UNDERSTANDING ADOBE FLASH
The Flash Interface
The flash interface provides you with: A menu bar Panels A work area: stage
The Flash Interface
Toolbar or tools panel is used for creating and modifying vector objects
Properties panel allows you to modify most objects and tools
Library is where all symbols and assets are imported to
Colour panel allows you to choose colours, create gradients and save swatches
Edit bar allows you to navigate from scene to scene and other functions including zooming the stage
Practice file
The Timeline
Using the Timeline
Layer Name Edit Layer Properties: Click to display the Properties
Panel for this frame New Layer: creates a new layer New Folder: creates a folder so you can organise your
layers Delete: delete a layer (there is no going back!) Onion Skin: All frames between the Start Onion Skin
and End Onion Skin markers (in the Timeline header) are superimposed as one frame in the Document window.
Onion Skin Outlines: Click to display onion skin frames
Using the Timeline
Current frame: display the current frame number view
Frame rate: displays current frame rate Elapsed time: shows how many frames
have been executed on the timeline
Using the Timeline
Add and Manipulate Keyframes, frames and Tweens for animation
Keyframes are used to denote a change at a point in time, they provide a new start
Insert blank keyframe example
Using the Timeline
Add a Shape Tween A shape tween is the smooth
transformation of a shape from one to another, may also include colour and location.
Example of shape tween (face) Previewing the animation is done by
using: Control->Test Movie or Ctrl Enter
(windows) or cmd Enter (mac)
Using the Timeline
Modifying the animation Adding or removing frames from an animation
can increase the speed (removing) or decrease the speed (adding) of the animation.
To do this with a shape tween, select the first frame, shift, select the last frame then:
Insert->Timeline->Frame or right click -> insert frame
Frames can also be removed using the same procedure but choosing remove frame
Using the Timeline
Export the SWF to Preview Creates an SWF file for testing to the
same location as the FLA file
Motion Editor
Using the Motion Editor
Allows you to edit all aspects of the animation’s properties
Shows the value of each property of the selected span in a graph
Viewable frames can be controlled
Understanding Flash File Types When you publish your flash animation, flash
creates 2-3 files: A SWF file (Small Web Format) [not
Shockwave file this is different technology] An html file containing the SWF tags which
allows you to embed the SWF file A javascript file which ensures the SWF file
plays with no action required from the user For you flash animation to work correctly, you
must upload all these files to your web server.
Best Practice for managing file sizes of a published Flash document
Bitmaps Ensure that bitmaps have been edited in
bitmap editing software such as Fireworks or Photoshop before you import
Reduce the file size as much as possible and change the screen resolution to match your flash settings before importing
Best Practice for managing file sizes of a published Flash document
Simplify the artwork in your movie by: Using solid lines rather than dashes, dotted
lines, also avoid custom widths Use pencil tool rather than the brush tool Optimise curves by using Modify->Shape->
Optimise. Using this on curves reduces the number of lines.
Best Practice for managing file sizes of a published Flash document
Use symbols for every object that appears more than once
Group objects as much as possible, almost as efficient as a symbol
Use vector graphics rather than bitmaps Avoid animating a bitmap, it will create a
larger file For larger presentations, use a series of
SWF files rather than a number of scenes
Best Practice for managing file sizes of a published Flash document
Sound Use shortest loops possible for background
sounds Video
Ensure it is imported at the dimension you require, should be no larger than 320 x 240
Best Practice for managing file sizes of a published Flash document
What increases files: Vector graphics: the complexity of the
shape The more complex the shape, the more
corners and curves will increase the file size and the CPU resources to generate it
The number of gradients and blending modes will increase the file size also
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