Alice Tian
COMS 463
Flash
Macromedia Flash is a multimedia graphics program specially for use on the web.
It enables users to create interactive movies by using vector graphics, which means that
the graphics can be scaled to any size without losing clarity or quality. To get a better
understanding of this software, its advantages, tools and basics, movie clips, action
scripting and exporting/publishing must be examined.
There are several other ways that can be used to create dynamic effects on web
pages, such as animated images and java applets. Although these programs can create the
effects that are wanted, Flash has some distinct advantages over them. One of them is
that it loads much faster. It allows interactivity and can use more than 256 colors unlike
animated images. The user can control the animations when they use the Flash program.
A person doesn’t need programming skills to create animations, thus making it easier to
create. Flash movies are more stable in web browsers than java applets, where they can
take up all resources on the computer, resulting in “freezing” the browser.
Before a person can get started, they need to buy the Flash program if they want
to be a Flash developer. By visiting the Macromedia website listed here
http://macromedia.com/downloads/?promoid=BIOD, a trial version of the software can
be downloaded. After it is installed, projects can be built.
There are many things that a user can create with Flash. One of the basic things is
using the drawing tools, which allow a user to create and modify shapes for the artwork
in their movies. This is what a typical toolbar looks like:
The function of each button is self explanatory. The stroke color tool can be used to
define colors.
The Stage is the rectangular area where graphic content is placed. Things like
vector art, text boxes, buttons, imported bitmap graphics or video clips, and so on can be
put here when creating Flash documents. The Stage in the Flash authoring environment
represents the rectangular space in Macromedia Flash Player or in a web browser window
where the document appears during playback. The Stage can be zoomed in and out to
change its view.
In addition, the Timeline organizes and controls a document's content over time in
layers and frames. Flash documents divide lengths of time into frames. Layers are like
multiple film strips stacked on top of one another, each containing a different image that
appears on the Stage. The major components of the Timeline are layers, frames, and
the playhead.
Layers in a document are listed in a column on the left side of the Timeline.
Frames contained in each layer appear in a row to the right of the layer name. The
Timeline header at the top of the Timeline indicates frame numbers. The playhead
indicates the current frame displayed on the Stage. As a Flash document plays, the
playhead moves from left to right through the Timeline.
The Timeline status display at the bottom of the Timeline indicates the selected
frame number, the current frame rate, and the elapsed time to the current frame. Here is
an example of what a Timeline looks like:
Flash offers many ways to customize the workspace. Panels and the Property
inspector can be used to view, organize, and change media and other assets and their
attributes. Panels can be shown, hidden, and resized. They can also be grouped together
and custom panel sets can be saved. The Property inspector changes to reflect the tool or
asset a user is working with, giving them a quick access to frequently used features.
The Actions panel lets users create and edit ActionScript code for an object or
frame. Selecting a frame, button, or movie clip instance makes the Actions panel active.
The Actions panel title changes to Button Actions, Movie Clip Actions, or Frame
Actions, depending on what is selected. An example of an action panel:
The Library panel is where symbols can be stored and organized, as well as
imported files, including bitmap graphics, sound files, and video clips.
Now that there is some background information on the basics, steps can be taken
to create a document in Flash. To create a new document, go to File -> New -> Click the
General Tab -> Create Document. On the properties window, clicking on the button
next to size enables a user to set specifications about the document. Here is what it looks
like:
A title and description can be given to the document. The size of it can be
changed by putting in new numbers for the pixel width and height. The background color
can be changed by clicking on the drop down for it. Frame rate can be set to however
fast or slow the user wants the document to be.
Flash has two different types of frames that can be used in the Timeline. Frames
are just filler frames that can be used in between key frames. A keyframe is a frame in
which a change to an object’s properties for an animation is defined or includes
ActionScript code to control some aspect of the document. Tweening is another feature
of Flash. It is borrowed from traditional animation. It means “in-betweening.”
Tweening simply means going from one keyframe to another while taking small steps for
each of the ordinary frames in between.
Buttons are another thing that can be created using Flash. This is the only object
type that can detect mouse events. When a button is created, there are four frames in the
timeline. Up is for drawing the button in normal state. Over is for drawing the button
when a mouse-over is detected. Down is for drawing the button as it should look when
the user clicks the button. Hit is used to specify which area the mouse events should
react to.
In addition, movie clips can be created for Flash. Movie clips are defined as
movies within movies whose properties and timelines are independent of the main movie.
There can be as many instances of movie clips in the main movie and even drag the same
imported movie clip onto the main stage multiple times. They can be reused as templates
of sorts and edit them specifically for each new movie they are pulled into without
changing the original clips.
Another feature of flash is its internal programming language called ActionScript.
It is similar to JavaScript. However, where the client model of JavaScript deals with the
structure of browser windows, documents and forms, ActionScript deals with the
structure and interactivity of Flash movies, which may include animations, audio, text
and client-side logic.
Once a project has been created, there are several things a user can do to publish
or export it. For putting it on the web, an HTML file is required to embed the project in.
A projector file needs to be created to put it on a CD-ROM, or an e-mail attachment. To
put it into an image file, such as JPEG, or GIF, it can be exported from the project file.
After reviewing all the materials regarding Flash, it is easy to see that it is a
valuable tool that can be used for web programming. There are several Flash basics,
tools and features that come with the program. A user can create many different items
from this software, either by using ActionScript, movie clips or multiple button actions.
It provides many options for a person to export or publish their project t once it has been
generated.
Questions:
1. What type of software is Flash?
a. Video game editor
b. Programming language similar to Java
c. Photo editor
d. Multimedia graphics program for use on the web
2. Which of the following IS a valid file extension in Flash?
a. .swf
b. .txt
c. .pdf
d. .mff
3. The rectangular area where graphic content is placed is called?
a. Timeline
b. Screen
c. Stage
d. Panel
4. Which is NOT a state of a button object?
a. Hit
b. Down
c. Beat
d. Up
5. What is the name of the internal programming language in Flash?
a. JavaScript
b. ActionScript
c. Java
d. Python
6. Flash uses _____________ to create interactive movies.
7. The _____________ tool can be used to define colors.
8. The _____________ organizes and controls a document's content over time in
layers and frames.
9. A _____________ is a frame in which a change to an object’s properties for an
animation is defined or includes ActionScript code to control some aspect of the
document.
10. Going from one keyframe to another while taking small steps for each of the
ordinary frames in between is called______________.
11. List some advantages of Flash over java applets and animated images.
12. List the major components of the Timeline and give a brief description of each.
13. List 2 properties a user can set for a Flash document and what these properties
change.
14. Define library panel.
15. Identify the two different types of frames that can be used in the Timeline and
give a brief description of each.
Answers
1. D
2. A
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. vector graphics
7. stroke color
8. timeline
9. keyframe
10. tweening
11. Loads much faster
 Allows interactivity
 Can use more than 256 colors
 Can control the animations when they use the Flash program
 Easier to create
 More stable in web browsers
12. Layers - like multiple film strips stacked on top of one another
 Frames – lengths of time divided into frames
 Playhead - indicates the current frame displayed on the Stage
13. Background color – changes the color of the background
 Size – changes stage size (in pixels)
14. The Library panel is where symbols can be stored and organized, as well as
imported files, including bitmap graphics, sound files, and video clips.
15. Frames - filler frames that can be used in between key frames.
 Keyframe – contains a change in motion.