Flash – Introduction and Startup

1. Flash – Introduction and Startup • Many times on websites you will see animations of various sorts • Many of these are created with and viewed with a program called Macromedia Flash or Flash plugin viewer. • Each of these animations are called movies and are saved in two forms: the editable form ending in .fla and the form you view ending in .swf Click your mouse for next slide

2. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Flash comes as part of the suite of programs known as Dreamweaver. • To start it go to Start, Programs and choose Macromedia Flash • You should see this screen Click your mouse for next slide

3. Flash - Introduction and Startup • There are many parts of this screen however the most important part of the screen is the large white part in the center • This is often referred to as the stage area • The second most important area is the scale running across the top – it is called the timeline Click your mouse for next slide

4. Flash - Introduction and Startup • As you know all cartoons are a series of pictures called frames • Each unit on the timeline is a frame in a movie or animation • Flash lets you control each frame and what goes in it Click your mouse for next slide

5. Flash - Introduction and Startup • For instance, let’s draw something – a simple shape like a ball and then move it around the screen • First we select the frame we want to work in. In this case we need the first frame and that one is automatically selected by Flash because it is a new file Click your mouse for next slide

6. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Now go to the Toolbox on the left and choose the Oval tool (it actually looks like a circle but it can so both) Click your mouse for next slide

7. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Next we have to choose a color for the shape • First set the color of the stroke or outline to none • This is done by clicking on the down triangle in the color square and choose the “No color” box for the outline or stroke Click your mouse for next slide

8. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Now go to the Fill box just below and choose any color you like for the Fill color Click your mouse for next slide

9. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Now drag across a small area in the upper left of the stage area to make a small circle • Now let’s draw the second frame, but we don’t have to redraw the ball. • There is a short cut. Click your mouse for next slide

10. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Right click on the second frame in the timeline • Choose Insert Keyframe • This choice will copy the first frame into the second in the same position • Make sure you choose Keyframe as this is the choice which will duplicate the previous frame Click your mouse for next slide

11. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Now select the Arrow tool and click on the ball you created. • Then drag it to the bottom of the stage. • Repeat this procedure until you have four or five frames Click your mouse for next slide

12. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Try out your movie by pressing the Enter key or going to the Control menu and choosing Play • Warning your movie will play very fast and you may not see much • To control the speed go to the Modify option and chose the movie choice Click your mouse for next slide

13. Flash - Introduction and Startup • Now change the frame rate to 6 or 8 instead of 12 which is the default. • Say OK • Now play the movie (by pressing Enter) and you should see a bouncing ball • It may not be very smooth but don’t worry we will smooth that out later • For now save your work Click your mouse for next slide

14. Flash - Introduction and Startup • To save your file, go to the File menu and choose the Save As option because it is the first time you have saved the file • Notice you are saving the file in .fla form • This is the form which you can reload and edit • To save a completed file in the form you can use on the web you choose the File menu form but the Export Movie option • Give the file a name and save in an appropriate folder. Click your mouse for next slide

15. Super Giant Big Fun Assignment • Start up the program Macromedia Flash • Draw a circle in the upper left hand corner • Fill it with the color of your choice and make sure there is no stroke color • Add several keyframes which will make the ball bounce up and down across the screen • Make sure you slow the frame rate down so that we can see the ball bounce • Save your work as an .fla file AND a .swf file • Now you can proudly display it the FST so he can TICK YOU OFF. Click your mouse for next slide