mouse button when the image is snapped to the guide. Step 11 Go to Frame 40. Place the image with its center on the end of the motion guide. Step 12 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

Is your Flash Movie Playing too Fast?

You can control this by selecting Modify > Movie from the top menu. A Movie Properties box will show. The Frame Rate field sets how many frames to display per second. Adjust the number to a lower number, and test your movie again.

Flash Tint Tweening

With Tint Tweening you can change the color of an object.

Example

In this example you will learn how to change the color of an object. Example Step 1 Choose Insert > New Symbol. Note: To add Tint effects the object must be a symbol. Step 2 Name the symbol "changecolor" and select the Graphic option in Behavior. Click OK. Note: You will now be taken to the symbol generator in the Flash program. Here you create symbols. Symbols can be dragged to the stage of your movie after you have created them. Step 3 Choose the Text tool in the left toolbox. Choose Text > Size > 36 from the top menu to make the text big. Choose Text > Style > Bold to make the text thick. Step 4 Click in the work area and write "Color Changing Text". Step 5 Jump back to the movie. Do this by choosing Edit > Edit Movie. Step 6 Insert the symbol you just created into the movie. Choose Window > Library. Select the "changecolor" symbol and drag it into the middle of the Stage. Step 7 Insert a keyframe in Frame 15 and in Frame 30. Step 8 Go to Frame 15. Right click on the text in the Stage. In the pop-up menu, choose Panels > Effect. Step 9 Choose Tint from the drop down menu. A color map will show. Set the colors to: R=0, G=255, B=0. Step 10 Click on the Timeline any place between Frame 1 and Frame 15. Then right click and choose Create Motion Tween. Step 11 Click on the Timeline any place between Frame 15 and Frame 30. Then right click and choose Create Motion Tween. Step 12 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

Flash Shape Tweening

With Shape Tweening you can change one object into another.

Example

In this example you will learn how to change one object into another. Example Step 1 Choose the Text tool in the left toolbox. Choose Text > Size > 48 from the top menu to make the text big. Choose Text > Style > Bold to make the text thick. Step 2 Click in the work area and write "Hello". Step 3 Right click on the text you just wrote and choose Panels > Align from the pop-up menu. Step 4 In the Align box select the "To Stage" button first. Then click on the "Align Horizontal Center" button and the "Align Vertical Center" button. Close the Align box. Step 5 Select the Arrow Tool and click on the text. Choose Modify > Break Apart from the top menu. Step 6 Insert keyframes at Frame 24, 50 and 51. Step 7 Delete the text "Hello" in Frame 24. Select it and press the Delete button on your keyboard. Step 8 Write a new text on the Stage. Write "World!" (Font size: 48, style: bold). Step 9 Right click on the text you just wrote and choose Panels > Align from the pop-up menu. In the Align box select the "To Stage" button first. Then click on the "Align Horizontal Center" button and the "Align Vertical Center" button. Close the Align box Step 10 Select the Arrow Tool and click on the text. Choose Modify > Break Apart from the top menu. Step 11 Insert a keyframe in Frame 26. Step 12 Double click the keyframe in Frame 1. In the small pop-up box click on the Frame tab. Set Tweening to Shape. Close the pop-up box. Step 13 Double click the keyframe in Frame 26. In the small pop-up box click on the Frame tab. Set Tweening to Shape. Close the pop-up box. Step 14 Double click the keyframe in Frame 51. In the large pop-up box click on the Frame Actions tab. Click on the + sign. Choose Basic Actions > Go To. Close the pop-up boxes. Step 15 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

Flash Button 1

Example

In this example you will learn how to insert an image, convert it to a button, and add a URL to it so it becomes a link. Example Step 1 Choose File > Import to import an image that will become a button. Locate the image and click Open. The image will be saved in the Library. Step 2 Select the image with the Arrow tool. Step 3 Convert the image to a symbol. Choose Insert > Convert to Symbol from the top menu. Name the symbol "button", choose Button from the Behavior list and click OK. Step 4 Right click on the image. Choose Actions from the pop-up menu. Step 5 In the Object Actions box click on the + sign. Choose Basic Actions > Get URL. Step 6 Enter a full URL in the URL field (like http://www.w3schools.com). Step 7 Choose target in the Window field. Close the Object Actions box. Step 8 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

Flash Button 2

Example

In this example you will learn how to create your own button and add a URL to it so it becomes a link. Example Step 1 Choose Insert > New Symbol from the top menu. Step 2 Name the symbol "button", choose Button from the Behavior list and click OK. In the Timeline area, you will now see the four states of a button: up, over, down, hit. Step 3 Select the Rectangle tool, pick a light red Fill Color and draw a rectangle in the work area.  Step 4 Select the Text tool, pick a dark Fill Color and write "Click Me" over the rectangle.  Step 5 Select the Arrow tool and place the text in the middle of the rectangle.  Step 6 Add a keyframe to the Over State in the Timeline. The Over State indicates what should happen when you mouse over the button. Step 7 Select the Rectangle, change the Fill color to a light green.  Step 8 Choose Edit > Edit Movie to go back to the movie. Step 9 Choose Window > Library to locate the button. Drag the button into the work area.  Step 10 Right click on the image. Choose Actions from the pop-up menu. Step 11 In the Object Actions box click on the + sign. Choose Basic Actions > Get URL. Step 12 Enter a full URL in the URL field (like http://www.w3schools.com). Step 13 Choose target in the Window field. Close the Object Actions box. Step 14 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

Flash Animation

Example

Example Step 1 Insert a text in the upper left corner of the Stage area. Do this by selecting the text tool from the left toolbar. Write some text in the "textarea". Step 2 Select the arrow tool from the left toolbar. Click on the text once to select it. Step 3 Convert the text to a symbol. From the top menu choose Insert > Convert to Symbol. Name the symbol "text", choose graphic from the Behavior list and select OK. Step 4 Go to Frame 30 in the Timeline. Do this by clicking the gray field below 30. Then right click in this field. Choose Insert Keyframe. Keyframes appear as circles in a frame. Step 5 Click on the Timeline any place between Frame 1 and Frame 30. Then right click and choose Create Motion Tween. Step 6 Go back to Frame 30 in the Timeline. Move the text to the lower right corner. Step 7 Make sure the text is selected. Choose Modify > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Step 8 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie. The text should move from the first location (in frame 1) to the second location (in frame 2). The text should also turn around on its way to the second location.

Flash Sound

Example

Example Step 1 Choose File > Import to import a sound file. Locate the sound file and click Open. The sound file will be saved in the Library. Step 2 Click in the first frame of "Layer 1" in the Timeline. Choose Window > Panels > Sound from the top menu. Step 3 In the pop up window (Sound) choose the sound you imported in the Sound field. Choose Stream in the Sync field. Close the pop up window. Step 4 Go to frame 50 in the Timeline. Right click and choose Insert Frame. Step 5 Choose Control > Test Movie from the top menu to test your Flash movie.

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