Lecture 10
Flash
– Recap
– Key Concepts, Components & Tools
– Demonstration
– Buttons: Simple Text Button | Animated Button
– Gradient Tool
– ActionScript 2.0: stop | getURL
– ActionScript 3.0: stop | Code Snippets > Actions > Click to Go to Web Page
– Embed Flash Movie in Web Page
– Create Multi-Part Animation
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–
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Animate Images
Fade-in and Fade-out Text
Add Interactivity to Instance of MovieClip
Animated Buttons for UP and DOWN States
Insert SWFs in Web Page
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Timeline
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Layers
Layers = Stack of “transparent sheets of acetate”
– Insert > Timeline > Layer or Click “Insert Layer” icon in Timeline
– Drag & Drop Layer to change its position in stack
– Name (double-click text), Hide, Lock Folder
Layer Folder = Organize Layers
– Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder
or Click “Insert Layer Folder” icon in Timeline
Modify Layer
– Select layer to make it active (only one layer can be active)
– Pencil icon = Layer is active
Guide Layers
Mask Layers
Make drawing and editing easier and guide motion
Help to create sophisticated effects
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Tools
Arrow (Selection) tool and Modifiers: snap to, smooth, straight
– Reshaping lines and shapes  Reshaping pointer
Free Transform tool and its modifiers: scale, rotate, skew etc.
– Transform dialog panel: Modify > Transform
Lasso tool and its modifiers = polygon etc.
Text tool
Circle and Square tools and Modifiers: Object Drawing on / off
– Stroke and Fill properties of graphic in Property Inspector
Pencil tool and Modifiers = straight, smooth etc.
Paint Bucket tool and Modifiers = fill large gaps etc.
– Apply Gradient and use Fill Transform tool
Eraser tool
Zoom tool and Modifiers: zoom in, zoom out (or use Alt-click)
Line Color
Fill Color
Tool Options LOOK here as well as Properties
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Graphic Objects
Graphic Objects = Items on Stage
– Move, copy, delete, transform, stack, align, and group graphic objects.
– Link graphic object to a URL.
– Keep in mind: modifying lines and shapes can alter other lines and
shapes on the same layer if Object Drawing is not selected
Must first Select Object to Modify it
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Keyframes
Keyframe = New Instance of Object Appears
Property Keyframe = Define Object’s Property Change
Use Keyframes to Create Change in Animation
•
Flash can tween, or fill in, frames between keyframes
Create Keyframe
1. Select a frame in Timeline
2. Insert > Timeline > Keyframe
Frame Management
– Delete a frame, keyframe, or frame sequence,
– Select and Edit > Timeline > Remove Frame
or
Right-Click (Windows)
– Extend duration of Keyframe
– Select, hold and then drag keyframe to new final frame
– Change length of a tweened sequence, drag the beginning or ending keyframe
left or right.
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Tweened Animation
Select Keyframe, Right Click and Select Tween option
Motion Tween
– Change Position, Size, Rotation, Alpha of Object
– Specify object property in one frame and another value for that
same property in another frame.
Classic Tween
– Like motion tweens, but more complex to create
Shape Tween
– Change Shape
If you want Flash to tween the movement of more than one
object, each must be on a separate layer.
– Select elements
– Use Modify > Timeline > Distribute to Layers
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Animations: Representations in Timeline
Motion Tween
– Black dot at beginning keyframe; intermediate tweened frames have black
arrow with a light-blue background.
Classic Tween
– Black dot at beginning keyframe; intermediate frames have a black arrow
with a blue background.
Shape Tween
– Black dot at beginning keyframe; intermediate frames have a black arrow
with a light-green background.
Dashed line =
– Tween is broken or incomplete
Cause?
