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Chapter Lessons

OVERVIEW. Chapter Lessons. Understand the Macromedia Flash workspace Open a document and play a movie Create and save a movie Work with the timeline Plan a Web site Distribute a Macromedia Flash movie. INTRODUCTION. Using Flash 8. What is Flash 8?

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Chapter Lessons

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  1. OVERVIEW Chapter Lessons • Understand the Macromedia Flash workspace • Open a document and play a movie • Create and save a movie • Work with the timeline • Plan a Web site • Distribute a Macromedia Flash movie Getting Started with Flash 8

  2. INTRODUCTION Using Flash 8 • What is Flash 8? • An animation and interactive authoring program • Has tools for complex animation, as well as excellent drawing tools Getting Started with Flash 8

  3. INTRODUCTION Using Flash 8 • What can Flash 8 be used for? • Web sites • Web-based applications • CD-Rom and interactive applications • Video Getting Started with Flash 8

  4. INTRODUCTION Optimized for the Web • Flash uses vector images • Vectors are scalable • Reduces the size of graphic files • Flash provides for streaming content over the Internet • Does not need to wait for entire contents of Web page to load to start playing Getting Started with Flash 8

  5. LESSON 1 Understanding the Flash Environment • You can customize your workspace • Flash works on a movie metaphor • Create scenes on a stage • Scenes run in frames on a timeline • Create a movie by arranging objects on the stage • Play the movie on the stage using VCR-like controls Getting Started with Flash 8

  6. LESSON 1 Understanding the Flash Environment • Three parts to the development environment • Stage • Timeline • Workspace • Other parts of the program • The toolbox • The properties panel Getting Started with Flash 8

  7. LESSON 1 Getting Started with Flash 8

  8. LESSON 1 The Stage • Contains all objects that are seen by the viewer in the final movie • You can draw objects on, or import objects to the stage Getting Started with Flash 8

  9. LESSON 1 The Timeline • Used to organize and control the movie’s content by specifying when each object appears on the stage • Contains images within frames • Units of the timeline • Has separate layers • Has a playback head Getting Started with Flash 8

  10. LESSON 1 The Tools Panel • Contains a set of tools used to draw and edit graphics and text • Divided into four sections: Tools, View, Colors, Options • Panels, i.e., Properties panel • Used to organize and modify objects and features in a movie Getting Started with Flash 8

  11. LESSON 2 Open a Document and Play a Movie • The .fla extension is native, and can only be opened in Flash • Flash exports Web-ready files as .swf • .swf files should be tested before being published • Always keep the original .fla file for modifications Getting Started with Flash 8

  12. LESSON 2 Previewing a Movie • Flash movies can be previewed in the development environment • Use control menu commands • Play, rewind, step forward, step backward • Use the Controller • Toolbar command on the Window menu Getting Started with Flash 8

  13. LESSON 2 Keyboard Shortcuts • Play: [Enter] (Win) and [Return] (Mac) • Rewind: ([Ctrl] [Alt] [R] (Win)) and ([Option] [R] (Mac)) • Step Forward (.) moves the play head forward progressively • Step Backward (,) moves the play head backward progressively Getting Started with Flash 8

  14. LESSON 2 Testing a Movie • When previewing a movie, some interactive functions do not work unless the movie is played using the Flash Player • Use Control > Test Movie to test using the Flash player Getting Started with Flash 8

  15. LESSON 3 Create and Save a Movie • Movies are created by placing objects on the stage, editing these objects, animating them and adding interactivity • You can create graphics in Flash,or import them from another program such as Photoshop Getting Started with Flash 8

  16. LESSON 3 Creating an Animation • A basic animation requires two keyframes • The first keyframe sets the starting position • The second keyframe sets the ending position • The number of frames between two keyframes determines the length of the animation Getting Started with Flash 8

  17. LESSON 3 An Object in a Keyframe Object on the stage is in Frame 1 on the timeline FIGURE 9 Oval object in Frame 1 Getting Started with Flash 8

  18. LESSON 3 Motion Animation Arrow indicates motion animation FIGURE 10 Motion animation Getting Started with Flash 8

  19. LESSON 3 Adding an Effect to an Object • In addition to animating an object’s location, you can also animate an object’s appearance • Shape • Color • Brightness • Transparency • Rotation Getting Started with Flash 8

  20. LESSON 4 Work with the Timeline • Determine and modify what is happening in a movie frame by frame • Which objects are animated • What types of animation to use • Which objects will appear on top of others • How fast movie will play Getting Started with Flash 8

  21. LESSON 4 Work with the Timeline Playhead Frame View Icon Frames Status Bar Layers FIGURE 15 Elements of the Timeline Getting Started with Flash 8

  22. LESSON 4 Using Layers • Layers: like transparent acetate sheets of content stacked on top of one another • Adding a layer causes it to be placed on top of the other layers • Can be re-ordered by dragging up or down Getting Started with Flash 8

  23. LESSON 4 Using Frames • The timeline is made up of individual units called frames • Content is displayed in frames as the playhead moves over them when the movie plays • The status bar indicates current frame the playhead is on Getting Started with Flash 8

  24. LESSON 4 Using the Playhead • The playhead indicates which frame is playing • Can be dragged left or right • Dragging back and forth allows you to check some animations in Flash without exporting to .swf Getting Started with Flash 8

  25. LESSON 4 Understanding Scenes • A section of the timeline designated for a specific part of the movie • Create a number of scenes to organize movie • Give scenes descriptive names for faster editing • Manage your flash movie production Getting Started with Flash 8

  26. LESSON 4 Working with the Timeline • By studying a timeline you can determine • If different objects are on different layers • If there is motion in any of the layers by looking for the motion arrow • The length of the animation • The frame rate • Where the animation is in its sequence Getting Started with Flash 8

  27. LESSON 5 Plan a Web Site • Step 1: State the purpose of your site • What do we want to accomplish? • Step 2: Identify the target audience • Who will use this Web site? Getting Started with Flash 8

  28. LESSON 5 Plan a Web Site • Step 3: Determining the Treatment • What is the look and feel? • Tone • Approach • Emphasis Getting Started with Flash 8

  29. LESSON 5 Plan a Web Site • Step 4: Develop the Specifications • Playback System • Elements to Include • Functionality • User Interface Getting Started with Flash 8

  30. LESSON 5 Using Screen Design Guidelines FIGURE 23 Sample Storyboard Getting Started with Flash 8

  31. LESSON 5 Using Screen Design Guidelines • Balance • Unity • Movement Getting Started with Flash 8

  32. LESSON 5 Using Interactive Design Guidelines • Make it simple, easy to understand • Build in consistency in the navigation scheme • Provide feedback • Give the user control Getting Started with Flash 8

  33. LESSON 6 Distributing a Macromedia Flash Movie • Export out of Flash as: • .html (The HTML document) • .swf (The Macromedia Flash Player file) Getting Started with Flash 8

  34. LESSON 6 .swf extension indicates aMacromedia Flash Player file Code specifying the Macromedia Flash Player Movie that the browser will play FIGURE 24 Sample HTML code Getting Started with Flash 8

  35. LESSON 6 Other Publishing Options • Stand-alone Projector Files • Quicktime .mov files Getting Started with Flash 8

  36. SUMMARY Chapter 1 Tasks • Understand the Macromedia Flash environment • Open a document and play a movie • Create and save a movie • Work with layers and the timeline • Plan a Web site • Distribute a Macromedia Flash movie Getting Started with Flash 8

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