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Guide to Using Flash

Shortcuts:

F5-insert or add frame
F6-add keyframe
F8-convert to symbol
F11-Library
Return-play movie
Command Enter- Test movie
Command Q-Quit

Learning to solve problems:
When you are stuck, search for solution first by checking on-line Flash Help, then any reference books (Peachtree or Flash Manual), then ask a neighbour, and finally ask the teacher. This is important for your sense of self-reliance and developing coping abilities when you are problem-solving. I do not mind if you search for an answer. It is part of the course.

Flash Editor: Flash document opens into the Flash Editor which contains an editing environment including 1) a timeline with a record of every frame 2) layers, and 3) a scene that makes up your movie, a stage (where you see your work), the work area (that extends beyond the stage but is invisible when movie tested or played). The Flash editor offers various panels, libraries, windows and tools.

Images-1) please save images in class document folder and AGAIN on a 2) Key or CD or DVD after EACH CLASS. Flash imports vector art (Illustrator) or bitmapped graphics (Photoshop) using File Menu.
Flash accepts gif, png, jpg and bmp, Illustrator, pict, wmf, emf, Quicktime image, Quicktime Movie, Tiff, tga, Silicon Graphics and MacPaint formats. Audio files accepted: aiff, wav (MAC), mp3 Library.
Note: gif accepts transparency.
Bitmap Image-made of dots. The image deteriorates when enlargened.
Vector- a drawing using a mathematical formula. It can not deteriorate with enlargement. They are compact and fully scaleable. Flash and Illustrator make vector images. Photoshop makes bitmap images from photographs.
Symbol-help keep file sizes small. Symbols are more efficient than duplicate vector shapes.
Symbols have 3 behaviours- Graphic/Button/Movie. If you have a static graphic symbol it takes up one frame of the movie in which you place it (just an any graphic element would). A three-frame animated graphic symbol takes up three frames of the movie. Buttons have their own four-frame Timeline; a button sits in a single frame of a movie but displays its four frames as a user’s mouse interacts with it. Movie clips have their own multiframe Timeline that plays independently of the main movie’s Timeline.
And you can make your own vector images using drawing tools in Flash!

Animation: Frame-by-Frame Animations, Motion Tweening, Shape Tweening. If drawing needs to be changed-shape. If the drawing needs to be moved-motion.

Layers-Very important to understand. Same principles as Photoshop.Layers can be edited by order, hidden, deleted.Please title each layer of your Flash animation. Some of your files contain audio. Audio is found in it’s own layer.

Saving-critical. Know what Save As does. Know what retitling does. Know that if you press Save (unless you do a Revert before) you have just rcorded the document and it can’t be undone. Please leave originals alone and make a copy with a Save As or a new title to restart the last day’s work. In this way, you will never lose all the work by accident or at least only a partial loss. Save fla and swf can always be recreated each time you play or test the movie. The fla is the actual document. Try to press Save as you go when you are happy with each step.

Image Size- All your files will eventually be viewed at 72 dpi resolution on-line. However,
There are tricks to making your files retain interesting detail and keep from being pixilated.
We will be covering the importance of resolution dpi, jpg, gif, psd and reasons to use various formats. We will also be covering Optimization for the Web which allows the artist
To decide on how much detail she/he is willing to forgo when thinking about downloading time.

File Menu: Importing images (automatically imported to Library). See F11. Saving and Saving As.

Edit Menu: Select many frames and Cut frames, Copy frames, Paste frames, Clear frames. Cut, copy, paste and clear is only for one frame and is not as useful.

View Menu: grids, snap to, zooms, etc.

Insert Menu: Useful for dealing with layers, removing frames and adding a keyframe (F6) or frame (F5), motion tweening and new symbols.

Modify Menu: Useful for Breakapart of Bitmap image as well as transforming a symbol or graphic and Grouping elements.

Text Menu: Self-evident. Do you want to animate text in Flash? Do you want to create text in Photoshop and bring in to animate?

Control Menu: Play!Play!Play! Test movie and play movie. Looping is an option.

Window Menu: Properties, Tools, and Library are important here.

Toolbox: You may use all of these tools. Or just a selection. Please experiment with a copied image.
Tools I use a lot are: Arrow and Subselection Tool, Lasso Tool, Text Tool, Brush Tool, Free Transform,
Paintbucket Tool, Eyedropper Tool, Eraser Tool, Zoom, Hand, Stroke/Fill Colour.

Flash is a logical software programme. When in doubt, look for visible cues. Take time to investigate. Investigation is encouraged and part of class time.