– Final keyframe missing
– Classic Tween: does NOT contain symbol, groups or type
– Shape Tween: contains symbol, groups or type
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Motion Tween
Layer needs to contain Instance of Symbol or Type
and uses Property Keyframes
and can have only one object instance
1. Select keyframe
2. Insert > Motion Tween
or
Right click frame, select “Motion Tween”
3. Select frame and then select object
4. Move to new location (notice the motion trail)
and/or
In Properties panel, change object property
Repeat steps 3 and 4
To Motion Tween a Bitmap or Color of Type
• Bitmap / Type needs to be converted into Symbol
• Modify > Convert to
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Classic Tween
Layer needs to contain Symbols or Groups or Type
and uses Keyframes
Create Classic Tween
a) Create first keyframe
– Insert > Classic Tween
or
Right click frame, select “Classic Tween”
Automatically turns content into Graphic Symbol
– In last frame, create keyframe and move object to new location
b) Create starting and ending keyframes
– Select two keyframes and frames in between
– Insert > Classic Tween
or
Right click frame, select “Classic Tween”
Automatically turns start and end keyframes into symbols
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Shape Tween
Similar to Morphing
– One shape appears to change into another shape over time
Use Ungrouped Graphics to Tween Shapes
1. Create or select first keyframe
2. Create or place artwork in first keyframe
3. Create second keyframe and select it
1. Select artwork in second keyframe
2. Modify shape, color, or position of artwork
(e.g. use “Free Transform” tool)
4. Select first keyframe in Timeline
1. Insert > Shape Tween
or
Right click frame, select “Shape Tween”
2. Properties panel: select option from “Blend” menu:
a) Distributive: intermediate shapes smoother and more irregular.
b) Angular: preserves apparent corners and straight lines.
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Text = Type
Text tool in Toolbox
Properties Inspector to change text properties
Static Text type
– Appearance determined when you author movie.
Dynamic Text type
– Updated text, such as sports scores or stock quotes.
Input Text fields type
– Users enter text for forms, surveys, or other purposes.
Transform Text
– Rotating, scaling, skewing, and flipping it - and still edit characters
Horizontal Text Linked to URLs
– Select text and enter URL in Properties Inspector : Options
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Reshaping Text
Reshaping Text into its individual letter shapes
– Select text with Arrow tool
– Modify > Break Apart
Distribute Text Letters to Layers
– Select all letters
– Modify > Timeline > Distribute to Layers
Organize letters in Layer Folder
– Insert > Timeline > Layer Folder
– Select layers containing letters
– Drag & drop in Layer Folder Static Text
Morph Text
– Select Text and apply “Modify > Break Apart” TWICE
– Apply Shape Tween !
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Symbols and Instances
Symbols = Reusable Elements in Document
– Symbols = graphics, buttons, video clips, sound files, or fonts
– Symbol stored in file's library
– Use symbols for every element that appears more than once.
Create Instance
– Place symbol on Stage, you create instance of that symbol.
– Modify properties of instance without affecting master symbol
– Edit master symbol to change all instances.
Symbols Reduce File Size
– Flash stores symbol in the file only once  greatly reduces file size
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Symbol : Behavior Types
Graphic Symbols
Button Symbols
for static images
to create interactive buttons
Movie Clip Symbols
to create reusable pieces of animation
Insert > New Symbol
Convert Element to Symbol
– Insert > Convert to Symbol
– Drag the selection to the Library panel
– Convert to Symbol from the context menu
© Anselm Spoerri
Library
Window > Library
Library stores
– Symbols created in Flash,
– Imported video clips, sound clips,
bitmaps, and vector artwork
Can open library of any Flash file
Window > Common Libraries
Flash includes sample libraries
– Buttons, classes, sounds
© Anselm Spoerri
Create Symbol and Edit Instance
Create Symbol
from Object on Stage
1. Select Object on Stage
2. Drag & Drop into Library Window
3. Convert to Symbol dialog box appears
– Select Type = Movie Clip, Button or Graphic
– Object on Stage now an instance of the symbol
Create New Empty Symbol
Make sure nothing is selected on Stage
1. Choose Insert > New Symbol
– Name symbol
– Choose Type : Graphic, Button, or Movie Clip.
