Other weather symbols.doc
Other weather symbols
We’ll need a few more weather symbols to create a convincing weather map!
Described below are the steps to follow to create the Lightning cloud and Snow cloud
symbols. The skills needed to do these have already been covered in this book so flick
back through the previous chapters if you get stuck.
Lightning symbol
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Open the Symbols.fla file and zoom in on one of the plain black clouds. Next to
the cloud draw a lightning streak using the Line tool (with Hairline line style)
and the Paint Bucket tool.
Figure 7.9
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Group the lightning outline with the fill. Move the lightning streak over the cloud.
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Double-click the lightning cloud symbol to enter Symbol edit mode. In the
Timeline panel, insert a Keyframe in frames 5, 10 and 15.
Select both the cloud and the lightning and turn them into a symbol. Name the
symbol Lightning cloud and set the Behaviour to Movie clip.
Figure 7.10: The Timeline panel
Other weather symbols.doc
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Click frame 5; the red playhead will move there.
Deselect everything. With the Selection tool, click on the yellow lightning streak
so that the thin blue border appears around it. Now right-click it and click Edit
Selected from the menu that appears. Alternatively just double-click it. You are
now in Group edit mode.
Figure 7.11
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Using the Properties panel change the fill and outline colours to be an
orangey-red.
Figure 7.12
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Exit Group edit mode by clicking where it says Lightning cloud above the
Timeline panel.
Figure 7.13: Exiting Group edit mode
Other weather symbols.doc
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In frame 10, delete the lightning streak. The lightning streak will disappear in
this frame to simulate a flashing effect.
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In frame 15 change the colour of the lightning, this time to white. You use
exactly the same method as for when you turned the lightning orangey-red.
View the Timeline panel in Preview mode.
Figure 7.14: Preview frame view in the Timeline panel
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Test the movie by selecting Control, Play from the Main Menu bar. Remove
some Regular frames from between the Keyframes to make the lightning flash
faster.
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Exit both Group edit and Symbol edit mode by clicking where it says Scene 1
above the Timeline panel.
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Click and drag some instances of the Lightning cloud symbol onto the Stage.
Press Ctrl-Enter to preview the movie.
Figure 7.15: Previewing the movie
Other weather symbols.doc
Snow cloud symbol
The Snow cloud has another level of animation, and is a bit more advanced.
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Drag another instance of the Black cloud onto an empty part of the Stage.
Zoom in.
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Draw a snow flake away from the cloud by drawing a line (using the Line tool)
then using the Transform panel to repeatedly duplicate and rotate it by 60
degrees (a similar method to the one used for the sun rays). Group all the lines.
Figure 7.16
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Select the snowflake and turn it into a Movie Clip symbol called Snowflake.
Enter Symbol edit mode and insert a Keyframe in frame 5. In frame 5, select
the snowflake then use the Free Transform tool to rotate if slightly. Exit
Symbol edit mode.
Figure 7.17: Rotating the showflake
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Drag another instance of the snowflake symbol from the Library onto the
Stage. Place both snowflakes near the Black cloud symbol. Select the Black
cloud and the two Snowflake symbols then select Modify, Convert to Symbol
from the menu. Name the Symbol Snow cloud and set the behaviour to Movie
clip.
Other weather symbols.doc
Figure 7.18
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Follow the same steps as you did before for the Rain cloud symbol to make the
snowflakes fall.
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Drag some more instances of the Snow cloud onto the Stage. Save then
preview the animation.
Other symbols
Take a look at the MET office website at www.met-office.gov.uk and the BBC website
www.bbc.co.uk to see what weather symbols they use.
Click here on
the Home page
To view the key to
symbols, click where it
says Key below the map
on the main page.
Figure 7.19: The MET Office website
Other weather symbols.doc
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Choose some other symbols to create using Flash and store them in the
Library of the symbols file.
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Press Ctrl-S to save the file.
Organising the Library
You can organise the Library by creating different folders. We’ll create one to put all the
symbols in.
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In the Library panel, click the Add New Folder icon at the bottom. Enter
Weather symbols as the folder name then press Enter.
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Now click and drag each of the weather symbols and drop them onto the new
folder.
Figure 7.20: The Library panel
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save.
Close the Symbols.fla and Symbols.swf files; say Yes if prompted to