Flash adds symbol to Library and switches to symbol-editing mode.
2. Create Symbol Content
– Use Timeline, draw with drawing tools etc.
Edit Instance of Symbol
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Select instance on Stage
In Properties change Size, Color, Transparency …
© Anselm Spoerri
Editing Symbol
versus
Editing Symbol
Editing Instance
 Rest of Document disappears and only symbol appears
– Edit > Edit Symbols
When finished creating symbol content, return to movie-editing mode:
– Click Back button at the left side of information bar above Stage.
– Choose Edit > Edit Document.
– Click the scene name in the information bar above the Stage.
Editing Instances
– Edit > Edit Document
Flash Document consists of
– Document’s Main Timeline
– Edit > Edit Document takes you to Main Timeline
– Library that contains Symbols that have their own timeline
– Edit > Edit Symbols takes you to the timeline of a symbol
– Double clicking on instance of symbol takes you
to the timeline of symbol
© Anselm Spoerri
Creating Button
Button = Four-Frame interactive movie clips
– Select button behavior for symbol
– Flash creates Timeline with four frames.
– First three frames display the button's three possible states:
UP, OVER, DOWN
– Fourth frame defines the active area of button
– Timeline doesn't actually play, it simply reacts to pointer movement
and actions by jumping to the appropriate frame.
Make Button Interactive in a Movie
– Place instance of button symbol on Stage
– Assign actions to the instance on Stage.
Actions must be assigned to instance in Main Timeline,
not to frames in button's Timeline.
© Anselm Spoerri
Creating Buttons
Make sure nothing selected:
1.
Insert > New Symbol
2.
New Symbol dialog box
1. Enter name button symbol,
2. Type = Button
Flash switches to symbol-editing mode
3.
UP State: use drawing tool etc.
4.
OVER State
1. Insert > Keyframe
2. Change button image for Over state
5.
Repeat Step 4 for DOWN State
6.
Hit Frame = Define Click Area
1. Insert > Keyframe
2. Solid area large enough to encompass
UP, DOWN, and OVER frames.
No Hit Frame, UP state used
7.
Edit > Edit Document to finish
8.
Drag Button Symbol
out of Library panel
to create instance on stage
© Anselm Spoerri
Button – Add Hyperlink to Interactive Button - ActionScript 2.0
Select Button instance on Stage
(make sure you have the button selected and not the frame that contains button instance).
Open “Actions” Window via “Window > Actions”
Paste this code into Actions Window :
on (release)
{
getURL (URL_as_string, “_self”);
}
This attaches action to button using ActionScript.
 Important: Flash File (ActionScript 2.0) !
Test Movie
Export Button
– File > Export Movie
– Saves it as SWF file, which you can import in Dreamweaver
© Anselm Spoerri
Button – Add Hyperlink to Interactive Button - ActionScript 3.0
Select Button instance on Stage
(make sure you have the button selected and not the frame that contains button instance).
Assign Instance Name in Properties panel
Open “Actions” Window via “Window > Actions”
Open “Code Snippets” Window via “Window > Code Snippets”
Select Actions in left panel
Double-click on “Click to Go to Web Page”
and code will be added to frame in which selected and named
instance is located
Customize Code: specify URL
Test Movie
Export Button
– File > Export Movie
– Saves it as SWF file, which you can import in Dreamweaver
© Anselm Spoerri
Enabling, Editing, and Testing Buttons
By default, Flash keeps buttons disabled as you create them,
– Easier to select and work with them
– When button is disabled, clicking button selects it.
Button = Enabled  it responds to mouse events
Best to Disable buttons as you work
– Enable buttons to quickly test their behavior.
Control > Enable Simple Buttons
Select Enabled Button
– Use the Arrow tool to drag a selection rectangle around the button.
Move Enabled Button
– Select the button, as described above
– Use the arrow keys to move the button
Test Button
– Control > Enable Simple Buttons.
– Move the pointer over the enabled button to test it
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 0 – Download files, Launch Flash, Create Document
Download Files
http://scils.rutgers.edu/~aspoerri/Teaching/MPOnline/Lectures/Lecture10/stepbystep/
Launch Flash
Create Flash Document and Set its Properties
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File > New : General: Flash File
(CS4+: ActionScript 2.0; CC: ActionScript 3.0)
Modify > Document or use Property Inspector
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Frame Rate = 12
Dimensions = 100 x 30
Background color = White
Use scrollbars and Magnification tool to see Stage at sufficient size
Using Grid, Rulers and Guides
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Rulers  View > Rulers
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Guides  View > Guides > Show Guides
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 1 – Create Button Symbol – UP state
Make sure that “Library” is visible (Window > Library)
1. Insert > New Symbol
– “Create New Symbol” dialog: select “Button”
– Name it “Home Button”
– Notice that button appears in list of Library symbols
– Flash switches to “Edit Symbol” mode
and four-frame “button view” appears
– Name Layer 1 = “Shape” in Symbol View
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 1
2.
(cont.)
– Create Button Symbol – UP state
Select UP frame in Timeline
– Select Rectangle tool
– Use Tool “Options” to specify corner radius
– Select Stroke Color = Black and Fill Color = Blue in Property
Inspector
– Draw Rectangle
– Create Vertical and Horizontal Guides and center rectangle
– Select Pointer Tool to select fill of rectangle
– Properties Panel: select Fill color and specify Blue Sphere effect
– Select Gradient Transform tool to change orientation, spread and
shape of gradient
– Insert New Layer using “Insert > Timeline > Layer” – name it “Text”
– Select Text tool and add white “Home” text and center it on button
– Create Guide for baseline of text
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 1
(cont.)
– Create Button Symbol – OVER & DOWN states
Make sure that “Library” is visible  Window > Library
3. Create Keyframes in OVER, DOWN and HIT frames
– Select Over frame in both layers and create Keyframe
(use Insert > Timeline > Keyframe or Right-Click Frame)
– Select Down frame and both layers and create Keyframe
– Select HIT frame and both layers and create Keyframe
4. Modify OVER frame
– Select “Text” layer
– Select Text tool, select text and bold it (make sure to center text)
5. Modify DOWN frame
– Select “Shape” layer and change Fill Gradient Color = Green
– Select “Text” layer
– Select Text tool, select text and change its color
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 1
– Test & Export Interactive Button
(cont.)
1. Switch to “Edit Document” Mode
2. Drag & Drag “Home Button” onto Stage
3. Resize Button to Fit Stage
– Select Free Transform tool, select button and resize to fill Stage
4. Control > Enable Simple Buttons
– Place cursor over and click button
5. Export Button
– File > Export Movie
– Saves it as SWF file
© Anselm Spoerri
Recap – Create Simple Text Button
1. Insert > New Symbol
2. Select Type = “Button”
3. Create “UP” State
4. Insert Keyframe “OVER” and Modify
5. Insert Keyframe “DOWN” and Modify
6. Insert Keyframe “HIT”
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 2 – Create Animated Button
1. Import Images
2. Convert Images to Graphic Symbols

Insert > Convert to Symbol
3. Create Movie Clip using “Insert > New Symbol”
4. Insert Graphic Symbol and Animate
5. Create Button
6. Insert Movie Clip in “Over” State
7. Specify “Hit” area for Button
by creating rectangle that defines “hotspot”
8. Make sure Animation only plays once



Select end keyframe in Animation MovieClip
Open Actions Window: Window > Actions
Type ActionScript “stop ();” in Actions Window
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 3 – Add Hyperlink to Interactive Button – ActionScript 2.0
1. Select “Home Button” on Stage
(make sure you have the button selected and not the frame that contains button instance).
2. Open “Actions” Window via “Window > Actions”
3. Paste this code into Actions Window :
on (release)
{
getURL (URL_as_string, “_self”);
}
This attaches action to button using ActionScript.
 Important: Flash File (ActionScript 2.0) !
4. Test Movie
5. Export Button
– File > Export Movie
– Saves it as SWF file, which you can import in Dreamweaver
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 3 – Add Hyperlink to Interactive Button – ActionScript 3.0
1. Select “Home Button” on Stage
(make sure you have the button selected and not the frame that contains button instance).
2. Assign Instance Name in Properties panel
3. Open “Actions” Window via “Window > Actions”
4. Open “Code Snippets” Window via “Window > Code
Snippets”
Select Actions in left panel
Double-click on “Click to Go to Web Page”
and code will be added to frame in which selected and named
instance is located
Customize Code: specify URL
5. Test Movie
6. Export Button
– File > Export Movie
– Saves it as SWF file, which you can import in Dreamweaver
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 4 – Embed Flash Movie in Web Page
1. Launch Dreamweaver
2. Create Layout with nested AP Elements
3. Place cursor in AP Element that will contain Flash Movie
4. Embed in Dreamweaver
– Insert > Media > SWF
and navigate to SWF file to embed
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 0 – Download files, Launch Flash, Create Document
Download Files
http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~aspoerri/Teaching/MPOnline/Lectures/Lecture10/stepbystep/
Launch Flash
– Start > Macromedia > Flash
Create Flash Document and Set its Properties
–
File > New
(CS4+: ActionScript 2.0; CC: ActionScript 3.0)
–
Modify > Document
–
Frame Rate = 12
or
use Property Inspector
Dimensions =
300 x 300
Background color = White
Using Grid, Rulers and Guides
–
–
Rulers
View > Rulers
Guides
– View > Guides > Show Guides
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 1 – Import Images, Create Text and Create Layers
Import Images to Use in Animation
1) Convert them to Graphic or MovieClip Symbol
2) Create Layer for each image in Main Timeline
Place Text in Symbols to Use in Animation
1) Create Graphic Symbol for each text fragment so that we
can fade-in and fade-out symbol instance that contains text
2) Place text in Graphic Symbol
3) Create Layer for each text fragment in Main Timeline
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 2 – Create Tweened Animations
Animate Instance of Symbols with Images
1) Create Keyframes for Tweened Animations and “Pauses”
2) Use Classic Tween since it can provide more flexibility
3) Specify Position and/or Size and/or Transparency (Alpha)
in Keyframes
Animate Instance of Symbols with Text
1) Create Keyframes for Tweened Animations and “Pauses”
2) Make sure that related text fragments line up spatially before
creating subsequent keyframes
3) Use Classic Tween since it can provide more flexibility
4) Specify Position and/or Size and/or Transparency (Alpha)
in Keyframes
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 3 – Orchestrating Tweened Animations
Placement of Keyframes
1) If the next tween needs to begin right after current tween is
completed, then the “end” keyframe of the current tween and
the “start” keyframe need to be in the same frame.
2) If the next tween needs to partially overlap with the current
tween is completed, then the “start” keyframe of the next
tween needs to be placed in a frame during the current tween
occurs.
3) If the current and next tweens need to fully overlap
(to create a cross-fade), then they need to have “start” and
“end” keyframes in the same frames on the timeline.
Lengthening or Shortening Tween
1) At Specific Frame in Timeline, Select ALL the frames in the
different layers that need to remain in sync
2) Right-click on selected frames and select Insert Frame or
Remove Frames
© Anselm Spoerri
Step 4 – Adding ActionScript 2.0
Controlling and Stopping Playhead
1) Select Frame you want to attach ActionScript to
2) Open Actions Panel and Enter “stop ();”
Adding Interactivity to Instance of MovieClip Symbol
1) Select Instance of MovieClip on Timeline
2) Open Actions Panel and Enter
3) “on (eventType) {
getURL (“URL”, “_self”)
}”
© Anselm Spoerri